The Brief

The city of Carson in the South Bay will be taking its place on the world stage in 2026 as one of the practice session sites for the FIFA World Cup.

Top teams from across the globe will be training at Dignity Health Sports Park, the home of the L.A. Galaxy soccer team, which is expected to draw huge crowds.

But there’s one thing the city is lacking — reliable broadband.

While there are some areas with good coverage, other areas are spotty. At just 19 square miles, one might assume that 100% coverage shouldn’t be a problem. But Gary Carter, the city’s director of IT and security, says the community has “historically been redlined as far as broadband goes.”

“There's just a few pockets of the city where our current duopoly providers [like AT&T and Spectrum] have provided service that would be standard in other areas of L.A. County,” Carter said. “But a large swath of the city is either unserved or underserved.”

He says existing providers are “not really targeting cities like Carson” for service the way they do wealthier areas because it’s not considered as profitable. The median household income for the area is $65,000. But he says residents are “hardworking folks" from "extremely diverse, low and middle-income neighborhoods” that deserve an opportunity to get connected.

To correct this, Carter is helping the city apply for $8 million in grant money, part of California’s Broadband for All project, to create its own new broadband fiber optic network. The pilot project would serve about 1,000 unserved households and 372 businesses, with City Hall, the Civic Center and Cal State Dominguez Hills serving as anchor institutions. Winners could be announced as early as June.

The city plans to complete its pilot project in about 18 months. Carter says the money would help ensure public safety during large-scale events, as well as offer an opportunity to have “something to provide to our residents who will weather hundreds of thousands of tourists coming through,” he said. “I think it’s only fair.”

A soccer game takes place at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson.

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Carter previously helped the city of Santa Monica launch a publicly owned and operated fiber network. The success of the project “serves as a model” for how U.S. cities can help foster competitive broadband speeds and rates.

Affordable broadband

Carson City Manager David C. Roberts Jr. said internet access became a priority for the city during the pandemic. He said it all began when Jawane Hilton, a then-City Council member who is now mayor pro-tem, saw a young girl studying in a fast-food parking lot.

“[She was] utilizing her computer trying to connect to the Wi-Fi so she could get her schoolwork done,” he said. “And so that became a clarion for our city.”

The new pilot program hopes to offer Carson residents reliable, affordable broadband, perhaps as low as $40 per month.

For Misael Contreras, that would be a huge benefit, because she’s bracing for her internet bill to double in May.

She currently pays $40 a month thanks to a federal discount program. But that’s about to shut down, increasing her bill to nearly $80. That would be a stretch for Contreras, who lives with her family in a mobile home park near City Hall. But she says her grandson needs Wi-Fi for schoolwork and to stream entertainment. They may soon need to explore new service options.

“What I pay now seems very fair to me,” she said.

Bel-Air mobile park in Carson.

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Last-mile

The grant fund is part of California’s Broadband for All plan, a multi-billion dollar state and federal investment to expand internet access in communities with little to no access.

In a stroke of luck, the city of Carson landed right on the path of what's known as the "middle mile" — 10,000 miles of high-capacity fiber lines currently being built across the state.

The "last-mile," as it’s known, is what will connect that infrastructure to homes and businesses, and it’s money for that that Carson is applying for.

Larger companies like AT&T and Spectrum operate their own private middle-mile networks and charge whatever rates they want. But with the state’s help, cities like Carson and other community-based providers could save on construction costs and gain internet access at wholesale prices.

But advocates say that ultimately depends on who wins the grant money, which is up to the California Public Utilities Commission to decide.

$105 million has been set aside for projects in Los Angeles County. Telecom giant AT&T applied for $35 million in taxpayer dollars — and LAist recently found it plans to use part of that money to serve wealthy areas like Bel Air and the Pacific Palisades. Spectrum applied for $2.5 million to serve people in the Antelope valley.

But Carter is staying optimistic. “I believe we'll have a shot,” he said, adding that he hopes the majority of funds would be directed at projects that approach the issue in “novel ways.”

Gary Carter, Carson's director of IT and security, tries to take a call inside Carson City Hall.

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The CPUC is expected to announce the first of “one or more” additional funding rounds this summer, but the process could take years. The agency says it will award additional points to projects that commit to using the state’s new middle-mile network, as well as applicants that offer low-cost plans and other criteria.

LAist will spotlight additional project applications, including an effort to connect more residents in the rural areas of Catalina Island, in the coming weeks.

Hermon — Some shoppers heading into Fresco Market were lost in their phones, but when they momentarily looked up, they were greeted by a flap of brilliant green feathers and a cheery squawk. Phones were put away.

“Pepe! Hey Pepe! So good to see you!”

Perched on the shoulder of T.J. Gonzalez, Pepe the Parrot was in full greeter mode. Wide-eyed and seeming to almost smile as he surveyed the parking lot and his approaching public, Pepe did what he naturally does: make people happy.

A common sight at the Hermon market, near where they live, Gonzalez and Pepe can also be found at community centers, farmers’ markets and local events. They often take the Metro into downtown Los Angeles, Long Beach and other locations.

There’s no money asked, stressed Gonzalez, adding that Pepe simply adores the attention. “People want to see and talk with him more than me,” he joked as he cracked a nut and placed it in his mouth. On cue, the bird reached around Gonzalez’s mouth to retrieve it.

Michael Eagle-Hall of El Sereno is delighted to meet Pepe outside of the Fresco Market in Hermon.

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A mail carrier for 37 years before he retired, Gonzalez found Pepe, a red-crowned Amazon (flocks are often seen in Northeast L.A.) in July 2021. The chick had fallen out of a nest and was flailing on a busy street in San Marino. “He was like roadkill,” said Gonzalez, who watched cars drive over (without striking) the bird.

Gonzalez retrieved the parrot and looked for help, but wildlife rehabbers said they’d euthanize the bird since it had a broken wing. Gonzalez instead brought him to a vet and christened him Pepe.

Since Pepe could not fly, Gonzalez started walking him around the neighborhood. He soon discovered how kids and adults enjoyed interacting with the parrot. Pepe is also a social media darling, with more than 8,600 followers on Instagram.

Pepe is more of a squawker than a talker, but Gonzalez has learned how to art-direct photos of people and the bird, instructing them on how to hold their hands and arms best. “We just want that smile because that’s all that Pepe wants from you,” said Gonzalez.

Crews have now recovered the bodies of all nine backcountry skiers who were killed in an avalanche in Northern California earlier this week. It marks an end to what authorities on Saturday described as an agonizing five-day search and recovery operation complicated by intense winter storms northwest of Lake Tahoe.

"While we wish we could have saved them all, we are grateful that we can bring them home," said Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon during a Saturday news conference.

Until Saturday, authorities had not confirmed the death of a ninth victim, a skier who had been missing and presumed dead. Officials say their body was found near the eight other victims that have now been recovered. Authorities said avalanche hazards and weather conditions were too dangerous most of the week to search for the remaining victim or recover the bodies.

Four of the bodies were recovered on Friday, and the rest of the bodies were recovered on Saturday, all in the Castle Peak area where the avalanche – one of the deadliest in California history — struck. Six people from the group of 15 skiers survived Tuesday's disaster, the last day of a three-day backcountry ski trip. One guide and five travelers were among the survivors.

Helicopters with the California National Guard as well as the California Highway Patrol were used to hoist the remaining bodies from the mountain, officials said at the press conference.

On Friday, officials were able to use specialized techniques with the help of Pacific Gas & Electric to reduce the avalanche risk.

The ski trip was organized by Blackbird Mountain Guides, an outdoor tour company based in Truckee, Calif. Moon confirmed the identities of the victims. Three guides were killed: Andrew Alissandratos, 34, from Verdi, Nev.; Michael Henry, 30, from Soda Springs, Calif.; and Nicole Choo, 42, of South Lake Tahoe, Calif. The other victims, who had signed up for the group trip, are: Carrie Atkin, 46, of Soda Springs; Lizabeth Clabaugh, 52, of Boise, Idaho; Danielle Keatley, 44, of Soda Springs and Larkspur, Calif.; Kate Morse, 45, of Soda Springs and Tiburon, Calif.; Caroline Sekar, 45, of Soda Springs and San Francisco; and Katherine Vitt, 43, of Greenbrae, Calif.

The Sierra Avalanche Center classified the avalanche between a D2 and D3 on the avalanche danger scale.

"A D2 would take down a person. A D3 would take down a house, so it was right in between those. It was described by them as a football field length of a path of the avalanche," Sheriff Moon said on Saturday.

Multiple agencies are investigating.

"We are investigating the incident to determine if there were any factors that would be considered criminal negligence," Ashley Quadros with the Nevada County Sheriff's Office said in an email to NPR on Sunday. "It is a standard investigation. It is too early to know if criminal charges will be applicable, as the investigation is preliminary and remains active and ongoing."

The area will be closed to visitors for several weeks.
Copyright 2026 NPR

The Transportation Security Administration said Sunday that its PreCheck program would remain operational despite an earlier announcement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that the airport security service was being suspended during the partial government shutdown.

"As staffing constraints arise, TSA will evaluate on a case by case basis and adjust operations accordingly," the agency said.

It was not immediately clear whether Global Entry, another airport service, would be affected. PreCheck and Global Entry are designed to help speed registered travelers through security lines, and suspensions would likely cause headaches and delays.

The turmoil is tied to a partial government shutdown that began Feb. 14 after Democrats and the White House were unable to reach a deal on legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Democrats have been demanding changes to immigration operations that are core to President Donald Trump's deportation campaign.

Homeland Security previously said it was taking "emergency measures to preserve limited funds." Among the steps listed were "ending Transportation Security Administration (TSA) PreCheck lanes and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Global Entry service, to refocus Department personnel on the majority of travelers."

Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement on Saturday night that "shutdowns have serious real world consequences."

One group of fliers will definitely be affected, according to TSA

"Courtesy escorts, such as those for Members of Congress, have been suspended to allow officers to focus on the mission of securing America's skies," the agency said.

Airlines for America, a trade group representing major carriers, said Saturday night that "it's past time for Congress to get to the table and get a deal done." It also criticized the announcement by saying it was "issued with extremely short notice to travelers, giving them little time to plan accordingly."

Democrats on the House Committee on Homeland Security criticized Homeland Security handling of airport security after the initial announcement on Saturday night. They accused the administration of "kneecapping the programs that make travel smoother and secure."

Sen. Andy Kim, a New Jersey Democrat, said Noem's actions are part of an administration strategy to distract from other issues and shift responsibility.

"This administration is trying to weaponize our government, trying to make things intentionally more difficult for the American people as a political leverage," he told CNN on Sunday. "And the American people see that."