The Brief

A constellation of classified defense satellites built by the commercial company SpaceX is emitting a mysterious signal that may violate international standards, NPR has learned.

Satellites associated with the Starshield satellite network appear to be transmitting to the Earth's surface on frequencies normally used for doing the exact opposite: sending commands from Earth to satellites in space. The use of those frequencies to "downlink" data runs counter to standards set by the International Telecommunication Union, a United Nations agency that seeks to coordinate the use of radio spectrum globally.

Starshield's unusual transmissions have the potential to interfere with other scientific and commercial satellites, warns Scott Tilley, an amateur satellite tracker in Canada who first spotted the signals.

"Nearby satellites could receive radio-frequency interference and could perhaps not respond properly to commands — or ignore commands — from Earth," he told NPR.

Outside experts agree there's the potential for radio interference. "I think it is definitely happening," said Kevin Gifford, a computer science professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder who specializes in radio interference from spacecraft. But he said the issue of whether the interference is truly disruptive remains unresolved.

SpaceX and the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, which operates the satellites for the government, did not respond to NPR's request for comment.

Caught by the wrong antenna

The discovery of the signal happened purely by chance.

Tilley regularly monitors satellites from his home in British Columbia as a hobby. He was working on another project when he accidentally triggered a scan of radio frequencies that are normally quiet.

"It was just a clumsy move at the keyboard," he said. "I was resetting some stuff and then all of a sudden I'm looking at the wrong antenna, the wrong band."

The band of the radio spectrum he found himself looking at, between 2025-2110 MHz, is reserved for "uplinking" data to orbiting satellites. That means there shouldn't be any signals coming from space in that range.

But Tilley's experienced eye noticed there appeared to be a signal coming down from the sky. It was in a part of the band "that should have nothing there," he said. "I got a hold of my mouse and hit the record button and let it record for a few minutes."

Tilley then took the data and compared it to a catalog of observations made by other amateur satellite trackers. These amateurs, located around the world, use telescopes to track satellites as they move across the sky and then share their positions in a database.

"Bang, up came an unusual identification that I wasn't expecting at all," he said. "Starshield."

Starshield is a classified version of SpaceX's Starlink satellites, which provide internet service around the world. The U.S. has reportedly paid more than $1.8 billion so far for the network, though little is known about it. According to SpaceX, Starshield conducts both Earth observation and communications missions.

Since May of 2024, the National Reconnaissance Office has conducted 11 launches of Starshield satellites in what it describes as its "proliferated system."

So far, the National Reconnaissance Office says it has launched more than 200 satellites as part of its "proliferated architecture" system to facilitate military Earth observations and communications missions.

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National Reconnaissance Office handout

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"The NRO's proliferated system will increase timeliness of access, diversify communications pathways, and enhance resilience," the agency says of the system. "With hundreds of small satellites on orbit, data will be delivered in minutes or even seconds."

Tilley says he's detected signals from 170 of the Starshield satellites so far. All appear in the 2025-2110 MHz range, though the precise frequencies of the signals move around.

Signal's purpose in question

It's unclear what the satellite constellation is up to. Starlink, SpaceX's public satellite internet network, operates at much higher frequencies to enable the transmission of broadband data. Starshield, by contrast, is using a much lower frequency range that probably only allows for the transmission of data at rates closer to 3G cellular, Tilley says.

Tilley says he believes the decision to downlink in a band typically reserved for uplinking data could also be designed to hide Starshield's operations. The frequent shift in specific frequencies used could prevent outsiders from finding the signal.

Gifford says another possibility is that SpaceX was just taking advantage of a quiet part of the radio spectrum. Uplink transmissions from Earth to satellites are usually rare and brief, so these frequencies probably remain dark most of the time.

"SpaceX is smart and savvy," he says. It's possible they decided to just "do it and ask forgiveness later."

He notes it's unlikely the signals from Starshield have caused significant disruptions so far, otherwise other satellite operators would have complained.

Tilley told NPR he has decided to go public with his discovery because the world's satellite operators should be aware of what's happening.

"These are objects in classified orbits, which could potentially disturb other legitimate uses of space," he said.
Copyright 2025 NPR

It’s officially October, and even if the weather doesn’t feel the least bit fall-like, spooky season is very much upon us. Every year, my neighbor turns the front yard of our building into something rivaling Universal Studios. And every year, the display gets more elaborate than the last, so I’m well in the spirit, already living amongst a Mars Attacks alien, a bunch of mummies and a skeleton deep-sea diver. No shortage of costume ideas! I hope your neighborhood is also getting into the Halloween vibe — let us know your favorite blocks for decorations as we get closer to my favorite holiday of the year.

Elsewhere on LAist, you can get the latest on the planned Olympic torch path through all 50 states, relive LA’s first Dolly Parton Day, and meet documentarian John Wilson, whose new film History of Concrete explores the building blocks of New York City.

Music

In music this week from our friends at Licorice Pizza:

Brandi Carlile plays the Grammy Museum this week.

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Angela Weiss

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AFP via Getty Images

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Wednesday

• Liverpool rapper EsDeeKid plays the Hollywood Palladium
• UK’s masked mystery metal band President rules over the Wiltern

Thursday 

• Body/Head (which is the duo of Kim Gordon and Bill Nace) are at Zebulon
• Branford Marsalis Quartet and Dianne Reeves celebrate John Coltrane at the Soraya

Friday 

• Mac DeMarco at the Hollywood Bowl
• Schoolboy Q at the Hollywood Palladium
• Blonde Redhead at the Bellwether

Saturday 

• Sombr at the Forum
• Remi Wolf at the Fonda
• Mastodon and Deafheaven at the Palladium

Sunday 

• J-pop boy band JO1 is at the Novo
• DOMi and JD Beck are at the Bellwether

Monday 

• Brandi Carlile at the Grammy Museum 

Tuesday 

• Ella Langley at the Greek
• Finn Wolfhard at the Fonda 

Events

The Wallflowers

Tuesday, Oct. 13, 8 p.m.
The Orpheum 
842 S. Broadway, Downtown L.A. 
COST: $53; MORE INFO 

Jakob Dylan of The Wallflowers performs during the 2026 Railbird Music Festival.

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Stephen J. Cohen

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Getty Images

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Stay with me here. Yes, I still have the Rolling Stone cover with Jakob Dylan’s mesmerizing blue eyes from 1996 in a box somewhere. But honestly, I saw the Wallflowers at Jazzfest last year, and they’ve still got it. Make your way downtown with one headlight.

CatCon

Saturday and Sunday, Oct 10-11
Pasadena Convention Center
300 E. Green St., Pasadena
COST: FROM $11.53; MORE INFO

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Courtesy CatCon

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It’s CatCon time again, but if you’re a cat lover, you probably already knew that. Cat fanciers head to Pasadena every year for this over-the-top ode to the furballs, from exotic breeds to Hello Kitty.

The Outsiders

Through Sunday, Oct. 18 
Pantages Theatre
6233 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood
COST: FROM $57; MORE INFO

Finally! It feels like we’ve been waiting AGES for last year’s Tony winner for best musical to get here on tour! The Pantages hosts the adaptation of S.E. Hinton’s book and later movie (which starred every soon-to-be-Hollywood heartthrob from Matt Dillon to Tom Cruise to Rob Lowe when it came out back in 1983). The stage version has plenty of star power too, directed by Dayna Taymor and produced by none other than Angelina Jolie.

Roopa Mahadevan

Thursday, Oct. 8, 7:30 p.m.  
Muckenthaler Cultural Center 
1201 W. Malvern Ave., Fullerton 
COST: $40; MORE INFO

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Courtesy Roopa Mahadevan

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Seeing Indian classical singer Roopa Magadevan is a great excuse to take a ride to Fullerton for a show at the magical outdoor theater at Muckenthaler Cultural Center. Magadevan is a unique crossover artist and has collaborated with Wynton Marsalis, led a choir show on New York’s High Line and performed at legendary venues like the Public Theater’s Joe’s Pub.

Jonathan Van Ness: Hot & Healed Tour 

Friday, Oct. 9, 8 p.m. 
Grove of Anaheim
2200 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim 
COST: $59.40; MORE INFO

Jonathan Van Ness performs in Anaheim this week.

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Etienne Laurent

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AFP via Getty Images

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Part-time reality TV star, part-time gymnast, part-time comedian, full-time style icon Jonathan Van Ness is bringing their live show to Anaheim. The Queer Eye hair stylist makes the best air-dry cream (trust!) and is hilarious — a multihyphenate indeed.

Indigenous Pride LA

Sunday, Oct. 11
700 Exposition Park Drive, Expo Park
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

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Courtesy Indigenous Pride LA

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Celebrate Indigenous People’s Day and the intersecting LBGTQ+ community at a free family-friendly festival in Expo Park. Native Americans have a long history of recognizing two-spirit identities and the contributions of the Indigenous queer community. This party in the park includes native food vendors, health and wellness resources, and arts and crafts.

Dodgers Playoffs 

Various locations 
COST: VARIES 

Dodgers' outfielder Kyle Tucker celebrates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. The Dodgers went on to win the game and clinch their fifth straight NL West title.

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Tanner Pearson

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AP Photo

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The Dodgers are well into playoff land, and there’s plenty of places to catch the action beyond Chavez Ravine. Bars all over town are hosting watch parties for those who’ve cut the cord or just want to cheer with other fans. At Skyduster in the Arts District, the games are on indoors and outside on the patio. Tom’s Watch Bar downtown boasts a 23-foot “Megascreen,” and The Shortstop is always a classic stop before or after Dodger Stadium. Drink and food specials abound at all! There’s also a free FOX One baseball throwback experience October 11-12 at the Original Farmers Market with old-school screens and memorabilia. Attendees are invited to share memories of watching the sport’s most memorable games.

Off the Record x Department of Consciousness: Higher Love 

Thursday, Oct. 8, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. 
Reserve Venice
1041 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice 
COST: $38; MORE INFO

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Courtesy Bloomy

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Psychedelics are having a moment. If you’re curious about the science behind the impact researchers say they could have on our inner lives, this talk and interactive evening with clinical psychologists and relationship researchers Dr. Chandra Khalifian and Dr. Kayla Knopp of Enamory might be for you. Higher Love will look at how psychedelic experiences may change the way we understand love, intimacy and connection.

Live Talks LA: An evening with David Byrne 

Tuesday, Oct. 13, 8 p.m.
(In-person & virtual)
Robert Frost Auditorium
4401 Elenda Street, Culver City
COST: $40 for general admission (book available for purchase at checkout); MORE INFO 

David Byrne speaks during SiriusXM's Front Row with Talking Heads hosted by Este Haim.

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Cindy Ord

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Getty Images for Sirius XM

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Sometimes I’m not sure we deserve David Byrne. His Hollywood Bowl show in August blew me away, and his books have always sparked new ideas and ways of seeing, from observing cities by bike to reimagining how we value music. His latest, Sleeping Beauties: Why Good Ideas Go Dormant and How They Wake Up, looks at “how breakthroughs across the arts and sciences get forgotten, and how they get rediscovered.” The talk will also be available as video-on-demand for five days.

Filipino American History Month Film Night

Saturday, Oct. 10 
Million Dollar Theater
307 S. Broadway, Downtown L.A. 
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

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Courtesy Grand Central Market

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The Million Dollar Theater is hosting a screening of two films, Nurse Unseen and Food Roots, to celebrate Filipino American History Month, followed by a panel featuring Filipino American women in film, including director Michele Josue.

At the center of the 1998 film Practical Magic is a story of sisterhood — and, well, a healthy round of margaritas. In the newly released sequel, Practical Magic 2, the cocktails make their celebrated return.

Margaritas all around in Practical Magic 2

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Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures

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For anyone who watched the original midnight margarita scene — with Aunt Franny, Aunt Jet and their nieces, Sally and Gillian Owens, gathering around their warm New England kitchen dancing to the tune of Harry Nilson's "Coconut" — the joyous boisterousness is likely seared well into memory.

As we turn toward Halloween, we figured the ghouls, witches and warlocks of Los Angeles may well be inspired to roam under the cloak of darkness seeking their own midnight margaritas.

Here are the best places to visit across the city that will be open to host your own shenanigans — at midnight and beyond. So go out past 10 p.m., live a little.

Bar Flores (Echo Park)

The hibiscus-infused Flores margarita at Bar Flores in Echo Park.

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Andrea Aliseda

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LAist

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The hibiscus-infused Flores margarita at Bar Flores delights with its pink hue and wonderfully balanced profile. Enjoy it with your choice of agave spirit, share a pitcher with friends, or have a Tommy or Cadillac margarita by request. Owner Karla Flores highlights their humpday special, Margarita Wednesday, where the margaritas are $9.

Daisy (Sherman Oaks)

Daisy's takes on the cocktail include mangoneada and baja slaw.

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Andrea Aliseda

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LAist

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Daisy, the bar in Sherman Oaks dedicated to margaritas, is fashioned as an Angeleno take on the norteño cantinas of Baja California that birthed the drink. Unique versions of the cocktail, like mangoneada margarita and baja slaw margarita, invigorate the experience, but salient standards like the Cadillac and Tommy margaritas make for a well-rounded menu.

Footsies (Cypress Park)

Footsies off-menu options include watermelon, classic lime, and spicy kumquat tamarindo.

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Andrea Aliseda

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LAist

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Footsies welcomes you with its black U-shaped tufted booths, wide dance floor, rustic charm and some quality midnight margaritas. Theirs are off-menu, but consist of watermelon, classic lime and spicy kumquat tamarindo. Beverage director Raul Morales says to look for the rotating chalkboard, which changes once a month, for his seasonally-inspired drinks.

Shim Sham (Filipinotown)

Shim Sham's offers a class margaritas, no strings attached.

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Andrea Aliseda

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LAist

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Count on this lively horseshoe bar, with their idiosyncratic whole dill pickle martini, to give you your midnight margarita fix. Shim Sham's is as classic as it can get, with just tequila, lime juice and sugar on ice. Pay them a visit during their nightly happy hour from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. for an $8 margarita.

Mermaid (Little Tokyo)

Mermaid's version offers a sweet, tangy, tropical tide of guava and pineapple.

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Andrea Aliseda

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LAist

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Divey and glowing in blue light with an underwater motif, Mermaid in Little Tokyo is the place to go for a seaside take on the margarita. Their cocktail, tropical margarita, offers a sweet and boozy drink that is carried by the tangy, tropical tide of guava and pineapple for a refreshing sip.

Describing an urgent need for the public to be informed about potential health risks, community and environmental advocacy groups sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the city of Los Angeles in an effort to obtain data and other records about possible toxic emissions from the Lineage warehouse fire.

California Communities Against Toxics filed a suit Monday against the EPA seeking the United States District Court for the Central District of California to order the release of records they requested under the Freedom of Information Act. That advocacy group claims that large amounts of ammonia have been released from the Lineage facility since the fire destroyed its refrigeration system and argues that the EPA has failed its duty to release public records about it.

“The Facility’s ammonia and other emissions are presently contaminating the surrounding neighborhoods, creating severe health impacts including bloody noses, difficulty breathing, blurred vision, eye swelling, irritation, and running, upper respiratory irritation, persistent coughs pneumonia, skin rashes and irritation,” the group claims in a civil complaint.

The lawsuit comes after months of calls from residents and community advocacy groups for more transparency about the fire and the environmental testing that followed.

Jane Williams speaks to a group of residents at a teach-in with Protect LA Now at Resurrection Church on August 26, 2026

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Laura Anaya-Morga

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Boyle Heights Beat

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California Communities Against Toxics said it asked in August for various records related to the monitoring of the fire, including data on air pollution, smoke plume movement, occupational health monitoring data and the federal agency’s communications with officials from the city and other local departments.

They claim the federal agency has not adequately addressed their request, failed to conduct a thorough search and, ultimately, withheld records that should be released to the public.

The same advocacy group, along with East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice and Protect LA Now, filed a similar suit on Tuesday against the city of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Fire Department. They say records related to the fire department’s response to the fire and its subsequent investigation have also been withheld. They are seeking data collected on possible ammonia release from the facility and communications about the fire to the offices of the mayor and city council members.

They claim the city closed the records request about 24 hours after it was filed, saying there were no responsive records. 

“We have been routinely asking the agencies to divulge the results of the monitoring that was done by first responders…We need to see what happened,” said Jane Williams, executive director of California Communities Against Toxics, during a press conference over Zoom Tuesday.

Williams, whose organization has been monitoring chemical and environmental disasters since 1991, called the Lineage fire “the largest chemical disaster in the state of California’s history.”

What was most alarming about the Lineage fire, Williams said, is that evacuations were not ordered for residents. 

“That’s why now you see 40,000 people who sought medical care from the releases from Lineage,” Williams said, pointing to health data released by AltaMed that reported elevated levels of depression and anxiety as well as increases in eye and throat irritation, among other conditions, in residents who were exposed to the fire and its aftermath.  

Last week, another community group, Eastside Padres Contra la Privatización, called on the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office to open a criminal investigation of the warehouse fire after the LAFD reported that the cause of the fire could not be determined.

In a surprise move, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control’s Criminal Investigations Bureau served a search warrant at the Lineage facility Tuesday. Police officers from the LA County DA’s office were also on site assisting with the criminal investigation.

Agents with the Department of Toxic Substances Control Criminal Investigations Bureau serve a search warrant at Lineage in Boyle Heights on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. (Christopher Damien / The LA Local)

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Christopher Damien

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The LA Local

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Lineage released a statement soon after, repeating its stance that no ammonia had been released from its facility and that the company maintained records that it was safely transported off site when the fire broke out. Still, testing by Lineage as well as community scientists and the South Coast Air Quality Management District found elevated levels of ammonia near the warehouse after the fire, though they did not meet the threshold requiring action to protect public health. 

Tuesday’s raid is yet another rapid development among investigations that have so far remained hidden from the public. 

Last week, Mayor Karen Bass claimed that she asked the City Attorney’s Office to investigate Lineage months ago but was met with inaction. The city attorney’s team responded that the mayor had misspoken, and that they had opened an investigation of the fire in early July. Both statements were the first public admissions that such an investigation was requested and is ongoing.

The post What was in the air after the Lineage fire? New lawsuits are demanding information appeared first on LA Local.

People who have never relied on a food bank before are increasingly walking through the doors of Community Space Food Bank looking for something to eat.

Some tell founder Gaines Newborn that their CalFresh benefits have been reduced or ended. Others say they recently lost their jobs and do not know where else to turn.

“I hear the same story — hey I’ve never done this before. I need food. I need to make it a couple days. I’ve never done this before. My food stamps just ended. I have no idea what to do,” Newborn said.

The food bank typically saw between 2 and 10 new people a day. Since the beginning of this year, Newborn said, that number has climbed to about 30 to 40.

A customer picks up groceries at Community Space Food Bank. The food bank operates a community-choice pantry where customers can select the food they need.

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Hanna Kang

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The LA Local

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That demand is coming as the food bank is dealing with its own financial challenges. Community Space Food Bank is trying to raise $17,000 to cover its expenses for the next two months while also working to buy the building where it operates.

“Every food bank tries their best, but funding is not always there. I think the biggest issue with food banks is that they’re only open once a month, once a week,” Newborn said. “So us being here daily … people thank us everyday and that’s why I’m here everyday. And I can’t see this place go.”

The food bank has been open seven days a week for more than two years, including through a fire last year. It serves about 150 hot meals a day and about 100 families through its pantry, Newborn said.

The pantry operates on a suggested-donation model, and people who cannot afford to pay can still receive food. It is stocked with donations from local supermarkets, restaurants and farmers markets. Newborn said donors include Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Lassens, Lazy Acres and Mother’s Market.

A community fridge operated in partnership with LA Community Fridges sits outside the pantry and is available 24 hours a day.

“Our whole goal is to make sure no one goes hungry, no food goes to waste,” Newborn said. “There’s no ID, nothing required here, just show up for services.”

Keeping the food bank open has also come with a string of setbacks. Two vans were stolen, another broke down recently and three freezers have stopped working, Newborn said. A unit damaged in last year’s fire remains unusable, but the organization is still paying rent on it.

“That’s really kind of eaten into our ability to survive,” he said.

The building where the food bank operates is also for sale. Newborn wants to buy the property so the organization can stay there and have more stability.

Newborn and his wife, Hang, also want to expand the food bank’s freeze-drying operation. They started exploring the technology during the pandemic as a way to preserve surplus food that might otherwise be thrown away.

Hang Newborn said the idea grew out of two problems she saw while working in education: people going hungry and food being wasted.

“That was a way to help us solve two problems, which is there’s too many hungry people, and then there’s food going to landfills and polluting our ozone,” she said.

The food bank currently has eight freeze-drying machines and hopes to eventually have 30.

The idea also became personal for Gaines Newborn after his father died last year at 91. His father had difficulty chewing, so the family began freeze-drying foods that could be broken down and added to soups.

“We started freeze drying and realized you can crumble steak into a soup. You can crumble fruits, veggies, corn, carrots, things that are hard to eat, and he was able to maintain his nutrition,” Gaines Newborn said.

Hang Newborn said the long-term goal is to open a freeze-dry supermarket where people could buy food that can be prepared with hot water rather than relying on a stove or microwave.

“Freeze-drying would help us extend the window in which people could eat … people are given a finite time to eat, and most of the food is tethered to refrigeration,” she said.

Community Space Food Bank is located at 3615 Beverly Blvd. near Beverly Boulevard and Virgil Avenue. It’s open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Donations can be made through the food bank’s website.

The post Local food bank under pressure to expand as cuts to food services fuels demand appeared first on LA Local.