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 […]
State restrictions postpone SPUSD TK-2 reopening
Story by Katie Hohman Staff Writer Photo courtesy of Abigail Silver Contributor The district has delayed its grades TK-2 return plan indefinitely after state officials released new restrictions on Thursday, Jan. 14 that prohibit L.A. County schools from reopening due to record coronavirus cases. SPUSD elementary schools had previously been approved to reopen in January, but […]
Vaccine distribution brings hope, frustration
Story by Zoe Schlaak Staff Writer Illustration by Alicia Zhang Staff Illustrator Photos courtesy of Anne Michels M.D., Jose Cervantes M.D., Josh Albrektson M.D., & Jehni Robinson M.D. Contributors Community members expressed relief and annoyance about vaccine distribution as South Pasadena approaches 1,200 coronavirus cases. California organized the vaccine distribution into Phases 1A, 1B, 1C, and 2, and they are […]
City Council passes permanent eviction protection ordinance after months of prolonged moratorium
Story by Zoe SchlaakStaff Writer Photo by Noah KuhnNews Editor The City Council unanimously approved a permanent renters protection ordinance that requires landlords to obtain a permit before evicting tenants for remodeling at its meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 20. The permanent ordinance follows months of a prolonged moratorium and advocacy from the South Pasadena Tenants Union (SPTU). […]
APUSH students aid people experiencing homelessness through annual sock drive
Story by Quinn Manzo Staff Writer Graphic by Daniel Lin Contributor The annual SPHS student-run sock drive and fundraiser for people experiencing homelessness began on Tuesday, Jan. 5 and will continue through Friday, Jan. 29. South Pasadena community members can place new pairs of socks into the designated bag at the front office on Fremont Avenue or […]
2020: A year in review
Story, Photos, & Illustrations by Tiger Staff 2020 has been an unprecedented year. At this point that phrase is an annoying cliche, but with 12 months that included a global pandemic, a nationwide reckoning over racism, a fierce election cycle, and many local clashes and scandals, there is no other accurate way to describe this […]