Topline:
Following their historic back-to-back World Series championship win last night, the Los Angeles Dodgers have announced plans for a parade and stadium celebration set to take place Monday.
What are the details: The championship parade will take place Monday. The route begins at 11 a.m. on Temple Street and Broadway Avenue with the team slowly making its way to Dodger Stadium for a celebration.
Read on ... for details and how to get tickets for the rally.
With their downtown victory parade wrapped, the Los Angeles Dodgers arrived for a rally at their home base in Elysian Park, where fans heard from the team on what it took to secure their mind-blowing World Series title.
The excitement comes from the team's back-to-back win Saturday night, which is the first time in 25 years that's happened.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who's led the team to three World Series titles, said the team was never going to be denied another championship. Now, he said, his eyes are set on a third consecutive win for next season.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, World Series MVP who set up the last out against the Blue Jays as pitcher, told the crowd he loves Los Angeles and that fans won, too. Kiké Hernandez brought even more energy when he likened the Dodger's repeat success to a dynasty.
Shohei Ohtani also expressed his gratitude. "I'm so proud of this team," he said. "You guys are the greatest fans in the world. I'm ready to get another ring next year."
An emotional moment came as Clayton Kershaw spoke to the crowd, thanking the fans for 18 years. This was his final season before retirement.
"Last year, I said I was a Dodger for life, " he told fans. "Today, that's true. Today, I get to say that I'm a champion for life. That's never going away."
Bonnie Chui, who came from Pomona, said downtown Los Angeles has been transformed into "blue heaven on earth."
"I was kind of losing hope there in the end, but you know they pulled it off and I should have known they were gonna do it," Chui said about the team's World Series victory. She came for the parade last year and had to come back again this year.
"It was so fun," she said.
Dodgers fan Christine Gennawey drove in from Whittier with her family for the celebrations.
"I'm 70 years old, this really is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me to see this," she said.
The Dodgers have come under fire for their response to immigration enforcement raids in Los Angeles. But, Gennawey said, she's keeping "the politics" outside the festivities today.
"Let's just have fun and play ball," she said. "It's not taking sides because you know it's already tearing apart families."
The ticketed event had food, entertainment and plenty of World Series merchandise. Due to street closures, fans were only able to attend either the parade or the stadium celebration.
The rally sold out quickly.
These courthouses in downtown were closed because of the parade, according to the Superior Court of Los Angeles County.
Topline:
Protesters are planning to gather in Downtown Los Angeles Saturday afternoon in reaction to the overnight airstrikes launched by the United States and Israel across Iran.
Read on... for details about those plans and reactions to the attack by local elected officials.
Protesters are planning to gather in Downtown Los Angeles Saturday afternoon in reaction to the overnight airstrikes launched by the United States and Israel across Iran.
A coalition of organizations including the National Iranian American Council, the ANSWER coalition, and 50501 are holding an “emergency day of action” nationwide to protest the attacks and in opposition of a war with the country.
Locally, the demonstration is scheduled outside City Hall in Downtown Los Angeles beginning at 2 p.m.
An outsized portion of the Iranian diaspora make their homes in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of 2019, nearly 140,000 immigrants from Iran — representing more than one in three of all Iranian immigrants in the U.S. — lived in the L.A. area. More than half of all Iranian immigrants to the U.S. live in California overall.
The office of L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement that the city is closely monitoring for "any threats" to the city and urges Angelenos to voice their views in a "peaceful" way.
“While there are no known credible threats at this time, LAPD has stepped up patrols near places of worship, community spaces, and other areas of the city, and we will remain vigilant in protecting our city," the statement reads.
A number of state and local lawmakers are weighing in on the attacks.
Rep. Judy Chu
“President Trump has launched an unlawful war with Iran despite no imminent threat to the United States, no long-term strategy, no support from the American public, and no authorization from Congress.”
Chu is a Democrat who represents California's 28th Congressional district, which includes parts of the San Gabriel Valley.
My statement on the Trump Administration’s War with Iran: https://t.co/kfFMVLbPDU pic.twitter.com/SElFR4b3rK
— Judy Chu (@RepJudyChu) February 28, 2026
Sen. Alex Padilla
“At a time when millions of hardworking families face higher costs of living and skyrocketing health care to pay for tax breaks for billionaires, Donald Trump is now pushing the country toward a war that risks American lives without presenting a clear justification to the American people or any plan to prevent escalation and chaos in the region.”
This decision to strike Iran without Congressional approval stands in stark contrast to a President who promised to put Americans first and end foreign wars. At a time when millions of hardworking families face higher costs of living and skyrocketing health care to pay for tax…
— Senator Alex Padilla (@SenAlexPadilla) February 28, 2026
Padilla is a Democrat who has represented California in the U.S. Senate since 2021.
Sen. Adam Schiff
“Trump is drawing our country into yet another foreign war that Americans don’t want and Congress has not authorized. The Iranian regime is a brutal and murderous dictatorship. But that does not give Trump the authority to unilaterally initiate a war of choice. Congress should immediately return to vote on the Kaine Paul Schiff Schumer War Powers Resolution.”
Trump is drawing our country into yet another foreign war that Americans don’t want and Congress has not authorized.
— Adam Schiff (@SenAdamSchiff) February 28, 2026
The Iranian regime is a brutal and murderous dictatorship. But that does not give Trump the authority to unilaterally initiate a war of choice.
Congress…
Schiff is a Democrat who has represented California in the U.S. Senate since 2024.
Rep. Jimmy Gomez
“By launching this operation on his own, the president has put Congress and the country in the worst possible position. He started a war first, and now Congress is being asked to deal with the consequences instead of deciding whether the war should begin at all.”
The president’s own statement acknowledges this is war, yet he never came to Congress to ask for authorization to start it. The Constitution is clear that the decision to take this country to war does not belong to one person. That safeguard exists to protect the American people…
— Rep. Jimmy Gomez (@RepJimmyGomez) February 28, 2026
Gomez is a Democrat who represents California's 34th Congressional district which includes downtown L.S. and many neighborhoods in the central part of the city.
Topline:
The U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday after weeks of threats from President Donald Trump over Iran's nuclear capabilities.
The goal: Trump announced what he called "major combat operations" that are "massive and ongoing" in Iran in a video posted to Truth Social at 2:30am ET. He said the objective was to "defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats" from Iran.
Keep reading... for what you need to know about the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.
The U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday after weeks of threats from President Donald Trump over Iran's nuclear capabilities
Here's what you need to know about the US and Israeli attacks on Iran:
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the goal of the joint US Israeli strikes is to quote "remove the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran."
Netanyahu said in a video: "Our joint action will create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands."
A person briefed on the operation told NPR it was expected to last a few days, with Israel's military focusing on targeting Iran's missile program.
President Trump announced what he called "major combat operations" that are "massive and ongoing" in Iran in a video posted to Truth Social at 2:30am ET. He said the objective was to "defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats" from Iran.
A third round of indirect negotiations between Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner failed to produce a diplomatic solution on Thursday.
The Israel strikes targeted Khamenei and the Iranian president, trying to assassinate them, a person briefed on the operation told NPR's Daniel Estrin. A person briefed on the matter told NPR that Israeli assessments are that Khamenei was hit.
Iran's news agency IRNA says the US-Israeli strikes hit a girls school, killing at least 53 young female students and wounding dozens more.
Trump encouraged innocent Iranians to "take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will probably be your only chance for generations" once what the Pentagon is calling "Operation Epic Fury" is over.
He previously said he was concerned about the Iranian regime's killing of protesters and has previously cited that as potential justification for US strikes.
Iran's foreign ministry has called the airstrikes by the U.S and Israel a "gross violation" of its national sovereignty, and vowed to respond decisively.
The UAE's Defense Ministry says Iranian ballistic missiles targeted the country, which hosts U.S. troops at several locations in the country
Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan have all been targeted by Iran. All of them have US troops present.
US Navy's Fifth Fleet service center in Manama, Bahrain was hit according to the government there. The other countries say the missiles were intercepted. The UAE says debris from a missile interception killed an Asian migrant worker. Loud booms have been heard over Dubai according to our correspondent there.
Copyright 2026 NPR
Topline:
The Irwindale Brewery’s “Miller” beer sign along the 210 Freeway was replaced with a new sign by its current owners at the end of last year.
Why it matters: The 48-by-34-foot sign greeted commuters on the 210 Freeway for over 40 years and became a landmark for the city of Irwindale.
Why now: It took a while for the company to decide what to do with the sign because of its legacy in Irwindale, but a new sign finally started going up in December of last year.
The backstory: The sign was damaged by up to 90 mph winds during the same Santa Ana wind event that started the Eaton Fire in January 2025.
What it says now: The sign now says “City Brewing & Beverage Irwindale,” which is the name of the company that’s been operating it since 2021.
Read on ... to find the full history on why the legacy and importance of the Miller sign.
For decades, the Miller sign greeted drivers on the 210 freeway passing through Irwindale.
But, a year ago, during January’s wind storms, the crimson red and white “Miller” logo was damaged.
Then in December, a new sign — "City Brewing & Beverage” — went up, leading many commuters to wonder what happened.
To answer that question, let's go back to Irwindale's history.
Irwindale was once best known for its mining quarries, which were older than the city itself and were integral to the construction of L.A’.s freeway system.
Most of the quarries ceased operations in the 1970s, and with them, so went much of Irwindale’s industry.
Around that same time, the site of the old Irwindale Raceway, which used to be one of the few racetracks in the San Gabriel Valley, went up for sale.
And here came Miller beer.
“So Miller, according to legend, bought the property for a dollar and then they built the brewery,” said Anita Hernandez, communications manager for City Brewing who used to work for Miller.
As it turns out, the $1 land acquisition isn’t just a legend.
“No, that's actually true," said Iris Espino, assistant to Irwindale’s city manager. "So while it was just a dollar, the city thought it would build wealth over the next 30, 40, 50 years. And essentially, it did."
The Irwindale brewery under construction.
Miller purchased the lot in 1977. The deal included 230 acres of land to build the brewery, which opened in 1980.
Three years later, the sign overlooking the 210 went up. The 48-by-34-foot structure rolled into Irwindale on three separate rail cars.
It rotated until the late 1990s, but faulty gears led the company to make it stationary. It's been facing both sides of the 210 Freeway ever since.
Ownership of the brewery — which locals just called Irwindale brewery for convenience — changed hands over the years.
In 2021, City Brewing & Beverage moved in.
They decided to keep the “Miller” sign for all that it had brought to Irwindale.
“Over the last few decades, we have seen the jobs, the infrastructure and this economic identity that Irwindale is now this large industrial hub. And it started with Miller Brewery,” Espino said.
Other big manufacturers came in following Miller. Q & B Foods, which distributes Kewpie mayo in the U.S., moved there in 1986. Huy Fong Foods, the maker of
sriracha, broke ground on a new factory in 2010.
Ready Pac Foods moved there in 1993 and has become one of Irwindale's largest employers.
But Miller started it all.
“The sign, definitely iconic to residents, to just people that drive that 210 freeway every single day,” Espino said. “And we hear it. I can't tell you the amount of times we hear about that sign.”
For people in Irwindale, it’s still a point of pride to have worked at the business that started the economic boom.
Ben Maillete is plant manager for City Brewing. He started working at the brewery in 2014, back when it was owned by Miller. He said there was one easy way to explain to people where he was employed.
“I was like, ‘Well, you know that sign on the highway?’ " he said.
Employees at the Irwindale brewery debated on whether to restore the sign or make a brand new one when it was damaged during last year’s January wind and fire storms.
A third of the City Brewery's current employees worked for Miller and felt a connection to the original sign, so the company decided update the sign but keep the iconic structure and shape as a tribute.
“I don't think anybody knew that City Brewery and Beverage was operating here, and now they do,” Maillete said.
He said it’s their way of giving a nod to the past while also looking toward the future.
Topline:
News came this week that a buyer is in sight for the so-called "graffiti towers" in downtown L.A.
Why it matters: For the new owner, one of the first orders of business would be to strip away all the graffiti.
The backstory: Construction of the $1 billion luxury high-rise residential and hotel project began in 2015 with the aim to transform downtown Los Angeles. Four years later, the three towers sat skeletal after their Chinese developer ran out of money to finish the job.
So.. We talked to a graffiti removal expert about what it would take to get all that stuff off.
News came this week that a buyer is in sight for the so-called "graffiti towers" in downtown L.A. — known in its better days as Oceanwide Plaza before falling on hard times to become, to its critics, a landmark of shame.
The purchase, priced at $470 million, is subject to final court approval that could happen in a couple of months.
Construction of the $1 billion luxury high-rise residential and hotel project began in 2015 with the aim to transform downtown Los Angeles. Four years later, the three towers sat skeletal after their Chinese developer ran out of money to finish the job. The buildings gained worldwide notoriety in 2024 when a video of its thoroughly tagged up exteriors, sprouting hundreds of feet above ground, went viral.
For the would-be joint owners — KPC Group and Lendlease — one of the first orders of business will be to strip away all the graffiti.
Dustin Coad is the owner of Kaptive Construction and Preservation, a firm that mainly specializes in restoring the facades of historic buildings.
"So tile, brick stone, marble, terracotta, concrete, and then also any type of historic windows," Coad said.
Kaptive, which has been in the business for more than three decades, has done graffiti removal work on a number of architectural gems, including the Merritt building on Broadway in downtown L.A.
With Oceanwide Plaza, as with any other structures, graffiti removal methods depend on the building materials.
If the frames of the towers were made with poured concrete, Coad said you could apply a chemical stripping agent on the surface and leave it soaking overnight.
"And then you kind of peel them off," he said. " And that's hopeful."
Another option is to blast the paint off with tiny little beads of glass.
"[They] are pressurized and hit the building and kind of explode and would pull the paint off without damaging the concrete or the substrate," Coad said.
That's the method Kaptive used to remove decades-old graffiti from the marble facade of the Merritt building — a more damage-prone material than concrete.
"We deal with concrete all the time — but old concrete — newer concrete is more solid and should be easy to remove," he said.
While the exterior — if it is indeed poured concrete — is a relatively straightforward job, the windows are not.
"The vast majority of the graffiti is on the windows," he said. "I have no idea what films or elements or whatever [else] may be on that glass. The chemical agent may work poorly with whatever is applied to that glass."
So the first thing Coad would do is to call up the manufacturer for recommendations, and then test things out.
"Option 1 is to remove it. Option 2 is to replace everything," Coad said. "And Option 1 will be significantly cheaper, but it will not be cheap."
Another major consideration is safety. After all, each of the towers is more than 500 feet tall, with graffiti on multiple floors.
"Number one is looking at it from how would we access all of the panes of glass from the exterior of the buildings," he said, adding that he would work with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) from the get-go to put in place the safest possible work environment for his crew.
"Everybody will be harnessed in. There'll be the main line, there'll be a safety line, and I think we would want to erect some sort of netting or railing," he said. "I want to make sure if they slip that nothing's going to happen to them other than maybe a bruise."
Coad said it's going to require spending time out at the towers, followed by mockups and sample strip tests to arrive at an accurate quote and timeframe for the project. Ballpark-wise, " hundreds upon hundreds of hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not in the million range."
One thing he is certain about.
" It's not gonna be cheap," he said. "It will take a very long time."
