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City of Pasadena and Pasadena Center Operating Company Announce the Second Fútbol 2026 Watch Party at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium Plaza
Join the City of Pasadena in celebration of the Mexico versus Czech Republic game on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. PST, for a free, open to the public watch party. This event is in partnership with the Pasadena Center Operating Company (PCOC) and funded by Los Angeles County Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger. The event will take place at the Pasadena Civic 
Auditorium Plaza at 300 E. Green St., transforming the street and plaza into a community event space. Event starts at 4:30 p.m. and game starts at 6:00 p.m. PST.
The watch party will feature food trucks, family-friendly activities, soccer themed games, a merch customization station, music, and drinks for purchase at the beer garden. We encourage attendees to represent their favorite soccer team.
Limited seating is available; Guests are encouraged to bring their own chairs. This event and the surrounding sidewalks and crossings are accessible for attendees using wheelchairs and other mobility devices.
For event details, visit: VisitPasadena.com/Events/Watch-Party/ and RSVP at bit.ly/RSVPWatchPartyJune24.
Minimum Wage Increases to $18.57 per Hour in Pasadena Beginning July 1, 2026.
Pasadena’s citywide minimum wage is set to increase to $18.57 per hour for all businesses—regardless of size—effective July 1, 2026. This marks a $0.53 increase from the previous $18.04 rate and applies to both adult and minor employees who work two or more hours per week in Pasadena. [1, 2, 3]
Breakdown of the Ordinance
- Effective Date: July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 [1]
- Applicability: All employers, regardless of the number of employees [1, 2]
- Local Precedence: Pasadena’s minimum wage follows its own ordinance (passed in 2016) and exceeds both the Los Angeles city ($18.42) and unincorporated LA County ($18.47) rates. [1, 2]
- Exemptions & Tiers: Unlike some surrounding areas, Pasadena does not differentiate its base rate by business size, though certain specialty industries (like healthcare) may be subject to statewide specialized rates. [1, 2]
Important Details for Employers and Employees
- Required Postings: Employers are legally required to display the official
Fireworks are Illegal in Pasadena
Statistics show that fireworks are among the most dangerous of all consumer products. The City maintains a strict enforcement policy for fireworks, and Pasadena's municipal code holds property owners and tenants responsible for permitting the possession, sale, usage, or discharge of fireworks on their property. The ordinance allows for the prosecution of fireworks-related offenses and for the demand of payment for all costs associated with the safe disposal of confiscated fireworks. Any person who violates the ordinance or any state law regarding fireworks is subject to arrest and prosecution. Most violations are misdemeanors that can lead to up to one year in the county jail and a fine of up to $1,000. Some violations, based on the amount of fireworks possessed, are felonies that can lead up to three years in state prison and a fine of up to $50,000.
Even hand-held sparklers, which many consider safe, are dangerous and can reach 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, causing serious burns or fires. National Fire Protection Association statistics reveal that most fireworks-related injuries are caused by so-called “safe and sane” fireworks, which are illegal in Pasadena.
Help keep our community—our children, our homes and our property—safe from illegal fireworks. If you see something, say something! Call Pasadena Police Department at (626) 744-4241 to report illegal fireworks and other suspicious activities. Residents may also use the City Service Center mobile app (Pasadena CSC), available on Google Play and the App Store, to report illegal fireworks.
LA28 Informational Webinars Open to Anyone Seeking Information on Vending, Tickets, Volunteering and More
You are invited to join LA28's Community Relations team for "First Friday's" webinars. Please use this link to register: LA28 Community Relations “First Fridays” Webinar Series.
As a reminder, these webinars provide high level updates on progress towards the 2028 Games. These are easy ways to listen in and hear the latest from our community relations team. Attendees have the opportunity to ask questions.
You are encouraged to share the information about the webinar widely. All registered guests will receive the Microsoft teams link the Thursday evening prior to the webinar.
LA28 Opportunities
This opportunity has been posted on RAMPLA for Olympics. Business Must Be Registered in RAMPLA.org to be considered.
As part of ongoing efforts to ensure LA28 Olympic & Paralympic procurement opportunities are accessible, we are sharing the following new & reposted Expression of Interest Forms (EIO) on RAMP LA:
Name: LA28 - Wood Flooring for Sport Courts and Subfloors
Link: https://www.rampla.org/s/procurement-announcement-details?id=a1NQl000003jFh7
Post Open Date: 06/10/2026
Due Date: 06/26/2026
Name: (Re-post) LA28 - Ecommerce Marketing Sourcing Activity
Link: https://www.rampla.org/s/procurement-announcement-details?id=a1NQl000003TrnB
Post Open Date: 06/10/2026
Due Date: 06/17/2026
You can register for RAMPLA and receive notifications here: https://www.rampla.org/s/user-registration
Be part of the solution - support Make Real Change - help prevent homelessness in our community
The Pasadena Chamber of Commerce Foundation is reviving the community effort to alleviate homelessness in our community. Working with Friends in Deed, we are raising money to support the effort to prevent homelessness in the greater Pasadena area.
100% of funds raised will be donated to Friends in Deed to support their efforts to keep people housed.
You can find more information here: https://pasadenachamberfoundation.org/about
You can donate here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=T3OFLZ9DlmE5hEbtta6MaXXq6DzGFbOoyNkTSNBT4n84jiggy4Lbqu31h9n1rANT1uxXfg2wp7IKdtR_
We hope to engage the business community in our efforts. You can put a poster in your window, inform your customers about the initiative nd donate to make areal difference in the lives of families at risk of homelessness.
A.I. Is Making Scams Hard to Spot. Here’s How to Protect Yourself.
From the New York Times on May 28th: A criminal could be masquerading as a celebrity, web store or family member asking for your money. Detecting scams requires a new approach. By Brian X. Chen (Brian X. Chen is the author of Tech Fix, a weekly column about the tech we use.)
An email riddled with typos. A customer service agent with a thick accent. A blurry Craigslist photo.
Those used to be telltale signs of internet scams. But today, thanks to generative artificial intelligence, those red flags have mostly vanished. Low-cost chatbots, image generators and voice-cloning tools make it simple for criminals to produce pristine copy, create seemingly legitimate websites and even replicate identities.
A.I.-powered internet scams have become so convincing that I confess I almost fell for one. While mindlessly scrolling through TikTok videos, I came across an ad for a pair of Hoka sneakers marked 80 percent off. When I tapped on it, a website loaded that looked like an authentic clearance outlet for the shoe brand.
But after I added the shoes to the shopping cart, my Spidey sense went off. A quick web search revealed that users on Reddit had been scammed by this site; Hoka had even published a warning about a surge of fake web stores masquerading as its brand.
These look-alike websites are one of several A.I.-fueled internet scams that have recently been on the rise, security experts say. The F.B.I. reported last month that cybercriminals had defrauded Americans of nearly $21 billion last year, with about $893 million in losses linked to A.I.
Because A.I. makes it effortless to build websites and digital avatars, we may have to rethink our approach to protecting ourselves from online fraud.
Read the whole story here: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/28/technology/personaltech/scams-ai.html
- Pasadena Minimum Wage Notice in the workplace.
Scams, Thieves, Scoundrels and More. Please Beware!
AI is allowing scammers to send multiple emails trying to find ways to access your accounts, get your credit card info and more.
The Pasadena Chamber never sends email with embedded links to click on. We never ask you to DocuSign anything.
The only emails you receive from us will be from @pasadena-chamber.org email addresses.
The company that is publishing our Business Directory and also publishes our digital Pasadena Perspective magazine is TownSquare Publications. Their return email is @tspubs.com.
We never use @gmail.com return addresses.
Recently, members may have received an email with the subject line "Pasadena Commerce of Chamber update".
That did not come from us.
I received one this morning that told me I had received an ACH payment. That subject was "Approved ACH payment from Hoppe Inc 6/12/2026***PYMT". It came with no return email. It had an .svg extension. (We do not get notices on ACH payments from our bank... )
Scammers and spammers are impersonating banks and credit unions, vendors, organizations and non-profits, celebrities and individuals.
Always be careful about clicking on attachments, especially .pdf attachments. Do not click on links in emails you are not expecting.
If you think an email may be from the Chamber but aren't sure, please call us before clicking on any links or attachments.
LA County property tax revision could save small businesses money
A measure unanimously approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors this week that I believe will provide meaningful relief to small businesses throughout Los Angeles County.The measure that will modernize the County’s “Low Value Ordinance” (LVO) by increasing the minimum threshold at which business personal property becomes subject to taxation. Specifically, I proposed raising the threshold from $5,000 to the maximum amount permitted under state law: $10,000.
The LVO establishes the level at which businesses are required to report on their annual Business Property Statement (Form 571-L) and pay property taxes on items such as equipment, machinery, furniture, and fixtures. The current $5,000 threshold has remained unchanged for many years despite rising administrative costs, inflation, and the increasing financial pressures facing small businesses.
How to spot small business coaching scams (yes, these exist)
Have you seen ads promising that a training or coaching program will help you build a thriving business or make significant money investing in markets like crypto, forex, or precious metals? Offers like these might sound exciting, but could be coaching scams in disguise. Do you know how to spot them?
Scammers promote training programs that claim to teach you how to succeed by investing in ecommerce businesses, financial markets, or real estate. They make it sound easy to make money and say, for a fee, they can show you how. But if they promise guaranteed income, large returns for little work, or say they have a “proven system to make money,” it’s likely a scam.
If you or someone you know is trying to start their own business and considering a coaching program, here are some things to keep in mind.
- Be wary of promises that you’ll make quick money. No one can guarantee you’ll make lots of money with little to no risk. Anyone who does is a scammer.
- Take your time and talk to someone you trust. Scammers will pressure you to get involved now or “risk losing out.” Ask questions and get a second opinion about the business offer or coaching program from someone who has your best interests in mind.
- Do some research. Check with your state attorney general for complaints. If you don’t find any complaints it doesn’t guarantee that a company is honest, but complaints might tip you off to possible problems.
- Read success stories and testimonials with skepticism. Glowing stories of success could be fake or misleading, and positive online reviews may have come from made-up profiles.
Have you spotted a business you think is a coaching scam? Tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
AT&T Upgrades coming over the next five years
The FCC has established a nationwide path to retire legacy copper networks, including in CA, and AT&T plans to move forward within that framework.
As a result of being able to modernize our network in CA, we are making an unprecedented commitment to the following:
- Invest $19B in CA over the next 5 years to accelerate network deployment.
- Committing to bring fiber to an additional 4 million households and businesses in the state by the end of 2030.
- Strengthening our wireless coverage with more than 1,200 new cell sites across California by 2030.
As part of this process, some customers will begin receiving notices. There will be no changes to anyone’s existing service before June 2027.
Pasadena Water and Power commercial electric customers are eligible for a rebate
PWP commercial electric customers are eligible for a rebate of $0.40 / Watt, up to a maximum of $80,000 per meter, when they purchase and install a new, permanent, rooftop solar PV system or expand an existing system.
For a limited time! PWP is not charging plan review and inspection fees for solar and battery systems. The fee waivers apply only to PWP‑related solar and battery project costs. Structural, Building & Safety, meter, and other non‑energy‑related fees may still apply.
Installing a rooftop solar PV system on your business is an environmentally conscious way to offset your energy usage, contribute to the City of Pasadena’s climate action goals, and save on your utility bill. In addition, when combined with on-site battery storage, the excess green energy produced from solar panels can be stored within the battery unit, which can allow for an independent source of power during utility outages and provide critical grid flexibility.
Applications are now open for the 2026 Allstate Main Street Grants Program,
Presented in partnership with Hello Alice and GEN, this initiative will support up to 250 small business owners through a 12-week virtual Boost Camp accelerator focused on strengthening business foundations and setting up long-term growth. Participants will receive access to expert-led sessions, weekly resources, and a connected digital community.
In addition to the full Boost Camp experience, 100 participants will be awarded $20,000 grants to help fuel their next stage of growth. Click here for more info and to apply.