Jacob Margolis
covers science, with a focus on environmental stories and disasters, as well as investigations and accountability.
Published April 22, 2024 5:00 AM
Dead trees line a clearing as a helicopter battling the Ferguson fire passes behind in the Stanislaus National Forest, California, on July 22, 2018.
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Noah Berger
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Getty Images
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Topline:
Two wet winters are a boon for long suffering forests across California. But stands of dead trees leftover from drought years can burn like kindling during the fire season, threatening the trees that managed to survive.
Tree death: More than 170 million trees died across California’s forests between 2010 and 2021, weakened by drought, heat and killed off by destructive beetles, diseases and wildfires.
A golden opportunity: Destructive, high severity fire has been exacerbated by overgrown forests, the result of more than a century of fire suppression. Given so many previously overcrowded areas have been cleared by large fires, prescribed burning and mechanical thinning are critical to helping landscapes recover sustainably.
Fire season: The fire season might be delayed from May or June until July or August because of the amount of precipitation that's fallen.
Over the past decade or so, California’s forests took a beating as more than 170 million trees died, many weakened by drought and extreme heat, and killed off by beetles and disease. Others were destroyed by fires.
Now that we have two wet winters on the books, soils are saturated, the snowpack is sufficiently dense and we may start to see some decent recovery.
“I expect to see a pretty dramatic decrease in fir mortality and conifer mortality overall this year due to nice precipitation years back to back,” said Jeffrey Moore, who’s been documenting California’s tree mortality from the air since 2009, as the aerial detection survey program manager for the U. S. Forest Service. He’ll begin performing the 2024 survey in July.
Thousands of pine trees around Tahoe lake died, as seen on August 10, 2022.
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George Rose
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Getty Images North America
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How we got here
During his first couple of years in the role Moore generally recorded about 500,000 dead trees annually. But when the drought years took hold, the death count climbed.
Lower elevation conifers in the southern Sierra were particularly hard hit between 2012 and 2016, while higher elevation fir in the central and northern parts of California suffered between 2020 and 2023.
The worst year was 2016, with more than 65 million trees recorded dead.
“Once a tree has been compromised due to drought, it can't just bounce back 100% right away, but after two years of good precipitation, I think most of the surviving trees will be in good enough shape to defend themselves against the bark beetle populations that are out there on the landscape,” he said.
A firefighter cools a burning tree at the Oak Fire near Midpines, northeast of Mariposa, California, on July 23, 2022.
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David McNew
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AFP
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The threat of dead trees
The upside to some of the tree death and fires is that they've helped thin out long overcrowded forests, the result of more than a century of fire suppression.
With more resources available to the surviving trees, there's the possibility that some of our forests could end up more resilient in the long run if managed correctly with techniques like prescribed fire.
However, the trees that are recovering nicely are still at risk, especially if they're in the middle of a whole bunch of dead trees, which supercharge fires when they blow through. That's something we explored in depth in our wildfire podcast The Big Burn.
Because of the amount of precipitation we've gotten, fire season could be delayed until July or August in our forests, according to Jonathan O'Brien, meteorologist with the U.S. Forest Service.
By Sudhin Thanawala and David Swanson | The Associated Press
Published November 11, 2026 9:30 AM
A damaged vehicle lies at the scene of a vehicle crash, involving multiple fatalities, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, in the North Hollywood section of Los Angeles.
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David Swanson
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AP Photo
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Topline:
The 61-year-old driver of a minivan that killed three people when it crashed outside a Los Angeles metro station during rush hour was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and three counts of murder, a police spokesperson said Wednesday.
More details: The crash at a busy intersection in the North Hollywood neighborhood also critically injured two women. The vehicle ended up under a food vendor’s tent, and Mayor Karen Bass said the victims included street vendors and pedestrians.
After the crash: The minivan was on the sidewalk surrounded by debris Tuesday night with its driver’s side door open and an air bag deployed. Fire engines and emergency crews worked nearby as a helicopter flew overhead.
Read on... for more on the driver's arrest.
The 61-year-old driver of a minivan that killed three people when it crashed outside a Los Angeles metro station during rush hour was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and three counts of murder, a police spokesperson said Wednesday.
Police have said the driver was taken out of the vehicle and was able to talk, but he appeared in shock after Tuesday’s crash. Officials were not immediately able to determine the cause or whether he acted intentionally.
Police identified the driver as Ihor Demianenko, a resident of the Valley Village neighborhood of Los Angeles, Officer Norma Eisenman said. She didn’t know whether he was still at a hospital early Wednesday.
It was not immediately clear if Demianenko had a lawyer who could respond to the allegations.
The crash at a busy intersection in the North Hollywood neighborhood also critically injured two women. The vehicle ended up under a food vendor’s tent, and Mayor Karen Bass said the victims included street vendors and pedestrians.
Investigators will go through video of the crash frame by frame, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said.
“It will be probably a prolonged but a very deliberate investigation to determine what happened here,” he said.
Luis Luna-Guzman was working at a burger stand nearby when he heard a loud boom and saw people on the ground along with food and cups. People nearby started running toward the crash.
As he moved closer, he found an injured woman lying near the bike racks, her face, arms and legs bloody, he said, recalling her eyes were closed as she moaned in pain.
“I told her, ‘Don’t move, help is coming,’” Luna-Guzman said, adding that he saw a woman’s body nearby, while another woman was lying unmoving on the stairs leading to the station.
Adrin Nazarian, a Los Angeles City Council member whose district includes North Hollywood, described the area as a close-knit community where there is always commotion and activity.
The minivan was on the sidewalk surrounded by debris Tuesday night with its driver’s side door open and an air bag deployed. Fire engines and emergency crews worked nearby as a helicopter flew overhead.
One entrance to the metro remained closed Tuesday night, but otherwise the property wasn’t impacted and the stations for the bus and subway were open, according to Jose Ubaldo, spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Construction sites in the hallways of the Keyes Elementary School in Keyes on Nov. 15, 2023. Multiple projects keep going on at the campus due to lack of funds to continue.
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Larry Valenzuela
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CalMatters/CatchLight Local
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Topline:
Last week’s election was full of surprises, especially for California school districts seeking to fix leaking roofs and broken air conditioners. Although election officials are still counting votes in many parts of the state, the preliminary results show that nearly half the school bonds on California ballots are failing.
The backstory: Eighty-six school districts put bonds seeking to do school repairs and modernization on last week’s ballot, totalling $12.4 billion, a relatively low amount of money compared to other big election years. Two years ago, school bonds totaled almost four times that and most of them passed.
Why it matters: As of late Tuesday, 50 bonds had either passed or were leading, with the rest failing. Bonds need 55% to pass.
Read on... for more on what this means for school repairs.
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.
Last week’s election was full of surprises, especially for California school districts seeking to fix leaking roofs and broken air conditioners.
Although election officials are still counting votes in many parts of the state, the preliminary results show that nearly half the school bonds on California ballots are failing.
“It’s a shocking outcome,” said Sara Hinkley, director of policy and research at UC Berkeley’s Center for Cities and Schools. “This leaves some school districts with very few options. I’m sure they’re sweating.”
Eighty-six school districts put bonds seeking to do school repairs and modernization on last week’s ballot, totaling $12.4 billion, a relatively low amount of money compared to other big election years. Two years ago, school bonds totaled almost four times that and most of them passed.
As of late Tuesday, 50 bonds had either passed or were leading, with the rest failing. Bonds need 55% to pass.
School bonds in LA and Orange County
While school bonds performed poorly on the ballot in many parts of California, they succeeded in Los Angeles County and Orange County. Votes counted so far show almost every measure is poised to pass, and those races that haven't been called are still leaning yes as of November 11.
In L.A. County: 10 school districts sought about $1.2 billion.
In Orange County: 2 school districts sought $211 million.
School district officials blamed the shaky economy.
“Everyone wants what is best for the kids, but when gas, groceries and utilities are cutting into people's budget, they have to find places to save,” said Mays Kakish, superintendent of Beaumont Unified School District near Banning in the Inland Empire. “In the short term, this loss of funding will be painful.”
Beaumont, one of the few districts in California where enrollment is increasing, desperately needs the $86 million the bond would have brought in. Last year, its schools had 138 roof leaks, district spokesman Thomas Guzowski said. In addition, the district needs to replace 81 portable classrooms.
A 2024 state bond — Proposition 2 — that provided $10 billion for school construction, is an alternative source of money for some school districts. But districts need to provide matching funds to get Prop. 2 money, and if the bond fails Beaumont will not qualify, Guzowski said.
Regardless, most of the Prop. 2 money set aside for school repairs is already spoken for. There’s still money available for new construction projects and emergencies, but there’s a long waiting list for the remaining money to fix leaky roofs or make other maintenance repairs.
Rich get richer
John Affeldt, managing attorney at the public interest law firm Public Advocates, said he wasn’t surprised at the outcome of the school bond elections. Many bonds in wealthier areas like the Bay Area and Orange County tend to be for more money and usually pass, enabling those districts to get Prop. 2 money using matching funds. Bonds in lower-income areas, meanwhile, tend to be for less money and fail.
“Those who have more, get more,” Affeldt said. “It’s an unfair system, and part of a long pattern of the state’s failed system of financing facilities.”
Affeldt’s firm sued the state over the alleged inequities in Prop. 2 and is awaiting a judge’s decision on whether to grant the state’s request to throw out the case. Earlier this year, a judge denied the plaintiffs’ request for an injunction but said they had a “reasonable chance of succeeding” on at least part of the case.
Windfall in San Diego
San Diego Unified is on the other end of the school bond fortunes. Voters said “yes” to its $3.4 billion bond, the largest in California, ushering in a windfall for swimming pools, new performing arts venues, staff housing, new air conditioners, security systems and other upgrades. Homeowners will pay an average of $294 a year.
“It was a great night. I’m still on a high,” said school board vice president Sabrina Bazzo. “This means that all students in our district — not just those in wealthy neighborhoods — will get access to high-quality facilities.”
Basso attributed the bond’s success to plenty of community support. Labor unions threw their weight behind the measure, in part because the district agreed to hire local union workers for much of the work, Bazzo said. Even the local taxpayers association supported the bond, largely because it wasn’t a new tax; it replaced a previous bond from 2022.
Repair and replace
Visalia Unified near Fresno doesn’t look to be so lucky. Its bid for a $158 million bond is trailing and expected to lose.
“The economy is challenging right now for a lot of folks,” said Superintendent Kirk Shrum. “I’m disappointed, thinking about what we could have done — upgraded bathrooms, new furniture — and now we have to wait.”
More than 70% of the district’s buildings are 50 years old or older, and are in dire need of repairs, Shrum said. A few years ago, the district assessed the condition of its buildings and the total for repairs came to $600 million. That seemed too high for a bond, so the district went with $158 million, the amount needed for only the most urgent projects.
Without the bond money, the district will shift funds around to pay for repairs when needed, but “we’ll never be able to get ahead of it,” Shrum said.
“You get stuck in a cycle of replace and repair when things break,” Shrum said. “But you can patch a roof only so many times.”
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'The Importance of Being Earnest' is at the Wallis.
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Courtesy The Wallis
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In this edition:
Get $1 churros, see the Grove tree lighting, Sheryl Crow live and more of the best things to do this week.
Highlights:
What better way to get through the rest of the week than with $1 churros to celebrate International Churro Day? Mexico City institution El Moro now has three L.A. area locations where you can score a deal on the fried treat all day long.
It’s that time of year again. The annual Christmas Tree lighting at the Grove happens next Monday — just 39 days till Santa gets here, folks. This year’s party features performances from Nicole Scherzinger, Jason Mraz, Mark Ambor and more.
Sheryl Crow will play 'til the sun comes up on Santa Monica Boulevard (well, more likely 'til just after it goes down) at the free concert on the Sunset Strip, Live on Sunset. The nine-time GRAMMY Award winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee joins a host of other performers, including Local Natives and Empress Of, at the block party show.
Elsewhere on LAist, you can learn about one couple who chose the LAUSD coffee cake for their wedding, come hang out with us at CicLAvia in Pasadena and grab tickets for FilmWeek’s screening of Sideways.
Music
Licorice Pizza has your music picks for the week ahead — it is Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction time, after all — including:
Wednesday, Nov. 11 El Moro Multiple locations (Echo Park, Costa Mesa, La Habra) COST: $1; MORE INFO
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Foodie Flavours
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Unsplash
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What better way to get through the rest of the week than with $1 churros to celebrate International Churro Day? Mexico City institution El Moro now has three L.A. area locations where you can score a deal on the fried treat all day long, plus get a complimentary 12th churro when you purchase 11.
James Cahill: The Beverly Hills Housewife: Hockney’s Californian Muse and the World Beyond the Pool
Tuesday, Nov. 17, 7:15 p.m. Book Soup 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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Courtesy EJS Media
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We lost the great Brit-turned-Angeleno artist David Hockney this year, but his legacy in L.A. is remembered in author James Cahill’s new book, The Beverly Hills Housewife: Hockney’s Californian Muse and the World Beyond the Pool. The book tells the story of David Hockney’s pivotal early years in Los Angeles, his unlikely friendship with a Beverly Hills collector named Betty Freeman, and the city itself — all through the lens of a single painting, Beverly Hills Housewife (1966-67). Cahill will be in conversation with writer David Ulin.
Cj Hendry: Flower Shop
Through Saturday, Nov. 21 6 Rose Ave., Venice COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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Kirsten Cox
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Maximus Communications
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Australian artist Cj Hendry has taken over churches, swimming pools and more around the world with her bright creations. Her latest installation, Flower Shop, takes over the Rose Room in Venice, where you can purchase one of her felt flowers starting at $10 — the perfect headstart on unique holiday gifts.
The Who’sTommy
Through Sunday, Nov. 15 Pantages Theatre 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood COST: FROM $45; MORE INFO
Fun fact: The Who’s Tommy was the first show I saw on Broadway in 1995 (starring the great Michael Cerveris), and now I’m dating myself by saying the revival is on tour at the Pantages. The Who’s timeless 1969 soundtrack follows the story of Tommy, a child struck by tragedy who wins hearts with his pinball prowess. Pete Townshend and director Des McAnuff reunite to tell the story again for a new generation. Tommy, you’re a sensation.
National Theatre Live: The Importance of Being Earnest
Saturday, Nov. 14, 7 p.m. The Wallis 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills COST: FROM $27.50; MORE INFO
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Courtesy The Wallis
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I saw the live National Theatre production of The Importance of Being Earnest in London last year, and it’s laugh-out-loud funny, with great performances from Doctor Who himself (Ncuti Gatwa) and Sharon D. Clarke as Lady Bracknell. Directed by Max Webster, the Oscar Wilde classic mistaken-identity comedy took the West End by storm, so don’t miss a chance to catch the filmed-live version at the Wallis. If you just can’t get enough "Earnest" this week, the Bardfly Theatre Co. has their last live performance of the sendup of Victorian England at the L.A. Arboretum the same night.
Sheryl Crow at Live on Sunset
Saturday, Nov. 14, 4 p.m. Sunset Strip Sunset Blvd. between San Vicente Blvd./Clark Ave. and North Doheny Drive, West Hollywood COST: FREE, RSVP REQUIRED; MORE INFO
Sheryl Crow will play a free show on Sunset.
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Erika Goldring
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Getty Images
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Sheryl Crow will play 'til the sun comes up on Santa Monica Boulevard (well, more likely 'til just after it goes down) at the free concert on the Sunset Strip, Live on Sunset. The nine-time GRAMMY Award winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee joins a host of other performers, including Local Natives and Empress Of, at the block party show.
Meow Wolf: Desert Hearts and Justin Martin All Night Long
Saturday, Nov. 14, 10 p.m. Academy L.A. 6021 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood COST: $39.95; MORE INFO
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Courtesy Meow Wolf
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Art collective Meow Wolf is opening soon in L.A., but you can catch the vibe early with this DJ set at Academy L.A. The music takeover will feature some of Meow Wolf's favorite characters and oddities from their unique multiverse, alongside DJ performances from Desert Hearts and house producer Justin Martin.
Second Saturday Art Walk and Film Festival
Saturday, Nov. 14, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Downtown San Pedro COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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Courtesy San Pedro Film Festival
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The Second Saturday Art Walk takes over downtown San Pedro this weekend, with galleries, record stores and more opening their doors to celebrate independent artists in the harbor town. Plus, the San Pedro International Film Fest will present two ocean-themed documentary short series at the John Olguin Auditorium at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium.
Hello Again public exhibit opening
Thursday, Nov. 12, tour at 11:30 a.m. UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art Segerstrom Center for the Arts 3333 Avenue of the Arts, Costa Mesa COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Henrietta Shore, Mount Wilson, 1927.
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Courtesy UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art
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The O.C. Museum of Art opens its fall exhibit, Hello Again, with a public celebration on Thursday featuring a tour with curators. The show leans on “thematic fluidity” in the curation rather than chronology, with a focus on California art of the 1960s and '70s as well as more contemporary work. The first exhibit from newly-appointed director Kathryn Kanjo, it “reveals how regional landscapes, domestic spaces, and urban culture remain fertile territory for material and conceptual experimentation.” The exhibition includes work from many artists you’ll be familiar with and some to discover, including Glenn Ligon, Suzanne Lacy, Robert Rauschenberg, Betye Saar, Ed Ruscha, Narsiso Martinez and more.
25th Annual Tree Lighting Celebration
Monday, Nov. 16, 7 p.m. The Grove 189 The Grove Drive, Fairfax District COST: FREE; MORE INFO
The Grove's Christmas Tree in 2024.
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Jay L Clendenin
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Getty Images
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It’s that time of year again. The annual Christmas Tree lighting at the Grove happens next Monday — just 39 days till Santa gets here, folks. This year’s party features performances from Nicole Scherzinger, Jason Mraz, Mark Ambor, Jamie Miller, “O” by Cirque du Soleil, American Authors, Kenedi Anderson, JYT and more.
Kevin Tidmarsh
is a producer for LAist, covering news and culture. He’s been an audio/web journalist for about a decade.
Published November 10, 2026 3:55 PM
The Bolsa Chica Conservancy's Interpretive Center pictured after last month's coastal flooding.
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Courtesy Bolsa Chica Conservancy
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Topline:
Huntington Beach nonprofit Bolsa Chica Conservancy is fundraising to replace equipment damaged in recent coastal flooding. It's anticipating the need for more repairs, as the flooding forecast around Thanksgiving and Christmas could be even worse.
What was damaged: Bolsa Chica Conservancy’s executive director, Carissa Macias, said that despite its efforts, a pump used for its aquarium shorted out due to water damage and needed to be replaced. (The aquarium houses a tide pool, various fish species and a shark.) The conservancy has since replaced the pump and taken measures to protect the surviving equipment.
Future risk: The organization’s Interpretive Center, which hosts its aquarium and exhibits about the region’s ecology, is in a modular trailer-style building. “The threat that we are concerned about is that if we get enough water flow underneath the buildings and saturating the soil underneath the buildings, that it's going to compromise the stability of the buildings,” Macias said. Regardless of whether that happens, Macias said she expects supplies will be needed to divert floodwater and make more repairs.
Why it matters:Current forecasts show that high tides in late November could be up to 7 feet — higher than those seen in October, without taking into account other factors that could make the tides even higher. Macias said that traditionally, their buildings haven’t been affected by coastal flooding other than water getting into some parking spaces.
About the organization: The Bolsa Chica Conservancy is an educational nonprofit that aims to protect over 1,300 acres of coastal habitat that offer up-close views of some 200 species of birds. The conservancy offers free programming to teach people about wetlands of Southern California, nearly two-thirds of which have been lost to development and parking.
How to support: The conservancy said it may need volunteers in the weeks ahead, but the best way to help is by donating, which you can do here.
