While millions of Americans continue to struggle with the prevailing effects of the pandemic, Latinos in Los Angeles County continue to embrace a spirit of resilience despite being disproportionately affected by COVID-19. In Covina, a family of four has resorted to selling tacos de canasta —translated as “basket tacos,” they area type of steamed taco…
The pandemic has exacerbated many of the struggles of our homeless and unhoused neighbors; the search for housing and employment has become ever harder. Single mom Rosemary* worked two jobs pre-pandemic, renting a room for herself and her toddler in a house with seven others. Each of the tenants worked different jobs and hours, so…
By Brianna Chu COVID-19 has swiftly made its presence known in every aspect of our lives, but especially so in our work lives. The pandemic has forced countless businesses to adapt or perish, and many have been unable to maintain their workforce sizes. Young graduates are stuck in an ever more competitive and punishing job…
By Brianna Chu When school districts were forced to close as COVID-19 arrived in the U.S. last March, students were thrust into an entirely new world of learning. I spoke with four students from elementary school to high school — Altadena Arts Magnet School students Kaidyn Taylor, a fourth grader, and Harry Daniels, a fifth…
By Brianna Chu Single mother Lisa* is a teacher who also tutored students before the pandemic started. Her young daughter Joanna* is not quite school age, so she isn’t currently juggling both online teaching and online learning; but Lisa had been sending her daughter to daycare during the week so she could work. After the…
By Destiny Torres Scrolling through social media terrifies me. I see that the same people posting about the importance of wearing masks are also posting videos of themselves at parties on their private stories. Though in California over 1 million more people became infected with COVID-19 in the month of December, a lot of people…
By Galen Patterson In the wake of the Bobcat Fire in the San Gabriel Mountains, a small communal enclave has taken the spotlight. Cabins dating from the early 1900s were threatened by the fire, and sadly nearly a quarter of them burned completely. Prior to the Bobcat Fire in September earlier this year, the cabins…
By May S. Ruiz Benjamin Franklin appointed the first postmaster general in 1775 but it wasn’t until the passage of the Postal Service Act in 1792 that the post office department was created. In 1970, it became what we now know as the United States Postal Service (USPS). For all the noble purposes its creation…
There has been much publicity and confusion about a proposed mixed-use development in Arcadia that could quite literally move The Derby restaurant. We asked a local historian for his thoughts on the history and possible relocation of the famous landmark. While the initial plans do not call for demolition, some in the community are fearful…
Arcadia’s best-loved used book shop faces unique challenges There’s nothing like the smell of a book shop, especially one that specializes in used books. In Arcadia, there is a little book shop that has been doing business for over 30 years and miraculously survives during this pandemic. It’s definitely a labor of love. To paraphrase…
