City Hall Scoop

COVID-19 has changed our world in ways we will never return to. The impact of COVID-19 has brought our existence, as we know it, to a screeching halt. The financial burden of the pandemic has a long-reaching effect, and people need help.

Funds are available through a special grant from the State of California to assist those whose employment is impacted by COVID-19. The Foothill Workforce Development Board (FWDB) provides workplace skills development and employer-specific training to help workers gain skills, education and the credentials that employers value.  

If you are unemployed and live in Arcadia, Duarte, Monrovia, Pasadena, Sierra Madre, or South Pasadena, you may qualify for up to $800 in financial reimbursements for expenses such as utilities, childcare, cell phone bills, rent, and items required to telework including the internet.

These funds are not subject to repayment, and the process for applying is easy and contactless.

To qualify for assistance, an individual must be receiving or have exhausted State of California issued unemployment benefits. In addition, an individual must meet one of the following criteria:

• Laid off due to COVID-19
• Experienced a reduction in hours, and/or pay due to COVID-19,
• Unable to work for any of the following COVID-19 related reasons:

• Subject to quarantine
• Caregiver for someone who is subject to quarantine
• Need to care for children because of a school closure or closure of other child care provider
• At higher risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19
• Lives with someone at higher risk
• Required to telework, but does not have the necessary equipment

To apply for or find out more about the COVID-19 Impacted Individuals Grant, please contact FWDB Program Coordinator, Sarah Mendoza-Jaime at 626-584-8383. Please check out our COVID -19 #BounceBackFoothill webpage for more information and tune into our website podcast show entitled “Hire Ground.”

10/5/2020

If you are recently unemployed, furloughed, or receiving unemployment benefits, you may now qualify for no-cost home improvements. Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) has introduced a virtual enrollment option for the Energy Savings Assistance Program, which continues to provide eligible customers with an average of $705 worth of energy-efficiency home upgrades at no cost to help improve the safety and comfort of customers’ homes. 

Improvements may include:

• The installation of high-efficiency washers
• Water heater replacement
• Furnace replacement
• Attic insulation
• Door weather-stripping

Interested customers may visit the program web page: www.socalgas.com/save-money-and-energy/assistance-programs/energy-savings-assistance-program to learn if they qualify. Save energy and money through professional home improvements at no cost to you!

10/5/2020

Apply starting Monday, October 5th   ROUND 5 GRANT OPPORTUNITY FROM THE LA COVID FUND   Round 5 of the LA COVID Fund Grant opens on Monday, October 5th at 12:00 AM PST and closes Friday, October 9th at 11:59 PM PST.

Good news! If you applied in Round 4, there is no need to re-apply. If you have not yet been selected as a finalist, there is still an opportunity for your application to be selected! All applicants that applied in Round 4 remain eligible for an award for Round 5 or Round 6.   Our Technical Assistance providers are holding open office hours to assist you with the application! Find the office hours on the website here.

Looking for additional resources? Check out our resources page here.  

LEARN MORE

10/5/2020

Find out about rebates and incentives that can help you conserve energy and save money on the Southern California Edison (SCE) Marketplace! SCE offers a variety of rebates and incentives that can help you conserve energy and save money. Here, in one convenient location, you can compare appliances, electronics, and connected home products; calculate savings for switching to more efficient models; find retailers; and more.

Explore SCE’s website to research energy saving products, rebates, and incentives for savings in:

• HVACs
• Water heat pumps
• Electric portable power stations
• Smart thermostats
• Electric vehicles
• Home or business area networks and more

Click here for more information.

10/2/2020

To help children get back to school, and parents back to work, LA County will be sharing regular content on resources and support for distance learning. County students, parents, educators, child care providers, or administrators are invited to read and share what you see here to ensure we are all “learning together safely” during the COVID-19 crisis.

Schools in light of COVID-19: The Issue is Equity

On Oct 1 at 5 pm, journalists and education experts will discuss how COVID-19 is impacting students, schools and the community.

The discussion includes: 

• How is COVID-19 impacting Schools?
• Are Latino, Black, and low-income students disproportionately impacted?
• What are some causes? What are some possible solutions? 

Register here, and join the conversation.

School Symposium Series- Still Time to Register!

Leading with Resilience in School Communities. Hosted By The Department of Mental Health, UCLA, and the Los Angeles County Office of Education.

October 7, 2020: Parent/Caregiver Engagement
This session will include experts who will highlight the impact of COVID-19, racial injustice and educational inequity on parents/caregivers and will include considerations and strategies for supporting and engaging parents/caregivers during this highly stressful time.

October 14, 2020: Youth Voice and Leadership
This final session will include a Student Panel of youth who will talk about the impact of COVID-19, racial injustice and educational inequity. They will give an inside perspective on strategies that have been successful and provide suggestions on how school staff and school community can support students and their families.

Click here for more information or to sign-up.

10/2/2020

Our annual Halloween Spooktacular has gone mobile!

Enjoy a FREE, fun, and safe drive thru trick-or-treat event with the City of South Pasadena! We encourage you to come dressed in your costumes and show us your Halloween spirit by decorating the exterior of your car! Registration is required, click here to register. For more information or questions please call 626.403.7380 or email recreation@southpasadenaca.gov.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

• Please arrive ONLY during your registered 15 minute time slot.
• Upon arrival you will be asked how many participants are in the vehicle and be given that number to display in your windshield.
• Please follow designated treat trail, only stopping at each treat booth.
• All participants must wear a face covering if any of the windows on the vehicle are open.
• Participants must remain in their vehicle for the duration of the event & may only leave their vehicle in the event of an emergency.

10/2/2020

As fall approaches, many families are starting to plan for the upcoming holiday season -beginning with Halloween. LA County and the Department of Public Health (DPH) want to help you take part in this holiday, while reducing your risk of developing COVID-19, and have prepared guidance to help make this year’s Halloween celebrations as safe as can be.  Ready to celebrate? Check out our Halloween Guidance, which includes suggestions and recommendations for you, your friends, and family.

10/2/2020

The City of South Pasadena is happy to announce that all playgrounds at our City parks are now officially open, as of Friday, October 2, 2020.  The California Department of Public Health along with County of Los Angeles Public Health has released new guidelines that will be followed in order to ensure that our playgrounds stay safe and open for our community.  We encourage you to visit our parks, have fun and remember to PLAY IT SAFE!  For further questions please contact the Community Services Department at (626) 403-7380

10/2/2020

The California Independent System Operator (ISO) has issued a statewide Flex Alert, a call for voluntary electricity conservation, from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. today, to prepare for possible energy shortages due to an unusually warm beginning of October. With high temperatures in the forecast today and tomorrow, the power grid operator is predicting a dramatic rise in electricity demand, primarily from air conditioning use. Consumers are urged to conserve electricity, especially during the late afternoon and early evening, when the grid is most stressed due to higher demand and solar energy production falling. Energy use reduction during a Flex Alert can prevent further emergency measures, including rotating power outages.

For information on Flex Alerts, to get more electricity conservation tips, and to sign up for conservation alerts, visit the ISO’s Flex Alert website. For local information about energy visit, SCE.com.

10/1/20

One City, Many Stories (OCMS) is the Library’s Citywide Reading Program, taking place September 14 through November 1. The Teen Advisory Board (TAB) has worked with staff to develop a version of OCMS just for teens that launches October 1st. Teen OCMS shares the “Exploring Common Ground” theme with the Citywide program, but they have their own Goodreads page where teens can gather virtually to participate in online discussions of the books they are reading. Teens can read fiction or non-fiction on a range of topics and ideas, for example, they might choose to read a book about another culture, a book from a different viewpoint, or a book about social change. Members of the Teen Advisory Board have put together reading lists and questions to get the discussions going on the Teen OCMS Goodreads group page, starting October 1^st.

Teens do not need a Goodreads account to participate in OCMS or view the Goodreads group page, however, to participate in the online discussions a free Goodreads account is required. Anyone 13 years and up can create a Goodreads account.  

Cathy Billings
Library Director

10/1/2020