Latest news with #PasadenaUnifiedSchoolDistrict
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Nearly half of Pasadena Unified schools have contaminated soil, district finds
Eleven of the 23 Pasadena Unified School District schools, where students have been back on campus since January, have contaminated soil following the Eaton fire, the district found. Over 40% of the schools had lead at levels exceeding the state's health-based limits for residential soil, and over 20% had arsenic levels beyond what L.A. County considers acceptable, according to the results released Wednesday. The district found lead at over three times the state's allowable limit of 80 milligrams per kilogram of soil next to Blair High School's tennis courts and over double the limit at four elementary schools. Lead, when inhaled through dust or ingested from dirt-covered hands, can cause permanent brain and nerve damage in children, resulting in slowed development and behavioral issues. Arsenic, a known carcinogen, was found at a concentration of 92 mg/kg at San Rafael Elementary School. The county has used 12 mg/kg as a reference level, based on an estimate of the highest naturally occurring arsenic levels in all of Southern California. The naturally occurring background level of arsenic in Altadena and Pasadena ranges from 4 to 10 mg/kg, according to a 2019 study by the U.S. Geological Survey. There is no safe exposure level for arsenic or lead. 'I'm worried about her safety,' said Nicole Maccalla of her daughter, a sixth-grader at Octavia E. Butler Magnet, which is located less than a mile from the Eaton fire burn area. 'I would really like to have assurances that she's physically safe while she's at school.' Instead, what she got was a map of the school posted by the district showing lead levels 40% and 70% above the allowable limit in soil samples taken next to the school entrance and near the outdoor lunch tables, respectively. 'If, literally, you've got to walk by lead to walk up the steps to school, then how many kids are walking through that with their shoes and then walking into the classroom?' Maccalla said. 'It's not like these are inaccessible areas that are gated off.' Maccalla made the hard decision to let her daughter return to school in January despite early fears — worrying that the trauma of moving schools directly after the fire would be too much. Along with other concerned parents, Maccalla has been pushing for both soil and indoor testing for months at school board meetings. It was only after the L.A. County Department of Public Health announced in April that it had found 80% of properties had lead levels exceeding the state's standards in some areas downwind that the district hired the environmental firm Verdantas to conduct testing at schools. 'The school board has been very resistant to any request for testing from parents," she said. "The superintendent kept saying it's safe.' The parents' response: 'Prove it." Read more: Researchers call on Newsom to pay for post-fire soil testing in Los Angeles County The district released test results for 33 properties it owns — some with district schools and children's centers, others with charter and private schools, some rented to nonprofits — that were all largely unscathed by the fires. On the 22 properties with public schools, students have been back in the classroom since late January. The full results with maps for each school can be seen on the school district's website. The district stated on its website there was 'no indication that students or staff were exposed to hazardous levels of fire-related substances in the soil,' noting that any contamination found was highly localized. (For example, while seven samples at Blair High School identified elevated lead levels, 21 samples did not.) Health agencies also advised the district that soil covered with grass or cement was unlikely to pose a health risk. In response to the results, the district stated it would restrict access to contaminated areas, complete follow-up sampling and work on remediation over the summer. No classroom instruction would be affected. 'We want to be abundantly clear: Safety is not negotiable,' Pasadena Unified School District Supt. Elizabeth Blanco said in a press release. 'That's why we're moving forward with both urgency and care.' For Maccalla, it's too little too late. 'I would like to know what their plan is for monitoring the health of the children, given you've got kids that have already been playing outside in that soil for four months straight,' she said. 'So what's their health crisis mitigation plan?' The test results also found high levels of chromium — which, in some chemical configurations, is a carcinogen — on one campus. Another had high levels of a class of contaminants called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which can cause headaches, coughing, skin irritation and, over long periods of exposure, can come with an increased risk of cancer. Three of the five properties with the district's children's centers also had elevated levels of heavy metals — two with lead, one with arsenic. Read more: The L.A. wildfires left lead and other toxic material in the soil of burn zones. Here are their health risks When Maccalla — who has spent much of her time after the fire volunteering with the community advocacy group Eaton Fire Residents United — first saw the map of her daughter's school, she began to formulate a plan to rally volunteers to cover the contaminated areas with mulch and compost before school buses arrive again Monday morning. (That is an expert-approved remediation technique for fire-stricken soil.) 'If the district is not going to do it, the state's not going to do it, our county's not going to do it, our city's not going to do it,' she said, 'well, the citizens will. We absolutely will.' This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
16-05-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Nearly half of Pasadena Unified schools have contaminated soil, district finds
Eleven of the 23 Pasadena Unified School District schools, where students have been back on campus since January, have contaminated soil following the Eaton fire, the district found. Over 40% of the schools had lead at levels exceeding the state's health-based limits for residential soil, and over 20% had arsenic levels beyond what L.A. County considers acceptable, according to the results released Wednesday. The district found lead at over three times the state's allowable limit of 80 milligrams per kilogram of soil next to Blair High School's tennis courts and over double the limit at four elementary schools. Lead, when inhaled through dust or ingested from dirt-covered hands, can cause permanent brain and nerve damage in children, resulting in slowed development and behavioral issues. Arsenic, a known carcinogen, was found at a concentration of 92 milligrams per kilogram of soil at San Rafael Elementary School. The county has used 12 mg/kg as a reference level, based on an estimate of the highest naturally occurring arsenic levels in all of Southern California. The naturally occurring background level of arsenic in Altadena and Pasadena ranges from 4 to 10 mg/kg, according to a 2019 study by the U.S. Geological Survey. There is no safe exposure level for arsenic or lead. 'I'm worried about her safety,' said Nicole Maccalla of her daughter, a sixth-grader at Octavia E. Butler Magnet, which is located less than a mile from the Eaton fire burn area. 'I would really like to have assurances that she's physically safe while she's at school.' Instead, what she got was a map of the school posted by the district showing lead levels 40% and 70% above the allowable limit in soil samples taken next to the school entrance and near the outdoor lunch tables, respectively. 'If, literally, you've got to walk by lead to walk up the steps to school, then how many kids are walking through that with their shoes and then walking into the classroom?' Maccalla said. 'It's not like these are inaccessible areas that are gated off.' Maccalla made the hard decision to let her daughter return to school in January despite early fears — worrying that the trauma of moving schools directly after the fire would be too much. Along with other concerned parents, Maccalla has been pushing for both soil and indoor testing for months at school board meetings. It was only after the L.A. County Department of Public Health announced in April that it had found 80% of properties had lead levels exceeding the state's standards in some areas downwind that the district hired the environmental firm Verdantas to conduct testing at schools. 'The school board has been very resistant to any request for testing from parents,' she said. 'The superintendent kept saying it's safe.' The parents' response: 'Prove it.' The district released test results for 33 properties it owns — some with district schools and children's centers, others with charter and private schools, some rented to nonprofits — that were all largely unscathed by the fires. On the 22 properties with public schools, students have been back in the classroom since late January. The full results with maps for each school can be seen on the school district's website. The district stated on its website there was 'no indication that students or staff were exposed to hazardous levels of fire-related substances in the soil,' noting that any contamination found was highly localized. (For example, while seven samples at Blair High School identified elevated lead levels, 21 samples did not.) Health agencies also advised the district that soil covered with grass or cement was unlikely to pose a health risk. In response to the results, the district stated it would restrict access to contaminated areas, complete follow-up sampling and work on remediation over the summer. No classroom instruction will be affected. 'We want to be abundantly clear: Safety is not negotiable,' Pasadena Unified School District Supt. Elizabeth Blanco said in a press release. 'That's why we're moving forward with both urgency and care.' For Maccalla, it's too little too late. 'I would like to know what their plan is for monitoring the health of the children, given you've got kids that have already been playing outside in that soil for four months straight,' she said. 'So what's their health crisis mitigation plan?' The test results also found high levels of chromium — which, in some chemical configurations, is a carcinogen — on one campus. Another had high levels of a class of contaminants called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which can cause headaches, coughing, skin irritation and, over long periods of exposure, can come with an increased risk of cancer. Three of the five properties with the district's children centers also had elevated levels of heavy metals — two with lead, one with arsenic. When Maccalla — who has spent much of her time after the fire volunteering with the community advocacy group Eaton Fire Residents United — first saw the map of her daughter's school, she began to formulate a plan to rally volunteers to cover the contaminated areas with mulch and compost before school buses arrive again Monday morning. (That is an expert-approved remediation technique for fire-stricken soil.) 'If the district is not going to do it, the state's not going to do it, our county's not going to do it, our city's not going to do it,' she said, 'well, the citizens will. We absolutely will.'
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Pasadena school district files lawsuit against Edison over Eaton fire damages
The cash-strapped Pasadena Unified School District is suing Southern California Edison, seeking compensation for the loss of multiple buildings that burned in the Eaton fire and the ensuing disruption of its operations. The district — which was grappling with a $37-million budget deficit prior to the Jan. 7 blaze — sued the Rosemead-based utility and its parent company, Edison International, last week in Los Angeles County Superior Court, accusing them of negligence and other causes of action that led to the fire. While the cause of the fire remains open, investigators have focused on Edison power lines in Eaton Canyon that may have sparked the inferno that killed 17 people and destroyed more than 10,000 homes and other structures in Altadena. "The destruction of multiple schools and educational facilities has created an immense burden on students, families, and the entire educational community," John Fiske, an attorney representing the district, said in a statement. "This lawsuit seeks fair compensation to recover the taxpayer resources and district property lost as a result of this devastating fire." Read more: Fire, lack of students, teacher layoffs: Inside Pasadena Unified's struggle to stay solvent Southern California Edison is already facing scores of lawsuits seeking damages due to the Eaton fire, and insurance companies are expected to seek compensation for billions of dollars of claims they are likely to pay out to homeowners and businesses. "The Eaton fire has been heartbreaking for the Altadena community. We are reviewing this lawsuit and will respond through the legal process," said Diane Castro, a spokesperson for the utility. The March 19 lawsuit details extensive damages suffered by multiple facilities, including Franklin Elementary School, Eliot Arts Magnet Middle School, the Edison campus housing Odyssey Charter School, the Loma Alta campus housing Pasadena Rosebud Academy and Oak Knoll Montessori School and the Noyes campus housing Aveson School of Leaders. It also seeks compensation for debris, soot and ash removal; environmental testing; staff and labor costs; fire-related crisis response and mental health services to district students; among other costs the district has borne since the fire. The damage to its campuses follow years of declining enrollment that prompted the district's board — looking to slash $12 million from its budget — to approve cuts last month that will result in the loss of about 150 jobs, including 120 certificated positions mostly held by teachers. The district was home to about 21,000 students in 2005 but now has less than 14,000, which has led to the closure of five campuses since 2018. The decline is attributed to a lack of affordable housing in the wealthy community and the availability of multiple charter and private school options. The lawsuit alleges the utility failed to temporarily shut down power lines in Eaton Canyon despite ample warnings of a strong windstorm from the National Weather Service amid abundant dry vegetation near its power lines. It includes photographic evidence to support its allegation the fire started beneath power lines "arcing in the high winds." The lawsuit says the utility later filed a report with the California Public Utilities Commission that showed there was an increase in current through four power lines in the canyon about the time the fire started. Read more: Edison towers in the Altadena fire zone had known 'ignition risk' and needed repairs, records show A Times investigation has found Edison knew that some of its towers at and near the likely ignition point were fire hazards. While evidence is still being collected, records the company filed with the state show towers on three lines considered a potential 'ignition risk' were overdue for maintenance. The utility had 94 open work orders along the three lines, portions of which run past the northern edge of Altadena and through Eaton Canyon, as of Dec. 31, according to Edison data reviewed by The Times. They included two work orders for "weed abatement" and "structure brushing" that were flagged "ignition risk." 'The cause remains under investigation as part of our ongoing commitment to a thorough and transparent investigation,' Edison said last week. 'Southern California Edison is beginning the next phase of inspections and testing of electrical equipment in Eaton Canyon." In January, the California Public Utilities Commission voted to allow the utility to raise electric rates to cover payments it made to victims of the devastating 2017 Thomas wildfire in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties that later was blamed for debris flows that killed 23. Investigators said Edison's equipment was at fault. The vote will allow Edison to charge its customers for more than $1.6 billion of the $2.7 billion that the utility paid to more than 5,000 fire victims. Edison said it planned to spread the cost over 30 years with most customers experiencing a $1 increase on their monthly bills, the company said. The company also has asked the commission to approve a second rate increase for $5.4 billion in payments to victims of the 2018 Woolsey fire in Los Angeles and Ventura counties that destroyed more than 1,600 structures and killed three people. An investigation determined Edison equipment sparked the blaze. Read more: State officials approve Edison rate hike for 2017 wildfire sparked by its equipment Some estimates put the insured damage from the Eaton fire at $10 billion, but experts say the final tally could be higher and losses other than those covered by insurance will further raise the total. The impact on rate payers, though, could be diminished, even if Edison is found to be at fault. The Legislature in 2019 passed a law that created a $21-billion fund to help pay for wildfire damages caused by utility equipment. The fund was established after Pacific Gas & Electric filed for bankruptcy following a series of wildfires in 2017 and 2018, including the Camp fire that destroyed the Sierra Foothills community of Paradise and killed more than 80 people. In order to qualify for the money, a utility must have acted prudently to prevent a fire. Even if that is found to be so, the company would still have to pay the first $1 billion in claims before being able to access the state fund. Pedro Pizarro, chief executive of Edison International, told Wall Street analysts in January that if it is found the utility's transmission equipment was "associated with the ignition of the Eaton fire" he was confident the utility could prove "its conduct with respect to its transmission facilities in the Eaton Canyon area was consistent with actions of a reasonable utility." Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
24-03-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Pasadena school district files lawsuit against Edison over Eaton fire damages
The cash-strapped Pasadena Unified School District is suing Southern California Edison, seeking compensation for the loss of multiple buildings that burned in the Eaton fire and the ensuing disruption of its operations. The district — which was grappling with a $37-million budget deficit prior to the Jan. 7 blaze — sued the Rosemead-based utility and its parent company, Edison International, last week in Los Angeles County Superior Court, accusing them of negligence and other causes of action that led to the fire. While the cause of the fire remains open, investigators have focused on Edison power lines in Eaton Canyon that may have sparked the inferno that killed 17 people and destroyed more than 10,000 homes and other structures in Altadena. 'The destruction of multiple schools and educational facilities has created an immense burden on students, families, and the entire educational community,' John Fiske, an attorney representing the district, said in a statement. 'This lawsuit seeks fair compensation to recover the taxpayer resources and district property lost as a result of this devastating fire.' Southern California Edison is already facing scores of lawsuits seeking damages due to the Eaton fire, and insurance companies are expected to seek compensation for billions of dollars of claims they are likely to pay out to homeowners and businesses. 'The Eaton fire has been heartbreaking for the Altadena community. We are reviewing this lawsuit and will respond through the legal process,' said Diane Castro, a spokesperson for the utility. The March 19 lawsuit details extensive damages suffered by multiple facilities, including Franklin Elementary School, Eliot Arts Magnet Middle School, the Edison campus housing Odyssey Charter School, the Loma Alta campus housing Pasadena Rosebud Academy and Oak Knoll Montessori School and the Noyes campus housing Aveson School of Leaders. It also seeks compensation for debris, soot and ash removal; environmental testing; staff and labor costs; fire-related crisis response and mental health services to district students; among other costs the district has borne since the fire. The damage to its campuses follow years of declining enrollment that prompted the district's board — looking to slash $12 million from its budget — to approve cuts last month that will result in the loss of about 150 jobs, including 120 certificated positions mostly held by teachers. The district was home to about 21,000 students in 2005 but now has less than 14,000, which has led to the closure of five campuses since 2018. The decline is attributed to a lack of affordable housing in the wealthy community and the availability of multiple charter and private school options. The lawsuit alleges the utility failed to temporarily shut down power lines in Eaton Canyon despite ample warnings of a strong windstorm from the National Weather Service amid abundant dry vegetation near its power lines. It includes photographic evidence to support its allegation the fire started beneath power lines 'arcing in the high winds.' The lawsuit says the utility later filed a report with the California Public Utilities Commission that showed there was an increase in current through four power lines in the canyon about the time the fire started. A Times investigation has found Edison knew that some of its towers at and near the likely ignition point were fire hazards. While evidence is still being collected, records the company filed with the state show towers on three lines considered a potential 'ignition risk' were overdue for maintenance. The utility had 94 open work orders along the three lines, portions of which run past the northern edge of Altadena and through Eaton Canyon, as of Dec. 31, according to Edison data reviewed by The Times. They included two work orders for 'weed abatement' and 'structure brushing' that were flagged 'ignition risk.' 'The cause remains under investigation as part of our ongoing commitment to a thorough and transparent investigation,' Edison said last week. 'Southern California Edison is beginning the next phase of inspections and testing of electrical equipment in Eaton Canyon.' In January, the California Public Utilities Commission voted to allow the utility to raise electric rates to cover payments it made to victims of the devastating 2017 Thomas wildfire in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties that later was blamed for debris flows that killed 23. Investigators said Edison's equipment was at fault. The vote will allow Edison to charge its customers for more than $1.6 billion of the $2.7 billion that the utility paid to more than 5,000 fire victims. Edison said it planned to spread the cost over 30 years with most customers experiencing a $1 increase on their monthly bills, the company said. The company also has asked the commission to approve a second rate increase for $5.4 billion in payments to victims of the 2018 Woolsey fire in Los Angeles and Ventura counties that destroyed more than 1,600 structures and killed three people. An investigation determined Edison equipment sparked the blaze. Some estimates put the insured damage from the Eaton fire at $10 billion, but experts say the final tally could be higher and losses other than those covered by insurance will further raise the total. The impact on rate payers, though, could be diminished, even if Edison is found to be at fault. The Legislature in 2019 passed a law that created a $21-billion fund to help pay for wildfire damages caused by utility equipment. The fund was established after Pacific Gas & Electric filed for bankruptcy following a series of wildfires in 2017 and 2018, including the Camp fire that destroyed the Sierra Foothills community of Paradise and killed more than 80 people. In order to qualify for the money, a utility must have acted prudently to prevent a fire. Even if that is found to be so, the company would still have to pay the first $1 billion in claims before being able to access the state fund. Pedro Pizarro, chief executive of Edison International, told Wall Street analysts in January that if it is found the utility's transmission equipment was 'associated with the ignition of the Eaton fire' he was confident the utility could prove 'its conduct with respect to its transmission facilities in the Eaton Canyon area was consistent with actions of a reasonable utility.'
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Yahoo
At least 10 vehicles damaged in high-speed hit-and-run crash in L.A.'s San Fernando Valley
A hit-and-run in the San Fernando Valley damaged nearly a dozen cars, and now the search is on for two people seen running from the scene. According to a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson, officers responded to a call of a traffic collision in the 8500 block of Columbus Avenue in the North Hills neighborhood around 10:40 p.m. Friday. Upon arriving, the officers found at least 10 vehicles had been damaged by one car who had collided with all of them, the spokesperson said. Wild video shows controlled burn igniting explosives at destroyed Pacoima home, sending fireball into night sky 'Two suspects were seen running from the scene,' LAPD said. 'They were driving a white Chevy that caused this felony hit-and-run.' Video from the scene shows the Chevy pickup truck said to be driven by the suspects had sustained substantial front-end damage and came to a stop after colliding with a parked sedan. One white SUV was seen on top of a red sedan, apparently having been pushed there by the force of the crash. Pasadena Unified School District sues Southern California Edison for damages from Eaton Fire No descriptions of the two suspects were released, and while no injuries were immediately reported; however, the LAPD spokesperson said that an ambulance was requested to the scene, although they did not clarify if anyone was transported. Sofia Pop Perez contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
