In Brief
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings.
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Today on AirTalk, an arrest has been made in connection with the Palisades fires; Triple Play; LA County sex abuse lawsuit crisis, and how did you pick a retirement community?
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• 1:15:23
Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell and Manuel Betancourt review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms.
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The release comes the same day federal prosecutors charged a man in connection with starting an earlier blaze that became the Palisades Fire. -
Fires can smolder underground for months. "It really is more common than I think people realize,” a fire scientist says. “It just doesn’t usually reignite another fire." -
Soul Housing was, until recently, L.A. County’s largest recuperative care provider, with more than 1,300 beds across 16 facilities. -
The closure at Corona Regional Medical Center is the latest in a string of accelerated closures across the state. -
VietRISE said the post from August was part of a series born out of the realization that many people don't know about Vietnam’s history beyond 1975. -
All disasters are chaotic, but an LAist review of reports produced after two wildfire incidents found similar shortcomings and similar recommendations about how to fix them. -
From funeral feasts to bratwurst and beer! Explore Halloween rituals at a food and death panel, catch Mariska Hargitay’s new doc, Oktoberfest hits Pomona and more.
Watchdog Wednesday
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Commissioners have a big agenda: expanding the City Council, switching to a ranked-choice voting and more. Nearly four months after an already delayed start, one commissioner told LAist they're still "at square one." -
The city can’t approve higher fees to bolster the street light repair budget without gaining approval from property owners. -
The allegations stem from a media report that primarily alleged a law firm paid some plaintiffs to sue the county.
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Latest from the White House
Follow the fast-moving developments under the Trump Administration.
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A federal union argues that Trump administration language posted on federal agency websites and some emails blaming a shutdown on the "Radical Left Democrats" violates a 1939 federal law. -
Bondi defended her work as attorney general, rejecting allegations that DOJ investigations and prosecutions, including the recent indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, are driven by politics. -
A new draft White House memo suggests a 2019 law signed by President Trump that guarantees that federal employees get paid after a shutdown ends would not apply to furloughed workers.
Conflict in the Middle East
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It's been two years since Hamas-led militants attacked Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. In response, Israeli leaders promised a punishing offensive. Here are some numbers showing the war's toll. -
Israelis are paying heavy costs for the longest war in their history: a mental health crisis, trauma, unprecedented division during wartime, animosity abroad and apathy for Palestinian suffering. -
On the second anniversary of the Hamas-led attack on Israel of Oct. 7, 2023, the leaders of Israel and Hamas are pushed by Arab countries and the U.S. toward a potential end to the war.
School Game Plan
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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
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Your game plan for what happens next. LAist will be there every step of the way. -
More than half of sales through September have been to corporate developers. Grassroots community efforts continue to work to combat the trend. -
Transmission lines have been linked to the start of the Eaton fire in January. But another kind of line — distribution lines that power homes — were also wreaking havoc before that fire sparked.
Featured events
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Event
On October 11, comedian Drew Lynch (he/him) and actor Nana Visitor (she/her), plus surprise guest experts will join J. Keith and Helen for a trivia show like no other!
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Event
After the January fires in Altadena and Pacific Palisades leveled more than 12,000 homes and businesses, the two communities are still grappling with the lingering effects of the disaster and trying to find ways to move forward. On October 14, we’ll focus on Pacific Palisades and surrounding communities. AirTalk host Larry Mantle will talk with guests about what the road to rebuilding looks like and how best to navigate this new reality.
Civics & Democracy
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California is known for taking weeks to tally its ballots, causing uncertainty and frustration among voters. That could change with a faster turnaround under a new state law. -
The crowdsourced site was taken down without warning, days after political figures called for its removal. Its creators quickly launched a replacement. -
The Board of Supervisors puts the brakes on a plan to increase the cost of a marriage license from $91 to $176.
Education
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The law requires a database intended to stop teachers facing credible accusations of abuse from quitting and getting rehired at another school. -
In a world where even toddlers are increasingly on screens, local graphic designer Meeta Panesar has created a print magazine that invites readers to explore the world and their own creativity. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases.
Featured Podcast
Reports about failures in response to the January LA fires and a 2018 fire have striking similarities
A new report details the Eaton and Palisades fires, including failures in the emergency response. But this report bears striking similarities with another -- which chronicled the response to the 2018 Woolsey Fire in Southern California. LAist Science Reporter Jacob Margolis discusses the reports and what they mean for L.A. County moving forward.
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• 23:27
Explore LA
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Arts for L.A. advocacy group convenes Wednesday to help artists heal and renew and do the same for the L.A. communities they serve. -
Distrito Catorce’s Guillermo Piñon says the team no longer reflects his community. A new mural will honor local leaders instead. -
Clair has been a fixture at the corner of San Vicente and 26th Street for about seven years until she was stolen.
Food
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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. -
The new ordinance applies to certain grocers operating in the city and has led to some self-checkout lanes to shutter.
More stories
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After a public outpour of support, Cole’s says it's delaying its final closing date to November. -
Reactions from Black Altadena residents vary over the development of CBS sitcom from Black-ish creator Kenya Barris and comedian Mike Epps. -
After dozens of citations didn’t clean up blighted properties, city officials are offering up to $75,000 for someone to come up with and implement a new idea. -
Cool today, slightly warmer over next few days. -
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. -
State law requires public reports on crowd-control weapons. Most UC police agencies ignore it. -
Attorneys say federal authorities are seizing any opportunity to hold people for long periods of time. -
A growing community of collectors are sharing their obscure horror flicks and other physical media. -
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. -
After rising for years, the number of residential installations in the city of Los Angeles began to drop in 2023. The city isn’t subject to recent changes in state incentives, but other factors may be contributing to the decline. -
Saying they need more time to work out fixes, two state senators now plan to re-introduce their bill on L.A.’s "mansion tax" next year.
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