The Brief

Mezcal, the once lesser-known smoky cousin of tequila, has become a new marker of urban sophistication in recent years. With that comes a more profound interest in traditional mezcal producers in Mexico, who create small-batch spirits with far more nuance than commercial manufacturers.

Enter Mezcal Por Siempre, a first-of-its-kind mezcal festival on Saturday, Sept. 14, at L.A. River Studios in Highland Park. The event will bring together more than 50 producers from all over Mexico, many of whom will share their mezcal in the U.S. for the first time.

The organizer is Ivan Vasquez, who owns Madre!, a Oaxacan restaurant with outposts in Torrance, Palms, West Hollywood, and Santa Clarita, where he offers an extensive mezcal and tequila collection, as well as other hard-to-find genres of spirits, such as raicilla and sotol.

“There’s no better place to do this other than Los Angeles. It’s the heart of Mexico in the United States,” Vasquez said.

Ivan Vazquez (left) is hosting Mezcal Por Siempre on September 14 at L.A. River Studios in Highland Park

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Jon Endow

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Courtesy Mezcal Por Siempre

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Vasquez grew up in Valle Central, Oaxaca, just an hour from the state capital, Oaxaca City. There, Vasquez's grandfather ran an “expando,” an informal bar space built inside their house selling mezcal, beer, and snacks to locals. He says that's where he was bit by the hospitality bug, often helping his grandfather pour shots before he could drink, igniting his passion for the spirit.

Since opening Madre! in the mid-aughts, Vasquez has positioned himself as a steward of mezcal, coinciding with the growing interest in the beverage in the states.

“I wanted to curate mezcal, focus on it, and talk about it because it was my passion. It was something that I grew up with, and I was very proud that mezcal was finally here,” he said.

Expansion concerns

In recent years, Vasquez has watched the mezcal industry expand significantly in the U.S., even outselling whisky and vodka. With that great demand, the mezcal industry, particularly in Oaxaca, has been flooded with outside foreign investment that doesn’t always have the tiny state's best interests in mind.

A mezcalería in Oaxaca, Mexico growing blue Weber agave plants

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Zyanya BMO

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Unsplash

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Consider the mezcal seen at local grocery and other big box stores in the U.S. It’s often made by larger commercial companies that, in an attempt to create monopolies around the product, have significantly ramped up their cultivation of agave plants, the basis of mezcal.

That, in turn, poses severe environmental challenges. The state is already drought-prone, and the overproduction of agave plants causes soil degradation, which can seriously affect the sustainable conditions of future plants.

Seeing these issues, Vasquez realized American consumers needed to be educated about the difference between commercial mezcal and "mezcal tradicional" — mezcal produced by traditional techniques by small makers.

“People have been making it for hundreds of years, for many generations, five to six generations. They continue to distill it based on the tradition of the pueblo, and that's what we're trying to rescue because we want to keep the tradition alive,” Vasquez said.

What is traditional mezcal?

One significant distinction between traditional and commercial mezcal is the alcohol percentage. According to Vasquez, commercial mezcal has an ABV level under 44% and is usually diluted with water. Meanwhile, traditional mezcal has an ABV of 45% to 70%.

Another important distinction is the type of agave plant used. Espadín, also known as blue Weber agave, is the most commonly used agave plant in tequila and mezcal. For context, tequila can only be made from blue Weber agave; mezcal, on the other hand, can be made from 30 different species of agaves.

Vasquez points out that a quality mezcal often comes from other agave plant varietals, including tobalá, madrecuishe, and papalometl, which are rare plant forms usually only found in remote areas with specific climates.

Standouts at the festival will include El Tigre, made from papalote agave, known for its honeycomb flavor profile, and Lamata, produced by fermenting mezcal with pulque instead of water.

Maestra Bertha Vasquez, who produces Rezpiral mezcal in San Baltazar Chichicapam, Oaxaca, will be one of the artisans showcasing her mezcal at Mezcal Por Siempre.

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Courtesy Mezcal Por Siempre

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Struggle for recognition

Vazquez also hopes the festival will shed some light on the struggles of smaller mezcal producers who have been fighting for recognition in recent decades.

The Mexican government created what is known as the “denomination of origin” for mezcal in the mid-90s and made it into law in 2003. This law states that all mezcal produced can only come from Oaxaca, Guerrero, Puebla, Michoacán, Tamaulipas, Guanajuato, Zacatecas, Durango, and San Luís Potosí and must be certified by and approved by the Consejo Regulador del Mezcal (CRM). Think of it as a similar designation for Champagne in France or Parmigiano Reggiano in Italy.

According to Vasquez, the creation of such categories erases centuries of mezcal-making traditions and limits the definition of the spirit itself. He hopes to help change the narrative with events like the Mezcal Por Siempre festival.

“I want the next generation of young mezcaleros and mezcaleras to know there is a future for traditional mezcal in the United States," Vasquez said. "There is a light at the end of the tunnel where people can appreciate traditional mezcal. Then, that market can grow slowly by appreciating and educating them. By educating them, they'll understand it and appreciate the families behind them."

The Los Angeles City Council decided Tuesday to put off the full effects of a major new state housing law by allowing low-rise apartment buildings in some neighborhoods where such housing has long been banned.

All council members voted in favor of those plans except for Traci Park, who was absent from the meeting.

California’s Senate Bill 79 is set to take effect July 1. The law overrides local limits on housing development by allowing apartment buildings between five and nine stories tall near train stations and rapid bus stops.

However, cities are allowed to postpone those changes until 2030 by developing their own incremental plans for more housing. L.A. elected leaders have chosen to delay. They’re doing so through the city’s new Low-Rise Ordinance, which aims to allow buildings up to four stories tall in 57 neighborhoods near transit lines.

Why it matters

L.A. lawmakers have tried many approaches to bring down L.A.’s high rents. But they have consistently voted to stop apartment developers from encroaching on the nearly three-quarters of city residential land reserved for single-family homes.

Pushed by state lawmakers, city leaders are now having to accept some changes in single-family neighborhoods located near public transit lines.

The reaction

Some local officials and homeowners have expressed frustration over new state limits on their ability to stop development in low-density zones. But advocates for more development said the council’s decision will help address high rents by allowing more housing in areas that have long been off-limits to new apartments.

“The City Council voted to open up high-resource single-family neighborhoods near transit stations,” said Scott Epstein, policy director with Abundant Housing L.A. “This reform is long overdue and will help build a future where Angelenos of all incomes can find homes in the neighborhoods of their choice.”

Where will the projects be allowed?

Officials with the city’s planning department said residents can see whether Low-Rise Ordinance projects will be allowed in their neighborhood by clicking on this interactive map and making two selections from the “layer list” menu: “Opportunity Station Sites Eligible for Low Rise” and “Sites Eligible for Low Rise Outside of Opportunity Station.”

The map shows that some of the areas eligible for new apartment buildings under this plan include Westside neighborhoods within a half-mile of the E Line’s Westwood/Rancho Park station, pockets of the San Fernando Valley near G Line stops, and parts of Eagle Rock along Colorado Boulevard’s planned North Hollywood to Pasadena rapid bus line.

Is this a done deal?

Both plans — the decision to delay full SB 79 implementation, and the new Low-Rise Ordinance — now go to Mayor Karen Bass for final approval. Council members are also considering some tweaks they say would help Low-Rise Ordinance projects get built.

Those changes would include letting developers build denser projects if they reserve more units for low-income renters, as well as rules that would let developers build ground-level parking instead of costlier underground parking. The council’s planning committee voted Tuesday to forward those suggestions to the full City Council for further debate.

There’s a new tool to fight illegal fireworks this Fourth of July: drones.

“A drone’s real-time aerial view can help officers assess situations faster, improve safety, support faster response times and ensure the right resources are sent where they’re needed most,” the Anaheim Police Department stated in an Instagram post.

Anaheim's department is the latest law enforcement agency using the technology to quickly identify illegal fireworks use. The Downey City Council is expected to vote Tuesday night on potential new fines and new rules that would allow local law enforcement to use drones to patrol neighborhoods for illegal fireworks usage.

How it works

Here's how the tech is put to use: Seconds after authorities receive a call reporting illegal fireworks activity, drones can take to the air, hovering above neighborhoods and businesses to find a specific location and an offender. The surveillance devices are equipped with night vision and zoom lenses that allow first responders to record high definition videos right from their Real Time Crime Center at the station.

Then, officers can determine whether to send out a patrol car or issue a citation for the incident.

Why it matters

The city’s drone usage comes as law enforcement agencies across Southern California brace for the annual flood of complaints about illegal firework use at this time of the year. Drones make the most effective use of time and resources, experts say.

“We'll typically see about 2,000 calls and about 300 related to fireworks,” Anaheim’s chief communications officer Mike Lyster explained about the Fourth of July. “It really is a better use of resources on what is always a very, very busy holiday for us.”

Drones allow officials to collect enough evidence to issue these citations. In Anaheim, the punishment starts at $1,000 and climbs to $3,000 by the third offense. But authorities say the goal is to curb illegal fireworks use altogether due to the risk of injury and wildfires.

Lyster hopes that people will think twice about using illegal fireworks this holiday — not just because of the fines — but because of its negative impact on local communities.

“The Palisades fire was ultimately started by illegal fireworks, and sadly, not in our city, but in our neighboring city, a young Anaheim girl died in an illegal fireworks incident last year,” Lyster said.

Where are drones already in use?

More cities are testing this method in order to crack down on illegal firework use. Sacramento, San Bernardino and Riverside are just a few of the other areas that have adopted this technology in recent years.

How do I know what's legal?

If you have any questions about what is legal or not in your community, a quick Google search can help.

Each county goes by different regulations for the types of fireworks you can use — if at all.

For example, parts of Anaheim allow “safe and sane” fireworks to be used only on the Fourth of July between 10 a.m and 10 p.m. This includes non-explosive, non-aerial devices like fountains, sparklers and smoke balls. State-approved fireworks will have a State Fire Marshal seal.

LAist staffer Anjanette Gile also contributed to this report.

The story first appeared on The LA Local.

Your neighborhood has a reporter. Have you met them yet?

On Saturday, coffee shops across L.A. are turning into places where you can tell a journalist exactly what’s been bugging you about your block … while drinking amazing coffee.

From Boyle Heights to Silver Lake to Inglewood to Long Beach, local reporters will be set up at neighborhood coffee shops from from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. — to hear what’s on your mind. Got a tip about a pothole that’s been eating tires for years? A landlord the city keeps ignoring? A community hero nobody’s written about? We want to hear it all!

It’s part of Local News Day LA, a pop-up series organized by The LA Local that connects you with your local reporter and give you a chance to become the source instead of just the reader.

LAist has been meeting community members in person through LAist Listens tabling events by popping up at local businesses.

See below for the full list of participating media outlets and coffee shops — The LA Local and our media partners hope you’ll join us:

LAist will be joining The LA Local and other local media partners for Local News Day LA on June 27.

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The LA Local

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Where to find a journalist

1. The LA Local – Koreatown, Pico Union, Westlake will be hosted by Open Market
2. The LA Local – Inglewood and South LA will be hosted by Asteroid Vinyl Cafe
3. Boyle Heights Beat will be hosted by Picaresca Cafe
4. CalMatters will be hosted by Yia Caffe 
5. Calo News will be hosted by Cruzita’s Deli and Cafe
6. The Eastsider will be hosted by Rosebud Coffee (Highland Park location)
7. LAist will be hosted by Cafe Calle
8. Los Angeles Radio Collective will be hosted by Spoke Bicycle Cafe
9. LA Sentinel will be hosted by Patria Coffee
10. LA Taco will be hosted by Cafecito Organico (Silverlake location)
11. LA Public Press will be hosted by Holy Grounds Coffee & Tea
12. Long Beach Post will be hosted by Wrigley Coffee
13. Q Voice News will be hosted by Hot Java
14. USC Annenberg Media will be hosted by South LA Cafe (Western location)

Come enjoy a cup of coffee (or tea) with us while supplies last. 

A coalition of 17 states and a trade association representing U.S. wholesalers and distributors have sued California to block the enforcement of a stringent recycling law that aims to reduce plastic packaging waste.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court, argues that California’s recently finalized regulations that will gradually require companies to scale back single-use plastics and ensure all packaging is recycling or compostable should be struck down. The plaintiffs called the regulations “onerous mandates” that will cause steep price increases in everyday necessities that will be passed on, at least in part, to consumers.

“Once again, California is trying to enact a policy that negatively impacts the rest of the country. If California goes unchecked, consumers will be forced to pay more for basic necessities,” Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, who led the coalition, said in a news release.

The law, called the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act, was enacted in 2022.

“Virtually every product packaged or shipped in plastic containers, as well as a significant number of other types of packaging materials that merely incorporate plastics, fall into the Act’s remarkable sweep,” the lawsuit said.

The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, which represents companies that import and distribute goods in California, also joined the lawsuit.

“California is not entitled to pronounce nationwide policies,” Eric Hoplin, the trade association’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “Because the Act extends California’s regulatory reach far beyond its borders and brings within its sweep conduct wholly unconnected to California, the Act violates principles of federalism, the horizontal separation of powers, and due process.”

The lawsuit argues the law violates both the U.S. and California constitutions. It asks the court to declare California’s law invalid and unenforceable, and halt its implementation.

The lawsuit names as defendants Zoe Heller, director of California’s recycling agency known as CalRecycle, and the Circular Action Alliance, a nonprofit involved with implementing the law.

Melanie Turner, a spokesperson for CalRecycle, said in an emailed statement that the agency does not comment on pending litigation and that it remained focused on implementing the law.

The alliance said in a statement that it was aware of the lawsuit and closely monitoring developments while at the same time working to implement the law’s “ambitious goals.”

In a May news release announcing regulations under the law, state officials said the changes would fight plastics pollution while protecting the interests of taxpayers and local governments.

“California is shifting the responsibility of managing single-use plastic and packaging onto the producers. New packaging reforms lower waste costs for communities and decrease garbage and pollution across the state,” Environmental Protection Secretary Yana Garcia said in a statement. “This approach pushes producers to innovate and design packaging that truly supports a circular economy.”

Joining Nebraska in the lawsuit were 16 other states with Republican attorneys general: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and West Virginia.Environmental groups also have sued over the law. A coalition that included the Natural Resources Defense Council recently filed a complaint over what it said in a news release were “weakened” final regulations for the “landmark” law.