Campus to remain closed through Sunday as Eaton Fire grows to over 10,600 acres

Share: Pasadena City College (PCC) will remain closed with all classes canceled through Sunday, Jan. 12, as the Eaton fire continues to devastate the region, Superintendent-President José A. Gómez announced Wednesday. “We have lost our peace,” Gómez said during a press conference. “Although Pasadena City College has sustained minor damage, our hearts and our prayers and our thoughts are with our greater community.” The college sustained damage from the ongoing windstorm, including loose exterior panels on several buildings, downed light poles and trees, scattered debris, …

Eaton Fire claims two lives as structures burn

Share: The fast-moving Eaton fire has claimed two lives and destroyed more than 100 structures, including homes and a historic synagogue, as it burns through Altadena and nearby communities, officials said Wednesday. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone confirmed the fatalities during a press conference. The fire, which began Tuesday evening near Altadena Drive and Midwick Drive, has burned more than 2,000 acres and remains 0% contained. Pasadena City College remains closed due to unsafe conditions caused by the Eaton fire and high winds. …

Campus closed due to Eaton Fire, high winds

Share: Pasadena City College (PCC) campuses will be closed Wednesday, January 8, due to high winds, smoke, and hazardous commuting conditions caused by the rapidly spreading Eaton Fire in nearby Altadena, the college said in an email Tuesday night. “PCC will continue to monitor weather conditions and assess campus safety,” the email said. “We will provide updates as needed.” In-person classes will transition online, and students are advised to check for communication from their instructors regarding alternative arrangements. The decision comes as the Eaton Fire, …

Student concerns persist following Lot 4’s recent elevator meltdown

Share: For weeks, the elevators in Pasadena City College’s Lot 4 parking structure have been malfunctioning, causing frustration for students and staff who rely on them to navigate the multi-level facility. PCC student Kacey Charbonnet lives with Patellofemoral pain syndrome in her left knee which creates irritation and pain when walking up flights of stairs.  “It was a painful experience walking up the stairs,” said Charbonnet. “The elevators are very finicky and are inconsistent in their service,” Charbonnet decides to park on the 4th floor …

PCC geography professors fund new scholarship from their own paychecks

Share: After years without dedicated financial support, geography students at Pasadena City College (PCC) are poised to benefit from a new scholarship, thanks to the initiative of the geography faculty. The PCC Geography Faculty Award is the brainchild of Dr. Rhea Presiado and her three geography colleagues, Dr. Hector Agredano, Professor Brennan Wallace, and Dr. Nikita Prajapati.  “Since our geography students currently have access to zero scholarships, we decided to pony up the funds out of our payroll,” Presiado said in an interview.  The four …

Forget to pay your tuition? Starting next semester, you could be dropped

Share: As Pasadena City College (PCC) wraps up the semester, students are preparing to register for classes under a new drop policy set to take effect next term. The updated policy introduces stricter payment deadlines that the college says are aimed at preventing fraud, reducing student debt, and increasing access to classes for committed students. The policy is a return to pre-COVID-19 practices, with some modifications to ensure clarity and flexibility. Under the new guidelines, students must pay for their classes on time or risk …

Step right up for the Freeman Center’s Career Carnival

Share: A myriad of booths were scattered around the quad the Thursday before Thanksgiving each with a goal in mind: involving PCC students in engaging activities and discussions that would guide them in their career paths and connect them to career-related opportunities.  On November 21,  the Freeman Center hosted its inaugural Career Carnival, a themed event complete with games, prizes, and a variety of opportunities to meet Freeman Center staff, representatives from PCC’s Career Communities Departments, as well as Shatford Library staff and representatives from …

‘PCC is prepared’: World AIDS Day calls for action over awareness

Share: World AIDS Day is observed annually on December 1. The event was first commemorated by the United Nations in 1988 with the goal of ending the stigma put on HIV patients, who were (and still are) overwhelmingly LGBTQ+ people and people of color.  Every year, the Board of Trustees of Pasadena City College passes a resolution officially recognizing December 1 as World AIDS Day on the college’s campuses. “[T]hrough the ties that bind us as a community, both within the San Gabriel Valley and …

In the age of misinformation, writer-in-residence Lynell George values a reader’s trust

Share: South Los Angeles, 1992. Four LAPD officers were on trial for criminal excessive force, caught on video beating a man named Rodney King. Every Black person in the city was keeping an eye on the trial.  Lynell George was a journalist at LA Weekly, working on an unrelated story about the Great Migration and the landscape of Louisiana migrants, which is one of the largest migrant groups to California from the south.  “I’m sitting in this Louisiana [style] restaurant with this older woman and …

Lancers end regular season unbeaten for first time in decades

Share: The Lancers end their 50 year drought of an undefeated regular season following a 46-6 beatdown versus the LA Valley Monarchs this past Saturday.  Emotions were high following Pasadena’s stomping of a victory over the Monarchs, securing themselves a perfect regular season. Players celebrated left and right, but understood the regular season was just that – the bigger goal of a championship is still a possibility.  “Glory to God, going 10-0 feels amazing,” Sophomore defensive end Julius Ray said. “But going 11-0 sounds much …