South Pasadena

South Pasadena's float "When Life Gives You Lemons... " featured several three-fingered aliens. Lead alien Leland Glauz, 13, was not worried about getting hot in his alien suit. "It's pretty cool," he said. "This is a once in a lifetime experience. " Carrie Luesue, a volunteer with South Pasadena's food pantry, said the biggest challenge was to fight off claustrophobia. -- Elisabeth Frater and Bill Kisliuk

WALNUT - On a Saturday afternoon in which advancing to the CIF Southern Section Masters Meet was the day's top goal, quite a few locals took home championships at the CIF Southern Section Track and Field Divisional Championships at Mt. San Antonio College. La Salle High's Daniel De La Torre was the area's lone dual champion, as the reigning All-Area Track and Field Athlete of the Year flexed his muscles in the Division IV 1,600- and 3,200-meter races. “I was feeling really healthy today and I just wanted to give...

South Pasadena police arrested one of the men captured on a surveillance video allegedly stealing a $1,000 puppy from a pet shop when he returned the "puggle" to the store, officials said.  Jesus Lopez Medina, 53, of Los Angeles, was arrested over the weekend when he returned the 6-month-old female puppy stolen from Pet's Delight in the 700 block of Fair Oaks Avenue a week and a half ago. The dog is a puggle, a pug-beagle crossbreed, police...

ORANGE - ORANGE - All the South Pasadena High boys' volleyball team had known when it came to CIF championship matches was sweeps. That continued for the Tigers in the CIF Southern Section Division III finals Saturday. For the first time, they were able to celebrate afterward, though. South Pasadena won its first-ever CIF title in its third trip to the final round with a 27-25, 25-13, 26-24 victory over Camarillo at Santiago Canyon College on Saturday afternoon. “I wasn't intimidated by them at all,” said South Pasadena Coach Ben Diaz, who knew if a championship...

A live and arching wire, which fell due to strong winds Wednesday night, is still down at the intersection of Hermosa and Columbia Street in South Pasadena. Authorities are warning residents not to approach the wire and said Southern California Edison has no estimate on when they will be able to respond. “We've made repeated requests to (SCE) who told us they were inundated with similar types of requests,” said South Pasadena Police Sgt. Tony Abdalla. “It's not whipping around per se, but it will come in contact with something on the ground and it will spark," he said.

South Pasadena police plan to conduct a DUI checkpoint from  8 p.m.  Friday, Dec. 16, until about 2:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec, 19. Police did not disclose the location of the checkpoint. The checkpoint is part of a broader effort by regional law enforcement agencies to keep impaired drivers off the road during the holiday season. “There will be no spreading holiday cheer behind the bars of a jail cell,” South Pasadena Police Chief Joseph Payne said in a statement. “Don't let your 2011 holiday season end in an arrest or worse, death.  Remember, whether you've had way too many...

A man was arrested for carrying burglary tools while slowly cruising a South Pasadena alley early Tuesday, police said. Bruce Underwood of Long Beach was driving through an alley off of Huntington Drive when a patrol officer cut his lights and observed Underwood casing residences at around 1:45 a.m., according to South Pasadena Police Cpl. Jason Lucas. Underwood was stopped and found with a lock cutter and other burglary tools, Lucas said. ALSO: Burglary task force recovers stolen property, drugs Husband arrested for attempted murder ...

Two Compton residents were arrested on residential burglary and receiving stolen property charges Thursday in South Pasadena. Roderick Marshall, 22, and Bonique Dotson, 18, were arrested after authorities received a call at 7:15 a.m. regarding two suspects possibly burglarizing an apartment complex in the 600 block of Prospect Avenue, which was tented and recently fumigated. The two are suspected of breaking into eight apartments. Dotson allegedly was seen leaving the apartment by an employee of the fumigation company before she met up with Marshall.

Sergio Gonzalez officially became South Pasadena's city manager after the City Council approved his contract Wednesday night. Gonzalez, previously the city's interim city manager, will be paid $163,000 a year until May 2016, unless it's extended, according to the contract. “I am very happy with the appointment and truly appreciate the trust that the City Council has placed upon me to manage this very fine city,” Gonzalez said. “South Pasadena has a lot going for it already including an exceptional school district, great homes and quality city services.”  The city still...

Thieves made off with 180 pumpkin pies meant for a South Pasadena market three days before Thanksgiving, according to police. A padlock on a refrigerated trailer, parked near Bristol Farms on the 600 block of Fair Oaks Avenue, was broken with an unknown device on Nov. 19, said South Pasadena police officer Randy Wise. The trailer contained 20 boxes holding 180 pies worth an estimated $1,800. There were no witnesses, Wise said, but authorities are processing fingerprints found on the trailer.

SANTA MONICA - From the head coach, team captain to the athletic director, no one with the South Pasadena High boys' volleyball team was sure the last time the program played in a championship match. The second-seeded Tigers were too busy adding to their history. They advanced closer to their goal, which has been two years in the making, of a CIF Southern Section Division III title with a four-game road win over Crossroads School, 27-25, 26-28, 25-22, 25-13, on Wednesday evening. PHOTOS: South Pasadena vs. Crossroads School boys' volleyball semifinals “It's...

Hoping to register public support for a project blasted at full volume by a well-organized opposition, Alhambra on Tuesday reaffirmed its support for a controversial tunnel that would connect the Long Beach (710) and Foothill (210) freeways, proclaiming July 10 as “710 Day” in the city. “We as a city want to raise awareness that now is the time [the 710 freeway] can be completed,” Alhambra Mayor Steve Placido said at a news conference at City Hall Tuesday. Extending the 710 Freeway from its terminus...

While individual success may not have been in store for the San Marino High girls' swim team and the rest of the Rio Hondo League, the Titans had the numbers to pull together a 10 th -place finish at the CIF Southern Section Division I finals Saturday. It was another step in the direction for a program that took 15 th a year ago and 25 th in 2011, which was its first Division I season. “Division I is really fast, there's a ton of girls that swim Olympic trials and they're really good,” San Marino senior Kailyn...

GIRLS' SWIMMING San Marino, South Pasadena in CIF Southern Section Division I prelims: San Marino's Kailyn Koh advanced to the championship race of the 50-yard freestyle by taking fourth in the prelims in 23.67 seconds Thursday at Riverside City College. She also took sixth in the 100 free (51.29). The senior also anchored the Titans 200-freestyle relay team of Eliza Koh, Alison Day and Tiffany Warmuth. The group took sixth in 1:38.40. The division I finals will take place Saturday at 5 p.m. With the top-nine...

The election isn't until Nov. 5, but the race for a seat on the Pasadena City College Board of Trustees is already shaping up. Two candidates have announced they will run for a seat representing voters in La Cañada Flintridge, West Pasadena and West Altadena - a seat that's currently occupied by Geoffrey Baum. Baum, first elected in 2001 and wrapping up a third four-year term, has not said whether he will seek reelection. Real estate economist Ross Selvidge, who has served on the Rose Bowl Operating Co. board and multiple city commissions in...

SOUTH PASADENA - Last season, Claire Kieffer-Wright topped a 28-year-old Rio Hondo League record in the high jump. There was little doubt the South Pasadena High girls' track and field standout would eclipse that mark again in the league finals Friday at South Pasadena. That was until she sprained her ankle earlier in the day walking down some stairs. Kieffer-Wright could be seen limping around South Pasadena High during the meet, but the junior still managed to top herself, just barely, and take a league title with a new league-record...

South Pasadena officials are taking applications for a single-family rental property that has been set aside for affordable housing. The 2-bedroom, 1-bath home at 308 San Pascual Ave. sits adjacent to the Arroyo Seco Park and is owned by the City's Housing Authority. Those interested must qualify as low- or moderate-income families and meet the Los Angeles County income limits based upon the size of the household. Applications must be submitted to the City Manager's Office at 1414 Mission St. by 5 p.m. Feb. 28. For more information, visit the city's website for...

Police on Tuesday morning arrested three men allegedly responsible for a series of burglaries in Alhambra and South Pasadena. The suspects allegedly broke into two homes in the 100 block of Mound Avenue between 6 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, said South Pasadena Officer Randy Wise. They then drove to Alhambra and allegedly committed an additional four burglaries. A resident saw the suspects driving around and called 911 to report a suspicious vehicle. When Alhambra officers pulled them over they recovered stolen cell phones, laptops and cameras with pictures of the victims.

Expectations are wide-ranging for the five Pasadena-area high school boys' volleyball teams that qualified to the CIF Southern Section playoffs as the postseason pairings were released Saturday morning. South Pasadena High, San Marino, La Salle, Southwestern Academy and Waverly all punched their tickets to first-round action across three divisions beginning Tuesday at 7 p.m. Maybe no area team has higher expectations than does the two-time Rio Hondo League-champion Tigers. South Pasadena (24-1)