The Brief

Good news for one of nature’s rarest and unlikeliest species: The critically endangered Devils Hole pupfish has been making a resurgence after a very close brush with extinction last decade.

The fish — whose full natural habitat consists of a hole in Death Valley National Park with a surface area of about 10 feet by 60 feet, little oxygen and very warm water — has been central for conservationists and biologists interested in how the species managed to develop in such extreme conditions.

So it was with guarded optimism that officials announced a few weeks ago that the spring pupfish census had counted 191 of the silvery fish, which measure little more than an inch long. That's a far cry from the 35 counted in 2013, when the species was at its closest to the brink since being studied.

Back from the brink

Before the population started declining a few decades ago, roughly 200 to 250 specimens were counted each spring by scuba divers. Typically, the population roughly doubles for the fall count, Death Valley National Park aquatic ecologist Kevin Wilson said, because sunlight starts to reach the water in the hole in the late spring and summer. That allows for algae to grow as a food source.

However, the species has faced a series of challenges. First, development in the 1960s threatened the fish’s habitat, which is connected to an underground aquifer that started being tapped in the desert for agricultural purposes. And even after protections were put in place to save the endangered fish, the population started declining in the mid-1990s before reaching its low point in 2013.

Although the population’s been on the rise for a few seasons, officials said they wanted to be cautious before publicizing the upswing since the count is prone to major swings, with fall typically having much higher numbers than spring.

This pupfish’s unique habitat

Devils Hole is located within Death Valley National Park, though it’s easy for visitors to miss since it’s located in an exclave of the park across the Nevada border, about 10 miles from Death Valley Junction. The hole itself is at least hundreds of feet deep — its bottom has never been mapped.

“It's not a flowing spring. It's not a bubbling spring. It's just kind of this geological fault that opened up this cave, and you're looking at the aquifer,” Wilson said. “It's kind of a strange term for folks, but you're just looking at water that's underground and we just have a window to see it.”

It’s in this unlikeliest of spots that the Devils Hole pupfish managed to take root, eventually evolving into a separate species from other local pupfishes, with a tolerance for extreme conditions and no pelvic fins.

“There's a lot of species that we don't expect to survive because humans have manipulated the environment to the extent that we have driven them to extinction,” said Michael Schwemm, senior fish biologist with the Fish and Wildlife Service. “What's unique about this one is the isolation. The fish managed to get [to Devils Hole] during times of high water and evolve independently and go on their own trajectory.”

Devils Hole as pictured from above.

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Courtesy National Park Service/Kim Stringfellow

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Other than the isolation and unique evolutionary developments, Devils Hole pupfish are remarkable for another reason: Wilson said they live in the smallest habitat for any known vertebrate species.

You can actually see the pupfish for yourself: Just keep in mind that the hole is fenced off to protect the fish, so you may need to bring binoculars.

A conservationist flashpoint

The Devils Hole pupfish isn’t just notable from a biological perspective, it was also at the center of a debate over water use and conservation in the late 1960s and 1970s.

“A local landowner put a well in right on the boundary of National Park Service land, turned it on, and the water level went down right away and the pupfish population declined,” Wilson said.

The debate got contentious enough that bumper stickers that read “kill the pupfish” or “save the pupfish” were popular.

The battle made it all the way to the Supreme Court in 1976, when the court decided in Cappaert v. United States that the federal government could restrict pumping of the aquifer that feeds Devils Hole in order to preserve the pupfish population. This set the precedent for the federal government to claim the rights to not just water sources on federal lands, but also adjacent aquifers in order to protect endangered species.

The future of the Devils Hole pupfish

Conservation biologists have been working to restore the pupfish population since the decline started, which Schwemm called one of the “smallest population sizes that a population has ever rebounded back from in a completely natural setting.”

Scientists routinely monitor the pupfish in Devils Hole.

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Kurt Moses

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National Park Service

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Though scientists want to keep the Devils Hole pupfish in its natural environment, they’ve had a little intervention: Owing to the population decline and scarce food sources, scientists started to feed the fish in 2007, and the population numbers have been monitored via diving expeditions for decades.

According to Schwemm, the fish is of great interest to researchers as they work to understand how the fish evolved to survive in high-temperature water with low levels of oxygen and food.

But even if the species’ natural habitat changes and becomes unviable for the fish in the years to come – which is possible with climate change – scientists have instituted a stopgap measure. A nearby tank mimicking the natural conditions of Devils Hole, including a 93-degree water temperature and very low oxygen, has managed to sustain a separate pupfish population.

And since pupfish populations appear to be stable or growing in both the natural and artificial habitats, officials are looking forward to being able to study the fish without devoting most of their energy to survival.

“It really opens up the door for future research,” Schwemm said. “We were really limited on our ability to do research before, and I think that's going to really help us.”

Despite an expected ban on Iran’s pre-revolutionary flag at the World Cup, many fans waved and displayed it at SoFi Stadium for Iran's first match against New Zealand on Monday, which ended in a 2-2 draw.

Just a day after the U.S. and Iran announced they had come to an agreement to end a months-long war, the crowd inside the stadium was largely pulling for Iran. Fans erupted in cheers when Iranian players had the ball, and exploded when the team scored.

A person carries a pre-revolutionary Iranian flag before the World Cup group stage match between Iran and New Zealand at SoFi Stadium.

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Allen J. Schaben

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Getty Images

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Still, the stands were dotted with people holding a flag similar to Iran's national flag, but bearing a lion and a sun. That flag is associated with the monarchy that ruled Iran before the 1979 revolution, and is a common sight at protests against the Iranian government. Others wore the symbol on their t-shirts and clothes.

FIFA had previously indicated that that flag would be banned in its stadiums, as part of its policy prohibiting political messages. As late as Monday morning, a judge ruled in favor of FIFA in a lawsuit filed in L.A. Superior Court over its flag policy, according to the Athletic.

But on Monday afternoon, some fans entering the stadium were getting in with their flags. The flag was so present inside and around SoFi Stadium that one merchandise seller Raul Gomez said he had put away the official Iranian flag and was advertising the lion and sun flag instead.

"They don't want the Iran flag," he said, gesturing at the national flag, which displays the emblem of the Islamic Republic of Iran. "That's why I put these away."

One security guard who said he wasn't authorized to speak to the media told LAist that security staff had been letting people in with the pre-revolutionary flag. The guard said that staff did confiscate materials with more overtly political or inflammatory messages.

An official talks with people with pre-revolutionary Iranian flag before the World Cup group stage match between Iran and New Zealand at the SoFi Stadium.

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Robert Gauthier

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Getty Images

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Other publications including Yahoo News reported that some fans were turned away at the gates for carrying the flag.

LAist has reached out to FIFA for comment, but did not receive a response in time for publication.

Some showed up at the stadium to protest the flag ban. Parisa Heravi, an Iranian who lives in Los Angeles, didn't have a ticket to the match but stood outside near the line to get in, holding a large lion and sun flag and sporting a "Make Iran Great Again" red hat.

Heravi said she was there in part because of concern that the pre-revolutionary flag wouldn't be allowed inside. She said she also came to oppose the Iranian team.

" The players are all part of the government," she said. "They're all the same people, so we don't support them."

Others arrived excited to cheer on Iran's national team, including L.A. resident Art Eftekhari, who runs a YouTube Channel where he follows Iranian soccer. He's such a fan of the national team that he traveled to Tijuana to stay in the same hotel as the players ahead of the World Cup. The team's training camp was moved from Arizona to Tijuana due to the U.S. war on Iran.

" I'm a huge supporter of the national team of Iran, and it's so awesome to be able to go to a game just a short drive from home," Eftekhari said. "It's the World Cup, so it couldn't be any better."

Many fans were seen entering the stadium were getting in with their flags.

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Libby Rainey

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LAist

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Despite an expected ban on Iran’s pre-revolutionary flag at the World Cup, many fans waved and displayed it at SoFi Stadium.

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Libby Rainey

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LAist

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Iranians traveled from across the country for the match, too. Amir Navabi came from Georgia. He brought both flags to make sure he could get in no matter what.

"I am a fan.  I have the one with the sun, and I have the one with the government logo," Navabi said, gesturing to his gear. "I just want to go and watch the soccer."

Iran’s next match at SoFi Stadium is June 21 against Belgium.

Matt Ballinger contributed to this report.

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

The Trump administration’s decision to restrict a vital loan program for small businesses to U.S. citizens has left some immigrant business owners searching for alternatives. 

The Korean American Federation of Los Angeles, KAFLA, recently partnered with the Jewish Free Loan Association to connect small business owners with interest-free loans of up to $50,000 that can be used for startup costs, rent, payroll, inventory, equipment and other business expenses.

In March, the U.S. Small Business Association changed its eligibility rules, excluding lawful permanent residents and requiring businesses seeking SBA-backed loans to be fully owned by U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals.

Immigrant entrepreneurs are more likely than native-born Americans to start a business, according to research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Nearly 40% of California’s small businesses are owned by immigrants, including 11% owned by undocumented entrepreneurs, according to the Bay Area Council Economic Institute. Nearly 60% of California’s 4.3 million small businesses, 60% are owned by entrepreneurs who are Hispanic, Black, Asian American, Pacific Islander or Native American. 

“When times get tough, it’s resources like this that currently aren’t available to our committee that are much needed,” KAFLA president Robert Ahn said during an informational session last week. 

Applicants must have steady income and meet certain credit requirements. Those seeking more than $10,000 generally need a credit score of at least 680. The program also requires one to three guarantors, depending on the loan amount.

Business owners can borrow up to $7,500 with one guarantor, up to $36,000 with two guarantors and as much as $50,000 with three guarantors.

Applicants must provide documentation including a recent tax return and proof of business licensing. The program accepts applicants with either a social security number or an individual taxpayer identification number, or ITIN.

Rachel Grose, JFLA’s executive director, said the online application takes about 10 minutes to complete. After the initial application is submitted, applicants are scheduled for a Zoom interview with JFLA staff.

Some business owners say the program could help fill a gap in access to capital.

Yong-ho Kim, president of the Korean American Food Industry Association and owner of the Japanese restaurant Arado, said many immigrant entrepreneurs have traditionally relied on bank financing to cover expenses and invest in their businesses.

“But the rules suddenly changed so that SBA loans are only available to citizens. There are many permanent residents, too,” Kim said. “Where are they supposed to borrow money to make up for the gaps?”

Kim acknowledged that the JFLA application process is more demanding than a traditional bank loan because of its guarantor requirements. Still, he says the absence of interest and fees makes it attractive.

Many businesses in the neighborhood, and across the city, are struggling with inflation and higher operating costs, he added. 

“It’s very difficult right now,” he said. “Prices keep going up, and I’m constantly thinking about what I need to cut.”

Kim said he personally applied for the program’s maximum $50,000 loan, partly because he needs additional capital and partly because he wanted to experience the process himself before recommending it to others.

Ahn said the partnership grew out of conversations he had with David Horvitz, vice president of JFLA’s board of directors, during a trip to Israel earlier this year.

“We spent a lot of time together in Israel discussing economic issues, particularly the struggles many businesses in Koreatown are facing,” he said.

Founded in 1904, JFLA provides interest-free loans to residents of Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

More information about the program and application requirements is available at jfla.org.

When the Los Angeles Unified School Board voted in May to finalize the elimination of more than 650 jobs as part of a plan to cut spending, its leaders promised more painful decisions would be necessary.

On June 16, another one of those choices arrives, as the school board will consider a fiscal stabilization plan to address multiple years of deficit spending.

The most recent forecast predicts a $1.3 billion deficit in the 2027-28 school year and a $3.6 billion deficit in the 2028-29 school year. (California requires schools to plan budgets for three years at a time.)

Perhaps the two most prominent items on the chopping block involve signature equity programs: the Student Equity Needs Index, which ensures dollars flow to schools with greater perceived needs, and the Black Student Achievement Plan.

The proposed cuts to these programs, and others, would likely result in thousands of layoffs in the coming years.

In a board meeting on Friday, community members called attention to what they said was a major transgression on the horizon.

“We’ve heard this district talk repeatedly about standing for equity. This is an opportunity for you all to put your money where your mouth is … ,” said Joseph Williams of the advocacy group Students Deserve, who also sits on the steering committee for BSAP. “A budget is a moral document. Please stand with the most marginalized students in this district.”

School leaders say that without change, the district could deplete its budget reserves within a few years.

“Our fiscal stabilization efforts are designed to protect the district's ability to serve students today and in the years ahead,” said Acting Superintendent Andres Chait during a May board meeting.

What is a fiscal stabilization plan?

California law gives county school superintendents the power to intervene when districts are at risk of not meeting their financial obligations. One of these interventions is the creation of a “roadmap” to address a budget deficit, called a fiscal stabilization plan. The Los Angeles County Office of Education advises districts to show what factors are straining the budget and include strategies to reduce spending, increase revenue and temporarily spend reserves or one-time funding.

The board’s approval of the fiscal stabilization plan does not automatically enact all of the cuts the plan proposes. Actions such as eliminating jobs often require further board votes and the plan can be revised throughout the next year.

It’s also possible that additional state funding, including revenue from investments in AI, could offset some of the proposed cuts.

What is the Student Equity Needs Index?

The annual fund known as SENI is distributed to LAUSD schools based on several factors, including academic outcomes, rates of chronic absenteeism and the health and levels of violence in surrounding communities.

SENI debuted in 2018, offering school principals discretionary funding to target interventions toward students with the greatest needs. Originally $350 million, the board doubled SENI in 2021 while flush with COVID relief money — which is now gone.

“Reducing and eliminating SENI means fewer everything,” Griselda Perez, a mom of two current LAUSD students, told the board on June 12. “Counselors, tutors, less mental health and destruction of the progress that we fought for a decade ago.”

What is the Black Student Achievement Plan?

The Black Student Achievement Plan is a $125 million fund distributed primarily to schools that serve higher numbers of Black students. The LAUSD board voted to create BSAP in 2021 with the goal of closing gaps in academic outcomes between Black students and their peers.

Mariah Williams, a new graduate of San Pedro High School attending UCLA this fall, spoke to the board Friday in her graduation robe. She said she wanted the board to see what investment looks like.

“[Programs like BSAP] provide mentorship, advocacy, college readiness support, mental health support and opportunities that help students succeed,” she said, adding that when schools dismantle such programs, they advance an agenda that undermines efforts to improve outcomes for Black students.

What will the board decide at its June 16 meeting?

The board is slated to vote on the fiscal stabilization plan, and it will also take public comment on a separate budget measure and its Local Control and Accountability Plan. (The LCAP is a state-mandated plan that outlines how the district will support student success.)

What if I have something to say?

The board meets June 16 beginning at 9 a.m. You can watch here, and use the information below to reach out to board members.

Several Los Angeles heavy-hitters were recognized in the James Beard 2026 awards, the Oscars of the food world, which were handed out Monday night in Chicago.

Best Chef in California

Dave Beran, of Seline in Santa Monica, won Best Chef in California. The chef, who got Jeremy Allen White camera-ready for The Bear, said operating a restaurant in disaster-prone L.A. is hard.

"You name the problem every year.... whether it's fires so on and so forth. So to stay culture and goal-focused and believe in what we're doing even though I'm sure there are paths that probably would have been more profitable ... [the award] means a lot," Beran said.

Chef Dave Beran of Pasjoli and Seline in Santa Monica.

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John Troxell

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Beran, who also owns Pasjoli nearby, offers a 16-22 course tasting menu at Seline for $295.

Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program

While L.A. was eclipsed in some key categories, like Outstanding Chef, Emerging Chef and Best New Restaurant, it picked up awards in others. Kato, the one-star Michelin restaurant in DTLA, won the Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program. Ryan Bailey, sommelier and co-owner, told the audience in his acceptance speech that their vision was all about inclusion.

It was important that "no matter what was in your glass you were raising to cheer, you felt equal” at the bar.

Outstanding Hospitality

Meanwhile Providence, the three-star Michelin restaurant on Melrose that's celebrating its 21st anniversary this week, won Outstanding Hospitality. Co-owner and General Manager Donato Poto joked that in the restaurant world, its longevity puts it "somewhere between middle age and a miracle."

Kim Stoler, beverage director at Providence restaurant on Melrose, mixes the Electric margarita made table side.

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Josh Letona

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LAist

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With a 1:1 customer to staff ratio, Poto said that exceptional service "is not something that can be scripted or manufactured, but rather is the result of a team united by a shared commitment to care, humility, and excellence."

Other SoCal honors

In a ceremony that was part celebration and part a passionate plea for recognition of the role of immigrants in the food industry, the contributions of other Angelenos were also honored.

Silver Spoon, the legendary soul food restaurant in Inglewood, was recognized with a James Beard America's Classics award, given to "locally owned restaurants with timeless appeal."

Local icon Nancy Silverton was awarded a Lifetime Achievement award. However, she said, “This award doesn’t mean I’m going anywhere … because I have nowhere to go. And mark my words I will be back there to receive my lifetime achievement award 2.0. “

A local nonprofit, No Us Without You, was awarded Humanitarian of the Year. Started by chefs Othón Nolasko and Damián Diaz to provide food relief to hospitality workers during the pandemic, six years later, it's pivoted to also serve food at home to families affected by ICE raids.

Check out the full list of winners ▶