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The Brief

The most important stories for you to know today
  • Education
    Youth voter turnout
    More Californians 18-34 registered this primary
    Mariana Dale
    Mariana Dale explores and explains the forces that shape how and what kids learn from kindergarten to high school.
    Published June 5, 2026 5:00 AM
    A collage of three images of young adults with medium skin tone wearing red, white and blue stickers that say I voted.
    Martha, Natalia and Jose voted for the first time in the 2026 primary Tuesday.
    (
    Mariana Dale
    /
    LAist
    )

    Topline:

    California voters under 34 are on track to make up a larger share of the electorate compared to the 2022 primary, according to an analysis of ballots counted so far by Political Data Intelligence.

    The backstory: Young people vote, but at lower rates than older voters. Kamy Akhavan studies civic engagement at USC and says that the U.S.'s increasingly partisan political system may turn off youth voters. “They're looking for solutions. They're not seeing it come from politics,” Akhavan said. “So many of them are just tuning out from a system that is not serving them.”

    The numbers (so far): As of Wednesday, voters 18-34 account for 13% of all ballots counted. That’s a 3% increase from the 2022 primary at this time. One factor is that there are nearly 2 million more people in this age group registered than in 2022. Paul Mitchell, a vice president at Political Data Intelligence, said this is due in part to a change in policy that automatically re-registers California voters when they move from county-to-county. “Young people have benefited from their registrations staying alive when they are constantly shuffling around the state,” Mitchell said.

    What's next: There are still many ballots left to count. Mitchell said the share of ballots returned by young people increased closer to Election Day.  ”Those late voters were very heavily young people,” Mitchell said. “That could mean…if this pattern continues, a higher final turnout for young people.”

    Read on… to see what motivated high school students to vote for the first time in South L.A.

    Young California voters are on track to make up a larger share of the 2026 primary electorate compared to the 2022 primary, according to an analysis of ballots counted so far by Political Data Intelligence.

    As of Thursday, voters aged 18–34 accounted for 13% of all ballots counted. That’s a 4 percentage point increase from the 2022 primary at this time.

    One factor is that there are nearly 2 million more people in this age group registered than in 2022.

    Paul Mitchell, a vice president at PDI, said this is due in part to a change in policy that automatically re-registers California voters when they move from county-to-county.

    “Young people have benefited from their registrations staying alive when they are constantly shuffling around the state,” Mitchell said.

    Yet, the returns show that while more young people are voting, their turnout rate is still slightly lower than in 2022. (There’s a longstanding trend of young people voting at lower rates than older voters.)

    Mitchell said that may change by the time all the ballots are counted.

     ”Those late voters were very heavily young people,” Mitchell said. “That could mean… if this pattern continues, a higher final turnout for young people.”

    Four high school students wearing "I Voted" stickers pose outside a vote center in South LA. A reporter holding a LAist microphone stands in the foreground. A "Voter Game Plan" logo appears in the upper left corner.
    High school seniors vote for the first time in South L.A.

    Among those late voters was a group of students at South L.A.’s Ánimo Pat Brown Charter High School. About 40 seniors walked with their teachers Tuesday afternoon to a Washington Park vote center to cast a ballot for the first time. Nearly two dozen additional students signed up as poll workers.

    The school’s government and economics teacher, Joel Snyder, has made civic engagement a key part of the curriculum since the school opened in 2006.

    “ I think about how to make the pitch to them that democracy is important in their lives and is a public good,” Snyder said.

    Here’s what the students said motivated them to vote, edited for length and clarity. LAist is not publishing their last names because some discuss the immigration status of their family members.

    A young man with medium skin tone wears a gray sweatshirt and red, white and blue "I voted" sticker. He gives a thumbs up with his left hand.
    Jose, senior at Ánimo Pat Brown Charter High School.
    (
    Mariana Dale
    /
    LAist
    )

     I have immigrant parents, they aren't able to vote, but I see that my sister's able to vote since she is older, and also my older brother — and that motivated me to vote because I wanna do for what's right for our state and our country…  I think sometimes it’s just hard having your own opinion on your own votes, and it is hard that people will have an opinion on whoever you vote [for], but at the end of the day, you're doing what's right for you, and that's all that matters. — Jose

    A young woman with medium skin tone wears a pink sweater and red, white and blue "I voted" sticker.
    Katherine, a senior at Ánimo Pat Brown Charter High School.
    (
    Mariana Dale
    /
    LAist
    )

    I felt like me voting was helping my community in a way. Some issues that are really important to me is that of ICE. Honestly, when the ICE raids were happening, I was really afraid for a lot of people in my community because it would stop a lot of people from going outside and just traveling the world how they're supposed to. — Katherine

    A woman with medium skin tone wears a gray sweater over a white shirt and a red, white and blue "I voted" sticker.
    Natalia, senior Ánimo Pat Brown Charter High School.
    (
    Mariana Dale
    /
    LAist
    )

    I t's really important that we have a representative who hears all our voices and our struggles and is able to implement them…  People don't like to come to these areas because they consider it dangerous. But obviously we live here. We should look out for our community and try to make it safer for everyone, not just for the people who are passing by, but for us who are living here. — Natalia

    A young woman with medium skin tone wears a black sweatshirt and a red, white and blue "I voted" sticker.
    Martha, senior at Ánimo Pat Brown Charter High School.
    (
    Mariana Dale
    /
    LAist
    )

     I wanna make sure that I actually use, like, the power I [get] as a citizen, and I wanna make sure that others also feel influenced to actually use their power and vote…  My message would just be you have a voice, make sure you use it, and that just know that other people are also counting on you, like your family and your friends. And it might be nerve-wracking, but after you do it for the first time, it's just go with the flow. — Martha
    A line of young people wait outside the open doors of a brick building.
    A group of students waits for their turn to vote at Washington Park in the Florence Graham neighborhood.
    (
    Mariana Dale
    /
    LAist
    )

    At first I was skeptical about it. I didn't wanna vote, because I was like ‘my voice doesn't really matter.’ But at the final moment, I decided to vote because I seen my friends vote, and I wanted to vote with them, and also because I wanted to change, like, the way my community and where I live works… One thing I wanna see change is the homelessness problem because it's gotten too crazy where I live. — Ivan

  • News
    Mental Health review
    Bass orders a review of LAPD responses
    By Christopher Damien | The LA Local
    Published September 30, 2026 5:00 AM
    Mayor Bass speaks into a microphone in front of a podium.
    Mayor Karen Bass on June 10, 2025, in Los Angeles
    (
    Eric Thayer
    /
    Associated Press
    )

    Topline:

    How LAPD responds when someone is experiencing a mental or behavioral health crisis is getting a closer look. Last week, Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive directive ordering an independent review of the department’s response, including its policies, training and use of force. 

    Why it matters: LAPD officers fatally shot more than 60 people between 2021 and 2025, according to the most recent data the department reported to the California Department of Justice. All of those deaths will be reviewed.

    Why now: “There is a severe shortage of mental and behavioral health care, and too many people in crisis have nowhere to turn,” Mayor Bass said in a prepared statement. “People cycle between the streets, emergency rooms, and detention facilities, and too often come into contact with law enforcement.” 

    What's next: The Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners will need to retain an independent firm to conduct the audit and report back recommendations to the mayor’s office within six months. Bass said that the firm selected should be experts in constitutional policing and crisis response. 

    How LAPD responds when someone is experiencing a mental or behavioral health crisis is getting a closer look. 

    Last week, Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive directive ordering an independent review of the department’s response, including its policies, training and use of force. 

    “There is a severe shortage of mental and behavioral health care, and too many people in crisis have nowhere to turn,” Mayor Bass said in a prepared statement. “People cycle between the streets, emergency rooms, and detention facilities, and too often come into contact with law enforcement.” 

    The Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners will need to retain an independent firm to conduct the audit and report back recommendations to the mayor’s office within six months. Bass said that the firm selected should be experts in constitutional policing and crisis response. 

    The review will determine how officers identify people in crisis, including those with intellectual and physical disabilities, and people who are under the influence of illicit substances.

    LAPD officers fatally shot more than 60 people between 2021 and 2025, according to the most recent data the department reported to the California Department of Justice. All of those deaths will be reviewed.

    The audit will also look into how the department tracks repeat calls about a person who is in crisis or needs help. Yong Yang’s case is one example. Yang was fatally shot by police in 2024, after his parents attempted to get him help during a behavioral health crisis.

    His parents previously told The LA Local about how Yong Yang had nonviolent encounters with police before the encounter that ended in his death. They question why officers failed to de-escalate the confrontation before he was shot.

    They’ve continued to call for accountability, even after LAPD closed its investigation into his death. Under Bass’ new directive, his case is one that would be reviewed. 

    The audit will evaluate:

    • Use of force: Incidents over the last five years of uses of force and arrests that resulted in death or serious bodily injury to determine if the person was experiencing a behavioral health crisis or had an intellectual disability.
    • De-escalation: Incidents over the last five years that did not result in death or serious bodily injury to determine how they were de-escalated.
    • Repeat calls: The department’s procedures for keeping track of people involved in repeated calls to police, including those who have a disability.
    • Training: The training officers receive about incidents with people experiencing behavioral crises.
    • Less-lethal options: What less-lethal force options are available to officers.
    • Custody and care: Uses of restraint and processes for medical treatment for people in police custody. 
    • Officer wellness: Protocols for providing officers with mental health care after these confrontations.

    Bass’ order comes about a month after the police department released graphic videos of men who died during police encounters. One video captured officers sitting on and restraining a handcuffed man for an extended period of time at a holding facility in the San Fernando Valley. The man, Jose Carlos Hoyos-Munoz, died soon after. 

    “When an encounter results in death or serious injury, we must rigorously examine whether our policies, training, tactics, supervision, and accountability systems are sufficient,” Bass said after the videos were released.

    The post Mayor Bass orders independent review of how LAPD responds to mental health crises appeared first on LA Local.
  • Sponsored message
  • Climate & Environment
    Chiquita Canyon landfill
    State audit says county health response fell short
    Elly Yu
    Elly Yu Elly Yu covers public health as part of her beat on early childhood.
    Published September 30, 2026 5:00 AM
    An aerial view of a yellow truck driving through trash in a landfill.
    An aerial view of a truck driving through trash at Chiquita Canyon Landfill in Castaic on Feb. 22, 2024. An aerial view of a truck driving through trash at Chiquita Canyon Landfill in Castaic on Feb. 22, 2024. Photo by Allen J. Schaben, Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
    (
    Allen J. Schaben
    /
    Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
    )

    Topline:

    The California State Auditor says L.A. County Public Health’s response to the health conditions around the Chiquita Canyon landfill was inadequate.

    The backstory: An underground chemical reaction at Chiquita Canyon landfill has burned for years, producing large amounts of noxious chemicals and bad odors. Residents nearby have complained about symptoms like headaches and nausea.

    What’s new: The State Auditor released a report this week that found the county’s public health department hasn’t done enough to help or inform the community. For example, the audit says the department got reports from the landfill operator every quarter at times showing chemical levels that exceeded state thresholds, but didn’t let the public know. The department in its response said it considers a number of factors on deciding what poses a potential health risk.

    More about LADPH response: The department said the report lacked context as to the department’s role within a multi-agency response and said it has been proactive to community health concerns. “It is therefore disappointing that the focus of the audit largely evaluates Public Health’s actions in isolation and not as part of a response structure created by federal, state, and local agencies,” a spokesperson told LAist in a statement.
  • News
    ICE detention centers
    911 calls must be disclosed under new law
    By Wendy Fry | CalMatters
    Published September 29, 2026 3:30 PM
    A detention officer waits outside an entrance to a metal gate with barbed wire on top of it.
    A detention officer waits outside the main entrance of the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego on Feb. 20, 2026.
    (
    Adriana Helditz
    /
    CalMatters
    )


    Topline:

    A new law will require local agencies to publicly disclose audio recordings and written records of 911 calls originating from privately run immigration detention facilities.

    The Detention Facility Transparency Act: Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 423, called the Detention Facility Transparency Act, on Tuesday. It was one of 21 immigration-related bills in a package his office announced the same day. The law will require local agencies to turn over recordings and written records of 911 calls from privately run detention facilities if a member of the public requests them. It includes an exception if an active investigation is underway and requires redacting the names of affected individuals.

    The backstory: In February, L.A. Taco reported that detainees inside Otay Mesa were throwing lotion bottles wrapped with notes about conditions inside over the wall of the facility to organizers standing outside. Earlier this year, CalMatters sought information, including 911 audio records and other reports, about alleged serious incidents at detention facilities through a California Public Records Act request. While a San Diego County sheriff’s spokesperson said the agency was not investigating those cases, he said he was unable to turn over additional records because they were part of “a law enforcement investigation.”

    A new law will require local agencies to publicly disclose audio recordings and written records of 911 calls originating from privately run immigration detention facilities. The bill was prompted by CalMatters reporting on alleged sexual assaults at the Otay Mesa Detention Center.

    Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 423, called the Detention Facility Transparency Act, on Tuesday. It was one of 21 immigration-related bills in a package his office announced the same day.

    The law will require local agencies to turn over recordings and written records of 911 calls from privately run detention facilities, if a member of the public requests them. It includes an exception if an active investigation is underway and requires redacting the names of affected individuals.

    “Well, it goes without saying, these past two years, Donald Trump has brought fear and has brought anxiety, disruption and stress to our immigrant communities,” Newsom said in a recorded video statement on his website.

    “So, today, I sign a number of bills to strengthen transparency and to strengthen accountability and oversight over federal immigration enforcement and civil detention in our state,” the governor said.

    State Sen. Lena Gonzalez, a Democrat from Long Beach, introduced SB 423 as state investigations and courts found serious gaps in essential medical care within the facilities. She said the aim was to stop private operators, and the agencies that work alongside them, from keeping what happens behind detention walls from the public's view.

    In February, L.A. Taco reported that detainees inside Otay Mesa were throwing lotion bottles wrapped with notes about conditions inside over the wall of the facility to organizers standing outside.

    “For 280 days we haven’t eaten a single piece of fruit, banana, apple, orange, or anything fresh," an Otay Mesa detainee wrote, the news outlet reported. "We are all in one big room with no doors or windows. We can’t see any grass or trees. We are all constantly sick.”

    Gonzalez, who is chair of the Legislative Latino Caucus, said no person “should have to resort to throwing notes over the walls of a detention facility to have their needs met and their voices heard.”

    Earlier this year, CalMatters sought information, including 911 audio records and other reports, about alleged serious incidents at detention facilities through a California Public Records Act request. While a San Diego County sheriff’s spokesperson said the agency was not investigating those cases, he said he was unable to turn over additional records because they were part of “a law enforcement investigation.”

    “When journalists and reporters attempted to obtain records about reported incidents at these facilities through the Public Records Act, they faced severe pushback from law enforcement, citing vague investigatory records exemptions, despite there being no active investigation,” said Gonzalez.

    Immigrant Defense Advocates and the First Amendment Coalition co-sponsored the bill.

    “The governor has sent a powerful message: No more secrecy. SB 423 makes clear that 911 calls and related records about events in detention must be released upon request. This will shed more light on a notoriously opaque system, leading to stronger oversight and accountability,” Ginny LaRoe, Advocacy Director, First Amendment Coalition, said in a written statement.

    Gonzalez’s bill was one of several detention oversight bills Newsom signed Tuesday. Others impose a new 25% tax on private detention facilities, expand health, safety and oversight requirements for the centers, and add to the state attorney general’s oversight role.

    The new laws take effect Jan. 1.

    This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.
  • News
    X2 Coaster closing
    Ride recently scrutinized after injury allegations
    By Jaimie Ding | The Associated Press
    Published September 29, 2026 2:32 PM
    Empty roller coasters with red and gray tracks loop over an amusement park, hills and mountains in the background.
    This aerial view shows the X2 roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
    (
    Jae C. Hong
    /
    AP Photo
    )

    Topline:

    Six Flags Magic Mountain is retiring its famous X2 roller coaster amid lawsuits alleging serious brain injury caused by the ride.

    Why now: The ride has been closed since the evening of July 12, after two women who rode the coaster less than a week apart both needed to be rushed to the hospital after they exited. One of them, 25-year-old Naomi Greer-Wilkinson, collapsed shortly after the ride ended and was found to have massive brain bleeding inside the skull that required emergency brain surgery. She remains in a vegetative state in the hospital, unable to speak or move and dependent on a ventilator. Her family filed a lawsuit against Six Flags on her behalf.

    Why it matters: Six Flags recently settled a wrongful-death lawsuit from the family of a 22-year-old man who died after riding the coaster in 2022, and three more lawsuits alleging traumatic brain injuries were filed last week. “While X2 consistently passed a multitude of safety tests, we have decided to close the ride because we believe it’s the right thing to do,” park President Brian Oerding said in an online announcement. “Ride safety is a cornerstone of our business, and when we see guest confidence affected, we take it seriously.”

    The backstory: According to the Six Flags Magic Mountain website, the X2 roller coaster reaches a top speed of 76 mph (122 kph) and has a total length of 3,610 feet (1,100 meters). The seats rotate 360 degrees “so your body will be flipping around the entire time,” and the ride features two “raven turns” — half loops that turn into sheer drops midway. It debuted at the park in 2002 under the name X as the world’s first “fourth-dimension” roller coaster and reopened in 2008 as X2 with new trains and special effects. The uniqueness of the ride drew thrill-seekers from around the world and garnered a fervent fanbase.

    Six Flags Magic Mountain is retiring its famous X2 roller coaster amid lawsuits alleging serious brain injury caused by the ride.

    The Southern California theme park said Tuesday that it is permanently shuttering the ride after nearly 20 years. Six Flags recently settled a wrongful-death lawsuit from the family of a 22-year-old man who died after riding the coaster in 2022, and three more lawsuits alleging traumatic brain injuries were filed last week.

    “While X2 consistently passed a multitude of safety tests, we have decided to close the ride because we believe it’s the right thing to do,” park President Brian Oerding said in an online announcement. “Ride safety is a cornerstone of our business, and when we see guest confidence affected, we take it seriously.”

    The ride has been closed since the evening of July 12, after two women who rode the coaster less than a week apart both needed to be rushed to the hospital after they exited.

    One of them, 25-year-old Naomi Greer-Wilkinson, collapsed shortly after the ride ended and was found to have massive brain bleeding inside the skull that required emergency brain surgery. She remains in a vegetative state in the hospital, unable to speak or move and dependent on a ventilator. Her family filed a lawsuit against Six Flags on her behalf.

    Her attorneys said more than 100 people claimed they suffered brain injuries from the roller coaster in the past two years, and more lawsuits would be filed in the coming weeks.

    According to the Six Flags Magic Mountain website, the X2 roller coaster reaches a top speed of 76 mph (122 kph) and has a total length of 3,610 feet (1,100 meters). The seats rotate 360 degrees “so your body will be flipping around the entire time,” and the ride features two “raven turns” — half loops that turn into sheer drops midway.

    It debuted at the park in 2002 under the name X as the world’s first “fourth-dimension” roller coaster and reopened in 2008 as X2 with new trains and special effects. The uniqueness of the ride drew thrill-seekers from around the world and garnered a fervent fanbase.

    The park settled a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by the family of Christopher Hawley, a 22-year-old who died the day after he rode X2. He was taken to the hospital after the ride with severe brain bleeding. The medical examiner’s office said his death was from blunt head trauma. The case was settled at the end of August, a few days before the trial was scheduled to start.