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Avalon congratulates local firefighters
The City of Avalon recently celebrated Avalon Fire Department Firefighters Machado and Firefighter Watts (first name not given) on their Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) Fire Academy graduation.
TEEX is an internationally recognized leader in emergency response training, workforce training and technical assistance. Last year, TEEX served individuals from every U.S. state and territory and 125 countries worldwide.
Major TEEX programs include Fire and Emergency Services, Infrastructure and Safety, Law Enforcement and Protective Services, Business and Cyber Solutions, and Public Safety Wellness. Additionally, through its National Emergency Response and Recovery Training Center (NERRTC), TEEX provides federally funded homeland security training and exercises for communities across the nation.
Machado and Watts joined the hybrid class in October 2025 and flew out to Texas to complete a month-long physical course and exams.
La Habra Heights inks deal with FireScore.AI
The City of La Habra Heights has entered into a five-year subscription agreement with FireScore.AI, marking a significant step forward in the City’s ongoing wildfire prevention and community risk reduction efforts.
The technology is the world’s first physics-driven wildfire-safety compliance platform that uses drone imagery. Through live demonstrations for the Fire Department and City Management, FireScore.AI showcased how advanced aerial imaging and real-time data analytics can streamline parcel inspections, enhance risk assessment, and support defensible space compliance across the community.
The approved Subscription Services Agreement and Statement of Work now provide the City with access to wildfire risk mapping, parcel visualization tools, and inspection planning resources designed to improve efficiency and enhance public safety.
City officials view the five-year partnership as an investment in advanced technology that will help create a safer, more resilient La Habra Heights amid increasing wildfire threats.
SGVCG announces overnight closures of SR 57 and SR 60
The San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG) announced it will implement a full closure of the westbound SR-60 between LemonAvenue and Diamond Bar Boulevard in the City of Diamond Bar. The closure is scheduled to begin Sunday, March 1 at 12 midnight and will remain in place until 8 am the same day.
In preparation for construction, multiple ramps along westbound SR-60 and the connector to southbound SR-57 will begin closing at 7 pm, Saturday, Feb. 28. Signed detours will be provided; however, drivers are strongly encouraged to use alternate routes and allow for extra travel time.
The SR 57/60 Confluence Project is a massive safety and traffic improvement effort led by the SGVCOG, LA Metro, and Caltrans. According to the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), the two-mile-long stretch of highway is ranked as the worst truck bottleneck in California and the seventh-worst in the nation.
This project will fix dangerous merging patterns between trucks and commuters and reduce traffic congestion, making one of the nation’s busiest corridors, carrying approximately 350,000 vehicles a day, safer for everyone.
For information about the project, visit www.sgvcog.org/5760project or @5760Project on social media.
Culver City seeks input on Sepulveda Connects
The City of Culver City is continuing work on Sepulveda Connects, a project to improve safety, mobility, and access along the Sepulveda Boulevard corridor.
Officials and residents on the team are now developing design concepts and community input that will play a key role in shaping what comes next. As such the City is encouraging residents, business owners, commuters, and visitors — especially those who live, work, or travel along Sepulveda Boulevard — to attend and participate in two upcoming public meetings to share ideas:
They are Design Workshop #2 slated for 6 pm, Thursday, Feb. 26 at Culver City Senior Center, 4095 Overland Avenue; and Design Workshop #3 at 6 pm, Tuesday, March 17 at Veterans Memorial Building–Rotunda Room 4117 Overland Avenue.
For inquiries, please reach out to sepulvedaconnects@culvercity.org or 310-253-6500.
Duarte extends Utility Box Art Program deadline
The City of Duarte has extended its deadline to Saturday, Feb. 28 for local artists to submit original, eye-catching designs to transform twenty-one utility boxes across fifteen locations along the historic Route 66.
This year’s overall theme, “Duarte’s Route 66 – Past, Present, & Future,” celebrates the City’s historic connection to Route 66 as the 2026 centennial approaches. All submitted artwork should reflect this theme while highlighting Duarte’s relationship to Route 66. Artists must incorporate one of three subthemes based on box type:
- Subtheme 1 – “Faces & People”
- Can be chosen for applications on the “Traffic Controllers and Meter Pedestals” AND “Meter Pedestals Only” configurations.
- Subtheme 2 – “Pop Culture & Entertainment”
- Can be chosen for applications on the “Traffic Controllers and Meter Pedestals” AND “Meter Pedestals Only” configurations.
- Subtheme 3 – “Landscapes”
- For applications on the “Irrigation Control Boxes Only” configuration.
For a detailed breakdown of each site and its configuration, please refer to the 2025 Call for Artists document. For more information on artwork requirements, artist eligibility, project details, and application guidelines, please visit CityofDuarte.ca.gov/UBAP.
