Julia Barajas
explores how college students achieve their goals, whether they’re fresh out of high school, pursuing graduate work or looking to join the labor force through alternative pathways.
Published April 23, 2024 3:02 PM
A wall inside the Vincent Price Art Museum at East Los Angeles College.
(
Brian Feinzimer
/
LAist
)
Why it matters:
East Los Angeles College’s Museum Studies Certificate Program is open to anyone in the Los Angeles Community College District. The program helps students secure internships at prestigious institutions, including the Getty museums, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. This gives aspiring museum professionals a leg up in a competitive field.
The backstory: The program was established in 2020. College faculty hope to expose students to a variety of careers and compel them to think critically about how museums have engaged with community members — and how this can be improved.
What's next: This summer, current students will host the first Museum Studies Conference, giving community members a chance to learn more about the program.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in art history five years ago, Erin Aguilar struggled to establish a career in the art world — or even secure an internship.
Listen
1:30
For Art History Students Vying For A Career, This Program Offers A Foot In The Museum Door
“Nothing was happening,” she said. “It was kind of disheartening.”
At a community arts center in Boyle Heights about two years ago, she spotted a pamphlet for a museum studies program at East Los Angeles College; she signed up. Now Aguilar is close to completing her coursework at ELAC, and she's an intern at the Getty, one of L.A.'s most prominent arts institutions.
ELAC’s Museum Studies Certificate Program consists of coursework in art history, library science, anthropology, and studio art. And, perhaps most importantly, the program guarantees an internship — a big deal in a competitive industry.
Exposure to new career options
Art history professor Surana Singh created the program with her colleagues at ELAC and at the Vincent Price Art Museum, which is housed on campus. They wanted to expose students to a broad range of career options.
ELAC launched the program during the pandemic. Some courses continue to be offered online, but about half of them are in person.
Dr. Surana Singh co-developed the museum studies program and teaches its capstone course.
(
Brian Feinzimer
/
LAist
)
When they look to the future, Singh said, art history students often envision museum and gallery curators, who, among other duties, oversee how art and artifacts are selected and displayed. Curators are important, she added, but there are many other roles that might be a better fit.
“Our goal is for students to find what their interest is through the readings, through the lectures, and then through the internship experience,” she said. “Maybe someone interns in a curatorial practice, and then they realize: ‘Oh! curation’s not for me’ — but they learn that withinthis environment, and then they can take that with them.”
Such was the case for Aguilar. When she first enrolled in the program, she was set on becoming a curator. Now that she’s been exposed to other career options, Aguilar has found that she’s more interested in archival and conservation work. “We don’t all need to be curators,” she said.
Many students in the program already have bachelor’s degrees, but not the career they envisioned.
ELAC student Jessica Ardon.
(
Brian Feinzimer
/
LAist
)
ELAC student Erin Aguilar.
(
Brian Feinzimer
/
LAist
)
Sara Castro, who earned her bachelor's in history at Grinnell College in Iowa, also applied to ELAC following a frustrating experience in the art world.
To get her foot in the door, Castro worked in visitor services at a mid-size museum for about two years. But when she was ready to move forward, she hit a wall.
“It's so hard [to move up] in museums, unless you have a master's or Ph.D. or, like, eight years of work experience,” she said.
For her internship, Sara Castro worked at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Come fall, she will begin a master’s program in cultural studies at Claremont Graduate University.
(
Courtesty of Sara Castro
)
But before investing in graduate school, Castro wanted more information. “I just wanted to have the space to explore and learn about the different areas in museums,” she said.
ELAC enabled her to do that. In January, Castro was an intern in the National Gallery of Art's interpretation department. The internship covered her airfare and lodging. She also received two stipends, one for daily expenses and another for winter clothes. To help her and her fellow interns get settled, two Vincent Price Art Museum staff members also went along.
Some of her classmates are skilled artists. Others are “more like me,” she said. “[We] were, like: ‘How do you make art? What is it?’ That was really fun. It kind of got me out of my comfort zone, [and it] gave me a good perspective.”
Want to compare ELAC’s program to others in California? Start here:
While students complete their internships, they’re also required to take a lab on campus. Singh’s capstone class meets every Friday on the third floor of the Vincent Price Art Museum. She and her students gather in the “Museum Learning Lab,” a room teeming with art books — everything from Kehinde Wiley to Richard Avedon to 1,000 Chairs. The course gives students time and space to reflect on their internships, and on how museums shape our views.
Singh and her students leave no issue unturned. Their conversations encompass everything from didactics (the labels that accompany art and artifacts) to museum hours.
Grounded in cultural studies — an interdisciplinary field that examines how culture is created, shared, and maintained — Singh’s capstone course pushes students to examine structures of power and how they’re reproduced. This includes conversations about who gets to be in museum leadership and how communities are represented. They also discuss the historical role of museums, how they can be problematic, and how they can be transformed.
Professor Singh with students in the capstone course. These students are currently interns at the Getty Villa, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, and other institutions.
(
Brian Feinzimer
/
LAist
)
Located on campus, the Vincent Price Art Museum has permanent collection of fine art.
(
Brian Feinzimer
/
LAist
)
When Jessica Ardon, a Cal State Northridge graduate, was comparing different museum studies programs, this perspective drew her in. ELAC’s program, she said, delves deep into questions like: “How do you make a museum more inclusive?” and, “How do we mend wounds with people who've been excluded from these spaces?”
“I wanted to be part of that,” she said.
Ardon is also an intern at the Getty Villa. On a Friday morning earlier this month, she paired up for class discussion with a student who interns at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes in downtown L.A. Their conversation was grounded in an assigned TED Talk titled “We Must Decolonize Our Museum,” which encourages museum professionals to craft exhibitions alongside the communities they aim to represent — instead of bringing them on as consultants just as an afterthought. From there, Ardon and her classmate went on to discuss the ethics of exhibiting human remains; the implications of having a 16th-century Aztec headdress on display at a museum in Austria; and a book called Whitewalling: Art, Race & Protest in 3 Acts.
Want to dip your toes in museum studies? Here’s a taste of what ELAC students are reading and thinking about:
Singh’s capstone course also coaches students, so they can get the most out of their internships. At their respective work sites, all students are assigned a mentor. They help students craft résumés and cover letters. They also provide job interview tips and advice on how to build a career in the art world.
For Ardon, this part of the program has been especially helpful. Looking back on another internship, she regrets not taking a more proactive role in her learning. But, she added, it also helps that the mentors she and her classmates have been assigned are wholly committed to the experience. “They’re very much on top of it,” she said.
On top of sharing practical skills, Ardon said her mentor is always checking in. And if there’s someone at the Getty she’s too shy to approach, her mentor is happy to make an introduction.
For alumna Cicely Beltran, the professional relationships cultivated at ELAC have been longlasting. The museum studies program helped draw her back to the college after she quit over a decade before to raise her family.
ELAC alumna Cicely Beltran.
(
Brian Feinzimer
/
LAist
)
Growing up, Beltran walked past this David Botello mural almost every day. It's one of the many community art pieces that sparked her interest in art.
(
Brian Feinzimer
/
LAist
)
She continues to be in conversation with her former professors as she pursues a bachelor’s degree in art education at Cal State Long Beach. She’s also developed a strong bond with her colleagues at the Vincent Price Art Museum, where she works part-time as a guide. When she goes in for work, she said, “it does not feel like I'm going to a workplace . . . I'm going to a place with a real sense of community.”
Perhaps most significantly, the museum studies program helped Beltran reshape her own narrative, after so many years away from the classroom.
In her professor’s view, there was no gap in Beltran’s educational journey. Singh helped her see that “the whole time I was at home, raising my son, I was still researching art, writing about art, thinking about art, making art.”
“It was super validating,” Beltran said. “It made me feel like I hadn’t wasted all those years.”
Destiny Torres
is LAist's general assignment and digital equity reporter.
Published December 31, 2025 5:00 AM
Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica is doused in heavy rain during a Christmas Eve storm. Expect a gloomy New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, too.
(
Genaro Molina
/
Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
)
Topline:
Southern California will ring in the new year with a pair of storms that will douse the Rose Parade and possibly prompt evacuation orders in recent burn scar zones.
The context: The heaviest rain is expected to fall across Los Angeles on Wednesday night and into Thursday, New Year's Day, according to the National Weather Service.
The risks: The ground and roads are already saturated from last week's winter storm, meaning there's a high risk of mudslides, rock slides and other hazards. L.A. County has already issued evacuation warnings for burn scar areas beginning 11 a.m. Wednesday. That includes communities in the Eaton and Palisades fires.
What to expect: The storm will also bring what is likely to be the first time rain to fall on Pasadena’s Rose Parade since 2006. Snow levels through New Year's Day are expected to remain above 8,500 feet, then drop to around 7,500 feet on Friday.
Read on... for updates on this developing story.
This story will be updated. Check back for details.
Southern California will ring in the new year with a pair of storms that will douse the Rose Parade and possibly prompt evacuation orders in recent burn scar zones.
The heaviest rain is expected to fall across Los Angeles on Wednesday night and into Thursday, New Year's Day, according to the National Weather Service.
The ground and roads are already saturated from last week's winter storm, meaning there's a high risk of mudslides, rock slides and other hazards.
"Because of the saturated, really wet soils, we do have that high risk for downed trees with really any wind as well as rock slides and mud slides," Ryan Kittell, meteorologist at NWS, said. "In those vulnerable canyons and hillsides, there's about a moderate risk for flooding and at least shallow debris flows for recent burn scar areas."
L.A. County has already issued evacuation warnings for burn scar areas beginning 11 a.m. Wednesday. That includes communities in the Eaton and Palisades fires.
Rainfall projections
It's supposed to be one of the wettest New Year's Days in decades, according to the National Weather Service. Here are the projected rain levels:
Los Angeles: 1.53 inches
Oxnard: 1.00 inches
Santa Barbara: 0.80 inches
San Luis Obispo: 0.57 inches
As another storm heads towards Southern California, the National Weather Service shared New Year's Day rain facts.
Snow levels through New Year's Day are expected to remain above 8,500 feet, then drop to around 7,500 feet on Friday.
Evacuations and closures
Due to increased hazard of mudslides and debris flows, evacuation warnings will take effect at 11 a.m. Wednesday in burn zones across L.A. County, including Palisades and Eaton fire areas.
This atmospheric river is expected to slightly weaker than last week's, but take this latest round of storms seriously. The ground is already saturated which means we’re at a higher risk for downed trees, rockslides and mudslides.
Understanding National Weather Service warnings
Here’s an excerpt from our guide to understanding flood warnings, if any are issued:
Flood advisories are how the NWS begins to raise the alarm. The goal is to give people enough time to take action.
Flood watches are your indicators to get prepared to move.
Aflood warning is issued when a hazardous weather event is imminent or already happening. When one is issued for your area, you need to get to higher ground immediately.
A flash flood warning is issued when a flash flood is coming or in progress. Flash floods are sudden and violent floods that can start within minutes.
If you're in L.A. County and need sand bags, you can find some at local fire houses.
Staying safe when the winds are high
Watch for traffic signals that may be out. Approach those intersections as four-way stops.
Make sure you have a battery-operated radio and flashlights. Check the batteries to make sure they are fresh. Use flashlights for lighting during a power outage; do not use candles because they may pose a fire hazard.
If you’re in a vehicle with a fallen power line on it, stay in the vehicle and remain calm until help arrives. It is OK to use your cellphone to call 911. If you must leave the vehicle, exit away from downed power lines and jump from the vehicle, landing with both feet together. You must not touch the vehicle and the ground at the same time. Then proceed away from the vehicle by shuffling and not picking up your feet until you are several yards away.
Water and electricity don’t mix. Water is an excellent conductor of electricity. Do not step in or enter any water that a downed power line may be touching.
Do not use any equipment indoors that is designed for outdoor heating or cooking. Such equipment can emit carbon monoxide and other toxic gases.
If you use a generator, place it outdoors and plug individual appliances directly into it, using a heavy-duty extension cord. Connecting generators directly to household circuits creates “backfeed,” which is dangerous to repair crews.
Leave the doors of your refrigerator and freezer closed to keep food as fresh as possible. Place blocks of ice inside to help keep food cold. Check food carefully for signs of spoilage.
Check on your neighbors to make sure everyone is safe.
Tips on staying warm
State law requires residential units to have heating systems that can keep indoor temperatures at a minimum of 70 degrees. That means every dwelling unit and guest room offered for rent or lease should offer heating equipment.
Use heat smartly to save money: Cranking heaters can be expensive. If money is tight, be judicious about how and when you use your utilities. For example, only use heaters at night or only set the thermostat to around 70 degrees.
Open and close those vents: If you have central A/C, look at where the vents are around your home. Are any open in places where you don’t stay long? Practice opening and closing those so warm air only goes where you need it (most vents should have a small toggle lever). Humidifiers can also help you warm things up — and it’s useful to add moisture into our dry air.
Adjust your wall heaters: If you have a wall heater, you can change the output by adjusting the knob (usually at the bottom). Since wall heaters can only warm the areas where they’re placed, it’s essential to close doors to rooms you won’t be in so hot air doesn’t get wasted.
Turn on your ceiling fan (really): If you have a ceiling fan, try turning it on. This sounds counterintuitive, but there’s science behind it. TSince hot air floats up, your fan can help move it around. For warming, your fan should spin clockwise to create an updraft. Not all fans will have this option.
This is a developing story. We fact check everything and rely only on information from credible sources (think fire, police, government officials and reporters on the ground). Sometimes, however, we make mistakes or initial reports turn out to be wrong. In all cases, we strive to bring you the most accurate information in real time and will update this story as new information becomes available.
David Rodriguez
grew up in Altadena and has been connecting with fire survivors since the disaster.
Published December 31, 2025 5:00 AM
An illustration of a small shopping plaza in Altadena that was destroyed by the Eaton Fire. Many community members shared memories with LAist of visiting local businesses in the plaza on Fair Oaks Avenue.
(
David Rodriguez
/
LAist
)
Topline:
As we approach the anniversary of the Eaton and Palisades fires, LAist is highlighting — and illustrating — residents’ memories from before the disaster.
The backstory: In late August, LAist asked the question: What made Altadena and Pacific Palisades special before the fires? Residents and visitors of the areas responded to our survey sharing their stories. We created hand-drawn illustrations to bring what they shared to life.
Read on… to read what people shared about their communities and see the illustrations.
It was the everyday moments of saying hello to neighbors. The soundtrack of crashing waves on the walk after dropping the kids off at school. The feeling of cruising down a street filled with trees decorated in lights during the holidays.
These are some of the memories Angelenos shared with LAist in response to our survey asking Pacific Palisades and Altadena residents what made their neighborhoods special before the fires.
As we approach the one-year anniversary of the Eaton and Palisades fires, LAist is highlighting, and illustrating, community stories as the region works to rebuild.
To do this, we read through dozens of responses to our survey and spoke to a handful of people directly to help tell their stories.
Here’s some of what they shared, and what they want to always remember.
The magical neighborhoods
For Palisades resident Kelly Sullivan, some of her most cherished memories are what she described as the simple, fleeting moments that capture the magic of “Pali.”
Kelly Sullivan, a resident of Pacific Palisades, stands on the destroyed secret sidewalk near the neighboring El Medio bluffs in October 2025. It was one of her family’s favorite spots to visit.
(
David Rodriguez
/
LAist
)
A colorful phoenix windchime hangs from a charred tree branch in mid October 2025 in the secret sidewalk, which was destroyed by the Palisades Fire.
(
Courtesy from Kelly and Noel Sullivan
)
One of her favorite spots was a path off Abramar Avenue by the El Medio bluffs that neighbors called the “secret sidewalk.” The path, which was destroyed in the fire, now borders the remnants of a home that burned to the ground. Tree branches used to curve down, creating a tunnel, and Sullivan remembers the gentle clanking of windchimes tied to the branches that filled the air.
“There was a sign that said 'secret sidewalk' as you’re walking down. We'd stop and touch all the chimes,” said Sullivan, who used to visit the spot with her family. “You’d have all these beautiful sounds as you’re walking down, and you’d sit on that bench and just listen to them all.”
An illustration of the secret sidewalk before it, and a nearby home were destroyed. This is a special place for Kelly Sullivan, her family, and others in the neighborhood.
(
David Rodriguez
/
LAist
)
To Sullivan, the secret sidewalk had an almost storybook-like look. She said it was a special place for the people in the neighborhood.
A couple miles northeast from the secret sidewalk, Rachel Jonas and her family often visited the Marquez Business Block, a hometown strip of stores in Pacific Palisades that included a deli, restaurant, nail salon, karate studio and pharmacy.
"We practically lived there with our kids,” Jonas said. “It was the kind of place where you'd see the same people over and over.”
An illustration of the now destroyed Marquez Business Block in Pacific Palisades. Rachel Jonas, her family, and their neighbors often visited the local shops.
(
David Rodriguez
/
LAist
)
Jonas’ home was destroyed in the Palisades Fire, and she and her family now live in Tennessee with her in-laws as they work to rebuild.
Rob Fagnani and Rachel Jonas in front of where their Palisades home stood.
(
Courtesy of Rob Fagnani and Rachel Jonas
)
“It wasn't the fanciest but [it] had such an incredible community feel,” said Jonas, describing the business block. “They had annual block parties where there'd be a face painter, a bounce house, etc. It was just the best.”
What made your community special?
Neighbors weren’t just neighbors, they were family. We looked out for one another, celebrated together and built a community that was inclusive, vibrant and full of heart. — Denise Diaz Gonzalez, Altadena, referencing her neighborhood Poppyfields in Altadena.
The Loma Alta farmer's market on Friday evenings was such a special and serene gathering place for West Altadena residents. — Victor Teran, Altadena
The mid-century architectural style of homes that were built in the 1960s. — Robert Sandoval, Malibu
I miss the sleepy part of downtown Pacific Palisades, Café Vida and Matthew's Garden Café. I miss a Sunday stroll in our neighborhood where I run into my neighbors who are always up for a chat. I miss seeing the older homes from the ‘30s and ‘40s on my walks through the neighborhoods. — Kathrin Werner, Pacific Palisades
Residents from both Pacific Palisades and Altadena shared stories in our survey about how great each place was to have a childhood. Julia Goodwine, 16, told us what made Altadena so special to her was the community.
She cherishes memories of biking down to her family's home, which was destroyed in the Eaton Fire, and spending summer evenings at the library. Sometimes she would watch horses go by at Loma Alta Park or sit on the grass with a book. When she was in middle school, she would play baseball near the base of the park’s hill by a Chinese Elm tree with her dad.
An illustration of Altadena's Christmas Tree Lane where many homes were destroyed. The street and lighting ceremony attract many to walk and drive up and down the street admiring the lights on the cedar trees.
(
David Rodriguez
/
LAist
)
One of her favorite places in Altadena is Christmas Tree Lane on Santa Rosa Avenue, where some homes along the street were destroyed in the fire. About a year ago, shortly before the fires, she got her driver’s license and would drive down the street every night to look at the lights.
“I remember the lights [were] so beautiful. I could just kind of sit, look at the trees, then think about the day, think about my problems,” Julia said. “It was really a beautiful experience.”
Being close to nature in L.A.
A place of peace. A place close to nature. That’s how many survey respondents described their communities before the fires.
An illustration of the Via Bluffs looking toward Santa Monica. Pacific Palisades resident Sue Pascoe would often visit these bluffs with her dogs on their walks around the neighborhood before her home was destroyed in the fire.
(
David Rodriguez
/
LAist
)
For Sue Pascoe, walking her dogs along the Via De Las Olas Bluffs in Pacific Palisades was a treasure.
She would pass by the different-styled homes and streets lined with trees. Now, the neighborhood has been mostly destroyed by the Palisades Fire, including Pascoe’s home of three decades.
“You can see dolphins, you can see the waves, you can get the wind. The wind is so great up here. Beautiful breezes. You can see the ships going out,” Pascoe said. “It’s a marvelous place to walk.”
It’s a marvelous place to walk.
— Sue Pascoe, resident of Pacific Palisades
Pascoe is the editor and owner of the local Circling the News site, where she writes about the Westside, including Pacific Palisades. She often meets with other residents to talk about how things are going and to support one another.
She said the people are what made the Palisades so special.
“Kids, schools, religion, made this a very, very good place for families,” Pascoe said. “I think people recognized how good it was for families and that’s why they moved here.”
What made your community special?
“Sunset on the Bluffs was magic! We are now far from the Bluffs. We know that all the homes along our walk are almost ALL gone … The Bluffs and the views remained but turning around to the homes of the folks who welcomed us to their neighborhood was heartbreaking. That’s when I knew that I would come back when they come home. — Alan H. Rosenberg, Pacific Palisades
The shady tree lined streets of my Farnsworth neighborhood. The Oaks and Pines on a misty morning. The parrots in the loquat trees. — David Timoner, Altadena
The bell tower of Palisades Elementary School, across from the Methodist Church, with the bluffs overlooking the ocean in the distance down Via de la Paz. And the experience of walking my kids to school there with my parents, who used to walk me to school there when I was a kid. — Beth Caldwell, Pacific Palisades
I dearly hope to see the William Davies building and amphitheater at Farnsworth Park restored to their pre-fire glory. It devastated me to see it destroyed. — Peggy Romano, Altadena
Altadena resident Elizabeth Gonzalez said she misses the backyard view of the San Gabriel Mountains.
Her parents bought her childhood home in Janes Village in Altadena in 1995. The home is one of a handful left on its block in West Altadena. It was professionally remediated after the fires.
Elizabeth Gonzalez grew up in a home in the Janes Village neighborhood in West Altadena. The home she was renting with her family in Pasadena was destroyed in the Eaton Fire.
(
David Rodriguez
/
LAist
)
Gonzalez rented a home in Altadena for 13 years with her husband and children. It was destroyed in the fire. Now, she said, her family will most likely live in an RV in the driveway of her parent’s surviving home until they can get stable housing figured out .
“It’s hard for me to believe that block after block is gone,” Gonzalez said. “Old wise trees, luscious lawns and charming old homes are gone.”
An illustration of a sign found in West Altadena's Janes Village neighborhood that shows a drawing of the architecture of the homes.
(
David Rodriguez
/
LAist
)
Gonzalez always admired the architecture of the Janes Village homes in Altadena, which she said looked like the cartoon homes in classic Disney movies. She was about 12 years old when they first moved into the neighborhood.
"They’re little cottages,” she said, remembering the homes. “They’re pointy and kind of interesting looking … As kids we thought they looked like the Snow White house.”
As kids we thought they looked like the Snow White house.
— Elizabeth Gonzalez, current resident of Altadena
“Somehow my parents ended up living somewhere that is [visually] very close to the small towns in Mexico that they grew up in,” Gonzalez said. “I always thought that was pretty cool.”
Another Pasadena resident, Rebecca Rea, remembers the community and connection she found in nature in Altadena on her miles-long walks before the Eaton Fire.
An illustration of Altadena wildlife, including a bear, mountain lion, parrot and coyote, along with poppies. Bears are often found around the Altadena foothills, and parrots can be heard flying around or in the trees.
(
David Rodriguez
/
LAist
)
Rea would go on 12-mile walks starting from Lake Avenue and Orange Grove Boulevard in Pasadena, walk toward the hills and end on Altadena Drive. She appreciated the different homes and small businesses that used to line her route, including the Rancho Bar, a local dive bar that was destroyed in the fire, and the wildlife that lived in the mountains.
“I knew every garden. I knew every tree. I made friends with the coyotes for heaven’s sake,” Rea said. “It was just so very, very beautiful.”
The next chapter
Many who responded to our survey wondered about what comes next.
They shared a hope that Altadena and Pacific Palisades will rebuild and not be remembered only for the deadly fires, but for what makes these places special to Los Angeles.
“It’s going to take a long time to rebuild what it once was,” said Julia, the teen from Altadena. “But I think we have such a great community here that we can rebuild to be something better and brighter than we were.”
Keep up with LAist.
If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.
Destiny Torres
is LAist's general assignment and digital equity reporter.
Published December 31, 2025 5:00 AM
Cabrillo Beach remains closed until further notice after 100,000 gallons of sewage contaminated the water, according to L.A. County Public Health Officials.
(
Genaro Molina
/
Getty Images
)
Topline:
Plans of plunging into the ocean at Cabrillo Beach on New Year’s Day — a decades-long tradition — are still a go despite an ongoing beach closure because of a sewage spill last week.
What we know about the closure: Cabrillo Beach remains closed until further notice after 100,000 gallons of sewage contaminated the water, according to L.A. County Public Health Officials. The beach has been closed since last Wednesday. Officials are warning residents to stay out of the ocean and off wet sand until the coast is clear.
What is the Polar Bear Plunge? Every year on New Year's Day, swimmers in San Pedro take a frigid dip in Cabrillo Beach, marking the beginning of the new year.
Read on … more on what organizers say they’re planning for this year.
The annual Polar Bears Plunge at Cabrillo Beach could look a little different this year as the beach in San Pedro remained closed as of Tuesday afternoon.
Every year on New Year's Day, swimmers take a frigid dip into the ocean water, marking the beginning of the new year. But in 2026, that plunge might not happen.
Cabrillo Beach has been closed to swimmers since last Wednesday after 100,000 gallons of sewage contaminated the water, according to public health officials. Officials continue to urge swimmers to stay out of the water and to not make contact with wet sand.
But organizers of the annual plunge say the beloved tradition will go on, even if that means no swimming. That includes the yearly king and queen coronation, hot cocoa and pastries.
“We are just playing it by ear, I know that there is testing for the water being done, but we have not heard back,” Lisa Guerr, president of the Cabrillo Beach Polar Bears club, told LAist. “We are leaving it up to our lifeguards to have the most up-to-date information and make the decision for us. As of now, we are continuing on as planned.”
What’s going on in the water?
Officials blame a sewer pipe in Carson for causing the spill, which was stopped last Wednesday, according to the L.A. County Sanitation District. The district said the cleanup at the site was completed the next day.
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said staff collected water samples for testing and that they noticed yesterday that the closure signs at the beach were removed.
That signage has since been reposted and lifeguards were notified, officials told LAist.
The county said touching the water during a beach closure may cause illness, especially in children, the elderly and susceptible people.
According to the county, “swimmers should avoid water contact at the posted areas of the beach until the hazardous condition has ended."
U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and President Donald Trump made significant changes to federal education policy in 2025.
(
Anna Moneymaker
/
Getty Images
)
Topline:
Soon after President Donald Trump’s inauguration last January, his administration took a series of actions that touched virtually every aspect of public education in Southern California.
Why it matters: While the Trump administration — and the courts — have rolled back or paused some policies, the changes have left many educators and families nervous and frustrated.
Early childhood: The showdown this fall over the federal budget ensnared children and others who rely on food assistance from SNAP and WIC.
TK-12: In April, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security showed up at two LAUSD schools before being turned away. Widespread immigration raids started in L.A. a few months later.
Higher education: The Trump administration demanded $1 billion from UCLA, one of the many campuses to come under fire for how it allegedly handled complaints related to antisemitism.
Read on... for a recap of some of the many changes.
Soon after President Donald Trump’s inauguration last January, his administration took a series of actions that touched virtually every aspect of public education in Southern California.
While some of those policies have since been paused or rolled back, the changes left many educators and families nervous and frustrated.
Here’s a round-up of some of the big moments from 2025.
Immigration fears keep students out of school
In April, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security showed up at two LAUSD schools to conduct what officials at the agency described as “wellness checks” on some immigrant students. The agents were turned away.
Widespread immigration sweeps started in L.A. a few months later.
Local school leaders, parents and students have said that fear has at times kept kids from attending school and high school principals across the country reported similar experiences.
We’ve also seen acts of resistance. As early as February, students walked out to protest Trump’s policies. Teachers and volunteers with organizations like Union del Barrio began patrolling neighborhoods near schools to sound an alarm if there was any suspected immigration enforcement activity.
Immigration concerns also stretched into early childhood education. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in July that children without legal status would be barred from Head Start programs. That directive was paused by the administration, and then rejected by a federal judge.
An inspirational message decorates the wall of a Head Start classroom.
(
Cory Turner
/
NPR
)
Listen
4:08
California students faced one battle after another in 2025, from fires to raids
Federal budget cuts hit hard
The administration made a number of budget cuts to agencies that serve students and their families.
The department also made steep cuts to its civil rights office in March, which already faced a backlog of complaints. Seven of 12 regional Office for Civil Rights branches were shuttered, including one in San Francisco, which handled complaints filed in California. The cases involve families trying to get services for students with disabilities, allegations of bias related to race and religion, and claims of sexual violence.
Public higher education in California also found itself in unfriendly territory
In March, the Justice Department announced an investigation into University of California campuses related to allegations of antisemitism.
A few months later, the Justice Department revealed the results of an investigation into UCLA, alleging it found “indifference” to “a hostile educational environment for Jewish and Israeli students” — much like at Harvard, Columbia and other elite universities. To settle those and other claims, the Trump administration demanded $1 billion from UCLA.
The National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health froze hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding that had been allocated to the university’s researchers. This cut funding for a wide variety of projects — everything from research into pediatric cancer to how our gut microbiome affects our health.
Most of UCLA’s frozen research funding was restored by late September, following court orders. The UC system is still in negotiations with the Trump administration.
Listen
3:40
Will the Trump administration move on from its fight with UCLA in 2026?
