The Brief

Rancho Palos Verdes could lose out on federal funding after President Donald Trump announced earlier this month he was canceling a grant that helps communities prepare for natural disasters.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it is ending the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program because of “waste, fraud and abuse.”

Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor David Bradley said his city's money was earmarked for installing more hydraugers in the ancient Portuguese Bend landslide area. The hydraugers would have been used to pump water from the ground, dry out the bentonite clay layer and stabilize the land movement.

When the city first applied for the grant in 2022, they were allocated about $23 million, but that amount eventually became an initial payment of about $2.3 million, which is now in doubt.

Bradley said the city hasn’t received the funds yet and doesn't think it ever will.

“ We are in discussions with FEMA right now, whether that funding is still available and has been obligated to the city of Rancho Palos Verdes or that's also going to be pulled back,” he said.

The mayor said the city is concerned about loss of funding from federal, state and county agencies which could put Rancho Palos Verdes “in a fiscal position that is untenable.”

The city has an annual budget of $40 million, he said, but to stabilize the landslide in the long term will cost around $150 million.

“The issue is that this is taking the money that we would be using for long-term solutions off the table again, and putting the city in a position where the only thing the city can do financially is the near term immediate emergency remediation tasks,” Bradley said. “We can't get ahead of it. We can't do long-term planning.”

The city, he said, can only put a tarp down instead of pouring concrete.

Temporary fixes

Land movement was accelerated by heavy rains in 2023 and 2024, pulling apart structures, cutting gas and power lines and severing roads. NASA imagery shows that land was sliding at a rate of 4 inches a week during a four-week period last year.

At the peak of the movement last year, Bradley said, the city had to undertake emergency tasks, including repairing a sewer line and mending cracks on Palos Verdes Drive South, the main thoroughfare through the landslide complex.

While movement has slowed, emergency work continues. Earlier this week, the city had to deal with another sewer line break.

These emergency measures are temporary “band-aids,” he said, and without a long term commitment the city is going to continue to bleed resources.

“ We are financially in peril … a major piece of infrastructure and a major arterial road within the city of Rancho Palos Verdes is in dire risk of failing and that that would be a major impact to commerce within the South Bay and for the residents of the area,” he said. “It is well outside of the ability for a city like Rancho Palos Verdes to bear all of that financial risk and we need help from our federal, state, and county partners.”

FEMA weighs in

The funds earmarked for the grant program will be returned to either the Disaster Relief Fund or the U.S. Treasury.

“The BRIC program was yet another example of a wasteful and ineffective FEMA program. It was more concerned with political agendas than helping Americans affected by natural disasters. Under Secretary [Kristi] Noem’s leadership, we are committed to ensuring that Americans in crisis can get the help and resources they need,” the agency said in a written statement.

The grant program was created by the federal agency during President Trump’s first term in office “to help communities proactively reduce their vulnerability to natural hazard events, and in turn, make the nation more resilient.”

The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Agoura Hills isn’t slated to open until Fall 2026, but there’s already been a wild discovery near the forested overpass.

National Park Service biologists recently captured and collared a female mountain lion, now named P-129, inside the construction site of the forthcoming crossing.

She is the third mountain lion to be captured through the crossing site, and the first since construction started.

Anaerial view of the Wildlife Crossing site in progress taken on December 6, 2025.

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“The mountain lion was captured and tracked and traveling right around the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing — right inside of it,” said Beth Pratt, Regional Executive Director of the National Wildlife Federation, one of the organizations that's managing construction of the project.

“To actually capture one right in the site of the crossing being built was pretty special,” she added.

A Puma’s path

P-129 was captured as part of the National Park Services’ Puma research project.

Scientists with the service have been studying mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains and surrounding region since 2002. It’s one of the longest continuous urban mountain lion studies.

“The knowledge that the Park Service has gleaned from these decades of research have helped us understand how they travel and use the landscape in the Santa Monica Mountains,” Pratt told LAist.

The soon-to-be completed wildlife crossing that will go over the 101 freeway was set in motion because of research done by the Puma project.

Although the crossing is intended for all wildlife, mountain lions are the ones most at risk from isolation caused by the freeway, said Pratt. The discovery of genetic degradation among mountain lions is what raised alarm bells that prompted the construction of the overpass.

In 2020, birth defects began manifesting in tracking data. Kink tails, only one descended testis, and the degradation of sperm quality all pointed to the next inevitable development: sterility.

Indeed, Pratt said a major goal of the crossing is to bring "dates" — mating partners — for these mountain lions who are living in the Santa Monica mountains.

Coming next Fall

Construction workers for the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing continue work on the project.

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The crossing has been under construction since 2022 and is on track to open next Fall. The main structure over the 101 has been completed, with a habitat of native plants growing on top.

Right now, Pratt said underway is a massive utility relocation of electricity, water, and gas lines.

“We have to move those utility lines out of the way, and then the secondary structure over Agoura Road is being constructed as well,” she said.

With the big unveiling in sight, the team is now taking bets on which animal will make its maiden passage next year.

“It could be [P-129], or it could be the dominant male in the area," Pratt said. "Or it could be a new cat that we don’t even know.”

It's easy to lose our critical thinking skills around the holidays. In a frenzy of last-minute gift shopping and travel bookings, we can be more anxious, more distracted and more vulnerable.

"There's a lot of hustle and bustle during the holiday season, so there's a lot more opportunities for scammers to steal from us," says Amy Nofziger, senior director of Fraud Victim Support at the AARP Fraud Watch Network, a fraud prevention service.

In a recent AARP survey of nearly 2,000 U.S. adults, nearly 9 out of 10 reported being targeted by or falling for some type of scam during the holiday season in the past year. Common schemes included fake shipping notifications, stolen packages and fake charity and donation requests.

Being aware of the tactics that scammers use this time of year can safeguard you from falling victim to fraud, Nofziger says. She shares four types of scams her team has seen this season.

Fake retail ads on social media

Scammers open stores on social media platforms for a limited period of time. They sell fake branded clothing or jewelry and use stolen logos or similar domain names to appear authentic. The store might disappear shortly after you've placed your order.

How to protect yourself: "If you're using a vendor that you haven't normally used, take the name of the vendor, put it in a new search, type the words 'scam,' 'fraud' and 'complaint' after it, and use other shoppers' experiences with the company to guide your own," Nofziger says.

She recommends always using a credit card to pay for online goods. "You have greater consumer protections," she says, meaning, in the event you fall for a scam, you can have an easier time getting your money back.

Fake gift cards

If you're looking to buy a gift card for someone, know that it is possible for scammers to get the gift card number and PIN before you buy it.

"They actually remove stacks of gift cards off of the card carousels, log every gift card number and PIN into their system, then load those gift cards back onto the carousels," says Nofziger.

If you add money onto one of these cards, scammers are notified and able to instantly withdraw it. "You could not even have left the store yet and that money could be drained," she says.

How to protect yourself: Nofziger recommends buying gift cards that are close to the front of the store and might have had more eyes watching them. She also suggests purchasing electronic gift cards instead of physical cards that can be tampered with.

Fake delivery texts

It's more common to receive unexpected packages around the holidays, and scammers will use that to their advantage, says Nofziger.

"They'll send out fake notifications saying that they're from a shipping company and that there's a problem with your account," like a missing piece of your address, she says. "But most of the time, if there's a problem with a package, you will hear directly from the vendor."

How to protect yourself: If you receive an unexpected text message from a shipping company like UPS or FedEx asking for your personal information, Nofziger's advice is to reach out separately to the company's customer service line and confirm that a package is indeed coming your way. You can also verify your address directly through their website.

Usually, "this is nothing but a phishing scam," she says, or an attempt to dupe you into sharing personal information.

Travel deals too good to be true

Travel prices can get expensive around the holidays, leading some to search online for better deals. But Nofziger says to be wary of suspiciously cheap fares and travel websites you haven't used before.

Nofziger's team receives a lot of reports about car rental scams. "People think they're getting a great deal, but they have to prepay with a prepaid gift card," she says. "Then they get to their location and there's no car."

How to protect yourself: She recommends sticking to vendors you have a preexisting relationship with and vetting any new travel website you might use.

Ultimately, if you fall for any of these scams, know that it's common. "Be proactive and report it as quickly as possible," says Nofziger. You can report the incident to local law enforcement, the Federal Trade Commission and the AARP Fraud Watch Network.

The digital story was edited by Malaka Gharib, with art direction by Beck Harlan. We'd love to hear from you. Leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823, or email us at LifeKit@npr.org.

Listen to Life Kit on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and sign up for our newsletter. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit.

Copyright 2025 NPR

With Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi not running for reelection, San Francisco is about to experience its most spirited congressional race since 1987, when Pelosi beat 13 candidates to fill the seat left open by the death of Rep. Sala Burton.

The 85-year-old Democrat leaves behind a historic record of accomplishment — from the power she achieved as a caucus leader and Speaker to delivering significant legislative victories, including passage of the Affordable Care Act, and her unparalleled ability to criticize President Donald Trump.

“Nancy Pelosi was the most effective speaker of the modern era, a legendary political thinker and strategist,” said Brian Hanlon, co-founder and CEO of California YIMBY, a pro-housing group. “And San Francisco punches way above its weight in terms of both national and state politics. So, who is San Francisco going to put in this seat?”

So far, three very different candidates have emerged as the top contenders to represent Pelosi’s district, which encompasses most of the city, except a southern slice that includes the Excelsior, Visitacion Valley and Oceanview neighborhoods.

The leading candidates

Connie Chan

San Francisco supervisor, District 1

The 47-year-old Democrat represents the northern section of San Francisco, including the Richmond District. Chan, who was born in Hong Kong and came to the U.S. as a teenager, is leaning into her biography as the basis of her candidacy.

“As a first-generation immigrant, I have the lived experience, understanding the challenges that immigrant community faces, and most definitely during this time, when we see the Trump administration sending ICE agents to our streets and also in courtroom, firing our immigration court judges so that they can detain our immigrants illegally,” Chan told KQED. “That is, first and foremost, one of our top priorities.”

Now in her second term on the Board of Supervisors, Chan, who once worked as an aide to former Supervisor Aaron Peskin, opposed Mayor Daniel Lurie’s Family Zoning Plan, which allows denser housing in neighborhoods like the Richmond, where single-family homes dominate. She also opposed a voter-approved ballot measure to close part of the Great Highway and create a public park, and supports sending the issue back to voters.

Scott Wiener

State senator 

Now in his eighth year in Sacramento, Wiener has championed landmark legislation to facilitate — even mandate — more housing construction in California, a position that has won him both support and criticism.

By any standard, Wiener, 55, is a prolific legislator. This year alone, 12 of his bills were passed and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. In an evaluation of state lawmakers across the country, Wiener was ranked as the most effective member of the California State Senate by the nonpartisan Center for Effective Lawmaking, a project of the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University.

Wiener, who is openly gay, said it is “definitely time” for the city’s LGBTQ+ community to elect one of its own to Congress. He would be the first openly gay representative from San Francisco in the House.

Saikat Chakrabarti

Software engineer and political activist

Chakrabarti, 39, jumped into the race before Pelosi announced her retirement, saying it was time for a new generation of leaders for the Democratic Party. Wiener also entered the race before Pelosi made her plans public.

After making millions of dollars as one of the first software engineers at the payment processing company Stripe, Chakrabarti worked on Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign and later became chief of staff to progressive icon Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

“I think I’m the only one willing to challenge the Democratic party establishment,” Chakrabarti told KQED this week. “People know that the Democratic party needs a new direction, it needs new ideas and it needs solutions that are as big as the problems that we face. And that’s what I’m offering the voters.”

What voters care about

“Affordability” is the mantra for Democratic candidates across the country, and this race will be no different. Chan, who criticizes Wiener’s “Sacramento version of affordable housing” in her campaign announcement video, will emphasize affordability as it relates to housing, but also in health care and child care.

Chakrabarti, who said he is more pro-housing than Chan, supports the controversial plan to build 800 units of housing above a Safeway in the Marina.

As expected, all three candidates promise strong opposition to Trump’s policies, including ICE raids, mass deportations and federal budget cuts. Wiener, who authored a new law banning ICE agents from wearing face coverings and bills supporting trans students, is a frequent target of right-wing hatred. He wears it like a badge of honor, and even has a “Scott’s MAGA Fan Club” section on his campaign site highlighting attacks by Tucker Carlson, Marjorie Taylor Greene and other conservatives.

While housing is largely a local issue, defense spending is not — and U.S. funding for Israel could become a contentious topic. Wiener, who is Jewish, has been outspoken about antisemitism while trying to strike a balance between Israel’s right to exist and opposing its war in Gaza.

Chakrabarti has made Palestinian rights a centerpiece of his campaign.

“I’m opposed to military funding in Israel as long as the genocide continues,” he said.

Chan has also said she would not support sending “weapons of war” to Israel, calling the situation in Gaza a human rights violation that she believes meets the legal definition of genocide.

Money, endorsements — and Pelosi’s shadow

The success or failure of a campaign depends on many factors, including name recognition, their record, voter enthusiasm, endorsements and resources.

Chakrabarti is the least well-known of the candidates, but he has access to enormous personal wealth to self-fund his campaign. Since this is his first run for office, he mostly points to his work behind the scenes, including his role in helping promote the Green New Deal, which he said helped center climate change as the key environmental issue.

“It’s going to take a movement of candidates and people to make this happen,” he said. “But I think that’s what’s possible right now, and that’s why I’m running.”

Chan, who is running for the first time outside a relatively small district, could face fundraising challenges. But her relationships with local unions, such as Unite Here Local 2, which represents workers in the hospitality industry, could help with campaign cash and volunteers.

Wiener has been raising money for a potential congressional run since 2023, reporting more than $1 million raised through September, according to federal campaign finance data. He said fundraising accelerated significantly after Pelosi announced her retirement.

It’s not clear if Pelosi herself will put her thumb on the scale for one of her would-be successors. Among the candidates, she seems most aligned with Chan, who has appeared alongside her at recent public events.

An endorsement from the San Francisco Democratic Party could provide a major boost. But that’s a significant hurdle, as it requires support from 60% of local delegates.

Local party chair Nancy Tung, a leader of the party’s more moderate wing, thinks only one candidate could conceivably win an endorsement.

“It’s within the realm of possibility that Scott Wiener would actually get the endorsement,” Tung told KQED this week. “I think he’s probably got the best chance.”

In the June primary, voters will decide which two candidates will advance to the November general election in the race for this solid Democratic seat.

A pair of brown leather shoes worn by Oscar-winning actor Ingrid Bergman in the 1948 film, Joan of Arc. A couple red togas with gold leaf embroidery thespian Laurence Olivier likely donned in the 1960 epic Spartacus. A leather briefcase used by the great Cecil B. DeMille between 1920 and 1940. A pair of Levi's from 1952 worn by Gary Cooper.

Those are just a handful of clothing and accessories — hats, shoes, scarfs, gowns and more — from old Hollywood the city of Los Angeles calls its own.

The 300-some pieces have been in the care of ASU FIDM Museum in downtown for more than three decades. The collection is open to the public, and the museum displays and lends pieces out for exhibition.

Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman tries the armor that she will wear for her role of Joan of Arc, a movie directed by Victor Fleming in 1947. A pair of shoes worn by Bergman is part of a collection of memorabilia owned by the city of Los Angeles.

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Next fall, some of the garments will be on display at an exhibition at ASU FIDM Museum on legendary costume and fashion designer Gilbert Adrian.

Los Angeles and Hollywood are oftentimes synonymous, but how did the city of L.A. come to possess these silver screen artifacts?

The Hollywood Museum?

We go back to the 1960s and the broken dream to build a museum of American film and television history.

At the center of the proposed Hollywood Museum (not to be confused with one on Highland Avenue since 2003) was the collection of artifacts and costumes culled from studios, production companies and actors themselves that numbered in the thousands.

The exhibition space never came to pass, according to city documents, because the funding never caught up to the vision.

The empty jail in Lincoln Heights once held a collection of Hollywood memorabilia owned by the city of L.A.

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In 1968, L.A.'s recreation and parks department took over the collection. When private storage was price prohibitive, the garments and accessories were stocked away at the empty jail in Lincoln Heights for two decades — until the deal with the fashion institute in 1988.

Dietrich, Astaire, Valentino...

As part of a loan agreement with the city that has just been recently extended, ASU FIDM Museum provides services to store, conserve and restore these 300 fashion and costume objects (for an inventory, go to pg. 19) that span the 1920s to about 1970.

There are tons of prized items in the mix — including more than a dozen pairs of dance shoes owned by Fred Astaire.

One name you'll keep seeing is screen diva Marlene Dietrich. About 100 pieces were donated to the Hollywood Museum from a storage unit she kept in L.A., said Christina Johnson, senior curator at ASU FIDM Museum.

 "It includes pieces that she wore on film, pieces in her personal life," Johnson said.

And sometimes, both. Like a paisley lamé evening gown created by a costume and fashion designer known by the mononym Irene.

"There's photos I found of [Dietrich] wearing it at Ciros nightclub with her then lover Jean Gabin," Johnson said. "Then she wore it when she was part of the USO entertaining the troops during World War II."

Dietrich purposely wore that same gown in A Foreign Affair — the 1948 Billy Wilder dark comedy set in post-war Germany.

" It's been so many places and I think that's one reason that fashion and costume history are so important because it makes history come alive for people," Johnson said. " When I'm handling something, it really makes me reflect on, what did this person experience while wearing this?"

Unlit Lucky Strikes

The collection contains ribbons, sash, ties, an entire costume ensemble worn by Rudolph Valentino (leggings and all) from the 1920s, and even a torso metal armor believed to be used in both the 1925 and 1959 versions of Ben Hur.

But probably none are more curious than the four unsmoked Lucky Strike cigarettes in their midst.

They belonged to silent movie star Mabel Normand, who worked with Charlie Chaplin and Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle.

" Her wardrobe items came in a Louis Vuitton trunk," Johnson said. "Those Lucky Strike cigarettes were in a pocket."

Normand was a heavy smoker and eventually died from tuberculosis. Still part of the collection, the possibly century-old cigarettes are stored separately so as not to stain the garment.

" But that's the thing, these belonged to real people who did real things," Johnson said. "And some of her unused cigarettes came with the collection."