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The Brief

The most important stories for you to know today
  • It’s not just baseball that we're fighting for
    A close up of a pepperoni pizza against the back ground of a blue sky with two palm trees in the background
    We love L.A.-style pizza !

    Topline:

    Game 1 of the World Series kicks off tonight — as does the West Coast vs. East Coast rivalry. L.A.-style pizza is making a name for itself, providing stiff competition for the city’s N.Y.-Style pizza joints. LAist food editor Gab Chabrán shows how you can sample the best of both coasts right here in Los Angeles.

    Why now? With the Dodgers vs the Yankees taking over the collective consciousness of the city, it’s time to indulge in other forms of geographic competition. In-N-Out vs Shake Shack? Freeway vs subway? Malibu vs the Hamptons? Your call.

    What does L.A.-style pizza offer? We know that N.Y. is the O.G. of pizza creation. But L.A. is becoming a contender, with its unique take on square pies and its pull from diverse influences from around the world, including Asian, Italian, and Mexican, to name a few.

    The L.A. vs N.Y. rivalry may be front of mind right now (Dodgers in six btw), but let's face it, it’s always lurking in the background.

    In-N-Out vs Shake Shack.

    Freeway vs subway.

    Malibu vs the Hamptons.

    You name it, we can argue about it. So in this high stakes moment it seemed a good time to ask that vital question:

    Pizza: N.Y. or L.A.?

    For many years, we conceded that there was no contest (Hail New York).

    But in recent years, L.A. has supercharged its pizza scene, setting the stage for a more heavyweight battle.

    L.A. has the imagination to mash up its cultural influences and reinvent a culinary classic; N.Y. is determined to dig in its heels and work for perfection.

    While I confess I’ve most recently been on Team L.A, the times I’ve bitten into a perfect crust at one of our excellent New York-style pizza joints could have me swayed.

    It's difficult to call. I'll leave it up to you to decide.

    To help I've put a list together of what I believe to be the best places to get pizza in the city — from both coasts. Try them out and see what your tastebuds tell you. And at the very least it means you'll know exactly who to order from when it's game time.

    Play ball!

    LaSorted’s (Silver Lake, Chinatown)

    West Coast Style

    Tommy and Erin Brockert started selling pizzas on the porch of their Echo Park home during the pandemic. Tommy was an out-of-work event photographer looking to earn money. Now, four-and-half years later, LaSorted’s has morphed into a successful mini-empire with the recent opening of its second location in Chinatown.

    While the original Silver Lake order-at-the-counter location remains, the new digs feature a cozy sit-down restaurant chock-full of Brockett’s extensive collection of signature L.A. sports and pop culture ephemera, including a Dodgers Cabbage Patch Kid still in its box. (Not surprising given the place is named after the famed Dodgers coach).

    As for the pizza, the Mamba is a great place to start, a regular cheese slice with or without pepperoni. It's named after the late Laker great Kobe Byrant, who once said he ate a pepperoni pizza before scoring 81 points in a single game in 2006.

    A round pizza with four different kinds of slices: one is cheesy with round pepperoni, another has chunks of white burrata and green basil leaves, another has a red sauce, and another has a green pesto-looking sauce. It's on top of an open pizza box which sits on a bright round yellow table atop. Two medium skinned hands hold a stretched-out pepperoni slice with the melted cheese hanging in between.
    The Mamba has its own following
    (
    Brian Feinzimer
    /
    LAist
    )

    The love of innovation is on display with the Upside Down Mamba, which is precisely what it sounds like: the cheese pizza plus toppings, flipped, with a three-cheese blend serving as its base, topped thoroughly with tomato sauce, sprinkled with flaky sea salt, and Sicilian oregano. The cooked cheese underneath the sauce forms a uniquely layered buffer, making for an exceptional texture.

    Locations:
    Silver Lake, 2847 Sunset Blvd, LA , 90026
    Chinatown, 984 North Broadway, LA, 90012
    Hours: 
    Silver Lake: Daily 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
    Chinatown, Monday 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, 4 p.m. to 1 p.m.

    Quarantine Pizza Co. (Various locations)

    West Coast Style

    If you like something outside the (pizza) box, check out Quarantine Pizza Co., a pizza pop-up by Brandon and Carolina Conaway. Like many who grew up in Southern California, they draw from their respective cultural backgrounds and other influences they’ve picked up along the way.

    Brandon is Asian (Chinese and Vietnamese) and white. Carolina is Latina (Mexican and Colombian). Both grew up in Orange County, where they met before moving to Los Angeles for college.

    A pizza with the outer crust containing a series of black spots from its cooking. The pizza's center contains slices of charred cooked sausage underneath a layer of fresh yellow pineapple covered in a light green salsa and diced white onions.
    The al-pastor pizza is the stuff dreams are made of — a pizza that tastes like a taco!
    (
    Courtesy of Quarantine Pizza
    )

    Their collective experiences have led to outstanding combinations, such as Banh Mi pies, Char siu pies, birria sausage, salsa roja, and red corn sourdough.

    They can nail their version of the classics, too. When you bite into a slice of their sourdough, “Neapolitan-ish inspired," its fluffy texture is like a breath of fresh air. The outer rim of the crust features the perfect amount of “leoparding,” which occurs when the naturally fermented dough is cooked under high heat and creates little dark spots around the edges of the crust.

    They've recently announced they'd be opening a brick-and-mortar location early next year, renaming themselves Wallflour Sourdough Pizza. In the meantime, you can find them regularly popping up at the El Sereno Night Market every Wednesday night and at Benny Boy Brewing in Lincoln Heights

    Location and hours: Check Instagram

    Apollonia’s Pizza (Mid-City)

    West Coast Style

    If you judge Apollonia’s Pizza by its limited menu, featuring a handful of round and square pies, you may wonder if you’ve come to the right place—is this some of the best pizza in L.A.?

    But you'll quickly understand after encountering the long lines outside this standing-room-only, cash-only pizzeria off Wilshire Boulevard — and taking your first bite.

    Justin De Leon, owner and head pizza maker, grew up on pizza; his first job was working at a pizza restaurant when he was just 13.

    I suggest you start with a traditional De Leon cheese pie slice. The chef wanted something “thin, light, and crispy.” Well, he found it. This is the cheese slice against which all others should be judged, with its well-portioned ingredients over the perfectly stretched, crispy, tasting crust, showcasing an almost zen-like attention to detail.

    Two medium skinned hands hold an opened cardboard pizza box: inside is a large thin crust slice of pepperoni pizza and a thick crust square slice of pepperoni pizza topped off with fresh basil leaves.
    Some of the best pizza you can find in L.A., sold by the slice at Apollonia's Pizzeria
    (
    Brian Feinzimer
    /
    LAist
    )

    Like every great master, De Leon says he doesn’t subscribe to specific labels when describing his style of pizza. While his square pie could easily be described as a Detroit, Siciliana, or even Grandma slice, he simply calls it L.A.-style, a mixture of the multiple styles he draws from. He believes that combination gives Apollonia’s pizza its unique taste, much like the city of L.A.

    Location: 5176 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles
    Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

    Prime Pizza (various locations)

    East Coast Style

    With the tagline "New York style pizza made for L.A.", you shouldn’t be surprised that Prime Pizza has some excellent slice options, which is rare to find in L.A. If you’re looking for value for money, this hits the spot: the two-cheese slice combo with a drink was $10 (hello, Cheap Fast Eats!).

    A white sheet of paper with different logos lies on a red plastic cafeteria tray. On top of the paper, there are two slices of pizza - one with cheese and the other with cheese and red pepperoni.
    The two slice Combo with both cheese and pepperonis slices from Prime Pizza
    (
    Gab Chabrán
    /
    LAist
    )

    The slice stays in its lane with a crispy crust and a respectable amount of sauce, perfect for satisfying your pizza craving in a jiff. Its original recipe was developed as an ode to N.Y., inspired by some of the great pizzerias of the Big Apple.

    Despite its allegiance to the East Coast, Prime Pizza perfectly nails the vibe of an L.A. neighborhood pizza shop. It's the type of place that conjures up my middle school days, throwing back a few slices after an afternoon of skateboarding with friends, and we love it.

    Locations and hours:
    Prime Pizza has seven locations: Fairfax, Little Tokyo, West L.A., Burbank, Pico-SMC, El Segundo, and Altadena.

    Milana’s (Long Beach)

    East Coast Style

    Milana’s proudly wears its New York heart on its sleeve, with the flatscreen on the wall showing a live feed of Times Square, and various pies named after well-known spots in the five boroughs. The standout for me is the Sheepshead Bay, made with house-made meatballs, topped with pillow-soft dollops of ricotta and sprinkled with bits of basil.

    On a round metal tray, there are two slices of pizza. The slice on the left has meatballs with large dollops of white cheese and green basil leaves. The slice on the right has melted white cheese with large portions of red sauce and more cut pieces of green basil.
    The Sheephead's Bay slice from Milana's
    (
    Gab Chabrán
    /
    LAist
    )

    The soft creaminess of the cheese, with just a slight bit of sharp flavor, perfectly cuts through the fattiness from the sliced meatballs. It contains elements of both soft and crispy, which drives the whole thing home.

    The large, chewy slice of pie has thin edges allowing for maximum foldability when consuming. It’s a beautiful thing,

    Location: 165 E. 4th Street, Long Beach

    Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday through Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.; Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

    https://www.milanasnewyorkpizzeria.com/

    Secret Pizza (Montecito Heights)

    East Coast Style

    A slice of cheese pizza is placed on a stark white piece of parchment paper on a beige surface. The triangular-cut slice contains melted white cheese on a bed of red tomato sauce, with a light brown crust at the top.
    A slice of New Jersey style cheese pizza from Secret Pizza
    (
    Courtesy Secret Pizza
    )

    New Jersey-style pizza might be a product of the Garden State, but it’s one of my favorite East Coast-style pies, New York or otherwise.

    Secret Pizza was started by Sean Lango, who began cooking pizza out of his Hollywood apartment before graduating to his pizzeria in the foothills of Montecito Heights.

    He calls his pizza New Jersey-style because he's from there, and wanted to protect himself from the wrath of purist New Yorkers not happy with outsiders laying claim to their turf. It's very similar to a classic NY pie; he sees it as an opportunity to highlight his home state and his love for it.

    What makes his pizza so memorable? Its simplicity. The thin crust gives way to a stellar crispy underside, providing an excellent texture, topped off by a tangy sauce.

    Sure, you could add different toppings, but Lango's pie, with crushed tomatoes, a small amount of mozzarella cheese, and topped with aged pecorino is perfect as it is. Sometimes, when you rely on a good, uncomplicated formula, good things happen.

    Location: 3501 Monterey Road, Los Angeles.
    Hours: Thursday through Saturday, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

  • Radio news service ending after nearly 100 years

    Topline:

    CBS News said Friday it will shut down its storied radio news service after nearly 100 years of operation, ending an era and blaming challenging economic times as the world moves on to digital sources and podcasts.

    CBS Radio history: When it went on the air in September 1927, the service was the precursor to the entire network, giving a youthful William S. Paley a start in the business. Famed broadcaster Edward R. Murrow's rooftop reports during the Nazi bombing of London during World War II kept Americans listening anxiously.

    Today, CBS News Radio provides material to an estimated 700 stations across the country and is known best for its top-of-the-hour news roundups. The service will end on May 22, the network said Friday.

    Cuts are part of larger layoff: It was unclear how many people will lose their jobs because of the radio shutdown. CBS News was cutting about 6% of its workforce, or more than 60 people, on Friday. It's not the end of turmoil at the network, as parent company Paramount Global is likely to absorb CNN as part of its announced purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery.

    NEW YORK — CBS News said Friday it will shut down its storied radio news service after nearly 100 years of operation, ending an era and blaming challenging economic times as the world moves on to digital sources and podcasts. Said longtime CBS News anchor Dan Rather: "It's another piece of America that is gone."

    When it went on the air in September 1927, the service was the precursor to the entire network, giving a youthful William S. Paley a start in the business. Famed broadcaster Edward R. Murrow's rooftop reports during the Nazi bombing of London during World War II kept Americans listening anxiously.

    Today, CBS News Radio provides material to an estimated 700 stations across the country and is known best for its top-of-the-hour news roundups. The service will end on May 22, the network said Friday.

    A white sign that reads "CBS News" hangs on an orange building. Beneath it is a large advertisement that shows various  faces
    The CBS Broadcast Center on 57th Street in New York on April 20, 2023.
    (
    Ted Shaffrey
    /
    AP
    )

    "Radio is woven into the fabric of CBS News and that's always going to be part of our history," CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss said in delivering the news to the staff. "I want you to know that we did everything we could, including before I joined the company, to try and find a viable solution to sustain the radio operation."

    But with the radical changes in the media industry, she said, "we just could not find a way to make that possible."

    Not the first radio cuts at CBS

    CBS News cut some of its radio programming late last year, including its "Weekend Roundup" and "World News Roundup Late Edition," in an attempt to keep the service going.

    It was unclear how many people will lose their jobs because of the radio shutdown. CBS News was cutting about 6% of its workforce, or more than 60 people, on Friday. It's not the end of turmoil at the network, as parent company Paramount Global is likely to absorb CNN as part of its announced purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery.


    "Given the way things are going, I was saddened but I wasn't surprised by it," said Rather, who succeeded network legend Walter Cronkite in 1981 and anchored for 25 years.

    When Rather covered the civil rights era for CBS News during the 1960s, he said he would file reports as frequently as a dozen times a day. Cronkite told America on television that President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated; Rather relayed the news for radio.

    "Radio was considered an equal responsibility to television," Rather, now 94, said in an interview.

    Along with newspapers, radio was the dominant medium in how Americans got their news from shortly after the dawn of commercial radio in 1920 through the 1940s, with people in their living rooms listening to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's "Fireside Chats" during the Depression. CBS News Radio's broadcast about Germany's invasion of Austria in 1938, the first time Murrow was heard on the air, was an historic marker for the service.

    Black and white photo of a man wearing a suit speaking into a bank of microphones.
    Edward R. Murrow, a CBS correspondent who made his name from the front lines of World War II and from confronting Sen. Joseph McCarthy during the 1950s Red Scare, during a speaking engagement.
    (
    Washington State University/The Columbian
    /
    AP
    )

    Broadcasters like Douglas Edwards, Dallas Townsend and Christopher Glenn were familiar voices on CBS News Radio. The beginning of the television era in the 1950s began a long slide for radio, often an afterthought today with the world online and on phones. Those seeking audio often turn to podcasts before radio.

    "This is another part of the landscape that has fallen off into the sea," said Michael Harrison, publisher of Talkers, a trade publication for radio talk shows. "It's a shame. It's a loss for the country and for the industry."

    A major radio player for many decades

    CBS News Radio was a major force for generations of Americans. "Its heyday spanned decades," Harrison said. "It was quality on every level. It sounded good. Its coverage was as objective as possible within the realm of human nature. Its resources were extensive. It had a very high trust factor that was considered the standard of the day."

    The front page of CBS News' website did not immediately carry news of the demise.

    Weiss, founder of the Free Press website and without broadcast news experience before being hired by CBS parent Paramount's new management, has quickly become a headline-maker and polarizing figure in journalism. She held a "60 Minutes" story critical of President Donald Trump's deportation policy from being broadcast for a month and has critics watching to see if she's moving the network in a Trump-friendly direction.

    Addressing her staff in January, three months into her job as CBS News boss, she invoked Cronkite's name as a symbol of old thinking and said that if the network continues with its current strategy, "we're toast." She announced the hiring of 18 new contributors and said CBS News needs to do stories that will "surprise and provoke — including inside our own newsroom."
    Copyright 2026 NPR

  • Sponsored message
  • How to save at the pump and manage your tank
    Prices for gas at an Exxon gas station on Capitol Hill are seen in Washington, DC.
    Prices for gas at an Exxon gas station.

    Topline:

    Gas prices are draining wallets right now. The spike is hitting Southern California especially hard, so how can you save money at the pump? We looked into it.

    Why now: Gas prices are rising because of the U.S.’s war in Iran, but our state is feeling it more than others. California’s switch to the summer blend of gas is here, which is more expensive to make, and we’ve got those high gas taxes.

    Avoid expensive gas: You can save by avoiding convenience. Stations in busy areas, like downtowns or by freeways, like to charge more. Even the layout and positioning on the street corner can impact the price.

    Make your tank last: Caring for your car in between fill-ups is another to cut down your costs. That can look like keeping your tires properly inflated and making sure the trunk isn’t too heavy.

    Read on … to see where to find top 10 lists for cheap gas near you.

    Drivers know it really, really sucks to get gas right now.

    California is (unfortunately) leading the nation in this gas surge, according to the American Automobile Association, which tracks fuel price trends.

    And with prices in Southern California hovering around $5.75 (and beyond) — just for regular-grade fuel — it can feel like almost every station is trying to compete for the most notoriously priced gas.

    What gives? And more importantly, how can you save on gas right now? We looked into it.

    Why is our gas so expensive?

    Prices at the pump have been skyrocketing since the start of the U.S. war in Iran last month because oil shipments are being bottlenecked along the Strait of Hormuz, a key supply route in the Middle East.

    California feels this pain especially hard as the state imports a decent chunk of its oil from the region. Plus, that’s happening at the same time the state is doing its annual switch to the summer blend of fuel. So both of those things, coupled with our high gas tax, means the spike hits us hard.

    If you zero in more to hubs like Los Angeles and Orange County, it gets worse. Kandace Redd, a spokesperson for AAA, said that’s tied to gas stations’ higher rent, wages and operating costs.

    “That is often passed on to the drivers,” she said. “ So simply put, the higher the cost of living, the higher the price you’re likely to pay at the pump.”

    Some relief could be on the way, but it’s unclear when that could happen.

    How to save at the pump

    • Don’t wait to fill up

    During normal times, one subtle way you could save would be to fill up on certain days of the week. This is because California is one of the states that shows a predictable pattern at the pump, called price-cycling.

    According to a GasBuddy study that analyzed weekly price changes, they found that the best day to get gas in California was Sunday, and the worst Tuesday. But that’s when things are relatively stable.

    “During periods of rapidly rising prices … prices tend to keep increasing, not decrease, so filling up sooner is often best,” Redd said.

    So if you know you need gas, don’t try waiting a few days for prices to drop until the situation changes. L.A.’s average gas price jumped 30 cents over the last week.

    These show user-reported gas prices for stations near you. Here’s are examples of ones for Southern California:

    If you have a AAA membership, the mobile app also shows cheap gas nearby.

    • Avoid stations in certain areas

    If you want to pay less, stay away from stations in popular areas, like airports, tourist hubs or freeways. Neighborhoods with fewer gas stations can cost you more money, so finding a place that’s ripe with competition can also be better for your wallet.

    Even position on the street corner matters. Redd said gas stations can charge more when they’re on a side with heavier traffic or when they’re more accessible.

    “ Stations that are easier for drivers to enter, fill up and exit often attract more customers and may even charge a little bit more than that,” she said.

    Stretch your gas tank by taking care of your car

    You can save on gas beyond the pump, Redd said, by managing how your car is using fuel. For example, combining your trips or avoiding stop-and-go traffic times can cut down on consumption. It’s all about how you care for and use your car:

    Reduce your load. That means clear out that trunk and take off that top rack when it’s not in use. When your car is heavier, it burns fuel faster to account for the load.

    Maintain your vehicle. If you can afford it, keep the check engine light off and your tires properly inflated. This can help make sure you're using gas at your car’s intended rate. Underinflated tires are more resistant to movement, which can reduce the miles per gallon you get.

    Watch your speed.  Your car uses more gas at higher speeds, so you really want to be sure to also avoid any sort of hard acceleration. If your car has an economy mode, that could also help by making your car run more efficiently.

     Turn off your engine when your car is parked or stopped for a long period of time. Blasting the air conditioning can also impact gas usage, though it’s a smaller margin.

  • Record heat, melting snow impacting water supply
    Aerial of a lake and damn surrounded by mountains.
    An aerial view of Lake Shasta and the dam in Shasta County, on May 9, 2024. On this date, the reservoir storage was 4,380,600 acre-feet (AF), 96% of the total capacity.


    Topline:

    A record-baking heat wave is scalding California, with major consequences for the state’s most important reservoir: its snowpack. Providing about a third of the state’s water supply, the Sierra Nevada snowpack is a vital source of spring and summer runoff that refills reservoirs when the state needs the water most.

    Why it matters: A warm wet storm followed February’s snow, and now, March temperatures are shattering records — prompting warnings of rapid snowmelt and swift rivers. Historically, the snowpack is at its deepest in April. But climate change is shifting runoff earlier, leaving less water trickling down the mountains in warmer months for homes, farms, fish, hydropower and forests. This year’s snowpack is rapidly approaching the worst five on record for April 1st, state climatologist Michael Anderson said — and it’s likely to worsen still as temperatures climb. From early to mid-March, the snowpack has been disappearing at a rate of roughly 1% per day. 

    Smaller snowpack leaves a gap: Even as California suffers record heat and early snowmelt, the state is better prepared than in the past. Major reservoirs are already above historic averages, and early season storms soaked the soil beneath the snowpack, making it less likely to swallow the runoff. But the season’s early melt may still leave a gap. “It's going to get us through this year just fine,” Johnson said. “But it's not as ideal as having that additional snow reservoir ready to run off through summer, and replenish what we're going to be releasing.”

    A record-baking heat wave is scalding California, with major consequences for the state’s most important reservoir: its snowpack.

    Providing about a third of the state’s water supply, the Sierra Nevada snowpack is a vital source of spring and summer runoff that refills reservoirs when the state needs the water most.

    But a warm wet storm followed February’s snow, and now, March temperatures are shattering records — prompting warnings of rapid snowmelt and swift rivers.

    Historically, the snowpack is at its deepest in April. But climate change is shifting runoff earlier, leaving less water trickling down the mountains in warmer months for homes, farms, fish, hydropower and forests.

    “In an ideal world, you'd have your reservoir full right now, and this additional huge snowpack reservoir that we know will help replenish and provide more water supply,” said Levi Johnson, operations manager for the Central Valley Project, the massive federal water system that funnels northern California river water to the Central Valley and parts of the Bay Area.

    This year, he said, “we're not going to have that.”

    California’s reservoirs are in good shape, brimming above historic averages with many nearing capacity. But that summertime snow bank on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada is disappearing early, and fast — dropping to 38% of average for mid-March statewide.

    It’s not yet the worst snowpack on record: that distinction belongs to 2015, when then-Gov. Jerry Brown stood on brown, barren slopes of the Sierra Nevada to watch scientists measure the most meager snowpack in history.

    But this year’s snowpack is rapidly approaching the worst five on record for April 1st, state climatologist Michael Anderson said — and it’s likely to worsen still as temperatures climb. From early to mid-March, the snowpack has been disappearing at a rate of roughly 1% per day. 

    It’s a sharp departure from the near-average conditions of last year, and presents both a challenge and a glimpse of the future for reservoir operators in the state.

    Conflicting roles for reservoirs

    Many of California’s reservoirs serve a dual role: stoppering flood flows and storing water for drier times ahead.

    Those roles sometimes conflict — as they did at Lake Mendocino, which dried to a mud puddle during the 2012–16 drought. Rigid federal operating rules forced the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to release vital water supplies from the dam to make room for winter floods that didn’t come.

    The dire water shortages that followed spurred an experimental partnership called Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations, between the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego’s Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes and state, federal and local agencies.

    The program incorporates advanced forecasting and weather observations into reservoir release decisions at Lake Mendocino. It prevented the reservoir from going dry during the most recent drought, according to Don Seymour, deputy director of engineering at Sonoma Water, which co-manages the reservoir.

    Now, 165 miles away in the Sierra Foothills, Yuba Water Agency is eyeing adopting the same program for New Bullards Bar, a reservoir roughly eight times bigger than Lake Mendocino that’s fed by Sierra snowmelt on the North Yuba River.

    The reservoir supplies water to more than 60,000 acres of farmland in Yuba County as well as users south of the Delta. But early snowmelt is complicating efforts to store that water.

    “We're seeing snowmelt conditions in mid-March that we normally don't see until at least mid-May,” said general manager Willie Whittlesey. “It's pretty obvious that this is the runoff — this is the snowmelt — and it's just happening about two months early.”

    The reservoir is nearly full at 114% of average for this date and 84% of total capacity.

    But when snowmelt arrives early, the agency can’t catch it once the reservoir reaches a certain level — even when no storms are in the immediate forecast. Federal rules require Yuba Water to maintain a certain amount of empty space until June to absorb potential floodwaters, according to Whittlesey.

    Yuba Water is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to update this decades-old rulebook, Whittlesey said, but until then it must request special permission to store the extra water.

    Though the agency has received permission in the past, this year it’s also contending with a rupture in a major pipe to one of its hydropower facilities, which is forcing the agency to hold back more water behind the dam.

    Whittlesey said he suspects that the combination of flood-control requirements and damage control after the pipe failure is likely costing them tens of thousands of acre-feet of snowmelt.

    The California Department of Water Resources, which manages Lake Oroville — the state’s second-largest reservoir — told CalMatters that it’s storing water beyond its normal flood control limits, with permission from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

    In the Bay Area, the East Bay Municipal Utility District, California’s second-largest urban water supplier, owns and operates the Camanche and Pardee reservoirs in the Central Sierra foothills.

    “We're working to save every drop in light of the warm temperatures that we are experiencing now, and in light of all the zeros that we are seeing in terms of a rain or snow forecast,” said spokesperson Andrea Pook. “The last time that we had run off this early was in 2015.”

    Pook said the district is releasing less water from its reservoirs now, in order to preserve more for the fall when salmon migrate upriver to spawn.

    “We're tracking to not necessarily be in a drought situation. But I am not convinced that we're going to fill our reservoirs by July 1st, which is our usual goal,” Pook said.

    Improved forecasts after a major miss

    Even as California suffers record heat and early snowmelt, the state is better prepared than in the past.

    Five years ago, state forecasters badly missed their runoff predictions — overestimating the snowmelt expected to refill reservoirs by up to 68%. Dry soils and a parched atmosphere drank up the runoff before it could flow into storage. Farms and cities scrambled in the middle of a drought as supplies fell far short of expectations.

    This year is different. Major reservoirs are already above historic averages, and early season storms soaked the soil beneath the snowpack, making it less likely to swallow the runoff.

    The state has also been working on better forecasts.

    “Things have substantially improved,” said Andrew Schwartz, Director of UC Berkeley’s Central Sierra Snow Laboratory, in an email to CalMatters.

    Johnson, at the federal Central Valley Project, said that the state and federal water delivery systems are in a better spot than five years ago, and that forecasts haven’t made a major miss since.

    But the season’s early melt may still leave a gap.

    “It's going to get us through this year just fine,” Johnson said. “But it's not as ideal as having that additional snow reservoir ready to run off through summer, and replenish what we're going to be releasing.”

    Improved snowpack modeling and soil moisture estimates, experimental temperature measurements at different snow depths, university collaborations and incorporating weather outlooks are helping, according to the Department of Water Resources.

    Still, between state budget shortfalls and federal cuts, challenges remain, Anderson said.

    Efforts to install more soil moisture sensors in national forests have run into permitting slowdowns at the U.S. Forest Service, which has shed thousands of employees under President Donald Trump.

    “You wait in line a lot longer,” Anderson said. “That's been the biggest limitation of late. There just isn't anybody there.”

    This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.

  • Eid al-Fitr events across LA this weekend
    Various foods arranges on plates on a table. Fruits, fried pastries, spices and beans.
    The fasting period for millions of Muslims ends this weekend with Eid al-Fitr — the “festival of breaking the fast” — marking the end of Ramadan.

    Topline:

    The fasting period for millions of Muslims ends this weekend with Eid al-Fitr — the “festival of breaking the fast” — marking the end of Ramadan. 

    What to expect: The holiday, which lasts three days, centers on prayer, charity and time spent with family and community.  And with it comes a wave of joyful celebrations, feasts and family events. Across Los Angeles, that spirit is reflected in a range of events.

    Read on... from Eid-themed picnics in Ladera Heights to comedy shows in Westlake to a 5K run through Boyle Heights, here are some of the best ways to commemorate the end of Ramadan.

    This story first appeared on The LA Local.

    The fasting period for millions of Muslims ends this weekend with Eid al-Fitr — the “festival of breaking the fast” — marking the end of Ramadan. 

    The holiday, which lasts three days, centers on prayer, charity and time spent with family and community. 

    And with it comes a wave of joyful celebrations, feasts and family events.

    These gatherings arrive after a stretch of difficult years marked by global conflict, including wars in Iran, Gaza, Lebanon and Sudan, and many other ongoing conflicts worldwide.

    For many, those events have cast a shadow over recent Ramadans, making the spirit of the holy month feel harder to fully hold onto, especially for those watching the violence unfold from afar.

    Still, Eid offers a moment of grounding, with events showing how that sense of togetherness endures — a chance to gather with loved ones, give thanks and find meaning in community.

    And across Los Angeles, that spirit is reflected in a range of events. From Eid-themed picnics in Ladera Heights to comedy shows in Westlake to a 5K run through Boyle Heights, here are some of the best ways to commemorate the end of Ramadan.

    Chand Raat Mela at Islamic Center of South Bay–LA

    South Bay
    25816 Walnut St. Lomita
    Date: Thursday, March 19
    Time: 6 to 11 p.m.
    More info here.

    Grab some food, browse outfits and jewelry, get your mehndi (henna) done and soak up the pre‑Eid buzz with families from all over.

    Prayer at Masjid Umar Ibn Al Khattab

    Exposition Park
    1025 W Exposition Blvd, Los Angeles
    Date: Friday, March 20,
    Time: 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.
    More info here.

    Join a packed Eid congregation across from USC, with early‑morning prayer, and complimentary coffee, tea and snacks such as donuts, cookies, sandwiches, nachos and hot dogs. 

    Prayer at Masjid Al-Zahra

    Southeast LA
    8152 Seville Ave, South Gate
    Date: Friday, March 20
    Time: 7:30 am
    More info here.

    Masjid Al-Zahra is offering prayers followed by a breakfast. 

    Prayer at the Islamic Center of Southern California 

    Koreatown
    434 S. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles
    Date: Friday, March 20
    Time: Take beerat at 7 a.m. with prayer at 7:30 a.m.; Take beerat at 9 a.m. with prayer at 9:30 a.m.
    More info here.

    Mark a historic Eid as Islamic Center of Southern California (ICSC) hosts prayers at its Vermont Avenue campus, offering multiple morning prayer times and easy access to Koreatown eats afterward.

    Eid Picnic at Kenneth Hahn

    Ladera Heights
    4100 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles
    Date: Friday, March 20
    Time: 2 to 7 p.m.
    More info here.

    Join the fun with BBQ on the grill, kids getting soaked in water games, and friendly basketball and soccer showdowns.

    Eid in the City at Ladera Park

    Ladera Heights
    6027 Ladera Park Ave., Los Angeles
    Date: Friday, March 20
    Time: 3 p.m.
    More info here.

    Pack a blanket, round up the crew and hang out at this potluck in the park.

    Wellness as Resistance at InnerCity

    Boyle Heights
    3467 Whittier Blvd., Los Angeles
    Date: Friday, March 20
    Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
    More info here.

    Gaby Alcala from Luminous Body Therapy is offering a free, grounding community sound bath at InnerCity Struggle’s Youth and Community Center.

    Nowruz 2026

    Highland Park
    5541 York Blvd., Los Angeles
    Date: Friday, March 20
    Time: 7 p.m.
    More info here.

    Celebrate the arrival of spring with Nowruz, the Persian New Year, featuring live Persian music.

    “Beetlejuice” at the Pantages

    Hollywood
    6233 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles
    Date: Friday, March 20 to Sunday, March 22
    Time: Various
    More info here.

    The cult‑favorite musical adaptation of “Beetlejuice” delivers big spectacle, singalong moments right on Hollywood Boulevard.

    Immanuel Wilkins at Blue Note 

    Hollywood
    6372 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles
    Date: Friday, March 20 to Sunday, March 22
    Time: Various
    More info here.

    Saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins brings cutting‑edge jazz to Blue Note for an ideal date night.

    Beautify your community

    East LA
    4025 City Terrace Drive, Los Angeles
    Date: Saturday, March 21
    Time: 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
    More info here.

    Connect with your neighbors at a street cleanup hosted by Visión City Terrace and the Maravilla Community Advisory Committee at City Terrace Library.

    Goats & Totes

    Westside
    8840 National Blvd., Culver City
    Date: Saturday, March 21
    Time: 11 a.m.More info here.

    Take the family to meet and pet some goats at Ivy Station.

    DOLORES at Plaza de la Raza

    Lincoln Heights
    3540 N. Mission Road, Los Angeles
    Date: Saturday, March 21
    Time: 3 p.m.
    More info here.

    Explore the legacy of Dolores Huerta with a screening, art exhibit, opening reception and panel conversation at the Plaza de la Raza Boathouse Gallery as part of a special exhibition on view through April 12, 2026.

    Andrew Callaghan at The Wiltern 

    Westlake
    3790 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles
    Date: Saturday, March 21
    Time: 7:30 p.m.
    More info here.

    Andrew Callaghan brings his popular “Channel 5” world to the stage for a one‑night carnival of live bits, interviews and typically internet-native chaos.

    “Vertigo” in Concert with the LA Phil

    Downtown
    111 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012
    Date: Saturday, March 21
    Time: 8 p.m.
    More info here.

    See Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” on the big screen while the LA Phil performs Bernard Herrmann’s iconic score live at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

    Beautify your community

    East LA
    2609 E. Cesar E. Chavez Ave., Los Angeles
    Date: Sunday, March 22
    Time: 7:30 a.m.
    More info here.

    Join Healing in Spanglish and Acurrúcame Cafe for a 5K run or 2-mile walk through Boyle Heights. Stay for the post-run cafecito. The first 50 cars will get access to free parking at 345 N. Fickett St.

    Dorsey High School Eid Al‑Fitr Festival 2026

    Crenshaw
    3537 Farmdale Ave., Los Angeles
    Date: Sunday, March 22
    Time: 12 to 4 p.m.
    More info here.

    Spend the afternoon roaming food stalls, checking out vendors and just hanging out. Adults pay a small entry fee, kids get in free.

    Butterfly Pavilion

    Exposition Park
    900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles
    Date: Sunday, March 22
    Time: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
    More info here.

    Starting Sunday, you can take the kids to walk among hundreds of beautiful butterflies at the Natural History Museum. Reservations are required. The pavilion runs through the summer. 

    New Horizon School Eid Breakfast

    San Gabriel Valley
    651 N. Orange Grove Blvd., Pasadena
    Date: Monday, March 30
    Time: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
    More info here.

    Roll up with the family for a laid‑back breakfast, kids’ activities and plenty of time to catch up with friends between coffee refills.