A traditional Aztec performer dances during the city of Santa Ana's annual Fiestas Patrias parade in 2019. Fiestas Patrias marks Mexican Independence Day.
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Mario Tama
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This weekend
Listen to El Grito and celebrate Mexican Independence. Immerse yourself in the terror-filled tale of the Angel of Light. Take part in National Dance Day.
Our picks:
El Grito, Los Angeles City Hall, 200 N. Spring St., downtown L.A.-El Grito de Dolores (The Cry of Dolores) commemorates the moment Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang the bell of his church on Sept. 16, 1810, and cried for a call to arms, triggering the Mexican War of Independence.
Angel of Light, Los Angeles Theatre, 615 S. Broadway, downtown L.A.- Step into the theater for an immersive and terrifying story of a hexed girl, just in time for the spooky season.
National Dance Day, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa- Get ready to move your feet on the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza in the day-long celebration of dance and community.
Listen to El Grito and celebrate Mexican Independence. Immerse yourself in the terror-filled tale of the Angel of Light. Take part in National Dance Day. Attend the 2023 Power Fest!
Events
Friday, Sept. 15; 5 - 11 p.m.
El Grito Los Angeles City Hall 200 N. Spring St., downtown L.A. El Grito de Dolores (The Cry of Dolores) commemorates the moment Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang the bell of his church on Sept. 16, 1810, and cried for a call to arms, triggering the Mexican War of Independence. L.A. kicks off Latino Heritage Month with an El Grito celebration at City Hall and Grand Park on Friday, with a reenactment of El Grito, family activities, food trucks and music from Banda Machos, Las Colibrí, Las Cafeteras and Banda Las Angelinas. COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Other Mexican Independence celebrations this weekend include:
El Grito De Independencia and the Latinx Heritage Month kick off in Pico Rivera on Friday, Sept. 15 at 5 p.m. in Smith Park;
The city of Santa Ana celebrates Fiestas Patrias on Saturday, Sept. 16 and Sunday, Sept. 17, at Flower Street between Civic Center Drive and Santa Ana Boulevard.
Fiestas Patrias Olvera is a one-day celebration at El Pueblo in downtown L.A. from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 17.
"Angel of Light" is a brand new haunting, immersive theatrical and horror production that opens in downtown L.A. this weekend.
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Odeon
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Friday, Sept. 15 - Tuesday, Oct. 31
Angel of Light Los Angeles Theatre 615 S. Broadway, downtown L.A. Step into the theater for an immersive and terrifying story of a hexed girl, just in time for the spooky season. Be transported to old Hollywood in 1935 and step into the chaotic and unsettling Angel of Light tale through the combination of live performances, elaborate sets, artistry and good, old-fashioned jump scares. The production also includes dark and small spaces, strobe lights and extreme sound and light effects. The show is not recommended for those 13 and younger. COST: Tickets start at $59.50; MORE INFO
Solvang Danish Days returns to Solvang this weekend, Sept. 15-17.
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Deborah Chadsey
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Courtesy of Solvang Danish Days
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Friday, Sept. 15 - Sunday, Sept. 17
Solvang Danish Days 2023 Various locations in Solvang With the theme of “Kom Sammen” (“Come Together”), the weekend honors the 1911 establishment of Solvang by Danish Americans. The festivities include three parades, Danish folk dancers, live concerts, and a Danish-style beer and wine garden serving up Carlsberg beer. Fan favorites like Æbleskivers (the pastry round), story time sessions with Hans Christian Andersen, a Viking encampment and an Old World artisanal crafts marketplace will occur throughout the weekend. Plus, there’s a two-day LEGO-building competition. COST: Free admission, but some activities run $10 - $100; MORE INFO
Beyond the Streets: Art Exhibitions + Book Signing Beyond the Streets Flagship 434 N. La Brea Ave., Hancock Park The street art gallery hosts an opening reception for three solo shows: Huskmitnavn’s Under The Same Sky; Pose’s In/Sight and Tim Conlon’s Tracks Of Time. Also happening during the reception from 3 to 6 p.m. is a book signing of the hardcover art book Freight Train Graffiti by Roger Gastman, Darin Rowland and Ian Sattler. Gastman, founder of the gallery, produced the 2010 Academy Award-nominated film Exit Through the Gift Shop. The exhibitions will remain on view through Oct. 21. COST: FREE; MORE INFO
2023 Power Fest! Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza 3650 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Baldwin Hills / Crenshaw Join in a day of positive vibes and empowerment sessions at Community Coalition's 2023 South LA Power Fest. Expect amazing music from a lineup that includes No Name, Buyepongo, Kg Superstar, Roxcizzle, DJ Adé, !Baile! and DJ Abstrkt. The day also features art, community-building, food and family friendly fun. COST: FREE; MORE INFO
A radiator cap of a 1931 Packard, 845 Deluxe Eight, Sport Sedan, is seen at the Nethercutt Museum in Sylmar in 2010. The Nethercutt Museum showcases more than 130 of the world's greatest antique, vintage, classic and special interest automobiles.
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GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty Images
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Saturday, Sept. 16; 12:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Driving Force Talk & Tour Nethercutt Museum and Collection 15151 Bledsoe St., Sylmar The Art Deco Society of L.A. heads to the antique auto collection in the Valley for its first in-person lecture since before the pandemic. Attend an illustrated presentation, lecture and signing for the new Angel City Press book Driving Force: Automobiles and the New American City 1900-1930 by Darryl Holter with Stephen Gee and a foreword by Jay Leno. A private tour of the vintage collection is included in the event. Books will be for sale. COST: $20 - $25; MORE INFO
National Dance Day Segerstrom Center for the Arts 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa Get ready to move your feet on the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza in the day-long celebration of dance and community. The center is the official West Coast host and features live performances, inclusive and interactive dance and movement lessons, and the chance to learn this year’s official National Dance Day routine from a special guest artist. This year’s National Dance Day celebration will be Spanish-language friendly and include American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters. COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO
Saturday, Sept. 16; 3 p.m.
The Grand Finale: Hip-Hop Architecture Symposium, Auction, and Reception 8707 Washington Blvd., Culver City Helms Bakery District, SoCalNOMA, and A+D Museum present closing events for the exhibition, Close to the Edge: The Birth of Hip-Hop Architecture. A Symposium/Cypher begins at 3 p.m. with Exhibit Designer/Curator Sekou Cooke and featured architects Andres Hernandez, James Garrett, Demar Matthews and others. A live and online charity auction of the artwork follows at 5 p.m. The night closes with a party beginning at 7 p.m. featuring DJ Mr. Sonny James and food and drinks by Leimert Park Wine. COST: $10; MORE INFO
Saturday, Sept. 16; 7:30 p.m.
La La Land in Concert: Film Screening with Live Orchestra LA State Historic Park 1245 N. Spring St., downtown L.A. The Street Food Cinema event presents composer Justin Hurwitz, who conducts his Oscar-winning score and Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, and Hurwitz’s Oscar-winning song “City of Stars,” performed live-to-film by a 52-piece symphony orchestra and jazz band. (The musicians accompany the film's original vocal recordings.) DJ Taja Barber kicks things off at 5:30 p.m. Food trucks expected include Aloha Fridays, BBQ Smokehouse, District Burger, Mikachi Hibachi, Pearson's Cajun Food, Pickles and Peas, Rice Balls of Fire, Surfer Taco, Tropic Truck and West Side Banh Mi. COST: $45 - $195; MORE INFO
The Talent Show with Sam Jones: featuring Michael Shannon and music by The Spoilers Hotel Cafe 1623 N Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood The live music/interview show features actors, artists and musicians in a live conversation about risk-taking, artistic process and creative choices (in a similar vein to Jones’ former TV show/podcast Off Camera with Sam Jones). But in this show, after the conversation, the guest — and this week it’s Michael Shannon — plays music with a band and often brings up famous friends to join them. COST: $46.50; MORE INFO
The Sunset & Vinyl Market The Roxy Theatre 9009 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood The Roxy continues its 50th anniversary celebrations this month by teaming with the Rainbow Bar & Grill for a vinyl record fair in the parking lot between the two locations. Holey Grail donuts and coffee will be available to guests as they shop from Record Safari, Deadly Wax, Boogie Maru Sounds, AudioPhileUSA, Shattered Music, Galaxy Music, Str33trecords and others. Exclusive and limited-edition merch for The Roxy’s 50th will also be available for purchase. COST: FREE; MORE INFO
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles opens its Spider Pavilion this weekend.
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Sunday, Sept. 17 - Sunday, Nov. 26
Spider Pavilion Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHMLA) 900 Exposition Blvd., Exposition Park NHMLA opens its seasonal Spider Pavilion this weekend, where guests can wander through the open-air pavilion to view webs and the critters that spun them up close. If you're a museum member, you can attend a preview on Friday or Saturday. Tickets are for a 30-minute time slot and require general admission fees. COST: $8, plus admission ($7 - $18); MORE INFO
CicLAmini - North Hollywood closes down a one-mile stretch of Lankershim Boulevard on Sept. 17.
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Sunday, Sept. 17; 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
CicLAmini - North Hollywood Lankershim Boulevard, between Chandler Boulevard and Camarillo Street/Vineland Avenue North Hollywood The CicLAvia team transforms one mile of Lankershim into a pedestrian-friendly, neighborhood-oriented experience. The street turns into a public park, open for strolling, jogging, skating, playing or hopping on a pedicab. Family- and pet-friendly activities and two hubs with special programming will be sprinkled along the route. COST: FREE; MORE INFO
The CA Brewery Running Series combines 5K runs with post-run beers from local breweries.
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Outdoor Pick
5k Beer Run x HiDef Brewing The CA Brewery Running Series combines 5K runs with post-run beers from local breweries. On Saturday, Sept. 16, sleep in a little and meet up at HiDef Brewing in downtown L.A. for a 5K that starts at 10:15 a.m. The open course (which means it’s not closed off to traffic) begins and ends at the brewery and weaves throughout the city with great views. Runners, joggers and walkers of all ages and all levels are welcome to participate. Participants must be 21+ to enjoy the post-race beer from HiDef. Those under age will receive a token for a nonalcoholic beverage. Registration fees begin at $40.
Viewing Pick
Sing-A-Long Sound of Music Don the lederhosen or come dressed as your favorite nun as the Hollywood Hills come alive for The Sound of Music sing-a-long. The annual tradition features a preshow and costume contest at 6 p.m. followed by the screening of the 1965 beloved musical directed by Robert Wise and starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer at 7:30 p.m. Watch the von Trapps’ idyllic life in their beloved Austria get spoiled by WWII and the Nazis. The evening is hosted by actor Melissa Peterman. Tickets: $45 - $134.
Fanny's at the Academy Museum offers a prix fixe dinner inspired by "Serial Mom," John Waters' satirical black comedy.
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Dine and Drink Deals
Here are a few dine and drink options to indulge in this week.
Commonspace Brewery in Hawthorne is “hopping” this weekend. The brewery recently partnered with iconic L.A. diner Norms to create the Norms IPA, a beer with Citra & Mosaic hops showcasing aromas of mango, clementine and calamansi. RSVP to join a release party on Friday, Sept. 15 at 5 p.m. with appetizers, DJ Krizzia and giveaways. On Saturday, Commonspace holds an Oktoberfest celebration on Saturday, Sept. 16, with live music, fried chicken, fresh pretzels, stein FEST beer specials, games, prizes and glass blowing. And Sunday, they’re holding a Spicy Pop-Up from noon to 5 p.m.
On Sunday, Sept. 17, starting at 4 p.m., Fanny’s at the Academy Museum offers a Serial Mom-inspired prix fixe dinner in honor of the museum’s latest exhibition, John Waters: Pope of Trash. The menu takes on the traditional family meals that Kathleen Turner's character cooks up in Waters’ satirical back comedy, including "The Perfect Meatloaf," (pictured) sesame broccoli, and a slice of classic cherry pie. Reservations can be made via OpenTable.
Mockingbird Incubator, an L.A. nonprofit that supports and trains activists, grassroots organizers and early stage/emerging nonprofits, holds a drag brunch fundraiser at Checker Hall in Highland Park on Sunday, Sept. 17 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Brunch features performances by local drag performers Joule Elento and Opal Lame, as well as a silent art auction sponsored by the Arroyo Arts Collective. General admission tickets are $50 and include one mimosa or non-alcoholic beverage. Additional drinks or brunch menu items will be available for purchase. VIP tickets are also available.
Celebrate La Vie En Rosé on Sunday, Sept. 17, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Sea Level at the Shade Hotel Redondo Beach. Tickets ($75) include an immersive experience featuring a “pink carpet” welcome, cocktails, DJs, small bites courtesy of the oceanfront Sea Level restaurant, which can be perfectly paired with six pours of prestigious rosé brands. VIP tickets are available for $95 per person and include access to the VIP Rose Garden as well as a dessert bar and swag bags. The event is 21+ and tickets are available on Resy.
Oktoberfest comes to the Grand Central Market (GCM) this weekend (Sept. 16 and 17) and again on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. The festivities include games, food specials, authentic Oktoberfest brews (Paulaner and Hofbrau) as well as offerings from Golden Road Brewery. Admission is $15 or $25 for special entry, including one GCM souvenir boot with the first beer.
Members of the congregation attend a groundbreaking service at the site of the burned Fountain of Life Nazarene Church to mark the beginning of its rebuilding April 26 in Altadena.
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Damian Dovarganes
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AP
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Topline:
Faith leaders both in the Pacific Palisades and in Altadena and Pasadena — devastated by the pair of fires that tore across Southern California — have relied on interfaith and community partnerships to rally congregants who are picking up the pieces 16 months later.
Why it matters: They’ve had to learn on the fly about insurance coverage and local land use regulations while still trying to keep their scattered flock together and raising money for basic needs. Pastors in Altadena have had to fight to protect the rights of Black people who decades ago found pathways to home ownership in that community despite redlining — but now risk losing their land to outside developers who sense an investment opportunity.
Interfaith relationships: This would have been difficult for faith leaders to handle but for the interfaith relationships that became closer and stronger after the fires, said the Rev. Grace Park, associate pastor at Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church, which burned down.
Read on ... for more on how faith leaders in SoCal are uniting after the fires.
Rabbi Amy Bernstein says the wind-whipped fire in January 2025 that scorched much of the Pacific Palisades, destroying her home and damaging her synagogue, “blew everything open” for the community’s faith leaders.
“If our hearts must break, let them break open,” said the rabbi, who leads Kehillat Israel where 300 families out of 900 lost their homes. “This tragedy has really pushed us closer to one another. We’re working to change the things we need changed.”
Faith leaders both in the Pacific Palisades and in Altadena and Pasadena — devastated by the pair of fires that tore across Southern California — have relied on interfaith and community partnerships to rally congregants who are picking up the pieces 16 months later.
They’ve had to learn on the fly about insurance coverage and local land use regulations while still trying to keep their scattered flock together and raising money for basic needs. Pastors in Altadena have had to fight to protect the rights of Black people who decades ago found pathways to home ownership in that community despite redlining — but now risk losing their land to outside developers who sense an investment opportunity.
And throughout this span, faith leaders have had to cater to the emotional and spiritual needs of their communities and think about how they want to rebuild their sanctuaries that were lost or damaged in the fire. More than a dozen houses of worship burned to the ground or were damaged.
Interfaith relationships have become stronger after the fires
This would have been difficult for faith leaders to handle but for the interfaith relationships that became closer and stronger after the fires, said the Rev. Grace Park, associate pastor at Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church, which burned down.
Methodists, Presbyterians, Catholics, Jews and yogis have not just found common ground in human suffering and loss, but have learned how to lean on one another in a time of dire need, she said.
“It’s a sense of mutual affection and respect, learning from each other and leaning on one another,” Park said. “We’re sharing the joys and the deep valleys of what it means to lead through a time of tragedy.”
Brother Satyananda, a senior monk at the Self Realization Fellowship, lost his living quarters and belongings in the fire. Much of the campus, started by Paramahamsa Yogananda who brought ancient spiritual practices from India to the West, fortunately survived the fire.
Satyananda recalls one day when Bernstein picked up on his sadness and offered him “motherly compassion.”
“We share the same profession where we’re tuned to people in need,” he said. “Now, our relationship has changed because we’re tuning into each other. There’s a greater level of trust.”
Pastor BJ King, who leads LoveLand LifeCenter, worked with the late Rev. Cecil B. Murray to heal communities and build interfaith coalitions after the 1992 Los Angeles riots.
“Back then, there was a choice whether or not to get involved,” he said. “But with these fires, there is no choice. It has affected everybody.”
Pastors have had to acquire new skills
King’s congregation has switched to online services after their leased church building in Altadena suffered smoke damage. Twelve families lost their homes. In addition to helping meet people’s basic needs, King has created a program organizing gatherings to connect therapists with those in need of mental health.
“Many people didn’t even know they needed that,” he said.
One of the most powerful roles faith leaders have played after the fire is to “continue to talk with power, people in charge,” said Pastor Jonathan DeCuir, who leads Victory Bible Church in Pasadena. He and others in the region have continued to meet with local officials and even conferred with Gov. Gavin Newsom to keep things moving for their communities.
DeCuir chairs the board of a nonprofit called Legacy Land Project, which provides financial aid, legal support and guidance on building contractors, as well as medical care to those affected by the fires.
The disaster has brought a level of camaraderie that DeCuir says he has never seen among the region’s clergy.
“Denominational lines have been crossed,” he said. “Even if we have different theological stances or approaches to ministry, we are all now looking at how to care for our people and community. If we don’t come together, Altadena will never ever be the same. The people won’t be there anymore. That, to me, is terrifying.”
While a church is more than a building, physical churches do appear as “beacons of hope” in traumatized communities, said Pastor Mayra Macedo-Nolan, executive director of Clergy Community Coalition in Pasadena. Her group has lobbied for houses of worship to be prioritized on the same footing as businesses in the rebuilding plan.
“When people start seeing churches rebuilding in Altadena, they’re going to feel like it’s going to be OK because the churches are coming back,” she said.
Reimagining a purposeful future
Pastor Jonathan Lewis, fourth from right, holds a groundbreaking service at the site of the burned Fountain of Life Nazarene Church to mark the beginning of its rebuilding in Altadena, Calif., April 26, 2026.
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Damian Dovarganes
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Members of the congregation join in prayer during the groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the burned Fountain of Life Nazarene Church, marking the beginning of its rebuilding, April 26, 2026, in Altadena, Calif.
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Damian Dovarganes
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AP Photo
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Pastor Jonathan Lewis poses for a photo with his congregation during a groundbreaking service at the site of the burned Fountain of Life Nazarene Church, marking the beginning of its rebuilding, April 26, 2026, in Altadena, Calif.
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Damian Dovarganes
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AP Photo
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On April 26, the Altadena Fountain of Life Church broke ground to build a new sanctuary after their house of worship, which had stood for over three decades, was destroyed in the fire. Pastor Jonathan Lewis, who ministers to about 75, hopes the church will be ready in time for Easter next year.
“It’ll be a Resurrection Sunday for our church, too,” he said.
Alexis Duncan, who grew up in Altadena attending that church, came to the groundbreaking with her 6-year-old daughter. She lost both her home and her church building.
“It means everything to me that they’re rebuilding because I want the church to be there for my daughter as she grows up,” she said. “This new beginning gives me and my family hope and the encouragement to come back.”
Some churches like Altadena Community Church, a United Church of Christ congregation, are pausing to rethink their future purpose. The Rev. Michael Lewis, who took over in February after the previous pastor retired, said the congregation is looking into several possibilities for the one-acre lot, including affordable housing.
“We know that a church is not intended to be a landlord and the pastor is no property manager,” he said. “But, we’re also thinking about who is able to return to Altadena? How will this rich, economically diverse community that was scattered by the fire come back?”
The church has been around since the 1940s. A haven for actors, poets and musicians, the former sanctuary also served as a vibrant performance space. Lewis said they hope to incorporate a performance stage into the new facility.
“It’ll look different from what we had before,” he said. “Once we figure out how to build community, we can decide what physical structures will help us support that community.”
As for Kehillat Israel, on May 15, members will carry their Torah scrolls back to their sanctuary, marking one of the first returns by a house of worship to the Palisades since the disaster.
Judaism has had “a long history of starting over,” Bernstein said.
“It’s encoded in our cultural approach to the world, that there are things that can always be taken away from you,” she said. “But what you become can never get taken away.”
Erin Stone
covers climate and environmental issues in Southern California.
Published May 9, 2026 5:00 AM
A house under construction in Altadena last year.
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Myung J. Chun
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Topline:
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that he has requested a yearlong extension of FEMA funding for L.A. fire survivors. Without the extension, the money will run out July 9. Now the decision on FEMA support lies with the federal government.
Why it matters: The funds have allowed many survivors to afford temporary housing and other daily needs.
The backstory: Most survivors have yet to return home — 2 in 3 survivors who were living in Altadena or Pacific Palisades at the time of the fires are still displaced, according to the latest survey of more than 2,100 survivors by the nonprofit Department of Angels.
Read on ... for more on why fire survivors are calling on the feds to extend the funding.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that he has requested a yearlong extension of FEMA funding for L.A. fire survivors. Without the extension, the money will run out July 9.
Now the decision on FEMA support lies with the federal government.
The funds have allowed many survivors to afford temporary housing and other daily needs. Most have yet to return home — 2 in 3 survivors who were living in Altadena or Pacific Palisades at the time of the fires are still displaced, according to the latest survey of more than 2,100 survivors by the nonprofit Department of Angels. Nearly 40% of respondents reported they will either soon run out of temporary housing insurance coverage or have already.
The situation is particularly dire for low-income households: Nearly 80% of respondents making $50,000 or less said they didn’t think they could afford housing for three months once coverage ended.
“The data is clear: This recovery is not over,” said Angela Giacchetti of the Department of Angels at a news conference organized by the Eaton Fire Collaborative in Altadena on Thursday. “If you are a survivor, you know this in your bones. For many families, it has barely begun. People have just begun to stabilize. We need federal support that reflects the scale of this disaster and systems that survivors can actually navigate and access over time.”
FEMA assistance isn’t reaching most survivors
The FEMA Individuals and Households Program can provide funding for survivors of disasters to pay for temporary housing, repair their homes, and respond to other challenges that insurance may not cover. It can also help cover costs if a survivor has no insurance.
Gil Barel has been relying on FEMA funds to pay rent on a small back house for herself and her son for the last year. She said they still haven’t been able to return to their rent-controlled Pasadena apartment because of smoke damage, though she still has to pay the rent for it.
Gil Barel is paying rent on a smoke-damaged apartment in Pasadena while FEMA funds have helped her cut the cost of temporary housing.
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Barel doesn’t know what they’ll do if the FEMA funding runs out.
“ I'm really stressed out,” she said. “I think I'm just kind of trying to put that thought aside and hope for the best.”
But in the 15 months since the fires, most survivors have not accessed FEMA funding. About 60% have received no FEMA assistance beyond the initial $770 payments dispersed in the immediate aftermath of the fires, according to the Department of Angels survey.
Many have faced denials, according to disaster case manager workers with Catholic Charities of L.A. and lawyers with Legal Aid Foundation of L.A.
That’s the situation for Gayle Nicholls-Ali and her husband, Rasheed, who lost their Altadena home of 15 years in the Eaton Fire. They’ve relied on their insurance to pay for a rental in Montrose, but that’s rapidly running out. And because they have that insurance, FEMA has denied further support.
Gayle Nicholls-Ali and her husband, Rasheed, lost their home in the Eaton Fire. They plan to rebuild, but the cost is a major hurdle.
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“A lot of our ALE [Additional Living Expenses insurance] is going to run out before we even are able to get into a house,” Nicholls-Ali said.
Without FEMA or insurance support, they’ll have to find a way to pay rent on top of a mortgage. They also face a big gap in the cost of their rebuild versus how much their insurance covers. Nicholls-Ali said without the help of FEMA and other sources of funding, recovering feels further out of reach.
Funds for long-term recovery still in limbo
FEMA funding extensions have been routine in past disasters, including the 2023 wildfires in Hawaii and after devastating flooding in North Carolina in 2024.
But the agency has faced significant cuts during the second Trump administration, and there are indications that disaster aid is becoming increasingly political. For example, President Donald Trump has approved aid for just 23% of requests from states with a Democratic governor and two Democratic senators, compared to 89% for states that with Republican governors and senators, according to an analysis by Politico.
The state has also not received more than $33 billion for long-term recovery, which can help pay for infrastructure upgrades and repairs, as well as help rebuild schools, parks and homes. That money was requested by state and local leaders shortly after the January 2025 fires and hasn’t been appropriated by Congress.
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An international team of disease detectives is now racing to connect with the more than two dozen passengers who disembarked the MV Honius cruise ship on the Atlantic island of St. Helena before the hantavirus outbreak was identified.
Where they're looking: These individuals have flown across the world, including to the United States.
Why it matters: The risk of further spread of this virus is low since it requires close and prolonged contact with an infected individual — and those infected seem to transmit the virus for only a brief period of time. But public health officials want to make sure the outbreak is contained.
An international team of disease detectives is now racing to connect with the more than two dozen passengers who disembarked the MV Honius cruise ship on the Atlantic island of St. Helena before the hantavirus outbreak was identified.
These individuals have flown across the world, including to the United States.
The risk of further spread of this virus is low since it requires close and prolonged contact with an infected individual — and those infected seem to transmit the virus for only a brief period of time. But public health officials want to make sure the outbreak is contained.
Here's how authorities are using the practice of contact tracing to contain the outbreak and keep the hantavirus from spreading.
Contact tracing 101
The concept of modern contact tracing dates to the 1930s and was part of an effort to stop the spread of syphilis. It involves locating the close contacts of anyone who may have been infected. "By identifying people who are at risk of infection," says Preeti Malani, an infectious disease physician at the University of Michigan, "you try to get ahead when people don't have symptoms yet with the goal of preventing the infection from continuing to propagate."
This is a well-tested approach for containing an infectious disease. "It's the oldest tool in the epidemiologic toolbox," explains Malani. "We thought about this a lot early in the pandemic with COVID. But we also do contact tracing for sexually transmitted infections, for things like meningitis and even measles."
Malani likens contact tracing to monitoring ripples in a pond, "trying to prevent those outer rings from propagating by isolating individuals and by identifying individuals who might be at risk of infection."
The idea that "there's a time period where people don't have symptoms but could be harboring the virus, that's what contact tracing helps identify," says Malani.
It starts by pinpointing someone with an infection or suspected infection of the disease in question — in this case, hantavirus. Epidemiologists then look to see with whom they've recently had close contact since these individuals are more likely to have been infected.
This hunt for those with the greatest probability of infection is important. "Otherwise, it becomes an impossible web to contain because everyone is connected to everyone," says Boghuma Titanji, an infectious diseases doctor at Emory University. "So you have to stratify by high, intermediate and low-risk contacts."
The next step involves public health agencies ordering precautions for those who are infected or who may be infected but aren't showing symptoms yet. Such measures may include quarantine, so that an individual doesn't come into contact with even more people — who may then become infected.
One challenge that hantavirus presents is that its incubation period can last up to several weeks. In other words, "people take a long time to become symptomatic after they've been exposed," says Titanji. "Some of these primary contacts would have to be monitoring themselves for symptoms for up to 45 days to be at the tail end of that very long incubation period."
Aboard and ashore
The work isn't high-tech but it is painstaking, requiring officials to reconstruct the many interactions someone may have had over days or weeks.
Onboard the cruise ship, "you might have an individual who is a source of an infection," says Titanji, laying out a hypothetical example. "And then they were sitting at a dinner table with one individual who then goes back to their cabin and shares a bed with their partner who has a conversation with someone else on the deck."
Once someone disembarks the ship, the number of potential interactions can grow quite quickly. This is why officials were concerned when a KLM flight attendant fell ill after being aboard a flight with one of the infected cruise ship passengers. Fortunately, the flight attendant ultimately tested negative for hantavirus.
Titanji is heartened by what she's seen playing out so far. "It seems like the international collaborative effort has been really robust and the mechanisms for containment are in place and underway," she says.
Public health officials argue that contact tracing is a powerful approach that will reduce further spread. "We can break this chain of transmission," said Abdi Mahmoud, the director of the World Health Organization's health emergency alert and response efforts, at a press conference on Thursday.
He has good reason to be confident. Contact tracing was vital during the fight against COVID-19 and helped end the Ebola crisis in Liberia, containing the epidemic there more than a decade ago. Some of the contact tracing even involved hours-long hikes through the jungle to a remote village.
Authorities are hoping for similar success with this hantavirus outbreak.
Copyright 2026 NPR
Robert Garrova
explores the weird and secret bits of SoCal that would excite even the most jaded Angelenos. He also covers mental health.
Published May 9, 2026 5:00 AM
The scene at last year's Clockshop Kite Festival.
(
Gina Glyne/Gina Clyne Photography
/
Courtesy Clockshop
)
Topline:
The sky above Los Angeles State Historic Park in Chinatown will be dotted with color on Saturday with the annual Kite Festival.
The background: The festival had its beginnings as a joyful protest in 2021, back when a proposal for a Dodger Stadium gondola included cutting through the airspace above the park.
What to expect: This year’s programming includes a kite-making station where you can build your own flying art for a donation of $5, along with art workshops and the unveiling of a large floating, inflatable sculpture by Guatemalan kite artist Francisco Ramos.
The sky above Los Angeles State Historic Park in Chinatown will be dotted with color Saturday with the annual Kite Festival.
The festival had its beginnings as a joyful protest in 2021, back when a proposal for a Dodger Stadium gondola included cutting through the airspace above the park. Organizers say last year’s Kite Festival drew a crowd of about 7,000.
“The Kite Festival, [for] some people, it’s their favorite day in Los Angeles,” said Sue Bell Yank, executive director of Clockshop, the nonprofit arts org that runs the festival. “It’s the time when they really feel connected to their city. More so than any other time.”
This year’s programming includes a kite-making station where you can build your own flying art for a donation of $5, along with art workshops and the unveiling of a large floating, inflatable sculpture by Guatemalan kite artist Francisco Ramos.
