Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: How long would you live with a bear under your house?
Also, don't miss Ice House Comedy: Laugh Bombs on the Altadena Patch calendar
Greetings Altadena! We’re your go-to source for what’s happening in town. Read on to get plugged in! ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- How long would you live with a bear under your house?
- How did a 500-pound bear end up under an Altadena home?
- How LA’s new rent cap ties back to post-fire Altadena housing
Today's riddle: Playing golf is bad for your brain. 🤔 (Answer below!)
Find out what's happening in Altadenafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Thursday: Heavy rain and a thunderstorm, with a high of 62 and low of 54 degrees.
- Friday: Cloudy with a shower in spots, temps: high: 66, low: 54.
- Saturday: Cloudy and cool, with a high of 61 and low of 53 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. California man says bear refuses to leave home (kcra.com) — An Altadena homeowner has been living for months with a black bear camped in his crawlspace, leaving him without hot water and constantly monitoring cameras at night. State wildlife officials say they’re still working with him on traps, hazing, and sealing the space, but he’s frustrated enough to consider legal action as the bear damage continues. 
Find out what's happening in Altadenafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
2. 22 Offbeat Stories That Made Us Face-Palm In 2025: Weird News & Oddities (patch.com) — One of 2025’s strangest stories hits close to home, with an Altadena resident discovering a 500‑pound black bear living in the crawl space under his house and refusing to budge. That wild encounter appears alongside other bizarre animal, travel, and human-interest oddities from around the country, from drunk raccoons to sock‑eating dogs and sky‑diving monkeys.
3. LA caps rent hikes for the first time in 40 years to help tenants struggling with affordability (nypost.com) — Los Angeles is tightening rent caps on most older apartments, a change that could matter even more after January’s wildfires that devastated Altadena and nearby Pacific Palisades and worsened the housing crunch. Supporters say the new 1–4% cap and added tenant protections will offer stability, while landlords and some economists warn it could discourage maintenance and new construction.
4. PBS News Hour Photojournalists reflect on capturing impactful images (pbs.org) — A Getty Images photographer recalls racing to cover the Eaton Fire burning through Pasadena and Altadena, capturing not just flames but the human toll on local communities. In a broader PBS NewsHour segment, four photojournalists reflect on documenting 2025’s biggest stories, from Ukraine’s drone-filled battlefields to immigration crackdowns and the election of a new pope.
📸 Around Altadena
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Altadena
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
- Ice House Comedy: Laugh Bombs
Ice House Comedy Club , 24 N Mentor Ave , Pasadena
9:30 pm - Knitting and Crochet Club
Harbor Gateway Branch Library Harbor City -
1:00 pm - Ice House Comedy: The Twin New Year Show (chinese show)
Ice House Comedy Club , 24 N Mentor Ave , Pasadena
7:30 pm - Ice House Comedy: The Twin New Year Show (English Show)
Ice House Comedy Club , 24 N Mentor Ave , Pasadena
9:30 pm - Walk-in Tutoring With Dennis
Harbor Gateway Branch Library Harbor City -
12:30 pm - Walk-In Tutoring With Margie
Playa Vista Branch Library
10:00 am - Walk-In Tutoring With Cheri
Playa Vista Branch Library
10:00 am - Walk-In Tutoring With Bo-Gay
Playa Vista Branch Library
10:00 am
Friday January 2
Saturday January 3
Tuesday January 6
Wednesday January 7
📣 Altadena Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
🗓 Events Nearby
- Ice House Comedy: Laugh Bombs
Ice House Comedy Club , 24 N Mentor Ave , Pasadena
9:30 pm - Knitting and Crochet Club
Harbor Gateway Branch Library Harbor City -
1:00 pm - Ice House Comedy: The Twin New Year Show (chinese show)
Ice House Comedy Club , 24 N Mentor Ave , Pasadena
7:30 pm - Ice House Comedy: The Twin New Year Show (English Show)
Ice House Comedy Club , 24 N Mentor Ave , Pasadena
9:30 pm
Friday January 2
Saturday January 3
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Altadena PatchAM possible:
- Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible! - LA Fire Justice — (626) 684-3315
Holding Southern California Edison Accountable
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Kroger Family of Companies posted a job opening for Grocery Clerk in Pasadena. Apply here.
- Finish Line, Inc. posted a job opening for Finish Line Macy's Store Associate - Pasadena, Pasadena, CA in Pasadena. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Altadena here.
Ok Altadena! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I just heard a golfer say he had four strokes on the first hole!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!
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