A grove of ancient redwood trees in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
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Greg Rosalsky
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NPR
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Topline:
If you're in the middle of making summer plans consider visiting a California state park - for free. Through the California State Library Parks Pass program, each of the state’s libraries — of which there are over 1,180 — are offering cardholders a limited number of passes to most state parks.
What the pass gets you: If you’re a library cardholder, each pass gives you free day-entry to a California state park near you for one passenger vehicle (with up to nine people in it) — or one highway-licensed motorcycle. And depending on how your local library is handling the program, which launched in 2022, you’ll be able to keep and use that pass for a certain amount of time before having to return it.
California State Park Adventure Pass: Another free option is the CA State Park Adventure Pass. If there’s a fourth grader in your household, you’re eligible. It gives one family (up to three adults and other kids) and friends who can fit in the same car free entry to 54 participating state parks. The pass is valid for the one-year period during which the child is in the fourth grade, from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31.
Summer in the Bay Area is almost here. And if you’re itching to explore our state, and you have a library card, you can check out a free pass to over 200 state parks around California.
If you’re a library cardholder, each pass gives you free day-entry to a California state park near you for one passenger vehicle (with up to nine people in it) — or one highway-licensed motorcycle. And depending on how your local library is handling the program, which launched in 2022, you’ll be able to keep and use that pass for a certain amount of time before having to return it.
The pass is valid for use any day of the week, including holidays (but only if space in the park is available). Still, it’s important to note that not every state park in California will accept the California State Library Parks Pass.
The California Department of Parks and Recreation say the pass won’t be accepted “at units operated b
How do I check out the Parks Pass from my local library?
Each library may have different preferences for how you check out a pass, but your best bet is almost certainly by visiting in person.
Different public libraries have received different numbers of passes, with the minimum being three passes per library.
y federal and local government, private agencies or concessionaires.” In the Bay Area, for example, Angel Island, Pacifica State Beach and San Bruno Mountain State Park won’t accept a California State Library Parks Pass for free entry.
If you have a library card with a public library system that has multiple locations — like in San Francisco or Oakland, for example — the California State Library Parks Passes most likely will be spread out between these locations. Contact your local branch ahead of time to confirm the location of the pass.
Your library gets to decide how many days you can keep a pass, so make sure you know that return date when you check out a pass.
Your library may also allow you to place a hold on a pass, just like you would a book — this is, for example, what the San Francisco Public Library allows for cardholders. You may be able to place a hold on a pass in person at your local library, or online by logging into your library card account. Placing a hold on a pass could be a good way to plan in advance for an upcoming trip where you want to use the free pass.
That’ll really depend on your local library — because each library gets to decide how long a pass can be checked out.
Contact your local library to find out how long they’re loaning their passes for, and to make sure you return your pass in a timely manner so the next person can enjoy it.
Can I use the pass to enter multiple state parks?
Yes, you can use it to enter as many eligible state parks as you like during the loan period.
This is another reason placing a hold on a pass may be a helpful way to plan ahead for a few days of travel (or a road trip) to enable you to visit multiple state parks.
What’s the catch?
Remember that not all state parks are participating in this program, and the passes don’t cover camping fees. The Department of Parks and Recreation also says that the pass won’t cover “per-person entry or tour fees (such as museums), boat use, camping, group use or sites, special events, additional/extra vehicle fees, sanitation disposal use or … supplemental fees.”
Also, libraries can decide on the number of days a pass can be checked out, and each library will get a minimum of just three passes to give out. So if your local library doesn’t have many passes on offer, and they allow cardholders to keep a pass for several days, you may have to wait for your turn.
Mount Diablo State Park in Alamo, with the tallest mountain in the San Francisco Bay Area, July 2016.
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Smith Collection
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Gado/Getty Images
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What if I don’t have a library card?
Getting a library card is fairly simple, and will allow you to access not only a California State Library Parks Pass, but also the full range of your local library’s books, media, records and library services like laptop and internet access.
To apply for a library card, you must:
Be a California resident.
Provide a government-issued photo ID such as your valid driver’s license, state ID, passport, consulate ID card or active military ID.
Find your local library near you. You may be able to apply for a library card in person or online — but be sure to check whether the pandemic has changed your local library’s opening times if you go in person.
Except where otherwise noted, these passes can be used at every California state park, excluding units operated by federal and local government, private agencies or concessionaires (like Angel Island in the Bay Area).
Valid for the calendar year, this pass gives free vehicle day-use access to certain California state parks (PDF) for CalWORKs recipients, SSI recipients, and people whose incomes fall under a certain threshold.
A lifetime pass for honorably discharged veterans living in California who also meet certain requirements listed here. Pass holders can use all basic facilities (day-use, camping and boating) in California state parks for free.
TikTok has become an essential element in giving rising musicians a platform to develop their identity, as it did for Addison Rae (left). It's also become a widely used and effective tool for promoting artists who already have a record deal, like Olivia Dean. All of the best new artist nominees at this year's Grammys were TikTok stars of one kind or the other.
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Photo collage by Abi Inman
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Valerie Macon/Getty Images, Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
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Topline:
According to the Recording Academy itself, the Grammy for best new artist is for musicians who are having "a breakthrough into the public consciousness." What did it look like to have a breakthrough moment in 2025? More often than not, it meant having a hit song on TikTok. At this weekend's Grammys, all eight best new artist nominees are musicians whose popularity skyrocketed thanks to the app.
The backstory: Last year, Luminate partnered with TikTok on aMusic Impact report. It found what many powerbrokers in the music industry have known for awhile: The app is not only a large source of music discovery, but also a leading driver of chart success. According to the report, 84% of songs that entered Billboard's Global 200 chart went viral on TikTok first.
This year's Grammys: Looking at this year's Grammy nominations, the best new artist contenders run the gamut from indie darlings who started making music a decade ago to former Hype House TikTok creators who launched recording careers in 2025. All eight nominees used the app in their ascent to pop stardom — but did they rise through the music industry into TikTok virality? Or the other way around?
Read on ... to discover which new artists started on the app and which came up the old-fashioned way.
According to the Recording Academy itself, the Grammy for best new artist is for musicians who are having "a breakthrough into the public consciousness."
What did it look like to have a breakthrough moment in 2025? More often than not, it meant having a hit song on TikTok. At this weekend's Grammys, all eight best new artist nominees are musicians whose popularity skyrocketed thanks to the app.
"If there's anything that speaks to TikTok's power right now, I think it's this category in particular," says Robert Steiner, a media analyst at the music and entertainment insights company Luminate.
Last year, Luminate partnered with TikTok on aMusic Impact report. It found what many powerbrokers in the music industry have known for awhile: The app is not only a large source of music discovery, but also a leading driver of chart success. According to the report, 84% of songs that entered Billboard's Global 200 chart went viral on TikTok first.
And music, in turn, is essential to the app as well. Steiner says going all the way back to its roots in Musically — a platform for lip-syncing videos — songs have been the currency for TikTok's biggest memes and dances.
"A lot of the trends that we see on TikTok are audio-based. Obviously video is part of it, but the sound is a huge aspect of it as well," Steiner says. "It was set up to really capitalize on audio becoming a key driver to the app, and I think as a result, it does seem like they created at least a segment of their user base that is very musically inclined."
Looking at this year's Grammy nominations, the best new artist contenders run the gamut from indie darlings who started making music a decade ago to former Hype House TikTok creators who launched recording careers in 2025. All eight nominees used the app in their ascent to pop stardom — but did they rise through the music industry into TikTok virality? Or the other way around?
Olivia Dean
The English singer is not a newcomer; as she told NPR's Morning Edition in September, she's been recording and releasing music for nearly a decade. In 2023, her album Messy was shortlisted for the U.K.'s Mercury Prize. But in 2025, the warm soul-pop melodies of her album The Art of Loving put her on the map in a major way. The single "Man I Need" became a hit on TikTok — it's been used in 1.7 million videos so far, according to the app — and quickly climbed the charts.
Did Olivia Dean come from TikTok or the music industry: The music industry.
KATSEYE
Born out of a reality television competition show in 2023, KATSEYE is a global girl group seemingly created for TikTok virality — and so far, the sextet has delivered. In 2025, singles like "Gnarly" and "Gabriela" steadily climbed the charts; but perhaps more importantly, they soundtracked millions of videos on TikTok. Choreography from KATSEYE's Gap commercial (set to "Milkshake" by Kelis, not their own song) became a dance trend too, heralded as a clap back to Sydney Sweeney's controversial American Eagle jeans ad. In December, TikTok officially crowned KATSEYE its Global Artist of 2025.
Did KATSEYE come from TikTok or the music industry? Both.
The Marías
The indie pop band started releasing synth-driven, bilingual songs nearly a decade ago and collaborated with Bad Bunny on his 2022 album Un Verano Sin Ti. But it was a demo of their song "No One Noticed," which lead singer María Zardoya released unofficially on her TikTok account, that would become the band's biggest song to date, and was later officially released on their 2024 album Submarine. Zardoya told podcast host Zach Sang that despite being a slower, introspective song — the opposite of what the band's label wanted at the time — fans gravitated towards it on social media.
Did The Marías come from TikTok or the music industry?The industry via the independent route — they built a fanbase and eventually landed a record deal with Atlantic, then hit big on the app.
Addison Rae
Originally from Lafayette, La. — cue the Britney Spears comparisons — Addison Rae became a TikTok sensation in 2019 by posting videos of herself dancing to viral songs. She moved to Los Angeles, joined the Hype House and amassed millions of followers, all of which then helped build momentum for a music career. After a co-sign from Charli XCX on the "Von Dutch" remix, she released her effervescent debut album Addison in June.
Did Addison Rae come from TikTok or the music industry? TikTok.
sombr
Hailing from New York City's Lower East Side, the Gen Z rocker sombr has had his share of viral TikTok songs. His 2022 single "Caroline" was the first, helping him get signed to Warner Records when he was still 17 years old. Two more followed in 2025; his singles "Back to Friends" and "Undressed" were used on hundreds of thousands of TikTok videos and both steadily climbed Billboard's Hot 100 chart, months before sombr released his debut album I Barely Know Her.
Did sombr come from TikTok or the music industry? Both.
Leon Thomas
A child Broadway star and former Nickelodeon actor, it's safe to say Leon Thomas has been grinding for decades. After being mentored by Babyface for years, the 32-year-old has produced for artists ranging from his Victorious co-star Ariana Grande to Rick Ross. In 2024, he won a Grammy for best R&B song for his contributions to SZA's "Snooze." But Thomas' sophomore album, MUTT, landed him directly in the spotlight — its lead single took off on TikTok and climbed Billboard's Hot 100 chart. Of this year's best new artist contenders, Thomas is the most widely recognized by the Recording Academy; he landed five additional nominations, including for album of the year.
Did Leon Thomas come from TikTok or the music industry? The music industry.
Alex Warren
Another member of the Hype House collective, Alex Warren went from posting massively popular pranking videos online to releasing a romantic ballad — and instant wedding playlist staple — that spent months climbing Billboard's Hot 100 chart. "Ordinary" became one of the biggest hits of the summer, and earned Warren an invitation to perform with country superstar Luke Combs at Lollapalooza.
Did Alex Warren come from TikTok or the music industry? TikTok.
Lola Young
Often drawing comparisons to previous best new artist winner Amy Winehouse, the 25-year-old had already released several albums before her 2024 single "Messy" went viral on TikTok. Young's songs had already been gaining traction on the app for a while — videos of her performing "Don't Hate Me" on a playground in 2023 racked up millions of views — but "Messy" became a different kind of phenomenon. Before performing at Coachella last spring, Young told NPR's Morning Edition that she does not identify as a TikToker, but recognized the massive impact the app has had on her career.
Did Lola Young come from TikTok or the music industry? The music industry.
The Vermont Square Branch of the LA Public Library opened in 1913.
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LaMonica Peters
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The LA Local
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Topline:
More than a century after it first opened its doors, the Vermont Square Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library is still operating out of its original building, nestled among the homes on West 48th Street.
The backstory: The Vermont Square Branch was built in 1913 on what had been park land that was donated by the City of Los Angeles. It was funded with a Carnegie Foundation grant, the philanthropy of industrialist Andrew Carnegie, who funded the arts, higher education and public libraries after making his fortune in steel in the late 19th century.
Why it matters: For generations, it’s been considered a safe place and gathering spot for people who may otherwise have no place to go. Today, the neighborhood council uses the room in the library’s basement for meetings, the grassy area out back is a place to relax, and for some, the building is a refuge from hot- and cold-weather days.
Read on ... to learn more about why this branch means so much to the community.
More than a century after it first opened its doors, the Vermont Square Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library still is operating out of its original building, nestled among the homes on West 48th Street.
It’s not just a library. For generations, it’s been considered a safe place and gathering spot for people who otherwise may have no place to go. Today, the neighborhood council uses the room in the library’s basement for meetings, the grassy area out back is a place to relax, and for some, the building is a refuge from hot- and cold-weather days.
Of course, people also go there to read books, for free access to the internet and for children’s programming. But they also go there to find peace and quiet amid the hustle and bustle of inner-city Los Angeles.
“It feels safe. It’s pretty big. It’s nice inside and comfortable. There are people to talk to, and I can meet friends,” resident Moses Rogers told The LA Local.
The Vermont Square Branch was built in 1913 on what had been park land donated by the city of Los Angeles. It was funded with a Carnegie Foundation grant, the philanthropy of industrialist Andrew Carnegie, who funded the arts, higher education and public libraries after making his fortune in steel in the late 19th century.
The library is not the oldest branch in the city system, but it’s the first library building owned by the city. All other city libraries and facilities were housed in rented spaces.
It was designed in the architectural style of the Italian Renaissance, and you still can find the original circulation desk, windows that allow in natural light, old furniture and marble fixtures inside the library.
Branch manager Martha Sherod has worked at the library for 13 ½ years and calls the Vermont Square Branch a hidden treasure that some in the neighborhood can overlook. She said some people think it’s a government building, but for the people who grew up using the library, it symbolizes being home.
“People come here for a purpose, they want to be here. We really like serving them,” Sherod told The LA Local. “Now that I’ve been here so long, I’ve seen kids grow up from being little kids to college students. So, it’s really been a joy for me.”
Sherod said the branch holds about 24,000 items and has 4,500 visitors a month on average. The library also offers adult and teen programming, including free legal advice, health screenings, arts and crafts and book club activities.
“The library isn’t just for quietly sitting and reading. There’s usually a lot of good activities happening. There are resources that you can use at home by downloading or just coming in here,” Sherod said.
The Vermont Square Branch was designated by the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission in 1983 after the community rallied to keep the building from being replaced. The exterior of the building remains the same, although the library was retrofitted for earthquake safety in 1990, a process that caused the branch to close to the public for six years.
Longtime Vermont Square resident Fletcher Fair told The LA Local she’s been going to the branch since the late 1960s, and the library will always be a cornerstone of the community.
“It’s the neighborhood library, and that’s where everyone went and prospered. We hung out, studied and partied,” she said. “There were a lot of events here.”
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A vial of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination for children is displayed during an immunization event at the L.A. Care and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan Community Resource Center in the Panorama City neighborhood of Los Angeles.
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Patrick T. Fallon
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Getty Images
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Topline:
The first measles case of the year in Los Angeles County has been confirmed by the county public health department.
Details: Public health officials said Friday a county resident who recently traveled abroad has been confirmed to have measles. Authorities have not identified locations, other than healthcare settings, where the person could have exposed others.
Read on ... to find more information.
The first measles case of the year in Los Angeles County has been confirmed by the L.A. County Department of Public Health.
County public health officials said Friday a county resident who recently traveled abroad has been confirmed to have measles. Authorities have not identified any locations, other than healthcare settings, where the person could have exposed others.
Affected healthcare facilities are contacting patients and employees about potential exposure. County officials also are in the process of identifying those who may have had contact with the person.
Measles spreads easily through the air and can stay on surfaces for many hours. Those infected can spread the virus before showing symptoms, which can take weeks to appear.
Symptoms includea fever above 101 degrees; cough; runny nose; red, watery eye; and a rash that typically starts on the face.
So far, 588 measles cases of measles have been reported in the U.S. this year, the highest number of cases in a January since the U.S. eliminated measles in 2000. Most of these cases are linked to outbreaks in South Carolina, Arizona and Utah.
The L.A. County Department of Public Health is encouraging Angelenos to check their immunization statuses for a measles, mumps, rubella vaccine to determine if they’re protected against the virus.
Residents also should notify their health providers for guidance in the case of a potential exposure.
If symptoms develop, contact a healthcare provider via phone as soon as possible. L.A. Public Health advises people not to go physically into a health care facility before notifying them of measles symptoms.
Mariana Dale
reports on the financial challenges facing educators — and public school districts. She covered the 2023 LAUSD strike.
Published January 31, 2026 7:19 AM
UTLA’s bargaining team has met with the district more than a dozen times since negotiations began last February.
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Ashley Balderrama
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for LAist
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Topline:
The leaders of the Los Angeles Unified teachers union now have the power to call for a strike if they can’t reach a deal over pay, benefits and student support with the district.
More: About 94% of United Teachers Los Angeles members who voted cast a ballot in favor of authorizing a strike. The results were announced Saturday. Union members include school psychologists, counselors and nurses.
What now? The strike authorization vote does not guarantee teachers will stage a walkout this semester. First, the union must exhaust all steps of the collective bargaining process.
Why it matters: Among other proposals, the union is asking for raises and changes to the salary schedule so that newer teachers who complete professional development can earn increases more quickly. The district has said it cannot afford what the union has proposed.
Keep reading ... for more on the next steps and what it means for LAUSD families.
The leaders of the Los Angeles Unified teachers union now have the power to call for a strike if they can’t reach a deal over pay, benefits and student support with the district.
United Teachers Los Angeles’ has about 37,000 members. Of those who voted, 94% voted in favor of authorizing a strike. The tabulation process lasted late Friday night, and results were announced overnight Saturday.
Union members, which include school psychologists, counselors and nurses, simultaneously voted to approve an agreement that preserves existing health benefits without increasing costs to educators.
The strike authorization vote does not guarantee teachers will stage a walkout this semester. First, the union must exhaust all steps of the collective bargaining process.
Stephanie Castro teaches seventh-grade English at Luther Burbank Middle School in Highland Park and voted for the strike authorization.
“ I will do what needs to be done to fight for these proposals,” Castro said. “I want to make it super clear to Angelenos that teachers don't want to go on strike. We absolutely would rather be in our classrooms with our students. … We also know that things cannot continue as they are.”
In a statement Saturday, the district pointed to other recent agreements with its labor unions, while also citing fiscal challenges related to declining enrollment and other factors: "We recognize the real financial strain on educators and staff but must make difficult decisions to preserve classrooms, student services and long-term stability within finite resources."
How did we get here? And what happens next?
UTLA’s bargaining team has met with the district more than a dozen times since negotiations began last February.
The union declared an impasse in December, a legal step that triggers intervention from a neutral mediator appointed by the state’s labor relations board.
On Wednesday, the mediator determined the two parties would move to the next step in the process, fact-finding, wherein a representative from the union, the district and the California Public Employment Relations Board collectively develop a recommendation to settle the negotiations.
The rejection of this panel’s recommendation could lead to a strike — or more negotiating.
A recent history of LAUSD strikes
March 2023: Teachers walked off the job in solidarity with striking school support staff.
As in previous contract talks, the proposals that cost the most money are those that take the longest to hash out.
The union is asking for raises and changes to the salary schedule so that newer teachers who complete professional development can earn increases more quickly. UTLA estimated before mediation that this would amount to an average pay increase of 16% the first year and 3% the following year. The annual ongoing cost to the district would be about $840 million.
The district has said it cannot afford what the union has proposed and has offered annual increases of 2.5% the first year and 2% the second year with a one-time payment of 1%.
“Significant distance remains between what the district can responsibly offer and what UTLA proposes,” read a Jan. 28 statement from LAUSD.
The union’s other proposals include more investment in arts education, legal aid for immigrant families and staff to support students’ mental health.
Castro, the middle school teacher, said she notices a difference when her students have access to the school’s psychiatric social worker and other wraparound services.
“It allows them to be fully present in the classroom,” Castro said. “They're not so worried about things that are happening outside of it and can really focus on that essay that they need to write or developing a thesis statement.”
Are you a UTLA member? Share your thoughts on your strike authorization vote with me via email.
