Jill Replogle
covers public corruption, debates over our voting system, culture war battles — and more.
Published October 11, 2025 5:00 AM
Danielle Zacherl, a professor at Cal State Fullerton, leads restoration projects along the Southern California coast that use oysters and complementary species like eelgrass to slow down coastal erosion.
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Jill Replogle
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LAist
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Topline:
Cal State biologists and the group Orange County Coastkeeper are working together to use oyster shells from local restaurants to restore the once-abundant oyster beds along the coast and, by doing that, protect the shoreline from erosion and rising seas.
How does that work? Local restaurants donate discarded oyster shells. Those shells cure in the sun to remove pathogens, then hang off of docks in Huntington Harbour and elsewhere to provide a landing pad for oyster larvae floating through the water.
Once seeded with baby oysters, those shells are used in living shoreline projects designed to buffer the coastline.
Why oysters? When oyster larvae settle on shells, they start to secrete their own shell, effectively gluing the shells together to form oyster beds that encourage sedimentation and dampen the eroding force of waves. Oysters also filter the water, removing excess nutrients that cause harmful algal blooms.
It’s well before the lunch hour when a worker lugs a large plastic storage bin out of the kitchen at the Bluewater Grill in Newport Beach and into the back of Kaysha Kenney’s minivan.
The bin is full of discarded oyster shells from the previous night’s dinner service, plus some lemons and half-eaten bread. Kenney wants the shells, but the extra food bits are OK, she said, “because they sit out in a field and they have little animals that will come and kind of pick off the food scraps.”
This pickup is the first phase of a project led by Kenney’s group Orange County Coastkeeper. The goal is to use oyster shells from local restaurants to restore the once-abundant oyster beds along the coast and buffer the shoreline from erosion and rising seas.
Though the shells Kenney collects are non-native oysters, Coastkeeper’s project is focused on restoring Olympia oysters — the only native species along the West Coast. The species has been decimated by coastal development and overharvesting, starting in the Gold Rush days when they fed tens of thousands of hungry fortune-seekers.
In early fall, Orange County Coastkeeper collected dozens of oyster shell strings hanging off docks in Huntington Harbour. This year, they recruited more than 700 baby oysters or "spat" that will be transplanted to coastal restoration projects.
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Courtesy Coastkeeper
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Stop 2: San Joaquin Marsh
With the blue Coastkeeper minivan full of stinky shells, Kenney heads inland to a hot, sunny patch of land next to the San Joaquin Marsh in Irvine. Here, she weighs each restaurant’s contribution, and spreads the shells out to cure in the sun to rid them of pathogens — and any leftover horseradish and tabasco sauce.
California regulations require the shells to cure for at least six months before they can be put back into the water. These particular shells are destined for the Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge. Coastkeeper is working with California State University, Fullerton, and the U.S. Navy to build what’s called a living shoreline to help protect Navy buildings in the refuge that are threatened by erosion.
”A living shoreline is where we take an eroding shoreline and we effectively replant it with living plants and animals that can stabilize that shoreline,” explained Danielle Zacherl, a biology professor at Cal State Fullerton who’s leading the project.
And using discarded shells helps reduce restaurant waste.
“Think about this natural product that's getting sent to landfills that really could be doing so much more good,” Zacherl said.
Kenney spreads out the morning's collection from restaurants onto a patch of land near the San Joaquin Marsh in Irvine. The shells will cure in the sun for at least six months to rid them of pathogens.
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Jill Replogle
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LAist
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Living shorelines are becoming popular across the country. They’re seen as more cost-efficient and ecologically friendly compared to what’s known as hard armoring, like seawalls and riprap. Zacherl and Coastkeeper have teamed up on several living shoreline projects along the Southern California coast, including in Newport Bay and Long Beach’s Alamitos Bay.
Oyster beds anchor the shoreline, keeping it from washing away, Zacherl explained.
“They also encourage sedimentation by generating eddies. The shells popping up into the water column slow the water velocity and allow sediment to filter down,” she said. “That's really important for coastal habitats right now, especially in the face of climate change.”
Oysters also filter the water, removing excess nutrients that cause harmful algal blooms. In fact, a single adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons a day. They also improve water quality for eelgrass — which sequesters carbon, provides habitat for ocean critters and also helps prevent erosion.
The living shoreline planned for the Seal Beach refuge will be made up of a combination of oyster beds, eelgrass and another coastal plant, cordgrass. But first, Zacherl needs live oysters.
That’s where folks like Craig Schauppner come in.
Craig Schauppner
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Jill Replogle
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LAist
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Stop 3: Huntington Harbour
Schauppner is one of close to 90 residents in Huntington Harbour, at the northwestern end of Huntington Beach, who has become a kind of oyster nanny. Last spring, Coastkeeper gave him and the other volunteers strings of discarded and cured oyster shells to hang off their docks.
Oyster larvae floating through the water settle on those shells and start to secrete their own shell. Combined with other oysters, they effectively glue themselves together to form oyster beds.
During a visit last month, Schauppner pulled up a wire strung with more than a dozen oyster shells and pointed out a small dark circle on the inside of one of them.
“ So you could see, like right there, there's a spot. There might've been an oyster there at one time, but maybe a predator came and ate it or something like that,” he said.
His shell strings weren’t particularly attractive to baby oysters this year. But that’s OK, he said.
An oyster bed restoration project in Jack Dunster Marine Biological Reserve in Long Beach.
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Courtesy of Danielle Zacherl
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“Part of the project is to figure out where we can harvest oysters, where they can grow and, you know, where to avoid,” he said. “So I’m contributing to the data, right?”
At the end of September, Coastkeeper retrieved the shell strings from Schauppner and other volunteers in Huntington Harbour. They harvested more than 700 baby oysters, called “spat,” which were then transplanted to Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge for the living shoreline project.
Kenney from Coastkeeper said it’s sometimes hard for the oyster nannies to let go but hopefully a little easier knowing their slimy charges will be helping clean the water and reestablish a resilient California coast.
Wanna help restore the coast?
Orange County Coastkeeper has multiple volunteer opportunities, including caring for shell strings and transporting oyster shells from restaurants to be used in living shoreline projects.
Proposed tax increase to pay for landslide damages
Yusra Farzan
has been covering the Rancho Palos Verdes landslide since 2023.
Published October 16, 2026 5:00 AM
An aerial view of the Terranea Resort.
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Robert Gauthier
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Topline:
Rancho Palos Verdes is turning to its best-known attraction to pay for landslide-related damages. Come November, voters in the city will be asked to vote on a ballot measure that would raise the tax on overnight guests at Terranea Resort and a small, lesser-known inn.
Why it matters: Rancho Palos Verdes’ landslide woes have hit the city’s coffers hard. By the end of June 2027, the city will have spent around $75 million just on landslide-related damages over the last three and a half years. Voters in the city are being asked to vote on Measure RS, which would increase the tax overnight hotel guests pay from 10% to 13%. A two-star inn in the city would also be affected if the tax measure passes. If Measure RS passes, it could bring in around $2.2 million annually.
How we got here: The Portuguese Bend area in Rancho Palos Verdes was once green rolling hills offering spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island. Now, much of that land is riddled with 20-foot chasms, some spanning 12 feet. For decades, land movement was minimal. But with above-average rainfall in 2022 and 2023, that movement rapidly accelerated — up to 1 foot per week in some places. Land movement has since slowed to about an inch a week, thanks in part to wells the city installed that suck water out of the ground. But damage to the area remains and will likely never be abated.
RPV has spent a significant amount of money to lessen the erosion.
Rancho Palos Verdes’ landslide woes have hit the city’s coffers hard. By the end of June 2027, the city will have spent around $75 million just on landslide-related damages over the last three and a half years.
So now, they are looking at one of the city’s best-known attractions for help: the Terranea Resort. Voters in the city are being asked to vote in November on Measure RS, which would increase the tax overnight hotel guests pay from 10% to 13%.
A two-star inn in the city would also be affected if the tax measure passes.
How would the tax help?
If Measure RS passes, it could bring in around $2.2 million annually.
“We reached out to Terranea as we were exploring different revenue streams and talked to them about the possibility of increasing the [transient occupancy tax] from 10% to 13%,” said Ara Mihranian, the city manager. “We looked at comparables of similar resort hotels in the greater Los Angeles area and Orange County that are generally their competitors or similar establishments to see where they ranked. And Terranea was below the market rate in terms of the transient occupancy tax.”
The 102-acre resort sits on bluffs along the coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean and offers guests casitas, villas and rooms that start at $350 and can exceed $1,500 during peak seasons.
A spokesperson for Terranea Resort declined to comment for this story.
How we got here
The Portuguese Bend area in Rancho Palos Verdes was once green rolling hills offering spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island. Now, much of that land is riddled with 20-foot chasms, some spanning 12 feet.
For decades, land movement was minimal. But with above-average rainfall in 2022 and 2023, that movement rapidly accelerated — up to 1 foot per week in some places. Land movement has since slowed to about an inch a week, thanks in part to wells the city installed that suck water out of the ground. But damage to the area remains and will likely never be abated.
RPV has spent a significant amount of money to lessen the erosion.
Mihranian said the city has filled fissures in the landslide area, installed protective lining in the canyons and has checked all the deep dewatering wells to make sure they can pump water out of the ground so it cannot collect and cause land movement — especially important ahead of El Niño.
“We're also making sure that the wells and the generators that support and energize the wells are encased and housed so that in the event of extreme weather, they are protected from any elements,” he said.
The city has also installed pipes along the main road through the landslide complex so that, instead of flooding the road, water will be diverted to the ocean.
Still, even if the measure passes, the $2.2 million annually will still not cover all landslide-related costs. A spokesperson told LAist the city is still “aggressively” pursuing grants to cover mounting costs.
A demonstrator holds a sign during a "No Kings" protest, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Atlanta.
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Mike Stewart
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AP
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Topline:
"No Kings" protests are returning for a fourth round Saturday, Oct. 17.
Why now? This time, the focus is on the November midterms and getting people prepared to vote. Previous protests had drawn large crowds.
Read on ... to find details and information.
"No Kings" protests are returning for a fourth round Saturday, Oct. 17.
This time, the focus is on the November midterms and getting people prepared to vote. Previous protests had drawn large crowds.
"We expect tens of thousands of people to attend the various No Kings rallies throughout the greater Los Angeles area, and we would not be surprised to see tens of thousands at the downtown rally itself," said Nick Miller, a press coordinator with 50501 SoCal, a partnering organization.
That protest is taking place at 1 p.m. at Gloria Molina Grand Park.
LAPD said they are aware of the rally and don’t anticipate any issues.
Pasadena, Long Beach and Riverside are also holding rallies.
Where are they happening in SoCal?
Burbank: 10 a.m. to noon at Abraham Lincoln Park
Culver City: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Culver City Hall
Downtown L.A.: 1 to 5 p.m. at Gloria Molina Grand Park
Fontana: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Seville Park
Huntington Beach: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Huntington Beach Pier
Irvine: 3. to 5 p.m. at Trabuco Center
Pasadena: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Colorado Boulevard and Fair Oaks Avenue
Riverside: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Market Street and University Avenue
Santa Clarita: 9 a.m. to noon at Valencia Boulevard and McBean Parkway
Torrance: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Torrance City Hall
Whittier: 12:30 to 2 p.m. at Whittier City Hall
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 14: Max Muncy #13, Tommy Edman #25, Mookie Betts #50, Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers look on during a pitching change during the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game three of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium on October 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
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Sean M. Haffey
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Getty Images North America
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Topline:
Milwaukee’s brilliant bullpen slammed the door late and the Brewers rallied past the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 on Thursday in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series to earn their first trip to the World Series since 1982.
What happened: Shohei Ohtani’s first home run this postseason helped put the Dodgers ahead 4-0 in the second inning before the Brewers came back to complete a four-game sweep of the two-time defending World Series champions a year after getting swept by Los Angeles in the NLCS.
Garrett Mitchell hit a go-ahead homer in the sixth inning, Milwaukee’s brilliant bullpen slammed the door late and the Brewers rallied past the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 on Thursday in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series to earn their first trip to the World Series since 1982.
No. 9 hitter David Hamilton’s two-out solo shot off Edwin Díaz gave the Brewers a two-run cushion in the ninth. Hamilton had just four homers in the regular season.
“We got down early tonight and we were like, it’s going to be a great story,” Brewers captain Christian Yelich said. “We’re going to come back and win this. Like, stay together, start chipping away. And that’s exactly what they did.”
Shohei Ohtani’s first home run this postseason helped put the Dodgers ahead 4-0 in the second inning before the Brewers came back to complete a four-game sweep of the two-time defending World Series champions a year after getting swept by Los Angeles in the NLCS.
Milwaukee became the first major league club to complete a postseason sweep after getting swept by that same opponent in the previous postseason.
“Playing with that chip on our shoulder,” Brewers reliever Aaron Ashby said. “You don’t ever know what to expect going into a series like that last year. You don’t know how bad it can be, and then it was as bad as it was. And we came out and we survived, and we came back this year, and those guys played their tails off.”
The Brewers lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games in their only other World Series appearance, when Milwaukee played in the American League.
With the score tied 4-all, Mitchell fell behind 0-2 before reliever Tanner Scott threw three straight balls for a full count. Mitchell’s 409-foot leadoff drive to center field — the first homer of his career on an 0-2 count — put the Brewers ahead for the first time. Mitchell also homered in their 6-2 victory Wednesday.null
“I’ve always dreamt of moments like these as a kid,” Mitchell said.
The Brewers’ bullpen coolly turned away multiple threats when the Dodgers had the potential tying run on base.
Winning pitcher JoJo Romero struck out Max Muncy with Kyle Tucker at third to end the sixth.
Ashby, who worked three scoreless innings for a save, struck out Ohtani swinging before Mookie Betts grounded out with Andy Pages at third to end the seventh. Will Smith doubled to right with one out in the eighth and was safe at third when the ball got away from Sal Frelick for an error before Ashby got Tucker to fly out and Teoscar Hernández to strike out.
The Brewers tied it in the fifth, when the Dodgers bullpen issued four walks and Milwaukee stole two bases. Hamilton’s single chased starter Tyler Glasnow and scored Frelick, who walked and stole second, to pull Milwaukee to 4-3.
Alex Vesia came in and promptly walked Brice Turang and William Contreras to load the bases. Vesia then walked NLCS MVP Jake Bauers with two outs to force in Hamilton with the tying run.
Glasnow retired his first 10 batters — six on strikeouts — before the Brewers got to him in the fourth. Turang walked, Contreras hit a ground-rule double and Bauers followed with another ground-rule double that closed Milwaukee to 4-2.
Ohtani broke out of his postseason slump with a three-run homer after Pages’ RBI single in the second. The four-time MVP released weeks of pent-up frustration by raising his arms and yelling and the crowd of 49,104 joined him in celebration.
Matthew Ballinger
is the senior editor for climate and environment coverage at LAist.
Published October 15, 2026 5:52 PM
The Henderson Fire sparked Thursday afternoon at Camp Pendleton.
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Alert California
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UC San Diego
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Topline:
Parts of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton have been ordered to evacuate, and the 5 Freeway has been closed in both directions as a wildfire burns in the area. The Henderson Fire had charred more than 1,100 acres as of 4:40 p.m.
What we know so far: The 5 Freeway was closed between Harbor Drive, near Oceanside, and Basilone Road, near the Orange County line. The Camp Pendleton Fire Department was fighting the fire, according to Cal Fire.
Read on ... for more on evacuations and weather conditions.
This is a developing story. For the most up-to-date information about the fire you can check:
Parts of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton have been ordered to evacuate, and the 5 Freeway was briefly closed in both directions due to a wildfire in the area. The Henderson Fire had charred more than 1,118 acres as of 7 p.m.
CHP closed the 5 Freeway between Harbor Drive, near Oceanside, and Basilone Road, near the Orange County line, but began reopening the interstate just before 6 p.m.
The Camp Pendleton Fire Department was fighting the fire, according to Cal Fire.
The basics
Acreage: 1,118 acres as of Thursday afternoon
Containment: 0%
Structures destroyed: None reported
Deaths: None reported
Injuries: None reported
Evacuation orders
According to Cal Fire: "An evacuation order has been published for the Las Flores (41 Area). All affected personnel, please evacuate to Paige Field House, located in the 11 Area." A secondary evacuation point was set up at 21 Area gym, according to the Camp Pendleton Facebook page.
Road closures
5 Freeway between Basilone Road and Harbor Drive, but it was being reopened.
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