Anjanette Gile
is a news intern and senior at Cal State L.A. She attended the Downey City Council meeting for this story and interviewed city officials.
Published June 24, 2026 2:56 PM
People light fireworks in Los Angeles on July 4, 2025. Most fireworks are illegal in the state of California.
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Etienne Laurent
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Getty Images
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Topline:
The Downey City Council voted 5-0 to allow local police to use drones to patrol neighborhoods for illegal firework activity over the upcoming Fourth of July holiday.
The details: The vote, which also greenlit new fines for party hosts and spectators watching illegal fireworks, took place at Downey City Hall on Tuesday night. The ordinances were introduced by Scott Loughner, Downey’s chief of police, and James Eckhart, the city’s primary prosecutor.
The background: Downey has had significant issues with firework activity in the past and upped fines as a part of zero-tolerance approach toward unlawful firework discharges in 2024.
What the council authorized: Hosts and spectators of unlawful firework activity will be fined the same as individuals who possess or discharge dangerous fireworks starting at $4,000. Drones will be used by police to more accurately document instances of illegal activity and allow them to send citations directly to residences, according to a presentation by police.
Read on ... for more on how Downey is upping firework enforcement this Fourth of July.
The Downey City Council voted 5-0 to allow local police to use drones to patrol neighborhoods for illegal firework activity over the upcoming Fourth of July holiday.
The vote, which also greenlit new fines for party hosts and spectators watching illegal fireworks, took place at Downey City Hall on Tuesday night.
The move is part of a citywide crackdown on fireworks in Downey — the city currently only allows the use of “safe and sane” fireworks, which include sparklers and smoke bombs. As in many cities in Southern California, any firework that is projectile and explodes in the air is banned in Downey.
The details
The new ordinance will treat property owners, tenants, party hosts and spectators of unlawful firework activity the same as people in possession of or discharging illegal fireworks within city limits.
Dorothy Pemberton, a Downey City Council member, spoke with LAist after the meeting and explained her support of the ordinance.
“It's a message to send to people to try and be respectful of the neighborhood and just abide by the rules,” Pemberton said.
She explained that often people don’t want to take accountability for illegal firework activity, despite encouraging it through hosting events where fireworks are shot off or watching them on their street.
“They don't want to abide by the rules,” she said.
In addition to the fines, the new ordinance also allows the city to recoup the costs of emergency services used in response to unlawful firework activity, including payment for first responders, city equipment and any needed medical treatment.
How the new drone enforcement and citations will work
The drones are authorized to be used for the first time next month on July 4 and can be used going forward for high-profile events like New Year’s Eve and Dodgers wins.
The drones used by the police will be able to detect location and thermal signatures in order to identify suspects and allow law enforcement to send a citation to the property the firework was discharged from.
Scott Loughner, Downey’s chief of police, gave more details to LAist on what drone enforcement will look like this year.
“It's the first time we've done it, so it's kind of figuring out exactly what to do, but we have several different licensed drone pilots,” Loughner said. “There'll be two two-man teams, and they'll be overhead.”
Loughner added that the drones will not “be going into people's backyards, looking through windows, things like that. It’s more of you see it in the distance, you zoom in and try to target people that are causing disturbances.”
Loughner said the department may use the drone footage to coordinate with officers on the ground who are alerted to the illegal activity and then drive to residences to put a stop to it.
Downey staff cited six other California cities — Artesia, Brea, Stanton, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Sacramento — as setting precedents for using drones for firework enforcement.
Anaheim also recently started using drones to spot illegal fireworks.
There has been mixed public reaction on social media regarding drone usage in Downey. Some people have said they’re glad that action is being taken, given the adverse effect of fireworks on members of the community and their pets. Others have emphasized their concerns about excessive surveillance and the need to prioritize issues such speeding and car accidents that have long plagued the city.
Current firework rules in Downey
Currently, “safe and sane” fireworks can be legally discharged between 3 and 10 p.m. on July 4 in Downey.
Fines in the city start at $4,000 for the first offense of possession or discharge of a dangerous firework, $5,000 for second offense, $6,000 for third offense and go up from there during a three-year period.
This is the second time the Downey City Council has made changes to its fireworks rules in recent years. In 2024, the council voted to increase the fine for a first offense from $1,000 to $4,000.
Mariana Dale
has been reporting on changes in LAUSD’s leadership since the FBI searched Alberto Carvalho's home in February.
Published June 24, 2026 4:01 PM
Andres Chait, acting superintendent, at a March 2026 LAUSD board meeting.
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Jason Armond
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Topline
The Los Angeles Unified Board voted unanimously to appoint Andres Chait, a longtime district administrator, as superintendent days after his predecessor resigned.
Why now: The board met privately to discuss the district’s top job three days after Alberto Carvalho resigned. Carvalho wrote in a letter that he was leaving “because I believe our schools must remain focused on students and learning without distraction.”
Who is Andres Chait? Chait rose through the ranks from teacher to administrator at LAUSD over nearly three decades. The responsibilities of his most recent role, chief of school operations, included overseeing school safety, athletics and the district’s office of emergency management.
Why it matters: LAUSD is the country’s second largest school district, employs 83,000 people and enrolls more than 400,000 students across more than 1,000 schools.
Read on ... for more on what the new administrator will face.
The Los Angeles Unified Board voted unanimously to appoint Andres Chait, a longtime district administrator, as superintendent days after his predecessor resigned.
“This board's decision reflects the confidence in Mr. Chait's leadership, his decades of service to Los Angeles Unified, and his demonstrated ability to guide the district during this period of transition,” said board President Scott Schmerelson.
The board met privately to discuss the district’s top job three days after Alberto Carvalho resigned. Carvalho wrote in a letter that he was leaving “because I believe our schools must remain focused on students and learning without distraction.”
The board placed Carvalho on paid administrative leave following FBI searches of his home and district office in February and appointed Chait acting superintendent. Carvalho has not been charged with a crime and has maintained his innocence.
Who is Andres Chait?
Chait rose through the ranks from teacher to administrator at LAUSD over nearly three decades. The responsibilities of his most recent role, chief of school operations, included overseeing school safety, athletics and the district’s office of emergency management.
Chait thanked the board, the community and his family after the announcement Wednesday and reflected on his first day as a kindergarten teacher 30 years ago. “ I was probably more nervous than the kids were, but I knew then that this was a place where I could make a positive difference in the lives of students and families,” Chait said. “I've always known that there is no greater accelerator of change and opportunity than the schoolhouse, and that is still true today.”
What is the superintendent responsible for?
LAUSD is the country’s second-largest school district, employs 83,000 people and enrolls more than 400,000 students across more than 1,000 schools. Despite recent gains in student test scores, the majority of students are not proficient in reading and math skills for their grade level. The district also faces looming financial challenges from declining enrollment — which is tied to state funding — and federal investigations into programs designed to help underserved students succeed.
A former Orange County state parks superintendent has been charged with secretly filming naked male lifeguards in the locker room at Bolsa Chica State Beach.
What allegedly happened? Kevin Pearsall retired last year shortly after officials executed search warrants in the case against him. He was charged Wednesday with taking secret footage and is also accused of sending the images to two other men. Efforts to reach Pearsall were unsuccessful Wednesday.
Read on ... for more about the allegations and the pending case.
A former state parks superintendent who oversaw Orange County beaches was charged Wednesday with secretly filming naked male lifeguards and other workers inside the locker room at Bolsa Chica State Beach. The former superintendent, Kevin Pearsall, is also accused of sending some of the images to two other men.
What charges does he face?
Pearsall, 59, of Long Beach, faces five felony counts of eavesdropping, 23 misdemeanor counts of secretly filming another and three misdemeanor counts of unlawful dissemination of private recordings. If convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum sentence of 18 years and eight months behind bars.
Scott C. Thomas, a defense attorney representing Pearsall, declined to comment in the wake of the charges being announced by the Orange County District Attorney's office. Pearsall is scheduled to be arraigned Aug. 6 and could enter a plea at that time.
Details of the investigation
In July 2025, a California State Parks officer discovered a USB stick with a hidden camera in the men's locker room at Bolsa Chica State Beach Lifeguard Headquarters. The officer contacted California Highway Patrol, which launched an investigation.
The investigation found Pearsall allegedly had recorded numerous secret videos in the locker room over an 11-month period beginning in August 2024, according to the DA's announcement. Pearsall retired from his job shortly after CHP served search warrants in the case. He turned himself in earlier this week.
State Parks reaction
Marty Greenstein, a spokesperson for California State Parks, told LAist the agency “takes these charges very seriously and has fully cooperated with law enforcement through every step of the investigation.” Greenstein declined to comment further, citing the active criminal investigation.
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Gab Chabrán
covers what's happening in food and culture for LAist.
Published June 24, 2026 3:39 PM
The konbini-style snack shop at Tiny's, stocked with imported chips, Japanese Kit-Kats and a refrigerated wall of drinks.
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Gab Chabrán
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LAist
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Topline:
Sang Yoon — the chef behind Father's Office, the Los Angeles gastropub institution known for its high-quality food and an uncompromising no-substitutions policy — has opened Tiny's, a new fast-casual burger stand and konbini-style snack shop inside Costa Mesa's South Coast Plaza.
Why it matters: For Yoon, the son of Korean immigrants who grew up between two worlds, Tiny's is the restaurant he always imagined but never had: an American burger stand meets an Asian convenience store, all under one roof.
Why now: Tiny's opened last week at South Coast Plaza, marking Yoon's first new concept in years and his first venture into Orange County — a deliberately accessible entry point for a chef who has spent decades at the top of L.A.'s gastropub scene.
Read on ... for more on what makes the new venture special.
Making your way through South Coast Plaza — the sleek consumer cathedral in Costa Mesa, a sort of mall of malls — past Uniqlo window displays and Pop Mart blind boxes, there's a good chance you'll eventually land at Tiny's, the new casual restaurant from Chef Sang Yoon.
The burger shack-meets-Asian convenience store is the latest from Yoon, best known for Father's Office, the Los Angeles institution where he's spent two decades running one of the city's most uncompromising kitchens — no substitutions, no exceptions.
Tiny’s marks Yoon’s first venture into Orange County — a deliberately accessible entry point for a chef who has spent decades at the top of L.A.'s gastropub scene.
The concept
Tiny's is the place Yoon wanted to exist as a kid.
Inside, you're greeted by shelves stocked in the style of a konbini, the beloved Japanese convenience corner store, with cilantro-flavored Doritos from China, elote-flavored Turtle Chips from Korea and, for the purists, the requisite Japanese Kit-Kats and Pocky too.
At the counter, a friendly employee greets you beneath a letterboard menu anchored by Yoon’s signature 30-day dry-aged beef burger. Starting at $9 for a plain burger, up to $12 for the Tokyo Dog dressed in bonito flakes and furikake, there's also salt and vinegar tots, french fries, miso mac 'n' cheese and soft serve that runs from Straus vanilla to Pineapple Dole Whip, available as a swirl, cup, cone or float. That's the menu, streamlined by design.
Chef Sang Yoon's cheeseburger and Tokyo Dog at Tiny's, his new fast-casual concept inside South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa
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Grid Vongpiansuksa
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Courtesy Tiny's Burger
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For Yoon, the son of Korean immigrants who grew up between two worlds, the idea of opening a burger stand with a konbini was about tapping into the happy place of his memories: after school with friends, trying out the latest snacks to hit the market to Friday nights with the entire family celebrating after a long week of grinding it out with burgers and chili fries.
"The corner burger stand is where life happened. ... What if those two of my favorite things were under one roof?" said Yoon.
Tiny the dog
Inspiration for the name Tiny’s came from a somewhat unlikely place: Yoon’s beloved Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Yoon describes her as appearing extremely cute and friendly, but in reality, she was actually sassy and judgmental. Illustrations bearing Tiny’s "don't mess with me" vibe can be seen throughout the restaurant.
“People would rather hear this from a sassy, cute dog than me. So I decided that we should channel Tiny. And let this belong to her," Yoon said.
The food
The cheeseburger itself is simple: a thin patty topped with melted American cheese and Tiny's signature sauce — a blend of Kewpie mayo, caramelized gochujang, ssamjang and tomato — finished with pickle chips and a bed of lettuce.
What sets it apart is what you can’t see, the same 30-day dry-aged chuck Yoon has used at Father’s Office for over 25 years.
“I still don’t think there’s any product superior to that for the purpose of a hamburger,” he said.
The spread at Tiny's includes the cheeseburger, miso mac 'n' cheese, chicken nuggets, tater tots, fries and a jammy egg sando — a konbini staple in Japan.
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Grid Vongpiansuksa
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Courtesy Tiny's Burger
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The nuggets ($10) had a crispy, craggy exterior finished with visible seasoning crystals, a small but deliberate touch, and came with a fresh herbaceous dipping sauce. As for the chili fries ($8), the chili itself was sufficient as an L.A.-style chili (think Tommy's), but since Lao Gan Ma chili crisp was promised in the name, I was expecting that distinctive, crunchy, fermented kick — but left wanting more of it. It felt more like a whisper than a statement.
The miso mac 'n' cheese ($6) was a highlight of the meal, especially for someone who doesn't usually order mac 'n' cheese. Fresh ridged elbow pasta with a proper chew in each bite, and salty morsels of miso folded into a tight cheese sauce had me picking up forkfuls until it was mostly gone. Consider my position reconsidered.
Encouraged, I went back and ordered a Dole Whip ($7). The electric, tangy flavor, paired with the soft creaminess, served as a suitable exclamation point for my lunch that day.
With Tiny's, Yoon has built his most personal restaurant — accessible in price, but uncompromising in intention.
Could mall food now be on a new trajectory? Perhaps we've finally transcended corn dogs at Hot Dog on a Stick and cinnamon rolls at Cinnabon.
Crews clean the scene along Cesar E. Chavez and Eastern avenues, where gallons of crude oil spilled onto the street.
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Andrew Lopez
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Boyle Heights Beat
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Topline:
According to Los Angeles County officials, approximately 25,000 gallons of crude oil were spilled during the May 22 drilling incident — nearly 10 times the 2,400 gallons originally reported by county agencies.
Why the numbers changed: A spokesperson from South Coast AQMD said the initial estimate was “based on visual observations made by first responders and reported to the California Office of Emergency Services.” But further assessment conducted by the pipeline operator revised the discharge volume.
Why it matters: The revised spill estimate reflects the severity of the incident that left roads closed for days, killed wildlife and sent oil into storm drains and the L.A. River.
How to file a claim: Residents and business owners who believe they were harmed by the spill can file claims with Pacific Pipeline System, the company that operates the pipeline. According to the pipeline operator, some examples of claims that may be considered include property damage, business interruption or loss of access, and cleanup or remediation expenses.
Three companies were issued notices of violation from the South Coast Air Quality Management District last week for their roles in last month’s East L.A. oil spill, as county officials revealed new estimates showing the spill was far larger than initially reported.
Approximately 25,000 gallons of crude oil were spilled during the May 22 drilling incident, according to L.A. County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella — nearly 10 times the 2,400 gallons originally reported by county agencies.
A spokesperson from South Coast AQMD said the initial estimate was “based on visual observations made by first responders and reported to the California Office of Emergency Services.” But further assessment conducted by the pipeline operator revised the discharge volume.
“The incident itself can be considered one of the largest oil spills into the Los Angeles River in recent history,” Pestrella said during a June 9 meeting with the L.A. County Board of Supervisors.
On June 18, South Coast AQMD sent notices of violations to Arcadian Infracom, HP Communications and Camarillo Drilling. Regulators said odors from the spill affected nearby communities.
The revised spill estimate reflects the severity of the incident that left roads closed for days, killed wildlife and sent oil into storm drains and the L.A. River. The scale of the spill has also prompted ongoing calls for more transparency from residents and community groups.
In a June 22 email to the office of County Supervisor Hilda Solis, the Maravilla Community Advisory Committee (MCAC) called for a community town hall and greater access to environmental testing results, public health guidance and cleanup updates.
According to South Coast AQMD, inspectors responded to three public complaints the day of the spill, reporting strong petroleum odors, including one from Esteban E. Torres High School. Inspectors later confirmed the odors originated from the oil spill site at the intersection of Eastern and Cesar Chavez avenues.
As cleanup efforts were underway that week, the agency received seven complaints stemming from the smell of petroleum and air quality in the area. According to the L.A. County Department of Public Health, odors may have caused or worsened headaches, nausea, dizziness, eye, nose or throat irritation, and breathing problems, such as asthma symptoms.
A South Coast AQMD rule and California Health and Safety Code prohibits emissions that “cause injury, nuisance or annoyance” to the public. Notices of violations can result in civil penalties, but if no settlement with responsible parties is reached, a civil lawsuit may be filed.
South Coast AQMD’s identified Camillo Drilling as the company responsible for rupturing the pipeline during the fiber-optic installation project. Arcadian Infracom served as the project management company tasked with overseeing the work.
The oil spill and fallout thereafter remain under investigation.
How to file a claim
Residents and business owners who believe they were harmed by the spill can file claims with Pacific Pipeline System, the company that operates the pipeline, by calling (877) 817-5465.
