The Brief

Is it safe to do yard work? Should I test my house for asbestos? How can I know whether schools and parks are safe? These are questions hundreds of Tustin residents still don't have clear answers to more than a month after a fire torched a massive World War II-era hangar.

As the 17-story tall blimp hangar burned, testing by public health officials and asbestos experts showed the fire sent asbestos, lead, and other toxins spewing into the surrounding community. Debris from the fire was reported more than three miles from the site, according to county documents obtained by LAist.

Officials say air quality tests in recent weeks have shown no cause for concern, and specialized remediation crews continue to clean up asbestos-laden debris from the former military base and in the surrounding community.

The status of ash and soot is less certain — private testing inside some residents' homes has found asbestos and lead. Officials have not publicly released any test results from ash or soil since the early days of the fire.

Without access to more data and without a long-term strategy for testing, some residents say they don't feel safe.

"If I could, I would move tomorrow," Sean Storm, a Tustin resident, told LAist in a phone interview. Storm lives in the Columbus Square neighborhood, right across the street from the fire-gutted hangar, with his wife and four young kids.

He said his grandfather died from cardiac arrest after long-term exposure to asbestos. "His lungs were completely deteriorated from it," Storm said. "The doctor told us when he was dying it's like a small razor blade that just cuts you over and over with every breath."

Now Storm fears that asbestos-laden dust and ash from the fire could linger undetected in the grass and mulch that covers nearby parks and common areas in his neighborhood. "You're always going to wonder, am I putting my children at risk of a health factor later down the road?"

LAist interviewed and requested information from local, state and federal officials, and outside experts, about the post-fire recovery efforts and residents' health and safety concerns.

Many questions remain at least partially unanswered, but here's what we found out, including links to key documents and websites.

The historic blimp hangar, at right, seen as it burned on Nov. 7, 2023.

(

Jae C. Hong

/

Associated Press

)

What’s known about potentially toxic building materials in the hangar?

Multiple assessments carried out in recent decades on the now-destroyed hangar and the other, nearly identical, blimp hangar nearby have found that asbestos and lead paint were used extensively throughout their construction.

Asbestos was present in roofing materials, wall panels, pipe insulation and floor tiles, according to a 2019 report. Some of this asbestos was "friable," meaning it breaks or crumbles easily and therefore poses a greater risk of being inhaled, which can cause long-term health consequences.

The wood that makes up the bulk of the construction was treated for fire-resistance with a product called Minalith. Chris Dunne, a Navy spokesperson, told LAist in an email that samples of the treated wood were analyzed in the past and found to contain "detectable concentrations of aluminum, arsenic, boron, barium, calcium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium, nickel, phosphorus, lead, silicon, and zinc."

In the days after the fire first broke out on Nov. 7, air quality officials detected lead and arsenic in the smoke plume, but nowhere else, which Orange County Public Health Officer Regina Chinsio-Kwong told LAist was "reassuring."

She said her office also tested for lead at Legacy Magnet Academy and Heritage Elementary on the heaviest days of smoke and did not detect elevated levels. The two schools are located within a mile from the hangar that burned.

Oladele Ogunseitan, a public health professor at UC Irvine, told us the information about chemicals in the wood was "concerning."

"So far, the data which has been shared shows very low levels of these toxicants, but it is hard to tell the amount released into the air during the early hours of the fire igniting," Ogunseitan wrote in an email to LAist. That's because air quality testing for asbestos and other potential toxins didn't take place until the afternoon of Nov. 7 — about 12 hours after the fire began, according to public documents.

Veterans Sports Park, across the street from where the hangar burned, reopened on Dec. 13, more than a month after the fire broke out.

(

Jill Replogle

/

LAist

)

What’s known about air and soil quality in adjacent communities?

Here's what testing in the community has shown:

• The day after the fire broke out, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) detected asbestos in debris and ash falling on the surrounding community. Samples of debris collected from around the hangar detected up to 37% asbestos.  
• A mobile air monitoring device deployed by AQMD on the day the fire broke out and for several subsequent days found elevated levels of arsenic and lead inside the area of the smoke plume. However, the majority of results showed no elevated levels of heavy metals, according to public officials and documents. 
• After the first week of the fire, which burned through Dec. 1, air quality testing has not shown elevated levels of asbestos, lead, arsenic or other heavy metals. 

You can see the latest air quality reports and results from early testing on the city's website. Reports of particulate matter, a standard measure of air pollution, are posted daily on the city's website. Currently, air quality is being tested at 30 monitors around the hangar site and throughout the community by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Officials we spoke with say asbestos has been detected primarily in solid pieces of debris from the fire. They say that’s why the city’s cleanup response has focused on removing that debris from the community.

"Right now, at least, we think that the fallout, the fines [fine particulate matter], the soot from the plume probably was not as big a problem," Ben Castellana, on-scene coordinator for the EPA, told LAist in an interview late last week.

"But certainly the debris, the large pieces of the hanger that landed in the community, those needed to be removed as quickly as possible."

Chinsio-Kwong, the Orange County health officer, told LAist that all of the data collected by public health and environmental officials in recent weeks "has been reassuring."

Many residents have asked health officials to do more testing of soil and dirt in communities adjacent to the fire — or, if testing has already occurred, to share it with the community. (A spokesperson for the state Department of Toxic Substances Control told LAist they had information to share. We will update this story as soon as we learn more.)

Storm, the Tustin resident, noted the extensive measures being taken to secure the soil and ash immediately around the hangar. Tustin hangar fire cleanup crews applied a plastic substance to the soil around the burnt structure early this month to prevent asbestos from getting kicked up.

"If you're saying the dirt on the opposite side of the street is not safe, then how is the dirt on my side of the street safe?" he asked.

The EPA is monitoring air quality around the perimeter of the former military base and in multiple locations in the surrounding community.

(

Jill Replogle

/

LAist

)

What’s known about air and soil quality in nearby schools?

According to county documents, in the days after the fire broke out, asbestos-laden debris was detected at Tustin schools, including at Hicks Canyon Elementary, which is about three miles from the burn site, and at Tustin High School, which is two miles from the site.

All Tustin Unified schools were closed for several days starting on Nov. 9. Most schools were reopened by Nov. 15 after clearance from the district-contracted asbestos consultant.

Chinsio-Kwong, the public health officer, said air quality authorities read up on toxic materials in the building when the fire broke out and consequently, tested the air for a broad range of heavy metals and volatile organic compounds.

At Heritage Elementary School, which was open during the first two days of the fire, Chinsio-Kwong said certified asbestos consultants took air samples and dust samples using a technique called micro-vacuuming to test for asbestos. Those tests came back negative, she said, adding that she believed they were conducted in heavily trafficked areas of the school.

Parents of students at the school, including Storm, have asked for details about the testing, including how much of the school has been tested and whether outdoor surfaces and playground equipment have been tested.

Storm said he was concerned safety issues may linger if “classroom window seals and door frames and carpet in every single classroom” haven't been tested.

Chinsio-Kwong said she didn't have precise details about the testing. The Tustin Unified School District has not responded to LAist's multiple requests for interviews and/or comment since Dec. 5.

At a community meeting on Dec. 7, Tustin school board trustee Allyson Muñiz Damikolas echoed Chinsio-Kwong, saying that preliminary testing at Heritage and Legacy, which are both still closed, was "encouraging," but she said the district did not yet have final results.

As for when the students at Heritage and Legacy might go back, Chinsio-Kwong said she won't recommend reopening those schools until the work to take down the hangar doors and adjacent structures is complete and the resulting dust and debris is secured, "so that once kids return to school, they can freely run around outside instead of being indoors."

That work is not expected to be completed until later this month. So far, the hangar doors have been lowered. Work to remove the "pillbox" structures that framed the doors started Tuesday, according to the city's latest update.

Work to lower the doors of the hangar finished on Dec. 11. This image was taken Dec. 7, when the work was beginning.

(

Jill Replogle

/

LAist

)

Did ash and debris contaminate homes?

According to county documents, some 10,000 homes were affected by the hangar fire in the cities of Tustin, Irvine and Santa Ana.

Public agencies have not tested inside of people's homes affected by the fire. But some residents have paid to get their own testing done. Lana Clay-Monaghan, a Tustin resident, has publicly shared an informal survey she spearheaded of residents near the fire.

Of the 19 residents who said they had indoor testing done by a certified asbestos contractor, nine reported results showing the presence of asbestos. Chinsio-Kwong, the public health official, told LAist one resident who took the survey had emailed her the results of her home test. Chinsio-Kwong said was still working with experts to understand exactly what to take away from the results.

Castellana, the EPA coordinator, said a resident had also shared home testing results with him. But Castellana said the results lacked important details. They didn't include the lab report or specify the detection limit used and therefore don’t “really answer a lot of questions."

"If I test for asbestos in my house, for example, you're probably going to find a fiber or two," Castellana said. "It's naturally occurring, it's in a lot of manufactured products, both in our houses and building materials, as well as cars. … So, it's all over in our environment. And that's not to say it also hasn't come from the [hangar] site.”

Castellana said he hoped asbestos consultants hired by residents would give thorough information about their test results, including whether their home is safe.

Asbestos consultants are required to be certified by the state of California. You can check whether a consultant has up-to-date certification on the website of the state Department of Industrial Relations. You can also look up contractors to see whether they're certified to perform asbestos-related work.

Clay-Monaghan said she and her family, including two toddlers, moved out of their home after it tested positive for asbestos and lead.

"We had to make the difficult and expensive decision to remove ourselves from that environment," she said. She told LAist she hopes to move back after her home is fully remediated.

What are the health risks associated with asbestos and lead?

Exposure to asbestos can cause some forms of cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute, and usually emerges decades after the initial exposure. Health risks increase with heavier and/or longer-term exposure.

Smoking severely increases the risk of developing cancer for those exposed to asbestos. "So the major lesson that I would want to impart to all the residents and children of the area is don't smoke," said Richard Castriotta, a pulmonologist at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine.

Exposure to lead is especially dangerous for children under the age of 6. Even small amounts can cause long-term damage to the brain and nervous system, according to the O.C. Health Care Agency. Blood testing is the only way to determine whether a child has lead poisoning.

An empty park in the Columbus Square neighborhood, which was hardest hit by the fire, on Dec. 1, 2023. All city parks were open as of Dec. 13.

(

Jill Replogle

/

LAist

)

Should I clean my house and/or yard?

Outside

Chinsio-Kwong said that if a resident's yard has been inspected and remediated by a certified asbestos contractor, it should be OK to mow the lawn and do yard work. If you still need help from a certified contractor, contact the city's hotline: 714-426-2444 or report the debris through the city's online portal.

"As long as there's no longer any debris, then technically, if they were given the green light, they should be able to return to landscaping activities and mowing and leaf blowing," she said.

Castriotta, the pulmonologist, said mowing the lawn shouldn't be a problem since most electric lawn mowers collect grass directly into a bag. He said wearing an N95 mask while doing yard work would significantly decrease the risk of exposure.

"They have to live their lives," Castriotta said of residents. "If there's a chance of the ash being around in an inhalational form, then an N95 mask will protect you."

If a resident is still waiting for the city's asbestos contractors to assess their yard and collect fire debris, Chinsio-Kwong said they should wait to do yard work so as not to disturb the debris.

According to the latest update, of the 1,094 debris reports submitted to the city's online portal, some 75% have been remediated and cleared.

But residents have wondered aloud whether this clearance really means their homes are safe since the city's contracted asbestos experts are only picking up large pieces of debris.

At a community meeting last week, Darren Terry told LAist his rain gutters are still full of ash from the fire. He was frustrated homes have been cleared by the city’s asbestos contractors when the roofs, windows, gutters and plants have not been remediated.

Chinsio-Kwong said residents should rinse off or wipe down their window screens and doors if they still contain soot from the fire.

Inside

Chinsio-Kwong recommends that residents whose homes were affected by the Tustin fire use wet wipes to clean surfaces and a vacuum with a HEPA filter on floors.

She told LAist she has been looking for guidance in the residential cleaning studies carried out after the World Trade Center buildings collapsed following the 2001 terrorist attack, spreading toxic dust over streets and into apartments in lower Manhattan.

An EPA study dated November 2008 of different cleaning methods in contaminated homes concluded that wet wiping surfaces and vacuuming the floor — sometimes multiple times, depending on the amount of contamination — "was successful in reducing concentrations to levels below health-based benchmarks."

A separate study found that dusting or sweeping without using water was associated with high numbers of respiratory problems among residents affected by the tower collapses.

Can I run my HVAC system?

Chinsio-Kwong said residents can use their HVAC systems as long as they have a well-maintained filter — the EPA recommends filters rated "MERV 13” or higher to remove fine particulate matter from smoke. Residents may need to replace their HVAC filter or, for help, consult an HVAC technician.

Chinsio-Kwong acknowledged that advice on whether Tustin residents should run their HVAC systems initially wavered in the early days of the fire. She said that's because she was concerned people might not know whether their HVAC system has an updated filter, which is key to safety.

More than 600 disaster remediation workers have been dispatched to clean up fire debris tainted with asbestos on the former military base and in surrounding neighborhoods.

(

Jill Replogle

/

LAist

)

Is there funding assistance to pay for home testing?

Asbestos

Currently, public agencies are not offering assistance for asbestos testing inside of homes affected by the Tustin hangar fire. At a recent community meeting, Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner said state law prohibited the county from using general taxpayer money to set up a fund for individual homeowners affected by the fire.

"We just don't have a legal right to do that," he said.

Some homeowners told LAist their insurance has paid for testing inside their homes. But, according to Clay-Monaghan's informal survey of residents, nearly three-quarters said they couldn't afford it.

One-quarter of the 1,075 homes in the Columbus Square neighborhood, which was hardest hit by fire debris, are designated for very low- to moderate-income families.

Clay-Monaghan said residents who had paid for testing reported paying around $2,500.

If the state declares the Tustin fire an emergency, it could free up resources for the city and for individuals. Wagner said the state had been "dragging its feet" on a declaration.

Brian Ferguson, spokesperson for the Governor's Office of Emergency Services, told LAist in an email earlier this month that the city and county would first have to demonstrate that "effective response is beyond [their] capabilities" in order for the state to step in with aid.

Ferguson said Wednesday there were no additional updates. He did not respond to our request to clarify the damage assessment process.

Initial damage estimates totaled about $31.7 million as of mid-November, according to the emergency management team that coordinated the initial response to the fire. That includes money spent by the county, Tustin Unified School District and city of Tustin.

The final total is likely to be far higher. Last week, Tustin Mayor Austin Lumbard told LAist that the city had committed $30 million of its own funds to date.

Lead

If you’re worried about potential lead in your home from the Tustin fire and have small children, the O.C. Health Care Agency has a program that provides consultation and assistance for environmental investigations. Call 714-567-6220 for more information.

Chinsio-Kwong, the public health officer, said parents concerned that their children may have been exposed to lead should have them tested by a physician.

Crews working to clean up after the Tustin hangar fire.

(

Jill Replogle

/

LAist

)

What is the status of cleanup on the former military base?

Work finished Monday, Dec. 11, to remove the hangar's 150-ft. tall metal and wooden doors, which were lowered to the ground and will be covered in an adhesive substance designed to keep dust and potentially harmful particulate matter from getting into the surrounding air or soil.

Dunne, the Navy spokesperson, told LAist that the "tackifier" substance, trademarked Gorilla-Snot, is being used to cover debris in the footprint of the destroyed hangar. The Navy does not have plans to spread the tackifier on other parts of the 84-acre former base, he said, but city contractors are cleaning up fire debris on the land.

Asbestos-laden debris collected on the former military base will remain there until the Navy develops a disposal plan.

Some relief for property owners?

The O.C. assessor recently sent a letter to property owners in the vicinity of the fire advising that they could qualify for a temporary value adjustment to their home, meaning lowered property taxes, if they can demonstrate that the fire caused $10,000 or more in damages.

It's unclear how many, if any, homes could meet that threshold. For more information, you can call the county assessor’s office at 714-834-2727.

It's spring break season in the U.S. — and travelers are facing long airport lines as security screeners work without pay while the Department of Homeland security is shut down.

Congressional Democrats have declined to fund the agency in an attempt to force reforms of federal immigration enforcement practices.

Wait times at major hubs in Houston and Atlanta reached two hours on Friday, while New Orleans's Louis Armstrong International Airport advised passengers to arrive at least three hours before their scheduled departures. In Philadelphia, airport officials closed three security checkpoints entirely this week because of short staffing.

On Saturday, President Trump threatened to send Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to staff airport security lanes if Democrats don't "immediately" agree to fund DHS. A bipartisan group of senators has been negotiating with the White House over immigration enforcement and ending the shutdown.

"I will move our brilliant and patriotic ICE Agents to the Airports where they will do Security like no one has ever seen before, including the immediate arrest of all Illegal Immigrants who have come into our Country," Trump posted on Truth Social. In a follow-up post he said he told ICE to "GET READY" to deploy to airports on Monday.

Why are wait times so long?

Officials say wait times are unpredictable and can fluctuate sharply as airports struggle with Transportation Security Administration staffing shortages.

TSA staffers are considered essential workers, so about 50,000 have been working without pay due to the shutdown that started Feb. 14. Last week, they missed their first full paychecks. The Department of Homeland Security says more than 300 TSA officers have quit. More than half of TSA staff in Houston called out sick and nearly a third called out in Atlanta and New Orleans last week, DHS said.

The staffing shortage comes as travel has also been disrupted by severe weather, and as schools across the country close for spring break.

Some 2.8 million people were projected to travel on U.S. airlines each day in March and April, adding up to a record 171 million passengers, according to the industry group Airlines for America.

What do officials say?

Transportation officials are warning the situation could get worse if the shutdown isn't resolved. A second missed paycheck would put even more strain on TSA workers, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told CNN on Friday.

"If a deal isn't cut, you're going to see what's happening today look like child's play," Duffy said. "Is it still safe as you go through the airport? Yes, but it takes a lot longer because we have less agents working." He added that some smaller airports may be forced to temporarily close if more staff calls out.

In the U.K., Foreign Office officials are also warning travelers of "travel disruption" caused by "longer than usual queues at some U.S. airports," and recommended passengers check with their travel provider, airport, or airline for guidance.

On Saturday, billionaire Elon Musk weighed in with an offer to personally pay TSA staff.

"I would like to offer to pay the salaries of TSA personnel during this funding impasse that is negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country," Musk posted on X early Saturday morning.

U.S. law generally bars government employees from receiving outside compensation for their work.

Even with disruptions, travel demand is still high

On top of long security wait times and weather impacts, travel is being affected by the war in Iran, which is driving up global oil prices.

On Friday, United Airlines said it would cut some flights over the next six months after jet fuel prices doubled in recent weeks. Capacity cuts are likely to send airfares even higher, even as ticket prices are already rising, said Clint Henderson, a spokesperson for the travel website The Points Guy.

Still, he said, none of that seems to be deterring Americans from flying.

"The appetite for travel is insatiable," he said. "People seem willing to endure a lot of stuff to travel. And I don't see any signs of that decreasing."

How can travelers prepare?

Travel experts say it's not just long wait times that travelers should prepare for — it's the uncertainty.

"Every day this goes on, it's getting worse and worse and worse," Henderson said.

Here are some tips on how to prepare for upcoming air travel:

1. Know before you go

Many airport websites list estimated security wait times. That should be the first place you check to get a sense of how long lines might be, Henderson says. (TSA also estimates wait times on its website and app, but that's not being regularly updated because of the shutdown, he added.)

"Knowledge is power," Henderson said. "You should know what's going on at your local airport."

He noted there are 20 U.S. airports where security screening is done by private contractors, not the TSA — and they are not experiencing staffing shortages or long waits. Some are smaller regional airports, but the list also includes some larger hubs, including San Francisco International Airport and Kansas City International Airport.

"There's big, big, big metropolitan areas where it's not an issue at all," Henderson said.

2. Budget extra time

If you're someone who shows up at the airport when your flight starts boarding, think twice, says travel writer Chris Dong.

"I'm the type of traveler who usually arrives pretty last minute," Dong said, "but I think that that advice would not be sound for the current situation."

Even if wait times are listed as short, things can change on a dime. Dong recently flew out of John F. Kennedy Airport in New York and found the TSA PreCheck line unexpectedly closed.

"So then everyone that was funneled through the regular line, it was an extra like 20, 30 minutes," he said. "I was sweating it out because I usually arrive super last-minute. And those levels of uncertainty are just higher now with the shutdown."

3. Consider biometric screening

Henderson typically recommends signing up for TSA PreCheck or the Global Entry program to move through airport security more quickly — and to opt in to biometric screening. That has to be done in advance, and travelers also have to choose biometric screening in their airline apps.

"Make sure if that's an option that you're opted in for that, because that will save you so much agita," he said.

For those who haven't signed up in advance, there is a last-minute alternative: the private CLEAR program, which allows people to enroll at the airport. Henderson notes it's pricey — annual membership costs $209 — but that some credit card companies will refund that fee.

"For me to skip a three-hour line is probably worth the membership fee, especially if you know your credit card will pay you back for it," he said.

That said, expedited screening lanes are not always faster than regular screening, both Henderson and Dong warned. Always check what all the lanes look like when you arrive at the airport.

4. Make a plan B

If you miss a connection or your flight is canceled, be proactive about rebooking. "Have all the tools available to you in the toolbox in case things go wrong," Henderson advises.

That includes installing your airline's app on your smartphone and writing down their customer service number, so you aren't scrambling to find it.

"And then, you know, obviously have a plan B," Henderson said. "Know what other airlines fly the route that you want to take in case, you know, you missed your Delta flight and American is offering a flight you can take later that day."

He says while airlines don't generally like to rebook passengers on competitors' flights, it's worth asking. He also recommends having the information at hand to give to customer service agents, including flight number, airline and departure time.

And if an airline cancels your flight in the U.S., you're entitled to a refund, according to the Department of Transportation.
Copyright 2026 NPR

Updated March 21, 2026 at 17:36 PM ET

Robert Mueller, the former FBI director and special counsel who led the high-profile investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and the possible obstruction of justice by President Trump, died on Friday at 81.

"With deep sadness, we are sharing the news that Bob passed away," his family said in a statement Saturday shared with NPR. No cause of death was given.

Mueller had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease four years ago, his family told The New York Times in August.

Trump, who openly despised Mueller and his investigation, celebrated his death on Saturday.

"Good, I'm glad he's dead," the president posted on social media. "He can no longer hurt innocent people!"

WilmerHale, the law firm where Mueller served as a partner, remembered Mueller as a "friend" who was "an extraordinary leader and public servant and a person of the greatest integrity."

"His service to our country, including as a decorated officer in the Marine Corps, as FBI Director, and at the Department of Justice, was exemplary and inspiring," a spokesperson for WilmerHale told NPR in a statement. "We are deeply proud that he was our partner. Our thoughts are with Bob's family and loved ones during this time."

Former President Barack Obama on Saturday called Mueller "one of the finest directors in the history of the FBI, transforming the bureau after 9/11 and saving countless lives."

"But it was his relentless commitment to the rule of law and his unwavering belief in our bedrock values that made him one of the most respected public servants of our time," Obama wrote on social media. "Michelle and I send our condolences to Bob's family, and everyone who knew and admired him."

Path to public service

Born on Aug. 7, 1944 in New York City, Mueller was raised in Philadelphia and graduated from Princeton University in 1966. He received a master's degree in international relations from New York University.

Mueller, throughout his career, ran toward tough assignments. Following the lead of a classmate at Princeton, Mueller enrolled in the Marines and served in the Vietnam war. He earned the Bronze Star for rescuing a colleague. Mueller said he felt compelled to serve during that conflict, an idea he returned to throughout his life.

Law professor and former Justice Department lawyer Rory Little knew Mueller for many years.

"Bob is kind of a straight arrow, you know, wounded in Vietnam," Little said. "You keep wanting to hunt for where is the crack in that façade — 'Where is the real Bob Mueller?' — and after a while you begin to realize that's the real Bob Mueller. He is exactly who he appears to be. This kind of sour-faced, not a lot of humor, sort of all-business guy. That's him."

But with his closest friends, Mueller let down his guard. They teased him — saying Mueller would have made an excellent drill instructor on Parris Island, where Marine recruits are trained.

Instead, Mueller went to law school at the University of Virginia. He joined the Justice Department in 1976. There, he prosecuted crimes, big and small, for U.S. attorneys in San Francisco and Boston. He was a partner at Hale and Dorr, a Boston law firm now known as WilmerHale.

He later became a senior litigator prosecuting homicides at the U.S. attorney's office in Washington, D.C.

Head of the FBI

In 2001, President George W. Bush nominated him to serve as the director of the FBI. Mueller was sworn in a week before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"I had been a prosecutor before, so I anticipated spending time on public corruption cases and narcotics cases and bank robberies, and the like. And Sept. 11th changed all of that," Mueller told NPR during an interview in 2013.

He shifted the bureau's attention to fighting terrorism. He staffed up the headquarters in Washington. He pushed those agents to try to predict crimes and to act before another tragedy hit.

"He directed and implemented what is arguably the most significant changes in the FBI's 105-year history," said his former FBI deputy, John Pistole.

Along the way, Mueller drew some criticism when his agents erred. During the investigation of the deadly anthrax attacks, the bureau focused on the wrong man as its lead suspect.

Mueller left the bureau in 2013.

Return to the national spotlight

After Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, Mueller in May 2017 was appointed by then Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein as special counsel to oversee the probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and possible connections to Trump associates.

Trump called the investigation "a witch hunt" and Republicans in Congress started to attack the investigators.

When then the investigation eventually concluded in March 2019 with the more than 400-page "Mueller report," the special counsel said the investigation did not establish that Trump's campaign or associates colluded with the Russian government to influence the 2016 election. The report did not take a position on whether Trump obstructed justice.

Mueller said the report spoke for itself. But Democrats wanted more and insisted he testify. A reluctant witness, Mueller once again fulfilled his duty. He was visibly older than at the time of his appointment and kept his testimony restrained.

He said Justice Department guidelines would not allow him to charge a sitting president with criminal wrongdoing. But he also refused to exonerate Trump.

"If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," Mueller later told Congress.

In the end, the team charged 37 people and entities, including former campaign chair Paul Manafort, national security adviser Michael Flynn and 25 Russians.

Trump went on to grant clemency to or back away from criminal cases against many of the people Mueller's investigators had charged.

Copyright 2026 NPR

At the Koreatown Senior and Community Center, people were used to seeing Keum-soon Lee arrive early. When she didn’t show up for the 11 a.m. group harmonica class at the center last Friday, people took notice. 

“She would always be there first,” said conductor Eun-young Kim. “If she couldn’t come, she would tell me ahead of time. This time, I didn’t receive any messages from her. I thought, something isn’t right.”

Kim tried calling and sending messages. She didn’t get a response.

Members of the center later learned that Lee, 73, was critically injured in a hit-and-run crash while biking home in Koreatown after attending early morning prayer at her church. She died in a hospital March 13 from her injuries, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

“I was shocked,” said Jin-soon Baek, who has played with Lee for years. “We’ve been friends for a long time. We ate together, practiced together. She was like a sibling to me.

“She was so hardworking. Always the first one there to sign in for class. She’d walk ahead of me and I’d follow behind. That’s how it always was.”

Baek, who is in her 80s, said the two also shared something more personal: Both had cancer.

“I had cancer years ago, and she was going through treatment recently,” Baek said. “We understood each other.”

In January, Lee played with the harmonica ensemble at an LA Kings game. Lee spoke with a journalist about undergoing surgery and chemotherapy, and what the group meant to her. 

“I think I’ve almost fully recovered,” Lee told journalist Chase Karng at the hockey game. “Even while receiving chemotherapy, I felt encouraged when I heard that I could perform here.”

At the Koreatown Senior and Community Center, people were used to seeing Keum-soon Lee arrive early. When she didn’t show up for the 11 a.m. group harmonica class at the center last Friday, people took notice.

Lee was born in 1952 in South Korea and immigrated to the United States in 1998. She was an elder at Saehan Presbyterian Church in Pico Union and is survived by her husband, Sang-rae Lee, and son, Young-jo Lee.

The senior center, where Lee was a fixture and known as a reliable friend, has designated March 20 as a day of mourning.

On Friday, Lee’s church held a funeral service, where members of the harmonica ensemble performed the hymn, “Nearer My God to Thee,” in her memory.

“I usually don’t attend funeral services, but I had to come for hers,” said Alice Kim. “Whenever I came to church, I would see her watering the grass, bent over, and she would smile and say, ‘You’re here, Alice,’ and hand me the Sunday bulletin.”

In her eulogy, elder Gyu-sook Lee said the sudden loss has hit the congregation hard.

“She always greeted everyone with a warm smile,” she said. “She was the kind of person who always stepped forward first to do the hard work that no one else wanted to do. And when she took something on, she saw it through to the end.”

At the Koreatown Senior and Community Center, people were used to seeing Keum-soon Lee arrive early. When she didn’t show up for the 11 a.m. group harmonica class at the center last Friday, people took notice.

“She still had so many years ahead of her,” Baek said. “She was younger than us. Full of hope. It feels like it should have been me instead.”

According to police, Lee was riding through a crosswalk when a white Dodge Ram truck turning right struck her around 6:40 a.m. near Olympic Boulevard and Vermont Avenue. The driver briefly stopped, then drove away, authorities said.

Investigators found the truck and are looking into whether the driver was impaired on drugs or alcohol. The truck was seized and there was no information about the driver.

Kim, the conductor, said Lee was the first person to reach out to her when she started to lead the ensemble in September. 

“She sent me a message saying thank you for coming,” Kim said. “She was such a special person to me.” 

At Friday’s service, speaker after speaker described Lee as someone who was a light in every community she was part of. 

“The way she served the church behind the scenes became a lesson in faith for all of us. There isn’t a single part of this church that hasn’t felt her touch. Her warmth, her love, her dedication — I can still feel it,” Gyu-sook Lee said.

When Gilbert Lindsay became the first Black person elected to Los Angeles City Council in 1963, it gave the residents of the predominantly Black District 9 someone who understood the challenges they faced living in South Central. 

This area was the center of Black political power in LA because it was one of the few places in the city Black people were allowed to live and thrive due, in part, to housing restrictions. For the next 63 years, voters in this district — which includes historic South Central, Exposition Park and a small portion of downtown Los Angeles — consecutively chose a Black representative. 

That will end with Curren D. Price Jr., the current District 9 councilmember who can’t run again due to term limits. 

Twelve candidates announced campaigns in February to replace Price. Of them, six candidates have qualified to be on the June 2 primary election ballot, none of whom are Black. They include: Estuardo Mazariegos, Elmer Roldan, Jorge Hernandez Rosas, Jorge Nuño, Martha Sánchez and Jose Ugarte. 

The list is a reflection of the demographic shift of the area, but candidates also told The LA Local that it shows the strength of the district’s Black-Latino political coalition. And with the civil rights gains since the 1960s, while some locals are concerned that issues facing Black voters won’t get the attention they need, others who live in the district said they’re less concerned with what their representative looks like. Instead, they said they want someone who listens and gets things done. 

“As long as you do good in the community, we’re going to be happy,” said Dennis Anya, who works on Central Avenue and has lived in the district for nearly 40 years.

What the demographic shifts in District 9 mean for the June election

The upcoming election comes as the demographics have changed in District 9 and South LA. The Black population in South Los Angeles was 81% in 1965, according to a special census survey from November 1965 of South and East LA. 

As of 2021, District 9, specifically, is about 78% Latino and 13% Black, according to LA City Council population demographic data taken that year as part of a redistricting effort. 

Officials have predicted the district’s shift for years. Former City Councilmembers Kevin De León and Nury Martinez discussed the district’s future in the leaked 2021 audio — checkered with racist remarks — that the LA Times reported in 2022.“This will be [Price’s] last four years,” De Leon said at one point in the conversation, the transcript of which the LA Times published in full. “That eventually becomes a Latino seat.” 

Erin Aubry Kaplan, a writer and columnist who traces her family’s roots to South Central, told The LA Local that because District 9 has historically voted for a Black candidate, there is some anxiety amongst Black voters about losing Black representation in Los Angeles. 

“I would hope that whoever wins, will carry the interest of Black folk forward,” she said.

Manuel Pastor, a USC professor and co-author of “South Central Dreams: Finding Home and Community in South LA,” told The LA Local that traditionally, voters are older. While District 9 is now home to a younger, immigrant community, they may not vote at the same rate as older generations, and undocumented residents are ineligible to vote.  

Pastor said it’s likely for this reason that the current District 9 candidates are not emphasizing being Latino but are modeling their campaigns after other city leaders and focusing on Black-Latino solidarity. 

“Just because the demographics have changed, doesn’t mean that the voting population has changed,” Pastor said.  

Here’s what the candidates say about the transformation of District 9

Chris Martin, one of the two Black candidates who campaigned for the seat but did not qualify for the ballot, said he believes the city’s Black elected officials should have supported Black candidates in the race. Martin said he will challenge the city clerk’s decision on his nomination petition in court. 

“The story of Black political power in the city of Los Angeles is dying,” Martin said. “I felt like I had a good chance of keeping it alive.” 

When Gilbert Lindsay became the first Black person elected to Los Angeles City Council in 1963, it gave the residents of the predominantly Black District 9 someone who understood the challenges they faced living in South Central.

Michelle Washington, the other Black candidate who also did not qualify, did not respond to a request for comment.Price, the current District 9 councilmember, endorsed his deputy Jose Ugarte in the race and wrote in a statement that this election is about solidarity. 

“As a Black man who has served a majority-Latino district, I know that progress in South Central has always come from Black and Brown families moving forward together,” Price wrote. “We’ve had to fight harder for housing, safety, opportunity and the basic investments every neighborhood deserves. And when we’ve made gains, it’s because we stood united.”  

Five of the six candidates who qualified for the ballot told The LA Local that not having a Black candidate on the ballot doesn’t diminish the place of the district’s Black community. (Candidate Jorge Hernandez Rosas did not return requests for comment.) 

“It has always been a Black community and will always be a Black community. This isn’t about a passing of the baton or one community taking over another. It’s about building a solidarity movement,” Estuardo Mazariegos said. 

Elmer Roldan, who carries endorsements from LA Mayor Karen Bass and City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, said the district needs a councilmember who won’t leave anyone behind.“We have to avoid at all costs contributing to Black erasure and Black displacement,” Roldan said.

Ugarte said that the major quality of life problems — like dirty streets and broken street lights — affecting the neighborhood’s Black and brown communities haven’t changed since he was a child living in the district. 

“The same issues are still here,” he said. 

Here’s what happens next

If you haven’t registered to vote and you want to receive a vote-by-mail ballot, you must register to vote by May 18.

Results from the primary election will be certified by July 2. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two candidates will move on to the general election on Nov. 3, according to the City Clerk’s website. 

The winner of District 9 will begin a four-year term Dec. 14.