Attendees pick up baby essentials at the East L.A. Community Resource Center.
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Carol Martinez
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Boyle Heights Beat
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Topline:
Baby showers, hosted by the East L.A. Community Resource Center since May 2024, have not only provided free baby essentials to soon-to-be parents, but also offered connection, education and a deep sense of community.
Stepping into a support system: These baby showers, hosted by the East L.A. Community Resource Center since May 2024, have not only provided free baby essentials to soon-to-be parents, but also offered connection, education and a deep sense of community. In addition to gifts, attendees enjoy a healthy brunch and hear from community partners.
How to participate: The baby showers are open for up to 25 expecting parents in their third trimester who pre-register. The East L.A. Community Resource Center is one of 14 centers across Los Angeles County that are operated by the L.A. Care Health Plan and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan.
Read on ... to hear from people who have attended the showers.
When Stephanie Juarez walked into the East L.A. Community Resource Center, she wasn’t just attending a baby shower — she was stepping into a support system.
About this article
This story was originally published by Boyle Heights Beat on Aug. 6, 2025.
The mother of two, who was expecting her first baby girl at the time, said the event offered more than gifts.
“It feels pretty nice because when you’re not working or only have one partner working, it’s very helpful,” said Juarez, 30, who had been bringing her son to the weekly “Storytime for Tots” classes at the center. “We’ve created a bond with the mothers. ... It’s nice to see that my son is interacting with other children before he starts preschool.”
Bright and early on a recent morning, Juarez and a group of other expecting parents had gathered at El Arco, the center’s main recreation room, for a quarterly community baby shower.
Papel picado was strung in the air. White and yellow tablecloths adorned tables with bee-themed centerpieces. A photo backdrop welcomed guests with the words: “A little honey bee is on the way.”
There were raffles for a postpartum kit, diaper bags, and even a Hatch sound machine alarm clock. Each guest left with baskets full of baby essentials, including diapers, wipes, swaddles, shampoo, teething toys and more.
These baby showers, hosted by the East L.A. Community Resource Center since May 2024, have not only provided free baby essentials to soon-to-be parents, but also offered connection, education and a deep sense of community.
For Selena Campos, 26, of Maywood, who was expecting her third child, the free goodies made all the difference.
Stephanie Juarez attends a community baby shower with her young son.
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Carol Martinez
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Boyle Heights Beat
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“I really appreciate whatever they gave us because it’s actually a good help. Especially with the economy,” Campos said. “Diapers and wipes. ... We go [through] them so quickly, especially in the first months.”
It was Campos’ first time at the center, but she had already been planning her next visit. “I actually want to bring my other kids because I know they have other activities for them, older toddlers, and it’d be nice for them to enjoy as well,” Campos said.
Iris Gómez, 41, manager of the East L.A. Resource Center, said the idea of community baby showers came from conversations with community members.
“This all started because there was a need from soon-to-be parents for diapers and wipes and resources,” said Gómez. “So we began this community baby shower to provide that stuff for the parents.”
Baby essentials are ready for pickup at the East L.A. Community Resource Center. (Carol Martinez for Boyle Heights Beat)
Baby essentials are ready for pickup at the East L.A. Community Resource Center.
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Carol Martinez
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Boyle Heights Beat
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One mother said free diapers and wipes were a big help because her family goes through them so fast.
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Carol Martinez
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Boyle Heights Beat
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The baby showers are open for up to 25 expecting parents in their third trimester who pre-register for the event. In addition to gifts, attendees enjoy a healthy brunch and hear from community partners like Whole Child, WIC, the office of L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis and Talking Angels — all of whom bring information and resources for families.
“Parents can connect with each other and really find people who they can build that support network with,” said Gómez.
Juarez echoed that feeling.
“You do build community where you see people,” she said. She only wished she had known about the resources at the center sooner. “I think it’s something that needs to be put more out there.”
The East L.A. Community Resource Center is one of 14 centers across Los Angeles County that are operated by the L.A. Care Health Plan and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan.
If you go
The East L.A. Community Resource Center
4801 Whittier Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90022
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday
For more information about programming or to find a resource center near you, visit the official webpage.
Fire department honored with 'Award of Excellence'
Makenna Sievertson
covers the daily drumbeat of Southern California — events, processes and nuances making it a unique place to call home.
Published December 12, 2025 4:30 PM
The "Award of Excellence Star" honoring the Los Angeles Fire Department on Friday.
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Matt Winkelmeyer
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Getty Images
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Topline:
The Hollywood Walk of Fame has a new neighbor — a star dedicated to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Why it matters: The Fire Department has been honored with an “Award of Excellence Star” for its public service during the Palisades and Sunset fires, which burned in the Pacific Palisades and Hollywood Hills neighborhoods of L.A. in January.
Why now: The star was unveiled on Hollywood Boulevard on Friday at a ceremony hosted by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and Hollywood Community Foundation.
Awards of Excellence celebrate organizations for their positive impacts on Hollywood and the entertainment industry, according to organizers. Fewer than 10 have been handed out so far, including to the LA Times, Dodgers and Disneyland.
The backstory: The idea of awarding a star to the Fire Department was prompted by an eighth-grade class essay from Eniola Taiwo, 14, from Connecticut. In an essay on personal heroes, Taiwo called for L.A. firefighters to be recognized. She sent the letter to the Chamber of Commerce.
“This star for first responders will reach the hearts of many first responders and let them know that what they do is recognized and appreciated,” Taiwo’s letter read. “It will also encourage young people like me to be a change in the world.”
LAFD Chief Jaime E. Moore, Eniola Taiwo and LAFD firefighters with the "Award of Excellence Star" Friday.
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Matt Winkelmeyer
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Getty Images North America
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The Award of Excellence Star is in front of the Ovation Entertainment Complex next to the Walk of Fame; however, it is separate from the official program.
What officials say: Steve Nissen, president and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement Taiwo’s letter was the inspiration for a monument that will “forever shine in Hollywood.”
“This recognition is not only about honoring the bravery of the Los Angeles Fire Department but also about celebrating the vision of a young student whose words reminded us all of the importance of gratitude and civic pride,” said Nissen, who’s also president and CEO of the Hollywood Community Foundation.
L.A. City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto was accused of an ethics breach in a case the city settled for $18 million.
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Carlin Stiehl
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Topline:
Fallout from allegations of an ethics breach by Los Angeles’ elected city attorney has reached the City Council. Councilmember Ysabel Jurado introduced a motion Friday requesting a closed-session meeting about an allegation that City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto improperly contacted a witness days before her office entered into one of the city’s biggest settlements in recent years. The motion came a day after LAist reported about the allegation.
The case: In September, the city settled a lawsuit brought forward by two brothers in their 70s who said they suffered serious injuries after an LAPD officer crashed into their car. Days before the $18 million settlement was reached, lawyers for the brothers said Feldstein Soto called an expert witness testifying for the plaintiffs and “attempted to ingratiate herself with him and asked him to make a contribution to her political campaign,” according to a sworn declaration to the court by the plaintiffs’ attorney, Robert Glassman.
The response: Feldstein Soto did not respond to an interview request. Her spokesperson said the settlement “had nothing to do” with the expert witness. Her campaign manager told LAist the city attorney had been making a routine fundraising call and did not know the person had a role in the case, nor that there were pending requests for her office to pay him fees.
What Jurado says: In a statement to LAist, Jurado said she wants to “make sure that the city’s legal leadership is guided by integrity and accountability, especially when their choices affect public trust, civic rights and the city’s limited resources."
What’s next: The motion needs to go through a few committees before reaching the full City Council. If it passes, the motion calls for the city attorney to “report to council in closed session within 45 days regarding the ethics breach violation and give updates to the City Council."
Topline:
Fallout from allegations of an ethics breach by Los Angeles’ elected city attorney has reached the City Council. Councilmember Ysabel Jurado introduced a motion Friday requesting a closed-session meeting about an allegation that City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto improperly contacted a witness days before her office entered into one of the city’s biggest settlements in recent years. The motion came a day after LAist reported about the allegation.
The case: In September, the city settled a lawsuit brought forward by two brothers in their 70s who said they suffered serious injuries after an LAPD officer crashed into their car. Days before the $18 million settlement was reached, lawyers for the brothers said Feldstein Soto called an expert witness testifying for the plaintiffs and “attempted to ingratiate herself with him and asked him to make a contribution to her political campaign,” according to a sworn declaration to the court by the plaintiffs’ attorney, Robert Glassman.
The response: Feldstein Soto did not respond to an interview request. Her spokesperson said the settlement “had nothing to do” with the expert witness. Her campaign manager told LAist the city attorney had been making a routine fundraising call and did not know the person had a role in the case, nor that there were pending requests for her office to pay him fees.
What Jurado says: In a statement to LAist, Jurado said she wants to “make sure that the city’s legal leadership is guided by integrity and accountability, especially when their choices affect public trust, civic rights and the city’s limited resources."
What’s next: The motion needs to go through a few committees before reaching the full City Council. If it passes, the motion calls for the city attorney to “report to council in closed session within 45 days regarding the ethics breach violation and give updates to the City Council."
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Destiny Torres
is LAist's general assignment and digital equity reporter.
Published December 12, 2025 3:38 PM
Luis Cantabrana turns the front of his Santa Ana home into an elaborate altar in honor of La Virgen de Guadalupe.
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Destiny Torres
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LAist
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Topline:
Today marks el Día de La Virgen de Guadalupe, or the day of the Virgen of Guadalupe, an important holiday for Catholics and those of Mexican descent. In Santa Ana, Luis Cantabrana builds an elaborate altar in her honor that draws hundreds of visitors.
What is the holiday celebrating? In 1513, the Virgin Mary appeared before St. Juan Diego, asking him to build a church in her honor. Her image — a brown-skinned woman, wearing a green veil with her hands clasped in prayer and an angel at her feet — miraculously appeared on his cloak. Every year on Dec. 12, worshippers of the saint celebrate the Guadalupita with prayer and song.
Read on … for how worshippers in Santa Ana celebrate.
Every year in Santa Ana, Luis Cantabrana turns the front of his home into an elaborate altar in honor of La Virgen de Guadalupe that draws hundreds of visitors.
Along the front of the house, the multi-colored altar is filled with lights, flowers and a stained-glass tapestry behind a sculpture of the Lady of Guadalupe. Cantabrana’s roof also is lit up with the green, white and red lights that spell out “Virgen de Guadalupe” and a cross.
Visitors are welcomed with music and the smell of roses as they celebrate the saint, but this year’s gathering comes after a dark year for immigrant communities.
Luis Cantabrana stands in front of the stunning altar he built in front of his home in honor of La Virgen de Guadalupe. Every year, his display draws hundreds of visitors.
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Destiny Torres
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LAist
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Why do they celebrate?
In 1513, the Virgin Mary appeared before St. Juan Diego between Dec. 9 and Dec. 12, asking him to build a church in her honor. Her image — a brown-skinned woman wearing a green veil with her hands together in prayer and an angel at her feet — miraculously appeared on his cloak.
To celebrate in Santa Ana, worshippers gathered late-night Wednesday and in the very early hours Dec. 12 to pray the rosary, sing hymns and celebrate the saint.
Cantabrana has hosted worshippers at his home for 27 years — 17 in Santa Ana.
The altar started out small, he said, and over the years, he added a fabric background, more lights and flowers (lots and lots of flowers).
“It started with me making a promise to la Virgen de Guadalupe that while I had life and a home to build an altar, that I would do it,” Cantabrana said. “Everything you see in photos and videos is pretty, but when you come and see it live, it's more than pretty. It's beautiful.”
The Santa Ana home's elaborate altar in honor of La Virgen de Guadalupe draws hundreds of visitors each year.
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Destiny Torres
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LAist
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Gathering in a time of turmoil
Many also look to the Lady of Guadalupe for protection, especially at a time when federal enforcement has rattled immigrant communities.
“People don’t want to go to work, they don’t want to take their kids to school, but the love we have for our Virgen de Guadalupe,” Cantabrana said. “We see that la Virgen de Guadalupe has a lot of power, and so we know immigration [enforcement] won’t come here.”
Margarita Lopez of Garden Grove has been visiting the altar for three years with her husband. She’s been celebrating the Virgencita since she was a young girl. Honoring the saint is as important now as ever, she said.
“We ask, and she performs miracles,” Lopez said.
Claudia Tapia, a lifelong Santa Ana resident, said the VirginMary represents strength.
“Right now, with everything going on, a lot of our families [have] turned and prayed to the Virgen for strength during these times,” Tapia said. “She's a very strong symbol of Mexican culture, of unity, of faith and of resilience.”
See it for yourself
The shrine will stay up into the new year on the corner of Broadway and Camile Street.
The offices of the Employment Development Department in Sacramento on Jan. 10, 2022.
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Miguel Gutierrez Jr.
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CalMatters
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Topline:
California’s unemployment agency kept paying cellphone bills for 4 1/2 years without checking whether its workers actually were using the devices. That’s how it racked up $4.6 million in fees for mobile devices its workers were not using, according to a new state audit detailing wasteful spending at several government agencies.
The investigation: The Employment Development Department acquired 7,224 cellphones and wireless hotspots by December 2020. State auditors analyzed 54 months of invoices since then and found half the devices were unused for at least two years, 25% were unused for three years and 99 of them were never used at all. The investigation, which auditors opened after receiving a tip, identified 6,285 devices that were unused for at least four consecutive months and said the department spent $4.6 million on monthly service fees for them.
Department response: Officials told auditors they were unaware of the spending, but auditors pointed to regular invoices from Verizon that showed which phones were not being used. The unemployment department began acting on the auditors’ findings in April, when it canceled service plans for 2,825 devices. It has since implemented a policy to terminate service plans for devices that go unused for 90 days.
California’s unemployment agency kept paying cellphone bills for 4 1/2 years without checking whether its workers actually were using the devices.
That’s how it racked up $4.6 million in fees for mobile devices its workers were not using, according to a new state audit detailing wasteful spending at several government agencies.
It acquired 7,224 cellphones and wireless hotspots by December 2020. State auditors analyzed 54 months of invoices since then and found half the devices were unused for at least two years, 25% were unused for three years and 99 of them were never used at all.
The investigation, which auditors opened after receiving a tip, identified 6,285 devices that were unused for at least four consecutive months, and said the department spent $4.6 million on monthly service fees for them.
From the beginning, the department had about 2,000 more cellphones than call center employees, according to the audit. The gap widened over time after the pandemic ended and the department’s staffing returned to its normal headcount.
As of April, the audit said the department had 1,787 unemployment call center employees, but was paying monthly service fees for 5,097 mobile devices.
“Although obtaining the mobile devices during COVID-19 may have been a good idea to serve the public, continuing to pay the monthly service fees for so many unused devices, especially post-COVID-19, was wasteful,” the audit said.
Department officials told auditors they were unaware of the spending, but auditors pointed to regular invoices from Verizon that showed which phones were not being used.
“We would have expected EDD management to have reconsidered the need to pay the monthly service fees for so many devices that had no voice, message, or data usage,” the audit said.
The unemployment department began acting on the auditors’ findings in April, when it canceled service plans for 2,825 devices. It has since implemented a policy to terminate service plans for devices that go unused for 90 days.
The California state auditor highlighted the mobile devices in its regular report on “improper activities by state agencies and employees.” The audit also showed that the California Air Resources Board overpaid an employee who was on extended leave as he prepared to retire by $171,000.
