Shows
SGV ConnectSGV Connect 135.2 - Memories of El MonteLast week, Chris visited the mutual aid group Memories of El Monte's bi-weekly food distribution at the Klingerman Apartment projects in South El Monte to interview group members and get an update on the construction of their physical location, The People's Cafe. The regular food distribution gives the community the opportunity to receive $200 worth of groceries for $5, according to Memories of El Monte. For those interested in receiving groceries or volunteering with set-up and tear-down, the distributions take place on the second and fourth Thursday of each month, with ticketing at 8am and distribution at 10am. The drives are held b...2025-04-0321 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 135.1 - An Update on the Gold Line Foothill Construction Timelines (Note: this week’s SGV Connect podcast is being broken into two parts. Part 2, which is a series of interview about The People’s Cafe in El Monte, will be broadcast tomorrow.) Last week, news broke that bids for the next extension of the Foothill Gold Line - from Pomona to Montclair - would be delayed because the only bid to design and build the project was hundreds of millions of dollars higher than anticipated. Earlier today, Damien Newton sat down with Gold Line Foothill Construction Authority CEO Habib Bali...2025-04-0214 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 134: Mutual Aid in the fallout of the Eaton FireThe Eaton Fire has left a tremendous scar on Southern California’s culture and politics for the foreseeable future. Thankfully, it’s stopped advancing for some time now, but the statistics are still top of mind: 17 dead, 14,000+ acres burned, 9,000+ structures destroyed, 1,000+ structures damaged. During the early weeks of the fire, social media was a frenzy of good and bad information on destruction and safety, spite directed at elected officials, renewed revelation about the exploitation of incarcerated firefighters, and finger pointing over the funding and capabilities of Los Angeles City and County first responders. 2025-02-1138 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 133: Introducing StreetSmartOk, I’ll admit it. I’m using this week’s SGV Connect to encourage listeners to start listening to my other podcast, StreetSmart which appears at Streetsblog California. This week’s SGV Connect features clips from three different StreetSmart interviews. The first is with Jeanie Ward-Waller where we de-mystify the California Transportation Commission. A little-heard-of board that approves billions of dollars of state transportation funds every year. In this clip, we discuss why it’s important to have progressives and activists in some of the voting board positions. For the full podcast, and transcript, click her...2025-02-0619 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 132 - Melanie Curry, Signing Off2025-01-1539 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 131 – Foothill Transit AMA with Felicia FriesemaFoothill Transit’s Director of Marketing and Communications joins Streetsblog Editor Damien Newton for an ask-me-anything style interview probing the bus agency’s recent trials and successes. Friesema took questions on: how Foothill’s bolstered services to Mt. San Antonio College and Cal Poly Pomona will connect with soon to open Metro A Line service in the San Gabriel Valley Foothills, the agency’s hopes for a bus rapid transit service contract in the 60 Freeway corridor, what level of challenge is still faced after the initial stage of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the agency’s move towards hydrogen fuel cell t...2024-12-1827 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 130 - Streetsblog Editors Recap the 2024 ElectionThe post-election special featured a pair of Streetsblog editors, Joe Linton of Streetsblog L.A. and Melanie Curry of Streetsblog California, joining Damien Newton and Chris Greenspon. Most of the talking was done by Curry, Linton and Newton, and the trio kicked off the discussion by outlining the impact of the Trump administration on federal transportation funding, particularly high-speed rail and public transportation. In a new administration, California will face challenges securing federal funding. In LA County, some important county measures including the “climate bond,” Measure A for maintaining the county’s homeless services and Measur...2024-11-1540 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 129: Looking at Measures A and GWith many mail-in ballots already in voters hands, it's time for the SGV Connect election special. This week we talk with a pair of experts about two ballot measures that L.A. County voters will decide this fall. First, Damien interviews Supervisor Hilda Solis about Measure G. Measure G was put on the ballot with the support of three of the five Supervisors and would change the way L.A. County's elected government works. The measure would expand the Board from five to nine members, create new reforms designed to increase transparency for L.A. County departments...2024-10-1631 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 128: Habib Balian With the Foothill Gold Line Extension to Pomona at 90 percent completion, SGV Connect pays another visit to the Construction Authority’s office to chat with chief executive officer Habib Balian. The podcast can be found below, but you can read a transcript of it by clicking here. For clarity’s (or maybe confusion’s) sake, we are of course referring to the thrice renamed Metro “A Line.” Since 2020, tracks have been laid and station platforms have been poured from Glendora to Pomona. Now those stations really look like stations, and the last leg of...2024-09-2411 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 127: Looking Back at This Year’s LegislatureJust last week, the legislative session for the year ended in Sacramento meaning a batch of legislation was passed that, if signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, would change the way the state conducts its transportation business. In this episode of SGV Connect, co-host Damien Newton goes it alone, interviewing Streetsblog California editor Melanie Curry. As an aside, both Newton and Curry will be at the Streetsblog San Francisco/Streetsblog California anniversary party next week at Manny’s in the Mission on Thursday, September 12, at 6:00 p.m. along with a bevy of transportation reform superstars including ma...2024-09-0534 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 126: Melissa Mora Hidalgo and Jonah KannerThis week's SGV Connect returns to our regular formula with a pair of interviews by Damien Newton and Chris Greenspon. First, Chris interviews Melissa Mora Hidalgo, a queer entertainment writer living in Whittier. The interview goes back and forth between fun and serious, as the two discuss both her work and the performative allyship that occurs during Pride month. In short, Hidalgo would prefer a city that works to create safe environments for all its residents to one that puts up rainbow flags one month a year. You can read a transcript of the interview...2024-06-2850 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 125: A Sweatshop Documentary Comic StripThis week Chris brings us a special feature interview with artist Isabel Pan. Pan is the artist in residence at C.A.S.A Zamora in El Monte. Her project has been a documentary-style, slice of life comic strip depicting the impact of sweatshop labor and refugee crises on the children of immigrants in the San Gabriel Valley. Pan’s subject is the son of a sweat shop worker, Denny. His parents came to El Monte in the late 70’s, fleeing the Vietnam War. They endured the loss of family en route to America, and the struggle of wo...2024-06-1416 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 124: Reclaimers and Rick ColeThis week’s SGV Connect continues our theme of focusing in on various areas of the SGV for our podcast episodes by looking at the Greater Pasadena area. First, Damien and Chris traveled to El Sereno to meet with some of the Reclaimers, unhoused residents of El Sereno who moved into Caltrans owned properties during the pandemic. Benito, Sandra and Fanny return to SGV Connect (their first appearance can be found here) to advocate for affordable housing and community spaces, discuss the ongoing eviction battle between Caltrans and the Reclaimers. Personal stories and experiences are shared, emphasizing th...2024-05-221h 22SGV ConnectSGV Connect 123: The Upcoming Election in Alhambra CD4This week's SGV Connect is focusing on the election to replace Councilmember and Vice-Mayor Sasha Renée Pérez of Alhambra. Pérez has given up her seat to run for the State Senate. Chris interviews Nicolas Kiet Quach, the president of the Alhambra Library Board of Trustees. While only 18, Kiet Quach is no newcomer to politics having worked for and with Pérez. If you choose, you can read a transcript of the interview, here. Next, Damien talks to Je-Show Yang, a community activist who has appeared a couple of times in Streetsblog articles about the Fremont Avenue exit...2024-05-1044 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 122: GlendoraWe continue our tour through the San Gabriel Valley with an episode focused on the City of Glendora, known as the Heart of the Foothills. It might surprise you if you're not familiar with what's going on at this small suburban community, but Glendora is working hard to build out a bike network, calm traffic on its streets, build up a downtown in its 'village' area and continue to plan for the coming A Line (Gold Line) Station. Our first interview is with Steve Mateer, who is responsible for executing the vision for a new and green...2024-02-2731 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 121, El Monte Region: David Diaz and Pedro GonzalezWelcome to the first SGV Connect podcast of 2024! We start our new year with the first in a new series that focuses on different regions and communities in the San Gabriel Valley and examines both the state of their mobility projects and cultural and community projects. This week, both interviews were completed by Chris Greenspon. The first is with David Diaz, the executive director of Active SGV, where they discuss several projects going on in the area: a multimodal projects coming soon to the area, a linear park and greenway on Merced Avenue, the Rosemead B...2024-02-1928 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect Special Edition : Happy Anniversary, Foothill TransitLast Friday, Foothill Transit celebrated its 35th anniversary with a party in the parking lot of its West Covina headquarters. Joe Linton and Chris Greenspon were among those on-hand and they had a chance to catch up with a handful of people that helped shape Foothill Transit's past and will guide the agency into the future. Those short interviews are included in this podcast and include: Congressmember Judy Chu Foothill Transit Executive Director Doran Barnes Former Duarte Mayor John Fasana Former Glendora Councilmember Bob Kuhn Deputy Chief Executive Officer...2023-12-1215 minSGV ConnectSpecial Edition : Jeanie Ward-WallerJeanie Ward-Waller is not a household name in California, but until recently she may have had the most important job in the state as far as Streetsblog readers are concerned. Ward-Waller served as the Deputy Director of Planning and Multimodal Programs at Caltrans, where she not only oversaw many of the great programs that we regularly highlighted at Streetsblog; but also served as the internal whistleblower to make certain the agency was working to meet its own climate and equity goals. While we were all surprised when Politico announced earlier this fall that she was f...2023-11-2223 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 120: Basking in the Glow of ArroyoFestThis week's SGV Connect podcast is a special episode where the Streetsblog San Gabriel Valley team, Chris Greenspon, Joe Linton and Damien Newton, sit down and discuss the great success that was ArroyoFest 2023. All three were at the event but experienced it differently with Linton and his family biking the route, Newton completing the "Run the 110" 10k race and Greenspon walking along the 110 later in the morning. Of course, this is Streetsblog so we also discuss what the success of the event could mean for future open streets and open freeway events in the region and Newton...2023-11-0326 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 119: GoSGV and Carribean Fragoza's Scary Bike CrashThis week’s SGV Connect Podcast looks backward at the first year of the GoSGV Bike Share program and looks forward to Halloween and ArroyoFest. First, we speak with Jose Jimenez, the education director for Active SGV about the GoSGV’s first year, celebrated earlier this month. There are over 100 bikes being rented monthly at the moment and over 400 people took part in the program in its first year. There will be a demonstration zone for the rental e-bikes at ArroyoFest this Sunday near the South Pasadena HUB. You can get more information about GoSGV at t...2023-10-2440 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 117: ArroyofestThis week's SGV Connect breaks our regular mold as Streetsblog L.A. editor Joe Linton conducts both interviews on the past and future of ArroyoFest which returns at the end of this month, on Sunday October 29th when a portion of the I-110 will be closed to cars and open to other uses in the morning. First, Linton interviews Robert Gottlieb and Marcus Renner some of the leaders that brought Southern California the first ArroyoFest in 2003. Seven years before the first CicLAvia, ArroyoFest changed the conversation around transportation in the region. While we haven't seen the seismic...2023-10-0534 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 117: Councilwoman Adele Andrade Stadler and Steve FarleyThis week's SGV Connect features a pair of interviews that will change and improve the lives of residents of the San Gabriel Valley. First, we talk with Alhambra Councilmember Adele Andrade-Stadler. Andrade-Stadler is the winner of this year's Elected Official of the Year award given by ActiveSGV at their Noche de las Luminarias. You can read more about her award and her relationship with ActiveSGV at their ActiveBlog. At the end of the interview, we discuss the upcoming Sustainability Plan for Alhambra that should be released for public review later this month. Read a transcript o...2023-09-2633 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 116: Strategic Parking Plan and Safe Parking in PasadenaThis week's SGV Connect focuses on two different parking programs in Pasadena. As the city closes in on approving its Strategic Parking Plan, we welcome retired UCLA economics professor and parking pricing guru Donald Shoup. Shoup's The High Cost of Free Parking which is still considered essential reading for urban planners decades after its original publication. He was also involved when Pasadena first considered variable parking prices for its Playhouse District. As you can imagine, he has a lot to say. Our second interview is with Tashera Taylor, Melody McNulty, and Catherine Cheung...2023-08-2948 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 115: Connie Tamkin and the SGV Community Land TrustThis week’s SGV Connect Podcast is the second part of a two part series on housing and tenants issues in the San Gabriel Valley and features Connie Tamkin, the president of the San Gabriel Valley Community Land Trust. If you missed part one of the series with Allison Henry, one of the leaders of the San Gabriel Valley Tenants Council, you can find the audio and transcript here. As with the first podcast, Damien and Chris were on-site for the interview, which covered the history of the new community land trust, some of the projects it's wo...2023-07-2441 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 114: Allison Henry and the SGV Tenants CouncilThis week’s podcast is the first in a two-podcast mini-series looking at housing issues in the San Gabriel Valley. In this podcast, Damien and Chris talk to Allison Henry, an SGV housing justice organizer with LA Forward and co-founder of the San Gabriel Valley Tenants Alliance. In the podcast, we discuss the recent and long-term history of the battle for housing justice in the SGV and how local politics can lead to very different policies in cities that are just next to each other. While it’s no surprise that the cost of housing is high in S...2023-07-1722 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 113 : The Regional Connector Opens and Construction Finnishes on the Gold LineOn Saturday, the Gold Line Foothill Construction Authority is hosting a ceremony to commemorate the completion of the light rail track system for the 9.1-mile, four-station Foothill Gold Line light rail project from Glendora to Pomona. The ceremony is taking place this Saturday, June 24, 2023, at 9:30 a.m., at the D Street railroad crossing (north of Arrow Highway) in the city of La Verne. During the event, the last of 230,630 rail clips will be driven into place (rail clips permanently attach the steel rail to the concrete ties), marking the completion of the new light rail tracks. 2023-06-2227 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 112 : Nathan Allen and Carlos MoralesIn our first interview this week, Chris Greenspon interviews Nathan Allen, the owner of Underdog Bookstore in downtown Monrovia. In Nathan's own words, "Underdog Bookstore, targets specifically books by and about authors of color, as well as LGBT authors, who we consider underdogs, as well as local vendors." Allen explains the need to create safe spaces for youth, especially people of color and LGBTQ+, and provides an overview of life underdogs throughout the SGV. To read a transcript of the interview, click here. In our second interview, frequent SGV Connect guest (and Streetsblog LA Editor) J...2023-06-1550 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 111: Putting the Reclaiming Movement Into a Larger ContextThis week’s SGV Connect is the second in our “Reclaimers” series, focusing on the efforts of a group of formerly homeless activists in the El Sereno to be housed in formerly unoccupied homes owned by Caltrans. The first interview featured six Reclaimers who shared their personal stories on how they fell into homelessness, strived to be rehoused, and then life as a Reclaimer. The stories are powerful and raw. You can hear the podcast here, and read the transcript here. Today’s podcast is the follow-up to that one. We are joined by Timothy Ivison w...2023-06-0139 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 110 : The ReclaimersWe are Reclaimers because we have to because of desperation. - Benito, one of the Reclaimers living in El Sereno. SGV Connect is sponsored by Foothill Transit. Foothill Transit was not consulted about the content of this podcast and the views expressed are those of the participants and interviewer and may or may not be representative of the views of Foothill Transit, its board, or its staff. A couple of weeks ago, I had a chance to interview four of the El Sereno Caltrans Home Reclaimers: Benito, Marta, Ruby and Sandra. They were joined by...2023-05-041h 09SGV ConnectSGV Connect 109: Rick Cole and Norma QuinonesThis week's SGV Connect features a pair of interviews with former Pasadena Mayor Rick Cole and San Gabriel Valley Conservation Corps (SGVCC). Director Norma Quinones. In our first interview, Damien talks with Cole ostensibly about the dozen opinion pieces Cole has written in 2023 about how Pasadena can grow as a city in the future. In the interview Cole laments how Pasadena has changed in the two decades since he was mayor and hopes the city will recommit itself to its progressive routes in coming years. In the second half of the interview, Cole discusses his...2023-04-0635 minSGV ConnectSV Connect 108: Senate Candidate Sasha Renée PérezDamien Newton and Chris Greenspon catch up with Alhambra Councilmember and State Senate candidate Sasha Renée Pérez on the state of her candidacty and what is going on in Alhambra. The interview, the first in a series on the election, pings back and forth between her work in Alhambra and her vision for Senate District 25 This is Pérez's third time on SGV Connect. To listen to the other podcasts, click here. To read a transcript of the interview, click here. SGV Connect is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the San...2023-03-1520 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 107 - Happy Centennial West Covina This week's SGV Connect is a special episode celebrating the centennial for West Covina. Chris Greenspon interviews local historian John Garside about the city's history, covering topics ranging from how the city hall got its name (from a stagecoach company) to lamenting some businesses that closed in recent years. You can read a transcript of the interview, here. West Covina is holding a festival this weekend to celebrate 100 years of being incorporated. You can get all the details at the city's special events page. SGV Connect is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the...2023-02-1621 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 106 : El Monte Poet Steve Valenzuela and an Update on Puente Hills Landfill ParkWelcome to SGV Connect episode 106, the first episode of 2023. This episode is nearly an hour long with a pair of great, but very different, interviews. First, Chris Greenspon interviews Steve Valenzuela, El Monte poet and writer in residence for the new Zamora Art House in El Monte. The interview touches on Valenzuela’s poetry, his work as a school teacher and how his life experiences influence his poetry, teaching and advocacy. The interview touches on his collaborations with the South El Monte Art Posse, who have been a fixture in our coverage going back to SGV Connect #4. Fo...2023-02-0155 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 106 : Au Revoir 2022 and Zine Editor John Axtell.It's mid-December, and that means it's time for our annual end-of-the-year SGV Connect Podcast featuring not just Damien Newton and Chris Greenspon, but also Streetsblog LA Editor Joe Linton and Streetsblog California Editor Melanie Curry. After that, we have one last interview by Chris with John Axtell published a literary zine this year about the landscape and culture of the SGV. John and Chris talk quite a bit about open spaces, and rebuilding the industrial wastelands around the 605. But first, Curry kicks off the podcast with a review of the legislation and other decisions made in Sacramento...2022-12-1543 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 105 : Resisting Change in Suburbia: Asian Immigrants and Frontier Nostalgia in L.A.This week’s SGV Connect features an over forty minute interview by Chris Greenspon with author and history professor James Zarsadiaz about his recent book, Resisting Change in Suburbia: Asian Immigrants and Frontier Nostalgia in L.A. (Buy it from University of California Press, here.) Zarsadiaz’s book focuses on six communities, five in the San Gabriel Valley (Walnut, Diamond Bar, Rowland Heights, and Heights, and a community within the city of Pomona known as Phillips Ranch) and Chino Hills in San Bernardino. The six communities have a similar development pattern and history where a large incoming comm...2022-11-1847 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 104 : Election Special!With the next election day less than two months away, SGV Connect sits down with Topher Mathers who reviewed dozens of ballot measures throughout the San Gabriel Valley before Active SGV made endorsements for local measures throughout SGV cities. This is our second podcast focusing on the 2022 election. SGV Connect #100 featured an interview with Ricardo Martinez, a progressive challenger to the incumbent La Puente Mayor and Katrina Kaiser with Streets for All who moderated a City Council debate in Monterey Park. For a full list of their endorsements, and details for why they endorsed each...2022-10-2713 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 103 - San Dimas Station and Artist Julian LucasThis week's SGV Connect is a bit of a departure from our usual format. Instead of two interviews, we start with a discussion between Damien and Chris about a lawsuit filed by the City of San Dimas against the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority. The lawsuit calls for a halt to constuction while the issue of where the parking lot for the station is built. The discussion builds on years of reporting, some by Streetsblog and some by other local news. For more background please read, "San Dimas Lawsuit Over Light Rail Parking Project May Mean the...2022-10-1121 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect: Safe Systems and SGV CyclingThis week's SGV Connect features an interview with the director of the Pasadena Department of Transportation and Vincent LaRocca of the new group ride bicycling group SGV Cycling. As Damien notes in our first interview with Pasadena's Laura Cornejo, SGV Connect was long overdue for a story on the Rose City. In the couple of days since we recorded the podcast, Chris Greenspon covered the 19 projects that the city is planning to build with repurposed funds from the defunct 710 expansion project, but before that it had been awhile. In just the past couple of months...2022-09-1630 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 101 - The East San Gabriel Valley Area Plan and the Future of JournalismThis week's SGV Connect features two interviews by Chris Greenspon on two different, but important issues. First, Chris interviews James Drevno, a Senior Regional Planner with L.A. County Planning. James is working on the East San Gabriel Valley Area Plan which focuses on the unincorporated “islands” that are scattered throughout San Gabriel Valley. Within these areas, the Mobility Action Plan focuses on where there is the most need for bicycle and transit infrastructure improvements. To read a transcript of the interview between Chris and James, click here. Next, Chris sits down with Josh Sanchez, a fo...2022-08-2644 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect Episode 100 : Elections in La Puente and Monterey ParkThis week's SGV Connect focuses on a pair of local city council races in the cities of La Puente and Monterey Park. The first interview features Ricardo Martinez, a progressive challenger to the incumbent City Councilmember and Mayor Charlie Klinakis. The interview touches on Martinez's personal history, platform, and plans to revitalize the city by encouraging investment in La Puente's downtown. In the second interview, Damien talks with Katrina Kaiser with Streets for All. They helped program and moderated a debate in Monterey Park working with locals with Safe Streets for SGV last week with...2022-08-0439 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 99 - Imperfect Paradise and Update from SacramentoThis week on SGV Connect, we’re bringing you a special interview with Adolfo Guzman-Lopez and then our quarterly update with Melanie Curry of Streetsblog California. Adolfo is a household name in the public radio world, covering higher education at KPCC. He spent the last year on a special assignment, investigating the death of a 90’s Chicano civil rights activist from Baldwin Park, Oscar Gomez for a podcast from KPCC’s LAist Studios. Imperfect Paradise: The Forgotten Revolutionary follows Gomez’s young adult life from star athlete and scholar at Baldwin Park High School to student...2022-07-2143 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect: Bike Shop Owner and Former Newspaper Publisher Carlos Morales This week's SGV Connect features an interview with Carlos Morales of the Eastside Bike Club and Stan's Bike Shop. The interview, conducted by Chris Greenspon, discusses Carlos' history as a carfree journalist and how bicycling saved his life. Longtime readers may remember that when Morales wasn't publishing his by-line with Voice Community News, you could occasionally find his work at Streetsblog L.A. THIS is a long-form interview you won't hear anywhere else. So please, as you listen to this interview with a local LEGEND, think about giving a few bucks to Streetsblog’s...2022-07-0757 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 96: Memories of El Monte Moves to New Space, Celebrates 626 FestThis week's SGV Connect Podcasdt features an interview by Chris Greenspon with two members of the Memories of El Monte collective, Aron Montenegro and Alma Zarate. Chris visited the collective's new home on 626 Day when Memories of El Monte celebrated their new space and the local holiday. Memories of El Monte is planning to open a soup kitchen in January and possibly expand with a cafe and even bar in the coming years. The interview covers their plans, the collective's goals, and what makes Memories' preferred coffee so special. For a full transcript of our...2022-06-3014 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 95: Gold Line Extension Is 'On Time and On Budget' at 50% MarkThis week sees a special #SGV Connect podcast with Damien Newton interviewing Habib Balian, the executive director of the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority. As we publish this podcast, the Authority is holding a press conference to celebrate the 50% completion point of the current Gold Line extension out to Pomona. For a full transcript of our interview, click here. Read the press release for today’s event, here. SGV Connect is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the San Gabriel Valley with connections to the new Gold Line Stations across the Foothills and Co...2022-06-1712 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 94 - Accessible Bike Facilities and the Future Puente Hills Park Tonight, Megan Lynch will present "Acesible and Complete Streets" at tonight's meeting of the Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition. To get the zoom link, click here and send a note to UC Access. Today, we feature her at SGV Connect for those that can't make tonight's meeting to hear her message. When she's not pushing for transportation planning that includes infrastructure that is accesible to all potential users, Lynch is a graduate student at UC Davis. There, she founded UC Access Now, an advocacy group for the disabled. In the interview, she discusses how one can support their...2022-06-0645 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 93 - Bike Month with Sen. Portantino and Active SGVMay is Bike Month, and we're kicking off the "Chris and Damien" era at #SGVConnect with two interviews that tie-in to bicycling in the San Gabriel Valley. First, Chris visits La Cañada Flintridge to interview Senator Anthony Portantino. Portantino famously became an avid cyclist during the Coronavirus Stay-at-Home orders and has developed his own bicycling exercise routine. He has taken his new bicycling passion with him to Sacramento where he authored legislation that would force more communities to plan for and move on bicycle and pedestrian planning. In our second interview, Damien talks with Wes Reutimann a...2022-05-1643 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 92 : Meet Chris GreensponThis week, the Streetsblog team is happy to introduce you to Chris Greenspon, our new writer and podcast co-host in the San Gabriel Valley. Many of you already know Chris from his other podcasting work as host of SGV Weekly, now in its second season. You can download or listen to past episodes at the SGV Weekly website. As has become our tradition, we like to introduce readers and listeners to our new team members by featuring them in a podcast episode. Listen in as Damien and Chris talk about their backgrounds and their ties...2022-04-2927 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 91 - Damien and Kris, One Last TimeToday’s SGV Connect podcast is the last one for the duo of Damien and Kris. As we previously announced, Kris is moving on to a full-time position with Santa Ana Active Streets. We certainly weren’t going to let him go without one goodbye podcast. Kris has written for Streetsblog on and off for over a decade first covering Boyle Heights then after a break moving to Orange County and finally covering the San Gabriel Valley where he lived and grew up. No last podcast would be complete without a look back at some of our favo...2022-03-2926 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 90 - Changes to Garvey Ave in Monterey ParkThis week's SGV Connect podcast focuses on the Garvey Avenue road project in Monterey Park covered for Streetsblog L.A. last week by Jennifer Tang. Tang and fellow advocate Edwin Sun give an update on the project and discuss some of the challenges advocating for a better project on Garvey. At Tang noted in a different piece for Streetsblog last year, Monterey Park is planning to increase car capacity on Garvey Avenue using funds that were allocated from Metro. These funds were originally intended for expansion of the I-710 and were to be used to 'increase mobility' and 'reduce...2022-02-2427 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 89 - 710 Mobility Hub StudyWelcome to this week's episode of the SGV Connect podcast. Kris talked this week with Kome Ajise, executive director of Southern California Association of Governments, and Ryan Johnson, associate planner at Alta Planning + Design, about the Interstate 710 North Mobility Hubs Plan. The project is trying to find potential locations around the I-710 N stub to install mobility hubs, a designated area that has two or more travel options, which can include transit, walking, bike share and micro mobility. These options would help make it easier to get around with a personal car. The study area i...2022-02-1528 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 88 - Looking Forward and Backwards with the Streetsblog EditorsThis week, Damien and Kris welcome Joe Linton and Melanie Curry back to the podcast. Joe and Melanie are the editors of Streetsblog LA and Streetsblog California respectively and offer their insights on the big stories that shaped our coverage in 2021 and predictions on what to expect in 2022. The wide-ranging discussion covers the legislature, highway spending, new transit construction, the return of open streets and the 626 and many other issues. If you find yourself with some free time over the next couple of weeks, plug in and check it out. As a bonus, my daughter joins me...2021-12-2741 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 87 : A New Cartography of Greater El MonteThis week, Kristopher talked this week with Romeo Guzman, a member of South El Monte Art Posse, about the bike ride series “A New Cartography of Greater El Monte,” that they’ll be launching this Saturday. SEMAP has spent the last decade excavating the region’s history, and uplifting the art, culture and social justice contributions of the region in order to “rethink how we tell the history of the place and dig into its radical roots,” Guzman said. This work has resulted in a “3,000+ digital archive, the book East of East: The Making of Greater El Monte, high sc...2021-11-0428 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 86: Alhambra Councilmember Sasha Renée PérezIn this week’s episode, we caught up with Alhambra Council Member Sasha Renée Pérez, who we spoke with in January two months after her election win. With still less than a year in office, she’s been active in leading Alhambra on many fronts, including adopting Hero Pay for frontline workers, supporting efforts around the Active SGV pop-up demonstration on Poplar Boulevard, and passing resolutions to form a Vision Zero working group and study the viability of rent control and just cause eviction protections. In this interview, Perez touches on many of these issues, includ...2021-10-2043 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 85 - Foothill Transit ForwardThis week's SGV Connect features an interview with Felicia Friesema with Foothill Transit. The focus of our interview is mostly on the Foothill Transit Forward although there is a lengthy aside in the middle about the ways in which public comment has changed and improved during the pandemic and what steps agencies can take to continue to improve the general public's access to decision makers in and out of the boardroom. Foothill Transit Forward is a study that will evaluate all aspects of the Foothill Transit system and determine where improvements can be made to...2021-10-1534 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 84 - Memories of El Monte and Pop Ups in AlhambraWelcome back to the SGV Connect podcast, this week Damien talks with Active SGV about a pop-up bike lane in Alhambra, but first Kris checks in with some of the leaders of a mutual aid organization in El Monte. Kris speaks with Araceli Franco and Nickolas Segura of Memories of El Monte, a mutual aid community space in El Monte. The space is volunteer-run by locals and natives of El Monte and offers activities like mental health and college planning workshops, and even hosts a food distribution. Franco and Segura talked about the roots of th...2021-09-1635 minSGV ConnectMeet the Board: Inland Empire's Marven Norman.Today we wrap up our Streetsblog California "Meet the Board" podcast series with an interview with the Inland Empire Bicycle Alliance Executive Director and Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice Policy Coordinator Marven Norman. Norman recounts his roots in advocacy from a bike commuter that struggled with streets designed to be unsafe for bicycle commuters, people walking or waiting for transit. Today he is one of the most recognizable faces for advocacy in the Inland Empire, if not the entire state, holding down multiple leadership positions. This podcast holds a special place in my...2021-08-1722 minSGV ConnectMeet the Board Special Series Number 6 : Abby ArnoldAbby Arnold has been an advocate for a clean environment, people experiencing homelessness and for other progressive causes in her beloved City of Santa Monica for a lifetime. Half a dozen years ago, when Streetsblog L.A. was launching a pilot program in Santa Monica to see if the "Streetsblog model" could work in smaller cities, Arnold was one of the first to volunteer for our steering committee and has been a fixture with our team ever since. In today's Meet the Board interview series, we talk about politics in Santa Monica, what she would like to...2021-08-1015 minSGV ConnectMeet the Board Podcast Series: Stopping and Moving with James SinclairRegular readers of Streetsblog California will recognize James Sinclair's name as the author of the Stop and Move blog on transportation policy in and around Fresno. James was one of the first bloggers to allow us to syndicate their articles, and we've featured his work a handful of times. James is also on the Board of Directors for the California Streets Initiative, the non-profit that publishes Streetsblog. Born and mostly-raised in Mexico, he often traveled to Fresno on holiday to visit family and developed a love for the city. In the "about me" section of Stop and M...2021-08-0524 minSGV ConnectMeet the Board : Terra CurtisThis July and August, Streetsblog California is podcasting a series introducing our Board of Directors to our readership. To check out our past podcasts with Jon Weiss, Carter Rubin and Kris Fortin, just click on their names. Today's podcast features Terra Curtis who researches emerging mobility policy for the California Public Utilities Commission. Curtis previously worked at Nelson\Nygaard and volunteered with the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition working on the Better Market Street campaign years ago. Our interview covers both her professional career and personal advocacy. Curtis appreciates the mission of N\N and the...2021-07-2922 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 83 : Damien Interviews Kris FortinThis summer, Streetsblog California is running a podcast series interviewing and introducing its Board of Directors to our audience. These volunteers help keep the organization running even if they don't regularly get a by-line on our website. Today's SGV Connect features an interview where one of our co-hosts (Damien) interviews the other (Kris). In addition to his work with our San Gabriel Valley coverage, Kris is a member of our board of directors. The San Gabriel Valley beat is actually Kris' third tour of duty with Streetsblog, having previously covered Boyle Heights and the Orange...2021-07-2629 minSGV ConnectMeet the Board Podcast Series: Damien Interviews Carter RubinDuring Melanie’s sabbatical, we will be running a podcast series to introduce readers to the Board of Directors of the California Streets Initiative, the non-profit that publishes Streetsblog California, Streetsblog Los Angeles and Streetsblog San Francisco. Our first interview, with Jon Weiss, can be found here. Earlier today, Damien interviewed Carter Rubin, the current Chair of our Board of Directors and the Transportation Technical Strategist for the American Cities Climate Challenge at NRDC. Carter has had some affiliation with Streetsblog for over ll years, as intern, writer, board member, steering committee member and now board chair....2021-07-1923 minSGV ConnectSpecial Podcast, Meet the Board : Jon WeissDuring Melanie's sabbatical, we thought it would be fun and interesting for our readers to have a chance to meet the Board of Directors of the California Streets Initiative, the non-profit that publishes Streetsblog California, Streetsblog Los Angeles and Streetsblog San Francisco. Our first interview is with Jon Weiss (Streetsblog author's page, here.) Weiss, a longtime supporter of bringing rail transit to West Los Angeles and member of the city's Bicycle Advisory Committee joined our board in early 2015 and has served as chair and president of the board. This interview covers Jon's early advocacy in...2021-07-1225 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 82 - With the 710 Widening Not Happening, Alhambra Prepares for the FutureIn this week's podcast, Kris Fortin speaks with City of Alhambra Vice Mayor Jeff Maloney about "Advancing Alhambra" the city's plans for its roads after the 2017 decision to not move forward with extending the 710 Freeway. While Alhambra had been one of the cities most vocal in support of extending the 710 up to the 210 for decades, the cancellation of the project has led to new opportunities for the city to invest in transit and safe street programs. Advancing Alhambra pinpoints three interchanges and the current 710 "stub" for improvements that could have a dramatic impact across the whole city.2021-06-1529 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 81 - More on Caltrans Tenants and Changes Coming to ExpressLanesIn this week's SGV Connect, Damien follows up on his story from last month about the ongoing efforts to transfer ownership of properties owned by Caltrans in what was the project area for the now defunct 710 project near Pasadena. Following that, Kris gets an update on some changes coming to ExpressLanes in the I-110 area. First, Damien interviews Timothy Ivison and Angels Flores, both members of the United Caltrans Tenants Union about the history of the ongoing dispute between Caltrans and their renters. If you're interested in learning more about this story, check out "United Caltrans Tenants...2021-06-0159 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 80 - Catching Up with Foothill TransitWelcome to the first SGV Connect of April. This week's episode is a solo-interview with Damien and Felicia Friesema at Foothill Transit for a regular check-in about the agencies efforts to provide access to vaccinations, the rollout of its electric double-decker bus fleet and how a transit agency can celebrate poetry month. If you want to use Foothill Transit to help plan a trip to get your vaccine, click here. And if you're looking for a moment of reflection, click here to visit the Foothill Transit and Write Girl L.A. celebration of poetry month. ...2021-04-2226 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 79This week SGV Connect checks in on the community of Alta Dena in unincorporated Los Angeles County and on how changes at the California Transportation Commission are leading to big changes in how the state funds transportation projects. First, Kris talks with Dorothy Wong, Altadena town council member about building partnerships and using tools like UC Berkeley’s SafeTREC Street Story to advance active transportation efforts in this unincorporated part of Los Angeles County. Street Story is free web-based community engagement tool that the public can use to “collect information about transportation collisions, near-misses, general hazards and safe...2021-03-3037 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 78 - Bassett High School Stormwater Capture Project and Fareless TransitOn this week's SGV Connect, Kris interviews Dan Lafferty, Deputy Director and Paul Alva, Assistant Deputy Director at the L.A. County Department of Public Works about the Bassett High School Stormwater Capture Project. Currently, DPW is reaching out to the community about the project and is encouraging residents and other stakeholders to complete a survey to help them best prioritize what the project will look like. In partnership with Bassett Unified School District (BUSD), the project will divert urban and stormwater runoff into infiltration galleries underneath Bassett High School athletic fields. Other above ground im...2021-03-1635 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 77 - More on Greenways and Microtransit in El MonteWelcome to this week's SGV Connect. It's a long podcast, so let's get right into it! The Los Angeles County Flood Control District is currently working on a plan to open up more than 138 miles of SGV waterways to bicyclists and pedestrians. With the plan expected to be completed by Fall 2021, and the environmental review process being completed by Summer 2022, the San Gabriel Valley Greenway Strategic Implementation Plan would create a roadmap toward increasing open space in SGV communities and connecting to Rio Hondo and the San Gabriel Valley River. We spoke with Dan Lafferty, deputy director...2021-02-1931 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 76: Interview with Alhambra Mayor Sasha Renée Pérez and a Look Forward to 2021Welcome to the first SGV Connect Podcast of 2021. In this week's episode, Kris speaks with Alhambra Mayor Sasha Renée Pérez before Kris and Damien give a preview of what to look forward to in 2021. On November 3rd, 2020, Sasha Renée Pérez was elected to Alhambra’s City Council. Because she beat the incumbent Mayor, she took over her predecessor’s term as mayor making her at 28 years old the youngest female mayor in San Gabriel Valley history. In addition, she’s also the youngest woman to serve in the city’s history. Pérez ran on...2021-01-1346 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 75: Catching up with the Mayor of Pomona and We Say Goodbye to 2020Goodbye 2020! Man, I've been waiting a long time to type that, and it felt good. This week's SGV Connect features a look back at the best and worst of our coverage in the San Gabriel Valley in 2020. Kris gives a surprising answer to "what was your favorite story" while Damien gives a hopeful look forward to 2021. But first, Damien interviews Pomona Mayor Tim Sandoval. Sandoval is taking leadership roles with the Foothill Gold Line Board of Directors and the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments in 2021 and the discussion ranges to cover both local and...2020-12-1743 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 74 - Election Recap Sign-up for our SGV Connect Newsletter, coming to your inbox on Fridays. Everyone is talking about the results from this week's election, and SGV Connect is no different. Our usual team brought back Streetsblog LA editor Joe Linton and Streetsblog California editor Melanie Curry for an in-depth election special that is almost twice the size of a regular episode. First, Melanie breaks down the disappointing results of our statewide ballot initiatives with defeats for progressive measures that would funded public schools by closing a loophole on big business, expanded rent control, and allowed for affirmative...2020-11-0648 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 73 - The Nature for All Leadership Academy and the End of WalktoberIf you're looking for a distraction from the deluge of election related messaging and media, this week's SGV Connect is for you. If you're looking for more news, views, and insights into the election, you should check out our last episode which covers the Streetsblog L.A. endorsements. In our first interview this week, Kris talked with Araceli Hernandez, a program organizer with Nature For All, to talk about its leadership academy, a 5-month training program that tries to develop the next generation of environmental stewards. The program is intentional in recruiting folks that come from Black, In...2020-10-2941 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 72: Planning the Playhouse Park in Pasadena and the Streetsblog Ballot GuideWelcome to this week's SGV Connect, a special edition where we discuss some of the state and county ballot propositions that were endorsed or opposed by Streetsblog last week. This week, Damien speaks with Joe Linton, the editor of Streetsblog Los Angeles, about the endorsement process and what ballot measures we think you should support, and another you should oppose. You can read our endorsement piece, here. For the record we are #YesOn15, #YesOn16, #YesOn21, #YesOnJ and #NoOn22. Afterwards, Kris speaks with Brian Wallace of the Playhouse Village Association to get an update on the...2020-10-0737 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 71: An Update on Metro Projects in SGV and How to Stay Safe from Bad AirIn this week's SGV Connect, we get an update on Metro projects in the SGV including the 210 traffic barrier and how faulty dog bones were causing trouble on the Gold Line. But first, Damien talks to Philip Fine with the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) about how to keep your lungs safe as the Bobcat Fire rages. Fine points out that most of the masks that people are wearing to slow the spread of COVID-19 are effective in stopping smoke and other fine particulates from getting into your lungs when you breathe. If you must...2020-09-1635 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 70: Parking in Pasadena and Parkway Drive in El MonteThis week, SGV Connect looks at studies that examine how Pasadena is reimagining parking in its city and a community spurred project to upgrade and improve Parkway Drive in El Monte. Pasadena has recently launched a study of its parking throughout the city. The study, which will wrap up in early 2021, is looking to create a multi-leveled policy that will address the needs of residents, businesses and the way they move and be adaptable to the areas districts and neighborhoods. “The policies we have been designed with the assumption that one size fits all, and that’s not alway...2020-09-0938 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 69: Stormwater Planning in East L.A. and a Look at the Transit Picture Across the CountryWelcome to SGV Connect. In this week's episode, Kris Fortin interviews Paul Alva with the county's Department of Public Works about East L.A. Sustainable Median Stormwater Capture Project. After that, Damien talks to Streetsblog USA editor Kea Wilson about the state of transit during the ongoing pandemic. L.A. County Department of Public Works is upgrading medians Unincorporated East LA to better capture water runoff. The project will include things like infiltration wells and bioswales which will divert stormwater from going into places like the LA River and replenish the local ground water supply. But it won’t be jus...2020-08-1352 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 68: How Has COVID Changed Homeless Outreach and Metro Prepares to Say Goodbye to an Original Board MemberIn our first interview, Damien reconnects with Teresa Eilers and Shawn Morrissey who appeared on the podcast last fall. Morrissey works with Union Station Homeless Services, a support and housing provider based in Pasadena while Eilers is a coordinator for the Everyone In! Campaign in San Fernando Valley. If someone wants to get involved in their community, sign up at Everyone In’s “Get Involved” page and a representative will get in touch with you. In the interview, the trio discuss how COVID-19 has changed the way advocates reach out to people experiencing homelessness and the speci...2020-07-1453 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 67: Protests throughout SGV and Closed Streets in WhittierIn this week's SGV Connect, Kris Fortin marches with protestors in cities throughout the San Gabriel Valley and brings us their voices direct from the rallies and marches. Kris also discusses his experience at the protests with his broadcast partner, Damien Newton, and how activism is changing in the San Gabriel Valley. You can read, and see, more of Kris' experiences at an article published at Streetsblog last week. One of the protests Kris attended on June 7 was in response to police violence that occurred the weekend before. On June 4 of last week, a lawsuit...2020-06-1539 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect: LA County Parks Re-Openings and Long-Term Planning Across the RegionThis week, SGV Connect talks to government executives that are overseeing some of L.A. County's largest departments as they respond to COVID-19 and do long-term planning for the future. First, Kris talks to Norma Garcia, the Acting Director of the L.A. County Department of Parks. Fortin and Garcia discuss the county's plans to continue to re-open public space, should the numbers support greater openings, and the experience inside of the re-opened parks and trails last weekend. So far, things seem to be going pretty well. Fingers crossed that the numbers stay low. Next...2020-05-2055 minSGV Connect#SGVConnect 65: The County Water Plan and Deactivating the Pedestrian Beg This week, SGV Connect goes macro and micro with a look at the just started public process on the county's water plan and studies why Pasadena is resisting the call to eliminate pedestrian crossing buttons before allowing people to legally cross the street at most intersections. Kris spoke with Matt Frary, Acting Principal Engieneer at Los Angeles County Public Works, about the County Water Plan. The board of supervisors decided at last week’s meeting to hire a consultant to develop the plan by 2021. This plan would try to create a regional approach to water re...2020-05-0945 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 64 - More BRT in the SGV and Announcements on an Expanded SGV ConnectA new BRT line connecting San Bernadino County to a series of cities in the San Gabriel Valley is expected to be approved at the May 6 meeting of San Bernadino County's regional transit agency's Board of Directors. Phase 1 of the BRT line, known as the "Miliken Alignment" of the West Valley Connector BRT will reach from the Pomona Downtown Metrolink station to Victoria Gardens in Rancho Cucamonga. For more information on the board meeting, and directions on how to participate, click here. This week, Kris speaks with Victor Lopez, San Bernardino County Transportation Authority's Chief...2020-04-2840 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 63: SCAG Closes in on Final Passage of Connect SoCal and COVID19 Ravages Local Transit This week's SGV Connect focuses on how the Coronavirus is impacting planning and transit throughout not just San Gabriel Valley, but all of Southern California. First up, Kris speaks with Demi Espinoza of the Safe Routes Partnership about the upcoming approval of SCAG's Connect SoCal document. Connect SoCal is a long-range plan that seeks to balance future mobility and housing needs with economic, environmental and public health goals. SCAG is the regional planning organization for a mammoth six-country region that includes Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura. Before their interview, Damien...2020-04-1730 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 62: Coyotes!For anyone who lives in the SGV, and frankly throughout Los Angeles County, coyotes are a regular reality. Whether hiking in the San Gabriel Mountains or walking down Valley Boulevard, hearing a coyote’s yelp or spotting its thin frame crossing a street is common. But how we should interact with these wildlife neighbors isn’t always clear. On part two of this week’s SGV Connect, we spoke with Natalya Romo, the program manager of the Neighborhood Coyote Program, and Alexander Fung, a management analyst with the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, about how this program...2020-04-0632 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 62.1 - It's Census Day! Fill Out Your Census Today!April 1 is Census Day! Every ten years, the United States government sends out a questionnaire to ask people living in America where they live and other questions about their lives. The final count of where people lives helps determine how the federal government allocates its money. So, the more people that fill out the census, the more money will flow into their community. Today, we broadcast this half-episode with Adriana Pinedo of Active SGV who is leading the advocacy group's efforts to get as many people counted in the San Gabriel Valley as possible. In...2020-04-0116 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 61: Non-Profit Leaders from ACT-LA, Investing in Place and LACBC Discuss the Response to COVID19This week, SGV Connect continues our coverage of the Coronavirus and our regional response. First, Kris speaks with Laura Raymond of ACT-LA and Jessica Meaney of Investing in Place about transit agencies' (especially Metro) response to the Coronavirus. Like many groups and organizations, transit agencies find themselves learning as they go along and trying their hardest to react to and learn from what other agencies are doing. The role of advocates, to point out some things the agencies may be missing can help save lives. In the interview, they discuss a letter sent by ACT-LA...2020-03-2452 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 60.2: Metro's Response to the CoronavirusFollowing Damien's interview with Foothill Transit earlier today, Kris speaks with Rick Jager at L.A. Metro about the region's flagship transit agency's response to the Coronavirus. As we heard with Foothill Transit, Metro is working to transit clean and service running on time. There has been no talk of discontinuing or modifying service, although things remain fluid. Metro holds dozens of public meetings every month, but those are on hold for now as well. Cancellations include meetings for the NextGen bus reorganization, although you can still provide feedback online. Metro has also cancelled all...2020-03-1419 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 60.1 - Foothill Transit and COVID19Earlier today, I spoke with Felicia Friesema, a spokesperson with Foothill Transit about the agencies response to the Corona Virus. As you will hear, the agency has been proactive and plans to continue service to those who need it while maintaining as clean an atmosphere as possible to slow the spread. She also stresses that things are extremely fluid, and that passengers should double check that there has not been a change in service during this crisis. Riders can get more details at the Foothill Transit website, a special "Footnotes" page setup for Corona Virus update, or...2020-03-1311 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 58: The Gold Line Extension and Puente Creek Greenway Keep Moving ForwardThis week, SGV Connect checks in with two old friends about two of our favorite projects in the pipeline: The Gold Line Foothill Extension's next phase and the Puente Greenway Project. First, Damien speaks with Albert Ho, a spokesperson for the Gold Line Foothill Construction Authority. In advance of outreach meetings in Glendora, La Verne, Pomona and San Dimas in the next couple of weeks. The outreach meetings will include information on the stations that will be built in each city, the construction schedule and a chance to meet the artists who will be customizing each of...2020-02-2835 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 57: Metro's Plans for Buses and the Gold Line Eastside ExtensionMetro is conducting outreach on two programs that could dramatically change the way people move about the San Gabriel Valley and all of L.A. County: the Metro Eastside Transit Corridor Phase 2 and the Next Gen Bus Plan. The last of the outreach meetings for the Eastside Transit Corridor Phase 2 is tomorrow, Saturday the 8th, from 10 to noon at the Ark Montebello (details). To get you all the details about the ways the Gold Line might grow, Kris interviews four members of the outreach team: David Mieger, Jenny Cristales-Cevallos, Lauren Cencic and Lillian De Loza. ...2020-02-0741 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 56 - New Plans for Arrow Highway, Connect SoCal and Transportation Planning in PasadenaAfter a holiday break and a look-ahead episode, SGV Connect returns to its regularly scheduled programming: looking at the issues and programs that impact the present and future of the San Gabriel Valley. First, Kris Fortin talks to Kome Ajise, the executive director of the Silicon Valley Association of Governments. The two discuss the Multimodal Regional Corridor Plan for Arrow Highway and how people can get involved in the plan to make a car-centric freeway more appealing to road users who aren't traveling by car. To leave comments for the project, visit their official website...2020-01-2147 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 55 - Francisco Ojeda and Melanie Curry on What's Coming NextWelcome to the first episode of SGV Connect in 2020! This week's episode features Francisco Ojeda of Active SGV and Melanie Curry of Streetsblog California discussing the big stories of 2019 and what we can look forward to in 2020. First, Kris Fortin interviews Ojeda with Active SGV. The two discuss a wide range of issues that Active SGV is engaged with, including its roots in bike advocacy but also a wider discussion of climate change and social justice. After that, Damien Newton and Curry discuss some of the big stories of 2019 and how they will bridge into...2020-01-1440 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 54Welcome to SGV Connect 54, which begins our transition from 2019 to 2020. This week we have two different types of interviews, one which looks forward to 2020 and the other that looks back on...2003? Kris talks with Brian Wallace, executive director of the Pasadena Playhouse District, about a plan to bring new open space to the Pasadena with a new park that could break ground as early as next year. The interview is both a celebration of the coming park and to remember all the work that was done over a decade public process to get to this point. 2019-12-1347 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 53: Supervisor Hilda Solis and Active SGV's Noche de las LuminariasWith Kris still away on his travels, this week Damien interviews Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis about her leadership with the county and on the L.A. Metro Board of Directors. Our conversation touches on transit planning, vision zero, and congestion pricing. Solis' interview was arranged as part of our support for Active SGV's Noche de las Luminarias, a once a year party celebrating the best in advocacy, government and volunteerism in the San Gabriel Valley. The event is tomorrow night, Thursday, November 14, 2019 (6-9pm). The event be held at the San Gabriel Mission Grapevine Arbor (324...2019-11-1315 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 52 - Meeting Tonight on Bike Parking in SoPas. Meetings on housing throughout the SGV Tomorrow and TuesdayThis week's SGV Connect focuses on a trio of upcoming meetings at the local and regional level that will have an impact on how the SGV grows. Tonight in South Pasadena, the City Council considers funding a $200,000 plan to bring more bike parking throughout the city, especially along its commercial corridors and job centers. The bike parking is grant funded (back in 2012!), so the money exists. All we need is a little political will and the bike parking situation will quickly improve in SoPas. Active SGV has setup an action alert for anyone interested in...2019-11-0624 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 51 - Kris Interviews Leaders at the CalBike Conference on Complete Streets, State LegislationLast week, Kris Fortin attended the CalBike conference in Los Angeles. This once-every-two-years conference brings together leaders from the bicycle and pedestrian advocacy communities throughout California including Active SGV, CalBike, California Walks, and People for Mobility Justice. At the conference, Fortin interviewed a handful of leaders about Governor Gavin Newsom's disappointing veto of SB 127 (the Complete Streets Bill) and any good news that came out of the recent legislative session. Reactions were varied, with some hopeful that the coalition that got SB127 through both houses in the legislature would be able to accomplish even greater...2019-10-2229 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 50 - Eilers and MorrisseyThis week, SGV Connect will be a little different than normal, both because of the format of our interview and the topic discussed. Damien and Kris both sit down with Shawn Morrissey of Union Station (Union Station) Homeless Services and Teresa Eilers, a coordinator with the Everyone In! campaign in the San Gabriel Valley. The two discuss the state of the homeless crisis in the San Gabriel Valley based on recent surveys and initiatives to reduce homelessness. If someone wants to get involved in their community, they can click here and a representative from Everyone In will...2019-10-0841 minSGV ConnectStreetsblog San Francisco Interview with Teresa O'Neill2019-10-0315 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 49 - Changes at Foothill Transit and Air Quality Near Alhambra High Schools This week, #SGVConnect does our annual check-in with Foothill Transit on changes occurring at the San Gabriel Valley's transit agency. Damien speaks with Felicia Friesema, the director of marketing and communications for Foothill Transit, about an upcoming fare increase coming at the end of this month and changes to their rapid bus service starting next year. You can read more about both the fare changes and the new rapid bus line, at the Foothill Transit Website. Second, Kris interviews Kyle Tsukahira, interim director of Asian Pacific Islander Forward Movement. APIFM has been analyzing the air qu...2019-09-2046 minSGV Connect#SGV Connect 48 - Representative Judy Chu on San Gabriel Mountains Foothills and Rivers Protection Act and Melanie Curry on the Last Week of the Legislative Session in SacramentoThis week we return to our traditional two-interview format for a special edition featuring an interview with a sitting United States Member of Congress. Kris Fortin interviews Representative Judy Chu about the San Gabriel Mountains Foothills and Rivers Protection Act (HR 2215). Chu's legislation would add over fifty one thousand acres of protected forest land to the federally protected land surrounding the San Gabriel Mountains. In our second interview, Damien talks with Melanie Curry, the editor of Streetsblog California, about four pieces of legislation that need to be voted on in the next week in Sacramento...2019-09-0640 minSGV ConnectSGV Connect 47 - Catching up with Active SGV and David DiazWe're trying something new this week, both by hosting two podcasts in the same week and by conducting our first interview. This episode both Damien Newton and Kris Fortin interview David Diaz, the director of the Streetsie Award-Winning Supergroup, Active SGV. We cover a lot of ground in this one, so if you're looking for more information, check out these links to both past episodes of SGV Connect and links to Active SGV's website: Updates for "Streets and Treats" at the 626 Golden Streets website. A list of outreach events, including one tonight, can be found below th...2019-08-2728 min