Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: How safe is your Altadena soil after this year’s wildfires?
Make time for Jumpin Joz at Edwin Mills in Pasadena - FREE - Wednesday 12/17 from 6-10pm on the Altadena Patch calendar
Good morning to you Altadena! Catch up on our news and events right here. Keep reading to stay in the know. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
- How safe is your Altadena soil after this year’s wildfires?
- How an Altadena resident sees GoFundMe changing in hard times
- CHP officer serving the Altadena area dies after off-duty crash
Also on today's calendar: A Christmas Carol and 5 more events.
Find out what's happening in Altadenafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Find out what's happening in Altadenafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Monday: Plenty of sun, with a high of 76 and low of 54 degrees.
- Tuesday: Mostly sunny and warm, temps: high: 77, low: 55.
- Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high of 76 and low of 53 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. UCLA, community partners support Altadena fire recovery with free soil testing (ucla.edu) — Altadena residents affected by this year’s Los Angeles County wildfires are getting free soil testing help from UCLA researchers and community partners to check for lead and other contaminants. At a recent Pasadena event, nearly 70 residents, including an Altadena homeowner who lost his house, brought about 200 soil samples and learned simple ways to reduce exposure risks in their yards. 
2. More people crowdfunded for essential needs in 2025: GoFundMe (woodtv.com) — Altadena gets a brief mention as home to GoFundMe’s CEO, whose community was hit by Los Angeles wildfires earlier this year, framing his reflections on generosity. The broader piece explains how more people across the U.S. and other countries are turning to GoFundMe to cover basic needs like rent, food, and utilities amid rising living costs.
3. Off-duty California Highway Patrol officer stationed in Altadena area killed in motorcycle crash (cbsnews.com) — Altadena-area residents are being asked to remember Officer Eric Voss, a California Highway Patrol officer stationed in the local CHP area office who died Saturday from injuries in an off-duty motorcycle crash. Officials shared few details about the collision but emphasized his dedication to public service and extended condolences to his family, fiancé, and fellow officers.
4. Newsom on Trump's AI order, rebuilding after LA fires and former aide facing federal charges (abc7.com) — Altadena is front and center as Gov. Gavin Newsom visits local fire zones to meet survivors, assess rebuilding, and tout thousands of approved permits. He also criticizes President Trump’s new order limiting state AI regulation and briefly addresses federal charges facing his former chief of staff, insisting independent investigators handle the case.
5. Sen. Adam Schiff, a primary antagonist of President Donald Trump, marks one year in U.S. Senate (pasadenastarnews.com) — Altadena residents recovering from the Eaton fire get a rare spotlight here, as Sen. Adam Schiff and Rep. Judy Chu tour the Eaton Fire Collaborative Center in town and push mortgage relief for survivors. The piece mainly reviews Schiff’s first year in the U.S. Senate, his clashes with President Trump, and his limited legislative wins, while noting his advocacy on disaster aid, housing, and climate issues affecting California.
📸 Around Altadena
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🗓 Upcoming Events in Altadena
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- Jumpin Joz at Edwin Mills in Pasadena - FREE - Wednesday 12/17 from 6-10pm
Edwin Mills by Equator, 22 Mills Pl, Pasadena
6:00 pm
Wednesday December 17
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Walk-in Tutoring With Dennis
Harbor Gateway Branch Library Harbor City -
12:30 pm - Read With STAR Volunteer Suze
Harbor Gateway Branch Library Harbor City -
6:00 pm - Computer Classes
Harbor Gateway Branch Library Harbor City -
3:00 pm - A Christmas Carol
A Noise Within Theatre , 3352 E Foothill Blvd , Pasadena
11:00 am - KW Pasadena Career DAY - KSCORE
Keller Williams Pasadena , 199 S Los Robles Ave Suite#130 , Pasadena
11:00 am - Dungeons and Dragons for High School
Playa Vista Branch Library
4:00 pm - December Monthly Meetup
Chao Doi Thai Restaurant , 680 N Los Robles Ave , Pasadena
6:30 pm
Tuesday December 16
Wednesday December 17
Thursday December 18
📣 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
- Baby and Toddler Storytime
Atwater Village Branch Library
10:30 am - Baby & Toddler Storytime
El Sereno Branch Library
10:30 am - Free Vaccine Clinic: Flu and COVID-19 for for All Ages
Live Oak Library , 22 W Live Oak Ave , Arcadia
12:30 pm - The Magical Music Of Harry Potter - Glendale
Alex Theatre , 216 N Brand Blvd , Glendale
7:30 pm
Monday December 15
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:
- 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
- Multiple police cars, a helicopter, and ambulances were reported at Torrance and Elm, with police activity cleared at Kornblum Ave. and Maricopa.
7:18PM on Dec 13: Nextdoor user reports multiple police cars, a helicopter overhead, and ambulances at Torrance and Elm. 7:17PM on Dec 13: Police… (Nextdoor ) - Hi neighbors!
I’m hoping to start making sourdough again after a long break. Anyone have some starter discard that you would share with me? I can pick up many… (Nextdoor Central Altadena)
- Crate & Barrel posted a job opening for Seasonal Replenishment Associate in Pasadena. Apply here.
- University of Southern California posted a job opening for Clinic Supervisor - PMOB Ortho Clinic - Full Time 8 Hour Days (Exempt) (Non-Union) 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 don’t know either. They were speaking in sign language.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!
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