Sponsored message
Logged in as
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen
  • Listen Now Playing Listen

The Brief

The most important stories for you to know today
  • Your guide to finding wildflowers right now!
    Colorful yellow and orange poppies are seen in a superbloom poppy reserve as a mountain is seen in the background.
    The Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve back in Spring 2023: Blooms everywhere.

    Topline:

    LAist has put together a guide to the best places to view wildflowers this spring, and what you need to do when you get there. Yes, there is an etiquette to wildflower hunting, mainly: Do not pick flowers, do not walk on flowers, do not lie down in a field of flowers for selfies. Just don’t.

    Why now: Wildflower season is juuuuust starting to hit its stride here in Southern California. Whether it’s a field blanketed with California poppies, or yellow carpeting a hillside, or a desert lily snaking its way alongside a sandy hiking trail, we’re here for it. Are you?

    What's next: Consider your schedule. Some of the best wildflower viewing in Southern California most likely involves a drive, so you need to start planning now to get out there. (There are only so many weekend days, after all.) But we have some options for viewing closer to L.A. as well.

    Why it matters: Blink, and wildflower season will be over in L.A., all those breathtaking flowers husking up, a life cycle in motion.

    Wildflower season is juuuuust starting to hit its stride here in Southern California. Whether it’s a field blanketed with California poppies, or yellow blooms carpeting a hillside, or a desert lily snaking its way alongside a sandy hiking trail, we’re here for it.

    Are you?

    Blink, and wildflower season will be over in L.A., all those breathtaking flowers husking up, a life cycle in motion.

    So LAist has put together this guide to the best places to view wildflowers this spring, and what you need to do when you get there. (Yes, there is an etiquette to wildflower hunting, mainly: Do not pick flowers, do not walk on flowers, do not lie down in a field of flowers for selfies. Just don’t.)

    This wildflower season is potentially shaping to be up to be distinctive for plenty of beautiful blooms, combined with a relative lack of wildflower diversity, said ecologist Sarah Kimball, an associate professor in residence and director at the Center for Environmental Biology at University of California, Irvine. That's because we're coming off two wet winters in a row, which is unusual, she said, and those conditions can favor heartier flowers and plants elbowing out some of the more delicate species.

    As for whether it’s going to be a super bloom year, get ready to hear lots of debate and discussion on that front. "'Super bloom' is not a scientific term," said Kimball said with a laugh. "But there will be a lot of flowers, so I guess you can say that's super."

    Where to start?

    First up, consider your schedule. Some of the best wildflower viewing in Southern California most likely involves a drive, so you need to start planning now to get out there. (There are only so many weekend days, after all.) We have some options for hunting wildflowers closer to L.A. as well.

    Head to Antelope Valley

    The simplest path to wildflowers is a trip to the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve when the poppies hit full bloom. There will be crowds and traffic on the weekend, so go on a weekday if possible. But you are guaranteed a look at the California state flower. There is a live cam to help you time your tripfor the best blooms. The park is located about 90 minutes from DTLA. Open daily from sunrise to sunset. There is a $10 parking fee, no dogs allowed.

    Rolling hillsides covered in yellow and orange wildflowers.
    A ‘super bloom’ of wild poppies blanket the hills of Walker Canyon on March 22, 2019 near Lake Elsinore, California.
    (
    Mario Tama
    /
    Getty Images North America
    )

    Follow wildflower reports

    If you have more time to invest, consider stalking wildflower reports. DesertUSA, the Anza Borrego Foundation and many others all offer online updates so you can best plan your trip, or just enjoy from your digital devices. On DesertUSA, there’s also a fever graph showing you the “wildflower status” and visitor reports, all designed to help you time your trip for the best wildflower viewing. Here are links to the Joshua Tree National Park Wildflower Watch, the Death Valley Wildflower Watch, the Theodore Payne Foundation’s weekly wildflower report, and the California State Parks Flower Bloom Updates.

    Call a hotline!

    The Theodore Payne Foundation, dedicated to raising awareness about native plants, has a wildflower hotline, updated each Friday about the best locations for viewing spring wildflowers in Southern and Central California: (818) 768-1802, Ext 7. (Bonus: You might recognize the voice. That’s Emmy Award-winning actor Joe Spano, of NCIS, Hill Street Blues fame.) Anza Borrego also has a Wildflower Hotline: (760) 767-4684.

    Social media, newsletters

    Find a park you’re most likely to visit, and then start stalking it. Chino Hills State Park is active on social media, offering the latest wildflower updates on the park. The Anza Borrego Foundation has a newsletter to keep you posted on blooms in the desert state park. There’s also a Desert Wildflowers & Wildlife Facebook group to join.

     A close-up of a bush bursting with golden-colored poppies against a sandy desert background.
    Parish's gold poppies near Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in San Diego County.
    (
    Jill Replogle
    /
    LAist
    )

    Take a hike

    One of the best ways to get out and see wildflowers is to take a hike. One Orange County favorite is Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, parking is $3. LAist's Megan Botel put together this guide to great places in and around L.A. to hike and look for wildflowers, including Zuma Canyon Trail and the Escondido Falls Trail, both off the coastline.

    So what should I do — or not do — once I’m there?

    Ok, so you made it to the land of wildflowers. Let's tread lightly, as these are is fragile natural habitats. Here are some tips for making the most of your adventure.

    Look, but don’t touch

    Can’t believe this one needs to be said, but it does: Do not pick the wildflowers. It’s tempting, we admit. But, for one thing, poppies are so delicate they wilt almost immediately after plucking. For another, those flowers hold the seeds that we need for the next year’s wildflowers. Plus, bees rely on these plants for pollinating. Just don’t pick the wildflowers! If a trip to see the wildflowers makes you want more, the Theodore Payne Foundation has everything you could possibly want to create your own superbloom.

    Stick to the trails

    As in, the actual trails. Not the trails some knuckleheads made trampling through the wildflowers. (People doing just that congributed to Lake Elsinore shutting down access to its wildflower areas back in 2019.) Let’s all agree to preserve the natural beauty around us and just stick to the trails, even if you don’t see a sign telling you so. And, please, no lying in the fields for selfies.

    Watch out for rattlesnakes

    This is not just a scare tactic to keep you on the trails. “Rattlers are common in wildflower fields throughout the valley, and people running into fields for a picture among the poppies encounter rattlesnakes every year,” according to the Antelope Valley reserve website, which adds: “Numerous burrows around the trails may shelter mice, gophers, kangaroo rats, beetles, scorpions, or others.”

    A close-up of purple flowers in a large open field, with green mountains in the background.
    People walk on a trail in an area with new vegetation and wildflowers on March 14, 2019 in Malibu, California.
    (
    Mario Tama
    /
    Getty Images
    )

    No going rogue

    Enter parks and protected areas only through designated gates and roads. Each year there are reports of people going offroad in bid to get the best vantage point on the wildflowers, to avoid paying for parking, to jump the line of traffic, and so on. Don’t be that person. Sure, the lines might feel like Disneyland when it gets busy, but just look out the window and enjoy it all. Enter the parks and protected areas only through the entrance gate and designated areas.

    Share your photos

    Nearly every park we mentioned here urges you to share your photos and flower finds to help out the next wildflower hunter. The Anza Borrego Foundation also urges you to upload your wildflower photos to their map to help out the next wildflower hunter. DesertUSA asks that you submit photos to their site as well, including the date, location, and photo credit info. The iNaturalist.org app is a must have for many who like to share their finds.

    Tips for making the most of your trip

    Traveling to see wildflowers can be a bit of a haul. Planning ahead can make it more of an adventure, and something to remember. Plus, you want to avoid any pitfalls. Here's how:

    Check the weather

    SoCal weather can be unpredictable. Temps can soar unexpectedly. Winds can pick up. So check the local weather for your destination, and plan accordingly. For example: Expect highs between 80-86 and lows in the 50s in Anza-Borrego at this time of year.

    A close look at tiny white flowers in bloom against a sandy, desert landscape.
    Wildflowers photographed in 2023 in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in San Diego
    (
    Jill Replogle
    /
    LAist
    )

    Gas, gas, gas

    Wildflower hunting takes us out into the wilderness. Possibly, far from fuel. So fill up before you go and top off the tank along the way. (See next item for why that is an especially good idea.)

    Answering nature’s call

    While you’re at the gas station, make a pit stop for everyone in the car. You have no idea where your next rest stop will be — or whether it will be a nasty portable toilet.

    Watch for driving hazards

    The Antelope Valley Reserve website warns that driving on the main route, Lancaster Road, can get hairy: “Please be patient and watch for the unexpected!” But the same goes for every other park, too. Watch for drivers slamming on the brakes to take a photo, car doors swinging open, people dashing across the road to see the wildflowers, and so on.

    Consider bringing a picnic

    Many parks have picnic areas, so check before you go. Lunching while gazing out at the wildflowers would be a meal to remember. But remember, to clean up after yourself and "leave no trace." Want to level up? If you see some litter, pick it up. The land will thank you.

    Purple flowers pop out of sand dunes with a desert peak in the background.
    Purple sand verbena blooms in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in December 2022.
    (
    Courtesy of Sicco Rood
    )

    Wear comfortable shoes

    Many parks have trails so you can get away from it all (including other people), so wear comfortable shoes so you can explore a bit. The Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve has eight miles of rolling trails, and a paved section for wheelchair access.

    Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

    Bring water, and drink it. Make sure others in your party are doing the same. “The reserve is a cleverly-disguised desert and you don't feel how rapidly you lose water into the dry air. As the weather gets warmer, dehydration can suck the energy out of you quickly,” according to the parks websites.

    Carry cash, credit cards

    Many parks are free. But parking might not be. Parking at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve is $10 a vehicle, and the website notes that exact change is appreciated. Other parks may offer kiosks for credit card payments, but they can break down. (Ask us how we know.)

    Leave the dogs at home

    Many parks will not allow dogs. And many parks do not offer much shade. So even if you manage to sneak your pet past a park ranger, you shouldn’t leave it in a hot car. Leave dogs at home.

    Did we miss a tip? A park? Or a great wildflower resource? Let us know and we may include it.

  • LA City Council delays increase to 2030
    A man wearing a T-shirt stands in a row with people behind him. He holds a pinkish red sign that reads "OLYMPIC WAGE NOW!"
    Members with Unite Here Local 11 attended an L.A. City Council meeting on May 14, 2025.

    Topline:

    The Los Angeles City Council has officially delayed minimum wage increases for tourism workers. The council made the final vote Tuesday, pushing back a boost to $30 an hour for airport and hotel workers from 2028 to 2030.

    Why it matters: The controversial move comes after L.A. faced major pressure from business interests, which had gathered enough signatures to put a measure on the November ballot to repeal the business tax. That effort could have financially ruined the city if it passed.

    The backstory: After the City Council voted to delay the wage from the November ballot, the leaders behind that ballot measure withdrew it.

    Read on... for how workers are responding to the delay.

    The Los Angeles City Council has officially delayed minimum wage increases for tourism workers. The council made the final vote Tuesday, pushing back a boost to $30 an hour for airport and hotel workers from 2028 to 2030.

    The controversial move comes after L.A. faced major pressure from business interests, which had gathered enough signatures to put a measure on the November ballot to repeal the business tax. That effort could have financially ruined the city if it passed.

    After the City Council voted to delay the wage from the November ballot, the leaders behind that ballot measure withdrew it.

    It's a maneuver hotel workers have called a "shakedown." Originally celebrated as an "Olympic Wage," the $30 minimum was pegged to the arrival of the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. But a battle to upend it started as soon as the City Council passed it last year.

    Workers who had counted on the increases aren't happy.

    " I would expect my councilmember to stand up for working Angelenos, not help giant companies take money out of our pockets," Jordan Long, a bartender at LAX, said at a recent council meeting.

    Stuart Waldman with the Valley Industry & Commerce Association told LAist that business groups decided to advance their ballot measure after unions wouldn't broker a deal with them directly.

    "The business community has taken a page out of the union playbook to play hardball," he said.

    Council members Eunisses Hernandez, Ysabel Jurado and Hugo Soto-Martinez voted against the motion to finalize the wage delay Tuesday.

  • Sponsored message
  • Trump DOJ deletes info on Jan 6 cases

    Topline:

    The Trump administration has mass-deleted information about prosecutions tied to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, including cases of defendants who assaulted police officers. The removals mark the latest phase of President Trump's effort to rewrite the history of the violent riot.

    Why now: Justice Department news releases that detailed guilty pleas, jury verdicts and prison sentences abruptly disappeared from government websites last week.

    Why it matters: A review by NPR found that the deleted material included information about some of the most serious assaults on law enforcement that occurred that day. NPR maintains the most complete database and visual archive of the Jan. 6 prosecutions.

    Read on... for more on the deleted information.

    The Trump administration has mass-deleted information about prosecutions tied to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, including cases of defendants who assaulted police officers. The removals mark the latest phase of President Donald Trump's effort to rewrite the history of the violent riot.

    Justice Department news releases that detailed guilty pleas, jury verdicts and prison sentences abruptly disappeared from government websites last week.

    On social media, the Justice Department defended the move, saying, "We are proud to reverse the DOJ's weaponization under the Biden administration. We will do everything in our power to make whole those who were persecuted for political purposes. This includes stripping DOJ's website of partisan propaganda."

    A review by NPR found that the deleted material included information about some of the most serious assaults on law enforcement that occurred that day. NPR maintains the most complete database and visual archive of the Jan. 6 prosecutions.

    The purged news releases covered cases including:

    • Daniel Rodriguez, who pleaded guilty to driving an electroshock device into the neck of former Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department officer Michael Fanone, and who was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison. 
    • Albuquerque Head, who pleaded guilty to assaulting police and grabbing Fanone by the neck and pulling him into the mob of rioters while yelling, "I got one!" Head was sentenced to more than seven years in prison. 
    • Thomas Webster, who was convicted by a jury of assaulting law enforcement with a metal flagpole, tackling a police officer to the ground and trying to remove the officer's gas mask. Webster was sentenced to 10 years in prison. 
    • Christopher Alberts, who was convicted by a jury of assaulting police with a wooden pallet and carrying a loaded handgun on Capitol grounds. Alberts was sentenced to seven years in prison.
    • Peter Schwartz, who was convicted by a jury of assaulting police officers with pepper spray and throwing a metal chair at law enforcement. Schwartz was sentenced to 14 years in prison. 


    The previously accessible news releases now lead to a "Page not found" message.

    The mass deletion of government information about the riot, in which a mob of Trump supporters injured 140 police officers and threatened the lives of members of Congress and then-Vice President Mike Pence, follows a broader effort by the Trump administration to whitewash the attack.

    Trump granted clemency to every Jan. 6 defendant, including full pardons for all the most violent rioters and the erasure of seditious conspiracy convictions for members of extremist groups. The Justice Department fired dozens of prosecutors who worked on Jan. 6 cases and hired a former riot defendant who was seen on video urging the mob to "kill" police. The administration settled a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the estate of rioter Ashli Babbitt, who was shot and killed while storming the Capitol, for nearly $5 million. On the fifth anniversary of the riot, the White House created a website that distorts that day's events, describing the rioters as "patriots" and blaming police for causing "chaos." And just last week, the administration announced a $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund," indicating that even rioters who assaulted police may be eligible for payouts.

    When speaking about the attack, Trump consistently describes his supporters as victims rather than perpetrators of violence.

    "I pardoned people that were assaulted themselves. They were assaulted by our government," Trump said last year. "They didn't assault. They were assaulted."

    Police officers who were violently assaulted on Jan. 6 have described suffering lifelong physical and psychological injuries.

    "I have been sentenced to a lifetime of medical issues that include physical pain and mental and emotional distress," former Capitol Police Sgt. Federico Ruiz said in a victim impact statement filed in a Jan. 6 case. "There is not a day that goes by that pain, discomfort, and/or a mental health issue do not flare up to remind me of that day."

    Brendan Ballou, a former federal prosecutor who worked on Jan. 6 cases, told NPR in a recent interview that the administration's effort to flip the story of the riot is part of a broader effort to attack democratic institutions.

    "It's clear there is an ongoing fight to rewrite the history of Jan. 6, because these people know if they can successfully get people to forget about Jan. 6 — or worse yet, condone it — then they will be able to convince people to accept any attack on democracy," said Ballou.

    Ballou currently represents two police officers who defended the Capitol on Jan. 6 and are suing to prevent payouts from the Anti-Weaponization Fund.

    While the government continues to remove information on the attack, NPR's database and visual archive of the attack remains accessible. NPR's work has been used by prosecutors, defendants, academic researchers and the general public.

    The searchable database covers all the nearly 1,600 criminal cases, including charges, convictions and sentencing outcomes. The archive also includes a timeline of the day's events and makes accessible hundreds of videos from police body cameras, Capitol surveillance footage and other sources. NPR is currently taking legal action to obtain additional video evidence held by the government, which has not been previously disclosed.
    Copyright 2026 NPR

  • LA to host Iran. The diaspora has mixed feelings
    A man dressed in a black tracksuit looks off the frame and is turned slightly away with only a side profile of his face. He is standing on a green soccer pitch with a goal in the distance. Another person is standing beside him facing off the frame as well.
    Nader Adeli a group of Iranian-Americans from around Los Angeles who play soccer together on weekends in an adult league, under the team name Arya FC.

    Key takeaways

    • Iran's participation in the World Cup has been in question since the U.S. and Israel launched a war against the country in late February. Whether the Iran team shows up or not won't be settled until they arrive in the U.S. 
    • L.A. County is home to about 166,000 Iranian-Americans — the largest population of Iranians outside of Iran. 
    • The U.S. and Iran teams have only faced off twice in World Cup history.
    • FIFA is planning to ban Iran’s former Lion and Sun flag in the stadiums. That flag is associated with those that want to see a return to monarchist rule in the country. 
    • If the teams both finish second in their groups, they'll face off in Dallas, Texas on July 3.

    Los Angeles is preparing to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup next month in unprecedented circumstances.

    As the U.S. war in Iran drags on, the United States is the first host nation in World Cup history to be at war with a participating country. And the Iran men’s team is scheduled to play two of its matches in Los Angeles, home to the largest Iranian population outside of Iran.

    Iran's participation in the tournament has been in question since the U.S. and Israel launched a bombing campaign against the country in late February. Whether they show up or not won't be settled until the team arrives in the U.S. to play. They were scheduled to train in Tucson, Arizona ahead of the tournament, but they've now re-routed to a facility in Tijuana, Mexico. FIFA confirmed the move on Monday.

    "Sports is supposed to displace war. It's not supposed to be war."
    — Kevan Harris, associate professor and vice chair, UCLA

    Iran's first match is June 15 at SoFi Stadium against New Zealand. In the meantime, Iranians in Los Angeles are anticipating the coming tournament with complicated feelings.

    " Sports is supposed to displace war. It's not supposed to be war," said Kevan Harris, a sociologist at UCLA who studies the Iranian diaspora. "Teams fighting it out when a war is going on, it has a flavor that's very difficult to process. Do I want them to win? Do I want them to lose? I don't know. "

    Los Angeles County is home to about 166,000 Iranian-Americans, according to the UCLA Center for Near Eastern Studies's Iranian Diaspora Dashboard. Demonstrations against the government inside Iran in December and January and the killing of thousands of demonstrators there led to protests against the Iranian state in Los Angeles. Then came the war, which also brought people to the streets, but has sparked divided opinions within L.A.’s Iranian communities.

    For some, those dynamics and their opinions about the Iranian government are inextricable from the coming World Cup. For others, it's just about the soccer.

    Mixed feelings for soccer players in LA

    In Woodland Hills, a group of Iranian-Americans from around Los Angeles play soccer together on Sundays in an adult league, under the team name Arya FC. On a recent weekend, many players said they were excited for the World Cup, and most said they'd root for Iran's team, known as Team Melli.

    "It's a lot going on in Iran right now, and there are a lot of mixed emotions," said Bobby Riahi, an Arya FC player who said he was going to a World Cup match and would support Iran. "You can't be a soccer fan and not be excited about the World Cup. Am I excited about seeing my national team? I have mixed feelings this year."

    A medium-skinned man has his back turned from the frame. He's wearing a red jersey with the number 25 on the back. He's also wearing white shorts and is standing on a green field.
    In Woodland Hills, a group of Iranian-Americans from around Los Angeles play soccer together on Sundays in an adult league, under the team name Arya FC.
    (
    Libby Rainey
    /
    LAist
    )

    Between stretches and warm-ups, others said they doubted Iran would advance beyond the first round of the tournament. Some named players in Iran that they followed or said that they watched Iranian football.

    Most didn't want to talk politics. Those that did, including one person who said he wouldn't support Iran because he thought it was the regime's team, didn't want to share their full names.

    " It's a tough moment for sure for a lot of Iranians.  I think a lot of my compatriots are pretty much divided," said Mehran Janani, another player. "There is a split, I think, in the Iranian population, about the Iranian team being here. There are some folks that are excited. There are some folks who are not happy for the presence of the Iranian team. And that all comes down to politics, unfortunately."

    Nader Adeli, who manages the team, said he hoped all that could be set aside for the World Cup.

    "Soccer has always been the most-watched sport in the world. And I think that will bring everybody together, at least for a period of one month of June to July," he said. "Let's hope for the best – that Americans will see the other side of the Iranian people as well."

    A history of controversy at the World Cup

    Iran's participation in the World Cup has been marked by political controversy before, including just four years ago. In 2022, the Iranian national team headed to Qatar for the World Cup as mass protests took place in Iran, sparked by the death of 22 year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody.

    The "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement led some in the Iranian diaspora to push for a boycott of the team, asking FIFA to ban Iran from the tournament.

    A group of men are running on a field with a soccer ball towards the center of the frame. The men are dressed in blue and white uniforms across a green soccer pitch.
    Christian Pulisic of USA battles for the ball with Ramin Rezaeian of Iran during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 at Al Thumama Stadium on Nov, 29, 2022 in Doha, Qatar.
    (
    Dean Mouhtaropoulos
    /
    Getty Images
    )

    "There was all kinds of pressure around trying to say that the team was not a national team, but that it represented the Islamic Republic, and therefore it should be boycotted," said Niki Akhavan, associate professor of media and communication studies at Catholic University of America.

    Iran did end up playing in the World Cup in 2022, where the team faced the U.S. for just the second time in tournament history. They lost 1-0.

    A crowd of people are holding the American and Iran national flags. Some are wearing foam green crowns.
    Fans with the USA and Iran's flags attend the Qatar 2022 World Cup match between Iran and USA at the Al-Thumama Stadium in Doha on Nov. 29, 2022.
    (
    Patrick T. Fallon
    /
    Getty Images
    )

    Prior to that, the two countries faced off in 1998 at the World Cup in France. The showdown came after nearly two decades of hostility between the U.S. and Iran following the Iranian Revolution and subsequent hostage crisis.

    That match was dubbed "the mother of all games." The New York Times called it "the most visible head-to-head sporting event between the two countries since the Islamic revolution in 1979."

    Iran won 2-1, knocking the U.S. out of the tournament. Before the match, Iranian team members presented the U.S. team with white roses. But in the stands, there were protests against the Islamic Republic from members of a controversial expatriate Iranian opposition group.

    About a dozen men are standing on a field. Half of them are wearing red jerseys and the others are wearing white jerseys. They're exchanging flowers and shaking hands.
    USA Team players exchange flowers with the Iranian Team before the World Cup 1st round match at the Stade de Garland on June 21, 1998 in Lyon, France.
    (
    Simon M. Bruty
    /
    Getty Images
    )

    "There will be protests"

    This time around, some members of the Iranian diaspora in Los Angeles think that protests around the World Cup are inevitable.

    "There's no doubt that there will be protests. The question is where will they happen?" said Harris, of UCLA. "What will be the slogan? What will be the demand? That's hard to tell."

    Sheila Rossi, who was born in Iran and is now the mayor of South Pasadena, said she expects there to be conflict over the flags people will bring to the Iran matches.

    Many demonstrators in Los Angeles have carried the country’s pre-revolutionary Lion and Sun flag as a symbol of protest. That flag bears the same green, white and red stripes as Iran's national flag, but includes an image of a golden sun and lion instead of an Arabic inscription.

    FIFA is planning to ban the Lion and Sun flag inside the stadiums, according to The Athletic.

    "If there's going to be a fight, it's going to be about this flag issue," Rossi said.

    Still, others are hoping the tournament can usher in a time of celebration for Iranians who have spent much of the year worrying about the war and family inside Iran.

    Shaheen Ferdowsi runs a Persian restaurant in West L.A. called Meymuni Cafe. Throughout the year, he's hosted events to bring together Iranians from around Los Angeles, and opened his doors to people after protests against the Iranian government and amid the war.

    A medium-skinned man is holding a red beverage behind a white counter. He's wearing a beige shirt and a silver necklace. Behind him is more kitchen counter space with bottles.
    Shaheen Ferdowsi runs Meymuni Cafe in West L.A.
    (
    Libby Rainey
    /
    LAist
    )

    Now, he's hoping the cafe can be a place of celebration during the World Cup. He's planning watch parties and special menu items like lamb nachos for the occasion. He's also hoping his restaurant can be a space for Iranians visiting from other parts of the world for the tournament to gather.

    "The heartbeat of the Persian diaspora is in Los Angeles," he said. " I think that there's just going to be an electric vibe of Iranians all together here."

    Back on the soccer field in Woodland Hills, Mehran Janani, one of the players, said he hoped the tournament could bring some levity to people inside Iran, who have endured months of war and a crackdown on protests before that.

    " I think with the current political climate in Iran,  I'm hoping that at least the soccer will bring some joy to the Iranian nation," Janani said. “I know as a country we love soccer.”

    If both teams do advance through the first round, it's possible that the U.S. and Iran teams will face each other again, this time on American soil. If the countries each finish second in their groups, they'll play in Dallas, Texas on July 3.

  • SoCal in store for cooler temps, gusty winds
    Tall buildings and part of a mountain are obscured by gray fog and cloudy skies in the distance. A line of trees, including a palm sticking out into the sky, are sitting in front of the fog.
    Morning fog slowly burns off over Universal City on May 31, 2025.

    Topline:

    Southern California is in store for cooler temperatures, gusty winds and a chance of showers this week as a mixed bag of “May Gray” weather moves into the region.

    Why now: The cooler forecast is expected to stick around through Thursday before warmer temperatures kick in Friday, lingering into next week.

    Cooler conditions: Temperatures will be 10 to 20 degrees below normal “at the very least” in L.A. County for the next few days, according to the National Weather Service. That doesn’t mean L.A. County won’t see sunshine, particularly in the mornings.

    It won’t be quite as chilly in Orange County, according to Lauren Villafane, a meteorologist with the San Diego office. But in the Inland Empire, she said, temperatures will be “well below” the seasonal average.

    Rain: Showers and a brief thunderstorm or two are possible, mostly in the L.A. County mountains and higher terrain areas, but there is a small chance of wet weather drifting into the valleys and coastal areas.

    The marine layer is back in Orange County, which Villafane said could bring some patchy drizzle in the mornings.

    Winds: It’s going to be gusty on L.A. County beaches, mountains and desert areas through Thursday. A wind advisory was in effect Tuesday for the Antelope Valley, as well as parts of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. Some of Santa Barbara County, including El Capitan State Beach and San Marcos Pass, are under a wind advisory through Wednesday morning.

    Orange County mountains will see winds between 40 to 50 mph with isolated gusts around 70 mph. Villafane encouraged people to be careful driving through the mountain areas, especially with taller vehicles “because they can get blown around a little bit.”

    Surf: A high surf advisory is in effect for San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara county beaches until Wednesday evening. Dangerous rip currents and large breaking waves between 8 to 12 feet are expected, according to forecasters.

    Rip currents could also kick up along Orange County beaches. “So definitely to be careful when they're swimming out there, pay attention to those flags and those lifeguards,” Villafane said.

    What's next: By early next week, L.A. County temperatures will hang around 90 degrees in the valleys and mid-80s in downtown L.A. Temperatures on the coasts are expected to stay near normal, likely in the upper 60s to mid-70s.

    Next Tuesday looks like it’ll be the warmest day in Orange County with temperatures up to several degrees above normal, according to the National Weather Service.

    Go deeper: The most polluted beach in SoCal won't shock Angelenos. But what are the cleanest ones?