Story by Charlotte Dekle and Alison Wang Staff Writers Photo by Erin Lee Staff Photographer The City Council approved a letter of opposition to the defunding of law enforcement at Metro stations at its meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 1. This letter comes as a result of a recommendation made by the Metro Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) […]
Vanessa Marquez honored at celebration of life on third Angelversary
Story by Elsie Waters Staff Writer Photo by Daniela Rodriguez Staff Photographer Nearly three years after the murder of Vanessa Marquez, Black Lives Matter South Pasadena and Say Their Names Los Angeles held a celebration of life for the late actress on Sunday, Aug. 22. Attendees dressed in 1940’s attire to honor Marquez’s love of classic films, […]
Activist groups file complaint against SPPD to California Attorney General
Story by Hanna BaeStaff Writer Photo by Ella JayasekeraContributor Activist groups Care First South Pasadena, the Anti-Racism Committee, and Black Lives Matter (BLM) South Pasadena filed a complaint with the California Attorney General to investigate the SPPD’s handling of hate crimes and biased policing on Friday, July 16. The 18-page complaint to California Attorney General […]
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 […]
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 […]
Man confirmed dead after attacking ex-girlfriend, killed in self-defense
Story by Lilian Zhu Staff Writer A white man in his 40s has been confirmed dead after breaking into his estranged girlfriend’s house on Five Oaks Drive and attempting to kill her just before 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 28. The girlfriend’s mother and sister subsequently killed the attacker in self-defense. The attacker reportedly threw a […]
Police Chief Joe Ortiz retires amidst community calls for SPPD investigation
Story by Zoe Schlaak Staff Writer Photo by Tony Chen Contributor SPPD Chief of Police Joe Ortiz announced his formal retirement for his term, intended to officially begin March 1, 2021. Ortiz has served as chief of the SPPD since his appointment on April 1, 2019. Deputy Police Chief Brian Solinsky was specified as immediate Interim […]
Community calls on City Council to launch investigation into SPPD
Story by Sofia Alva Staff Writer Photo by Oscar Walsh Staff Photographer Local activist groups Care First South Pasadena, Black Lives Matter (BLM) South Pasadena, the Anti Racism Committee, and the South Pasadena Tenants Union are calling on the City Council to commission a third-party investigation into the SPPD due to alleged bias against women, people of […]
Trump supporters stage local rally, assault a minor
Story by Kahlen Miao Staff Writer Photos by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor Trump supporters rallied together at the intersection of Fair Oaks Avenue and Mission Street on Sunday, Nov. 1, and several of them assaulted an underage counter-protestor. The Pasadena Republican Club organized the demonstration, which occurred one day after Black Lives Matter (BLM) South […]
Local BLM group ends almost 150 days of protesting
Story and Photo by Georgia Parsons Staff Writer Community members gathered at the intersection of Fair Oaks Avenue and Mission Street on Saturday, Oct. 31 to celebrate the last of Black Lives Matter (BLM) South Pasadena’s nearly 150 days of protests. Towards the beginning of the protests in June, individuals met nearly every day from 12:00 […]
Man drives truck onto sidewalk near BLM protestors
Story by Lilian ZhuStaff Writer Photo courtesy of Black Lives Matter South Pasadena Contributor A white middle-aged man drove onto the sidewalk at the corner of Fair Oaks Avenue and Mission Street where Black Lives Matter (BLM) protestors were demonstrating shortly after 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3. SPPD arrived at the scene and talked to the […]
Residents question SPPD’s ties to anti-LGBTQ+ hate group
Story by Sofia Alva Staff Writer Photo by Tony Chen Contributor Community members are calling for an investigation into the SPPD for its planned public prayer event with an anti-Black and anti-LGBTQ+ hate group that was set to be held at City Hall on Saturday, Sept. 26. Police Chief Joe Ortiz sent an email (attached below) […]
SPHS campus resource officer position draws criticism
Story by Katie HohmanStaff Writer Photo by Helena FuContributor Having police officers on campus has become a largely unquestioned part of a student’s life, but with recent calls to defund police across the nation, more students are pushing to eliminate their School Resource Officer (SRO) and to reallocate funds towards mental health resources. In South […]
Care First group calls for defunding SPPD
Story by Sofia Alva Staff Writer Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor Graphic by Charlotte Cohen Staff Graphic Designer The global movement for police accountability has inspired local protests and initiatives to defund the police, including resident-led group Care First South Pasadena. Partnered with activist organization South Pasadena Youth for Police Reform (SPY4PR), the group has worked […]
Second Angelversary for Vanessa Marquez demands justice and police accountability
Story by Lilian Zhu Staff Writer Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor South Pasadena community members rallied together on Mission Street on Sunday, Aug. 30 for actress Vanessa Marquez’s second Angelversary, recognizing her killing by SPPD officers in 2018. Attendees dressed up in Star Wars costumes to commemorate Marquez’s love for the film franchise, and families […]