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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LAist
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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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Mariana Dale
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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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LAist
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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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LAist
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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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Mariana Dale
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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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Mariana Dale
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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
The Los Angeles Unified School Board is tasked with securing the long-term fiscal health of the nation's second-largest school district.
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Kayla Bartkowski
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Topline:
The Los Angeles Unified School Board on Tuesday will consider its options for fiscal stability, and preview its budget for the next school year.
Why it matters: LAUSD leaders say that without change, the district could deplete its budget reserves within a few years. The board recently voted to finalize the elimination of more than 650 jobs.
What might be cut: The two most prominent items on the chopping block involve the district’s signature equity programs: the Student Equity Needs Index, which ensures dollars flow to schools with greater perceived needs, and the Black Student Achievement Plan.
Read on... for more on the programs that might be cut, and what to know about the board meeting.
When the Los Angeles Unified School Board voted in May to finalize the elimination of more than 650 jobs as part of a plan to cut spending, its leaders promised more painful decisions would be necessary.
On June 16, another of those painful decisions arrives, as the school board will consider a fiscal stabilization plan to address multiple years of deficit spending.
The most recent forecast predicts a $1.3 billion deficit in the 2027-28 school year and a $3.6 billion deficit in the 2028-29 school year. (California requires schools to plan budgets for three years at a time.)
Perhaps the two most prominent items on the chopping block involve signature equity programs: the Student Equity Needs Index, which ensures dollars flow to schools with greater perceived needs, and the Black Student Achievement Plan.
The proposed cuts to these programs, and others, would likely result in thousands of layoffs in the coming years.
In a board meeting on Friday, community members called attention to what they said was a major transgression on the horizon.
“We’ve heard this district talk repeatedly about standing for equity. This is an opportunity for you all to put your money where your mouth is … ,” said Joseph Williams of the advocacy group Students Deserve, who also sits on the steering committee for BSAP. “A budget is a moral document. Please stand with the most marginalized students in this district.”
School leaders say that without change, the district could deplete its budget reserves within a few years.
“Our fiscal stabilization efforts are designed to protect the district's ability to serve students today and in the years ahead,” said Acting Superintendent Andres Chait during a May board meeting.
What is a fiscal stabilization plan?
California law gives county school superintendents the power to intervene when districts are at risk of not meeting their financial obligations. One of these interventions is the creation of a “roadmap” to address a budget deficit, called a fiscal stabilization plan. The Los Angeles County Office of Education advises districts to show what factors are straining the budget and include strategies to reduce spending, increase revenue and temporarily spend reserves or one-time funding.
The board’s approval of the fiscal stabilization plan does not automatically enact all of the cuts the plan proposes. Actions such as eliminating jobs often require further board votes and the plan can be revised throughout the next year.
It’s also possible that additional state funding, including revenue from investments in AI, could offset some of the proposed cuts.
What is the Student Equity Needs Index?
The annual fund known as SENI is distributed to LAUSD schools based on several factors, including academic outcomes, rates of chronic absenteeism and the health and levels of violence in surrounding communities.
SENI debuted in 2018, offering school principals discretionary funding to target interventions toward students with the greatest needs. Originally $350 million, the board doubled SENI in 2021 while flush with COVID relief money — which is now gone.
“Reducing and eliminating SENI means fewer everything,” Griselda Perez, a mom of two current LAUSD students, told the board on June 12. “Counselors, tutors, less mental health and destruction of the progress that we fought for a decade ago.”
What is the Black Student Achievement Plan?
The Black Student Achievement Plan is a $125 million fund distributed primarily to schools that serve higher numbers of Black students. The LAUSD board voted to create BSAP in 2021 with the goal of closing gaps in academic outcomes between Black students and their peers.
Mariah Williams, a new graduate of San Pedro High School attending UCLA this fall, spoke to the board Friday in her graduation robe. She said she wanted the board to see what investment looks like.
“[Programs like BSAP] provide mentorship, advocacy, college readiness support, mental health support and opportunities that help students succeed,” she said, adding that when schools dismantle such programs, they advance an agenda that undermines efforts to improve outcomes for Black students.
What will the board decide at its June 16 meeting?
The board is slated to vote on a fiscal stabilization plan, and it will also take public comment on a separate budget measure and its Local Control and Accountability Plan. (The LCAP is a state-mandated plan that outlines how the district will support student success.)
Suzanne Levy
is a senior editor on the Explore LA team, where she oversees food, LA Explained and other feature stories.
Published June 15, 2026 8:20 PM
Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard foundation, speaks onstage during the 2026 James Beard Restaurant And Chef Awards in Chicago.
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Daniel Boczarski
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Getty Images
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Topline:
Several Los Angeles heavy-hitters were recognized in the James Beard 2026 awards, the Oscars of the food world, which were handed out Monday night in Chicago. Dave Beran of Seline in Santa Monica won Best chef for California, Providence won Outstanding Hospitality, and Kato won Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program.
Why it matters: Similar to the Oscars, winning can lead to an instant boost in reservations and bragging rights. While three of L.A.'s restaurants were recognized, however, the city lost out in key categories like Outstanding and Emerging chef.
Who else was honored: Nancy Silverton won a Lifetime Achievement award, Inglewood legacy restaurant Silver Spoon was honored with an America's Classics award, and L.A. nonprofit, No Us Without You, was awarded Humanitarian of the Year.
Several Los Angeles heavy-hitters were recognized in the James Beard 2026 awards, the Oscars of the food world, which were handed out Monday night in Chicago.
Best Chef in California
Dave Beran, of Seline in Santa Monica, won Best Chef in California. The chef, who got Jeremy Allen White camera-ready for The Bear, said operating a restaurant in disaster-prone L.A. is hard.
"You name the problem every year.... whether it's fires so on and so forth. So to stay culture and goal-focused and believe in what we're doing even though I'm sure there are paths that probably would have been more profitable ... [the award] means a lot," Beran said.
Chef Dave Beran of Pasjoli and Seline in Santa Monica.
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John Troxell
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Beran, who also owns Pasjoli nearby, offers a 16-22 course tasting menu at Seline for $295.
Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
While L.A. was eclipsed in some key categories, like Outstanding Chef, Emerging Chef and Best New Restaurant, it picked up awards in others. Kato, the one-star Michelin restaurant in DTLA, won the Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program. Ryan Bailey, sommelier and co-owner, told the audience in his acceptance speech that their vision was all about inclusion.
It was important that "no matter what was in your glass you were raising to cheer, you felt equal” at the bar.
Outstanding Hospitality
Meanwhile Providence, the three-star Michelin restaurant on Melrose that's celebrating its 21st anniversary this week, won Outstanding Hospitality. Co-owner and General Manager Donato Poto joked that in the restaurant world, its longevity puts it "somewhere between middle age and a miracle."
Kim Stoler, beverage director at Providence restaurant on Melrose, mixes the Electric margarita made table side.
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With a 1:1 customer to staff ratio, Poto said that exceptional service "is not something that can be scripted or manufactured, but rather is the result of a team united by a shared commitment to care, humility, and excellence."
Other SoCal honors
In a ceremony that was part celebration and part a passionate plea for recognition of the role of immigrants in the food industry, the contributions of other Angelenos were also honored.
Silver Spoon, the legendary soul food restaurant in Inglewood, was recognized with a James Beard America's Classics award, given to "locally owned restaurants with timeless appeal."
Local icon Nancy Silverton was awarded a Lifetime Achievement award. However, she said, “This award doesn’t mean I’m going anywhere … because I have nowhere to go. And mark my words I will be back there to receive my lifetime achievement award 2.0. “
A local nonprofit, No Us Without You, was awarded Humanitarian of the Year. Started by chefs Othón Nolasko and Damián Diaz to provide food relief to hospitality workers during the pandemic, six years later, it's pivoted to also serve food at home to families affected by ICE raids.
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Officials have issued evacuation orders and warnings for residents near the Max Fire, which broke out late Monday afternoon.
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Courtesy Cal Fire
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Topline:
A fire near Stevenson Ranch Monday afternoon prompted evacuation orders and warnings before firefighters were able to stop its forward progress hours later at 6:25 p.m. The Max Fire, which was reported at about 4:20 p.m., has so far burned 45 acres, according to the L.A. County Fire Department.
What we know so far: The fire is located just west of the 5 Freeway in Pico Canyon Park, near Stevenson Ranch Parkway, according to Cal Fire.
Read on ... for more on evacuation orders and warnings.
This is a developing story and will be updated. For the most up-to-date information about the fire you can check:
A fire near Stevenson Ranch Monday afternoon prompted evacuation orders and warnings before firefighters were able to stop its forward progress hours later at 6:25 p.m. The Max Fire, which was reported at about 4:20 p.m., has so far burned 45 acres, according to the L.A. County Fire Department.
The fire is located just west of the 5 Freeway in Pico Canyon Park, near Stevenson Ranch Parkway, according to Cal Fire.
Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for parts of the communities of Southern Oaks and Sunset Pointe, including the Laing-Brookefield Open Space. Parts of Valencia and Newhall are under evacuation warnings.
The basics
Acreage: 45 acres as of 6:25 p.m. Monday
Containment: 0%
Structures destroyed: None reported
Deaths: None
Injuries: 0
Personnel working on fire: Not immediately available
Authorities say those who require additional time to evacuate and those with pets and livestock should leave immediately.
What we know so far
The Max Fire broke out about 4:20 p.m. west of Stevenson Ranch. It's currently 0% contained.
It's among several fires in recent days, including the Hazel Fire near Lancaster, which burned 66 acres Monday before the L.A. County Fire Department said crews had stopped forward progress of the fire. Evacuation warnings for nearby residents are still in place for that fire. LAist media partner CBS LA reports aerial footage showed a few structures on fire.
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By Christopher Weber and Konstantin Toropin | The Associated Press
Published June 15, 2026 5:11 PM
A United States Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff.
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Courtesy CBS LA
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Topline:
A B-52 bomber crashed today and burst into flames, killing all eight people aboard, shortly after takeoff at a U.S. Air Force base in Southern California’s Mojave Desert, military officials said.
What we know: Aerial footage showed virtually nothing left of the aircraft that went down around 11:20 a.m. during a routine test mission at the base, which is north of Los Angeles. After reviewing footage of the crash, it was determined that no one could have survived, Col. James Hayes, the Deputy Commander at Edwards Air Force Base, said at a news conference.
About the victims: “We lost eight great Americans,” Hayes said, adding that officials were working to notify their families. On board was a mix of military service members and government and civilian contractors, Hayes said.
A B-52 bomber crashed Monday and burst into flames, killing all eight people aboard, shortly after takeoff at a U.S. Air Force base in Southern California’s Mojave Desert, military officials said.
Aerial footage showed virtually nothing left of the aircraft that went down around 11:20 a.m. during a routine test mission at the base, which is north of Los Angeles. Black smoke rose from a large swath of charred desert near what appeared to be a runway on the base, with emergency vehicles nearby.
After reviewing footage of the crash, it was determined that no one could have survived, Col. James Hayes, the Deputy Commander at Edwards Air Force Base, said at a news conference.
“We lost eight great Americans,” Hayes said, adding that officials were working to notify their families.
On board was a mix of military service members and government and civilian contractors, Hayes said.
It was not immediately clear what caused the crash, and it could take up to six months to complete an investigation, Hayes said, but shared that the B-52 was supporting the “radar modernization program.”
In 2025, a B-52 flew to Edwards with a new, modernized radar system. A test team planned to conduct ground and flight test activities on the aircraft throughout 2026 to feed a production decision, the air force said in a 2025 news release. The modern Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system replaced the aircraft’s antiquated radar for efficacy.
Edwards Air Force Base is home to a large portion of the U.S. Air Force’s aircraft test and development efforts and is about 100 miles (161 km) north of Los Angeles. The 412th Test Wing, which runs the base, also conducts developmental testing of all Air Force aircraft, weapons systems, software and components before purchase by the service as well as throughout their lifespan.
The vast desert base is also where Air Force test pilot Chuck Yeager reached a speed of Mach 1.05 and broke the sound barrier in 1947.
The airfield was closed most of Monday and all inbound aircraft were being diverted, but it reopened by late afternoon. Non-commercial visitor passes for the base were suspended as emergency crews doused the flames.
It’s too soon to say what might have happened.
The way the B-52 crashed so quickly after takeoff without getting very high or going far makes aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti suspect some kind of flight control malfunction.
It’s possible the controls were rigged wrong after maintenance, he said, or a catastrophic engine problem or a failure of a piece of equipment that was being tested.
“I think it was definitely a controllability issue. Now, whether that was tied to an engine failure, a flight control failure, or some new testing device failure, I’m not sure,” said Guzzetti, who used to investigate crashes for both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.
Although the Air Force has been flying B-52 bombers for more than 70 years, testing out new equipment on a plane can create new challenges.
“A flight test is always riskier than normal operations, so that’s why you have specially trained test pilots, and you should have other safety protocols,” Guzzetti said.
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Toropin reported from Washington D.C. AP Transportation Writer Josh Funk contributed to this story from Omaha, Nebraska and AP reporter Hallie Golden contributed from Seattle.
