The Brief

Tens of thousands of people around the world have watched Big Bear’s famous eagle Jackie pair up with mates, huddle through torrential snow storms and joyfully celebrate when her eaglets took flight.

Twelve-year-old bald eagle Jackie and her 10-year-old mate Shadow have again captivated audiences, as thousands watch a live webcam to see if the raptor’s three eggs laid in January will hatch.

The bald eagles live in the San Bernardino Mountains overlooking Big Bear Lake.

“I’m shocked, but at the same time I’ve been totally captivated since the beginning,” said Sandy Steers, executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley, a preservation group that operates the solar-powered webcams and meticulously documents the raptors' lives.

One solar-powered camera is perched next to the nest about 140 feet high, near the very top of a Jeffrey pine tree, giving us a nest sideseat to the duo’s home. The other is pointed up at the tree from a lower angle. Both are streaming live, every minute of the day as dedicated watchers from around the world leave notes for one another, detailing their observations.

“There’s something about watching their day to day life that is totally addictive and intriguing,” Steers said.

How bald eagles came to call Big Bear home

Jackie's parents, Ricky and Lucy, became the first known adult eagles to stay in Big Bear Valley, which until then had only been a winter destination for the species.

Jackie became the first eaglet hatched in Big Bear Valley in 2012, according to Steers who lives near the nest where Jackie was born and watched her grow up.

“We could see the nest from almost a mile away, but you couldn’t see into the nest. One year there were chicks before a storm, and after a storm, nobody. We just wanted to see what was going on inside that nest,” Steers said.

After getting a special use permit from the U.S. Forest Service, it took two years to raise the $10,000 needed to buy the equipment and pay experts to install the camera in the 12-story-tall tree.

After installing the camera in 2015, it was later discovered Ricky and Lucy had found a more sheltered tree and built a new nest about 1/4 mile away. The couple successfully raised two chicks, named Midnight and Sky, while the nest with the camera sat empty.

The arrival of Jackie

In 2016, Ricky and Lucy left the area. The next year, a sub-adult female took over the old nest with the camera. There’s no way to know for sure that the raptor is Jackie, but the bird is the right age and the name stuck.

Since then, Jackie has laid 14 eggs. Some years the eggs were infertile or were eaten by ravens. Five of Jackie’s chicks have hatched and three survived to fledging.

“That’s not unusual for eagles,” Steers said. “It’s always very hard and heartbreaking when things don’t work out the way that we would like them to, but it’s nature.”

Steers said if these eggs are infertile the pair could still lay another clutch this season.

The video of the pair’s last chick Spirit taking her first flight from the nest in 2022 has been viewed 182,000 times, with more than 2,200 comments on Facebook.

“It’s been good in that it supports the economy up here with people wanting to know what Big Bear is and know more about it. The people that come that are fans of the eagles are very polite and good with nature, they’re not coming to cause any harm, so it’s been good.”

Still, the exact location of the nest is kept secret.

Why we can’t turn away from wildlife cameras

Public reaction can also be intensely emotional. People have pleaded with Steers and others to build a cover over the nest to protect it from rain and snow, after the raptor pair were catapulted to stardom in 2023 as people around the world watched the birds diligently incubate their eggs through severe snowstorms.

“They are wild animals, we don’t intrude. The eagles know how to have a nest without a canopy on it,” Steers said, laughing.

The eagles are named by Big Bear Elementary School third graders, a practice started by the Forest Service.

Steers said maintaining and repairing the cameras cost between $10,000 and $22,000 a year, which is usually covered by donations. Sometimes the nonprofit asks the viewing public for specialty funds.

The cameras, livestream, newsletters and live chats on Facebook and YouTube are also supported by a devoted group of 10 volunteers around the world who take shifts monitoring and documenting the nest 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The zealous documentation of the raptors has led to a greater understanding of bald eagle behavior, Steers said.

“Sometimes we discover that it’s only Jackie and Shadow that do particular behaviors. We haven’t seen other males on other nests argue to stay sitting on the eggs like Shadow does. At the same time we have seen that all the eagle pairs trade off, and the males take their turn,” Steers said.

The eagles' unique personalities are part of their popularity.

“It’s not just this kind of bird doing instinctive behaviors. They have their own mindset, it’s fascinating to watch," Steers said.

More wildlife news

• The New, Cute Little Bird Showing Up In Southern California Yards
• RIP, P-22. Why The Beloved Mountain Lion Was Such A Big Deal For LA
• A Field Guide To SoCal’s Iconic Wildlife (And Where To Find Them)

Dating is not cheap, especially in a place like greater L.A. And costs are rising.

The overall average date is running $189, according to a BMO Real Financial Progress Index. That’s up 12.5% from last year. We asked listeners of AirTalk, LAist’s daily news show, to share how they find ways to date without breaking the bank.

Head outdoors

A number of listeners said hikes are their go-to cheap date.

“ I like going into an area where you get into a canopy, a lot of trees, so you don't get too warm,” Adrian in Corona said.

There might even be some science behind Angelenos’ love of hiking dates. Dating coach Damona Hoffman said there are benefits to doing something active while on a date.

“It boosts your endorphins… when you do something physical, you can sort of transfer some of those feelings of excitement to the person that you're with,” she said.

Kiz in Beverly Hills recommended Los Leones Canyon in Pacific Palisades — which is open after the Palisades fire — where he went on an early first date with his wife, adding that it’s also kid-friendly.

LAist host Austin Cross pointed out this may not be the best idea for a first date though.

“If the conversation's not hitting, but you're two miles into this hike, you still gotta walk back with them,” he said.

Take advantage of the arts

Heidi in Los Feliz recommended taking an art class, specifically at Heavy Manners Library in Echo Park.

Read more: Beloved Heavy Manners Library in Echo Park is moving — and it’s looking for a few good volunteers

“During the summer, the Hollywood Bowl has $6 seats for the symphony,” Adriana in Hollywood said. “You can take in your own food, you can bring in a bottle of wine, you can sit under the stars, listen to the LA Phil, and to me, that is just the most romantic, gorgeous way to spend a summer evening.”

Simplicity can be a good thing 

Durie in Lomita said he and his wife like to go watch planes at the In-N-Out by LAX. He said it would even make a good spot for a first date.

“ It lends a lot to discussion of what you want in your future,” he said.

Elizabeth in San Bernardino suggests meeting up at a bookstore.

“Conversation came organically through looking at the type of books that we liked,” she said of her experience.

Cross used to go to IKEA on dates back in the day.

“It was also a fun cheap date because you could see a person in so many different settings,” he said. “You could see if they were game to pretend to play house.”

The beach triumphs as an all-time cheap date spot

 Diane in West L.A. said — even after 41 years of marriage — eating dinner on the beach never fails.

“One of you can carry the basket, one of you can carry the blanket,” she said.

Orange County cities are close to finalizing what ballot measures will go before voters in the November general election.

It’s never too early to be prepared, so here’s what we know is coming so far.

Santa Ana: Could a sales tax rate be permanent? 

Santa Ana’s 1.5% sales tax increase — called Measure X — is supposed to decrease in 2029 and then completely go away by 2039. Public officials have said the loss of Measure X could mean the city loses millions of dollars in revenue.

Santa Ana voters will decide in November whether to make the Measure X tax permanent.

The tax measure was approved by voters in 2018. Money from the tax has helped the city fund street maintenance, public safety, youth services and homelessness services.

Costa Mesa: A business tax hike 

Costa Mesa voters will be asked in November if business license taxes should be increased for some large businesses making more than $500,000 in annual revenue.

Currently, large businesses have a $200 limit for taxes to operate in the city. For example, big box stores like Home Depot and Target in Costa Mesa only pay $200 a year in business license taxes. The change, if approved, could increase that to as high as $15,000 based on gross income.

Small businesses — which the city defines as those with $500,000 or less in gross income — will not be affected.

Irvine: Ranked-choice voting 

In Irvine, voters will be asked whether the city should switch the local election system to ranked-choice voting in 2028.

The system would allow voters to rank their candidates in order of preference instead of casting a vote for one candidate.

If approved, the change would only take effect if the costs stay below 0.23% of the city’s general fund. If the switch goes above that amount, the ranked-choice voting system could be delayed until a future election.

Orange: Is a city charter coming? 

Orange is currently a general law city bound by state law and mandates. Voters will decide if Orange should become a charter city, joining other municipal governments like Los Angeles, Santa Ana and Huntington Beach.

Charter cities still have to follow state and federal laws, but can establish their own rules on issues such as mayoral authority, term limits and financial management.

Some council members say the move will give the city more local control over planning, contracting and revenue. Opponents worry that the council is moving too fast on the charter measure instead of tackling the city’s financial crisis head-on.

Orange: A sales tax increase proposal

Voters in Orange will decide on a one-cent sales tax increase that, if approved, would last for 13 years.

The city of Orange is looking at increasingly dire budget conditions. In the 2024 election, voters narrowly rejected a 10-year half-cent sales tax measure estimated to generate $20 million in annual revenue.

What’s next? 

Local governments have until Aug. 7 to call a local measure election to be included in November’s General Election. Registrar of Voters Bob Page told LAist that the county is encouraging cities to file much earlier to allow time for public review, arguments and analysis, as well as document processing.

It looks like the first weekend of August is going to look a lot like most of the month of July: hot and humid.

But the coming heat wave may be especially intense.

Most of Southern California has faced repeated heat advisories over the last few weeks. Ahead of this weekend, though, the National Weather Service has issued more severe extreme heat warnings for almost the entire region. Those will be in effect from 10 a.m. Friday through Sunday evening.

Temperatures are expected to peak on Saturday, when forecasters say highs could get within one or two degrees of daily records.

Parts of the San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley and Inland Empire will see highs well over 100 degrees. Intermediate areas between the coasts and the valleys, including downtown Los Angeles, will be mostly in the upper 80s to mid-90s. Coasts will be mostly in the 80s.

Humidity continues to add to the discomfort and make it harder to cool down at night.

Forecasters say the highest humidity will be along the coast, as high ocean temperatures drive up the moisture in the air. Those areas could see some dense fog on Friday morning.

The combination of heat and humidity will pose a particularly high risk for people over 65, young children, people who work — or spend a lot of time — outside and those without access to air conditioning.

Officials are warning against leaving children and pets in unattended vehicles. Under such extreme heat, temperatures inside a car can reach lethal levels in a matter of minutes.

Fire weather

Despite the humidity, this weekend’s heat wave is also going to drive up the risk of wildfires.

Inland areas, where the humidity is lower than on the coast, will be most prone to fires. The high temperatures, combined with possible wind, mean any fires that start could have the potential to grow large.

Wind gusts could get up to 45 mph in places, with the strongest expected along the 5 Freeway corridor near the Grapevine and in southwestern Santa Barbara County.

About 90% of California wildfires are sparked by people.

Beachgoers beware

A National Weather Service high surf advisory is in place through Saturday afternoon for all Southern California beaches — from San Diego County through Santa Barbara County, including Catalina and Santa Barbara islands.

Large, breaking waves and strong rip currents are the biggest risk to beachgoers, with the most dangerous conditions on south-facing beaches. Rip currents can pull swimmers and surfers out to sea. Large waves can cause injury, wash people off rocks and capsize small boats.

Forecasters recommend staying out of the water, if possible. If you do go swimming, stay near lifeguards, heed their advice and stay off of tidal rocks and jetties.

The heatwave is also adding to the risk as it will likely drive more people to the beach, potentially putting them in harm's way.

Forecasters also issued a coastal flooding advisory that will be in effect through much of Saturday for the SoCal coastline and Channel Islands.

Flooding is likely around high tide. It could affect low-lying areas of beaches, walkways and parking lots, but significant damage to roads or structures is not expected.

The highest tides will likely be tonight, coinciding with the peak of a storm swell from Hurricane Genevieve, which has been whirling hundreds of miles off the coast of Mexico since it formed last week.

Genevieve, along with swells from other Pacific storms, are also responsible for the waves and rip currents.

Olivia Rodrigo’s upcoming Daisy Chain Fields festival in Irvine sold out brutally fast. If you missed out on tickets, you’re in luck.

The “Driver’s License” artist has partnered with the nonprofit L.A. Works to give Livies a chance at experiencing the all-woman lineup on Aug. 29. The organization is giving out 125 pairs of tickets — with a catch.

How the giveaway works

L.A. Works is determining who gets the general admission tickets through a “volunteer drive” called Daisy Chain Reaction. The drive’s events are focused on supporting women and girls in Southern California.

For a chance to win, your first step is to sign up to volunteer with L.A. Works. Then, the drive has to hit a collective hours goal for the giveaway to be “unlocked.” Between now and 7 p.m. Aug. 20, volunteers need to log at least 1,000 verified hours.

Each participant gets entered into the giveaway based on how many verified hours they volunteered. One hour counts as one entry (no maximum), so the more you volunteer, the higher your chances.

The winners will be picked through a random drawing, and you’ll be contacted via email if you get a pair. To be eligible you must:

• Be at least 18 years old at the time of winning
• Have an active L.A. Works account in good standing
• Opt in to the giveaway when registering for an eligible Daisy Chain Reaction volunteer opportunity
• Be a resident of the U.S.

Where to volunteer

The volunteer opportunities are based in Los Angeles and Orange counties. Some may have a waitlist.

Currently, there are 16 events (many of them recurring) spread out across L.A. County. That includes serving breakfast near MacArthur Park, helping with soil restoration in Altadena and passing out back-to-school backpacks in Montebello.

On the other hand, Orange County currently has just three on the roster. That includes packing food in Irvine and helping out at a STEM event for middle-school girls in Santa Ana. L.A. Works says it’s trying to add more O.C. events.

You can find all of the volunteer opportunities here — just make sure the one you pick has “DCR” in the title or mentions the giveaway in the description.

If you sign up, make sure you can attend. Participants who no-show more than one day will be disqualified from the giveaway.