It's our fall member drive!
We may be defunded, but we are not defeated. Become a monthly sustaining member of LAist or increase your current support to help keep independent local journalism strong for everyone.
In Brief
The mayor signed an executive directive Friday mobilizing city government to ramp up preparation for the Games.
Today on AirTalk, NPR 'founding mother' Susan Stamberg passed away yesterday; LAist Senior Editor Suzanne Levy joins to talk about her battles with neighborhood squirrel 'Mindy;' we hear from listeners about their own experiences with gardening and wildlife with horticultural consultant Lili Singer; and FilmWeek.
Listen
• 1:01:48
Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell and Beandrea July review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms.
Listen
• 31:29
-
It will be the second national day of protest against President Donald Trump. -
The three cases are the only ones nationally without known travel to regions where the virus is found. -
California Republicans say the Democratic redistricting measure unfairly targets GOP districts. -
Viral videos have spread false claims about the envelope holes, but they’re there for specific reasons. -
This is the one time you can do this legally! -
Honor West Covina at the Crazy Ex-Girlfriend reunion, put on your boots for the Great L.A. River Cleanup, meet nocturnal plants and animals at the California Botanic Garden, catch a spooky poolside screening in Irvine and more.
Food Friday
-
Dust off those stretchpants, folks: this year’s annual (and free!) Taste of Soul food festival is happening this weekend. -
Restaurants share resources in the food hall in West Adams as Los Angeles reckons with increasing restaurant closures. -
Using sidewalks and parking lot started as a way to help restaurants during the pandemic. Two news laws aim to help a still-struggling industry.
Latest from the White House
Follow the fast-moving developments under the Trump Administration.
-
A status conference is set for Friday afternoon after union lawyers said the Trump administration is violating a court order that temporarily blocks mass firings during the government shutdown. -
The university says the compact, as the Trump administration called it, could undermine free inquiry and academic excellence. -
In a hearing on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston said the layoffs have brought a human cost that cannot be tolerated.
Palisades Fire investigation
-
The report is quite critical, documenting how systemic problems endangered the lives of firefighters and the public. -
The release comes the same day federal prosecutors charged a man in connection with starting a blaze that became the Palisades Fire. -
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings.
Conflict in the Middle East
-
The ceasefire on Wednesday was largely holding, although Hamas described Israeli attacks in Gaza as violations of the agreement. -
Israel and Hamas took steps toward ending the two-year war that has devastated the Gaza Strip, but hard work lies ahead. -
Among the 2,000 Palestinians freed in the Gaza ceasefire deal were 250 serving life terms for attacks on Israelis dating back decades.
School Game Plan
-
In Los Angeles Unified alone, there are more than 400 elementary schools, plus hundreds of specialized programs and dozens of charter schools run by separate nonprofits. -
If you want to send your child to a magnet, dual-language, or charter school next year, here’s what you need to know. -
Families say the process of choosing a school for their child is bewildering, overwhelming and anxiety-driven. So we made a guide to help.
LA's wildfires: Your recovery guide
-
Your game plan for what happens next. LAist will be there every step of the way. -
Jonathan Rinderknecht was indicted Wednesday with two additional felonies by a federal grand jury. -
Homeowners in fire hazard zones may have to remove bushes, hedges and flowers within 5 feet of their houses — even as extreme heat becomes more dangerous.
Featured events
-
Event
Be afraid. The hit podcast “Spooked” comes to Los Angeles as host Glynn Washington (he/him) and guests celebrate spooky season with a night of Snap Judgment LIVE storytelling magic.
-
Event
On October 26, actor Dermot Mulroney (he/him) and actor/comedian/host Loni Love (she/her), plus other surprise guests, will join J. Keith and Helen for a trivia show like no other! Check back soon for more details.
Civics & Democracy
-
The board voted to release the audit report, but it will first notify named individuals and give them a chance to challenge its release. -
The police department filed an emergency order ahead of this Saturday's No Kings protest. -
Prosecutor says the cases are 'just the beginning' in the federal government’s investigations into the use of billions of public funds for homelessness.
Education
-
Cal State officials plan to use the loan to pay for one-time bonuses to faculty and staff. The loan must be repaid by July. -
PUSD plans to enact tens of millions of dollars in budget cuts next school year to stave off outside intervention. -
Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed three land reform bills to encourage residential construction on or near college campuses.
Featured Podcast
An LA Commission created to tackle city government scandals is being stymied
A charter reform commission was created in 2024 in response to multiple Los Angeles city government scandals, including the leak of a racist tape featuring City Council President Nury Martinez. One of the commission’s aims was to modify the LA charter, which is basically the city’s constitution. But reports indicate that this commission is struggling to do its job. There are calls for transparency around its very structure. LAist Watchdog Correspondent Jordan Rynning joins Imperfect Paradise to talk about the commission’s issues and how this work will affect the lives of Angelenos.
Listen
• 20:51
Explore LA
-
Despite massive box office success, animated films haven’t fully shaken off the perception that they’re just for kids or not ‘real’ cinema. Animation Is Film is on a mission to change that. -
The days of discretely engaging in nerdy hobbies for fear of ridicule are long gone — thanks to the ultra popularity of games like Dungeon, and the LGS that give people a place to play. -
The rock legend joins LAist for a lookback on his career — and the next chapter of his music.
Food
-
Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain. -
Bike, skate or walk through Westlake, Chinatown, Little Tokyo and Boyle Heights — and refresh yourself at these icons along the way. -
At this time of year, the flor de izote blooms in Los Angeles. The Salvadoran American chef Karla Tatiana Vasquez says the flowers are both a delicacy and a connection to her identity.
More stories
-
An expert and listeners weighed in on why so many of us are superstitious. -
An amateur satellite tracker stumbled across the signal, which is coming from Starshield satellites in a "hidden" part of the radio spectrum. -
-
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle came out this summer in Japan (and this September in the U.S.) and is now the highest-grossing anime movie of all time. -
At just 30, Lukas Gage reflects on a life already packed with drama, humor and hard-earned perspective. -
Residents living in single-family homes and duplexes will see monthly fees go up from $36.32 to $55.95. -
Caribbean fruit flies have been detected around Montebello, prompting California’s first quarantine for the species in 40 years. -
The actor on creative control, learning comedy and finding her lane. -
Earlier this week, the city of Long Beach confirmed a case. -
Susan Stamberg, an original National Public Radio staffer who went on to become the first U.S. woman to anchor a nightly national news program, has died. -
Paintings, sculptures, video installations and mixed-medium creations make up this review of local artists. -
AirTalk listeners shared the challenges and success they've faced in their recoveries.
Latest from our reporters
Support for LAist comes from