Story by Adam Kwoh Copy Editor Photo by Oscar Walsh Staff Photographer The South Pasadena Public Library reopened its doors to the community for the first time in more than a year, beginning its partial in-person reopening on Monday, May 17. Residents are now able to browse and borrow from the library’s collection as part of […]
City Council stands by Moffatt Street extension project despite widespread community opposition
Story by Zoe Schlaak Associate Sports Editor Photo courtesy of Planet Home Living Contributor The City Council unanimously reapproved the Moffatt Street extension project after a reconsideration of its previous approval at a special meeting on Tuesday, April 20, despite continued community opposition. The extension was originally brought to the Council in October 2020, but due […]
City Council approves $3 per hour hero pay for grocery and drug store workers
Story by Sofia Alva Associate News Editor Photo by Sophie Yeung Staff Photographer The City Council unanimously adopted a 60-day ordinance to establish hero pay for grocery and drug store workers at its meeting on Wednesday, April 21. The ordinance requires that all major grocery and drug stores in South Pasadena increase their employees’ pay by $3 […]
City solicits community input on 2021-2022 budget
Story by Sofia Alva Associate News Editor The City of South Pasadena has requested resident input regarding the 2021-2022 fiscal year budget through a survey released on Thursday, Apr. 15. Community members can submit their budget priorities up until Friday, Apr. 30, and the Finance Commission will review all responses in their drafting of the budget […]
City Council retracts City Manager post from Chris Jordan following widespread community opposition
Story by Katie Hohman Staff Writer Photo by Katelyn Hernandez Staff Photographer The City Council yielded to resident criticisms of the possible appointment of Christopher Jordan to the position of City Manager, and decided to rescind his employment agreement that was pending approval, at a special closed session meeting on Tuesday, Apr. 20. Per a press release, […]
SPHS students back in the classroom for the first time in over year
Story by Sofia Alva Associate News Editor Photo by Sophie Yeung Staff Photographer Around 250 students in Cohort B returned to in-person school at SPHS on Thursday, Apr. 15, after more than a year of distance learning. Students who made the decision to attend school in-person hope that the change in pace will benefit their mental health […]
City Council gives green light for $3 per hour hero pay ordinance
Story by Zoe Schlaak Associate Sports Editor Photo by Sophie Yeung Staff Photographer The City Council unanimously approved the creation of an emergency ordinance requiring large grocery companies to temporarily increase their employees’ wages by $3 per hour, at its meeting on Wednesday, Apr. 8. This “hero pay” ordinance will compensate grocery workers for the dangerous and […]
Community seeks anti-racist police chief at virtual forum
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 […]
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 […]
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 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 […]
The Anti-Racism Committee fights for local change
Story by Haelee Kim Staff Writer Photo by Will Hoadley-Brill Contributor Since its inception, the South Pasadena Anti-Racism Committee (ARC) has dedicated itself to dismantling racism within the city through grassroots organizing in government, education, public safety, and the arts. This past year, the ARC worked with Care First and Black Lives Matter (BLM) South […]