Ben Tansey
Ben Tansey is a journalist and author. He grew up in the South Bay and is a graduate of Evergreen State College. He worked in Washington State as a reporter in a rural timber community and for many years as an editor for a Western electric energy policy publication based in Seattle.
State Mandated Affordable Housing Units | Major Pushback on Quotas
Nearly a quarter of the of 197 municipal and county members of the Southern California Association of Governments have appealed the number of affordable...
Large Development in South Pasadena | Moffat St Decision Punted to New City Council
Confronted by what is arguably the most controversial decision of the year, the South Pasadena City Council last week unanimously agreed to delay a...
South Pasadena Police Chief Joe Ortiz Retires | On Administrative Leave Until March
South Pasadena Police Chief Joe Ortiz “has announced his intention to retire effective March 1, 2021,” according to a city press release. Interim City...
Planning Commission | Seven Patios Approved Without Affordable Units
While lamenting the failure to include any affordable housing units, the five-member South Pasadena Planning Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved Odyssey Development Services’ 57-unit,...
New Interim Finance Director for South Pasadena | City Hires Familiar Face, Marcie Medina
The City of South Pasadena on Nov. 4 executed a temporary employment agreement with Maricela (“Marcie”) Medina to serve as the city’s Interim Finance...
Bob Joe Concedes to Zneimer for District 1 Seat | 2020 City Council Election...
Evelyn Zneimer, South Pasadena’s elected City Clerk since 2013, has won a close race to become the new City Council representative from District 1,...
City Council | South Pasadena Adopts Eviction Moratorium
Pending adoption of a more throughgoing ordinance to close another loophole in the state’s Tenant Protection Act, the South Pasadena City Council on Wednesday...
2020 Election Update | Two City Council Seats Still Up in Air for South...
It’s unclear how much longer South Pasadenans will have to wait to learn the final results from Tuesday night’s undecided local races.
Evelyn Zneimer, South...
Shaving the Town | Ben Miranda’s 55 years of Barbering
Ben Miranda has been shaving heads for over 55 years. The owner of Ben’s Barber Shop in the Ace Hardware shopping mall at 444...
An Interview with Steve Rossi | Councilmember Insights on City’s Current Affairs
When Stephen Rossi applied Sept. 2 to fill out the remaining three months of former Councilmember Marina Khubesrian’s term, he did so to help...
Richcreek Pleads Not Guilty to Attacks on BLM Protestors During Arraignment
Joseph Luis Richcreek, 55, the Monterey Park man charged with two counts of battery against South Pasadena Black Lives Matter protestors, pled not guilty...
South Pasadena Ready to Fight Back | RHNA State Mandate Crossed the Line
South Pasadena will file a full-throated appeal of the number of housing units it must plan for over the eight-year period starting in 2021...
Vanessa Marquez Shooting Was ‘By the Book’ | South Pasadena Police Department Report
The South Pasadena police shooting which resulted in the death of 49-year-old actress Vanessa Marquez on Aug. 30, 2018 complied with SPPD’s use of force policies,...
Police Reform Recommendations Approved Unanimously by Public Safety Commission | City Council Recommended to...
In a short meeting Monday, the South Pasadena Public Safety Commission gave its blessing to both a new commission charter and a long set...
Public Safety Commission Looks to Finalize Police Reform Recommendations
The South Pasadena Public Safety Commission on Monday Oct. 19 will work to reach consensus on long list of police reform recommendations including tweaks...
Finance Ad Hoc Committee Expanded, Members Named | City of South Pasadena
Five members of the community were named at the South Pasadena City Council’s Oct. 7 meeting to serve on the newly created Finance Ad...
Police Chief Ortiz Takes More Heat Over Cancelled Prayer Event
Community angst continues to broil over South Pasadena Police Chief Joe Ortiz’s granting permission for and promoting a prayer vigil at the police station...
Councilmember Rossi Disputes City Attorney’s Refusal to Provide Legal Information
The South Pasadena City Council will discuss asking the State Attorney General for an opinion on whether City Attorney Teresa Highsmith can share information...
CITY FINANCE | South Pasadena Finance Director Karen Aceves Resigns
Karen Aceves, appointed South Pasadena Finance Director seven months ago, has resigned. Aceves, who in late August left on an indefinite family leave, sent...
FINANCE REPORT | South Pasadena’s Finance Situation is Severe
The City of South Pasadena’s auditor has prepared a draft giving the city a clean audit for fiscal 2018-19. But in a letter to...
South Pasadena Finance Commission: Audit Lacks Findings Memo | City Releases Claro Report
As of June 30 2019, according to the much-delayed draft opinion from South Pasadena’s auditor, the city’s financial statements “present fairly, in all material...
HIRED | New Interim City Manager for South Pasadena is in Place
During a short mid-day special meeting Sept. 23, the South Pasadena City Council unanimously voted to appoint Sean Joyce, its former long-time city manager,...
New Interim City Manager is On-Board | Top Flight Expert Sean Joyce Tapped for...
During an open special at noon Wednesday, Sept. 23, the South Pasadena City Council will consider appointing Sean Joyce to serve as Interim City...
New Write-In Candidate for City Council | Stephen Rossi to File for Dist. 2
Stephen Rossi, whose exposition of discrepancies in the South Pasadena budget and signature plan to clean up the city’s finances by election day won...
City Council Elections | Donovan Disputes Mayor’s Report He Foreswore Appointment
This week’s late entry of popular finance expert Stephen Rossi as a write-in candidate for South Pasadena’s District 2 City Council seat came as...
Public Safety Commission Rejects Charter Proposal | Downsizing of Subcommittee Meets Heavy Opposition
Everyone agrees that with the police reform debate sweeping the nation, the South Pasadena Public Safety Commission’s charter needs to be updated. But that’s...
Assistant City Manager Ready | Elaine Aguilar Gets Tapped to Serve
Elaine Aguilar, a former interim South Pasadena city official, will be appointed at Wednesday’s City Council as the city’s Interim Assistant City Manager.
Aguilar will...
Effective Immediately: Stephanie DeWolfe is Out | Fire Chief Riddle Named Acting City Manager
Embattled South Pasadena City Manager Stephanie DeWolfe has decided to retire from the city effective Saturday Sept. 12, the city said in a press...
Clouds Darken for DeWolfe | South Pasadena City Manager Development
With barely a day’s notice Saturday, the City of South Pasadena announced there will be a closed special session of the City Council Sunday,...
Clean Power Alliance | Two New Contracts Add Significant Solar and Storage
The Clean Power Alliance on Sept. 3 signed contracts for two new 15-year solar power projects, both of which feature significant storage capacity. Together...
