In Brief
Built in 1933, the colossal building known as “The Great Stone Mother” is poised to be the anchor of a city within a city.
Today on AirTalk, we follow the aftermath of the Charlie Kirk death video going viral; what goes into making a great book, a great movie?; the Mezcal Por Siempre festival comes to LA this weekend; Zacatecan-style burritos and FilmWeek.
Listen
• 1:39:02
Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire, Tim Cogshell, and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms.
Listen
• 28:00
-
The report didn't find high lead levels in the Palisades Fire area. And the county added that “there is no evidence of widespread contamination from fire-related chemicals.” -
A UCLA study in the journal Science Advances also found a likely increase in miscarriages around the methane leak in the northern San Fernando Valley in 2015.
-
Reactions from Black Altadena residents vary over the development of CBS sitcom from Black-ish creator Kenya Barris and comedian Mike Epps.
-
On Thursday evening, dozens of researchers hosted a science fair at UCLA to demonstrate the long-term impact of frozen grants.
-
Law says cities can’t enforce laws that stop people and organizations from providing aid for basic survival
-
State law requires public reports on crowd-control weapons. Most UC police agencies ignore it.
-
Join the East L.A. Mexican Independence Day Festival, party at Nocturnal Wonderland, check out a historic building tour with the L.A. Conservancy, bring the family to Dino Fest and more.
Explore LA
-
Join us on Sept. 18 for our live event with Kiano Moju, author of AfriCali, recipes from my Jikoni.
-
Alfredo Ramos Martínez’s work has long been seen as apolitical. But this exhibition shows that he was deeply attuned to injustices around him.
-
The sign, in the shape of a tall 10-gallon hat, disappeared in recent weeks, leaving some Angelenos wondering where it went.
Take action to protect public media!
The loss of federal funding for public media means audience support is more important than ever. Make a powerful statement to safeguard the future of LAist. Become a monthly sustaining member or increase your current support to keep independent local journalism strong.
Latest from the White House
Follow the fast-moving developments under the Trump Administration.
-
U.S. immigration authorities are preparing to send more than 300 South Korean workers home on a chartered flight from Atlanta, a week after detaining them for allegedly working illegally. -
Tens of millions of voters have had their information run through the tool — a striking portion of the U.S. public, considering little has been made public about the tool's accuracy or data security.
-
The Make America Healthy Again Commission is proposing more than 100 moves to address the root causes of childhood chronic disease. Critics say other Trump administration moves contradict the goals.
LA's wildfires: Your recovery guide
-
Your game plan for what happens next. LAist will be there every step of the way.
-
When lightning strikes are abundant, so are wildfires — some in remote places across the state. Scientists warn there may be more in the future.
-
Emergency alerts can save your life, but January's fires in L.A. highlighted the limits of cellphone warnings.
Featured events
-
Event
Cookbooks don’t just provide instructions for recipes; they connect food with storytelling, both visual and narrative, and are your kitchen guides to help create delicious memories with family and friends. Cookbook LIVE takes these stories from the page to the stage.
-
Event
On October 11, comedian Drew Lynch (he/him), plus surprise guest experts will join J. Keith and Helen for a trivia show like no other!
Civics & Democracy
-
A U.S. district judge issued a preliminary injunction, temporarily pausing a series of federal policies aimed at restricting certain immigrants’ access to public benefits and programs.
-
The Los Angeles Police Department and Department of Homeland Security are barred from using weapons such as foam bullets and tear gas 'carte blanche' after a federal judge issued preliminary injunctions.
-
The killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk Wednesday at a college in Utah is the latest in a series of politically motivated violent acts just in recent months.
Education
-
Herb Alpert got his start playing trumpet in L.A.'s public schools. He wants to help make that "magic" possible for students.
-
Over the past three years, Los Angeles Recreation and Parks has expanded opportunities for youths with disabilities to catch a wave, build confidence and learn water safety.
-
Eighth grade students lost all gains in science since 2009, the first year the test was given.
Featured Podcast
The Huntington Beach library at the center of America’s culture wars
Censorship efforts at libraries nationwide has increased steadily over the last several years. In the 2023 - 24 school year, more than 10,000 book bans were counted in the country’s public schools. These efforts have become a cornerstone of a larger national debate over cultural influences and parents' rights to restrict those influences. LAist Orange County Correspondent Jill Replogle joins us to talk about how censorship efforts are playing out at the Huntington Beach library. We look at how the town’s conservative city council and residents are facing off over the council’s efforts to exert greater control over the library and how the choice to remove a few books from a library shelf can have far-reaching effects.
Listen
• 32:06
Explore LA
-
The 2025 Park Needs Assessment found where L.A. could use new parks and repairs to current ones. The draft plan is open for public comment through mid-October.
-
A growing community of collectors are sharing their obscure horror flicks and other physical media.
-
We hear from ‘Margo’s Got Money Troubles’ author Rufi Thorpe on the inspiration behind the bestselling book that’s going to be a series starring Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman and Michelle Pfeiffer
Food
-
After a public outpour of support, Cole’s says it's delaying its final closing date to November.
-
The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons after suddenly shutting down six months ago.
-
The food hall announced it will shut its doors in November.
More stories
-
The action, which a Border Patrol official called “Operation Trojan Horse,” comes after a federal appeals court upheld a restraining order halting indiscriminate sweeps in Southern California.
-
Gov. Gavin Newsom has moved to close five state prisons because of California’s falling incarcerated population. The next one in line is in Riverside County.
-
A judge is demanding answers about the international broadcaster's future from Trump official Kari Lake.
-
The committee asked the DOJ for files related to its investigation of Jeffrey Epstein. It is also looking to question Bill and Hillary Clinton, among several other former government officials.
-
With baby essentials, resources and peer support, the East L.A. Community Resource Center is building more than care packages for soon-to-be parents.
-
Despite losing his Altadena home and instruments, the 91-year-old is playing as part of the Hammer Museum’s JazzPop series.
-
Since last year about a half-dozen states have attempted to pass laws that would allow schools to charge tuition to noncitizens. None passed, but advocates said they plan to keep trying.
-
A new course launched by the city of L.A. helps them navigate budgets and teaches them financial literacy –for free.
-
Heat advisories kick in for the inland and valley areas.
-
L.A. opened a homeless services hub in Skid Row focused on the health and well-being of drug users.
-
Notably absent from those facing penalties during this era of stepped-up immigration enforcement are the employers themselves: LAist found just one instance since January in which an employer was penalized for hiring unauthorized workers.
-
ICE agents cannot identify as local law enforcement when attempting to make home arrests and cannot use “deceptive ruses” in order to conduct immigration enforcement operations, after a settlement in federal court this week.
Latest from our reporters
Support for LAist comes from