The LAUSD musical repair shop is getting a $1 million donation from legendary musician, producer and philanthropist Herb Alpert, who got his start playing trumpet in this very school district.
A jewel for the district: The shop was, for many years, largely invisible to students and families. That changed when it was featured in the documentary The Last Repair Shop, which won an Oscar last year. Since then, letters have been pouring in from students sharing their gratitude. "That's our Oscar," says Steve Bagmanyan, who supervises the shop, pointing to a wall decorated with the notes. He says he's seen the shop struggle and shrink in the past, during times of financial strain for the school district.
Why it matters: In a school district where about 80% of students come from low-income backgrounds, the repair shop helps create equitable access to quality instruments, he says, which can be expensive to own and maintain. These district-owned instruments and the repairs are a free service to students here.
At a warehouse in an industrial corridor of downtown Los Angeles, a handful of technicians are hunched over their brightly lit workstations, tinkering with saxophones, violins, and pianos.
This facility is one of the only remaining publicly funded repair shops for musical instruments in the country. Thousands of cases lay neatly stacked across tall shelves, ready to be shipped to schools across the nation's second largest school district, Los Angeles Unified (LAUSD). These district-owned instruments and the repairs are a free service to students here.
"The shop is a jewel for the school district," says Steve Bagmanyan, who started here in 2003 as a piano technician and now supervises the shop.
In a school district where about 80% of students come from low-income backgrounds, the repair shop helps create equitable access to quality instruments, he says, which can be expensive to own and maintain.
And it's a huge help for educators, too. "For teachers not to think about what to do with a broken instrument, to think 'where am I going to find repairs?'... That is all extra stress on a teacher."
Steve Bagmanyan began working at the repair shop in 2003 as a piano technician. Now, he supervises the shop, which was founded in 1959.
(
Jonaki Mehta
/
NPR
)
Bagmanyan and the technicians work quietly in the background, ensuring that about 120,000 instruments in circulation throughout the district are in working order. "That's the magic of this place," he says.
The repair shop was, for many years, largely invisible to students and families. That changed when it was featured in the documentary The Last Repair Shop, which won an Oscar last year. Since then, letters have been pouring in from students sharing their gratitude. "That's our Oscar," says Bagmanyan, pointing to a wall decorated with the notes. He says he's seen the shop struggle and shrink in the past, during times of financial strain for the school district.
Now, the facility is getting a $1 million donation from legendary musician, producer and philanthropist Herb Alpert, who got his start playing trumpet in this very school district.
A potential game-changer in a child's life
Technician Paty Moreno puts finishing touches on a baritone horn that came into the shop with sticky valves. She pulled it apart, cleaned it with specialized machines and reassembled it.
(
Jonaki Mehta
/
NPR
)
Technician Paty Moreno has sat at the same workstation for over 21 years, where she primarily repairs brass instruments.
"People think, 'I can play an instrument, so I can fix it too.'" But repairing delicate and sophisticated implements, she explains, requires special skills and tools. She considers it a dying craft.
As she puts finishing touches on a baritone horn that came into the shop with sticky valves, she says, "It's a strange connection between us and the students."
A few feet away, Duane Michaels is soldering a dented saxophone: "It's going to be somebody's grandkid, somebody's kid, right? And so you kind of think of it that way, and you want it to play easily and in-tune to give the kid the best opportunity to succeed on it."
Johanna Gamboa-Kroesen is a professor of music education at UCLA and says, "When students have an instrument that's not working for them, it can be incredibly frustrating. It causes them to think music's not for them." So, she says, for a student to have access to free repairs "takes away that burden on families and lets [students] put their energy into just creating music."
Music can play a role in children's development, she adds, and helps with various aspects of their education. "Students learn to work with each other, learn to problem solve," she explains. "When you learn music, you're really activating all parts of you as a person. Your physical, kinesthetic awareness, your artistic and creative side and your analytical side."
"You never know where a genius is"
Repair facilities like LAUSD's once existed in several major public school districts, according to Craig Anderson, a retired technician who belongs to The National Association of Professional Band and Instrument Repair Technicians. He says that over the years, financial constraints and technicians retiring led many around the country to downsize or close down completely.
That is partly why Alpert, an eight-time Grammy winner who was once an LAUSD student himself, is investing in the repair shop. He considers it to be an essential part of the district's music program.
"You never know what's going to come out of a student who's coming from a [low-income area] and picks up an instrument," he says. "You never know where a genius is."
Steve Bagmanyan (left) and technician Duane Michaels (right) with musician and philanthropist Herb Alpert (middle), who is donating $1 million to the repair shop.
(
Sadie Jefferson
/
LAUSD Education Foundation
)
If he hadn't come across a trumpet at Melrose Elementary School back in the 1940s, Alpert says, he wonders whether he would have found his path to music.
"Lucky me, I was 8 years old in my grammar school and there was a music class and there's a table filled with various instruments … and I happened to pick up the trumpet."
Alpert says he couldn't make a sound at first, but eventually the instrument became his voice.
"I'm a card-carrying introvert, and this trumpet was saying the things I couldn't get out of my mouth. And I liked that, it was a good feeling … and I thought, 'Man, I had this magical opportunity for myself when I was 8 years old. I'd like to pass that on.'"
"Everyone should have the opportunity to express themselves"
At San Fernando High School in L.A., 11th grader Maximiliano Segura says he, too, had his first run-in with a trumpet at school when he was around 8.
"It was cool and shiny," he says with a laugh. "It really appealed to me when I first saw it. Like I knew it was a part of many genres like jazz or mariachi."
Maximilano Segura, a high school junior, started playing the trumpet in the third grade.
(
Jonaki Mehta
/
NPR
)
Segura has been playing ever since, including in his school's mariachi band.
He has always used a free, district instrument, but says that until he watched The Last Repair Shop, he hadn't even considered that his instrument was also getting repairs for free all these years.
"To know that people from my background [have access to] instruments and music itself, it's amazing."
He often practices before, during and after school. And he's already started saving to buy his own trumpet after graduation.
"I love music. I express myself through it, I think it's just one of my best therapies that I could ever have. And I feel like everyone should have the opportunity to express themselves."
Sergio Alonso instructs the San Fernando High School mariachi band.
(
Jonaki Mehta
/
NPR
)
Herb Alpert agrees: "Music should not be a privilege, it should be a part of the public education system." He hopes more visibility around the repair shop will encourage other school districts to re-invest in such facilities, too.
While Alpert's donation is part of a long career filled with philanthropy, he says the current political climate makes the investment feel more urgent. "I say, 'why are public funds not being spent on this?' This is a crucial part of a child's development."
To tell us your own story about how being a volunteer has shaped your life or nominate someone you think we should profile, fill out this form. Copyright 2025 NPR
Eighth grader Leah created a sign with lyrics from Bad Bunny’s “LA MuDANZA,” a song that pays homage to the Puerto Rican artist's parents and his heritage. "He is ... showing how immigrants make America great, showing how immigrants are good for our communities," she said. "And that's really deep in my heart, being proud of where I'm from Mexico — Sonora, Obregón."
(
Julia Barajas
/
LAist
)
Topline:
Thousands more students joined walkouts on Friday to protest the Trump administration’s militarized crackdown on immigrants, detainment of children and violence against U.S. citizens protesting the raids.
Walkouts across the region: By mid-afternoon, nearly 12,500 students, from more than 85 schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District had walked out, according to a district spokesperson. Hundreds of students, from Pasadena and the greater San Gabriel Valley to Orange County, also marched in the community.
Why it matters: In conversation with LAist, multiple students said they live in fear of being separated from their families. They also worry that their parents could be mistreated if they are detained by federal agents.
Thousands more students joined walkouts Friday to protest the Trump administration’s militarized crackdown on immigrants, detainment of children and violence against U.S. citizens protesting the raids.
By mid-afternoon, nearly 12,500 students from more than 85 schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District had walked out, according to a district spokesperson. Hundreds of students in other districts — from Pasadena and the greater San Gabriel Valley to Orange County — also marched in their communities.
At Olive Vista Middle School in Sylmar, about 100 students—some as young as 11—walked out of their science, English, and math classes, then walked to a nearby park.
For many students, Friday’s walkout marks the first time they’ve ever participated in a protest. And after months of watching federal immigration agents violently detain people on social media, the students told LAist that protesting — on behalf of their communities and in honor of Renee Good and Alex Pretti — filled them with a sense of freedom and power.
Isaac, a seventh grader, walked out of science class.
“This felt like I was breaking out of some sort of chamber,” he told LAist. “I felt like I was being free for once.”
Many of the 12-year-old’s family members are from Mexico and he’s been worried about what could happen if they’re detained.
“I'm standing up for my family and my friends, our community, really,” he said. “The most we [can] do is what we're doing right now.”
After months of being scared every time his parents go to work, Isaac said the protest was a type of salve.
“It makes us feel better,” he said. “It makes us stronger.”
M, right, is a sixth grader at Olive Vista and organized the school's walkout.
(
Mariana Dale
/
LAist
)
How to organize a middle school
A few weeks ago, M, an 11-year-old sixth grader at Olive Vista Middle School, asked her mom, Maritza Ocegueda, why students in Minnesota and elsewhere were walking out of school. LAist has agreed to refer to her solely by her first initial, after her mom raised concerns for her safety.
She made several lunchtime announcements about a walkout on Friday, Feb. 6 at 10:24 a.m.
“If you'd like to join, please come over here and if you have any questions, just ask me.”
Those announcements did not come easily to M, who is soft spoken and admittedly shy. “ I try to be the bravest I can,” she said. “ I want [my classmates] to understand how serious this [is] … [The federal government is not] letting people be themselves, like, they can't go to Home Depot without feeling unsafe.”
M, and several other students said some teachers and administrators discouraged their organizing. M said at one point she was pulled out of class for more than an hour to talk about the walkout.
“ One of the things I told the school [is] you dropped the ball because this is a learning moment,” Ocegueda said. However, she said she’s open to more conversations with school and district leaders on how to support students.
Maritza Ocegueda's daughter M organized Olive Vista Middle School's walkout. She said she's active in the community passing out food and clothes to unhoused neighbors and helping other people connect with resources.
(
Mariana Dale
/
LAist
)
A Los Angeles Unified School District spokesperson provided a statement that said students were informed that walkouts are not school-sponsored, there are spaces on campus for students to exercise their freedom of speech and that they would be marked absent for missed class periods. A similar message was posted to the school’s Facebook page Thursday afternoon.
“Administrators routinely meet with students to share safety information and clarify options for on-campus expression—not to threaten or discipline,” the statement read. “Leaving campus during instructional time without permission is discouraged; that message is about safety and supervision, not suppressing speech.”
Middle and high school absences may be excused for engaging in a “civic or political event” with prior notice.
M said that other teachers were more supportive and helped her spread the word about the walkout to other students.
“ What I've learned is students should not have to come protest 'cause that's what the adults should be doing,” M said. “Adults should know better to help out the community and students should not have to come out.”
Honks of support
By mid-morning, students began to trickle out of Olive Vista.
As students joined the group of young activists, those already outside cheered and passing cars honked their horns in support. One SUV had a Mexican flag poking out of the sunroof.
Out by the curb, some of their parents, including M’s mom, were waiting. The adults encouraged the students to stick together and made sure the group waited for the light to turn before crossing the street to Sylmar Park.
" What's in my heart is that my parents are Mexican and I wanna support," said Jayden, an Olive Vista 6th grader.
(
Julia Barajas
/
LAist
)
Once they gathered, the middle schoolers marched to a nearby park, carrying homemade signs and flags of Latin America.
One student turned to a friend and nervously quipped: “I just really hope we don’t get shot or tear gassed.”
‘They don't understand how much we love our parents.’
In conversation with LAist, multiple students said they live in fear of being separated from their families. They also worry that their parents could be mistreated if they are detained by federal agents.
Eleven-year-old Alejandro, for instance, usually goes to Sylmar Park to play baseball. Today, he said, he went to the protest to honor his mom and dad, Mexican immigrants from the states of Michoacán and Jalisco.
To critics who think he should have stayed in class, he said: “They don't understand how much we love our parents.”
“I just don't like how Donald Trump is calling us ‘animals,’ when we're the ones working our asses off to live paycheck to paycheck, while he's up there sitting in his chair throwing out orders at Kristi Noem,” said eighth-grader Jesús, referring to the Secretary of Homeland Security.
“The little boy who was captured with his little bunny hat, he was captured and he was sent to prison,” Jesús noted. “And that's just crazy, because how are you going to let a little kid inside a prison?”
The federal immigration activity in the San Fernando Valley has also left him feeling nervous, even when he is on campus. “I'm trying to study and then I just get reminded: maybe there's somebody waiting outside to take us.”
Sixth grader Sophia’ said she walked out for her grandmother who’s from Mexico. "I wanna represent our people and show that we aren't bad," Sophia said. "We are actually, like, a great community."
(
Mariana Dale
/
LAist
)
As the students chanted and waved their signs, adults passed out snacks, water and pizza purchased with money donated from the community.
“They're here with clear intentions and they're here for a purpose,” said Michelle, the parent of another young protestor who requested LAist only use her first name. “I’m just proud of them.”
Families who need assistance regarding immigration, health, wellness, or housing can call LAUSD's Family Hotline: (213) 443-1300
M, the organizer, said she wouldn’t have used that term to describe herself before the protest.
“Now that I'm looking at myself, I do see myself as a helper,” M said. She plans to continue helping her community, for example by distributing food and clothes to unhoused neighbors.
And she has some advice for any aspiring student organizers.
“ I was a shy kid, so I want them to be brave and speak up,” M said.
She said she planned to finish up the day at school after she ate.
Gab Chabrán
covers what's happening in food and culture for LAist.
Published February 6, 2026 3:43 PM
The iconic King Taco sign at the original Cypress Park location, which opened in 1974 and is now being considered for historic-cultural monument designation.
(
Suzanne Levy
/
LAist
)
Topline:
Topline: The original King Taco location in Cypress Park is being considered for historic-cultural monument status by the Cultural Heritage Commission, which would recognize its role in transforming Los Angeles' taco landscape and supporting Latino immigrant entrepreneurship.
Why it matters: King Taco helped establish the template for the modern L.A. taqueria — shifting the city's understanding of tacos from the hard-shell, Americanized version to soft tortillas filled with carne asada, carnitas and tacos al pastor. As the late food critic Jonathan Gold noted, King Taco "solidified what we all think of as the modern Los Angeles taco sensibility."
The backstory: Founder Raul Martinez launched King Taco from a converted ice cream truck in 1974, eventually opening the Cypress Park brick-and-mortar location that became the chain's flagship. The business grew to 24 locations across Southern California, becoming a model for immigrant entrepreneurship and establishing key Mexican dishes like tacos al pastor and carnitas as L.A. staples.
What's next: The Cultural Heritage Commission will determine whether King Taco's original location retains sufficient historic integrity and continues to convey its cultural significance. If approved, King Taco would become one of the few designated restaurant landmarks recognizing Latino culinary contributions.
Topline:
Topline: The original King Taco location in Cypress Park is being considered for historic-cultural monument status by the Cultural Heritage Commission, which would recognize its role in transforming Los Angeles' taco landscape and supporting Latino immigrant entrepreneurship.
Why it matters: King Taco helped establish the template for the modern L.A. taqueria — shifting the city's understanding of tacos from the hard-shell, Americanized version to soft tortillas filled with carne asada, carnitas and tacos al pastor. As the late food critic Jonathan Gold noted, King Taco "solidified what we all think of as the modern Los Angeles taco sensibility."
Why now: The nomination comes as part of the city's ongoing effort to recognize Latino cultural landmarks.
The backstory: Founder Raul Martinez launched King Taco from a converted ice cream truck in 1974, eventually opening the Cypress Park brick-and-mortar location that became the chain's flagship. The business grew to 24 locations across Southern California, becoming a model for immigrant entrepreneurship and establishing key Mexican dishes like tacos al pastor and carnitas as L.A. staples.
What's next: The Cultural Heritage Commission will determine whether King Taco's original location retains sufficient historic integrity and continues to convey its cultural significance. If approved, King Taco would become one of the few designated restaurant landmarks recognizing Latino culinary contributions.
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.
Matt Dangelantonio
directs production of LAist's daily newscasts, shaping the radio stories that connect you to SoCal.
Published February 6, 2026 3:36 PM
Yasiel Puig looks on from the dugout during the 2018 World Series. He was found guilty Friday of lying to federal prosecutors about bets he placed on sporting events through an illegal bookmaking operation.
(
Harry How
/
Getty Images
)
Topline:
Former Dodger Yasiel Puig was found guilty today of lying to federal investigators about betting on sports through an illegal bookmaking operation.
The backstory: Puig was convicted on one count of obstruction of justice and one count of making false statements. The charges stem from a January 2022 interview he did with federal investigators who were looking into an illegal gambling operation. Federal prosecutors say during the interview, Puig lied about knowing a bookie named Donny Kadokawa, whom Puig texted sports bets to place with the illegal operation. When showed a copy of a cashier's check he used to pay off some of his gambling debt, prosecutors say Puig doubled down and said he didn't know the person who told him to send the money.
How it started: Federal prosecutors said that in May 2019, Puig began placing bets through Kadokawa, who worked for an illegal gambling operation out of Newport Coast. By June, they say he'd racked up nearly $283,000 in gambling debts. That same month, Puig withdrew $200,000 and bought another $200,000 in cashiers checks to pay off his debt so he could get access to gambling websites run by the illegal operation and place his bets himself. Prosecutors say Puig placed 899 bets between July and September of 2019, some of them at MLB ballparks before and after games in which he played. In the process, Puig ran up more debt, this time to the tune of $1 million dollars. He never paid it off.
What's next: Puig faces up to 20 years in prison if given the maximum sentence.
President Donald Trump's harsh immigration tactics are taking a political hit as new polls show a majority of Americans feel federal agents have "gone too far" in enforcing immigration laws. And it's not just Democrats who are concerned, but also independent voters who are expected to play a major role in the upcoming midterm elections.
Why it matters: After months of aggressive enforcement, Trump's signature issue that twice got him elected is now turning into a liability ahead of this year's midterm elections.
The context: The outcry over what many saw as militant tactics hit a fever pitch after the second fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by immigration officers in Minnesota.
What the numbers say: A new NPR/Marist poll shows that six in 10 Americans disapprove of the job federal immigration agents are doing. Even typically loyal Republican supporters have called on the Trump administration to make changes and rebuild trust with law enforcement.
It's not just Democrats who are concerned, but also independent voters who are expected to play a major role in the upcoming midterm elections.
"The base loves it, but it's an issue for the independent voters who decide elections in this country," said Alex Conant, a veteran Republican strategist. "Independents want a strong border and they want to deport criminals, but they're really uneasy with having masked federal agents going around in neighborhoods, deporting anyone that they see — as the Democrats are portraying it."
After months of aggressive enforcement, Trump's signature issue that twice got him elected is now turning into a liability ahead of this year's midterm elections.
The outcry over what many saw as militant tactics hit a fever pitch after the second fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by immigration officers in Minnesota.
A new NPR/Marist poll shows that six in 10 Americans disapprove of the job federal immigration agents are doing.
Even typically loyal Republican supporters have called on the Trump administration to make changes and rebuild trust with law enforcement.
"They, being the White House, need to recalibrate on what needs to be done to make sure that that respect is going to be re-instilled," Texas Gov. Greg Abbott told conservative radio host Mark Davis.
Trump shook up the leadership of the Minneapolis operation, and directed his team to withdraw 700 federal officers.
"I learned that, maybe we can use a little bit of a softer touch," Trump said in an interview with NBC's Tom Llamas. "But you still have to be tough. We're dealing with really hard criminals."
It's a bit unclear what a "softer touch" actually means.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt largely defended the administration's enforcement efforts Thursday and pointed to different polling — from a Harvard/Harris survey — that she said showed support for their "deportation agenda."
"Nearly eight in 10 Americans say criminal illegal aliens should be deported," she said. "A solid majority also support deporting all illegal aliens, regardless of additional crimes."
She also said the administration is now prioritizing criminals who are in the country illegally.
Theresa Cardinal Brown, who worked on immigration policy under two presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, said there may be an "operational pause" as the administration retools its efforts, both from a policy standpoint and a public relations standpoint.
"Operationally, you're not really thinking about politics as you're putting together an operation, said Brown, now a member of the Council on National Security and Immigration. "But politics comes into everything, right?"
She points to the announcement that body cameras would be deployed to federal immigration officers in Minneapolis, noting that while video can uncover when officers are doing something wrong, body cameras can also vindicate officers when they have done the right thing.
"I do think that probably the administration is thinking, 'Well, if we had body cam footage of our own, we could put our own perspective on it,' " she said.
Trump has a big incentive to get a handle on this crisis — and to do so quickly.
Conant, who previously worked on Marco Rubio's 2016 presidential campaign, said Trump has left an opening for Democrats to sound more reasonable on immigration ahead of the midterms.
"If he loses the immigration issue as a political winner, it's a real political problem," Conant said, "not just for Trump, but Republicans more broadly."
