Topline:
As oppressive heat continues to blanket much of Southern California, it's especially crucial to take precautions to protect yourself and your loved ones — furry friends included.
Why it matters: Heat waves can pose the same kinds of risks to animals as they do to humans, says Michael San Filippo, a spokesperson for the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Why now: Most of SoCal is looking at triple-digit heat this week. An extreme heat advisory is in effect until Sunday night.
During heatwaves it's especially crucial to take precautions to protect yourself and your loved ones — furry friends included.
Heat waves can pose the same kinds of risks to animals as they do to humans, says Michael San Filippo, a spokesperson for the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
"If it's hot outside for you, it's most likely even hotter for your pet," he tells NPR over email.
Generally, he says, pets with longer or darker fur and those with flat or pushed-in faces, like pugs or Persian cats, may have extra trouble managing heat. Pets that are older, obese or have certain medical conditions could also face a higher risk of heat stroke.
Latest on SoCal's heatwave: Hottest day is here. How to stay safe and what to expect
Experts recommend limiting pets' outdoor exercise and activities if it's too hot. But what happens when Fido needs to use the bathroom or gets restless at home?
There are precautions you can take, like keeping your pet off hot asphalt, out of parked cars and shielded from the sun (dog sunscreen is real!). And there are other activities you can do indoors to keep them active and stimulated.
Read on how to keep your pets safe in the heat — and how to tell if they're not.
Experts advise limiting walks to the cooler early morning or evening hours, in part because hot asphalt can put dogs at risk for burned paw pads.
Sy Woon, a Florida representative for the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, recommends feeling the pavement with the back of your hand to see whether it's tolerable for dogs.
"We sometimes think that they can walk across any surface and fare well, but actually, they can be quite sensitive," she told NPR last summer.
Try to keep your pet on grass or at least avoid dark-colored pavement. Using dog booties can also help prevent accidental injury, San Filippo says.
Make sure to give your pet access to shade and cold water while outside. The Humane Society advises adding ice to water when possible, and says tree shade and tarps are ideal because they don't obstruct air flow.
"A doghouse does not provide relief from heat," it adds. "In fact, it makes it worse."
Sunburn is another summer pet safety risk that many owners may not be aware of, San Filippo says.
All dogs and cats may be susceptible, he says, though those that are hairless, have white or thin coats or light-pigmented noses and eyelids are especially at risk.
"There are special sunscreens available to protect pets from sunburn," he writes. "It's very important that you only use formulas that are specifically intended as sunscreen for your type of pet."
And while the hot temperatures may scream summer haircut, San Filippo advises caution.
He says shaving breeds with a "double coat" (like golden retrievers, Pomeranians and huskies) is actually not recommended. Their coats provide protection from the elements, including heat, so shaving increases their chance of overheating and sunburn.
The AVMA recommends asking your vet whether your pet would benefit from a warm-weather haircut or sunscreen.
Fleas, ticks and other bugs are also more active in warmer weather, which San Filippo says is another reason to be careful.
"It's important that pet owners work with their veterinarians to develop a flea and tick prevention strategy, and also be aware of other critters in their area that may pose a risk to their pets," he adds.
Experts advise leaving your pet at home if you'll be out and about. And while they're indoors, there are things you can do to make your pet as comfortable as possible.
The American Red Cross recommends keeping all doors and unscreened windows closed, and securing screens tightly, to keep pets from getting out.
The AVMA recommends providing different "temperature zones" throughout the house for your pet's comfort. And the Humane Society notes that fans don't cool pets off as effectively as people, since they respond to heat in different ways.
Make sure to provide them with water, and consider whipping up pet-friendly "pupsicles" as a refreshing treat or buying a cooling body wrap, vest or mat.
And never leave your pet in a parked car, since temperatures can quickly rise to dangerous levels even in the shade or with the windows down.
On an 85-degree day, for instance, the temperature inside a car with the windows slightly open can reach 102 degrees within 10 minutes, and 120 degrees after half an hour — which can cause irreparable organ damage or death.
If you come across a dog in a parked car this summer, the Humane Society recommends asking any nearby businesses to make a loudspeaker announcement or, if the owner can't be found, calling the non-emergency number of the local police or animal control and waiting for them to arrive.
Even if it's too hot for your pet's regular outdoor activities, it's still important that they get some kind of mental and physical stimulation to keep them happy and healthy, San Filippo says.
"While walks or trips to the dog park might be out of the question, there are some easy alternatives," he adds.
If you have a yard, consider setting up a kiddie pool in a shady spot or a sprinkler your pet can run through. He says you can also splash your dog with a garden hose — just make sure the water is cool and that they don't drink too much of it, which could cause vomiting.
You could also consider a doggy day care, which San Filippo says can provide "the same thrills and excitement as the dog park," just in an air-conditioned environment. Some facilities have outdoor spaces, so he recommends asking about their policies for hot days.
There are also plenty of indoor exercise and enrichment activities anyone can try at home, from hallway fetch to food puzzles.
You could hide treats or food around the house to let your pet practice their foraging skills, he says, as long as you help them out at first and adjust their meals to account for the calories. Or build your own obstacle course using pillows, boxes and other household items.
San Filippo says it's also a good time to teach your pet a new trick or brush up on some old ones.
"These activities are a great way to bond with your pet and learn more about what kinds of activities they're interested in or capable of," he says. "The more you play, the more you both will learn!"
If your pet has been out in extreme temperatures, make sure to watch for signs of heat stress or heat stroke.
Symptoms include anxiousness or restlessness, excessive drooling and panting (even when lying down), vomiting or diarrhea, abnormal gum and tongue color (like deep red or purple), unsteadiness or collapsing. Cats might also experience open-mouthed breathing.
If you suspect heat stroke, experts recommend taking your pet's temperature rectally.
Anything above 105 degrees means you need to cool the animal down (and stop when they reach 103 degrees), according to the Red Cross.
"If you see signs of heat stress in your pets, the best thing to do is get them into a cool, shady area and give them water to drink," San Filippo says.
You could also run cool hose water over them, apply ice packs or cold towels to their head, neck and chest and let them lick ice cubes.
But be careful — San Filippo says cooling a hyperthermic animal too quickly can cause their blood vessels to constrict, which will actually make it harder for them to get cool. That's why it's crucial to use cool water or wet towels, instead of cold ones, and fan your pet to help encourage evaporation.
Once you've taken immediate action, experts recommend bringing your pet to the vet as soon as possible — especially if their symptoms don't improve quickly.
Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit npr.org.
Topline:
With tensions already high in Minnesota after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer killed Renee Macklin Good, the Trump administration is ramping up the pressure on cities and states to cooperate with its immigration crackdown.
Why now: The administration had already surged federal agents — sometimes accompanied by military troops — to Los Angeles, Portland, Chicago, Charlotte, Memphis, Washington D.C. and New Orleans.
What's next: Now the White House is threatening to cut funding for sanctuary cities. Here's a brief explanation of how local governments interact with federal immigration enforcement, and what the White House can and can't require from them.
With tensions already high in Minnesota after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer killed Renee Macklin Good, the Trump administration is ramping up the pressure on cities and states to cooperate with its immigration crackdown.
The administration had already surged federal agents — sometimes accompanied by military troops — to Los Angeles, Portland, Chicago, Charlotte, Memphis, Washington D.C. and New Orleans.
Now the White House is threatening to cut funding for sanctuary cities. Here's a brief explanation of how local governments interact with federal immigration enforcement, and what the White House can and can't require from them.
President Trump threatened this week to cut "significant" federal funding to sanctuary cities. He hasn't said exactly what money his administration wants to cut, though he gave a deadline of Feb. 1.
Nor has Trump said exactly which cities or states will be targeted, though the Department of Justice did publish a list of more than 30 cities, states and counties in August. (That list includes the state of Minnesota, though not Minneapolis or St. Paul or their respective counties).
In remarks on Tuesday at the Detroit Economic Club, Trump seemed to be focused on places that limit their cooperation with ICE.
"They do everything possible to protect criminals at the expense of American citizens. And it breeds fraud and crime and all of the other problems that come," Trump said. "So we're not making any payment to anybody that supports sanctuary cities."
This is not the first time President Trump has made a threat like this. During his first term, the president tried to withhold some federal funding from sanctuary cities. More recently, Trump signed an executive order nearly a year ago directing the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to make a list of sanctuary cities and withhold money from them.
But courts have sided against the administration in nearly every case, saying that the federal government cannot use funding to coerce state and local governments into changing their policies on immigration.
"Here we are again," U.S. District Judge William Orrick in San Francisco wrote in April. Orrick granted (and later extended) a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from withholding federal funds from 16 jurisdictions, including San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Minneapolis, St. Paul and New Haven.
"The threat to withhold funding causes them irreparable injury in the form of budgetary uncertainty, deprivation of constitutional rights, and undermining trust between the Cities and Counties and the communities they serve," Orrick said.
There's no exact legal definition of "sanctuary city." But broadly speaking, the term refers to any city, state or county that limits its cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
The legal questions here are nuanced. Local law enforcement cannot block federal agents from doing their work but courts have said that state and city officers can withhold some cooperation.
The legal arguments are rooted in the U.S. Constitution and the division of powers between the federal government, which is in charge of immigration enforcement, and state and local governments, which run their own police and sheriffs' departments.
Courts have backed states that don't want to share data on residents in their records, including information about driver's licenses. And in many places, state and local law enforcement will not honor what's known as a "detainer request" from ICE, which essentially asks police to hold someone in detention until immigration authorities can take custody.
Virtually all the cities and states the administration has focused on so far are led by Democrats, who don't seem to be backing down after Trump's threat to cut federal money.
"This is just a threat to intimidate states like New York into bowing into submission. And that is something we'll never do," New York Governor Kathy Hochul said earlier this week. "You touch any more money from the state of New York, we'll see you in court."
State and city leaders argue there is a fundamental public safety rationale for their sanctuary policies. They say that working with ICE would undermine trust and cooperation between local law enforcement and immigrant communities as they seek to prevent crime.
There's clearly a political aspect to this as well. In many sanctuary cities, voters are asking Democratic leaders not to give in to the White House and its immigration agenda, so local leaders may have a strong incentive to dig in their heels.
Why local cooperation matters
In the past, ICE has found that it's faster and safer to arrest people who are already being held in local jails. And that's one reason ICE was able to make so many arrests during the administration of President Obama, for example, before sanctuary policies were as widespread as they are now.
The White House says a lack of local cooperation is hindering its efforts to build "the largest deportation operation in the history of our country," a pledge Trump made frequently during his reelection campaign.
"Minnesota's 'leaders' have chosen defiance over partnership," the White House said in a statement on Friday.
But Democrats say the administration is deliberately creating confrontations in cities and states that are led by political opponents, provoking chaotic scenes on purpose for reasons that go beyond simply enforcing immigration law.
Copyright 2026 NPR
Topline:
About three months old, Backyard Party is one of the San Gabriel Valley's newest all age music venues. On a recent Saturday night, its lineup was full of teenage musicians who got the chance to play loud, very loud on a professional stage. And make some cash.
The backstory: A project of non-profit Altadena Musicians, Backyard Party is run by Matt Chait and Sandra Denver. The idea is to make a space where musicians and music fans reeling from last year's wildfires can connect and support each other.
Read on ... to learn more about the space and see photos.
On a recent Saturday, a group of teenage musicians took to a stage inside an unlikely place: an unassuming unit in a business park at the bottom of Lincoln Avenue in Pasadena.
This space has a stage sitting on its concrete floor with the words "Backyard Party" playfully scrawled across the bottom.
The members of a band called The Wendolls sound checked with Matt Chait at the mixing board.
Backyard Party, one of the area’s newest all-ages venues, is the brainchild of Chait and fellow organizer Sandra Denver.
“The fires crushed garages where kids would have been playing. It burnt backyards where they would have been playing. It burnt down the schools where they would have been playing. So this is the communal backyard party. That’s specifically what we built and why we built it,” Chait said just outside the makeshift venue. The only thing that sets it apart from the nondescript units around it is a handwritten sign that says ‘No Ins and Outs.’
Chait, who was evacuated from his residence during the Eaton Fire, teamed up with Denver to manage the volunteer-run Backyard Party a few months ago. Her daughter sung lead vocals in a band called Sly, one of four bands on the lineup.
“We wanted to provide a space for all of the teen bands all around to come and play and help them create a kind of scene,” Denver said.
It’s the type of spot Denver said she wishes she had growing up in Phoenix, Arizona.
And she’s just one of several supportive parents here who are helping load in amps and guitars and bass drums.
Sixteen-year-old Jett Bizon is the drummer for Saints of Sinners, one of the bands on the bill. He said there’s another reason there are so many parents in the crowd.
“Well, nobody drives. Everybody needs a ride,” Bizon said with a chuckle.
With his long dark hair, Bizon explained that he’s already played some legendary local venues like The Whiskey a Go Go. But he said it feels like Backyard Party is becoming a much needed space for younger musicians in the area.
“We need to let out some type of energy and everybody’s putting it into music,” Bizon said. “I think it’s a great thing. Finally a scene again, it’s fun.”
As Bizon and his bandmates played their set of hard rock songs, the only people on their phones in the crowd were parents filming.
Some of the young folks taking the stage were affected by the Eaton Fire in one way or another. Some of them were evacuated. Others lost homes or saw their friends displaced.
Payton Owen was part of the crew running the door, taking tickets and dolling out snacks. She too is a musician and writes reviews of some of the concerts here.
“I think it’s amazing. I think it’s really like a point of community,” she said from behind a glass case filled with bags of popcorn and candy. “It’s a really nice opportunity for kids to really have somewhere where they can go.”
Teenager Elise Lamond agreed. She’d been following Chait around all night, learning how to set levels for the musicians, run the house lights and more.
“Most people at this age don’t have those kinds of opportunities,” she said, adding that, as a musician herself, she appreciated having free access to the venue’s music equipment, too.
Chait, who had a hand in running the now closed AAA Electra 99 venue in Anaheim and has been a musician since he was 12, said Pasadena and Altadena have a noteworthy music pedigree.
“I mean, Van Halen started in quite literal ‘backyard parties’ over on Allen. I think it lives here,” he said.
And Chait said he’s blown away by the new talent that’s come to this stage. For his part, he thinks it’s the start of a new scene that will balloon beyond Altadena and Pasadena.
“The fact that these kids who are now, let's say, 15-20 all lived through COVID and were very separated from each other. And now, in this particular neighborhood, are also separated again because of the fires. And they have supportive parents and now they have the physical place to be... All of the pieces of the puzzle are here,” Chait said.
For now, Chait said this is a labor of love. The space here is provided by Altadena Musicians, a non-profit that’s working to get instruments back in the hands of people who lost their gear in the fires. And as for ticket sales?
“It is the best part of running the venue: the end of the night, when we hand cash to these kids for playing,” Chait said.
Tonight’s bounty from a full-house? $320.
“There’s a couple of these kids, if they play one or two more times, we’re going to have to give them 1099s,” he said.
Backyard Party
1260 Lincoln Ave. #1300
Pasadena
For a calendar of upcoming shows, check out BYP’s website and Instagram.
Topline:
On Friday Southern California Edison filed cross-claim lawsuits against Los Angeles County and a number of other entites over their alleged roles in the Eaton Fire.
Who is involved: Edison filed two separate lawsuits. One against Southern California Gas and another against Los Angeles County and nearly a dozen other parties.
What are the claims: Edison accuses Southern California Gas of exacerbating the fire by delaying shutting off gas in the burn area until several days after the fire started. The second suit accuses Los Angeles County and affiliated parties of failing to evacuate residents in a timely manner and failing to provide proper resources for fire suppression.
The backstory: Edison itself is the subject of hundreds of lawsuits from survivors of the Eaton Fire, which could cost the company billions of dollars in settlements. The company has acknowledged that its own equipment likely started the fire.
What's next: Those claims will be heard in the L.A. County Superior Court, which is also handling L.A. County’s lawsuit and nearly 1,000 other cases against SoCal Edison stemming from the Eaton Fire.
Read on ... to learn the details of the suits.
On Friday, Southern California Edison filed lawsuits against Los Angeles County and several other agencies over their alleged roles in the Eaton Fire.
Two lawsuits were filed.
In one suit, the utility company alleges Southern California Gas delayed shutting off gas in the burn area for several days after the fire, making the blaze worse.
“SoCalGas’ design and actions caused gas leaks, gas fires, reignition of fires, gas explosions and secondary ignitions during the critical early stages of the Eaton Fire,” according to the suit.
The claim goes on to say this contributed to the spread of the fire and made firefighting and evacuation efforts more difficult.
In the second suit, the utility company alleges the Eaton Fire was made worse by the local government response, “including due to the failures of LASD, LACoFD, OEM and GENASYS in issuing timely evacuation alerts and notifications,” the claim reads.
The same filing says L.A. County was to blame for vegetation and overgrown brush in the Eaton Canyon area that fueled the blaze.
It also named the city of Pasadena and its utility system, Pasadena Water and Power, the city of Sierra Madre, Kinneloa Irrigation District, Rubio Cañon Land & Water Association, Las Flores Water Company and Lincoln Avenue Water Company as parties responsible for water systems running dry in Altadena as the fire broke out.
Edison says hydrants running dry compounded the extent of the disaster.
Those claims will be heard in the L.A. County Superior Court, which is also handling L.A. County’s lawsuit against SoCal Edison.
Edison itself is the subject of hundreds of lawsuits from survivors of the Eaton Fire, which could cost the company billions of dollars in settlements.
Edison has said its equipment likely sparked the Eaton Fire and filed these suits, in part, because it believes these various entities should share some of the blame for the disaster, which resulted in the destruction of thousands of buildings and the deaths of 19 people.
A compensation program Edison established for fire survivors who forgo suing the company has made settlement offers to more than 80 of those who applied.
Topline:
A new organization is taking over production of the MLK Day Parade, almost 40 years after the first parade was held in South L.A. to commemorate the civil rights leader.
Who's taking over? Bakewell Media, publisher of the Los Angeles Sentinel newspaper (a partner of The LA Local), was granted the permit in September to organize the parade for the first time by the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners. Formerly called the Kingdom Day Parade, the parade has been rebranded as the Los Angeles Official Martin Luther King Day Parade. The parade was previously produced and organized by Adrian Dove and the L.A. chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality California (CORE-CA).
Read on ... for an interview with Danny Bakewell Jr., president and executive director of the L.A. Sentinel.
A new organization is taking over production of the MLK Day Parade, almost 40 years after the first parade was held in South L.A. to commemorate the civil rights leader.
Bakewell Media, publisher of the Los Angeles Sentinel newspaper (a partner of The LA Local), was granted the permit in September to organize the parade for the first time by the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners. Formerly called the Kingdom Day Parade, the parade has been rebranded as the Los Angeles Official Martin Luther King Day Parade. The parade was previously produced and organized by Adrian Dove and the L.A. chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality California (CORE-CA).
With less than a week before the parade kicks off, LA Local reporter LaMonica Peters sat down with Danny Bakewell Jr., president and executive editor of the LA Sentinel, to discuss the details and what attendees should expect.
This Jan. 12 interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Why did you decide to produce the MLK Day Parade this year?
Bakewell: It all started because Adrian Dove, who was the previous promoter, had announced that he was retiring. When he announced he was retiring, LAPD, city council offices and other people said, “Hey, we still want to do the MLK Day parade. Would you guys be interested? You have the infrastructure to put it together.” And we said yes.
What’s different about this year’s production?
We’re going to start the parade with a singer performing “Lift Every Voice.” We’re going to play the message from Bernice King at the start of the show. Obviously, we have Cedric the Entertainer as our grand marshal to add the entertainment value, but the community has always been and will continue to be a major part of this parade.
Is ABC 7 covering the parade this year?
It’s still going to be televised by ABC. We’re working diligently on how the show is going to be, but ABC has been a great partner.
What was the preparation for this parade?
Thanks to our corporate sponsors, we have a number of bands. The truth is, particularly in LAUSD at this time, and other school districts, they don’t have the funding to just get a bus and get here. I can’t say enough about Airbnb to Bank of America, all of our corporate sponsors, who are supporting all of the youth organizations.
Were there any unexpected challenges while preparing for this parade?
This [The LA Sentinel office on Crenshaw Blvd.] is usually our command center during The Taste of Soul. It dawned on me last week that we’re going to be a mile away [from the parade route]. So, we made the decision to bring in a trailer to be our office at the corner of King and Crenshaw boulevards.
Any special guests this year besides the grand marshal?
I’m working on a surprise guest to be the singer for the national anthem. No matter what, we will give tribute to the Black national anthem “Lift Every Voice” as loud as we can next Monday.
What’s the long-term vision for this parade, if Bakewell Media continues to produce it?
We see the MLK Day Parade, and we want the world to see and expect to see this parade, the same way they see the Macy’s Parade, the Hollywood Parade or the Rose Parade. BET has come in this year as a partner. So there’s an opportunity to possibly do a national broadcast on BET. Not that we would lose our local television, but we see this as a major parade in this community and in the national African American community, celebrating the great work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. So, we are very excited.
