The Brief

An effort to bring free clothes, toiletries and a sense of normalcy to girls displaced by January’s Eaton fire now has a permanent home in Old Town Pasadena.

Altadena Girls started as a donation-supported pop-up in Boyle Heights. Volunteers and partners then spent the past nine months transforming an 11,000-square-foot space in a historic bank building into the ultimate hangout, which opens Thursday.

Now-15-year-old co-founder Avery Colvert said the goal is to create a “third space” for girls affected by the Eaton Fire.

“It's not school. It's not home. It's somewhere where girls can go to … be calm within themselves,” Colvert said. “We are gonna have so many different opportunities here.”

Colvert, right, and her mom Lauren Sandidge, left, experienced a different flavor of natural disaster when they lost their Nashville home in a 2021 flood. “ It surprised me how much community is needed in order to get through hard times,” Sandidge said.

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There are studios for music and podcasting sponsored by Fender and another for dance and movement classes.

Altadena Girls hopes to collaborate with brands and other organizations to host pop-up events. One aspect that won’t change is the free boutique stocked with new clothes, shoes, toiletries and feminine hygiene products.

“ It's about feeling normal, whatever that means for you,” said Lauren Sandidge, Colvert’s mom and co-founder. “Whether it's like your favorite shampoo, face wash, whatever it is … it's about dignity.”

Altadena Girls’ origin story

On Jan. 10, Colvert posted a callout to Instagram asking for clothes, beauty and personal care products, “items that will help my friends feel confidence and like themselves again.”

She was then an eighth-grader at Eliot Arts Magnet, one of five Pasadena Unified campuses destroyed in the fire. Her family evacuated but eventually was able to return to their Pasadena home.

The post went viral. Celebrities and legacy media alike shared Altadena Girls’ story and donations flooded in.

Colvert and scores of volunteers coordinated a pop-up boutique where fire-impacted girls could replenish their closets with the help of a personal stylist and pick up other essentials — all free of cost.

Teen girls and their families shop donations to Altadena Girls in January.

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Altadena Girls estimates it’s reached more than 4,000 people through the boutique and other events.

Teenager Laurel Kleeger-Read, her mom and their cat evacuated their Pasadena home during the Eaton Fire and returned a few months later to a changed community. Her former middle school, the park where she played volleyball and a few of her friends' homes were reduced to ash.

“I just felt such an immense despair in me that I don't think I'll ever be able to feel [it] again,” Kleeger-Read said. “Well, hopefully I'll never feel again.”

Kleeger-Read attended the Altadena Girls prom in May. A stylist helped her choose a teal dress to wear.

“It just made you feel so special and so beautiful,” Kleeger-Read said. “I remember trying on the dresses and I was like, ‘Wow, this is freaking amazing.’”

How Altadena Girls found a physical home

Colvert said the idea for the space came from conversations she had with girls who visited the original shopping events and told her they wanted to come back the next day.

 ”I think when people were struggling so much in that time, they just wanted to have fun and wanted to feel like this kind of joy again,” Colvert said. “ I wanted that feeling to last forever.”

Altadena Girls got the keys to the Old Town Pasadena space Jan. 24 and will open to girls Oct. 23.

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Altadena Girls is on the ground floor of a Neoclassical building built in 1914 for Citizens Bank.

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They chose Old Town Pasadena because it’s near public transportation and accessible to families who have relocated elsewhere in the San Gabriel Valley and beyond.

Also, it’s cool.

“Old Town is, like, for teenagers, is more popular than the mall,” Colvert said.

Partners have donated everything from light fixtures to furniture. The realtor who helped Altadena Girls find this space worked pro bono.

The organization invited girls to help shape their space by sharing their ideas.

“To really put your input on the matter and then it be listened to seriously — I feel like that was really important for the girls who had just not been heard,” Kleeger-Read said.

Altadena Girls co-founder Avery Colvert stands in the work-in-progress version of the Pasadena space. The neon sign is a reference to Riot Grrrl Kathleen Hanna's callout during Bikini Kill shows.

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Sandidge flips through renderings of the first floor. “We really feel strongly ... helping the girls specifically is helping the entire family,” Sandidge said. For example, a family may have time to work on their insurance claims or rest knowing their child is safe at Altadena Girls.

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Altadena Girls prioritizes Eaton Fire-affected girls, 13-18, whether they’ve lost a home or school or had to relocate.

The first cohort will receive a free membership that gives them access to the entire building Thursday and Friday after school and all day Saturday. Sandidge said the hope is to extend the hours based on fundraising and feedback from the girls.

There are a lot of ideas for events: from shows by local musicians to a holiday market and a Rose Parade watch party.

“There's programming here, but it's optional,” Sandidge said. ”You can come and relax and just chill first. And then we wanna know from the girls, like, ‘Hey, what is it that you need right now?’”

Kleeger-Read, who now attends high school in downtown L.A., said she looks forward to catching up with her Pasadena friends in the space.

“There has to be moments where you can celebrate and be like, ‘Hey, this thing was terrible. But look at where we are now,’” Kleeger-Read said. “Look at how, how strongly we were able to bounce back and how much we're able to celebrate, even though we were faced with such a difficult situation.”

‘How do we keep the doors open long term?’

Altadena Girls’ lease lasts through January 2027.

“ Now we're tasked with the sustainability of a nonprofit,” Sandidge said. “Figuring out: How do we now keep the doors open long term so we can serve the girls?”

An organization called Creative Visions sponsors Altadena Girls while it goes through the process to become a nonprofit. A new executive director is joining the organization, and Sandidge plans to step back and return to working in recruiting and HR but will still be involved.

“ I think it's a little addictive to help people,” Sandidge said. “It's the best feeling.”

Colvert is now a freshman at a San Gabriel Valley arts high school but has been back to visit her alma mater Eliot Arts Magnet, which burned down in the January fire.

“ It's kind of surreal to see the place you used to hang out every day be destroyed,” Colvert said.

Colvert said what’s surprised her the most is the outpouring of support from people of all ages.

“ I only thought, like, teenage girls wanted this,” Colvert said. “Even people who are adults are like, 'This is something that's so cool.  I would've loved to have this when I was a teenager.'”

Billy Gene Mills, one of the first Black politicians elected to the L.A. City Council, died on June 27 in his Leimert Park home. He was 96.

In a social media post, his son James Edward Mills wrote that his father had been struggling with failing health for years.

Mills was the first Black American to graduate from UCLA Law School in 1954 and went on to work as a civil rights attorney.

Los Angeles City Council members Gilbert Lindsay (left), Billy Mills (second from left) and Tom Bradley (second from right), pose for a photo with two unidentified men in City Hall council chambers around 1965.

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He was elected to the city council in 1963, representing District 8, and served until 1974. Mills was one of the first three Black men, along with Tom Bradley and Gilbert Lindsay, to join the city council.

While on the council, Mills “led the city to renewed unity and cooperation after the tumultuous Watts Riots,” UCLA wrote in a statement that accompanied a Public Service Award given to him in 2003. His tenure, UCLA noted, saw the installation of paved alleys and streetlights throughout South Los Angeles for the first time.

In 1974, Mills was appointed as a judge to the Los Angeles Superior Court by then-Gov. Ronald Reagan.

Mills is survived by five children, nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

SEATTLE — Folarin Balogun, the star striker of the U.S. men's national soccer team, is eligible to play in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 game against Belgium on Monday.

In an unusual move, FIFA's Disciplinary Committee announced Sunday that it would suspend Balogun's one-game red card ban for a probationary period of one year, allowing him to play in any remaining World Cup games.

In a brief statement, the committee did not give a reason for delaying the suspension. Balogun's probationary period will be revoked and the one-game suspension enforced if he commits "another infringement of a similar nature and gravity," FIFA said.

Balogun received the red card last Wednesday during the 2-0 U.S. victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Round of 32 match. He had stepped on the ankle of Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemović as the two tangled while going after the ball.

The main referee initially declined to call any foul on the play, but after a replay review of slow-motion video and stills, a video referee recommended a red card. Afterward, U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino criticized the decision to grant a red, calling the contact "a normal action in football that happened by accident."

U.S. Soccer had not filed a formal appeal. But a spokesperson told reporters Sunday that the organization had been "engaged" with FIFA during the deliberations.

In a statement, U.S. Soccer said it would accept the decision and is pleased Balogun will be eligible to play. "Our full attention is focused on the Round of 16 match against Belgium in Seattle, and we look forward to the continued support of our amazing fans," the statement read.

"Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!" President Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

The team learned of the decision on Sunday morning while riding a bus to a training session in Seattle.

"I'm mostly just happy for him, seeing that smile on his face. He deserves to be playing in this game," said U.S. winger Christian Pulisic, who called the referee's decision to give Balogun a red card "extremely harsh."

The decision to delay a one-game red card suspension is highly unusual, although there had been precedent already at this World Cup. Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo received a three-game suspension last November for elbowing an opponent in a World Cup qualifying match. That suspension would have caused him to miss the first two games of the World Cup, but FIFA's Disciplinary Committee put the suspension on hold and allowed him to play.

It is unclear what factors may have led FIFA to allow Balogun to play.

Rules governing the use of VAR, or video assistant referee, say that slow-motion replay should only be used for "facts," such as the point of contact for physical fouls or handball calls, while normal-speed video should be used to judge the "intensity" of an offense.

However, on Wednesday, the video referee reviewed slow-motion footage and still images before recommending a red card.

Balogun's demeanor was notably calm and respectful after the controversial call. He shook hands with the referee after the game, and speaking to reporters on Friday, he said the contact had been unintentional but that he accepted the referee's decision.

"I never want to react out of anger and out of emotion," Balogun said. "There's still lots of people we're inspiring, little kids, boys and girls who are watching. We have to show the correct way to handle things even when you think it's unjust."

On Sunday, Pulisic told reporters he was impressed by how his teammate had handled himself. "Good things happen to people like that. And he was so positive and all for the team, and it just feels right," Pulisic said.

Monday's Round of 16 match against Belgium is one of the biggest in the history of the U.S. men's national team. A win would send the U.S. to the quarterfinals, matching the deepest run by the American men in the modern era of the World Cup.

Copyright 2026 NPR

The La Brea Tar Pits are heading into a multimillion-dollar renovation — that means the museum will have to close to the public for two years.

The history

Built in 1977, the George C. Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits has a special place in the hearts of Angelenos who’ve ever taken a field trip to see its massive mastodon skeletons or dire wolf skulls. Don’t worry — all that stuff is staying, said museum educator Kay Lai.

Why now?

“This museum, as beloved as it is, definitely needs that refresh. And I’m really excited for the next generation of kids that get to grow up and make new memories here with this new space,” Lai told LAist.

What’s going to be new?

Lai said the museum refresh will include a new focus on Zed, an 80% complete Columbian mammoth found at the site. With new outdoor classrooms and a 1-kilometer pedestrian pathway that will take visitors past excavation sites, the idea is to make research more visible to the public.

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Both Mexico and England are undefeated in the 2026 World Cup. All of that will change on Sunday when the two teams meet at Estadio Azteca at 5 p.m. for the round of 16 match.

Mexico has not allowed one goal during their entire run in the tournament, and they will have the home-field advantage. That means England will not only have to take on the Mexico squad, but also 80,000 Mexican fans cheering from the stands.

Here are the free spots showing the game all over Koreatown, Pico Union and Westlake. There are no official park-sponsored watch parties in the local neighborhoods, according to the city’s Kick It In the Park schedule, but here are a few of the local sports bars, restaurants and other spots that will be showing the game.

Koreatown

• Guelaguetza
  3014 W Olympic Blvd.

  Mole coloradito over chips could fix anything. There are no reservations at the Oaxacan staple, so arrive early with your full party or you’ll be left standing (which is not the worst thing). The restaurant boasts a large screen, a dance-party vibe, micheladas and so much more. More info here.

• The Line Hotel
  3515 Wilshire Blvd. 

  The hotel has been showing games throughout the tournament and will have special offers on drinks and food. The venue will show the game on a large LED screen, with a live mariachi band and DJ set by Chulita Vinyl Club. There will also be a 90-minute unlimited margarita pitchers for $45 per person, according to the organizers. More information can be found here.
  

• Biergarten
  206 N Western Ave.

  The Biergarten is showing every match on multiple screens all over the bar. Their promise of Korean-German fusion is accompanied by a plethora of drinks on tap. More information can be found here.

• Eastwood
  611 S Western Ave.

  The country-inspired bar and restaurant will host the game on various screens around the venue and will serve bar towers and other specials. If the game isn’t enough of an emotional rollercoaster for fans, they can try their luck on the bar’s mechanical bull. Doors will open at 4:30 p.m. More information can be found here.

• Baja’s Grill Sports Cantina
  3250 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 103

  For flavors of Baja California during the game, this Cantina will be running specials and happy hour. The bar is surrounded by multiple screens and regularly hosts $35 open bars from 6 to 10 p.m. More information can be found here.

• Lock and Key 
  239 S Vermont Ave. 

  The cocktail den will be hosting the game alongside $8 drink specials for margaritas, palomas and vodka martinis. Multiple DJs will also be present during and after the game. More information can be found here.

• DJM Soju Bar
  3275 Wilshire Blvd.

  The restaurant will host the game both indoors and outdoors alongside food and drink specials. They serve a variety of plates, from spicy pork bulgogi and seafood soup to sweet-and-sour chicken. A wide variety of soju is also offered. Doors will open at 4 p.m. More information can be found here.

Westlake and Pico Union 

• Pulgarcito Family Restaurant 
  2500 W Pico Blvd.

  This family-owned restaurant serves pupusas, quesabirria and plato de birria, along with camarones a la diabla, plátanos fritos with beans and crema, and many more Salvadoran dishes. They also have cold drinks and multiple screens for the game. More information can be found here.
  

• Casa Gish Bac Cocina Oaxaqueña
  1436 S Vermont Ave.

  The Oaxacan restaurant will be showing the games on multiple TVs, as well as on a projector. Happy hour is from 2 to 6 p.m., right before kickoff. Deals include $5 beers and $2 tacos. They’re also sweetening the celebrations with a free shot with every Mexico goal. More information can be found here.
  

• Huicho’s Bakery
  1250 Vermont Ave.

  The local bakery will be showing the game outside of their shop on one TV. They offer a variety of Central American and Mexican food, as well as pastries and bread.
  

• Xecul Restaurante Guatemalteco
  1051 S Alvarado Street

  The Guatemalan restaurant will show the game on two TVs indoors. They offer a wide variety of traditional Guatemalan flavors, like their el shuco xecul, as well as fusion plates like chow mein mixto.
  

• Cafe con Ron
  819 S Flower Street

  The Mexican seafood and brunch location will be showing the game on TVs around its cantina area. They offer fish tacos, quesabirria and drink specials. More information can be found here.