Makenna Cramer
covers the daily drumbeat of Southern California — events, processes and nuances making it a unique place to call home.
Published March 31, 2025 6:30 AM
The Burbank TARDIS sits next to Harvey the Dalek at Geeky Teas and Games. Can you help doctor it?
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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Topline:
A blue police box in Burbank has hosted wedding proposals, family Christmas photoshoots and countless excited smiles over the past 15 years — but now, it needs your help.
About the TARDIS: It’s a replica of one of the most recognizable and iconic inventions from the long-running TV series Doctor Who. And this one was engineered by the late Grant Imahara, a roboticist best known for his work on Mythbusters and White Rabbit Project.
Why now: The creation has been in the care of Donna Ricci, owner of Geeky Teas and Games, who is looking for handy Whovian volunteers to give the Burbank TARDIS an overdue facelift.
How you can help: If you’re willing to help, you can reach out to Ricci by email: donna@geekyteas.com.
Read on ... about the origin of Burbank's TARDIS.
A blue police box in Burbank has hosted wedding proposals, family Christmas photo shoots and countless excited smiles over the past 15 years — but now, it needs your help.
It’s a replica of a TARDIS, which stands for “Time and Relative Dimension in Space.” It’s one of the most recognizable and iconic inventions from the long-running TV series Doctor Who.
This box may not be able to travel through time and is just as big on the inside as the outside, but it was engineered by the late Grant Imahara, a roboticist best known for his work on Mythbusters and White Rabbit Project.
The creation has been in the care of Donna Ricci, friend and owner of Geeky Teas and Games, who is now looking for handy Whovian volunteers who can give the Burbank TARDIS an overdue facelift.
“She’s brought joy,” she told LAist. ”I love it when people didn't expect her but then stumble upon her. For them, it's like a piece of magic. It's kind of a signal that magic exists somewhere in the world and possibilities are there.”
Grant Imahara poses inside the Burbank TARDIS. It used to make a roaring sound when the door opened.
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Courtesy of Donna Ricci
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The origin story
Ricci knew how important Doctor Who was to people even before she watched an episode.
She figured that the TARDIS, a strange ship that carries characters to parallel universes and alien worlds, would be a great addition for her store and community.
Imahara "got so excited when I told him I'm gonna build a TARDIS for people to enjoy outside,” she said. “And he's like, I have some friends at the BBC. Let me get you some plans to help you out.”
He brought back the dimensions from the BBC (the network that produces the show), drew up the rest of the plans from there and gave Ricci a “police telephone box” sign to put on the front door for when it was finished.
The TARDIS has traveled between various store locations over the years, even earning a visit from Doctor Who star John Barrowman. And Ricci still remembers when she realized it meant something to others too.
“ I was in my store late at night and ... I heard brakes on the car go slamming,” she said, her voice cracking slightly with emotion. “ People were just posing with her and having a great time and just so excited that they could open the door and, you know, act like they were coming out of the TARDIS. And that's when I knew.”
TARDIS needs a little TLC
The TARDIS got banged up at Geeky Teas and Games' last location, where it sat in the glaring SoCal sun for about five years.
The heat warped the doors and pulled pieces of wood away from itself. It’s been marred with graffiti and scratches, and someone even threw a full container of orange juice through one of the windows.
“She used to also light up and make the roaring noise when you open the door,” Ricci said. “She doesn't do that anymore.”
The TARDIS definitely needs some work.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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How you can help
The Burbank TARDIS needs a sonic screwdriver, or at least someone who can help give it a new lease on life.
Ricci is looking for volunteers who have experience in building, carpentry, woodworking or similar skills. Some pieces can be saved, she said, while others need to be rebuilt.
If you’re willing to help, you can reach out to Ricci by sending an email to: donna@geekyteas.com.
She’s hoping to have the TARDIS fixed up by July, the anniversary of Imahara’s death, so it can be part of a new memorial.
TARDIS under construction.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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The memorial plaque for Grant Imahara.
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Courtesy of Donna Ricci
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“ I don't think people knew how kind he was,” she said. “ I'm so grateful that he was always on board with anything I wanted to do and just constantly lending a hand, not to just me, but other people. He was always giving things ... I wish more people could have known him.”
Ricci is also planning to hang a portrait of Imahara in the lobby of Geeky Teas and Games' new Alameda Avenue location, not far from their life-sized Dalek named Harvey.
By Christopher Weber and Amy Taxin | Associated Press
Published September 8, 2026 5:09 PM
Emergency vehicles repond to the chemical leak in LA Habra on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026.
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Jae C. Hong
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Associated Press
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Topline:
A slow leak from a chemical tank smeared an orange cloud across the sky of a Southern California neighborhood on Tuesday, but authorities said they quickly got it under control.
Why it matters: Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Aaron Katon said authorities responded to a La Habra business that makes cleaning products after receiving a call shortly before noon about the cloud. Police evacuated a nearby middle school as a precaution, Katon said.
The chemical: They do not yet know what the chemical was, but all shelter-in-place orders have been lifted, Katon said.
What's next: The regional air quality management district has deployed staff to the area to investigate, said Connie Villanueva, a spokesperson for the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
A slow leak from a chemical tank smeared an orange cloud across the sky of a Southern California neighborhood on Tuesday, but authorities said they quickly got it under control.
Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Aaron Katon said authorities responded to a business that makes cleaning products after receiving a call shortly before noon about the cloud. Police evacuated a nearby middle school as a precaution, Katon said.
They do not yet know what the chemical was, but all shelter-in-place orders have been lifted, he said. The regional air quality management district has deployed staff to the area to investigate, said Connie Villanueva, a spokesperson for the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
The company, Shepard Bros., could not immediately be reached for comment.
Three company employees reported minor respiratory irritation and declined further treatment, Katon said.
The leak occurred in the city of La Habra near a mix of residential neighborhoods and industrial warehouses about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Anaheim.
Keary Godinez, who works in a nearby restaurant, said she saw what appeared to be a dark yellow cloud spread across the sky. The 20-year-old said she watched students across the street board buses to evacuate, but police told her the eatery could remain open.
“It looked like pollen dust,” Godinez said, adding she didn’t detect a smell from the cloud. “It just kind of smeared in the sky and started going away.”
La Habra Mayor Jose Medrano had urged residents to shelter in place and said some streets were being evacuated.
Luis Gomez, who manages a nearby pickleball program, said earlier Tuesday he saw the cloud, called police and was told anyone within a mile radius of the location was under an evacuation order.
Lakers head coach Phil Jackson celebrates after defeating the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals.
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Christian Petersen
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Getty Images North America
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Topline:
The Los Angeles Lakers will unveil a statue of former coach Phil Jackson outside their downtown arena next year. The Lakers announced the plan Tuesday to honor Jackson, who led the Lakers to five championships and seven NBA Finals appearances during two stints totaling 11 seasons as their head coach.
The backstory: After his famed tenure leading Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls to six championships, Jackson joined the Lakers in 1999 and immediately began another era of major success for the 17-time NBA champion franchise. His first three teams in Los Angeles won championships behind the dynamic duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, and the Lakers added two more titles in 2009 and 2010 led by Bryant and Pau Gasol. His Lakers also made the NBA Finals in 2004 and 2008.
What's next: The statue will be unveiled April 9 before the Lakers’ home game against Minnesota.
The Los Angeles Lakers will unveil a statue of former coach Phil Jackson outside their downtown arena next year.
The Lakers announced the plan Tuesday to honor Jackson, who led the Lakers to five championships and seven NBA Finals appearances during two stints totaling 11 seasons as their head coach.
The statue will be unveiled April 9 before the Lakers’ home game against Minnesota.
After his famed tenure leading Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls to six championships, Jackson joined the Lakers in 1999 and immediately began another era of major success for the 17-time NBA champion franchise.
His first three teams in Los Angeles won championships behind the dynamic duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, and the Lakers added two more titles in 2009 and 2010 led by Bryant and Pau Gasol. His Lakers also made the NBA Finals in 2004 and 2008.
Jackson set the Lakers franchise record for coaches with 610 victories while leading his teams to the playoffs in every year of his tenure, which ended in 2011.
“Phil Jackson defines championship basketball for a reason,” Lakers governor Jeanie Buss said in a statement. “His masterful approach to coaching brought out the best in some of the greatest athletes to ever play the game. After he accepted my dad’s invitation to join the Lakers, Phil’s unmatched creativity and commitment to excellence restored our championship legacy, bringing five titles and setting a standard of excellence for generations to come. It is a great joy to be able to mark that achievement with the statue he so richly deserves.”
Jackson will be the ninth person associated with the Lakers to be honored with a statue in Star Plaza outside their arena. He joins Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Bryant, O’Neal, broadcaster Chick Hearn and former coach Pat Riley, whose statue was unveiled earlier this year.
Jackson’s 11 championships as a head coach are the most in NBA history. The North Dakota native and former New York Knicks forward is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame.
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Lucas Brady Woods
covers the weather and disasters, among other climate and science topics.
Published September 8, 2026 3:25 PM
Clouds form over Venice Beach in August. Tropical moisture from Hurricane Marie is currently causing extreme humidity in Southern California this week.
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Apu Gomes
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Getty Images North America
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Topline:
The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat warning for much of Southern California from Wednesday morning through Thursday.
The details: This week’s combination of heat and humidity could be worse than it has been all summer. Forecasters say temperatures will peak on Wednesday. Highs could get up to the triple digits. Overnight lows will also stay elevated. They may only get down to the 70s in places, offering little relief from the heat.
The humidity: Climate experts say the humidity this week could be some of the highest on record in Southern California, even after a summer marked by repeated humid heatwaves. The moisture in the air, combined with the extreme heat, makes it increasingly difficult for the human body to cool down, especially when outdoors. It’s also driving scattered rain and thunderstorms that will continue for the next few days.
The backstory: The tropical moisture is due in large part to the leftovers of Hurricane Marie hundreds of miles away in the Pacific Ocean. On top of that, record high ocean temperatures off the Southern California coast are adding to the humidity.
Destiny Torres
covers all things SoCal, from breaking news to local government, with a focus on Orange County.
Published September 8, 2026 2:22 PM
Mari Barke, photographed at the California Policy Center in Irvine in 2024.
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Courtesy of Mari Barke
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Topline:
An O.C. Superior Court judge increased the economic penalties for Orange County Board of Education member Marilyn “Mari” Barke for failing to report millions of dollars in economic disclosure filings. She will now have to pay more than $100,000 in penalties, according to court documents.
Why it matters: Barke was elected in 2018 to the Orange County Board of Education, which oversees and approves the county’s education budget that serves around 450,000 students.
Background: In 2024, the Fair Political Practices Commission found Barke liable for failing to correctly report income, resulting in a $3,200 penalty. But a judge in July said the FPPC’s settlement didn’t fully address Barke’s actions.
What are the penalties? Barke will have to pay $101,800 in penalties, as well as attorney fees, for incorrectly filling out economic disclosure statements and for failure to correct amended statements. She will be credited the $3,200 paid to the FPPC. Barke’s lawyer did not immediately respond to LAist’s request for comment.
What changed? Orange County Superior Court Judge H. Shaina Colover handed the decision on Sept. 3. Colover said in a final statement on the decision that “substantial civil damages are warranted” to enforce the Political Reform Act and prevent future violations.
Officials say: The complaint was filed by Lynne Riddle, a retired judge. Riddle’s lawyers said in a statement to LAist that the court’s ruling is a “landmark” outcome for public trust and that the high penalty fees show how serious the offenses were. “We hope this result reminds every public official in California that transparency is not optional, and that the public has both the right to know and the tools to hold them accountable when transparency is ignored,” Riddle’s legal team said.
