Many students at Wilson High School's graduation wore stoles, leis and decorated mortarboards that celebrated their family's immigrant roots.
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Mariana Dale
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LAist
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Topline:
As ICE crackdowns continue across L.A. County, immigrant families have had to weigh the risk of attending their loved ones’ high school graduation ceremonies. The class of 2025, meanwhile, is taking the opportunity to celebrate its immigrant roots.
The backstory: To allay families’ fears,Superintendent Alberto Carvalho deployed Los Angeles Unified police to set up a loose perimeter around the district’s graduation ceremonies, not all of which take place on school grounds. Carvalho said those officers can intervene and interfere if immigration enforcement officials arrive without the proper documentation to be there.
Why it matters: When these students started freshman year in 2021, masks and weekly COVID-19 tests were required. Since then, they’ve balanced the rigors of academics and extracurriculars with momentous elections and January’s fires. Earlier this year, many of them also walked out of school in protest of the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
A friend and student, taken: At Maywood Academy High's graduation, students and faculty decried the detention of a 10th-grade asylum seeker. History teacher Yitzel Jimenez said this has been “very devastating” for the school community. The student “was such a valuable member of our community, and she still is,” Jimenez said.
Since early June, Huntington Park residents have witnessed federal immigration agents chase, question and detain their neighbors at stores, churches and more.
Listen
3:52
At LA graduations, some families risk ICE detention to shower students with gifts and hugs
The same day this week that the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security appeared in the Southeast L.A. neighborhood to help lead those operations, about 1,200 people gathered at an auditorium a few miles away to celebrate the area’s students — the graduation of Maywood Academy High School’s 230 seniors. But because of the ongoing ICE crackdowns, for many families, attending the event was marred with anxiety.
“I was really scared for my family to come out here, ‘cause I didn't know if they were going to get picked up by ICE,” said Lorraine Guzman, part of Maywood’s class of 2025.
Other Los Angeles residents have weighed the risk, too. Some schools set up live streams of the graduations for families who didn’t feel comfortable attending because of their immigration status.
But, ultimately, thousands of families poured onto Los Angeles Unified school campuses to celebrate, in many languages, their seniors’ accomplishments in person, and to shower them with gifts and hugs.
“It's really hard not to feel angry and just really stuck with everything that's going on in the world,” said Wilson High School graduate Hanna Corona. “But I also think we also really wanted to celebrate all that we accomplished.”
Denise Pacheco called out of her grocery store shift to help her parents and little sister sell leis, flowers and stoles along the sidewalk outside of Wilson High School. She said: “It's really scary right now. I don't want them to get deported. I know my dad made a struggle to bring my whole family here, so I was like, ‘It's OK to give a little struggle …for them.”
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Mariana Dale
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LAist
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Alexa Alvarado’s mortarboard, right, reads in English "For my mother, with the small amount she had, she gave me everything." “ She was my biggest inspiration through completing high school and pursuing a career,” said Alvarado, who plans to study criminal justice at Cal State Fullerton in the fall and wants to become a police officer.
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District, families prepare for the possibility of graduation raids
Jose Eduardo Reyna’s family also debated who would attend his graduation at Wilson High School in El Sereno.
Reyna has three step-sisters who arrived in L.A. as refugees from the Mexican state of Sinaloa two years ago. His mom, Isabel, said immigration officials went to the family's home in recent weeks. The family was not there, but she saw the officials on their home cameras. LAist agreed not to publish Isabel’s last name to protect the privacy of her stepdaughters.
Before deciding whether it would be safe for the whole family to attend, Isabel consulted with a website that crowdsources ICE sightings.
"They were able to come amongst all their fear, but they're here, thankfully, and enjoying it,” Isabel said.
“ It was a little bit heartbreaking,” she added, “because it should be something happy.”
Board Vice President Rocío Rivas spoke at Wilson High School's graduation Tuesday evening. The three stripes on her robe's sleeves represent the doctorate she earned from Columbia University. She said: " I always mention I'm a proud Mexican immigrant because I want [the students] to see themselves reflected in me and vice versa. It was a lot of sacrifice and for me it's an honor because I'm the first one in my family to have a doctorate."
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Ahead of the graduation ceremonies, LAUSD leaders announced that school police would be deployed to set up a loose perimeter around these events, not all of which take place on school grounds.
Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said those officers could intervene and interfere if immigration enforcement officials arrived without the proper documentation to be there.
The district also directed school leaders to move attendees quickly into venues to avoid long lines outside that could be targeted by immigration raids and allow attendees to shelter in the venue should one occur.
A friend and student, taken
At the Maywood Academy graduation, at least two LAPD officers were stationed close to the auditorium entrance. On their way out, two L.A. Sheriff’s deputies sat in a golf cart next to a vendor peddling leis and graduation-themed toys.
Mau Trejo, an organizer with the activist group Students Deserve, also attended the Maywood graduation. They beamed with pride while watching the student activists they’ve worked with receive their diplomas. Together, they’ve advocated to end policingin schools.
For Trejo, seeing police outside the auditorium was unsettling. With so many law enforcement agencies in the area — including ICE, the National Guard and the Marines — “How can people even tell the difference?” they said.
Wilson High School sits atop Ascot Hills in El Sereno. The continuing legacy of the school's connection to the Chicano rights movement was present in students' speeches throughout the night.
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Trejo, along with students and faculty at the graduation, said one Maywood student is currently being detained, allegedly during a check-in with immigration authorities.
According to a fundraising page, Johanna is a 10th grade asylum seeker, as well as an athlete on the swim team and a member of the hiking club. Now she, her mom and her sister are in custody at a detention center in Texas.
LAUSD declined to confirm any details about the student. In an email, a district spokesperson said: “Due to student confidentiality laws, we are unable to share private student information. However, we are currently monitoring, and through our partners, providing legal support to several students impacted by immigration enforcement activity.”
Last Monday, Superintendent Carvalho said the district was aware of at least six students whose families were affected by the raids, and that one student was allegedly detained with a parent and transported from L.A. to Texas in federal custody.
Henry Marsos tied a Mexican flag around his shoulders and decorated his mortarboard with the name of his parent’s hometown in Oaxaca. “ Es obvio que no estoy de aquí. Pues estoy feliz de haber logrado llegar hasta aquí,” Marsos said. “It’s obvious that I’m not from here, but I’m happy to have gotten here."
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Mariana Dale
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Jose Eduardo Reyna said the walkouts at Wilson High School stuck with him, even though he didn't participate. “I just feel like we had a voice,” Reyna said. His parents and grandparents are from Mexico.
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At the Maywood graduation ceremony, Christopher Sanabria Cortes was drenched in stoles, ropes and leis. He’d also affixed a plush rat resembling Remy, the lead character in Disney’s Ratatouille, to his shoulder. “I'm feeling very proud,” he told LAist.
Asked about the ICE crackdowns over the past few weeks, his tone became somber. “I've tried to stay positive,” he said, but learning that a classmate has been detained was a big blow. “It's affecting our community at such a deep level,” he added.
Yitzel Jimenez, a history teacher who’s been at Maywood for two years, had a lot of feelings to reconcile. Coming to school and hearing about Johanna “was very devastating,” she said. Johanna “was such a valuable member of our community, and she still is.”
At the same time, Jimenez was happy to see her first class of seniors walk the stage.
“It's beautiful to see them celebrate their accomplishments, despite everything [that’s] going on,” she said.
‘What a world’
When these students started freshman year in 2021, masks and weekly COVID-19 tests were required. Since then, they’ve balanced the rigors of academics and extracurriculars with momentous elections and January’s fires.
“Your education happens within the context of this broader, historic, environmental, economic, political, and social realities. What a world we're sending you off into,” said Gregorio Verbera, Wilson's principal. “But you’re bright and talented and armed with courage and compassion.”
Verbera noted students walked out of school six times in February to protest President Donald Trump’s immigration policies and called them “ an exercise of your constitutional rights to voice and act and live out your passions and your concerns.”
"Honestly this day and age is very scary, not just what's going on here in L.A., but what's going on globally," said John-Paul Rodriguez, a graduating Wilson High senior. His advice for other students? “ I don't think there is a correct way to go around preparing yourself. It's literally just make sure you have a strong enough chin to take the blows.”
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Mariana Dale
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“ I'm kind of scared for my parents and I know it's very hard for like my community and immigrants that come here,” Daniela Alvarado said. “This will not stop us and this just shows that we can strive for better.” When Alvarado starts studying neuroscience at UC Riverside she will be the first in her family to go to college.
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Student activism has a long history on the Eastside. In 1968, Wilson students were the first to walk out in protest against unequal education for students of color. That walkout spread throughout East L.A. Today, those students’ actions are seen as the start of the urban Chicano rights movement.
Hanna Corona, senior class president, was among those who walked out this winter. She emceed Wilson’s graduation.
She spoke in English, but switched to Spanish to address her mother from the podium.
“ Eres mi fuerza, mi ejemplo y la razón por la que sigo adelante,” said Corona, calling her mom the reason she keeps going. “Mil veces. Gracias.”
Listen
1:23
Wilson High graduate Hanna Corona, on immigrant communities
In this snippet of Corona's graduation speech, she talks about how communities find unity in hardship.
Corona and nearly 40% of her graduating peers earned a California-wide honor, for their skill in speaking, reading and writing in more than one language.
“Never forget to be proud of where you come from and of the people who helped you get here,” Corona told them. “When you walk across the stage, do it with pride for yourself, for your families, and for those who couldn't be here beside us, but whose sacrifices carried us forward.”
The mortarboard of Julie Franquez, who will attend Cal State Fullerton to study chemistry and plans to become a nurse. Her summer plans include getting a job “to help my family out just give back to my parents throughout the summer.”
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At Maywood, meanwhile, salutatorian Mayah Rhianna Flores, standing beside school authorities, said walking out of class earlier this year “was one of my proudest moments.”
“As we marched through our local streets, we made our voices heard,” she said. “We will be remembered as the class that made a difference. A class that stood up for what we believe in, who spoke up for our parents and grandparents when they were told they didn't have a voice. We were united not only by our culture, but by our shared belief that education can help us fight for justice and freedom. I'm incredibly proud to call myself a member of this class.”
Atop their white robes, several of her classmates wore stoles resembling the flags of countries their families hail from. Many of their caps also bore the same message: “Para mis padres” — “For my parents.”
David Wagner
covers housing in Southern California, a place where the lack of affordable housing contributes to homelessness.
Published June 1, 2026 9:00 AM
The L.A. Metro's Wilshire/La Brea stop on the D Line is one of the stations listed on the SB 79 map.
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Kayla Bartkowski
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Topline:
Starting July 1, a new state law will push cities to increase housing development in neighborhoods located near major transit stops. When the law was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year, cities began taking their best guess at where exactly those sites would be.
What’s new: Now, the list is out. On Monday, the Southern California Association of Governments published its official map showing where new housing density will be allowed under Senate Bill 79.
Why it matters: The law’s impact on L.A. neighborhoods near transit lines — including those zoned only for single-family homes — has been heavily debated, especially in the race for Los Angeles mayor. The tallest buildings allowed under SB 79 will be nine stories, as long as they are located within 200 feet of a Metro B or D-line stop. More common will be the “Tier 2” zones around light rail and dedicated bus lane stops, which will allow buildings up to eight stories tall within 200 feet of the stop.
Read on… to learn why Orange County is excluded for now, but will be added to the map soon.
Starting July 1, a new state law will push cities to increase housing development in neighborhoods located near major transit stops.
When the law was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year, Southern California cities began taking their best guess at where exactly those sites would be.
Now, the list is out. On Monday, the Southern California Association of Governments, known as SCAG, published its official map showing where new housing density will be allowed under Senate Bill 79.
Elizabeth Carbajal, SCAG’s deputy director of land use, said local officials sought many clarifications from state leaders in order to be sure that the map would accurately reflect the Legislature’s intent.
“There were a lot of questions after the statute was signed,” Carbajal said. “The clarifications helped further define bus service, as well as pedestrian access points.”
SB 79 has become a political lightning rod
The law’s impact on neighborhoods near transit lines — including those zoned only for single-family homes — has been heavily debated, especially in the race for Los Angeles mayor.
Mayor Karen Bass asked Newsom to veto SB 79, and she continues to oppose adding apartments within the nearly three-quarters of city land reserved for single-family homes.
City councilmember Nithya Raman, who is challenging Bass in the upcoming election, declined to oppose SB 79 and has said some single-family neighborhoods will need to accept more density.
Spencer Pratt, the former reality TV star running for mayor, made waves on social media when he falsely claimed last year that SB 79 would bring high-rises to the Pacific Palisades, where his home burned down. The official SCAG map confirms that SB 79 will have no impact on the neighborhood.
In response to SB 79, housing opponents in some areas have started focusing their efforts on killing plans for expanded public transit. Responding to public pressure, Burbank officials have stalled construction plans for local portions of a rapid bus line from North Hollywood to Pasadena. L.A. Metro is now suing Burbank over that move.
Where will new housing go? And how much will be allowed?
The rules of SB 79 are complex.
The tallest buildings allowed under SB 79 will be nine stories, as long as they are located within 200 feet of a Metro B or D-line stop. These stations qualify as “Tier 1” stops under SB 79, which puts the tallest buildings near heavy rail lines, which in L.A. only applies to the B and D-line subways.
More common will be the “Tier 2” zones around light rail and dedicated bus lane stops, which will allow buildings up to eight stories tall within 200 feet of those stops.
Height limits step down in areas further out from the station. In “Tier 2” zones, buildings up to six stories tall will be allowed within a quarter-mile of the stop, and buildings up to five stories will be allowed within a half-mile.
Neighborhoods near two Metrolink commuter rail stations, in Burbank and Glendale, will also qualify as “Tier 2” zones.
Change won’t necessarily come overnight
New housing won’t necessarily be coming to those zones immediately. Under SB 79, cities have the ability to put off full implementation until 2030 by making their own choices about where to allow more housing.
“Cities can develop alternative plans and delay implementation,” said Philip Law, a SCAG deputy planning director. “The map is not intended to reflect those situations.”
The city of L.A. has taken the delay approach, with the City Council recently voting to allow buildings up to four stories tall around 55 targeted transit stops. This would let the city put off full implementation of SB 79.
The new SCAG map shows no impact in Orange County. The region does not yet qualify as an “urban transit county” under the state law. However, the impending completion of the OC Streetcar through Santa Ana and Garden Grove, expected later this year, will make Orange County eligible for SB 79.
Once the OC Streetcar opens, SCAG plans to update their map to include Orange County, Carbajal said.
Check out Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures to celebrate the movie star's 100th birthday.
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Emily Shur
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Academy Museum Foundation
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In this edition:
Pride Night at Angel Stadium, Marilyn Monroe at 100, Stop Making Sense and more of the best things to do this week.
Highlights:
Celebrate the biggest Hollywood star of all time, Marilyn Monroe, on what would be her 100th birthday: June 1. The special exhibit Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon just opened at the Academy Museum and includes memorabilia, film clips and costumes that explore Monroe’s impact on the studio system, her iconic style and much more.
The Righteous Gemstones actress Edi Patterson brings her bold improv to the Largo for her new show, Playgirl — a full-length play completely improvised right on the spot. Yes, she’s playing all the characters.
Kick off Pride Month with Pride Night at Angel Stadiumas the Angels take on the Colorado Rockies. You’ll score an Angels Pride jersey and can enjoy the pregame Pride Village.
What, you think I’d let you miss an opportunity to see Stop Making Sense on the big screen? And lose all my indie cool cred? Never. Talking Heads’ classic 1984 music film (directed by the late, great Jonathan Demme) will be shown at Vidiots in 4K digital to celebrate 40 years of everyone’s favorite film nerd superstore.
Tuesday is Election Day, so get ready to drop off your ballot or head to your polling place — but not before consulting the LAist Voter Game Plan if you still have some research to do about the most competitive races in your area, whether that’s city council, mayor or even the state-wide governor’s primary.
And happy Pride! We’ll be featuring tons of LGBTQ+ events this month, so stay tuned.
Licorice Pizza’s Lyndsey Parker has your music picks for the week, including: Monday, Las Vegas rockers the Cab will be at the Fonda Theatre, and Scottish indie-pop darlings Camera Obscura will play their first of two shows at Pacific Electric.
Tuesday, new-wave legend Joe Jackson will be looking sharp at the Orpheum Theatre, British-Sudanese R&B artist Elmiene will play the Wiltern and Australian buzz band Vacations will begin their three-night run at the Troubadour.
On Wednesday, alt-country harpist Mikaela Davis is at Sid The Cat Auditorium, and the Grammy Museum hosts a “Reelin’ in the Early Years of Steely Dan” panel featuring Licorice Pizza’s Jeff “Skunk” Baxter.
Thursday’s a big night for new-wave fans with the triple-bill of the Human League, Soft Cell and Alison Moyet at the Hollywood Bowl, while Vince Staples is at the El Rey. Plus, at 4 p.m. Licorice Pizza is hosting a Q&A with legendary rock photographer Henry Diltz at the record store.
Wednesday, June 3, 6:30 p.m. Angel Stadium 2000 E. Gene Autry Way, Anaheim COST: FROM $35; MORE INFO
Catch the Angels as they take on the Rockies for Pride Night.
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Julio Aguilar
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Getty Images
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Kick off Pride Month with Pride Night at Angel Stadium, as the Angels take on the Colorado Rockies. You’ll score an Angels Pride jersey and can enjoy the pregame Pride Village.
Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon
Ongoing Academy Museum 6067 Wilshire Blvd., Miracle Mile COST: INCLUDED WITH GENERAL ADMISSION, $25; MORE INFO
Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon is at the Academy Museum.
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Emily Shur
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Academy Museum Foundation
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She may have sung happy birthday to Mr. President, but it’s Marilyn’s turn now. Celebrate the biggest Hollywood star of all time, Marilyn Monroe, on what would be her 100th birthday: June 1. The special exhibit Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon just opened at the Academy Museum, and it includes memorabilia, film clips and costumes that explore Monroe’s impact on the studio system, her iconic style and much more. From her costumes in Some Like It Hot to the pink dress by William Travilla in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes to letters and personal materials, the exhibit takes a complete look at Norma Jeane’s legacy.
Stop Making Sense
Monday June 1, 7:30 p.m. Vidiots 4884 N. Eagle Rock Blvd., Eagle Rock COST: WALK-UP TICKETS AVAILABLE; MORE INFO
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FilmGrab
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What, you think I’d let you miss an opportunity to see Stop Making Sense on the big screen? And lose all my indie cool cred? Never. Talking Heads’ classic 1984 music film (directed by the late, great Jonathan Demme) will be shown at Vidiots in 4K digital to celebrate 40 years of everyone’s favorite film nerd superstore.
The Drop: Dogstar
Tuesday, June 2, 7:30 p.m. Grammy Museum 800 W Olympic Blvd., Downtown L.A. COST: SOLD OUT BUT WAITLIST AVAILABLE; MORE INFO
Keanu Reeves will perform with his band, Dogstar, this week.
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Francesco Prandoni
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Getty Images
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Keanu Reeves’s other career — as the rockstar lead singer of Dogstar — has taken shape and developed a loyal fanbase over the years. Join the band for an evening of stories, music and conversation on the Grammy Museum rooftop as they release their latest album, All in Now.
Edi Patterson: Playgirl
Wednesday, June 3, 8 p.m. Largo at the Coronet 366 N. La Cienega Blvd.,Melrose COST: $50; MORE INFO
Edi Patterson will be improvising an entire play.
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Marcus Ingram
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Getty Images
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The Righteous Gemstones actress Edi Patterson brings her bold improv to the Largo for her new show, Playgirl. No, she’s not improvising a pinup; rather, she’s doing something so much bolder — performing a full-length play completely improvised right on the spot. Yes, she’s playing all the characters.
Wet Hot Amusical Summer
Thursday, June 4, and various dates through June, 7:30 p.m. Three Clubs 1123 Vine Street, Hollywood COST: $33; MORE INFO
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A cult film if there ever was one, the 2001 David Wain film Wet Hot American Summer (starring Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler and many, many more) is ripe for a send-up stage treatment — and the folks at Cherry Poppins have delivered with Wet Hot Amusical Summer. The spoof of a spoof is sure to be an over-the-top send-up of what’s already a comedy legend; the show continues through the Hollywood Fringe Festival.
The Big Run
Wednesday, June 3, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Johnny Carson Park 400 S. Bob Hope Drive, Burbank COST: $22.50; MORE INFO
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Miguel A. Amutio
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Unsplash
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Celebrate Global Running Day with friends in Burbank as The Big Run takes over Johnny Carson Park. Hosted by Fleet Feet Burbank in partnership with the Burbank Parks and Recreation Department, run the .4 mile loop as many times as you can in 30 minutes to compete!
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Jill Replogle
covers public corruption, debates over our voting system, culture war battles — and more.
Published June 1, 2026 5:00 AM
The state wants Huntington Beach to make room for more homes, and the city has balked at being told how to do that.
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Allen J. Schaben
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Huntington Beach will consider a citywide plan for more housing at its Tuesday meeting after a years-long battle against the state that resulted in a court order.
The backstory: State law requires California cities and counties to plan for enough housing to meet the expected demand over an eight-year time period, including for low-income housing. They don’t have to actually build the housing, they just have to make sure their local zoning can accommodate it. Huntington Beach was told to make room for some 13,000 new homes. The city fought the allocation all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court — but lost.
The current status: A San Diego court recently told Huntington Beach it needed to come into compliance, or pay $50,000 for each month it fails to do so.
What’s next? The city council is scheduled to vote on the housing plan at its June 2 meeting.
Huntington Beach will consider a citywide plan for more housing at its June 2 (Tuesday) meeting after a yearslong battle against the state that resulted in a court order.
The backstory
State law requires California cities and counties to plan for enough housing to meet the expected demand over an eight-year period, including for low-income housing. They don’t have to actually build the housing, they just have to make sure their local zoning can accommodate it.
Huntington Beach was told to make room for some 13,000 new homes. The city fought the allocation all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, which declined to review the case last year.
Mayor Casey McKeon estimates the city would actually have to plan for close to 40,000 new units to meet the state mandate, since most new developments include only a small percentage of affordable homes.
Where things stand now
A San Diego court recently told Huntington Beach it must come into compliance, or pay $50,000 for each month it fails to do so. The city responded by posting a revised housing plan on its website and asking residents for comment.
Wider pushback
The Orange County Grand Jury dropped a new report last week that is highly critical of the state’s methods of forcing cities to plan for housing at all income levels. The report said the state’s efforts have led to “growing tension between state directives and local realities” and had “led to minimal housing being built.”
What’s next?
The City Council is scheduled to vote on the housing plan at its Tuesday meeting. The state could still order the city to make revisions to its current plan. "We await their adopted plan next week," Alicia Murillo, a spokesperson for the California Department of Housing and Community Development, said in an email to LAist.
How to attend Huntington Beach City Council meetings
Huntington Beach holds City Council meetings on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 2000 Main St.
You can also watch City Council meetings remotely on HBTV via Channel 3 or online, or via the city’s website. (You can also find videos of previous council meetings there.)
The public comment period happens toward the beginning of meetings.
The city generally posts agendas for City Council meetings on the previous Friday. You can find the agenda on the city’s calendar or sign up there to have agendas sent to your inbox.
A bald eagle couple has been spotted in Los Angeles County this past week.
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Courtesy L.A. County Dept. of Parks and Recreation
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Topline:
A pair of nesting bald eagles was spotted in Los Angeles County this past week, according to a social media post from the Department of Parks and Recreation.
Why it matters: Nesting bald eagles are a fairly rare sight in Southern California, since they typically nest along the California-Oregon border.
The backstory: The Department of Parks and Recreation did not disclose the location of the birds, and reminded L.A. residents in their post that bald eagles are a federally protected species and disturbing their nests could “disrupt breeding and impact their success.”
What's next: It takes about 35 days for bald eagle eggs to incubate. If the new visitors lay eggs, Los Angeles could have our very own eaglets as early as next month.
A pair of nesting bald eagles was spotted in Los Angeles County this past week, according to a social media post from the Department of Parks and Recreation. (You can check out the full post and video on Instagram.)
The Department of Parks and Recreation did not disclose the exact location of the birds.
Nesting bald eagles are a fairly rare sight in Southern California, since they're more commonly found close to the California-Oregon border.
A look at where bald eagles typically nest.
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Courtesy California Department of Fish and Wildlife
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Of course, there are notable exceptions, including Southern California's most famous bald eagles: Big Bear's Jackie and Shadow, whose yearly attempts at parenthood have become big national news on occasion.
Park officials are reminding everyone that bald eagles are a federally protected species and disturbing their nests could “disrupt breeding and impact their success.”
The history
Bald eagles were once close to extinction in the lower 48 U.S. states. By the early 1970s, there were fewer than 30 pairs in California, all in the northern part of the state. The species has rebounded since being protected under federal and state laws.
What's next
It takes about 35 days for bald eagle eggs to incubate. If the L.A.'s new eagle residents lay eggs, Los Angeles could have our very own eaglets as early as next month.
