🌱 Patch AM: Why Pasadena’s library just won a national innovation honor

Greetings Pasadena! Your go-to source for what's happening in town is here. Stay in the loop and read on. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• Why Pasadena’s library just won a national innovation honor
• How safe is that bitcoin ATM at your local Pasadena gas station?
• How a new rabbi is helping Pasadena’s fire-hit temple rebuild

Also on today's calendar: Friday Pasadena Paint Nite with Boozy Pigments and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: My brother swallowed a box of firecrackers. - Is he all right now? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Thursday: Partly sunny and very warm, with a high of 79 and low of 53 degrees.
• Friday: Mostly sunny and warm, temps: high: 76, low: 51.
• Saturday: Mostly sunny and pleasant, with a high of 70 and low of 51 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Urban Libraries Council (ULC) Announces 2025 Innovations Award Winners (infodocket.com) — Pasadena residents can take pride that Pasadena Public Library has been named a 2025 Top Innovator by the Urban Libraries Council, recognizing its creativity and impact alongside just a handful of libraries nationwide. The piece briefly lists the other winners and honorable mentions and links to videos showcasing each library’s work.
   

2. Retailers keep cashing in on crypto ATMs as scams surge (icij.org) — A Pasadena gas station’s CoinFlip bitcoin ATM appears in a wider investigation into how crypto ATMs in convenience stores nationwide are being used in scams that drain victims’ savings. The report details rising fraud complaints, huge fee structures, lawsuits, and new state laws, while questioning how much responsibility retailers and ATM operators bear for protecting customers.
   

3. Pasadena Jewish Temple's new rabbi on leading a historic congregation recovering from the Eaton fire (dailynews.com) — Pasadena-area Jews are gathering across temporary locations as the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center rebuilds after the devastating Eaton fire, guided by new senior rabbi Joshua Ratner. He’s emphasizing resilience, community warmth, and creative worship in borrowed spaces from Arcadia to Sierra Madre while helping a historic congregation reimagine its future home and sustain Jewish life for longtime Pasadena families.
   

4. Galileo at 30: How a mission transformed our understanding of Jupiter (planetary.org) — Pasadena gets a proud shout-out as home base for The Planetary Society’s Planetary Radio, which devotes this episode to the Galileo mission’s 30th anniversary. The show recaps how Galileo overcame technical and political hurdles, transformed our understanding of Jupiter and its moons, and inspired today’s Europa Clipper and Dragonfly missions, while inviting listeners to stargaze at Jupiter themselves.
   

5. ‘Dilbert' cartoonist Scott Adams reveals he's paralyzed below the waist in wake of cancer battle (nypost.com) — Pasadena gets a brief mention in a photo caption showing Scott Adams at a 1999 party here, while the main story explains that the Dilbert creator is now paralyzed below the waist after a prostate cancer battle. The piece details his current treatment, prognosis, and long-running controversies over his public comments and newspaper cancellations.
   

📸 Around Pasadena

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 Pasadena

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Saturday December 20

• Christmas Carols Unplugged - An Evening of Reflection and Music @ Trinity Lutheran Church
  Trinity Lutheran Church, 2949 Alamo St, Simi Valley
  6:00 pm

Thursday December 18

• 🎷✨ Chuck Johnson Live at Visionarium! ✨🎷
  1020 Mission St, South Pasadena
  6:30 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Thursday December 18

• December Monthly Meetup
  Chao Doi Thai Restaurant , 680 N Los Robles Ave , Pasadena
  6:30 pm

Friday December 19

• Friday Pasadena Paint Nite with Boozy Pigments
  Hilton Pasadena , 168 S Los Robles Ave , Pasadena
  7:30 pm
• Bleep Comedy at Ice House Comedy Club - California Room
  The Ice House , 24 N Mentor Ave , Pasadena
  7:45 pm

Saturday December 20

• ArtCenter Fall 2025 Gard Show
  Pasadena Convention Center , 300 E Green St , Pasadena
  12:00 pm
• Ice House Comedy: Deez Nutz
  The Ice House , 24 N Mentor Ave , Pasadena
  4:30 pm

Sunday December 21

• Sunday Pasadena Paint Nite with Boozy Pigments
  Hilton Pasadena , 168 S Los Robles Ave , Pasadena
  7:00 pm
• Blue Christmas: The Longest Night
  Trinity Lutheran Church , 997 E Walnut St , Pasadena
  7:00 pm

Wednesday December 24

• Christmas Eve Festival Communion Service
  Trinity Lutheran Church , 997 E Walnut St , Pasadena
  7:00 pm

Thursday December 25

• The Nativity of Our Lord
  Trinity Lutheran Church , 997 E Walnut St , Pasadena
  10:00 am

Friday December 26

• Understanding Home Care Through Service Squad's Online Workshop
  https://www.callservicesquad.com/
  9:00 pm

📣 Pasadena Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

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 Pasadena PatchAM possible:

• Authentic Kratom is Open for Traditional Kratom Sale — (323) 854-7791
  Come and Enjoy a 20% Discount at our Hollywood Store
• 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

• Hi neighbors, We lost our little black kitten yesterday and we’re wondering if anyone has seen him or maybe took him in.
  He’s EXTREMELY friendly. He’s supposed to have his neutering and microchip surgery next week, so he’s not tagged. We all miss him very much and would… (Nextdoor NE Pasadena)
• ADOPT from your local shelter—don’t shop.
  Please don’t give someone a pet for Christmas. After the holidays, far too many animals get dumped at shelters. If you’ve been thinking about… (Nextdoor W Pasadena (Arroyo-Orange Grove))

• Pasadena Unified School District posted a job opening for Summer LEARNs Site Coordinator in Pasadena. Apply here.
• Cava posted a job opening for Team Member in Pasadena. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Pasadena here.

Ok Pasadena! 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. I haven’t heard the last report.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

• Help us grow by suggesting local news sources.
• Shape this newsletter with your feedback.
• List items for sale or services offered

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook