The Brief

L.A. County’s courts reopened Tuesday, but some court functions remain limited.

People are being warned to expect delays and appear in person if possible.

Alphonse Provinziano, a senior trial attorney at Provinziano & Associates in Beverly Hills that focuses exclusively on family law, told LAist the issues have been pretty extreme and it’s been a “very challenging” week so far.

“This is affecting people's real lives and their ability to handle very sensitive issues,” he said.

Going in person?

If you have jury duty this week (July 22 – July 26), you can now register and check the status of your service online through the MyJuryDuty Portal or by calling (213) 972-0970, court officials announced Wednesday evening.

All 36 courthouses are open for business, and if you were scheduled to appear Wednesday, it should proceed as planned.

If you’re planning to appear in person, give yourself plenty of time. Provinziano said one of their firm’s attorneys had to park five blocks away from the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown L.A. and ended up being about a half hour late to a hearing.

The long line to get into the Stanley Mosk Courthouse on Thursday, July 25.

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Courtesy of Provinziano & Associates

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The line outside the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown L.A. wraps around the building and onto the sidewalk on Thursday, July 25.

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Courtesy of Provinziano & Associates

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“Which they totally understood, because there was a huge backup of people waiting to get into the courthouse, which was only compounded by the fact that you couldn't file things electronically,” he said.

If you need to be at the courthouse by 8:30 a.m., for example, he recommends getting there at least 45 minutes in advance.

What about remote appearances and electronic filing?

Court officials said remote appearances are available through Webex for juvenile, criminal, mental health, and appellate cases as of Wednesday evening.

Remote appearances are also available for civil cases, including small claims and unlawful detainers. Court officials announced Friday morning that LACourtConnect is now available for family law, probate, and traffic cases.

Electronic filing was working once again for all documents in civil cases as of early Wednesday afternoon. But it's still unavailable for CARE Court, family law, juvenile dependency, or probate cases.

How are people dealing with this?

Overall, Provinziano said these issues have upended how the system has been operating as remote appearances and electronic filing became more common, and efficient, in a post-pandemic world.

For example, a mother they’ve been working with wasn’t able to come to court in person Tuesday and see what happened with her case because of child care and distance issues.

“They're needing to seek spousal support, child support, attorney's fees, child custody orders, and they've already waited maybe 20 to 60 days to have their hearings from when they filed it, and now they're going to have to wait additional time,” he said. “Anytime you have justice delayed it can feel like justice denied, because you're not getting those orders that you need.”

What’s next?

Provinziano expects the impacts to be felt for at least a couple of weeks, if not months. However, he noted court officials are working to bring services back online “immediately because they know that they need to.”

Court officials say you can find the most up-to-date information through its Temporary Information Center, which has been updated with green, yellow, and red dots to visualize which services are working and which ones aren’t. You can also find updates on the official Instagram and X accounts.

What's working and what's not

Courthouses: The 36 courthouses are open for business 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Court staff will be available to answer questions.

Remote appearances:

• As of Friday morning, court officials said remote appearances are available for all areas that use LACourtConnect, including the Civil, Family law, Probate, and Traffic departments.
• WebEx, which is used for Criminal, Appellate, Mental Health, and Juvenile departments, is available.

Electronic recording: If a courtroom uses this system for capturing the court record, it should be available for use.

Jury duty: Check your summons! If you have jury duty this week (July 22 – July 26), you can now register and check the status of your service online through the MyJuryDuty Portal or by calling (213) 972-0970, court officials announced Wednesday evening.

Restraining orders: You can file Temporary Restraining Orders in person at any Family Law Clerk’s Office throughout Los Angeles County. However, you will need to submit it in person. Electronically filed Temporary Restraining Orders won’t be accepted, court officials said Thursday.

Electronic filing: Electronic filing was working once again for all documents in civil cases, but it's still unavailable for CARE Court, Family law, Juvenile Dependency, or Probate cases.

Call centers: Available during normal business hours, but some were experiencing connection issues Thursday. See the list ▶

Self-Help centers: Opened Tuesday. These centers help people self-representing in court. Find them here ▶

Court's website: Most pages on www.lacourt.org are available now. Court officials say others should work again "over the next few days as the remainder of the Court’s systems are brought back online."

On a clear January day about a week ago, California water resources engineer Jacob Kollen jammed a blue Mt. Rose sampler deep into the snow at Phillips Station, near Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada.

The second California Department of Water Resources survey of the season showed the snow was 23 inches deep, with a snow water equivalent (the amount of water contained) of eight inches. That’s just 46% of average, an alarming fall from the 89% of average seen at the beginning of the month.

These are crucial measurements to watch, as the snowpack is California’s most important reservoir. As snow melts throughout the year, it provides residents, agriculture and the state’s vast landscapes with much-needed moisture.

Our wet season began with quite a strong showing of rain, but a dry January coupled with warm weather has set California off in the wrong direction.

“ Statewide, we were better off last year than we are at this point,” said David Ricardo, the Department of Water Resources hydrology section manager, during a news conference about the snow survey results. “Something to be cognizant of, especially if we can make up more ground in the northern and central part of the Sierra Nevada.”

California's snowpack is at 56 percent of normal as of February 3, 2026.

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California Department of Water Resources

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As of Tuesday, the statewide snowpack is at just 56% of normal for this date, with the southern Sierra doing the heavy lifting at 74%. The central and northern portions are at 56% and 43% respectively.

For now, California reservoirs are well stocked, and drought conditions have been rained away, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. However, our snow water totals are just about in line with what we saw in 2012, the beginning of a catastrophic drought period.

Over in the Colorado River Basin, which supplies Southern California with about 20% of its water, snowpack is at about 64% of normal.

“ There's no way to sugarcoat it,” said Kathryn Sorensen,  director of research at the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University. “ I've been doing Colorado River stuff for 25 years. This is the worst I've seen.”

In the upper basin, the snow water equivalent is lower than it was in 2002 — a period of time so alarmingly dry that seven states and Mexico came together to hash out how to manage Colorado River water. The agreement, which has been in place since 2007, is set to expire at the end of 2026.

Because California enjoys senior water rights, it’s unlikely that the state will see Colorado River cuts for the next couple of years, Sorensen said. Arizona, however, will.

The Climate Prediction Center is forecasting below average precipitation across much of California through the end of the state's rainy season.

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Climate Prediction Center

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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Where will things go from here?

Experts are eyeing April 1, which is usually when the snowpack reaches its apex. If we manage to get a few sizable snowstorms by then, we should be sitting pretty heading into the dry months.

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center is forecasting likely above average precipitation over the next few weeks for California. Over the next several months though, forecasts are for below-normal precipitation with elevated temperatures.

Longer term, higher temperatures as a result of climate change can cause more precipitation to fall as rain rather than as snow, and for snow on the ground to melt faster. Warming air temperatures dry out soils and vegetation more quickly, too, meaning even an average amount of precipitation may not be enough for some ecosystems. Overall, snowpack could decline by more than 50% by the end of the century, according to California's Fourth Climate Change Assessment.

This story was originally published by The LA Local on Feb. 3, 2026.

An old couch, the remains of a black massage chair and a refrigerator with its door open clutter 4th Street and New Hampshire Avenue on the grassy strip between the sidewalk and the street.

On Berendo Street, two refrigerators, both full-sized, lay splayed out on the lawn on a sunny day in late January. Both were tagged with graffiti.

The items are unremarkable, but they speak to the volume of trash that falls into Koreatown — one of the hardest-hit neighborhoods for illegal dumping, according to the latest available data from the city.

“Every single person in my building — that’s their top concern,” said Tania Ramos, who was born and raised in Koreatown and serves on the Wilshire Center-Koreatown Neighborhood Council. “It’s so horrible.”

From April 1 to Dec. 31, 2025, the city received a total of 206 illegal dumping reports at 4th Street and New Hampshire in Koreatown, according to an analysis of public data by Crosstown. The next highest count in that time frame was the 117 calls on the 7300 block of Lennox Avenue in Van Nuys, which leads overall for calls for service across the city.

Los Angeles overhauled its data last March, making it difficult to compare data from previous years.

Residents say the reporting system itself can feel ineffective.

“All the city tells us is to contact 311,” Ramos said. “They redirect you, but you have to wait and wait, and we end up being the ones that have to do neighborhood cleanups.”

The most impacted neighborhood from the 9-month period of April–December 2025 was Van Nuys, with 15,671 calls for service. Koreatown received 12,640 calls. Westlake ranked sixth, and Boyle Heights stood eighth, according to the data.

A spokesperson for Councilmember Heather Hutt, who represents part of Koreatown, did not respond to requests for comment about the long wait times and the high volume of illegal dumping.

Koreatown residents say they often report illegal dumping in their neighborhood, but often face long wait times for any type of cleanup.

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Jon Regardie

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The LA Local

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Illegal dumping is a long-festering problem in Los Angeles. While in some instances it involves an individual tossing a few trash bags on a corner, it often means discarded furniture, mounds of unsold fruit or construction detritus dumped in a vacant lot or an alley at night by someone who does not want to pay a disposal fee.

Ramos said delays can stretch into weeks.

“Recently, there was a toilet in front of my building, and it took four to five weeks for it to get cleaned up,” she said.

Pablo Cardoso, director of environmental services at the Koreatown Youth and Community Center, said illegal dumping has “always been an issue.”

“For our crews, yes, there have been more requests to go and pick up bulky items,” he said.

Cardoso believes convenience and limited infrastructure both play a role.

“My personal opinion about it is that people are just lazy and the easy way to get rid of their unwanted furniture is to just dump it in front of their building,” he said. “I also don’t think that these condos or apartments where they live don’t have the dumping or trash bins for big furniture.”

Sometimes there are hazardous materials. At a Jan. 14 meeting of the City Council’s Public Works Committee, Nicholas Fuentes, with the city sanitation bureau’s Livability Services Division, said asbestos in abandoned commercial and construction material is a problem.

Los Angeles City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez chairs the committee and said during the meeting that some residents don’t use or know about the free hazardous waste drop-offs the city offers and instead resort to dumping.

“I come across buckets full of oil in my district, like on the side of the road,” Hernandez said. “That means someone got the oil, put it in the buckets, put it in their mode of transportation, drove to this place and dropped it off.”

The city offers free bulky item pick-up for residents getting rid of that old desk or mattress (it involves lugging the item to the curb on trash day). But illegal dumping is a criminal offense, and perpetrators can be fined up to $1,000.

“Do they call 311? I hope they do,” Cardoso said. “Is 311 the best system? It’s there, but I don’t know. What I know is that they’re overwhelmed with requests.”

Awareness of the service remains low, organizers say.

“When I would promote 311, which is a free service, a majority of people do not know about it,” said Pia Cadanela of No Harm KTLA, a volunteer group that does trash pickups in the neighborhood twice a month. “Even people who volunteer with us would be surprised. They did not know that there’s a free pick-up service by the city.”

The issue is not new. In 2021, then-City Controller Ron Galperin authored a report titled “Piling Up: Addressing L.A.’s Illegal Dumping Problem.” Yet the document’s suggestions on how to combat the practice have produced few tangible results.

Fourth and New Hampshire may be a dumping destination because of one corner: While apartment buildings and the Joohyang Presbyterian Church occupy three parts of the intersection, the southeast corner holds a vacant lot, with a series of tents by a retaining wall.

It’s likely already being monitored by the city. Fuentes said his team works on problem points in each of the 15 council districts.

“We have identified with the directors of each council district those chronic locations, and we know that they need to be serviced on a regular basis,” he said at the committee meeting.

Although Fourth and New Hampshire suffered more than anywhere else in the city last year, it was not the only destination for frequent dumpers in Koreatown. There were 57 MyLA311 reports at 3525 W. Third St., a strip mall. That ranked ninth in the city.

Cardoso said dumping tends to snowball after the first items are left behind.

“I drive by the streets, and there might be one or a couple of chairs,” he said. “And then later I drive by again, and it’s like, ‘Oh, now there’s a sofa. Now there’s a fridge.’”

“People see that little pile, and they’re like, ‘Oh, let’s add to that pile,’” he continued.

Ramos said residents are left frustrated by what she sees as a lack of outreach.

“I’ve never seen a city representative go door to door with resources and inform community members,” Ramos said.

She added, “It’s a combination of a lot of things — a lack of community education, lack of city outreach, lack of getting to the complaints, long response times — which can discourage people from contacting 311 because they have to wait too long.”

It’s no secret that childcare is expensive — and unaffordable — for many families. In L.A. County, costs for childcare take up, on average, nearly 20% of a family’s household income.

But in papers published last week, researchers at the University of California and Stanford say a solution is possible — and that a universal childcare system can be implemented in California, the most populous state in the country.

“It is not easy to fix the childcare market. It requires investments of resources … but it is feasible,” said Neale Mahoney, a professor of economics and director of the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research. “I'm optimistic that if we focus on this issue, then we can take big strides.”

Last year, New Mexico became the first state to offer universal childcare, and local jurisdictions like San Francisco and Alameda County have moved to infuse money into their childcare systems.

Economists at Stanford estimate it would cost the state between $12 to $21 billion a year to implement a universal childcare system for children 3 and under. The researchers say the investment could lead to 100,000 mothers joining the workforce, which could create up to $23 billion in GDP for the state.

“What happens fairly immediately from a program that provides more robust childcare coverage is that you have more parents working in particular, you have more moms able to work, and of course, that contributes right back to the economy in the form of taxes,” said Chloe Gibbs, a policy fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research.

Researchers at UC Irvine and UC Berkeley, in a parallel paper, said the current childcare infrastructure needs to be changed to make a universal system possible and made a series of recommendations. That includes combining a confusing system of 14 different funding streams for subsidized child care.

“ It shouldn't be on providers and families to sort through what they're eligible for and the regulations of all of them,” said Jade Jenkins, associator professor of education policy at UC Irvine.

Where will the money come from? 

In New Mexico, the state’s universal childcare program is paid through the state’s sovereign wealth funds supported from oil and gas revenues. While California doesn’t have that sort of dedicated funding stream, Gibbs says there are other options.

Gibbs said some states have used lottery funds for childcare, or implemented so-called “sin taxes” — taxes on products like cigarettes or alcohol, while others have also created endowment funds. “Then of course, there’s the redeployment of dollars that are currently spent on other things,” she said.

Currently, the state has set aside $7.5 billion for subsidized childcare in the proposed budget, including more than $5 billion from the state’s general fund. That amounts to about 2% of the state’s budget.

Learn more about the child care system

• California's childcare sector is already fragile. Can it survive the next natural disaster? Preschools have been closing in L.A. County. There also are not enough childcare providers, and those who are in business are chronically underpaid.
• San Francisco gave child care workers a massive raise. Is it a model for LA? Three years after the city's pay plan launched, those involved say it's been transformative. Some educators said the additional pay is keeping them in their jobs, and making a future in the profession viable.
• New Mexico will be the first state to offer universal child care. What could that mean for California? New Mexico has been offering free childcare for families who make up to 400% of the federal poverty level, and starting in November, it removed the income eligibility requirements — making the program universal for families.

"Galentine's Day" was first introduced to us in 2010 on the television series Parks and Recreation. Since then, it has become so deeply embedded in popular culture that I bet most of you didn’t know you should be thanking Leslie Knope for “only the best day of the year.”

Well, there has never been a better time than now to focus on the love for the ladies in your life. Although really, it's a day about celebrating those you can always count on, no matter the gender.

Read on for ideas on how to celebrate Galentine's Day in Los Angeles, which traditionally falls on Feb. 13, (but this year is beginning as early as Feb. 5). 

Rooftop cinema screening

NBC's Parks and Rec, the series which created Galentine's Day

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Courtesy NBC

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Dig into the real story behind Galentine’s Day at Rootop Cinema Club in DTLA on Thursday, Feb. 5. It’s an entire mini-marathon of Parks and Recreation, the show that started it all. Tickets begin at $35 per person and include a love seat with fireside heater and a hot chocolate for you and your bestie. As the website says, "Valentine’s Day is for lovers — but Galentine’s Day? That’s for legends."

When and How: Reserve your tickets here for the 6:30 p.m. screening.

Galentine’s dinner under the stars

Oysters and champagne anyone? At Mother of Pearl in DTLA

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Michael Kleinberg

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Courtesy Mother of Pearl

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Set the stage for a night of pure fabulousness with a rooftop dinner at Mother of Pearl, the oyster and champagne bar from Michelin-starred Chef Joshua Gil. The four-course prix fixe begins with a caviar bruschetta and small plates for the table, which is a perfect time to order a round of mini tinis. Menu highlights include tuna ribbons with wild baby fennel and salsa verde, steak Diane with pommes puree, and a strawberry tiramisu to finish. Since Mother of Pearl is part of the multi-level nightclub and restaurant space Level 8 in Downtown Los Angeles, your night doesn’t need to end with dinner.

When and How: Reserve via OpenTable for Friday, Feb. 13, beginning at 5 p.m. 

Afternoon tea

Visit the iconic Culver Hotel in Culver City for a one-day-only Galentine’s Tea that will give you a reason to feel your best. The experience includes artisanal tea, finger sandwiches, and heart-shaped sweets along with bite-sized petit fours. Dress to impress as a festive ensemble will earn you a complimentary glass of pink bubbly. The entire tea time will be accompanied by live music.

When and How: Galentine’s tea is served from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 15. Reserve on OpenTable. The cost is $75 per person.
 

Après Surf Lounge

You get your own personal firepit at Viceroy Santa Monica

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Courtesy Viceroy Santa Monica

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Gather up to six of your girls for a poolside cabana with everything you need for a fun celebration. A night out at the Après Surf Lounge at the Viceroy Santa Monica includes a curated cheese board, tabletop s’mores, and a bottle of something sparkling. There are also table topic cards and a build-your-own bouquet activity to keep things festive while you share laughs around your personal fire pit.

When and How: Galentine’s Day cabanas are available on both Friday, Feb. 13 and Saturday, Feb. 14, beginning at $230 for up to 6 guests. Reserve on their website.

Line Dancing with your Ladies

The Galentine's Day Bootloose event happens on Feb 13

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Courtesy Desert 5 Spot

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There’s nothing like line dancing to spark a night of liveliness between friends. On Friday, Feb. 13, Desert 5 Spot in Hollywood is hosting a Galentine’s Day Bootloose with free line dancing lessons led by Mike & Diana. They’re also extending Desert Hour drink specials until 9 p.m., which includes $6 beer and wine, $9 cocktails, and 2-for-one $10 tacos.

When and How: RSVP for your Friday, Feb. 13 bootloose on the hour beginning at 7 p.m. here. RSVPs aren’t necessary if you won’t be line dancing, but Galentine’s Day is not about putting baby in the corner. Let your inner cowgirl roam free!