Jill Replogle
covers public corruption, debates over our voting system, culture war battles — and more.
Published January 22, 2025 5:00 AM
Fire victims are grateful for the outpouring of support and donations, such as these shoes available at the YMCA in Sierra Madre. But many fire victims are still searching for housing and have no place to store donated goods.
(
Jill Replogle
/
LAist
)
Topline:
The needs of victims of the Eaton and Palisades fires are evolving as they start to look for temporary housing, say people working on the recovery process. Some donation hubs have stopped accepting certain items, especially clothes.
Why no clothing? Used clothing, especially, requires a lot of work to sort through and classify. Storing donations can also be challenging, both for aid groups and for recipients who may not have a place to live right now.
So how can I help? Contact donation centers or check their social media accounts to find out exactly what’s needed. Or give money to a trusted relief organization that knows how to put it to good use. We have some suggestions here.
Read on ... to learn what else is needed as the recovery progresses.
LAist relies on reader donations to power our nonprofit newsroom's coverage of wildfires and breaking news. Support LAist by giving now.
The needs of victims of the Eaton and Palisades fires are evolving as they start to look for temporary housing, say people working on the recovery process. Some donation hubs have stopped accepting certain items, especially clothes.
“Many of the donation centers I've been visiting, and I think we've visited almost all of them now in the San Gabriel Valley, have shared with us that they've actually reached their capacity when it comes to clothing,” said state Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, who represents the area decimated by the Eaton Fire.
For one thing, aid groups have to find a way to store all that bulky clothing. And someone has to sort through it, make sure items are in good shape, and classify them by size.
The task can quickly become overwhelming, as evidenced by a recent drive along Sierra Madre Boulevard. One local business, a funeral parlor, had set up folding tables on the sidewalk out front with a cardboard sign reading “Free Supplies, Clothes.”
Used clothes were piled high on the tables and spilled out of cardboard boxes. Some of it — including a poofy, white wedding dress — was strewn across the sidewalk.
A wedding dress was among the items donated for fire victims.
(
Jill Replogle
/
LAist
)
Christina Bragg, a spokesperson for the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, said the organization is working on finding storage for many of the donations that are coming in at a faster pace than they’re being picked up by fire victims.
“Right now, people are staying at shelters, they're staying at friends’ houses. They can't take that much,” she said. “In a few weeks, when people are starting to settle, I think that's when we're going to see larger collections of goods because people actually have somewhere to put them.”
What people need right now
On a recent morning at the Pasadena-Sierra Madre YMCA, hundreds of volunteers unloaded and organized goods, and staffed stations to keep donations organized and help people find what they needed.
Several women weaved through the crowd offering homemade champurrado, the hot chocolate and cornmeal-based drink,to volunteers and fire victims. One volunteer, Winnie Newburg, 11, helped a couple pick out a bag of dog food and treats for their pet.
“We didn't lose our home, but a lot of our friends did so we wanted to give something back,” said Newburg, who was on her second day volunteering at the donation site.
The back patio of the YMCA was dotted by islands of canned food, kids’ toys and bedding. AJ Placencia wandered around with several bags, looking to replace things that he, his wife and 2-year old son lost in the fire, including toy cars and dinosaurs.
Many fire victims lost everything. Pop-up donation centers like the one at the YMCA in Sierra Madre are providing simple basics, like baby wipes, toothpaste and other toiletries.
(
Jill Replogle
/
LAist
)
Placencia was also looking for essentials his family would need when they could finally leave the emergency shelter set up at the Pasadena Convention Center, where he and his family had been staying.
“I'm trying to find a mattress, but I can't seem to find one here,” Placencia said, looking around. Soon after, he excused himself to go stand in a line forming outside the patio, where Amazon and the YMCA were handing out $1,000 gift cards to fire victims.
“The biggest need that I'm hearing from my constituents is direct cash aid,” said Pérez, the state senator, who was at the YMCA. “Cash assistance really gives my constituents the flexibility to address whatever pressing needs that they may have at that moment.”
That said, Placencia and the other fire victims LAist spoke with said they’re grateful for all the help — including for little things like snacks and toothbrushes and eye cream. Many of them lost everything.
So what’s the best way to help? Pérez and others involved with the disaster relief suggested contacting donation centers or checking their social media to find out exactly what’s needed. Or, give money to a trusted relief organization that knows how to put it to good use.
A new phase of disaster aid begins
Octavia's Bookshelf in Pasadena is normally a bookstore. Its shelves have been transformed into a pop-up donation spot for fire victims.
(
Jill Replogle
/
LAist
)
As soon as Nikki High realized that her business, Octavia’s Bookshelf in Pasadena, would be spared by the Eaton Fire, she transformed the small space into a mutual aid hub.
She and volunteers removed all the books from the shelves and stocked them with food, baby formula, hygiene products and more.
High has since stopped accepting donations, though the shop is still open for fire victims to pick up supplies.
“What I'm noticing over the last day or so,” she said, “people coming in, like, now they have toothpaste and soap and lotion, and now they're asking for things like cooking utensils and mugs and basic household items because they're finding some short term stays.”
Octavia's Bookshelf has stopped taking donations but is still open for fire victims.
(
Jill Replogle
/
LAist
)
High decided gift cards would be more helpful to them, so she’s still collecting those, along with water and air purifiers.
This week, the shop is closed while High works on shifting to a new stage of disaster recovery, focused on fire victims’ mental health.
“We'll have group therapy sessions here, healing sessions. ... So we're really starting to pivot just a little bit and start to do the emotional care work,” she said.
Plus, Octavia’s Bookshelf will soon have books again.
How you can help
Experts advise doing your homework and finding verified places where you know your money will be put to good use. Start here:
Robert Garrova
explores the weird and secret bits of SoCal that would excite even the most jaded Angelenos. He also covers mental health.
Published June 3, 2026 5:27 PM
Mosquitoes being dropped into tubes to be tested for West Nile virus.
(
Tim Boyle
/
Getty Images
)
Topline:
Officials in Orange County are reporting the first detection of West Nile virus in mosquitos this year.
Where? Mosquitos collected in the Newport Beach area have tested positive for West Nile, according to Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District. The infected insects were collected in an area bordered by Campus Drive, Jamboree Road, State Route 73 and John Wayne Airport. according to the OCMVCD.
Any humans infected? There are no reported cases so far of West Nile in humansin Orange County.
What’s West Nile again? For humans, the CDC says the virus is commonly spread through the bite of the infected insects and can lead to severe illness affecting the central nervous system. Symptoms can include: fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea or rash.
What’s being done about it? Vector Control workers will continue inspections to try and tamp down on mosquito breeding.
What you can do: O.C. officials said dumping and draining standing water at least once a week is the best way to limit the pests in your community.
The OCMVCD also shared these tips:
Clean and scrub bird baths and pet water bowls.
Wear repellent containing DEET, Picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
Close all unscreened doors and windows to prevent mosquitoes from entering your home or space; repair broken or damaged screens.
Wear light-colored, loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and long pants while outside at dawn and dusk.
David Wagner
covers housing in Southern California, a place where the lack of affordable housing contributes to homelessness.
Published June 3, 2026 3:54 PM
A Los Angeles City Council meeting April 2, 2025.
(
Samanta Helou Hernandez
/
LAist
)
The Los Angeles City Council moved Wednesday to postpone some of the biggest changes possible under a new state law putting more housing near transit stops. Instead, the council advanced plans for increased density in some targeted neighborhoods.
SB 79 is set to take effect July 1. That hotly debated state law allows apartment buildings between five and nine stories tall near train and rapid bus stops. But the law lets cities delay full implementation until 2030 by crafting local, phased-in approaches for creating more housing. On Wednesday, the council voted 13-0 in favor of a new “Low-Rise Ordinance,” allowing buildings up to four stories tall in 57 neighborhoods near transit stops.
L.A.’s proposed new ordinance aims to delay full implementation of SB 79 in areas deemed historically significant, at high risk of fires or economically “low resource.” Advocates for increased development say the way to get rising rents under control is to build more housing. But homeowner groups in areas the city considers “high resource” have argued denser housing doesn’t belong in the nearly three-quarters of residential land zoned for single-family homes.
Barbara Broide, a board member of the Westside Neighborhood Council, said in an earlier City Planning Commission meeting that the city’s plans to delay SB 79 by channeling growth into certain neighborhoods could have “unintended consequences.”
“The promise of having duplex, triplex and courtyard typologies of housing are being lost with this measure,” Broide said. “Instead we’re seeing four-story apartment buildings with no setbacks, no trees, no place for families, for children to play or tomatoes to be planted.”
Mahdi Manji, a policy director with the Inner City Law Center, said during Wednesday’s public comment period that he supported allowing mixed-income developments in neighborhoods that have historically resisted such housing. But he called for tweaks that would allow ground-level parking and greater density for projects that include more income-restricted units.
“This could be a unique opportunity to make some of these projects a little bit more feasible while adding a little bit of deeper affordability,” Manji said.
The plan still needs to come back to the full City Council for a final vote. Then it will head to the desk of Mayor Karen Bass. She had asked Gov. Gavin Newsom last year to veto SB 79, arguing the state shouldn’t tell L.A. how to plan for more housing.
Keep up with LAist.
If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.
A bipartisan majority in the Republican-led House voted on Wednesday to end the war with Iran, the clearest rebuke yet of President Donald Trump's handling of the conflict and the subsequent economic fallout.
About the vote: The war powers resolution passed by a vote of 215 to 208, with four Republicans joining Democrats in support.
What it means: The vote is mostly symbolic. Democrats, despite multiple attempts, have been unable to pass a war powers resolution through the Republican-led Senate. Even if the measure passed in Congress, it would almost certainly be vetoed by Trump, whose administration has questioned the constitutionality of the War Powers Act.
A bipartisan majority in the Republican-led House voted on Wednesday to end the war with Iran, the clearest rebuke yet of President Donald Trump's handling of the conflict and the subsequent economic fallout.
The war powers resolution passed by a vote of 215 to 208, with four Republicans joining Democrats in support.
The resolution had originally been set for a vote two weeks ago, but Republican leaders sent House members home early for a May recess when it appeared the largely Democratic-backed measure had enough Republican votes for passage. However, the extended break didn't shift GOP support to kill the measure.
Ahead of the vote, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., defended Trump's decision to attack Iran.
"Remember … Iran declared war on us 47 years ago. They chant 'death to America.' The president is trying to keep the people safe," Johnson told reporters.
The vote is mostly symbolic. Democrats, despite multiple attempts, have been unable to pass a war powers resolution through the Republican-led Senate. Even if the measure passed in Congress, it would almost certainly be vetoed by President Trump, whose administration has questioned the constitutionality of the War Powers Act.
Still, Senate Democrats have been inching closer. Last month, they won support on a procedural measure to set up a war powers vote after a handful of Republicans broke ranks to join them. A final vote has yet to be scheduled.
The administration has furiously pushed against the effort in both the House and Senate. Wednesday's vote signals his support for the war may be slipping even among some members of his own party.
Now more than 90 days into the conflict, some Republicans have expressed frustration that the war does not appear to have a clear end in sight. Talks to end the war have yet to gain clear traction, casting doubt on a fragile ceasefire. Just hours before the vote, Iran and the U.S. traded strikes in the Persian Gulf.
The conflict began on Feb 28 with strikes by U.S. and Israeli forces on Iran. Under the 1973 War Powers Act, the president has 60 days to end hostilities if there has been no congressional authorization – though he is able to seek a 30-day extension. The same law also gives Congress the ability to end hostilities by voting on a resolution to end military action, subject to presidential veto.
The top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., warned ahead of the May recess when the vote was delayed that the plan was sure to pass.
"Let's be clear: Republicans pulled this vote because they knew they were going to lose it," Meeks said. "They know this war is a political and strategic disaster."
Copyright 2026 NPR
The latest data shows that EVs typically cost $3,159 per year to insure — nearly $1,000 more than gas-powered cars. It’s an added burden that could make the payback period on EVs significantly longer.
The cost breakdown: On average, the insurance gap between electric and internal combustion engine, or ICE, vehicles was 42%, according to a report released today by the insurance-comparison marketplace Insurify. But it varies drastically by state and model. The most expensive locale was Washington, D.C., where coverage cost $6,394 versus $4,124 for ICE cars. In California, coverage for electric cars costs $3,584 on average versus $2,969 for ICE cars.
Which car brands have the highest insurance? Generally speaking, luxury brands like Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi are particularly expensive to insure, with premiums on many models topping $4,000. Volvo, Chevrolet, Ford, and Hyundai offer cars at the lower end of the spectrum. Insurify wouldn’t disclose which insurers had the most expensive rates, but did say Lemonade, Root, and GEICO offered the most affordable EV coverage. A primary reason for the disparity is that EVs cost more to fix.
Electric vehicles offer many opportunities to save money: on gas, on oil changes, on engine maintenance. But, it turns out, insurance isn’t one of them. In fact, the latest data shows that EVs typically cost $3,159 per year to insure — nearly $1,000 more than gas-powered cars. It’s an added burden that could make the payback period on EVs significantly longer.
On average, the insurance gap between electric and internal combustion engine, or ICE, vehicles was 42%, according to a report released by the insurance-comparison marketplace Insurify. But it varies drastically by state and model. The most expensive locale was Washington, D.C., where coverage cost $6,394 versus $4,124 for ICE cars. Maine was the cheapest at $1,476, just $184 more than a conventional car. The difference was most pronounced in Rhode Island, which has a 73% spread.
Generally speaking, luxury brands like Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi are particularly expensive to insure, with premiums on many models topping $4,000. Volvo, Chevrolet, Ford, and Hyundai offer cars at the lower end of the spectrum. Insurify wouldn’t disclose which insurers had the most expensive rates, but did say Lemonade, Root, and GEICO offered the most affordable EV coverage.
“Insurers were charging those higher premiums to balance their risks,” said Julia Taliesin, an economic analyst and insurance agent at Insurify, who wrote the report. It is based on more than 235 million quotes in Insurify’s proprietary database. Seven states — Alaska, Hawai‘i, North Dakota, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming — are excluded due to lower quoting volume. But high insurance expenses means it can take more driving before an EV pays for itself through lower fuel and operating costs. Even if electricity were free and gas stays at $4 per gallon it translates to at least 5,800 more miles a year compared to a car that gets 25 mpg.
A primary reason for the disparity is that EVs cost more to fix.
“We do see that there is a delta in the cost of repair for electric vehicles compared to ICE,” said Ryan Mandell, a vice president of strategy and market intelligence at Mitchell, a company which provides data and software related to car repairs. He pegs the difference at about 15%, noting that batteries are relatively expensive to fix and for mechanics to work around and that EVs have complicated electronics. But there are more fundamental factors as well, like the lack of an engine.
Mandell gave the Ford F-150 as an example. From 2022 to 2025 an electric version of the pickup truck, called the Lightning, was available alongside gas-only and hybrid versions. When Mitchell subjected the gasoline and EV models to a front-end crash test the engine in the traditional model actually absorbed quite a bit of the impact. Because it doesn’t have that additional structure, Ford designed the Lightning with additional reinforcement that cost around 30% more to fix.
“The Lightning had more crash parts on the front of the vehicle,” said Mandell. He also noted that Ford requires removing the battery before doing any work, which increases labor costs. “It adds up.”
Repair costs, however, are not the only factor insurers consider. Insurify’s data showed insurance rates for the two trucks are roughly the same, which Taliesin said suggests driver demographics and behavior play a role, too. “One of the most significant is personal driving history and credit history,” she said. Given the Lightning’s much higher cost, the credit scores of owners could potentially be higher. And Insurify’s data shows that the ticket and accident rates for Lightning drivers are about half that of traditional F-150s.
“Factors like climate risk, vehicle theft rates, population density, insurance regulation, repair infrastructure, and EV adoption levels contribute to regional cost differences,” the Insurify report stated. In several states it cited climate-driven extreme weather, such as hurricanes and flooding, as drivers of high costs.
This EV insurance story isn’t unique to the United States. In 2024, BloombergNEF found about the same spread in the United Kingdom and Germany. France saw double the disparity. Overall, though, American EV owners still paid 87% more for insurance than Europeans.
“Several model-specific factors have driven the wider cost gaps in the large and SUV segments,” said Aleksandra O’Donovan, head of electrified transport at BloombergNEF, pointing to the Tesla Model Y as a particularly extreme example. “[The U.S. price] is nearly triple the insurance rate for the same vehicle in Germany.”
From 2023 to 2025, the EV insurance gap in the U.S. grew from 29% to 49%. But this year, it came down slightly, which Taliesin said is among a few good signs for EV drivers. Another is that the disparity among cars made in the last two years was only 18 percent — compared 42% across all years.
That drop is partly because auto insurance prices fell across the board in the last year. But Taliesin also said that ICE cars are catching up to EVs in terms of how complicated and expensive they are to fix. The cost of EV batteries is also trending downward, too. As EV sales have grown, there is more data for companies to base their prices on and more incentive for them to court EV owners.
”We’ve been seeing a ton of insurance-shopping behavior as insurers have been dropping their rates to compete for business,” said Taliesin, who is bullish for consumers. “That’s definitely a welcome reprieve.”
