Mariana Dale
explores and explains the forces that shape how and what kids learn from kindergarten to high school.
Published March 20, 2024 5:00 AM
Robert Quintana painted this mural of Octavia E. Butler outside the school library in 2020. Among Butler's writing on the wall is the phrase "So be it. See to it." which has becomes the school's unofficial motto.
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Mariana Dale
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Topline:
The Pasadena middle school once attended by — and in 2022 renamed for — the author Octavia E. Butler will hold its third Science Fiction Festival on Friday.
Celebrating STEAM: That’s education lingo for science, technology, engineering, art and math. Students and families can learn how to code robots, talk to an astronomer, create space-inspired art, and might even spot their favorite Star Wars character. “Last year, the fungal expert was such a hit,” said school librarian Natalie Daily. “I had to have them back this year because the kids just thought it was so cool to see all those different weird mushrooms.”
The backstory: The multi-award winning and best selling author graduated from what was then Washington Junior High in 1962. She wrote some of her earliest stories while a student.
Event details: The festival is open to thePasadena Unified School District community and families interested in Octavia E. Butler Magnet, a dual-language STEAM middle school. It starts Friday, March 22 at 3 p.m. and goes until 6 p.m. Before you go, register online.
School librarian Natalie Daily organized the Octavia E. Butler Magnet’s first science fiction writing contest in 2020, the same year the school’s library was renamed in her honor. The school itself was renamed two years later.
Octavia E. Butler Library Science Fiction Festival
Open to: Pasadena Unified School District community and families interested in Octavia E. Butler Magnet, a dual language STEAM middle school.
“I want [students] to realize that their ideas matter,” Daily said. “I think that Butler is a testament to that, you know, she was writing stuff and thinking about really, really deep ideas when she was a student here.”
"It kind of sometimes feels like her eyes are watching you," librarian Natalie Daily said of the chalk portrait of Butler by Bianca Ornelas in the library. "I just kind of think, would I be making a space that she would have liked?"
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In 2022, the school expanded the contest into the first Science Fiction Festival.
“It's just ways for kids to be engaged in both science and art, and creation,” Daily said. “To see themselves as part of all of it.”
Students and families can learn how to code robots, talk to an astronomer, create space-inspired art, and might even spot their favorite Star Wars character.
“Last year, the fungal expert was such a hit,” Daily said. “I had to have them back this year because the kids just thought it was so cool to see all those different weird mushrooms.”
The festival will also reveal the winners of the 2023-2024 science fiction contest. The now- annual school-wide competition includes art, short narrative, poetry, and graphic fiction.
A new generation of science fiction creators
LAist caught up with a few of the students who’d won first place in their respective categories in 2022 and will graduate later this year.
Roffman wrote "Savages" after watching Disney's Pocahontas and thinking about how aliens would view humans.
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Mariana Dale
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"I wrote a poem and I realized, wait a second, this is really fun," Roffman said. "So I put a lot of work into the poem."
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Mariana Dale
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Then-sixth grader Brooklyn Roffman wrote a poem called “Savages” that imagines aliens demeaning earthlings the way European colonists did Native Americans.
“I wrote it and then I had a lot of thoughts about it — mostly negative thoughts,” Roffman said. “So then I just changed it, like, word by word.”
Her revisions paid off — she won first prize in the poetry category.
“It felt amazing,” Roffman said. “I put a lot of work into it and it felt really good to do something right for once.”
"I'm not very great at expressing my feelings, like, socially, so I just let out on writing," student Dayana Diaz said.
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Mariana Dale
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Diaz shared this excerpt from her story: "I bet you would think living on Mars in the year 3268 would be horrible, but its beauty speaks for itself. We humans came to Mars when it was finally very full of life. Earth, of course, still exists and is habitable, but we prefer to stay on Mars either way. Its atmosphere holds a soft pink sky with white clouds."
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Dayana Diaz wrote a short story about people who built a life on Mars and a war with Jupiter that threatens to destroy it.
“It's similar to Earth — although it's, like, obviously not the same at all,” Diaz said. “It still has the same, like, beauty to it.”
Diaz said she was inspired by research about the possibility of sustaining life on the red planet.
“I feel like there's a good possibility that we could go there one day, and I would like that to happen,” Diaz said.
When she found out she won first prize, Diaz said she was surprised, happy, but also a little bit nervous.
“It just made me realize that I actually really do like writing,” Diaz said. “Like I should write a little more.”
Molnar's drawing was inspired by a science project about the impact of humans on coral reefs.
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Mariana Dale
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"Whenever I feel like unmotivated or, like, I just not in the mood to draw, I usually think about the things that I have done that went really well," Molnar said. "That kind of helps me."
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Maxine Molnar’s winning illustration shows a girl standing on a cliff looking out over a receding ocean. A spaceship and red sedan float above the water. Dots of color in the distance imply an airborne freeway.
“I learned more about endangered coral reefs, and I discovered how much I love to draw in perspective,” Molnar said.
Molnar said middle school has been full of opportunities to learn — academically — and about herself.
“I've explored more of, like, what I enjoy doing,” Molnar said. “What I'm really good at and things that I also need to work on.”
Learn more about Octavia E. Butler Magnet got its name
Next week, we’ll be back with a recap of the Science Fiction Festival (and our new favorite fungus?) and more on the school's relationship with Butler.
LAist reporter Mariana Dale wants your help telling stories about K-12 education
Customers check out the new iPhone as people lined up to buy the newly launched iPhone 15 and other Apple products outside of the Apple store in Palo Alto.
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Tayfun Coskun
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Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
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Topline:
Consumers will have to pay a 1.5% fee on all products with an embedded battery as the result of a new law aiming to curb risk of battery fires.
Why it matters: The 1.5% surcharge, capped at $15, expands a recycling program that’s been quietly collecting old computer monitors and TVs for two decades.
Why now: The change is a result of Senate Bill 1215, authored by former state Sen. Josh Newman, a Democrat who represented parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino. It was signed into law in 2022.
Read on... for more about the new fee.
Starting Jan. 1, Californians will pay a new fee every time they buy a product with a non-removable battery — whether it's a power tool, a PlayStation, or even a singing greeting card.
The 1.5% surcharge, capped at $15, expands a recycling program that's been quietly collecting old computer monitors and TVs for two decades. The change is a result of Senate Bill 1215, authored by former state Sen. Josh Newman, a Democrat who represented parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino. It was signed into law in 2022.
Consumers will pay the fee when buying any product with an embedded battery whether it’s rechargeable or not. Many of these products, experts said, end up in the trash. In its most recent analysis, the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery estimates about 7,300 tons of batteries go to landfills illegally or by accident.
California pioneered electronic waste fees with computer monitors and TVs in 2003. The fee worked, keeping hazardous screens out of landfills and building better systems for proper disposal. But over the last 20 years, electronic waste has continued to evolve.
Powerful lithium batteries have become cheaper and more accessible as demand for technology has increased. They now power everyday products, from cellphones and AirPods to power tools and toys.
“These things are everywhere. They’re ubiquitous,” said Joe La Mariana, executive director of RethinkWaste, which manages waste services for 12 San Mateo County cities – a co-sponsor of the legislation.
They’re also, under some circumstances, a risk. Under harsh conditions at recycling and waste facilities, lithium-ion batteries can burst into flames and even explode.
“Paying a small check‑stand fee to fund proper collection is far cheaper than million‑dollar fires, higher insurance premiums, and rate hikes passed back to communities,” said Doug Kobold, executive director of the California Product Stewardship Council, which co-sponsored the legislation.
A growing problem
In 2016, in the San Mateo County city of San Carlos, a lithium-ion battery sparked a major fire at the Shoreway Environmental Center recycling facility. It caused a four-month plant shutdown and $8.5 million in damage. RethinkWaste, a regional waste management agency, oversees that facility. As a result of the fire, its insurance premium rose from $180,000 to $3.2 million annually, La Mariana said; ratepayers ultimately bore that cost.
That fire catalyzed the waste management agency to seek solutions to the growing battery fire problem.
“Being a publicly owned facility, every bit of that property is owned and paid for by our 430,000 ratepayers,” La Mariana said. “So we have a fiduciary responsibility to maintain the integrity of these assets. But also, on a human level, we have a very high responsibility for the safety of our colleagues and our co-workers.”
Battery fires in waste and recycling facilities are an everyday hazard. Experts say they’re underreported, likely because facilities fear oversight or increases in insurance premiums.
And batteries can catch fire anywhere. Earlier this year, two girls were hospitalized after an electric scooter caught fire in a Los Angeles apartment building. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, there are nearly two battery fires on U.S. flights every week.
Clean energy shift brings battery hazards
The fee consumers will pay in the new year is just one piece of the state’s evolving response to the emerging risk of lithium-ion batteries.
Single-use plastic vapes are exempt from the new law because the Department of Toxic Substances Control raised concerns about collection and recycling systems handling nicotine, a hazardous substance, said Nick Lapis, an advocate with Californians Against Waste, which co-sponsored the legislation. They’re also the fastest growing source of lithium-ion battery waste.
“If you imagine somebody’s a pack a day smoker, that means every single day they’re throwing out a device with a lithium-ion battery,” Lapis said.
Last year, assemblymembers Jacqui Irwin and Lori Wilson introduced Assembly Bill 762, a law that would ban single-use plastic vapes entirely. Lapis says he expects the Legislature to address the risk of vapes this year.
Large-scale lithium-ion batteries present great danger of a different kind.
During the Los Angeles fires, dangerous lithium-ion batteries, including from electric vehicles, were left behind — resulting in a major cleanup operation by the Environmental Protection Agency.
And almost a year ago, a fire burned at a battery storage site in Moss Landing for two days, requiring more than 1,000 people to be evacuated. Monterey County neighbors to the facility have complained of feeling sick since the fire, and a recent study detected toxic metals in nearby marshes.
In 2024, Newsom established a collaborative of state agencies, including the California Air Resources Board and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, to look into safety solutions for battery storage technologies. New CalFire regulations for battery storage systems will take effect this year.
Finding ways to properly dispose of batteries and their lithium in the waste stream is critical as the state transitions away from fossil fuels, said Meg Slattery, a scientist for Earthjustice.
“The next question becomes … where are we sourcing materials, and thinking through what happens to this when we're not using it anymore, which I think we're not traditionally great at thinking about as a society,” she said.
Jill Replogle
covers public corruption, debates over our voting system, culture war battles — and more.
Published January 2, 2026 5:00 AM
Stewart tests out the herding instincts of the author's dog, Ace.
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Joshua Letona
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LAist
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Topline:
Is your dog a natural herder? Several ranches around Los Angeles will let your pup satisfy their instincts with actual livestock.
How do I know if my dog would like herding? The American Kennel Club lists 33 herding breeds that “share an instinctual ability to control the movement of other animals.” That doesn’t mean your pet will or won’t have that instinct. “The dog will tell us,” said longtime herder and trainer Jerry Stewart.
Easy’s Place: JerryStewart has been training dogs for nearly 40 years, mostly on a patch of land next to the 710 Freeway in Long Beach. But in October, he was abruptly told he could no longer lease the land. Now, he’s trying to keep his business going at a new location in Moreno Valley.
I knew it was a gamble taking my mutt, Ace, to herd sheep. He had a little Australian cattle dog in him, but that was it in terms of traditional herding breeds.
Still, one of my neighbors had told me about this place that lets urban dogs test out their sheepherding instincts. I thought Ace’s habit of running at me full steam at the park, then swerving at the last minute, might stem from a deep-seeded urge to mind the flock. So I decided to give it a shot.
Jerry Stewart of Easy’s Place herding greeted us as we pulled up next to the sheep corral on a ranch at the base of the Box Springs Mountains in Riverside. With his cowboy hat and shepherd staff, you’d never know this 76-year-old is a former surfer from Huntington Beach. Unless, of course, you recognize him from an episode of the Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan or one of his other media appearances over the years.
Stewart has been training dogs for 36 years, mostly on a patch of land next to the 710 Freeway in Long Beach. But in October, he was abruptly told he could no longer lease the land.
The author tries to get her dog, Ace, to take an interest in the sheep.
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Now, he’s trying to keep his business going in a new location that while much more peaceful, is not as convenient for him and most of his clients.
“I’m retired so I don't need the money,” Stewart said. But he also doesn’t want to lose money training other people’s dogs.
Herding instinct
Stewart holds classes twice, sometimes three times a week. Many of the dogs and their owners are there to let loose behavior that can be destructive at home or annoying at the dog park. But Stewart also trains dogs and their owners for herding competitions, known as trials. (Yep, that’s a thing, and extensively documented on YouTube. You’re welcome.)
The American Kennel Club lists 33 herding breeds that “share an instinctual ability to control the movement of other animals.” These include Australian and German shepherds, as the name suggests, as well as border collies and corgis.
The main motivation for Stewart’s business, he told me, is to help city dogs with herding instincts live their best lives.
“In the backyard, they have nothing to do but chase a bird’s shadow when it flies overhead,” he said. “They get a little neurotic.”
Stewart has a well-worn answer for people wondering whether their pet would like herding: “The dog will tell us.”
Jerry Stewart and his sheep in Moreno Valley.
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Joshua Letona
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My not-so-herder dog
Ace was clearly nervous when I took him out of the car and headed toward the corral. He sniffed the air apprehensively. There were the nearby sheep, of course, but also horses and wild donkeys — all unfamiliar smells for my suburban, condo-bound dog.
We let him loose in the corral and he immediately scoped out the perimeter, which Stewart said was normal. We then led him toward the sheep. He seemed mildly interested, and even caused the small herd to move to another corner of the corral.
But Ace soon turned and headed straight for the exit. Round 1 was over. We tried again later with not much more luck. Ace seemed very relieved when I let him jump back in the car.
“If it's not there, you ain't doing nothing,” Stewart said of a dog’s herding instinct, or lack thereof. “It ain't happening.”
Stewart's seasoned herding dog, Sunny.
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Jill Replogle
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The herders
A couple of other dogs at the class couldn’t have seemed happier to be herding. Tir, a 16-year-old blind border collie, is so fragile that her owner Kimberly Schreyer had to lift her out of the car.
Kimberly Schreyer brings her 16-year-old border collie, Tir, to herd sheep weekly.
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Jill Replogle
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But once in the corral, Tir raced around like a pup, keeping the flock in constant motion. “ She's just so happy,” Schreyer said of the dog’s weekly herding sessions.
Kathleen Wang’s 7-year-old Australian cattle dog, Wally, had been off the herding scene for a few months. But he seemed to jump right back in, easily guiding the flock through a set of barriers, which gets you points at competitions.
“ He's learning the commands and stuff, so I'm pretty proud of him,” Wang said.
She doesn’t plan to compete with Wally, but Wang said herding gives him an outlet for behavior that is less welcome elsewhere.
“At the dog park, he would herd the little white Maltese poodles, like push them into the corner,” Wang said. “And he would be reactive towards other dogs because he wants to control the movement. But coming here, this lets him get his instincts out.”
Where to herd in SoCal
There are multiple herding classes offered around the Greater L.A. area. Here are three:
Price: $85 for instinct test; $90 for drop-in class (by appointment only); $225 for four herding classes
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One year after the devastating 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles, multiple events and volunteer opportunities happening throughout January will remember the losses, honor the survivors and provide chances to help with the ongoing recovery.
Highlights:
The band members of Dawes have been some of the most visible survivors and supporters of the Eaton Fire community since the 2025 wildfires. They are putting their notoriety to good use and planning A Concert for Altadena, featuring some major musical talent, including Jackson Browne, Mandy Moore, Ozomatli and Jenny Lewis.
The UCLA Labor Center will host a panel discussion at the Lawson Worker Justice Center (adjacent to McArthur Park), focused on impacts on and protections for workers.
Join local leaders for a candlelight vigil in Altadena. The community will “gather in solidarity as we look toward healing, rebuilding, and a brighter tomorrow."
It’s been a tough year in these parts. Many communities affected by the Palisades and Eaton fires are still reeling, whether directly as homeowners continue to rebuild, relocate and remediate, or indirectly, as communities fight insurance logistics, navigate political processes and recover from mental health implications and job losses. Despite these challenges, the resilience of our city is astounding — and that is worth celebrating, even when it’s bittersweet.
Across the region, events marking the one-year anniversary begin in early January and continue throughout the month. Many organizers have told LAist they would love to have volunteers to help out, so reach out directly to organizers if you are interested in doing more than just attending. All events are free unless otherwise noted.
Events
With Us: Walk with fire survivors through sight, sound and story
Sunday, Jan. 4, 12 to 4 p.m., through Jan. 7, noon to 7:30 p.m. City Market Social House 1145 S. San Pedro St., downtown L.A. MORE INFO
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Department of Angels
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Continuing to tell survivors’ stories is key to recovery. That’s the thinking behind the project With Us, an audio and visual storytelling installation focused on “remembrance and recovery.” The event, put on by Department of Angels and Extreme Weather Survivors, aims to bring the community together at City Market Social House on Jan. 4; the art will be available to check out through Jan. 7.
Altadena Candlelight Vigil
Wednesday, Jan. 7, 6 p.m. 5400 N. Lake Ave., Altadena MORE INFO
Join local leaders for a candlelight vigil marking one year since the Eaton Fire. The community will “gather in solidarity as we look toward healing, rebuilding, and a brighter tomorrow.”
A Concert for Altadena
Wednesday, Jan. 7, 6:30 p.m. Pasadena Civic Auditorium COST: $150; MORE INFO
Indie band Dawes has been one of the most visible survivors and supporters of the Eaton Fire community since the 2025 wildfires. They are putting their notoriety to good use and planning A Concert for Altadena, happening Jan. 7 and featuring some major musical talent, including Jackson Browne, Mandy Moore, Ozomatli, Jenny Lewis, Lord Huron, Rufus Wainwright and many more. Hosted by John C. Reilly, the show benefits the Altadena Builds Back Foundation, which is spearheading long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts.
Songs of Remembrance: A Memorial Service of Hope and Renewal
Wednesday, Jan. 7, 7:30 p.m. Lake Avenue Church 393 North Lake Ave., Pasadena MORE INFO
Best-selling Christian author and speaker Philip Yancey will speak at a special community memorial service led by Lake Avenue Church’s Chamber Orchestra and members of the Sanctuary Choir, featuring sacred hymns, choral anthems and classical works that invite reflection, comfort and renewed hope. “This will be a meaningful opportunity to come together and find something redemptive in the midst of tragedy,” said Yancey. “Ironically, it’s often tragedy that brings people together.”
Eaton Fire anniversary community art gathering
Wednesday, Jan. 7, 3 to 5 p.m. John Muir High School 1905 Lincoln Ave., Pasadena MORE INFO
Artist Cynthia Lake, Side Street Projects and the John Muir High School Alumni Association will come together to make art and share stories on a day of remembrance honoring the first anniversary of the Eaton Fire. The afternoon includes art activities, music, resources, performances and more, plus Lake will launch her "Eaton Fire Bowl Series," giving away free handmade ceramic bowls to people affected by the fire — each piece a symbol of hope and comfort.
Community Prayer Services and Concerts of Remembrance, Healing and Renewal
Wednesday, Jan. 7, 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. St. Matthew's Episcopal Church 1031 Bienveneda Ave., Pacific Palisades OPEN TO ALL, SUGGESTED DONATION $45; MORE INFO
Grammy-winning violinist Anne Akiko Meyers joins members of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, conducted by Grant Gershon, with music by Bach, Morten Lauridsen and Eric Whitacre. Each concert will be preceded by a prayer service at 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. Donations will benefit Chamber Music Palisades, Palisades Symphony and Chorale, St. Matthew’s Music Guild and Theatre Palisades.
Dena United is hosting this all-day festival at Altadena’s historic Zorthian Ranch to celebrate the community’s diverse culture and commemorate one year since the devastating Eaton Fire. Expect to see a wide range of performances from acts including Bobby Bradford, Dwight Trible, Baba Onochie Chukwurah & the Rhythms of the Village Family Band, the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, Earthseed Band and the Whispering Giants with MCs Medusa and Myka 9.
Writers Bloc presents: Firestorm author Jacob Soboroff
Palisades native and MSNBC reporter Jacob Soboroff has a new book out in January on the L.A. fires, Firestorm. He’ll be in conversation with Mariana van Zeller at Writers Bloc to discuss.
Construction workers begin to rebuild a business destroyed by the Palisades Fire on May 07, 2025.
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Justin Sullivan
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Getty Images
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The UCLA Labor Center will host a panel discussion at the Lawson Worker Justice Center (adjacent to MacArthur Park), focused on impacts on and protections for workers. Please RSVP; space is limited.
Out of the Ashes: Benefit Concert and Hero Award
Saturday, Jan. 17 Private residence, Malibu COST: $750; MORE INFO
Hosted by Mission Project CEO Erik Rock, the event features a performance from Grammy winner Andy Grammer. Expect other big-name speakers and guests to participate too.
Kevin Tidmarsh
is a producer for LAist, covering news and culture. He’s been an audio/web journalist for about a decade.
Published January 1, 2026 6:21 PM
Conditions along the Santa Ana River can become dangerous during heavy rains.
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Courtesy Orange County Public Works
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Topline:
An unidentified body was recovered from the bed of the Santa Ana River just before noon on Jan. 1, according to the Orange County Fire Authority.
What we know: Officials said a witness called 911 to report a person in the riverbed near the intersection of Warner Avenue and Harbor Boulevard in Santa Ana. The person traveled about 2 miles downstream before the search and rescue crew recovered their body in the city of Fountain Valley.
The response: About 60 firefighters from OCFA and the Fountain Valley and Costa Mesa fire departments contributed to the water rescue effort.
The danger of moving water: With more rain in the forecast this weekend, keep in mind that just 6 inches of fast-moving water can knock down most people, while 12 inches can carry away most cars.
How to stay safe: Emergency officials recommend limiting travel as much as possible during heavy rain and floods, including by car. If you see flooding in your path, remember the slogan, “Turn around, don’t drown.” LAist also has a guide on driving safely in the rain.
![A white sign with red text reads "We [love] u beautiful Altadena" is affixed to a tree on a sidewalk. A two story home can be seen in the background with yellow caution tape hanging down from the roof towards the left.](https://scpr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0c0cf5b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5000x3296+0+20/resize/1414x932!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fscpr-brightspot.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2F24%2F47%2F1345aa6b4b3b9c943ea58dbdad8a%2Fgettyimages-2193703889.jpg)
