One year after the devastating 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles, multiple events and volunteer opportunities happening throughout January will remember the losses, honor the survivors and provide chances to help with the ongoing recovery.
Highlights:
The band members of Dawes have been some of the most visible survivors and supporters of the Eaton Fire community since the 2025 wildfires. They are putting their notoriety to good use and planning A Concert for Altadena, featuring some major musical talent, including Jackson Browne, Mandy Moore, Ozomatli and Jenny Lewis.
The UCLA Labor Center will host a panel discussion at the Lawson Worker Justice Center (adjacent to McArthur Park), focused on impacts on and protections for workers.
Join local leaders for a candlelight vigil in Altadena. The community will “gather in solidarity as we look toward healing, rebuilding, and a brighter tomorrow."
It’s been a tough year in these parts. Many communities affected by the Palisades and Eaton fires are still reeling, whether directly as homeowners continue to rebuild, relocate and remediate, or indirectly, as communities fight insurance logistics, navigate political processes and recover from mental health implications and job losses. Despite these challenges, the resilience of our city is astounding — and that is worth celebrating, even when it’s bittersweet.
Across the region, events marking the one-year anniversary begin in early January and continue throughout the month. Many organizers have told LAist they would love to have volunteers to help out, so reach out directly to organizers if you are interested in doing more than just attending. All events are free unless otherwise noted.
Events
With Us: Walk with fire survivors through sight, sound and story
Sunday, Jan. 4, 12 to 4 p.m., through Jan. 7, noon to 7:30 p.m. City Market Social House 1145 S. San Pedro St., downtown L.A. MORE INFO
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Department of Angels
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Continuing to tell survivors’ stories is key to recovery. That’s the thinking behind the project With Us, an audio and visual storytelling installation focused on “remembrance and recovery.” The event, put on by Department of Angels and Extreme Weather Survivors, aims to bring the community together at City Market Social House on Jan. 4; the art will be available to check out through Jan. 7.
House Museum: One-Year Fire Anniversary
Wednesday, January 7, 2 to 4:30 p.m. House Museum Chimney Yard Shuttle leaves from 333 Los Liones Drive, Pacific Palisades MORE INFO; RSVP: info@house.museum
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House Museum
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I wrote about the ambitious House Museum project to preserve the chimneys of architectural houses lost in the Palisades Fire last year for The Art Newspaper. Now, their innovative concept is becoming a reality. Join community leaders and the architects involved in the process at a site in the Palisades for a discussion about the project and the neighborhood’s future.
Altadena Candlelight Vigil (new date and time!)
Sunday, Jan. 11, 7 p.m. Altadena Town & Country Club 2290 Country Club Drive, Altadena MORE INFO
Altadena Candlelight Vigil: New date & location! Jan 11, 7-8 pm. Please arrive by 6:30. Altadena Town & Country Club, 2290 Country Club Drive. Featuring music (Children's Choir, the Benn Family) & community speakers. pic.twitter.com/1VI2RgzIi7
Join local leaders for a candlelight vigil marking one year since the Eaton Fire. The community will “gather in solidarity as we look toward healing, rebuilding, and a brighter tomorrow.”
A Concert for Altadena
Wednesday, Jan. 7, 6:30 p.m. Pasadena Civic Auditorium COST: $150; MORE INFO
Indie band Dawes has been one of the most visible survivors and supporters of the Eaton Fire community since the 2025 wildfires. They are putting their notoriety to good use and planning A Concert for Altadena, happening Jan. 7 and featuring some major musical talent, including Jackson Browne, Mandy Moore, Ozomatli, Jenny Lewis, Lord Huron, Rufus Wainwright and many more. Hosted by John C. Reilly, the show benefits the Altadena Builds Back Foundation, which is spearheading long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts.
Songs of Remembrance: A Memorial Service of Hope and Renewal
Wednesday, Jan. 7, 7:30 p.m. Lake Avenue Church 393 North Lake Ave., Pasadena MORE INFO
Join a special community memorial service led by Lake Avenue Church’s Chamber Orchestra and members of the Sanctuary Choir, featuring sacred hymns, choral anthems and classical works that invite reflection, comfort and renewed hope.
Eaton Fire anniversary community art gathering
Wednesday, Jan. 7, 3 to 5 p.m. John Muir High School 1905 Lincoln Ave., Pasadena MORE INFO
Artist Cynthia Lake, Side Street Projects and the John Muir High School Alumni Association will come together to make art and share stories on a day of remembrance honoring the first anniversary of the Eaton Fire. The afternoon includes art activities, music, resources, performances and more, plus Lake will launch her "Eaton Fire Bowl Series," giving away free handmade ceramic bowls to people affected by the fire — each piece a symbol of hope and comfort.
Community Prayer Services and Concerts of Remembrance, Healing and Renewal
Wednesday, Jan. 7, 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. St. Matthew's Episcopal Church 1031 Bienveneda Ave., Pacific Palisades OPEN TO ALL, SUGGESTED DONATION $45; MORE INFO
Grammy-winning violinist Anne Akiko Meyers joins members of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, conducted by Grant Gershon, with music by Bach, Morten Lauridsen and Eric Whitacre. Each concert will be preceded by a prayer service at 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. Donations will benefit Chamber Music Palisades, Palisades Symphony and Chorale, St. Matthew’s Music Guild and Theatre Palisades.
Power Up Altadena!
Sunday, Jan. 17, 11 a.m. (NEW DATE) Zorthian Ranch 3990 N. Fair Oaks Ave., Altadena MORE INFO
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Dena United
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Dena United is hosting this all-day festival at Altadena’s historic Zorthian Ranch to celebrate the community’s diverse culture and commemorate one year since the devastating Eaton Fire. Expect to see a wide range of performances from acts including Bobby Bradford, Dwight Trible, Baba Onochie Chukwurah & the Rhythms of the Village Family Band, the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, Earthseed Band and the Whispering Giants with MCs Medusa and Myka 9.
Writers Bloc presents: Firestorm author Jacob Soboroff
Palisades native and MSNBC reporter Jacob Soboroff has a new book out in January on the L.A. fires, Firestorm. He’ll be in conversation with Mariana van Zeller at Writers Bloc to discuss.
Construction workers begin to rebuild a business destroyed by the Palisades Fire on May 07, 2025.
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Justin Sullivan
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Getty Images
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The UCLA Labor Center will host a panel discussion at the Lawson Worker Justice Center (adjacent to MacArthur Park), focused on impacts on and protections for workers. Please RSVP; space is limited.
Out of the Ashes: Benefit Concert and Hero Award
Saturday, Jan. 17 Private residence, Malibu COST: $750; MORE INFO
Hosted by Mission Project CEO Erik Rock, the event features a performance from Grammy winner Andy Grammer. Expect other big-name speakers and guests to participate too.
CHP lost effort firing officer in overtime scandal
By Nigel Duara | CalMatters
Published August 7, 2026 11:29 AM
California Highway Patrol vehicles line up on a freeway entrance in downtown Los Angeles, on June 8, 2025.
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Eric Thayer
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AP Photo
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Topline:
The California Highway Patrol lost an effort to fire one of the officers it caught billing the state for overtime hours they didn’t work at a Los Angeles station.
The backstory: On Sept. 17, 2017, California Highway Patrol officer Nathaniel Partridge checked in his patrol car almost four hours before his shift ended and drove 35 miles home. That day, and on at least two other occasions, he was paid overtime for the hours he didn’t work. Partridge wasn’t alone. Dozens of CHP officers at an East Los Angeles patrol division routinely did the same while working traffic enforcement details on highway construction sites. On paper, the practice had been forbidden for five years, but no one objected until a 2019 audit.
More details: This week, after Partridge’s case lingered for six years through state personnel hearings, a Justice Department investigation and trial court, a California appeals court found that a one-year suspension without pay was appropriate discipline, over the objections of the California Highway Patrol, which wanted him fired.
Read on... for more on the court ruling.
On Sept. 17, 2017, California Highway Patrol officer Nathaniel Partridge checked in his patrol car almost four hours before his shift ended and drove 35 miles home. That day, and on at least two other occasions, he was paid overtime for the hours he didn’t work.
Partridge wasn’t alone. Dozens of CHP officers at an East Los Angeles patrol division routinely did the same while working traffic enforcement details on highway construction sites. On paper, the practice had been forbidden for five years, but no one objected until a 2019 audit.
“I took the chance to go home and would fall on the consequence if I was called back,” Partridge told CHP investigators, according to court documents.
The result was the smallest patrol division in Southern California running up an overtime tab that was three times that of the region’s largest division, according to the internal audit. That finding led CHP to drop the hammer on the East LA station 2020, when it moved to dismiss dozens of officers, including Partridge.
This week, after Partridge’s case lingered for six years through state personnel hearings, a Justice Department investigation and trial court, a California appeals court found that a one-year suspension without pay was appropriate discipline, over the objections of the California Highway Patrol, which wanted him fired.
David Mastagni, Partridge’s lawyer, said the ruling “reflects fundamental fairness.”
“Accountability and second chances are not in conflict,” Mastagni said.
No one — not CHP administration, the personnel board, nor the officer himself — dispute what happened: Partridge was paid $288.98 for three hours and 45 minutes of overtime he didn’t work, which investigators alleged was part of a long-running grift at the East LA station to fabricate overtime hours.
Partridge and dozens of other officers were fired in 2020, according to the appeals court decision.
In February 2022, Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a total of 302 criminal counts against 54 officers, alleging they had collectively defrauded the public of more than $200,000.
Those charges didn’t last long. In December 2022, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge offered the officers a deal: Their charges would be reduced from felonies to misdemeanors and then dismissed if they repaid the money.
Fifty-two officers took that deal, The Sacramento Bee reported at the time.
The Highway Patrol called Partridge's actions “inexcusable neglect of duty, dishonesty (and) misuse of state property” when the organization fired him. When Partridge appealed, the State Personnel Board said it was “self-enrichment at the expense of the public’s trust,” but handed down a one-year suspension instead.
Partridge’s bosses found that discipline insufficient, and the CHP asked a California district court judge to override the suspension and reinstate the firing, saying the personnel board abused its discretion in reducing the penalty. The judge denied that petition, siding with the personnel board.
According to his superiors quoted in court documents, Partridge was a good cop. His evaluations recommended him for promotion and his disciplinary record was clean. But the administration at the California Highway Patrol argued at the State Personnel Board and in court that his conduct compromised his integrity.
This week, California’s 2nd District Court of Appeals agreed with the district court judge: The State Personnel Board didn’t overstep its bounds in handing down a one-year suspension.
“A reasonable decisionmaker could have dismissed Partridge, and a reasonable decisionmaker could have—and did—impose a one-year suspension without pay,” the court found.
Destiny Torres
covers all things SoCal, from breaking news to local government, with a focus on Orange County.
Published August 7, 2026 10:56 AM
Crews have begun building a temporary wall to protect the San Clemente coastal rail corridor from landslides and debris.
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The Orange County Transportation Authority
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Topline:
The OC Transportation Authority’s Coastal Rail Resiliency Study is now available for public review. The plan looks at ways to protect about 7 miles of the iconic rail corridor from South Orange County to the San Diego County line for the next 30 years.
Background: The rail is part of the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo rail corridor. Erosion and landslides along the coastal rail have caused several disruptions since 2021.
Why it matters: The study is intended to help move the agency away from responding to emergencies and toward a consistent game plan to keep the rail safe and reliable for decades to come, officials said. The meetings will be the public’s opportunity to learn more about the solutions and provide feedback.
What does the study say? Eight concepts could improve rail resiliency, focusing on the bluffside, beachside and the rail. The concepts included track bed stabilization and several sand placement ideas.
A draft of the study is available for review here.
Two ways to participate:
Monday, Aug. 10 is an in-person meeting from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at San Clemente City Hall.
Tuesday, Aug 11 is a virtual meeting from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. You can register for the online session here.
Next steps: After receiving community feedback, the agency will present the final report to the board in the fall. A separate study will be led by the state to come up with solutions beyond the 30 years, including potentially relocating the rail line.
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Yusra Farzan
reports on issues affecting current and future college students, their families and communities.
Published August 7, 2026 10:30 AM
A California State University Los Angeles sign hangs on one of the student parking structures.
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Ashley Balderrama
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LAist
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Topline:
Roughly 700 beds have sat empty for years at Cal State L.A. because of “deferred maintenance” and lack of funds, a campus spokesperson said.
Why it matters: The California State University 2025 Systemwide Housing plan states there’s a need for about 500 beds at the campus.
What happens next: In the most recent housing budget posted online for the fiscal year 2024-25, no funds are allocated to maintenance. LAist has requested housing budgets for 2025-26 and 2026-27.
Other issues: It’s not just the beds out of circulation that need maintenance. Cal State L.A.’s student-run news organization reported earlier this year that “work orders for maintenance by those residents have gone unanswered for months, or even in some cases for several consecutive semesters.”
Read on... to learn why some of the housing dates back to the 1984 L.A. Olympics.
For years, roughly 700 beds at Cal State Los Angeles that could be occupied by students have sat empty, even in what officials call a “highly housing challenged area.” The reason? Officials say lack of funding and deferred maintenance.
The out-of-commission resource has languished despite the California State University 2025 Systemwide Housing plan stating there’s a need for about 500 beds at the campus.
“The deferred maintenance happened over a period of several years, under previous leadership for the university and housing,” Erik Hollins, a spokesperson for the university, told LAist in a statement. “The pandemic certainly appears to have been a factor. Addressing accumulated maintenance and then getting those units back in circulation has been a focus of new leadership.”
Housing and Residence Life (HRL), which is responsible for maintenance, runs independent of university operations but reports to the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management. The department has its own budget with funding coming from the rent and meal plans students pay for.
In the most recent housing budget posted online, from the fiscal year 2024-25, no funds were allocated to maintenance. LAist has requested housing budgets for 2025-26 and 2026-27.
It’s not just the beds out of circulation that need maintenance. Cal State L.A.’s student-run news organization reported earlier this year that “work orders for maintenance by those residents have gone unanswered for months, or even in some cases for several consecutive semesters.”
Hollins told LAist there’s demand for housing on campus in addition to modernizing older facilities. Some of the housing that isn’t being used was built in 1984 to house athletes during the Los Angeles Olympics.
“Under new housing leadership, we are reengaging with our Cal State L.A. students on the benefits of living on campus, resolving perception issues around deferred maintenance, and seeking new partnerships with local colleges, universities, and community organizations,” Hollins wrote.
Hollins added that the university is located in a “highly housing challenged area, while also serving a majority of students who live with their families in the immediate surrounding area.”
Cal State LA’s housing troubles
In 2025, auditors reported years of operating losses at Cal State L.A.’s housing program, leading to reserves being depleted.
Auditors noted that occupancy has dropped to as low as 60% in recent years, and student housing required “unanticipated emergency repairs.” Responding to the audit, Cal State L.A.’s director of housing wrote that the university had taken “sweeping corrective measures.”
“Because its apartment complexes are aging, HRL has also been forced to pay for unanticipated emergency repairs and planned maintenance projects that have challenged its budget,” auditors wrote. “These repairs were partially due to HRL not prioritizing deferred maintenance projects during the COVID-19 recovery. There are also ongoing issues with the water system and fan coil breaks at the newer South Village residence hall.”
At the time, Cal State L.A. said it would address the issues by “implementing short-term strategies to boost occupancy rates, student engagement, and facility upgrades, along with long-term strategies to renovate its older facilities and improve affordability.”
The university also said it would partner with community colleges, expand summer conference programs and require first year students to live on campus. In response to the audit, Cal State L.A. also promised facility renovations.
Jill Replogle
covers public corruption, debates over our voting system, culture war battles — and more.
Published August 7, 2026 10:23 AM
Westminster City Councilmember Amy Phan West could be headed for trial.
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iStock
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iStockphoto
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Topline:
Westminster City Councilmember Amy Phan West caught a break after she was accused of attempting to bribe parking officers who were about to tow her husband's car: A judge ordered her to take an ethics training course and do 20 hours of community service. In exchange, the charge would be dropped. One year later, the Orange County District Attorney's Office says Phan West has learned nothing and is asking the judge to revoke the deal and send the case to trial.
The details: In a recent court filing, Deputy District Attorney Matthew Bradbury gave examples of what he called Phan West’s “repeated and ongoing misuse of her official position” to argue that the councilwoman hadn’t accepted responsibility for the alleged crime or taken the mandatory ethics training to heart.
The response: LAist will update this story if and when we get a response from Phan West.
Read on ... for more details about the case.
Westminster City Councilmember Amy Phan West caught a break after she was accused of attempting to bribe parking officers who were about to tow her husband's car: A judge ordered her to take an ethics training course and do 20 hours of community service. In exchange, the charge would be dropped.
One year later, Phan West is poised to run for reelection. But the Orange County District Attorney's Office says she has learned nothing from her brush with the law and is asking the judge to revoke the deal and send the case to trial.
In a recent court filing, Deputy District Attorney Matthew Bradbury gave examples of what he called Phan West’s “repeated and ongoing misuse of her official position” to argue that the councilmember hadn’t accepted responsibility for the alleged crime or taken the mandatory ethics training to heart.
“The Defendant’s actions only serve to undermine the public’s faith in the justice system,” Bradbury wrote, adding that they “warrant no leniency.” In the past, Phan West has denied wrongdoing and said she is being unfairly targeted for for being outspoken.
LAist called and left a text message on Phan West’s phone requesting comment on the DA’s recent filing. LAist also sent an email to Phan West’s defense attorney, Randy Collins. We will update this story if and when we get a response.
What the court records say
In the filing, Bradbury, the deputy district attorney, said that in the year since Phan West was charged with attempted bribery, she appears to have repeatedly violated rules intended to bar local officials from using public resources for campaign activities. She also mocked the case against her, Bradbury said, showing no sense of accountability.
The DA’s examples of Phan West’s alleged continued ethics violations include:
At Westminster’s annual Tet parade in February, Phan West handed out flyers for her Congressional race — a potential violation of rules against local officials using public resources for campaign activities. (Phan West lost in the June primary.)
In May, Phan West gave a media interview about her Congressional run from her Westminster City Council office, a potentially similar violation.
Phan West has repeatedly downplayed the criminal charge against her and disparaged the legal process in public comments and social media posts. In response to a question at a candidate forum, she called it a “jungle-like court” and compared her legal problems to the President’s. “Like how they’re doing it to Donald J. Trump — it’s the same thing they’re doing to take me out,” Phan West said, according to the court filing.
What happened at city hall?
Phan West has repeatedly clashed with the majority of her council colleagues in recent years. In 2024, the council officially censured Phan West for behavior that allegedly included improperly disclosing confidential information and lying. The city later sued Phan West and allied councilmember NamQuan Nguyen for repeatedly disrupting meetings and creating a “dysfunctional and raucous” atmosphere.
Phan West has accused her opponents on the City Council of violating her right to free speech and waging a personal vendetta against her.
What's next?
Phan West officially filed papers earlier this week to run for re-election to Westminster City Council in November.
A hearing to determine whether Phan West has complied with previous court orders in the case so far is scheduled for Aug. 11 in O.C. Superior Court in Westminster.
![A white sign with red text reads "We [love] u beautiful Altadena" is affixed to a tree on a sidewalk. A two story home can be seen in the background with yellow caution tape hanging down from the roof towards the left.](https://scpr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0c0cf5b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5000x3296+0+20/resize/1414x932!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fscpr-brightspot.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2F24%2F47%2F1345aa6b4b3b9c943ea58dbdad8a%2Fgettyimages-2193703889.jpg)
