Jill Replogle
covers public corruption, debates over our voting system, culture war battles — and more.
Published January 19, 2024 5:00 AM
Sicco Rood's canoe on the shore of the Salton Sea.
(
Courtesy Sicco Rood
)
Topline:
A Southern California man spent six days paddling a canoe around the Salton Sea and photographed his adventure.
A unique journey: The voyage presented several safety challenges. Much of the shoreline is inaccessible by vehicle. There's no fresh water. And much of the lake is bordered by marsh, potentially toxic mudflats and quicksand.
Why: Sicco Rood, a photographer and desert researcher, said he wanted to get beyond the lake's reputation as an environmental catastrophe and discover it for himself.
How was the trip? Full of life, Rood said, especially, an abundance of birds. Alsoslow going — a storm kept Rood from making it all the way around the lake. But he plans to finish the loop later this year. Keep reading to see photos from Rood’s trip.
Sicco Rood didn't know what to expect when he set out, in the last days of December, to paddle his canoe around the Salton Sea. The 300-square-mile lake in the Coachella Valley is California's largest inland water body and one of its most forbidding, at least for a long-distance adventure with just a paddle.
Temperatures around the lake can approach freezing in the winter and rise well above 100 degrees in the summer. There's no fresh water. And much of the lake is bordered by marsh, mudflats and quicksand.
While preparing for the trip, Rood, a 50-year-old photographer and research associate at UC Irvine's Anza-Borrego Desert Research Center in eastern San Diego County, hadn't come across any accounts of anyone ever having canoed around the lake before.
"Am I going to scrape along old bombs or get stuck in the weeds?" he recalled wondering. (The Navy's former Salton Sea Test Base practiced bombing during World War II in and around the lake.) "Or get blown into the middle of the sea by the winds?"
Sicco Rood set out to canoe around the Salton Sea to get beyond the lake's reputation as an environmental catastrophe.
(
Courtesy Sicco Rood
)
None of those things happened, although conditions weren't perfect enough for Rood to make it all the way around the inland sea, an estimated 87-95 miles by his planned route. A storm and a family commitment sent him home after six days of paddling with about one-third of the trip left to complete, which he hopes to do sometime this year.
Rood shared with LAist some of his photos from the trip, and his discoveries.
Listen
2:59
Listen: How One Man In A Canoe Found Beauty In The Troubled Salton Sea
The lake's accidental creation
The modern version of the Salton Sea was accidentally created in 1905 when the Colorado River breached an irrigation canal and began flowing into the dry bed of historic Lake Cahuilla. (Prior to that, the lakebed naturally filled up and dried out periodically.)
Cormorants in the Salton Sea.
(
Courtesy Sicco Rood
)
The Salton Sea's trajectory since then has been turbulent — from a water sports and fishing mecca to a majorecologicaldilemma, seemingly ever on the brink of disaster.
It had intrigued Rood since he backpacked across the Santa Rosa Mountains several years ago to watch the sun rise and set over the lake. "It just looked like a jewel in the desert," he said.
He wanted to experience it close-up, which isn't easy — much of the lake's perimeter is inaccessible by road or trail, although one person did walk around it in 2015.
The Salton Sea from the Santa Rosa Mountains.
(
Courtesy Sicco Rood
)
Rood wanted to be on the lake. "I think there's no more intimate way to experience a lake or a sea than by way of canoe," he said.
I think there's no more intimate way to experience a lake or a sea than by way of canoe.
— Sicco Rood
Months of prep for challenging conditions
Rood spent months planning for his Salton Sea trip. He patched up his old canoe. He made a spreadsheet with everything he'd need, including a solar panel to keep his phone and camera batteries charged. He bought snowshoes at a thrift store, which he hoped would help him safely trek across mudflats to find dry spots for camping. (Good news, they worked!)
Right before the trip, Rood cached water at key spots along his route, for drinking but also for washing his feet, which he knew were likely to be frequently covered in the lake’s potentially toxic mud. The Salton Sea is fed mostly by agricultural runoff. Testing of sediments has found chemical compounds used in pesticides as well as elevated concentrations of heavy metals including arsenic and selenium.
Without snow shoes, the thick and deep stretches of mud will swallow your feet up on some of the shorelines at the Salton Sea (Video: Sicco Rood). pic.twitter.com/fcpwdzq146
Rood found a good weather window at the end of December and decided to go for it. Through a Salton Sea Facebook group, he found someone to help him get the canoe to his starting point, the former Navy base on the lake's southwest shore.
He set off on Dec. 29.
Finding life in a 'dead' place
The Salton Sea once supported a wide variety of fish but as the water has gotten steadily saltier — now nearly twice as salty as the ocean — only two species have survived: tilapia and endangered desert pupfish.
Barnacles are part of the food chain in the Salton Sea, though they are not native to the lake.
(
Courtesy Sicco Rood
)
The lake is also plagued by algae blooms that kill off fish, which in turn threaten the hundreds of bird species that depend on those fish for food. Plus, the shoreline has been receding for decades, exposing toxic dust that threatens the health of local communities.
These facts have given the lake an increasingly bleak reputation, But Rood says the dystopian narrative is wrong. "People have been saying the place is dead … but that's not what I saw at all."
What Rood experienced during his six days on the lake was abundant life, he said. Lush vegetation lined some parts of the lakeshore and he said he paddled past thousands of birds every day.
Rood also marveled at the solitude he found on the lake despite the millions of people who live within a few hours' drive. During his trip around the northern half of the lake, Rood didn't see a single person out on the water.
Black-necked stilts over the Salton Sea.
(
Courtesy Sicco Rood
)
For the first five days of the trip, he saw just one other human on shore, a lone fisherman near the old Navy base.
Rood had hoped to end back at the old military base, but strong winds and white caps during the middle of his trip forced him off the lake for hours at a time. Rain also seeped into a crack in his cell phone. It died, and he decided to call it quits, for now.
A snowy egret near the bank of the Salton Sea.
(
Courtesy Sicco Rood
)
An abandoned pier on the Salton Sea. The lake was a vibrant vacation destination for much of the 20th century.
(
Courtesy Sicco Rood
)
"It wasn't a race for me," Rood said of his truncated trip. "It was really about a retreat. … so I'll just come back later and finish."
Until he heads out again in his canoe, Rood is sharing photos and videos from the trip on social media in an effort to shake up the public’s perception of the Salton Sea as doomed, if not already dead.
"It's a beautiful place," Rood said, "it just needs protection."
How to visit
Discover The Salton Sea For Yourself
To visit:
The Salton Sea State Recreation Area is open year-round for birdwatching, fishing, camping, and boating. Because of high summer temperatures, the best time to visit is October through May.
Read The Audubon Society’s report on the status of birds at the Salton Sea in 2019.
Read about the Salton Sea Management Program’s efforts to improve air quality and bird habitat in and around the lake.
Learn about Riverside County’s pilot project to create an artificial deep-water lake for wildlife habitat and recreation on the north end of the Salton Sea.
Explore LAist’s recent reporting on the potential for lithium mining at the lake.
David Wagner
covers housing in Southern California, a place where the lack of affordable housing contributes to homelessness.
Published June 1, 2026 9:00 AM
The L.A. Metro's Wilshire/La Brea stop on the D Line is one of the stations listed on the SB 79 map.
(
Kayla Bartkowski
/
Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
)
Topline:
Starting July 1, a new state law will push cities to increase housing development in neighborhoods located near major transit stops. When the law was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year, cities began taking their best guess at where exactly those sites would be.
What’s new: Now, the list is out. On Monday, the Southern California Association of Governments published its official map showing where new housing density will be allowed under Senate Bill 79.
Why it matters: The law’s impact on L.A. neighborhoods near transit lines — including those zoned only for single-family homes — has been heavily debated, especially in the race for Los Angeles mayor. The tallest buildings allowed under SB 79 will be nine stories, as long as they are located within 200 feet of a Metro B or D-line stop. More common will be the “Tier 2” zones around light rail and dedicated bus lane stops, which will allow buildings up to eight stories tall within 200 feet of the stop.
Read on… to learn why Orange County is excluded for now, but will be added to the map soon.
Starting July 1, a new state law will push cities to increase housing development in neighborhoods located near major transit stops.
When the law was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year, Southern California cities began taking their best guess at where exactly those sites would be.
Now, the list is out. On Monday, the Southern California Association of Governments, known as SCAG, published its official map showing where new housing density will be allowed under Senate Bill 79.
Elizabeth Carbajal, SCAG’s deputy director of land use, said local officials sought many clarifications from state leaders in order to be sure that the map would accurately reflect the Legislature’s intent.
“There were a lot of questions after the statute was signed,” Carbajal said. “The clarifications helped further define bus service, as well as pedestrian access points.”
SB 79 has become a political lightning rod
The law’s impact on neighborhoods near transit lines — including those zoned only for single-family homes — has been heavily debated, especially in the race for Los Angeles mayor.
Mayor Karen Bass asked Newsom to veto SB 79, and she continues to oppose adding apartments within the nearly three-quarters of city land reserved for single-family homes.
City councilmember Nithya Raman, who is challenging Bass in the upcoming election, declined to oppose SB 79 and has said some single-family neighborhoods will need to accept more density.
Spencer Pratt, the former reality TV star running for mayor, made waves on social media when he falsely claimed last year that SB 79 would bring high-rises to the Pacific Palisades, where his home burned down. The official SCAG map confirms that SB 79 will have no impact on the neighborhood.
In response to SB 79, housing opponents in some areas have started focusing their efforts on killing plans for expanded public transit. Responding to public pressure, Burbank officials have stalled construction plans for local portions of a rapid bus line from North Hollywood to Pasadena. L.A. Metro is now suing Burbank over that move.
Where will new housing go? And how much will be allowed?
The rules of SB 79 are complex.
The tallest buildings allowed under SB 79 will be nine stories, as long as they are located within 200 feet of a Metro B or D-line stop. These stations qualify as “Tier 1” stops under SB 79, which puts the tallest buildings near heavy rail lines, which in L.A. only applies to the B and D-line subways.
More common will be the “Tier 2” zones around light rail and dedicated bus lane stops, which will allow buildings up to eight stories tall within 200 feet of those stops.
Height limits step down in areas further out from the station. In “Tier 2” zones, buildings up to six stories tall will be allowed within a quarter-mile of the stop, and buildings up to five stories will be allowed within a half-mile.
Neighborhoods near two Metrolink commuter rail stations, in Burbank and Glendale, will also qualify as “Tier 2” zones.
Change won’t necessarily come overnight
New housing won’t necessarily be coming to those zones immediately. Under SB 79, cities have the ability to put off full implementation until 2030 by making their own choices about where to allow more housing.
“Cities can develop alternative plans and delay implementation,” said Philip Law, a SCAG deputy planning director. “The map is not intended to reflect those situations.”
The city of L.A. has taken the delay approach, with the City Council recently voting to allow buildings up to four stories tall around 55 targeted transit stops. This would let the city put off full implementation of SB 79.
The new SCAG map shows no impact in Orange County. The region does not yet qualify as an “urban transit county” under the state law. However, the impending completion of the OC Streetcar through Santa Ana and Garden Grove, expected later this year, will make Orange County eligible for SB 79.
Once the OC Streetcar opens, SCAG plans to update their map to include Orange County, Carbajal said.
Check out Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures to celebrate the movie star's 100th birthday.
(
Emily Shur
/
Academy Museum Foundation
)
In this edition:
Pride Night at Angel Stadium, Marilyn Monroe at 100, Stop Making Sense and more of the best things to do this week.
Highlights:
Celebrate the biggest Hollywood star of all time, Marilyn Monroe, on what would be her 100th birthday: June 1. The special exhibit Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon just opened at the Academy Museum and includes memorabilia, film clips and costumes that explore Monroe’s impact on the studio system, her iconic style and much more.
The Righteous Gemstones actress Edi Patterson brings her bold improv to the Largo for her new show, Playgirl — a full-length play completely improvised right on the spot. Yes, she’s playing all the characters.
Kick off Pride Month with Pride Night at Angel Stadiumas the Angels take on the Colorado Rockies. You’ll score an Angels Pride jersey and can enjoy the pregame Pride Village.
What, you think I’d let you miss an opportunity to see Stop Making Sense on the big screen? And lose all my indie cool cred? Never. Talking Heads’ classic 1984 music film (directed by the late, great Jonathan Demme) will be shown at Vidiots in 4K digital to celebrate 40 years of everyone’s favorite film nerd superstore.
Tuesday is Election Day, so get ready to drop off your ballot or head to your polling place — but not before consulting the LAist Voter Game Plan if you still have some research to do about the most competitive races in your area, whether that’s city council, mayor or even the state-wide governor’s primary.
And happy Pride! We’ll be featuring tons of LGBTQ+ events this month, so stay tuned.
Licorice Pizza’s Lyndsey Parker has your music picks for the week, including: Monday, Las Vegas rockers the Cab will be at the Fonda Theatre, and Scottish indie-pop darlings Camera Obscura will play their first of two shows at Pacific Electric.
Tuesday, new-wave legend Joe Jackson will be looking sharp at the Orpheum Theatre, British-Sudanese R&B artist Elmiene will play the Wiltern and Australian buzz band Vacations will begin their three-night run at the Troubadour.
On Wednesday, alt-country harpist Mikaela Davis is at Sid The Cat Auditorium, and the Grammy Museum hosts a “Reelin’ in the Early Years of Steely Dan” panel featuring Licorice Pizza’s Jeff “Skunk” Baxter.
Thursday’s a big night for new-wave fans with the triple-bill of the Human League, Soft Cell and Alison Moyet at the Hollywood Bowl, while Vince Staples is at the El Rey. Plus, at 4 p.m. Licorice Pizza is hosting a Q&A with legendary rock photographer Henry Diltz at the record store.
Wednesday, June 3, 6:30 p.m. Angel Stadium 2000 E. Gene Autry Way, Anaheim COST: FROM $35; MORE INFO
Catch the Angels as they take on the Rockies for Pride Night.
(
Julio Aguilar
/
Getty Images
)
Kick off Pride Month with Pride Night at Angel Stadium, as the Angels take on the Colorado Rockies. You’ll score an Angels Pride jersey and can enjoy the pregame Pride Village.
Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon
Ongoing Academy Museum 6067 Wilshire Blvd., Miracle Mile COST: INCLUDED WITH GENERAL ADMISSION, $25; MORE INFO
Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon is at the Academy Museum.
(
Emily Shur
/
Academy Museum Foundation
)
She may have sung happy birthday to Mr. President, but it’s Marilyn’s turn now. Celebrate the biggest Hollywood star of all time, Marilyn Monroe, on what would be her 100th birthday: June 1. The special exhibit Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon just opened at the Academy Museum, and it includes memorabilia, film clips and costumes that explore Monroe’s impact on the studio system, her iconic style and much more. From her costumes in Some Like It Hot to the pink dress by William Travilla in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes to letters and personal materials, the exhibit takes a complete look at Norma Jeane’s legacy.
Stop Making Sense
Monday June 1, 7:30 p.m. Vidiots 4884 N. Eagle Rock Blvd., Eagle Rock COST: WALK-UP TICKETS AVAILABLE; MORE INFO
(
A24
/
FilmGrab
)
What, you think I’d let you miss an opportunity to see Stop Making Sense on the big screen? And lose all my indie cool cred? Never. Talking Heads’ classic 1984 music film (directed by the late, great Jonathan Demme) will be shown at Vidiots in 4K digital to celebrate 40 years of everyone’s favorite film nerd superstore.
The Drop: Dogstar
Tuesday, June 2, 7:30 p.m. Grammy Museum 800 W Olympic Blvd., Downtown L.A. COST: SOLD OUT BUT WAITLIST AVAILABLE; MORE INFO
Keanu Reeves will perform with his band, Dogstar, this week.
(
Francesco Prandoni
/
Getty Images
)
Keanu Reeves’s other career — as the rockstar lead singer of Dogstar — has taken shape and developed a loyal fanbase over the years. Join the band for an evening of stories, music and conversation on the Grammy Museum rooftop as they release their latest album, All in Now.
Edi Patterson: Playgirl
Wednesday, June 3, 8 p.m. Largo at the Coronet 366 N. La Cienega Blvd.,Melrose COST: $50; MORE INFO
Edi Patterson will be improvising an entire play.
(
Marcus Ingram
/
Getty Images
)
The Righteous Gemstones actress Edi Patterson brings her bold improv to the Largo for her new show, Playgirl. No, she’s not improvising a pinup; rather, she’s doing something so much bolder — performing a full-length play completely improvised right on the spot. Yes, she’s playing all the characters.
Wet Hot Amusical Summer
Thursday, June 4, and various dates through June, 7:30 p.m. Three Clubs 1123 Vine Street, Hollywood COST: $33; MORE INFO
(
Cherry Poppins
/
Eventbrite
)
A cult film if there ever was one, the 2001 David Wain film Wet Hot American Summer (starring Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler and many, many more) is ripe for a send-up stage treatment — and the folks at Cherry Poppins have delivered with Wet Hot Amusical Summer. The spoof of a spoof is sure to be an over-the-top send-up of what’s already a comedy legend; the show continues through the Hollywood Fringe Festival.
The Big Run
Wednesday, June 3, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Johnny Carson Park 400 S. Bob Hope Drive, Burbank COST: $22.50; MORE INFO
(
Miguel A. Amutio
/
Unsplash
)
Celebrate Global Running Day with friends in Burbank as The Big Run takes over Johnny Carson Park. Hosted by Fleet Feet Burbank in partnership with the Burbank Parks and Recreation Department, run the .4 mile loop as many times as you can in 30 minutes to compete!
Keep up with LAist.
If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.
Jill Replogle
covers public corruption, debates over our voting system, culture war battles — and more.
Published June 1, 2026 5:00 AM
The state wants Huntington Beach to make room for more homes, and the city has balked at being told how to do that.
(
Allen J. Schaben
/
Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
)
Huntington Beach will consider a citywide plan for more housing at its Tuesday meeting after a years-long battle against the state that resulted in a court order.
The backstory: State law requires California cities and counties to plan for enough housing to meet the expected demand over an eight-year time period, including for low-income housing. They don’t have to actually build the housing, they just have to make sure their local zoning can accommodate it. Huntington Beach was told to make room for some 13,000 new homes. The city fought the allocation all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court — but lost.
The current status: A San Diego court recently told Huntington Beach it needed to come into compliance, or pay $50,000 for each month it fails to do so.
What’s next? The city council is scheduled to vote on the housing plan at its June 2 meeting.
Huntington Beach will consider a citywide plan for more housing at its June 2 (Tuesday) meeting after a yearslong battle against the state that resulted in a court order.
The backstory
State law requires California cities and counties to plan for enough housing to meet the expected demand over an eight-year period, including for low-income housing. They don’t have to actually build the housing, they just have to make sure their local zoning can accommodate it.
Huntington Beach was told to make room for some 13,000 new homes. The city fought the allocation all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, which declined to review the case last year.
Mayor Casey McKeon estimates the city would actually have to plan for close to 40,000 new units to meet the state mandate, since most new developments include only a small percentage of affordable homes.
Where things stand now
A San Diego court recently told Huntington Beach it must come into compliance, or pay $50,000 for each month it fails to do so. The city responded by posting a revised housing plan on its website and asking residents for comment.
Wider pushback
The Orange County Grand Jury dropped a new report last week that is highly critical of the state’s methods of forcing cities to plan for housing at all income levels. The report said the state’s efforts have led to “growing tension between state directives and local realities” and had “led to minimal housing being built.”
What’s next?
The City Council is scheduled to vote on the housing plan at its Tuesday meeting. The state could still order the city to make revisions to its current plan. "We await their adopted plan next week," Alicia Murillo, a spokesperson for the California Department of Housing and Community Development, said in an email to LAist.
How to attend Huntington Beach City Council meetings
Huntington Beach holds City Council meetings on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 2000 Main St.
You can also watch City Council meetings remotely on HBTV via Channel 3 or online, or via the city’s website. (You can also find videos of previous council meetings there.)
The public comment period happens toward the beginning of meetings.
The city generally posts agendas for City Council meetings on the previous Friday. You can find the agenda on the city’s calendar or sign up there to have agendas sent to your inbox.
A bald eagle couple has been spotted in Los Angeles County this past week.
(
Courtesy L.A. County Dept. of Parks and Recreation
)
Topline:
A pair of nesting bald eagles was spotted in Los Angeles County this past week, according to a social media post from the Department of Parks and Recreation.
Why it matters: Nesting bald eagles are a fairly rare sight in Southern California, since they typically nest along the California-Oregon border.
The backstory: The Department of Parks and Recreation did not disclose the location of the birds, and reminded L.A. residents in their post that bald eagles are a federally protected species and disturbing their nests could “disrupt breeding and impact their success.”
What's next: It takes about 35 days for bald eagle eggs to incubate. If the new visitors lay eggs, Los Angeles could have our very own eaglets as early as next month.
A pair of nesting bald eagles was spotted in Los Angeles County this past week, according to a social media post from the Department of Parks and Recreation. (You can check out the full post and video on Instagram.)
The Department of Parks and Recreation did not disclose the exact location of the birds.
Nesting bald eagles are a fairly rare sight in Southern California, since they're more commonly found close to the California-Oregon border.
A look at where bald eagles typically nest.
(
Courtesy California Department of Fish and Wildlife
)
Of course, there are notable exceptions, including Southern California's most famous bald eagles: Big Bear's Jackie and Shadow, whose yearly attempts at parenthood have become big national news on occasion.
Park officials are reminding everyone that bald eagles are a federally protected species and disturbing their nests could “disrupt breeding and impact their success.”
The history
Bald eagles were once close to extinction in the lower 48 U.S. states. By the early 1970s, there were fewer than 30 pairs in California, all in the northern part of the state. The species has rebounded since being protected under federal and state laws.
What's next
It takes about 35 days for bald eagle eggs to incubate. If the L.A.'s new eagle residents lay eggs, Los Angeles could have our very own eaglets as early as next month.
