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Thursday, AUGUST 16 - AUGUST 22, 2018
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Volume 22, NO. 33
PASADENA HOMELESS POPULATION GROWS SIGNIFICANTLY
In an extremely alarming trend, the number of homeless persons aged 62 years and older in the San Gabriel Valley increased by 116 percent over the past year. - Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News
Gus HERRERA gherrera@beaconmedianews.com
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or the first time in four years, homelessness has decreased in Los Angeles County. Unfortunately, the numbers continue to slowly rise in the San Gabriel Valley (SGV) and Pasadena. The Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority (LAHSA) recently released their results from this year’s homeless count and the total number of homeless individuals in the county fell
from 55,048 in 2017, to 52,765. But, despite the slight decline over this past year, the overall numbers are still substantially higher than they were when we began this decade, with LAHSA’s 2010 count tallying a total of 35,926 homeless individuals in LA County. Although LAHSA’s count does not specifically cover the City of Pasadena, which carries out its own annual homeless count, they do consider the SGV at large. This year’s data showed a five percent increase in the SGV homeless population (4,282 total individuals), a modest bump compared to Pasadena’s 2018 count, which saw an 18 percent
Pasadenans Protest Nomination of Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court Terry MILLER tmiller@beaconmedianews.com
Judy Chu, CA-27, and Planned Parenthood Advocates (@PPAdvocates), held a press conference Monday to call on all United States senators to reject the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. “The Trump Administration continues to attack women's reproductive health care, and by nominating Judge Kavanaugh, is laying the groundwork to overturn Roe v. Wade - the
1973 decision that affirmed the right to access safe, legal abortion - and take away a woman's right to make her own choices about her body and her life,” Palnned Parenthood Advocates stated. “People throughout California are demanding that their constitutional rights be protected, including access to abortion. Planned Parenthood and partners are holding over 50 events nationwide to highlight the fact that public support for Roe v. Wade is at a record high of 72 percent,
including 52 percent of Republicans. That is why Gallup polls show that public support for Judge Kavanaugh is lower than for any other Supreme Court nominee, since 1987,” states one Planned Parenthood handout. Planned Parenthood executives say U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh would “wreak havoc” on abortion. “There’s no way to sugarcoat it: With this nomination, the constitutional SEE PROTEST PAGE 11
increase in the city’s homeless population (677 total individuals). “This is a huge problem for the city and, really, the region,” said Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek when the city council heard the 2018 Pasadena Homeless Count results on April 30, “[it’s a] very divisive, almost overwhelming problem … it’s the single biggest source of complaints and concerns that I get from constituents.” Although the overall numbers for the SGV show growth, SEE HOMELESS POPULATION PAGE 10
Pasadena Announces Police Chief Recruitment Process Staff WRITER editorial@beaconmedianews.com
Pasadena City Manager Steve Mermell has announced the recruitment process for the next chief of police. The public is encouraged to attend meetings to provide input about the most important qualities that potential candidates should have. The executive search firm of Teri Black & Company LLC. will facilitate the executive search and public meetings. “Public input is crucial to
selecting the best individual to lead the Department. I encourage all community stakeholders to attend the upcoming forum(s) and share their thoughts on the characteristics and professional background they feel are most important when selecting a new chief,” states Mermell. Community forums will take place on the following dates: - Thursday, Sept. 6 at 6:30 p.m. SEE POLICE CHIEF PAGE 11
Pasadena Home Invasion Turns Violent Staff WRITER editorial@beaconmedianews.com
According to Lt. Jason Clawson, on Aug. 12 at 9:12 p.m., Pasadena PD received a 9-1-1 call from the 2100 block of Brigden Road in regards to a robbery. The caller indicated the suspects were armed with guns, forced their way into a home and fled in an unknown direction. SEE HOME INVASION PAGE 10