Story by Georgia Parsons Staff Writer Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor SPHS Principal Janet Anderson updated the community about the retirement of two teachers on Tuesday, Aug. 11, prior to the start of the 2020-2021 school year. Practical arts department chair Mike Hogan and physical education teacher Elinor Charlton have retired. Librarian Shelee Wilkerson will […]
SPY4PR protest calls attention to SPPD misconduct, puts pressure on city for action
Story by Sam Grotenstein Staff Writer Photo courtesy of SPY4PR Contributor South Pasadena Youth for Police Reform (SPY4PR) organized a protest at Garfield Park on Sunday, Aug. 9 to raise awareness of SPPD misconduct. Speakers talked about officer mishandling of Joe Richcreek’s targeted assault of Black Lives Matter protestors and demanded that city officials hold the SPPD […]
SPHS students set to receive schedules on Aug. 12
Story by Kahlen Miao Staff Writer Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor SPHS principal Janet Anderson announced distance learning guidelines and additional information for the upcoming school year in an email sent out Monday, Aug. 10. Students will learn their schedules on Wednesday, Aug. 12 via the Aeries portal, and technology support and teacher instruction on how […]
School board opts against TASP proposed secondary model in special meeting
Story by Georgia ParsonsStaff Writer Photo by SPUSDContributor The school board decided against adopting the Teacher’s Association of South Pasadena’s (TASP) instructional secondary model during its emergency meeting on Saturday, Aug. 8. After voicing concerns over the adopted instructional model, TASP representatives proposed their own model that would eliminate Friday instructional periods; the board concluded […]
SPUSD to offer meal pick-up services in 2020-2021 school year
Story by Katie HohmanStaff Writer Photo by Ella JayasekeraPhotography Editor SPUSD announced its newly formatted Curbside Meal Service for the upcoming school year on Friday, Aug. 7, which includes both drive-through and walk-up services. In contrast to the end of the 2019-2020 school year, the district will only be providing free meals to those who qualify. Students […]
School board to hold emergency meeting to review TASP’s instructional models
Story by Kahlen Miao Staff Writer Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor The school board will have a special meeting on Saturday, Aug. 8 at 2:00 p.m. to publicly review the Teacher’s Association of South Pasadena’s (TASP) proposed instructional models for the upcoming school year. School board president Dr. Michele Kipke informed the community of the special […]
City council postpones height limit increase and creation of more bike lanes
Story by Sofia Alva Staff Writer Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor The city council voted to not allocate Measure M funds, despite a heavy push by residents for money to be used for more bike lanes, at its meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 5. Council members also unanimously voted to keep the building height limit increase off […]
D.A.’s office to investigate fake, online identities
Story by Haelee Kim Staff Writer Photo by Katelyn Hernandez Staff Photographer The South Pasadena Police Department (SPPD) announced that the L.A. County District Attorney will investigate two unknown identities accused of sending defamatory and threatening emails and public comments on Thursday, Aug. 6. The informant, resident Chris Bray, sent an email to city officials, SPPD officers, […]
Teachers voice concern over adopted learning models
Story by Charlie Betts Staff Writer Photo by Oscar Walsh Staff Photographer The Teachers Association of South Pasadena (TASP) voiced concern about the proposed SPUSD instructional models for the upcoming school year and have called for an emergency SPUSD school board meeting to address the problems. In June, teachers were given a variety of instructional models to […]
Community may get a chance to vote on raising building height maximums to create mandated affordable housing
Story by Zoe Schlaak Staff Writer Photo by Katelyn Hernandez Staff Photographer The city council will decide whether to put a proposal raising the city’s 45-foot building height limit on the November ballot, at its meeting on Wednesday Aug. 5. The South Pasadena Planning Commission did not recommend that the height maximum increase be placed on the […]
SPUSD outlines plans for distance learning during the upcoming school year
Story by Lilian Zhu Staff Writer Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photo Editor South Pasadena Unified School District (SPUSD) explained its planned hybrid and distance learning models for the 2020-2021 academic year on July 29. Administrators also answered questions from parents and students through a live webinar and FAQ. The 100 percent total distance learning model will […]
L.A. complies with statewide protections and improvements for workers during pandemic
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced plans to help workers during the coronavirus pandemic, including a coronavirus paid sick leave and compensation for at-risk workers.
Residents voice encounters with the SPPD at virtual community forum
Story by Georgia Parsons Staff Writer Photo by Richard Gomez Contributor South Pasadena community members shared their experiences with the SPPD in an effort to improve policing and public safety in the city at a storytelling forum on Thursday, July 16. The forum is the first event organized by the city council’s new Future of Policing […]
L.A. County supervisor, Kathryn Barger, updates city council on continuing efforts to contain coronavirus
Story by Katie HohmanStaff Writer Photo by Katelyn HernandezStaff Photographer The South Pasadena City Council listened to a presentation from the L.A. County Supervisor for the 5th District, Kathryn Barger, on California’s efforts to tackle coronavirus, in its online meeting on Wednesday, July 15. According to Barger, the rate of positive testing for L.A. County has […]
School board recommends total distance learning to begin, passes hybrid models for future implementation
Story by Kahlen Miao Staff Writer Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor The South Pasadena School Board advised Superintendent Geoff Yantz to begin the 2020-2021 school year with 100 percent distance learning at its meeting on Thursday, Jul. 16. The board also approved hybrid instructional models for both the elementary and secondary levels that will be utilized when […]
Tournament of Roses 2021 Parade cancelled over coronavirus concerns
Story by Zoe Schlaak Staff Writer Photo by Oscar Walsh Staff Photographer The 132nd Tournament of Roses New Year’s Day Parade was cancelled on Wednesday, July 14, due to safety concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. After discussing with the USC Keck School of Medicine, parade officials concluded that there is no plausible way to operate the […]