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The Brief

The most important stories for you to know today
  • Displaced residents find normalcy in burn zone
    A woman with a stroller and a boy stand in the aisles of a library looking for books.
    Emma Scott, and her son Wilder, look for books in the children's section of Altadena's main library, their first trip back since the building reopened earlier this month.

    Topline:

    Altadena's main library has re-opened, serving again as a town hub in the Eaton Fire perimeter for locals to congregate and seek services during a period of intense upheaval. A grand reopening event with actor and Reading Rainbow host LeVar Burton will be held next Saturday.

    Evolving role: Aside providing traditional library services, the main branch has also been hosting architects and staffers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Small Business Administration.

    What's next: The main library is scheduled to undergo a renovation later this year that will last 15 to 18 months. The foot traffic will be absorbed in part by the Bob Lucas branch, which will reopen in May after a renovation project. There are also plans to reopen a satellite branch at Loma Alta Park in May.

    Emma Scott’s Altadena house survived the Eaton Fire, but almost every family she knows lost a home or faced so much fire damage they had to relocate for the time being.

    “I mean, it feels like a ghost town,” Scott said. “Honestly, it's hard. It's really eerie.”

    One bright spot has been Altadena’s main library on the historic Christmas Tree Lane, which Scott returned to for the first time Friday. The building reopened this month, the largest public space in the fire perimeter where Altadenans can meet and resume their old patterns at a time of intense upheaval.

    Listen 5:53
    Altadena's defacto town hall — its library — reopens

    To lure more patrons back, a grand reopening event will be held next Saturday featuring actor and Reading Rainbow host LeVar Burton.

    A steady trickle of patrons came through the library Friday morning. Scott pushed a stroller with her infant daughter — born the week after the fire — as she helped her two older kids search for YA titles.

    “Thank God for the library,” Scott said. “We don't have our normal places, routines, parks, so we're grateful.”

    A white middle-aged woman helps a Black middle-aged woman at a desktop computer.
    One of the library's most popular offerings are computers for browsing.
    (
    Josie Huang
    /
    LAist
    )

    As part of unincorporated L.A. County, Altadena doesn’t have a city hall or a town square, so the main library acts as an important hub.

    The light-filled, mid-century modern building has always had something for everyone: storytime, chess nights, club meetings, puppet shows.

    It’s where thousands gather every year for the Christmas Tree Lane lighting celebration, then follow the high school marching band down the boulevard of glowing deodar cedars.

    After the fires, the role of the main library has evolved to meet residents’ most pressing needs, hosting architects and staffers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Small Business Administration.

    A white woman in a red blouse and blue jacket poses by chairs and tables in a library.
    Nikki Winslow, director of the Altadena library district, welcomed back patrons to the main branch on March 4.
    (
    Josie Huang
    /
    LAist
    )

    The library has also been fund-raising to buy personal hotspot devices for people who lost their homes so they can have consistent access to the Internet. A distribution event was scheduled for Saturday.

    “We've been pretty busy since we opened,” said Nikki Winslow, director of the Altadena Library District. “There's days I come in and I can barely get a parking spot already.”

    Getting ready to reopen

    Not only did the library survive in a burn zone that saw more than 9,400 structures destroyed, including the senior center next door, it saw relatively little damage.

    “Luckily for us, when the smoke hit our HVAC vents, they closed,” Winslow said. “We didn’t circulate any of the fire air in the library. Our air filters were clean.”

    A row of posterboards featuring scenic photographs of Altadena.
    A wall in Altadena's main library features award-winning photography, including the Davies Memorial Building at Farnsworth Park which was destroyed in the fire and Eliot Arts Magnet, which was heavily damaged.
    (
    Josie Huang
    /
    LAist
    )

    Crews came to clear ash and soot from the roof, while others did a deep clean of the interior that included washing the carpets. Rented air scrubbers and fans circulated the air inside.

    The area has lacked potable water, so the library re-opened March 4 with portable hand-washing stations outside the bathrooms — the only visible change to the library since the fires. But as of Friday, it was safe again to use the water, said Winslow.

    The fiber optic cables system providing internet service to the library was damaged in the fire and will not be restored for another couple weeks, Winslow said. But high-speed internet is still available at the the library which is running on two different hotspot systems, with a third one to be installed next week.

    Library patrons sit at tables and walk through the atrium section of a library.
    Dozens of patrons passed through the re-opened Altadena Library Friday morning.
    (
    Josie Huang
    /
    LAist
    )

    While many regulars are no longer living in the area, Winslow said there was urgency to reopen the library as quickly as possible. It is the only library open in town as a smaller branch, the Bob Lucas Memorial Library, remains under renovation.

    “With so many structures damaged, there's only so many buildings, especially public-facing buildings, that are available for people to like, come up, meet and connect to resources,” she said.

    Among those in town affected by the fires were the library district’s own staff. Out of 31 employees, 10 had to evacuate and two of them lost homes.

    How safe is it? 

    For many residents, questions remain about contaminants in the air and soil around the burn zone.

    The library performed air quality and surface testing inside the library and “we feel very confident that the inside of the library is very safe,” Winslow said.

    A woman with a ponytail and cranberry jacket helps a 3-year-old boy draw.
    Altadena resident Dani Pedersen and her 3-year-old son Ace visited the library Friday for a taste of normalcy."
    (
    Josie Huang
    /
    LAist
    )

    She said the library has not paid for soil testing because of the high cost. Out of precaution, programs for now will not be held in the grassy area of the library.

    Next Saturday’s reopening celebration with LeVar Burton will be held in the library’s parking lot, able to accommodate hundreds.

    There’s no need to register for the morning event, which will also feature food giveaways, crafts and games. At 11 a.m. Burton will read from his children’s book “The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm.”

    “We wanted to have a really big carnival feel,” Winslow said. “People can come inside the library and check that out as well. The more the merrier.”

    Coming back home 

    On Friday, two to three dozen patrons were visiting the library at any given time. Some used the library’s computers. Other sat in pairs at tables in the atrium speaking quietly.

    Yvette Casillas, a youth and family librarian, says those coming back are a mix of residents still living in the area and others who have been displaced.

    A librarian in an orange and black plaid jacket sits in front of a keyboard at an orange desk.
    Family and youth librarian Yvette Casillas has seen a mix of patrons returning -- from those still living in the area to those who have been displaced and living afar.
    (
    Josie Huang
    /
    LAist
    )

    “We've had people coming from Topanga and Ontario, South Pas, Arcadia,” Casillas said. “People have shared that they've lost both their homes and the school, so it's been really rewarding to be able to have a hub or a space for community here at the library.”

    Dani Pedersen was back at the library for the first time Friday, chasing after her 3-year-old, Ace. Their family had evacuated for a little over a month. Asked why she had returned to the library, Pedersen started out saying she wanted her son to enjoy himself. Then she cut that thought short.

    “Honestly?” she said. “I wanted to come back just to be with our community and just to feel that normalcy and go back to some place that we've known prior to the fires, you know? And that's what I feel like we've gotten today.”

    Library district’s future 

    More change is afoot. The main library is scheduled to undergo a major renovation later this year that will last 15 to 18 months, and involve some layout changes and earthquake retrofitting and fireproofing.

    By then, renovation of the Bob Lucas branch on Lincoln Avenue should be completed.

    When that smaller library re-opens, scheduled for May, it will be able to absorb some foot traffic. There also are plans to reopen a satellite branch at Loma Alta Park, also in May.

    A large posterboard sign with renderings and a title that reads: "Next Chapter for Altadena Libraries: Main Library Renovation."
    The main library is expected to undergo a major renovation at the end of the year.
    (
    Josie Huang
    /
    LAist
    )

    Winslow said the park’s “social hall” could be furnished shelves of books, a computer lab, and other equipment found at the main library including a 3-D printer.

    This location could be set up in the park for the duration of the main library’s renovation – and possible longer.

    “I don't know if down the road we’ll continue to have a satellite site there or not, but I do think it will be important to the recovery efforts of the community,” Winslow said.

    About the Altadena libraries celebration

    When: Saturday, March 22, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
    What to expect: Readings, arts & crafts, games, music and more. At 11 a.m. LeVar Burton will read from his book The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm.
    Where: 600 E. Mariposa Street, Altadena

  • Radio news service ending after nearly 100 years

    Topline:

    CBS News said Friday it will shut down its storied radio news service after nearly 100 years of operation, ending an era and blaming challenging economic times as the world moves on to digital sources and podcasts.

    CBS Radio history: When it went on the air in September 1927, the service was the precursor to the entire network, giving a youthful William S. Paley a start in the business. Famed broadcaster Edward R. Murrow's rooftop reports during the Nazi bombing of London during World War II kept Americans listening anxiously.

    Today, CBS News Radio provides material to an estimated 700 stations across the country and is known best for its top-of-the-hour news roundups. The service will end on May 22, the network said Friday.

    Cuts are part of larger layoff: It was unclear how many people will lose their jobs because of the radio shutdown. CBS News was cutting about 6% of its workforce, or more than 60 people, on Friday. It's not the end of turmoil at the network, as parent company Paramount Global is likely to absorb CNN as part of its announced purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery.

    NEW YORK — CBS News said Friday it will shut down its storied radio news service after nearly 100 years of operation, ending an era and blaming challenging economic times as the world moves on to digital sources and podcasts. Said longtime CBS News anchor Dan Rather: "It's another piece of America that is gone."

    When it went on the air in September 1927, the service was the precursor to the entire network, giving a youthful William S. Paley a start in the business. Famed broadcaster Edward R. Murrow's rooftop reports during the Nazi bombing of London during World War II kept Americans listening anxiously.

    Today, CBS News Radio provides material to an estimated 700 stations across the country and is known best for its top-of-the-hour news roundups. The service will end on May 22, the network said Friday.

    A white sign that reads "CBS News" hangs on an orange building. Beneath it is a large advertisement that shows various  faces
    The CBS Broadcast Center on 57th Street in New York on April 20, 2023.
    (
    Ted Shaffrey
    /
    AP
    )

    "Radio is woven into the fabric of CBS News and that's always going to be part of our history," CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss said in delivering the news to the staff. "I want you to know that we did everything we could, including before I joined the company, to try and find a viable solution to sustain the radio operation."

    But with the radical changes in the media industry, she said, "we just could not find a way to make that possible."

    Not the first radio cuts at CBS

    CBS News cut some of its radio programming late last year, including its "Weekend Roundup" and "World News Roundup Late Edition," in an attempt to keep the service going.

    It was unclear how many people will lose their jobs because of the radio shutdown. CBS News was cutting about 6% of its workforce, or more than 60 people, on Friday. It's not the end of turmoil at the network, as parent company Paramount Global is likely to absorb CNN as part of its announced purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery.


    "Given the way things are going, I was saddened but I wasn't surprised by it," said Rather, who succeeded network legend Walter Cronkite in 1981 and anchored for 25 years.

    When Rather covered the civil rights era for CBS News during the 1960s, he said he would file reports as frequently as a dozen times a day. Cronkite told America on television that President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated; Rather relayed the news for radio.

    "Radio was considered an equal responsibility to television," Rather, now 94, said in an interview.

    Along with newspapers, radio was the dominant medium in how Americans got their news from shortly after the dawn of commercial radio in 1920 through the 1940s, with people in their living rooms listening to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's "Fireside Chats" during the Depression. CBS News Radio's broadcast about Germany's invasion of Austria in 1938, the first time Murrow was heard on the air, was an historic marker for the service.

    Black and white photo of a man wearing a suit speaking into a bank of microphones.
    Edward R. Murrow, a CBS correspondent who made his name from the front lines of World War II and from confronting Sen. Joseph McCarthy during the 1950s Red Scare, during a speaking engagement.
    (
    Washington State University/The Columbian
    /
    AP
    )

    Broadcasters like Douglas Edwards, Dallas Townsend and Christopher Glenn were familiar voices on CBS News Radio. The beginning of the television era in the 1950s began a long slide for radio, often an afterthought today with the world online and on phones. Those seeking audio often turn to podcasts before radio.

    "This is another part of the landscape that has fallen off into the sea," said Michael Harrison, publisher of Talkers, a trade publication for radio talk shows. "It's a shame. It's a loss for the country and for the industry."

    A major radio player for many decades

    CBS News Radio was a major force for generations of Americans. "Its heyday spanned decades," Harrison said. "It was quality on every level. It sounded good. Its coverage was as objective as possible within the realm of human nature. Its resources were extensive. It had a very high trust factor that was considered the standard of the day."

    The front page of CBS News' website did not immediately carry news of the demise.

    Weiss, founder of the Free Press website and without broadcast news experience before being hired by CBS parent Paramount's new management, has quickly become a headline-maker and polarizing figure in journalism. She held a "60 Minutes" story critical of President Donald Trump's deportation policy from being broadcast for a month and has critics watching to see if she's moving the network in a Trump-friendly direction.

    Addressing her staff in January, three months into her job as CBS News boss, she invoked Cronkite's name as a symbol of old thinking and said that if the network continues with its current strategy, "we're toast." She announced the hiring of 18 new contributors and said CBS News needs to do stories that will "surprise and provoke — including inside our own newsroom."
    Copyright 2026 NPR

  • Sponsored message
  • How to save at the pump and manage your tank
    Prices for gas at an Exxon gas station on Capitol Hill are seen in Washington, DC.
    Prices for gas at an Exxon gas station.

    Topline:

    Gas prices are draining wallets right now. The spike is hitting Southern California especially hard, so how can you save money at the pump? We looked into it.

    Why now: Gas prices are rising because of the U.S.’s war in Iran, but our state is feeling it more than others. California’s switch to the summer blend of gas is here, which is more expensive to make, and we’ve got those high gas taxes.

    Avoid expensive gas: You can save by avoiding convenience. Stations in busy areas, like downtowns or by freeways, like to charge more. Even the layout and positioning on the street corner can impact the price.

    Make your tank last: Caring for your car in between fill-ups is another to cut down your costs. That can look like keeping your tires properly inflated and making sure the trunk isn’t too heavy.

    Read on … to see where to find top 10 lists for cheap gas near you.

    Drivers know it really, really sucks to get gas right now.

    California is (unfortunately) leading the nation in this gas surge, according to the American Automobile Association, which tracks fuel price trends.

    And with prices in Southern California hovering around $5.75 (and beyond) — just for regular-grade fuel — it can feel like almost every station is trying to compete for the most notoriously priced gas.

    What gives? And more importantly, how can you save on gas right now? We looked into it.

    Why is our gas so expensive?

    Prices at the pump have been skyrocketing since the start of the U.S. war in Iran last month because oil shipments are being bottlenecked along the Strait of Hormuz, a key supply route in the Middle East.

    California feels this pain especially hard as the state imports a decent chunk of its oil from the region. Plus, that’s happening at the same time the state is doing its annual switch to the summer blend of fuel. So both of those things, coupled with our high gas tax, means the spike hits us hard.

    If you zero in more to hubs like Los Angeles and Orange County, it gets worse. Kandace Redd, a spokesperson for AAA, said that’s tied to gas stations’ higher rent, wages and operating costs.

    “That is often passed on to the drivers,” she said. “ So simply put, the higher the cost of living, the higher the price you’re likely to pay at the pump.”

    Some relief could be on the way, but it’s unclear when that could happen.

    How to save at the pump

    • Don’t wait to fill up

    During normal times, one subtle way you could save would be to fill up on certain days of the week. This is because California is one of the states that shows a predictable pattern at the pump, called price-cycling.

    According to a GasBuddy study that analyzed weekly price changes, they found that the best day to get gas in California was Sunday, and the worst Tuesday. But that’s when things are relatively stable.

    “During periods of rapidly rising prices … prices tend to keep increasing, not decrease, so filling up sooner is often best,” Redd said.

    So if you know you need gas, don’t try waiting a few days for prices to drop until the situation changes. L.A.’s average gas price jumped 30 cents over the last week.

    These show user-reported gas prices for stations near you. Here’s are examples of ones for Southern California:

    If you have a AAA membership, the mobile app also shows cheap gas nearby.

    • Avoid stations in certain areas

    If you want to pay less, stay away from stations in popular areas, like airports, tourist hubs or freeways. Neighborhoods with fewer gas stations can cost you more money, so finding a place that’s ripe with competition can also be better for your wallet.

    Even position on the street corner matters. Redd said gas stations can charge more when they’re on a side with heavier traffic or when they’re more accessible.

    “ Stations that are easier for drivers to enter, fill up and exit often attract more customers and may even charge a little bit more than that,” she said.

    Stretch your gas tank by taking care of your car

    You can save on gas beyond the pump, Redd said, by managing how your car is using fuel. For example, combining your trips or avoiding stop-and-go traffic times can cut down on consumption. It’s all about how you care for and use your car:

    Reduce your load. That means clear out that trunk and take off that top rack when it’s not in use. When your car is heavier, it burns fuel faster to account for the load.

    Maintain your vehicle. If you can afford it, keep the check engine light off and your tires properly inflated. This can help make sure you're using gas at your car’s intended rate. Underinflated tires are more resistant to movement, which can reduce the miles per gallon you get.

    Watch your speed.  Your car uses more gas at higher speeds, so you really want to be sure to also avoid any sort of hard acceleration. If your car has an economy mode, that could also help by making your car run more efficiently.

     Turn off your engine when your car is parked or stopped for a long period of time. Blasting the air conditioning can also impact gas usage, though it’s a smaller margin.

  • Record heat, melting snow impacting water supply
    Aerial of a lake and damn surrounded by mountains.
    An aerial view of Lake Shasta and the dam in Shasta County, on May 9, 2024. On this date, the reservoir storage was 4,380,600 acre-feet (AF), 96% of the total capacity.


    Topline:

    A record-baking heat wave is scalding California, with major consequences for the state’s most important reservoir: its snowpack. Providing about a third of the state’s water supply, the Sierra Nevada snowpack is a vital source of spring and summer runoff that refills reservoirs when the state needs the water most.

    Why it matters: A warm wet storm followed February’s snow, and now, March temperatures are shattering records — prompting warnings of rapid snowmelt and swift rivers. Historically, the snowpack is at its deepest in April. But climate change is shifting runoff earlier, leaving less water trickling down the mountains in warmer months for homes, farms, fish, hydropower and forests. This year’s snowpack is rapidly approaching the worst five on record for April 1st, state climatologist Michael Anderson said — and it’s likely to worsen still as temperatures climb. From early to mid-March, the snowpack has been disappearing at a rate of roughly 1% per day. 

    Smaller snowpack leaves a gap: Even as California suffers record heat and early snowmelt, the state is better prepared than in the past. Major reservoirs are already above historic averages, and early season storms soaked the soil beneath the snowpack, making it less likely to swallow the runoff. But the season’s early melt may still leave a gap. “It's going to get us through this year just fine,” Johnson said. “But it's not as ideal as having that additional snow reservoir ready to run off through summer, and replenish what we're going to be releasing.”

    A record-baking heat wave is scalding California, with major consequences for the state’s most important reservoir: its snowpack.

    Providing about a third of the state’s water supply, the Sierra Nevada snowpack is a vital source of spring and summer runoff that refills reservoirs when the state needs the water most.

    But a warm wet storm followed February’s snow, and now, March temperatures are shattering records — prompting warnings of rapid snowmelt and swift rivers.

    Historically, the snowpack is at its deepest in April. But climate change is shifting runoff earlier, leaving less water trickling down the mountains in warmer months for homes, farms, fish, hydropower and forests.

    “In an ideal world, you'd have your reservoir full right now, and this additional huge snowpack reservoir that we know will help replenish and provide more water supply,” said Levi Johnson, operations manager for the Central Valley Project, the massive federal water system that funnels northern California river water to the Central Valley and parts of the Bay Area.

    This year, he said, “we're not going to have that.”

    California’s reservoirs are in good shape, brimming above historic averages with many nearing capacity. But that summertime snow bank on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada is disappearing early, and fast — dropping to 38% of average for mid-March statewide.

    It’s not yet the worst snowpack on record: that distinction belongs to 2015, when then-Gov. Jerry Brown stood on brown, barren slopes of the Sierra Nevada to watch scientists measure the most meager snowpack in history.

    But this year’s snowpack is rapidly approaching the worst five on record for April 1st, state climatologist Michael Anderson said — and it’s likely to worsen still as temperatures climb. From early to mid-March, the snowpack has been disappearing at a rate of roughly 1% per day. 

    It’s a sharp departure from the near-average conditions of last year, and presents both a challenge and a glimpse of the future for reservoir operators in the state.

    Conflicting roles for reservoirs

    Many of California’s reservoirs serve a dual role: stoppering flood flows and storing water for drier times ahead.

    Those roles sometimes conflict — as they did at Lake Mendocino, which dried to a mud puddle during the 2012–16 drought. Rigid federal operating rules forced the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to release vital water supplies from the dam to make room for winter floods that didn’t come.

    The dire water shortages that followed spurred an experimental partnership called Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations, between the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego’s Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes and state, federal and local agencies.

    The program incorporates advanced forecasting and weather observations into reservoir release decisions at Lake Mendocino. It prevented the reservoir from going dry during the most recent drought, according to Don Seymour, deputy director of engineering at Sonoma Water, which co-manages the reservoir.

    Now, 165 miles away in the Sierra Foothills, Yuba Water Agency is eyeing adopting the same program for New Bullards Bar, a reservoir roughly eight times bigger than Lake Mendocino that’s fed by Sierra snowmelt on the North Yuba River.

    The reservoir supplies water to more than 60,000 acres of farmland in Yuba County as well as users south of the Delta. But early snowmelt is complicating efforts to store that water.

    “We're seeing snowmelt conditions in mid-March that we normally don't see until at least mid-May,” said general manager Willie Whittlesey. “It's pretty obvious that this is the runoff — this is the snowmelt — and it's just happening about two months early.”

    The reservoir is nearly full at 114% of average for this date and 84% of total capacity.

    But when snowmelt arrives early, the agency can’t catch it once the reservoir reaches a certain level — even when no storms are in the immediate forecast. Federal rules require Yuba Water to maintain a certain amount of empty space until June to absorb potential floodwaters, according to Whittlesey.

    Yuba Water is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to update this decades-old rulebook, Whittlesey said, but until then it must request special permission to store the extra water.

    Though the agency has received permission in the past, this year it’s also contending with a rupture in a major pipe to one of its hydropower facilities, which is forcing the agency to hold back more water behind the dam.

    Whittlesey said he suspects that the combination of flood-control requirements and damage control after the pipe failure is likely costing them tens of thousands of acre-feet of snowmelt.

    The California Department of Water Resources, which manages Lake Oroville — the state’s second-largest reservoir — told CalMatters that it’s storing water beyond its normal flood control limits, with permission from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

    In the Bay Area, the East Bay Municipal Utility District, California’s second-largest urban water supplier, owns and operates the Camanche and Pardee reservoirs in the Central Sierra foothills.

    “We're working to save every drop in light of the warm temperatures that we are experiencing now, and in light of all the zeros that we are seeing in terms of a rain or snow forecast,” said spokesperson Andrea Pook. “The last time that we had run off this early was in 2015.”

    Pook said the district is releasing less water from its reservoirs now, in order to preserve more for the fall when salmon migrate upriver to spawn.

    “We're tracking to not necessarily be in a drought situation. But I am not convinced that we're going to fill our reservoirs by July 1st, which is our usual goal,” Pook said.

    Improved forecasts after a major miss

    Even as California suffers record heat and early snowmelt, the state is better prepared than in the past.

    Five years ago, state forecasters badly missed their runoff predictions — overestimating the snowmelt expected to refill reservoirs by up to 68%. Dry soils and a parched atmosphere drank up the runoff before it could flow into storage. Farms and cities scrambled in the middle of a drought as supplies fell far short of expectations.

    This year is different. Major reservoirs are already above historic averages, and early season storms soaked the soil beneath the snowpack, making it less likely to swallow the runoff.

    The state has also been working on better forecasts.

    “Things have substantially improved,” said Andrew Schwartz, Director of UC Berkeley’s Central Sierra Snow Laboratory, in an email to CalMatters.

    Johnson, at the federal Central Valley Project, said that the state and federal water delivery systems are in a better spot than five years ago, and that forecasts haven’t made a major miss since.

    But the season’s early melt may still leave a gap.

    “It's going to get us through this year just fine,” Johnson said. “But it's not as ideal as having that additional snow reservoir ready to run off through summer, and replenish what we're going to be releasing.”

    Improved snowpack modeling and soil moisture estimates, experimental temperature measurements at different snow depths, university collaborations and incorporating weather outlooks are helping, according to the Department of Water Resources.

    Still, between state budget shortfalls and federal cuts, challenges remain, Anderson said.

    Efforts to install more soil moisture sensors in national forests have run into permitting slowdowns at the U.S. Forest Service, which has shed thousands of employees under President Donald Trump.

    “You wait in line a lot longer,” Anderson said. “That's been the biggest limitation of late. There just isn't anybody there.”

    This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.

  • Eid al-Fitr events across LA this weekend
    Various foods arranges on plates on a table. Fruits, fried pastries, spices and beans.
    The fasting period for millions of Muslims ends this weekend with Eid al-Fitr — the “festival of breaking the fast” — marking the end of Ramadan.

    Topline:

    The fasting period for millions of Muslims ends this weekend with Eid al-Fitr — the “festival of breaking the fast” — marking the end of Ramadan. 

    What to expect: The holiday, which lasts three days, centers on prayer, charity and time spent with family and community.  And with it comes a wave of joyful celebrations, feasts and family events. Across Los Angeles, that spirit is reflected in a range of events.

    Read on... from Eid-themed picnics in Ladera Heights to comedy shows in Westlake to a 5K run through Boyle Heights, here are some of the best ways to commemorate the end of Ramadan.

    This story first appeared on The LA Local.

    The fasting period for millions of Muslims ends this weekend with Eid al-Fitr — the “festival of breaking the fast” — marking the end of Ramadan. 

    The holiday, which lasts three days, centers on prayer, charity and time spent with family and community. 

    And with it comes a wave of joyful celebrations, feasts and family events.

    These gatherings arrive after a stretch of difficult years marked by global conflict, including wars in Iran, Gaza, Lebanon and Sudan, and many other ongoing conflicts worldwide.

    For many, those events have cast a shadow over recent Ramadans, making the spirit of the holy month feel harder to fully hold onto, especially for those watching the violence unfold from afar.

    Still, Eid offers a moment of grounding, with events showing how that sense of togetherness endures — a chance to gather with loved ones, give thanks and find meaning in community.

    And across Los Angeles, that spirit is reflected in a range of events. From Eid-themed picnics in Ladera Heights to comedy shows in Westlake to a 5K run through Boyle Heights, here are some of the best ways to commemorate the end of Ramadan.

    Chand Raat Mela at Islamic Center of South Bay–LA

    South Bay
    25816 Walnut St. Lomita
    Date: Thursday, March 19
    Time: 6 to 11 p.m.
    More info here.

    Grab some food, browse outfits and jewelry, get your mehndi (henna) done and soak up the pre‑Eid buzz with families from all over.

    Prayer at Masjid Umar Ibn Al Khattab

    Exposition Park
    1025 W Exposition Blvd, Los Angeles
    Date: Friday, March 20,
    Time: 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.
    More info here.

    Join a packed Eid congregation across from USC, with early‑morning prayer, and complimentary coffee, tea and snacks such as donuts, cookies, sandwiches, nachos and hot dogs. 

    Prayer at Masjid Al-Zahra

    Southeast LA
    8152 Seville Ave, South Gate
    Date: Friday, March 20
    Time: 7:30 am
    More info here.

    Masjid Al-Zahra is offering prayers followed by a breakfast. 

    Prayer at the Islamic Center of Southern California 

    Koreatown
    434 S. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles
    Date: Friday, March 20
    Time: Take beerat at 7 a.m. with prayer at 7:30 a.m.; Take beerat at 9 a.m. with prayer at 9:30 a.m.
    More info here.

    Mark a historic Eid as Islamic Center of Southern California (ICSC) hosts prayers at its Vermont Avenue campus, offering multiple morning prayer times and easy access to Koreatown eats afterward.

    Eid Picnic at Kenneth Hahn

    Ladera Heights
    4100 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles
    Date: Friday, March 20
    Time: 2 to 7 p.m.
    More info here.

    Join the fun with BBQ on the grill, kids getting soaked in water games, and friendly basketball and soccer showdowns.

    Eid in the City at Ladera Park

    Ladera Heights
    6027 Ladera Park Ave., Los Angeles
    Date: Friday, March 20
    Time: 3 p.m.
    More info here.

    Pack a blanket, round up the crew and hang out at this potluck in the park.

    Wellness as Resistance at InnerCity

    Boyle Heights
    3467 Whittier Blvd., Los Angeles
    Date: Friday, March 20
    Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
    More info here.

    Gaby Alcala from Luminous Body Therapy is offering a free, grounding community sound bath at InnerCity Struggle’s Youth and Community Center.

    Nowruz 2026

    Highland Park
    5541 York Blvd., Los Angeles
    Date: Friday, March 20
    Time: 7 p.m.
    More info here.

    Celebrate the arrival of spring with Nowruz, the Persian New Year, featuring live Persian music.

    “Beetlejuice” at the Pantages

    Hollywood
    6233 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles
    Date: Friday, March 20 to Sunday, March 22
    Time: Various
    More info here.

    The cult‑favorite musical adaptation of “Beetlejuice” delivers big spectacle, singalong moments right on Hollywood Boulevard.

    Immanuel Wilkins at Blue Note 

    Hollywood
    6372 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles
    Date: Friday, March 20 to Sunday, March 22
    Time: Various
    More info here.

    Saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins brings cutting‑edge jazz to Blue Note for an ideal date night.

    Beautify your community

    East LA
    4025 City Terrace Drive, Los Angeles
    Date: Saturday, March 21
    Time: 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
    More info here.

    Connect with your neighbors at a street cleanup hosted by Visión City Terrace and the Maravilla Community Advisory Committee at City Terrace Library.

    Goats & Totes

    Westside
    8840 National Blvd., Culver City
    Date: Saturday, March 21
    Time: 11 a.m.More info here.

    Take the family to meet and pet some goats at Ivy Station.

    DOLORES at Plaza de la Raza

    Lincoln Heights
    3540 N. Mission Road, Los Angeles
    Date: Saturday, March 21
    Time: 3 p.m.
    More info here.

    Explore the legacy of Dolores Huerta with a screening, art exhibit, opening reception and panel conversation at the Plaza de la Raza Boathouse Gallery as part of a special exhibition on view through April 12, 2026.

    Andrew Callaghan at The Wiltern 

    Westlake
    3790 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles
    Date: Saturday, March 21
    Time: 7:30 p.m.
    More info here.

    Andrew Callaghan brings his popular “Channel 5” world to the stage for a one‑night carnival of live bits, interviews and typically internet-native chaos.

    “Vertigo” in Concert with the LA Phil

    Downtown
    111 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012
    Date: Saturday, March 21
    Time: 8 p.m.
    More info here.

    See Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” on the big screen while the LA Phil performs Bernard Herrmann’s iconic score live at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

    Beautify your community

    East LA
    2609 E. Cesar E. Chavez Ave., Los Angeles
    Date: Sunday, March 22
    Time: 7:30 a.m.
    More info here.

    Join Healing in Spanglish and Acurrúcame Cafe for a 5K run or 2-mile walk through Boyle Heights. Stay for the post-run cafecito. The first 50 cars will get access to free parking at 345 N. Fickett St.

    Dorsey High School Eid Al‑Fitr Festival 2026

    Crenshaw
    3537 Farmdale Ave., Los Angeles
    Date: Sunday, March 22
    Time: 12 to 4 p.m.
    More info here.

    Spend the afternoon roaming food stalls, checking out vendors and just hanging out. Adults pay a small entry fee, kids get in free.

    Butterfly Pavilion

    Exposition Park
    900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles
    Date: Sunday, March 22
    Time: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
    More info here.

    Starting Sunday, you can take the kids to walk among hundreds of beautiful butterflies at the Natural History Museum. Reservations are required. The pavilion runs through the summer. 

    New Horizon School Eid Breakfast

    San Gabriel Valley
    651 N. Orange Grove Blvd., Pasadena
    Date: Monday, March 30
    Time: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
    More info here.

    Roll up with the family for a laid‑back breakfast, kids’ activities and plenty of time to catch up with friends between coffee refills.