Mariana Dale
explores and explains the forces that shape how and what kids learn from kindergarten to high school.
Published April 23, 2025 5:00 AM
A prime example of how some vines can "can climb almost anything," in the words of the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
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Mariana Dale
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LAist
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Topline:
Noticed the yellow flowers cascading down the sound walls along the 110 Freeway lately? According to Caltrans, it’s called cat’s claw, and the vines were first planted in 1996 to block graffiti, mitigate heat and beautify the urban corridor.
The backstory: “Vines were field-tested to see which vines would flourish in a freeway environment where wind, glare, pavement temperatures, and road dust can damage a plant's health,” our region’s Caltrans landscape architecture team wrote in a statement. “They knew that a block wall would store heat during the day, reflect glare, and raise the ambient air temperature in the area. One way to mitigate this effect, which we call the heat island effect, would be to cover the walls in vines to cool the air in the surrounding area.”
Are they invasive? The climbing vine is native to the West Indies, Central and South America, but is now found around the world from China to Australia. In Florida the plants are illegal to buy and sell and are considered a “major nuisance” because they crowd out local flora.
Why it matters: Alessandro Ossola studies how plants can create greener healthier cities at the University of California Davis. One of his current research projects examines how vines can cool urban spaces. “The beauty of vines is that they grow fast — much faster than a tree,” Ossola said. “We can actually use the two of them together because if we want to green cities faster, the tree is your long-term goal, right? But the vines can be that stop gap measure to create shade fast.”
My 110 Freeway commute to LAist’s Pasadena office is lined with beige, concrete walls that (try to) insulate the surrounding neighborhoods from the din of my car and the thousands of others on the road.
Listen
0:40
These yellow flowers cover the 110 Freeway walls. Here's how they got there
But on a recent morning, a thick garland of yellow flowers spilled over the top of the sound walls from the 91 through the South Figueroa Corridor and glowed in the early light.
I wondered what could grow, let alone thrive, in such an unforgiving place. So I put my journalistic powers to use and found more questions along the way.
As of 2023, there are about 338 miles of soundwall in L.A.and Ventura Counties according to Caltrans' office of environmental engineering (including one segment made from mulch in Long Beach.)
L.A. Metro and the State Department of Transportation collaborate to build the county's soundwalls, and Caltrans is responsible for their upkeep. I sent one of their representatives a photo taken from my car window and received an answer two days later.
Dolichandra unguis-cati. Common name: “cat’s claw” vine.
Cat's claw flowers engulf the sound wall on the westside of the 110 sound wall near Vernon Avenue on April 10, 2025.
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Mariana Dale
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LAist
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The Caltrans spokesperson ended their email with “please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.”
And I did have questions.
Because when you punch cat’s claw into Google, one of the top search results is a university article that calls the “showy but invasive plant” a “major nuisance” that is illegal to sell or buy in Florida.
“Invasive plants don't support our local fluttery and flying and crawling species — birds, bees, butterflies, caterpillars,” said Erik Blank, a horticultural educator at the nonprofit Theodore Payne Foundation. “They may out-compete the plants that do support those species.”
The climbing vine is native to the West Indies, Central and South America, but is now found around the world from China to Australia. Blank pointed me to a USDA report that estimated that cat’s claw could establish itself in about 20% of the United States.
“That tells me this plant is super adaptable,” Blank said. ”I admire plants like that, but I don't wanna… play with fire, so to say.”
In mid-April 2025, I noticed thick garlands of yellow flowers spilling over the top of the sound walls from the 91 through the South Figueroa Corridor.
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Mariana Dale
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LAist
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I thought about this the next time I drove on the 110 and noticed the plant had crawled up and obscured part of a diamond-shaped highway sign, which now read “____ WORK AHEAD.”
Changing the narrative on urban plants
Alessandro Ossola studies how plants can create greener, healthier cities at the University of California, Davis. One of his current research projects examines how vines can cool urban spaces.
“The beauty of vines is that they grow fast — much faster than a tree,” Ossola said. “We can actually use the two of them together because if we want to green cities faster, the tree is your long-term goal, right? But the vines can be that stopgap measure to create shade fast.”
He was familiar with the vine because it grows in the UC Davis greenhouse and features in a lesson on “vines and climbers.” His students, like me, are fans of the yellow flowers.
“It's really, really hard to find plants that can thrive in these [urban] environments,” Ossola said. “Particularly flowering plants that can also bloom and somehow beautify landscapes that otherwise would be just gray concrete.”
The plant's eponymous "claws" are specialized leaves that help the vine climb with—intention!
“They use another object in the landscape to be able to position themselves so they can maximize the amount of light that they can get,” Ossolsa said.
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Mariana Dale
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LAist
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Part of the reason the vine thrives along the 110 Freeway is that it doesn’t need much water, he said. Florida’s comparative abundance of moisture likely contributes to the plant’s invasive nature there.
Cat’s claw is not on California’s list of invasive plant species. Ossola said that Southern California’s frequent droughts and maintenance can help keep the plant in check.
“We need to change, a bit, the narrative where you plant and forget,” he said. “Plants need our care. They can provide us with a lot of benefits, beautifying our cities, providing cooling and so on, but they need a bit of care.”
Cat's claw flowers turn to string-bean like seed pods that eventually release brown seeds with "paper wings," according to the University of Florida.
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Mariana Dale
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LAist
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He said cities can benefit from a variety of plants, both native and exotic.
“The best solution will be to create a biodiverse landscape where you don't have only this particular species, but you have many different species,” Ossola said. “Even if one species fails or becomes invasive, then the rest of the ecosystem is somehow well balanced.”
Flourishing in a freeway environment
The Caltrans spokesperson forwarded my questions to the department’s regional landscape architecture team.
In a statement, the team wrote that the vine I saw was planted around 1996, “a boom time for soundwall construction.”
Around that time, I imagine it was becoming clear that while the walls are useful, aesthetically, they leave a lot to be desired.
The wide expanse of concrete is blank canvas for enterprising taggers and the walls can radiate heat into the surrounding community.
“Vines were field-tested to see which vines would flourish in a freeway environment where wind, glare, pavement temperatures, and road dust can damage a plant's health,” they wrote.
We need to change, a bit, the narrative where you plant and forget. Plants need our care. They can provide us with a lot of benefits, beautifying our cities, providing cooling and so on, but they need a bit of care.
— Alessandro Ossola, UC Davis professor of urban plant science
As to whether the plant could threaten the natural environment?
“Almost any plant, whether native or non-native, can be considered invasive in a pristine environment if introduced,” Caltrans wrote. “The vine in this landscaped area receives periodic maintenance, which keeps its growth in check."
It’s unclear why, but Caltrans couldn’t find records of the cat’s claw planted elsewhere in the region.
“There were a few previous locations, and due to construction, the vines were removed and never replaced in kind. To my knowledge, the cat's claw vine has not been used in over twenty years.”
I, for one, am grateful for the pop of color along my morning commute — and the reminder that a resilient environment is one that includes the contributions of many.
Matthew Ballinger
is the senior editor for climate and environment coverage at LAist.
Published May 22, 2026 6:42 PM
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Canada Flintridge.
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NASA/JPL-Caltech
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Topline:
NASA plans to open the contract to manage the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge to a competitive bidding process, according to a memo the lab released Friday.
The backstory: Since NASA was established in 1958, Caltech has managed JPL for the federal space agency "through a contractual relationship that has been regularly reviewed and renewed," according to Friday's memo. NASA began its regular process of evaluating the contract last year.
Why it matters: JPL has been through several rounds of layoffsin recent years. The lab and the university are leaders in civilian space science, with missions that have sent spacecraft into Earth orbit, to Mars and as far from Earth as any man-made object. The lab is also a major employer in the region and hosts massive classes of interns from around the world. The news about the contract was first reported by the Los Angeles Times, which said opening the contract to bidding is a first in JPL's history.
Why now: NASA administrator Jared Isaacman said in "a long letter discussing organizational changes" to staffers Friday that the space agency intends to issue a request for proposals for management of JPL. "This process will take several years, and I do not anticipate it having any impact on the projects underway or the location of the facilities," Isaacman wrote. "It does, however, provide an opportunity to evaluate management costs, overhead burdens and ideally find ways to get after the science faster and more affordably."
What's next: Caltech's contract runs through the end of September 2028. "This announcement comes as no surprise," Caltech's president and JPL's director wrote to staffers Friday. "Caltech is well prepared with a team established last summer to ensure we are positioned for success, and we will respond to the request for proposal (RFP) once released."
Erin Stone
covers climate and environmental issues in Southern California.
Published May 22, 2026 4:21 PM
A recently released juvenile southwestern pond turtle swims in the San Gabriel River in the Angeles National Forest.
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Ken Bohn
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Courtesy San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
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Topline:
There’s a day for everything, and Saturday is World Turtle Day. This is the story of how humans helped a vulnerable native California turtle.
The backstory: Southwestern pond turtles in the San Gabriel mountains were almost wiped out by the Bobcat Fire in 2020. But biologists rescued 11 adults that were held at the San Diego Zoo until 2024, when they were released.
The baby boom: But then something happened that scientists didn't expect: "One baby, two baby, three baby, four baby. Fifteen babies later," is how a wildlife care manager at the zoo described it. Yes, the rescued turtles had laid eggs in their temporary home, and the hatchlings were emerging.
A new generation: Once they'd grown a bit, the zoo released the young turtles into San Gabriel River where they belong in April.
Read on ... for more about this conservation success story.
After fires and floods, Southern California’s only remaining native freshwater turtle recently got a boost.
Just last month, 15 southwestern pond turtle hatchlings were released into the San Gabriel River — a major milestone in an effort to restore the vulnerable turtle population.
But this wasn’t a typical raise-and-release scenario.
These turtles’ parents went on a harrowing journey before they were born.
The fire eventually scorched more than 180 square miles — mostly forest in the San Gabriel Mountains. For comparison, the 2025 Eaton Fire burned about 22 square miles.
Lights from a fire truck illuminate firefighters working the Bobcat Fire in September 2021.
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Frederic J. Brown
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Getty Images
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As the Bobcat Fire spread, biologists grew worried. The fire was burning in the West Fork of the San Gabriel River, a biodiversity hotspot and refuge for bears and mountain lions, the federally protected Santa Ana sucker fish and the mountain yellow-legged frog.
It’s also home to the largest remaining — and possibly only — population of southwestern pond turtles in the entire watershed. Their exact numbers aren’t known, but it’s likely less than 200.
What is a southwestern pond turtle?
The small, shy turtles grow to about 8 inches and range from Baja California to just south of the San Francisco Bay. They spend most of their lives in streams, rivers, lakes and other watery environments. They primarily eat small insects and plant matter.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife lists them as a Species of Special Concern, and they're being considered for federal protections under the Endangered Species Act.
“Because this hadn’t burned in decades and decades and decades, there was big concern about debris flows,” said Robert Fisher, a biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey.
Scientists hoped the turtles would be able to ride out the fire itself by staying in the water, but any rain after would likely lead to a deluge of mud, trees and other burned materials. That would be akin to an avalanche for the turtles in the river, and it had the potential to wipe out the entire population.
Once the flames died down, Fisher and a team of biologists, in partnership with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Forest Service, trekked to the home of the pond turtles.
“It was a moonscape,” Fisher said.
They waded through ashy, murky waters, eventually collecting 11 adult turtles.
World Turtle Day’s SoCal cred
There’s a day for everything these days, but World Turtle Day (May 23) has surprisingly local roots.
Susan Tellem and her late husband, Marshall Thompson, coined the day in 2000 after founding a turtle and tortoise rescue 10 years earlier at their home in Malibu.
“When I first started helping turtles, there were hardly people helping the needs of turtles,” Tellem told LAist. “We decided to help educate people internationally so that turtles can live a longer and happier life.”
A temporary home and 15 surprises
The turtles were taken to the San Diego Zoo, where the plan was to hold them until their mountain habitat recovered enough for them to return.
By 2024, the San Gabriel Mountains were looking far better — biologists even found some pond turtles that survived major debris flows.
But right before the turtles were set to go back home, scientists got a surprise.
“Just before we were getting to release, we found a baby turtle, which is amazing,” said Brandon Scott, wildlife care manager of herpetology and ichthyology at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. “You don't know how long it's going to take to restart that process of them actually being able to breed, with the stress and it's a new habitat.”
A juvenile southwestern pond turtle is weighed before being released to the wild.
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Ken Bohn
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Courtesy San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
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The turtles and the new baby were all returned to their home in the San Gabriels. But then came another surprise. And another.
“We just continually, every day, started finding a baby in that habitat,” said Scott.
Female southwestern pond turtles lay and bury their eggs in late spring or early summer. Juveniles emerge months later, only about the size of a quarter.
Fifteen babies later, conservation staff were shocked and pleased.
Their goal for the 11 rescued turtles was to make sure they could thrive before being released back into their habitat. “But in the process,” Scott said, “yes, we made it comfortable enough for them to breed.”
A hopeful release
The new generation of southwestern pond turtles was released in April near the spot their parents were rescued from in the San Gabriel River.
Such rescues of vulnerable wildlife are becoming increasingly common in the face of more catastrophic fires. All but two of the biggest fires in recorded history have been in the last 20 years.
Fisher said a similar rescue of pond turtles had occurred only once before, after the 2009 Station Fire in the San Gabriels. That time, the turtles were quickly returned to their habitat.
A staff member of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance releases a juvenile southwestern pond turtle into the San Gabriel River.
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Ken Bohn
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Courtesy San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
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That rescue, in part, inspired the U.S. Geological Survey to work with the San Diego Zoo to build a conservation habitat for southwestern pond turtles nearly two decades ago. And the Bobcat Fire became the first time it was used for wild rescues, Fisher said.
Ironically, the Bobcat Fire could eventually help the local population, Fisher said.
“We’ve known about [the population] for decades, but it’s not really thriving,” he said. “So this helped give it a head start. And because the fire was so intense, it opened up a lot of habitat.”
With less tree canopy and more sunlight, the cold-blooded reptiles could thrive in warmer waters and on sunnier rocks.
Threats to southwestern pond turtles
Southwestern pond turtles have lived here for millennia, but invasive species and habitat destruction have nearly wiped them out. They’re currently being considered for protection under the federal Endangered Species Act.
Nonnative turtles — such as red-eared sliders, many of which are abandoned pets — are outcompeting them in their habitats. And native pond turtle hatchlings are easy prey for invasive animals such as bullfrogs and crayfish.
On top of that, pollution in our atmosphere is driving longer, hotter droughts, which dries out the streams and rivers where they live. Worsening “weather whiplash” means more dangerous mudflows after fires, which can wipe out entire aquatic animal populations.
But the new generation is key.
“Because the site was so forested and hadn’t burned in so long, we don’t think they were having good success at breeding,” Fisher said. “Now we think we’ve really enhanced the population by putting more animals out there, especially young animals.”
Scott and Fisher said the saga has inspired preliminary conversations about formalizing breeding efforts to support the population. The little turtles' myriad threats have yet to let up, so they’ll likely need more help in the future.
But at the moment, there’s a little more hope — at least 16 hatchlings and 11 adults' worth of hope, to be exact — for California’s only native freshwater turtle.
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Crews clean the scene along Cesar E. Chavez and Eastern avenues, where gallons of crude oil spilled onto the street.
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Andrew Lopez
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The LA Local
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Topline:
Health officials are advising residents to take precautions after a ruptured pipeline released more than 2,000 gallons of crude oil in East Los Angeles on Friday, with oil entering nearby storm drains and the Los Angeles River. The pipeline burst near East Cesar E. Chavez and North Eastern avenues as crews were installing a fiber optic line.
Avoid contact: Do not touch or walk through spilled oil or contaminated debris. Keep children and pets away from affectedareas. If your skin comes into contact with oil, wash the affected area immediately with soap and water. Remove contaminated clothing.
Indoor air precautions: Local residents should do their best to prevent odors inside their homes by closing windows and doors and turning off HVAC units until the odor outside has dissipated. After the odor outside is gone, ventilate the home by opening windows and doors and keep the HVAC system blowing air to vent the home. Limit exposure to odors as much as possible.
Health officials are advising residents to take precautions after a ruptured pipeline released more than 2,000 gallons of crude oil in East Los Angeles on Friday, with oil entering nearby storm drains and the Los Angeles River.
The pipeline burst near East Cesar E. Chavez and North Eastern avenues as crews were installing a fiber optic line, according to the LA County Fire Department.
The leak has been controlled and is no longer releasing crude oil in the streets, health officials said.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued guidance for residents as agencies continue with cleanup efforts.
Avoid contact: Do not touch or walk through spilled oil or contaminated debris. Keep children and pets away from affected areas.
Skin exposure: If your skin comes into contact with oil, wash the affected area immediately with soap and water. Remove contaminated clothing.
Odor exposure: If you smell odors outdoors, close windows and doors, turn off HVAC systems and air conditioners that pull in outside air and stay indoors until the odor has passed. After the odor outside is gone, open the windows and doors to air out your home and turn on fans or HVAC system to help ventilate indoor air.
Try to limit exposure to strong odors as much as possible. Odors may cause or worsen:
Headaches
Nausea
Eye, nose, throat irritation
Dizziness
Breathing problems (asthma)
Brief exposures usually do not cause long-term health effects, but if you experience severe or persistent symptoms, talk to your medical provider. If you don’t have a medical provider, call the Public Health – Community Health Complaint Line at (626) 430-9821.
Indoor air precautions: Local residents should do their best to prevent odors inside their homes by closing windows and doors and turning off HVAC units until the odor outside has dissipated. After the odor outside is gone, ventilate the home by opening windows and doors, and keep the HVAC system blowing air to vent the home. Limit exposure to odors as much as possible.
At-risk individuals: Monitor those most at risk of developing symptoms, such as older adults, children, pregnant persons and those who are immunocompromised.
Report odors: Complaints of odor can be reported to the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD): (800) 288-7664
Manny Valladares
is always looking for the next tasty bite to feature on "AirTalk" Food Friday on LAist 89.3.
Published May 22, 2026 2:35 PM
Lucky Baldwin's most popular dish is their fish n chips.
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Lucky Baldwins
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Top line:
With the early history of soccer first documented in England, that's where you'll find the roots of the sport. Not always easy to get there from Los Angeles — but Lucky Baldwins Pub — with locations in Pasadena and Sierra Madre — brings you close.
What makes their fish and chips special? Using a British favorite — cod — and dipping it into their special beer batter.
Their ultimate experience: Sit on their patio with a Belgian beer in hand on a sunny day.
"Listen to the music and enjoy the California weather," says owner-operator Peggy Simonian.
Read more ... for more of their food and details on the events they host.
With the early history of soccer first documented in England, that's where you'll find the roots of the sport. Not always easy to get there from Los Angeles — but a local British pub with a few locations to choose from brings you close.
The operators of Lucky Baldwins Pub joined AirTalk Friday host Austin Cross to explain what makes their atmosphere special — it's all about the sports and traditional British bites, pints and pasties.
About the owner
Owner-operator Peggy Simonian was working for the British Tourist Authority when they decided to bring a pub to Pasadena. Three years after opening, they got their following after hosting their first Belgian Beer Festival.
Listen
13:39
World Cup pub crawl: Lucky Baldwins Pub
What sets their food apart? The beer batter
"I think there's this stigma around British food that it's a little bland," said general manager Patsy Sutton.
She says the fish and chips knock people's socks off — and it all comes down to the beer batter.
They use locally sourced Pacific cod instead of its Atlantic relative and an undisclosed pale ale. This combo drives the taste.
Lucky Baldwins' most popular dish is the fish 'n' chips.
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Courtesy Peggy Simonian
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The ultimate experience in the eyes of the owner
"I like it when it's a nice sunny day outside our patio in Old Towne ... enjoy a nice Belgian beer ... listen to the music and enjoy the California weather," Simonian said.
She added that her go-to beers currently include a Belgian lager, blonde or tripel. It's all about the mood.
Restaurant details
Lucky Baldwins Pub first opened in 1996 and now has two Pasadena locations and one in Sierra Madre.
They're an official bar partner with LAFC.
They host: Pasadena Reds, a local Liverpool FC support group; Los Angeles Hammers, a West Ham FC support group; and Eastside Gooners, a local support group for Arsenal FC.
They also have special events tied to the Belgian Beer Festival and Oktoberfest.
Menu items we tried
Fish 'n' Chips — cod dipped in ale batter with a side of steak fries and tartar sauce
Bangers and Mash — two pork sausages with peas and mashed potatoes (also available with fries).
Cornish Pastie — a handheld pie with minced meat
Chicken Curry Pastie — a handheld pie with traditional British chicken curry
How to visit
Address (Old Town Pasadena): 17 S. Raymond Ave, Pasadena
Hours: Monday–Sunday: 9 a.m.-1:30 a.m.
Cost: Fish 'n' chips cost $18; bangers and mash cost $19; and the pasties (with a choice of crisps or fries) cost $14.
You can find the times for their Delirium Pub by clicking here, and their Trappiste Pub by clicking here.
What should we try next?
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