Share: Last week, Southern California Edison (SCE) held a series of public feedback sessions regarding their newly proposed Wildfire Relief Compensation Program for victims of the Eaton Fire, which killed 19 people and destroyed over 9,000 structures. Four sessions were held in total: two virtual sessions over Zoom, and two in-person workshops. The last session took place on Monday, September 29th, in the gymnasium at Loma Alta Park in Altadena, where capacity for the event overflowed far beyond the gym’s entrance. Police were present, in …
‘You just stay here and die’: Burmese students speak out on travel ban
Share: The Trump administration’s June decision to halt travel from a war-torn Myanmar due to a higher rate of visa overstays has already begun to impact Burmese international students at Pasadena City College. On June 4, 2025, President Trump issued Proclamation 10949, which restricted travel from citizens of several countries, including Myanmar. The proclamation, which was based on a report from the Secretary of State, bars all travel from Myanmar by immigrants and nonimmigrants due to an above average visa overstay rate, and comes after …
All aboard the A line: 4 new cities hop on the world’s longest light rail line
Share: Last Friday, Metro celebrated the opening of new A Line stations, connecting more historic neighborhoods to the LA transit map. This is a further realization of the public transit goals that LA has been working on since 1990. The main event was at the North Pomona station and was attended by Los Angeles and California officials. All four of the new stations had free merchandise and food trucks for all who wanted to join the stations’ first voyages. There was a large turnout for …
America’s Got Talent, but not without effort
Share: “Clap! Stand up! Clap louder! Sit Down. Now stand up again! Shout! Clap over your heads!” A waving handkerchief and series of frantic hand gestures accompany every command, which rattle off like close-order drills. Chuck Dakas, the warm-up host for America’s Got Talent (AGT), argues that a crowd’s energy is the most important part of every live-performance. So he uses the hour before cameras are on to train the tweens, senior citizens, and paid actors on when and how to express their excitement. It’s …
Cruising J-Town: Nikkei history through car culture
Share: A rose-quartz 1989 Nissan 240SX sits at the entrance of the room. In the center, a black 1956 Ford F-100 pickup flashes a red hemi engine, and tucked in a corner an elegant eggplant colored 1951 Mercury Coupe, are quietly waiting to be discovered. In a room filled with custom cars, vintage gear and other Nikkei memorabilia, a photo of Hikotaro Yamada, a World War I Navy veteran, stands out on display in the gallery. Yamada is pictured dressed in his military uniform exiting …
Thai Curry Pizza fires up fusion in Pasadena
Share: Outside the small ghost kitchen that makes up Thai Curry Pizza, I took the offered seat at a table that was normally reserved for employees on break at the back. Before me was the box of the restaurant’s namesake, the Thai Curry Pizza itself. Made fresh from the oven, the strands of melted mozzarella cheese stretched out as I tried a slice for the first time. The PCC community has had the same nearby food chains like Chick-Fil-A or McDonalds for a while now, …
City protests over ICE raids put campus on alert
Share: Tensions rose over the weekend in Los Angeles as protesters clashed with law enforcement and city officials, putting the city of Pasadena and PCC community members on high alert. Yesterday, reports circulated that federal immigration officers were in Pasadena, which was later confirmed by Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo. “We have received and confirmed reports that Federal personnel are present in Pasadena,” Gordo said in a message published on the city’s Instagram. “At this time, no enforcement activity has been confirmed.” PCC President José Gómez …
‘I feel unsafe’: Series of disturbances puts students on high alert
Share: Another wave of safety concerns is sparking campus-wide conversation about how well the college is protecting its students, faculty, and staff. While the Center for the Arts has been the focus of some recent police activity, students say the issue goes beyond just one building; it’s about the entire campus environment. In recent weeks, community members have reported multiple unsettling incidents, like fraud, stealing of equipment, indecent exposure, and more. These events have drawn attention not just to isolated areas, but to broader questions …
Trump’s 2026 budget threatens federal programs for disadvantaged students
Share: Federal TRIO programs serve disadvantaged students in the U.S., they work alongside community college, universities, and high schools to help students access resources and higher education. Recently, Trump released his fiscal Year 2026 budget which includes cutting funding for TRIO and GEAR UP programs that are heavily utilized by PCC students. Signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 established the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity Act (EOA), an independent agency created to help students in pursuit of postsecondary education …
Harvard’s funding freeze elicits fears about financial aid’s future at PCC
Share: On Monday, April 14, the Trump administration froze over $2.2 billion federal funding for Harvard’s research grants after the campus refused to restrict student activism, leading the university to sue them in retaliation. As a publicly funded higher education institution, PCC is reliant on government funding, prompting faculty and students to share their thoughts on the frozen funds’ implications. As a private institution, Harvard is funded by investment returns within endowments, donations, tuition, and more sources. Although its assets allow for financial sustainability, the …