The Brief

On most Sundays, SoCal-based South Asian shoppers head to stores like Pioneer Cash and Carry in Artesia for their weekly shopping. But this year, Diwali, the Festival of Lights, falls on Nov. 8, a Sunday, and preparations have been underway for weeks. Between cooking treats and planning feasts, many shoppers' grocery lists will have included basmati rice — and likely, a favored kind or brand.

Two decades ago, for South Asian families, finding Indian rice varieties in U.S. supermarkets — even in Indian grocery stores — was a luxury. Choices were limited: jasmine rice for weeknights, Indian basmati for feasts, or parboiled rice for idli batter.

Today, Indian basmati is big business and is available everywhere. Pioneer Cash and Carry stocks at least four varieties (not just brands) of white basmati rice, as well as brown basmati. In 2025, India exported 274,213 metric tons of basmati rice to the U.S. The Indian Rice Exporters Federation said high demand drove exports, not surplus.

I was delighted to find a source for bulk Basmati at my wholesale club, and when I started writing my cookbooks about Indian cuisine, I was never happy suggesting that my readers swap out basmati for conventional long-grain rice. It simply isn't the same.

SoCal gets its hands on Indian basmati first because the San Pedro Bay port complex is the West Coast gateway for agricultural imports. This helped make SoCal the headquarters of LT Foods Americas, the largest exporters of Indian basmati rice brand Royal Basmati, in Cypress.

Basmati rice is big business.

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Nandita Godbole

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LAist

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Unique characteristics

Basmati rice is prized for its sweet, floral, slightly nutty fragrance and its slender, pearly white and delicately long grain. I find the aroma of freshly cooked Basmati extremely comforting — I can almost imagine it hugging my insides.

Most folks don't realize that Indian Basmati has a GI (Geographic Indicator) tag, like Champagne in France, and farmers in protected regions along the Himalayan foothills take great pride in growing it, and reminding anyone who will listen. It's also grown in Odisha in eastern India.

Heavy rainfall and high humidity coax its unique characteristics. Its fragrance comes from 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, a compound found in some cheeses and fruits. This aroma gives basmati its name, meaning "the fragrant one" in Sanskrit. Exporters age the grain in silos for 12 to 24 months to preserve its fragrance during transport and storage before it reaches home kitchens. It also has a lower glycemic index than many other white rice varieties.

Basmati's characteristic aroma is one of the reasons it's become a major imported item from India to the U.S.

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Nandita Godbole

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LAist

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Soft buttery aroma

I grew up cooking rice in the pressure cooker, measuring water the old-fashioned, 'one knuckle' way. But except for cooking raw grain directly in the microwave, any cooking method works well, and rice cookers take away any guess work.

It just needs a little nudge before cooking, like reviving the grain's memory. A quick rinse followed by soaking the grains in water for 20 to 30 minutes awakens basmati’s aroma and yields a longer cooked grain. When cooked with just enough water, it yields a fluffy, pillowy batch. It suits both sweet and savory dishes and a variety of world cuisines, emitting a soft buttery aroma even if no other spices are added.

My trick to making a simple pot of Basmati finger-licking good is to add a pinch of black cumin seeds at the start and a dollop of ghee while it is finishing. The lightly smoky, black cumin seeds compliments Basmati's floral notes, and ghee melts into all the right corners making every bite luscious.

We Basmati lovers pick our grains based on what we are cooking. The color, length and width of an uncooked basmati grain and its fragrance are critical. An ivory white grain that is at least half an inch long, with a marble-like sheen and soft fragrance, is a multipurpose basmati. A grain that is longer and skinnier is considered premium and often reserved for pulaos and biryanis where presentation also matters. Parboiled basmati rice is starchier and called sella basmati. It makes a creamier rice pudding. Brown basmati is an unpolished grain, and some consider it a healthier option.

At just above $1 per pound, a 20-pound bag of basmati is an underrated pantry upgrade.

The city of L.A.'s current sales tax is 10.25%. But after the region’s stretched firefighting services became visible during the devastating 2025 fires, voters solidly approved Measure FD this week, increasing the rate to 10.75%.

It’s expected to raise nearly $350 million yearly for the L.A. Fire Department to hire more firefighters, purchase vehicles and upgrade fire stations.

How and when the increase will trickle down to you

L.A.'s sales tax will go up to 10.75% after the passing of measure FD.

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Julia Kozlov

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It’s likely you won’t start paying the additional sales tax until spring. The exact date is difficult to predict: The measure says the tax will be collected on “the first day of the first calendar quarter commencing more than one hundred ten (110) days after the adoption of this Ordinance” by the L.A. City Council. The L.A. County Registrar-Recorder has until Dec. 3 to certify county elections.

Until then, the City of L.A.’s 10.25% sales tax won’t change. Then it will go up to 10.75%.

(It’s important to know that money doesn’t all go to the city. The state of California has a base sales tax of 7.25% to which cities add.)

A $1,000 laptop, for example, would carry $102.50 in sales tax. But the sales tax increase would raise that sales tax by $5 on that computer.

Under state law, the municipal sales tax will be charged on merchandise such as furniture, giftware, toys, antiques, clothing and restaurant food.

Grocery food and medicine are exempt, however.

How L.A.’s increased sales tax compares to elsewhere

Highest:

• 11.75%: Palmdale and Lancaster (highest in the nation)
• 11.5%: Santa Fe Springs
• 11.25%: Azusa, Bell Gardens, Calabasas, City of Commerce, Compton, Covina, Culver City, Gardena, Glendora, Irwindale, Lynwood, Pico Rivera, San Marino, South Gate, Santa Monica
• 10.25%: Bell, Beverly Hills, Bradbury, Cerritos, City of Industry, Claremont, Diamond Bar, Hermosa Beach, Hidden Hills, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, Maywood, Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rosemead, San Dimas, Santa Clarita, Walnut, West Covina, Westlake Village

Lowest:

• 7.75%: Tustin, Huntington Beach, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano
• 7.25%: Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Camarillo

Outside of California:

• 10.4%: Seattle
• 10.5% : Chicago
• 8.25%: Dallas
• 8.875%: New York City

Next time you get sticker shock after you swipe your card or phone to pay for something, remember that cities turn around and use that money to pay for water, trash collection, police and emergency services with that money.

Starting Saturday, Nov. 7, the 63-year-old Vincent Thomas Bridge will shut down until at least March 2028 for major construction. Workers will replace its deck, which has become “severely deteriorated” from thousands of vehicles driving across it daily.

The Vincent Thomas, which connects San Pedro to Terminal Island, is the state’s fourth-longest suspension bridge. It handles an estimated 53,000 vehicles — including 4,600 heavy trucks — each day.

The bridge is often the quickest route between San Pedro and Long Beach. Detours along Anaheim Street or Pacific Coast Highway could double many people’s commute times.

Tate Allen and his San Pedro neighbors have begun referring to the closure as “Harborgeddon.”

The Vincent Thomas Bridge will close to traffic starting Saturday, Nov. 7 in San Pedro, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.Allen, with help from Claude AI, even put together a website bearing that name that has a countdown clock and a map of suggested detours.

Caltrans’ official detour recommends that drivers from San Pedro use the 110 Freeway to access Harry Bridges Boulevard, then take the 47 Freeway at Henry Ford Boulevard or the 710 Freeway.

That’s likely the route most truck drivers entering and exiting the Port of Long Beach will take, Allen said, and commute times could vary widely depending on the time of day.

He currently travels from San Pedro to his downtown Long Beach office three days a week. Once the bridge closes, his 15-minute drive will likely take 30-45 minutes, Allen estimated.

Ahead of the bridge closure, Los Angeles City Councilmember Tim McOsker, who represents District 15 including San Pedro and Wilmington, pushed for road improvements along the detours to prepare them for increased traffic.

In Wilmington, those efforts included “slurry sealing along Alameda Street and Harry Bridges Boulevard, with concrete repairs in some locations,” Sophie Gilchrist, the councilmember’s spokesperson, wrote in a statement.

McOsker is also asking the Los Angeles Department of Transportation to monitor traffic on Anaheim Street after the bridge closes and identify short-term and long-term fixes “if problems arise,” Gilchrist wrote.

Why is this happening now?

Caltrans began forming this plan after a 2021 inspection found that the bridge deck condition had dropped from “fair” to “poor” in part because of heavy truck traffic from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

That ultimately led to the $750 million bridge deck replacement project, which will also replace the center median, railing, fencing and install new seismic sensors and utilities on the bridge.

Caltrans officials say a full bridge closure was the most palatable of several unsavory options. Plans to just close the bridge at night would have stretched construction to 48 months. A mix of weekend and overnight closures to keep one lane open ranged between 25 and 32 months.

What does this mean for locals?

Business owners in San Pedro are worried that lengthy detours will frustrate potential customers and lead to a dip in sales.

Stephanie Crawford, who has owned Creative Pet Supply in San Pedro for the past 26 years, said construction on the 47 Freeway off-ramp just up the road from her business has already hurt.

Lately, she’s had “quite a few” customers from Long Beach asking how they’ll be able to visit her store once the bridge shuts down.

She’s been telling customers: “We’ll still be open, if you can get to us.”

The Vincent Thomas Bridge will be closed for repairs for over a year, starting Saturday, Nov. 7, in San Pedro, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.The closure might also be a headache for the historic Warner Grand Theatre in downtown San Pedro, which is just finishing up renovations of its own, albeit at an inopportune time, said Liz Schindler Johnson, executive director of the Grand Vision Foundation – a nonprofit arts organization that markets the theater’s events.

On average, roughly 10-15% of their audience comes from Long Beach, Schindler Johnson said. She’s hoping they won’t be put off by the longer drive, especially because the shows primarily take place on weekends.

Two of her eight employees typically commute over the bridge to their San Pedro office and are bracing for added drive time, she said.

“We don’t want to go back to remote work if we can help it,” Schindler Johnson said.

Meanwhile, Allen is trying to stay positive. The longer drive, he said, will give him an excuse to catch up on audiobooks and check out a new grocery store — the Northgate Market along Pacific Coast Highway in Wilmington.

Construction of the green metal fence around MacArthur Park will begin Monday, Nov. 16, with work scheduled to continue through fall 2027.

The city announced the start date Nov. 4, saying crews will install an 8-foot fence around the park’s perimeter. Nearby residents and businesses can expect some noise, dust and vibration during construction, although the city said mitigation measures will be in place.

Crews will work Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and the park will remain open while crews are working. 

The fence is the city’s latest attempt to tackle longstanding problems at MacArthur Park, including drug use, homelessness and crime.

The city first approved plans for the fence in October 2025, and the proposal has since drawn both support and criticism from residents and community groups.

Some say they hope the fence will make the park safer, while others question whether it will actually improve conditions there. Police and city officials say the fence will give them more control over the space and make it easier to enforce the law.

Ana Luz Vazquez, a street vendor near MacArthur Park, said her main concern about the fence is what will happen to the unhoused people who stay in the park throughout the day and whether the city plans to address that issue directly.

She is also concerned that construction during the day could affect her ability to work because of traffic, less parking availability and loud noise.

Vazquez said she would prefer construction to take place at night so it would have less of an impact on street vendors.

“If they’re working in the day then how are we supposed to come here and who is going to help us survive,” Vazquez said.

Construction will happen in two phases

Phase 1

• Alvarado St. from W. 6th St. to Wilshire Blvd.
• S. Park View St. from Wilshire Blvd. to W. 6th St.
• Wilshire Blvd. from Alvarado St. to S. Park View St.

Phase 2

• Alvarado St. from Wilshire Blvd. to W. 7th St.
• S. Park View St. from W. 7th St. to Wilshire Blvd.
• Wilshire Blvd. from S. Park View St. to Alvarado St.
• W. 7th St. from Alvarado St. to S. Park View St.

Existing trees will be protected and monitored during the work, according to the Department of Recreation and Parks. Traffic control measures will be in place during work hours, and crews will post temporary “No Parking” signs near active work areas in advance.

Services at the park are expected to remain the same throughout construction. The schedule could change because of weather or other unforeseen circumstances, according to the city.

The city has allocated $2.3 million for the project, but officials have not said whether that will cover the full cost.

After the fence is installed, the city plans a second phase focused on adding decorative elements. Officials have said residents will have an opportunity to provide input on the design.

Residents with questions or concerns about the project can contact Recreation and Parks at RAP.PublicInfo@lacity.org or (213) 202-2700.

The post MacArthur Park fence construction to begin Nov. 16 appeared first on LA Local.

The California Coastal Commission voted Thursday to allow transportation authorities to build a quarter-mile-long seawall just south of San Clemente State Beach to protect the coastal railroad from rising sea levels and coastal erosion. The plan also includes a major influx of sand for local beaches.

Why this matters

The tracks that carry passengers on the Pacific Surfliner between Orange County and San Diego have shut down frequently in recent years due to rising sea levels and erosion. Rail authorities have dumped thousands of tons of boulders on the beach to buttress the tracks. Now, they’re hoping a seawall will buy them time to come up with a more permanent solution. Not everyone is happy about the plan. Critics say seawalls cause waves to refract and dig deeper, ultimately stripping away even more sand in the long run.

What else do I need to know?

Environmental groups and local tribal authorities say the emergency work has already ruined the beach. To mitigate the negative effects, authorities will haul in close to 700,000 cubic yards of new sand to San Clemente beaches over the coming year.

What's the official reaction?

Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley released a statement hailing the decision. “Today’s unanimous approval from the California Coastal Commission marks a major milestone to save our critical coastal rail corridor and restore San Clemente’s iconic beaches following decades of erosion and inaction,” Foley said. “The placement of 690,000 cubic yards of sand represents the region’s largest beach nourishment effort in decades and demonstrates our commitment to long-term coastal resilience."

She added: “Wide sandy beaches provide a natural buffer for our rail corridor while protecting our coastline, expanding public access, and supporting our local economy. Through continued collaboration with our state, regional, and local partners, we will advance lasting solutions that protect our beaches and preserve this vital transportation corridor for future generations.”