Story by Sofia Alva Associate News Editor Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor Residents expressed a desire for the new leader of the SPPD to have extensive anti-bias, and specifically anti-racist, training at a virtual community forum about the search for a new police chief on Monday, Mar. 15. The South Pasadena Public Safety Commission and interim […]
Teachers, parents, and district clash over school reopening
Story by Sofia Alva & Lilian Zhu Associate News Editor & Associate Webmaster Illustration by Alicia Zhang Staff Illustrator Photos courtesy of Pat Barr & Kim Sinclair Contributors Teachers rallied together through countless public comments at multiple School Board meetings to voice concerns about what they believe is the district’s decision to reopen SPUSD schools without prioritizing their safety. The reopening of grades […]
Community gathers at Vons to support temporary hero pay ordinance
Story by Kahlen Miao Staff Writer Photos by Sophie Yeung Staff Photographer A group of about 20 community members rallied outside of South Pasadena’s Vons in support of a 120-day $5 per hour hazard pay ordinance for essential workers on Saturday, Mar. 13. The rally began at about 10:30 a.m. in front of Vons and […]
Upcoming virtual community forum gives residents the opportunity to provide input on search for new police chief
Story by Georgia Parsons Associate Feature Editor Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor The City of South Pasadena and the Public Safety Commission will host a virtual community forum as the City searches for a new SPPD police chief via Zoom on Monday, Mar. 15 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Attendees will be able to […]
Drives for those experiencing homelessness inspire compassion
Story by Eddie Zhou Staff Writer Photo by Oscar Walsh Staff Photographer Local activist group Black Lives Matter (BLM) South Pasadena emphasizes humanity and respect for unhoused community members in its lunch and donation drives at Garfield Park every Monday at 12 p.m. Volunteers distribute homemade and purchased meals, drinks, masks, hand sanitizer, snacks, and […]
SPUSD provides lunches to community youth at no cost
Story by Georgia Parsons Associate Feature Editor Photo courtesy of Michelle Curry Contributor The SPUSD Food and Nutrition program is offering free meals to anyone in the greater South Pasadena community between the ages of one and 18 on Diamond Avenue across from the SPHS basketball gym. This program has been underway since the beginning of […]
Pet adoptions lift spirits during quarantine
Story by Lilian Zhu Associate Webmaster Photos by Katelyn Hernandez & Sophie Yeung Staff Photographers Skyrocketing pet adoptions since the beginning of quarantine have brought joy and eased loneliness for many families as the pandemic stretches to one year. For many, coronavirus shutdowns in March contributed to decisions to add a new member to the family […]
Students set to return to SPMS and SPHS in hybrid models on Apr. 8 and Apr. 15, respectively
Story by Zoe Schlaak Associate Sports Editor Photo courtesy of Abigail Silver Contributor The School Board approved the return to campus for SPMS and SPHS students using hybrid learning schedules on Thursday, Apr. 8 and Thursday, Apr. 15, respectively, at a special meeting on Thursday, Mar. 4. SPMS has already created an unapproved hybrid model, but no […]
Residents rally behind $5 essential worker hazard pay
Story by Noah Kuhn & Lilian Zhu News Editor & Associate Webmaster Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor Nearly 150 community members signed onto a public comment advocating for a 120-day, extra $5 an hour essential worker hazard pay in South Pasadena at the City Council meeting on Wednesday, March 3. The leaders of the workers’ rights activism […]
Residents condemn Caltrans’ use of law enforcement to guard vacant homes amidst homelessness crisis
Story by Noah Kuhn News Editor Reporting by Ava Dunville Contributor Photos by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor Community members have criticized the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for contracting with private security company Inter-Con to guard empty homes 24/7 rather than give them as housing to people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic. Caltrans had previously paid the […]
Reopened outdoor dining boosts profits and morale
Story by Lilian Zhu Associate Webmaster Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor Local restaurant owners expressed hope and happiness when outdoor dining reopened on Friday, Jan. 29 after a two-month hiatus. The spike in coronavirus cases over the holiday season resulted in more restrictive stay-at-home orders, including the shutdown of outdoor dining. However, cases in L.A. County […]
City reaches $450,000 settlement over Marquez officer-involved killing
Story by Sofia Alva Associate News Editor Photo courtesy of Alice S. Hall / NBCU Photo Bank Contributor The City of South Pasadena reached a settlement of $450,000 in the wrongful death lawsuit over the SPPD killing of resident and actress Vanessa Marquez on Monday, Feb. 22. Marquez was shot and killed by SPPD officers during a […]
Community applauds elementary school TK to 2 reopening
Story by Adam Kwoh Copy Editor Photos by Sophie Yeung Staff Photographer SPUSD TK to 2 students eagerly stepped through their elementary schools’ gates for the first time in nearly a year on Thursday, Feb. 18, and parents, teachers, and administrators rendered the reopening day a success. As per SPUSD’s reopening plan, students arrived in separate […]
City Council approves primary permit for Moffatt Street development despite community opposition
Story by Zoe SchlaakStaff Writer Photo courtesy of Planet Home LivingContributor The City Council unanimously approved a Hillside Development permit for the Moffatt Street extension project at its meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 17, laying the groundwork for the construction of seven properties at the border of South Pasadena and El Sereno. Community members strongly opposed the […]
Charting the future of Biden’s administration and the nation
Story by Katharine Florence, Sam Grotenstein, Adam Kwoh, Luyang Zhang, Matthew Tsai, & Cat FloresStaff Writer, Associate Opinion Editor, Copy Editors, Print Managing Editor, & Editor-in-Chief Illustrations by Nicholas FormanSenior Staff Illustrator Graphics by Charlotte CohenCo-Associate Design Editor Following the 2020 election, Democrats now hold a government trifecta after taking control of the presidency and […]
TK through second graders set to return to campus in hybrid model on Feb. 18
Story by Georgia Parsons Feature Associate Editor Photo courtesy of Abigail Silver Contributor The School Board unanimously approved the return of in-person instruction for grades TK to 2 in a hybrid model on Thursday, Feb. 18, at its meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 9. The reopening is contingent on L.A. County’s adjusted case rate dropping below 25 per […]