Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do takes the oath of office from his wife, Cheri Pham, as he stands with his daughters, Ilene Do, center, and Rhiannon Do, right, during the start of the Board of Supervisors meeting on Feb. 3, 2015.
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Jeff Gritchen
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Orange County Register via Getty Images
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Last month, federal agents searched the homes of now-former Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, his daughter Rhiannon Do and other defendants named in a the county lawsuit.
The backstory: The searches came nine months after LAist started reporting a series of investigative articles raising questions about what happened to millions in taxpayer funds directed by Andrew Do to a little-known nonprofit. Here’s what you need to know to stay on top of this unfolding saga in Orange County.
Go deeper: Keep reading for a full summary of the key details explaining what’s happening and who's who in Orange County’s public funds controversy.
Andrew Do resigned his position as an Orange County supervisor Tuesday, shortly after federal prosecutors said the longtime elected official had agreed to plead guilty in a conspiracy to steal millions of dollars meant to feed needy seniors.
Prosecutors acknowledged that their investigation was sparked by media reports. Last November, LAist was the first to report on possible misuse of the funds and has been publishing a series of ongoing investigative articles since then.
What's the backstory?
LAist uncovered more than $13 million in public funds directed by Do to Viet America Society, or VAS, most of which was awarded outside of public view and without Do disclosing that his daughter, Rhiannon Do, worked as a leader there. Most of that money came from federal COVID relief funds earmarked to help people during the pandemic.
In December, LAist also uncovered that the nonprofit had failed to follow requirements to disclose how many meals it was providing or to account for the money with required audits. Records show Andrew Do went on to grant the group millions more dollars after staff noted VAS was out of compliance in accounting for the money.
In revealing their findings Tuesday, prosecutors said of the $9.3 million in taxpayer dollars that were supposed to feed people, only 15% went to people in need.
After LAist's reporting, the county demanded the records from VAS and determined in July that the nonprofit had failed many opportunities to disclose them.
The county then filed a pair of lawsuits in August, alleging Rhiannon Do and other defendants “brazenly plundered” public funds to purchase multiple homes in Orange County. A few days later, the FBI and IRS searched homes owned by Rhiannon Do, Andrew Do and VAS' founder Peter Pham. At the time, federal authorities declined to say what the searches were about, citing a court seal on the warrants.
LAist uncovered this story by poring through thousands of public records. Those records detail a complicated series of large transactions, many of them unexplained, by officials at VAS.
Here’s what you need to know to stay on top of the story:
O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do has allocated millions of county dollars to his daughter’s group, Warner Wellness Center, without publicly disclosing his family connection.
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Supervisor Andrew Do’s official Facebook page
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Who is Andrew Do?
First, some background: Andrew Do was one of the highest-ranking elected officials in Orange County. He was elected to the Orange County Board of Supervisors from District 1, which encompasses cities like Garden Grove and Westminster. The area includes Little Saigon, home of one of the largest Vietnamese populations outside of Vietnam. Until early 2022, his district included Santa Ana. He represented about 600,000 people.
Do took home about $237,000 in pay and benefits for his role as county supervisor in 2023, according to public data on Transparent California’s website. In recent years, he also has had a private law office business, based down the hallway from VAS' office in Huntington Beach.
He had served on the board since 2015. Prior to his resignation, he was scheduled to term out at the end of the year.
Do previously served as a prosecutor at the Orange County District Attorney’s office and as a council member in Garden Grove. He was also the first Vietnamese American to serve as board chair of Orange County’s public health insurance agency, CalOptima. This was while he was supervisor, before he resigned from CalOptima’s board in 2023. His resignation from that board followed a state investigation into hiring and pay practices during his time as chair.
Do is married to Cheri Pham, the assistant presiding judge of the Orange County Superior Court. They have two daughters.
After the first LAist stories published late last year, then-Supervisor Andrew Do wrote an op-ed published in the Orange County Register defending himself and disparaging LAist’s reporting. Then, in a news release on county letterhead, he called on LAist leaders to fire Nick Gerda, our reporter who broke the story. Gerda never stopped reporting.
To date, Do has not responded to LAist’s repeated requests for comment since last November. He has never requested a correction or a retraction.
In a statement Tuesday after the criminal plea deal was announced, Do's attorney said the former supervisor apologizes to the people he represented.
"It is appropriate to convey Andrew Do’s sincere apology and deep sadness to his family, to his constituents in District One and to his colleagues," his attorney, Paul Meyer, said in a statement.
What are the details of the plea deal?
Do agreed to plead guilty and signed a plea agreement to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. He acknowledged accepting over $550,000 in bribes for directing and voting in favor of more than $10 million in COVID funds to a charity affiliated with his daughter, Rhiannon Do, according to aU.S. attorney's office news release.
Andrew Do admitted in his plea agreement that $381,500 in public funds were transferred to an escrow company and used by Rhiannon Do to purchase a million-dollar home in Tustin. Investigators said the daughter had admitted to criminal wrongdoing and agreed to cooperate with investigators, in what is known as a diversion agreement.
She does not face criminal charges at this time.
Prosecutors also released details about their findings:
The scene Tuesday at the O.C. Board of Supervisors' regular meeting where Andrew Do was absent.
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Nick Gerda
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LAist
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What is a county supervisor?
The county supervisors are some of the most powerful people in Orange County, deciding on how to spend about $9 billion each year on key government services like public health, mental health, law enforcement and child protective services. The board has five seats, and after Andrew Do's resignation, four seats are currently occupied.
Supervisors are elected to four-year terms and they can’t serve more than two full terms, which is why Andrew Do was ineligible to run again this year. His final term was set to expire in January.
O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do (center left) in December 2023 with his daughter Rhiannon Do (right) and wife Cheri Pham (between them), the assistant presiding judge of Orange County Superior Court.
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Screenshot of a public video posted by Do’s official YouTube channel
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Who is Rhiannon Do?
Rhiannon Do is Andrew Do’s 23-year-old daughter. She is a third-year law student at University of California, Irvine. She graduated from high school four years ago and then earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from UC Davis in December 2021.
While at UC Davis, she was a legislative intern at the Steinberg Institute, which advocates for statewide mental health policy changes. She also was an intern at the Orange County District Attorney's Office from January to April of this year.
LAist has found at least 10 public records, including contracts she signed and a tax filing, listing Rhiannon Do in top leadership roles at VAS. Last year, she also submitted a resume for an internship at the Orange County District Attorney’s Office that says she was president and cofounder of Warner Wellness Center, which is a second name used by VAS.
In a brief email exchange in April, Rhiannon Do told LAist she never served as a director or an officer with VAS and had no role in its finances.
She did not respond to questions about why the records, some with her signature, show otherwise.
Do described her role as limited to mental health services and a different meals program than the one under scrutiny. At the time, a VAS attorney attributed the listings of Rhiannon Do in leadership positions to “sloppiness” and “negligence."
State law does not currently require elected officials to disclose family relationships — nor refrain from voting — when awarding taxpayer money to their adult children. It does require disclosure for spouses and minor children.
On Tuesday, prosecutors said another of Andrew Do’s daughters received more than $100,000 in taxpayer money as part of the bribery scheme. They declined to name her and did not announce any legal action against her.
Andrew Do is known to have one other daughter besides Rhiannon Do. Her name is Ilene Do. She's a customer engagement coordinator at Moulton Niguel Water District where Andrew Do's former chief of staff Brian Probolsky is an elected board member and vice president.
What is Viet America Society?
Viet America Society is a nonprofit incorporated by Peter Pham in June 2020, eight days after Andrew Do and the other supervisors voted to create a pandemic meals program for their districts. In a tax filing for 2022, the latest available, the organization’s mission is described as “Promoting Vietnamese cultures to the youths. Helping feed the elderly and poor. Provide mental health services to all.”
The nonprofit has also used the name Warner Wellness Center to do business.
VAS and Warner Wellness Center both had offices in Huntington Beach in the same building as Andrew Do’s private law office. Peter Pham was seen emptying furniture out of the Warner Wellness Center suite last month, according to eyewitnesses and photos provided to LAist. VAS’ office suite is now rented to another business.
Peter Pham, founder of Viet America Society, is at far left. Dinh Mai, VAS' secretary, is at far right of the back row of people. Former Supervisor Andrew Do is second from left in the first row and he is seated with his wife, Cheri Pham, the now assistant presiding judge of Orange County Superior Court, in the center. The others pictured do not have any known connection to the allegations of wrongdoing.
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Courtesy Nguoi Viet
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One of the lawsuits filed in August by Orange County officials alleges more than $13 million in public funds Andrew Do directed to the nonprofit were “brazenly plundered” by four named defendants — Rhiannon Do, VAS founder Peter Pham, Dinh Mai, VAS' chief financial officer, and Thu Thao Thi Vu — as well as VAS, and Vu’s company, Aloha Financial Investment, Inc., among other entities.
The lawsuit alleges defendants used the money for private gain, including home purchases. In August, federal authorities froze the bank accounts of VAS, according to the nonprofit's attorney.
The civil lawyer for Rhiannon Do, VAS, Peter Pham and Dinh Mai told the judge in the lawsuit case that his clients maintain they've done nothing wrong.
What are federal COVID relief dollars?
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, known as ARPA, was a $1.9 trillion stimulus package intended to boost the American economy as it was devastated by COVID-19 shutdowns. Funds were distributed to state, territorial, local, and tribal governments to support recovery effects.
Local governments, like the Orange County Board of Supervisors, were able to use that money to offset revenue losses, to address health and economic needs of residents and to improve water, sewer or broadband infrastructure.
Andrew Do awarded VAS millions in ARPA dollars, as well as millions from an earlier round of federal COVID funding that came to the county, known as the CARES Act.
What happened to the money Andrew Do directed to VAS?
Federal authorities now say of the $9.3 million intended to help feed needy seniors and others in the pandemic, just 15% went to that purpose. They say some of those funds were used to buy a house for Rhiannon Do.
Prosecutors say the investigation is ongoing. Millions of public dollars remain unaccounted for.
O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do (right) with Viet America Society founder Peter Pham (left) in a video posted by Do’s official YouTube account.
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Supervisor Andrew Do, screenshot via YouTube
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What does a Vietnam war memorial have to do with COVID relief funding?
Among federal COVID relief money Do directed to VAS was $1 million in October 2023 to design, build and maintain a Vietnam War memorial at the county's Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley. That money was at Andrew Do's discretion to award.
LAist has found that work on that site remains incomplete.
O.C. officials in early August demanded VAS refund any money not spent on purposes required by existing county contracts — and then sued on Aug. 15.
Where things stand at the Vietnam War memorial in Orange County.
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Jill Replogle
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LAist
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VAS then returned $150,000 of the $1 million, which Mark Rosen, VAS’ attorney, said accounted for any unspent remaining funds. That left $850,000 the county paid to VAS for the project, which has not been returned.
Andrew Do resigned shortly after his plea agreement was announced. Orange County Supervisors Board Chair Don Wagner will oversee District 1 duties until a new supervisor is elected in the upcoming elections, according to a county spokesperson.
Do will have to appear in court at some point to enter the guilty plea. He faces a possible five-year prison term. A court date has not yet been set, but is expected later this month.
What are supervisors saying?
In a joint statement, the four remaining board members reacted separately to Andrew Do's resignation and plea agreement.
Wagner thanked federal investigators and added that the county's lawsuits remain active. "The county remains committed to continuing its civil lawsuits in order to hold all responsible parties accountable and to recover misused public funds," he said.
Wagner previously said Do's granting of millions to his daughter’s group should not be questioned or challenged "because there's nothing illegal about what was done."
Supervisor Doug Chaffee called it "a troubling moment for our county."
"It's disheartening to witness a betrayal of public trust by someone in a position of responsibility," he said. "This highlights the critical need for ethical leadership. The Board remains dedicated to serving the people with integrity."
Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento noted the investigation continues. "The unsealing of the indictments demonstrates years of unethical and illegal acts that directly harmed the most vulnerable in our county," he said. "We must not discontinue the investigations until all parties involved are brought to justice, and the systemic problems that led to these abuses are reformed."
And Supervisor Katrina Foley expressed disgust at what she called "the staggering level of corruption, greed, and deception described in the unsealed federal indictment."
"Andrew Do and his associates carried out an overt scheme to enrich themselves off our hard-earned tax dollars," she said. "Andrew Do must pay for his crimes. This board is united in continuing to do the people's business of governing and moving forward from this dark day in Orange County."
What does Do's resignation mean for county business?
Agenda items could be delayed to later meeting dates if not enough board members are present for a vote. For most items, at least three supervisors are required to approve an agenda item in the affirmative.
Given the makeup of the board, having only four members present means decisions can result in a stalemate, as happened this summer when Do was absent for an affordable housing-related vote.
LAist's watchdog role in the investigation
In November 2023, LAist began investigating how millions in public taxpayer dollars were spent. In total, LAist uncovered public records showing more than $13 million in public money that was approved to VAS, which was led on and off by Rhiannon Do.
Most of that money was directed to the group by Andrew Do outside of the public’s view. It never appeared on public meeting agendas.
He did not publicly disclose his family ties.
Much of the known funding came from federal coronavirus relief money.
Since LAist started reporting, we’ve also uncovered the group was two years overdue in completing a required audit into whether the meal funds were spent appropriately.
And LAist found the amount of taxpayer money directed to the nonprofit was much larger than initially known. It totals at least $13.5 million in county funding — tallied from government records obtained and published by LAist.
After our reporting, O.C. officials wrote demand letters to the nonprofit saying millions in funding were unaccounted for. They warned the nonprofit that it could be forced to repay the funds.
And, LAist found the nonprofit missed a deadline set by county officials to provide proof about how funding for meals were spent.
On Aug. 2, LAist reported O.C. officials were demanding the refund of more than $3 million in public funds awarded by Andrew Do to VAS and another nonprofit, Hand to Hand.
Six days later, LAist reported Orange County officials had expanded demands for refunds of millions in tax dollars from the nonprofits and threatened legal action.
Then, on Aug. 19, LAist reported O.C. officials had announced a second lawsuit against Hand to Hand and its CEO to recover millions of taxpayer dollars that were directed by Andrew Do.
LAist broke the news on Aug. 22 that federal agents were searching Rhiannon Do's home in Tustin. Later that day, Andrew Do's home, and other properties, were also searched.
Do you have questions or know of something we should look into?
We are here to investigate abuse of power, misconduct and negligence in government, business, and any venue where the public is affected.
How to watchdog local government
One of the best things you can do to hold officials accountable is pay attention.
Your city council, board of supervisors, school board and more all hold public meetings that anybody can attend. These are times you can talk to your elected officials directly and hear about the policies they’re voting on that affect your community.
An LAist investigation uncovered more than $13 million in public funds directed by Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do to Viet America Society (VAS) without disclosing his daughter was a leader at the nonprofit. County officials now allege that money was “brazenly plundered” for personal gain. Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido speaks with LAist correspondent Nick Gerda, who broke the story, about the ongoing investigation.
OC Supervisor Andrew Do to plead guilty to corruption charge following LAist investigation
An LAist investigation uncovered more than $13 million in public funds directed by Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do to Viet America Society (VAS) without disclosing his daughter was a leader at the nonprofit. County officials now allege that money was “brazenly plundered” for personal gain. Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido speaks with LAist correspondent Nick Gerda, who broke the story, about the ongoing investigation.
Libby Rainey
has been reporting on L.A.'s preparations for World Cup games this year.
Published May 1, 2026 5:00 AM
SoFi workers say they want premium pay for the World Cup and other major events and protections from their work being subcontracted. They've threatened to strike.
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Libby Rainey
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LAist
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Topline:
Workers at SoFi say they're worried that jobs that would typically go to union workers will instead go to subcontractors during the World Cup. It's one reason they're threatening to strike.
The background: Bartenders, cooks, dishwashers and servers represented by Unite Here Local 11 have staffed the major events held at the stadium since it opened — from the 2022 Super Bowl to Taylor Swift and Beyoncée concerts. That includes positions in suites, where fans can pay — and tip — top dollar for private rooms, food and drink.
What's happening for the World Cup? FIFA has hired another entity entirely to run its luxury program for World Cup fans. The company, called On Location, is FIFA's official "hospitality partner." Workers with Unite Here say they're worried On Location will bring on its own non-union workers for lucrative positions during the tournament.
What else are workers asking for? The union is pushing for double pay for mega-events like the World Cup, and protections against ICE.
Read on… for more on SoFi workers' ongoing union negotiations.
Spectators in L.A. this summer for the World Cup could pay up to $209,000 for a private suite for just one match, but union workers at SoFi Stadium are worried they'll miss out on the action.
Bartenders, cooks, dishwashers and servers represented by Unite Here Local 11 have staffed the events held at the stadium since it opened, from the 2022 Super Bowl and NFL games every fall to Taylor Swift and Beyoncé concerts. That includes positions in suites, where fans can pay top dollar for private rooms, food and drink.
But FIFA has brought in another entity entirely to run its luxury program for World Cup fans. The company, called On Location, is FIFA's official "hospitality partner," offering those that can afford it exclusive seating, special gifts and meals. Their packages can cost tens of thousands of dollars or more.
Luxury suites for fans attending the World Cup at SoFi Stadium cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
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FIFA
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https://fifaworldcup26.suites.fifa.com/
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Workers at SoFi say they're worried that FIFA's relationship with On Location means jobs that would typically go to union workers — and the wages and tips that go with them — will instead go to subcontractors without union protections. It's one reason they're threatening to strike when the World Cup comes to town.
"We have so many wonderful workers who've been here season after season," said Kay Blake, a bartender from Inglewood who works at SoFi Stadium. "I don't see why they would partner with someone else to bring an experience that we can bring ourselves."
Workers also want to be paid a higher rate that reflects the sky-high ticket prices for the eight World Cup matches at SoFi Stadium. They're asking for double pay for major events including the tournament — an arrangement that the food service workers at Dodger Stadium have for the World Series, according to Unite Here.
"We're trying to ensure that there is no disparity between the profits of the company as opposed to our labor," Blake said. "We don't want to be exploited."
How does the World Cup affect labor negotiations?
Unite Here Local 11 represents around 2,000 workers at SoFi, and they're currently negotiating a new contract with Legends Global, the company that runs the stadium's bars and food services. Their old contract expired last year.
The union is leveraging its role in the coming World Cup to push for higher wages, especially at mega-events. Its workers also want protections from Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, after the agency's head said that ICE will play a key role in security for the tournament. Unite Here filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board, saying ICE's planned presence at the World Cup threatened the union's ability to collectively bargain.
But the battle over subcontracting could also lead workers to the picket line. The union says the use of subcontractors will determine who will benefit from the riches that FIFA brings to Inglewood.
"Subcontracting is supposed to be rare," Unite Here Local 11 co-president Kurt Petersen told LAist. "So in this contract, we're saying no more. It needs to end and especially needs to end at the World Cup because we want those jobs to be good jobs."
How common is subcontracting?
Petersen said the World Cup isn't the only event where jobs have been threatened. He said that union members lost out on more than 100,000 hours of work in 2025 that was instead given to subcontracted workers.
Kay Blake, the bartender, offered LAist an example: an external company paying to operate a suite or two for an event at SoFi.
"If you bring in a subcontractor, they're going to want to bring in their people," she said. "Let's say that this subcontractor usually buys one to two suites… We have a group of people called suite attendants, and so now there's one to two suites less from their workload."
Blake said that she and her co-workers are scheduled by seniority, and fewer suites could mean people work fewer hours. She also said more short-term workers at the stadium for the World Cup could dilute tips for the workers who are at SoFi year-round.
A spokesperson for Legends Global declined to comment on ongoing negotiations with Unite Here Local 11. A representative for Hollywood Park, the site of SoFi Stadium owned by Stanley Kroenke, deferred to Legends Global. FIFA also did not respond to emails requesting comment on the ongoing negotiations.
Luxury packages are the new normal
The dispute between SoFi workers and their employer comes as high ticket prices for the World Cup and 2028 Olympic Games face scrutiny and mega-event organizers emphasize luxury experiences for the very wealthy.
On Location is also the hospitality partner for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The company supplied the same service in Paris in 2024 — the first time the Olympics had such an official luxury service, according to the New York Times.
"The higher end can run well into the tens of thousands of euros: bespoke multiday all-inclusive packages that might include stays in five-star hotels, meals cooked by Michelin-starred chefs, seamless car service between venues and the best seats at the most in-demand events," a Times reporter described in the summer of 2024.
LAist reached out to On Location via email, requesting an interview on the services they provide and their workforce. The company didn't respond.
Isaac Martinez, a cook at SoFi Stadium who lives in Inglewood, said he's still waiting to learn what his schedule will be for the World Cup and he's worried about his hours.
Martinez told LAist that since World Cup prices are so high, he and his co-workers should get a slice of the pie.
"The people that are able to afford those tickets and those suites, they're not people like us," Martinez said through an interpreter. "They're not the people that are gonna make the food or make the experience."
The World Cup kicks off in Los Angeles on June 12 with the first U.S. men's match against Paraguay. If there's no resolution to negotiations, attendees could arrive to a picket line.
Erin Stone
covers climate and environmental issues in Southern California.
Published April 30, 2026 6:09 PM
The SoCal Gas Community Service Office in Porter Ranch. The company said its Angeles Link project would lower the amount of methane gas stored at the Aliso Canyon storage facility above the L.A. neighborhood, where the largest known methane leak in US history from the SoCal Gas facility occurred in 2015.
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Frederic J. Brown
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AFP/Getty Images
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Topline:
State regulators voted Thursday to stop Southern California Gas Co. from charging customers to help pay for planning miles of pipelines that would bring hydrogen gas to the L.A. Basin, effectively halting the effort.
The vote: . SoCal Gas had proposed a monthly increase of $0.35 on the average residential customer bill over the course of three years to help fund the effort. The commission unanimously rejected the request, saying the company had not proved any direct benefit to customers.
Why it matters: Hydrogen is a clean-burning fuel that experts say is likely a critical piece of the effort the cut planet-heating pollution. But it's expensive and largely untested.
Keep reading for more details.
State regulators voted Thursday to stop Southern California Gas Co. from charging customers to help pay for planning miles of pipelines that would bring hydrogen gas to the L.A. Basin.
The company says the project would reduce the region’s reliance on methane gas.
Southern California Gas estimates it would cost about $266 million to study and plan the project — called Angeles Link — and asked the state Public Utilities Commission to allow it to recover those costs through customer rates. The company had proposed a monthly increase of $0.35 on the average residential customer bill over the course of three years.
The commission unanimously rejected the request, saying the company had not proved any direct benefit to customers. The decision effectively halts the project for now, and comes amid a stall in federal funding for hydrogen projects under the Trump administration.
Local environmental groups involved in the community advisory process had also grown frustrated by negotiations that they said, in a letter to state regulators, “does not prioritize genuine community engagement.”
As global pollution levels continue to climb, the commission’s decision also highlights the growing challenge of transitioning to a cleaner energy supply amid rising utility bills and open questions about the safety and true environmental cost of largely untested technology.
Why hydrogen?
Hydrogen is a colorless gas that is considered "clean" because it doesn’t involve carbon, which — when burned to create energy — becomes carbon dioxide, a major planet-heating gas.
But it takes energy to produce hydrogen, and most hydrogen these days is created by burning fossil fuels. “Green” hydrogen is created by using clean energy sources like solar and wind to split water into oxygen and hydrogen.
SoCal Gas said the Angeles Link project would prioritize green hydrogen.
Most experts see green hydrogen as an important clean-burning fuel for hard-to-electrify industries, such as long-haul trucking and gas-fired power generation. The city of Los Angeles, for example, wants to retrofit its Scattergood Power Plant near El Segundo to burn hydrogen instead of methane gas to generate electricity.
There are many open questions about how safe the highly-combustible gas is for proposed uses and how much water it will require to make. At the same time, extracting and burning fossil fuels for electricity and fuel also takes water — a growing problem as climate change drives longer and hotter droughts.
Experts say, if done right, hydrogen can reduce that water intake and not have a major impact on water supplies.
SoCal Gas will now have to turn to shareholders or other sources of funding if the company wants to proceed. The company did not directly answer LAist’s questions about whether it would.
“We continue to believe that hydrogen—including clean renewable hydrogen—can help advance California’s energy and climate goals while supporting the long‑term affordability, security and reliability of energy service for customers,” SoCal Gas spokesperson Brian Haas wrote in an email to LAist.
Environmental groups celebrated the vote, while emphasizing they see green hydrogen playing a role in the state’s future.
“Residential customers should not subsidize speculative infrastructure for large industrial users,” said Michael Colvin, director of the California Energy Program at Environmental Defense Fund, in a statement.
“We look forward to working with regulators, utilities and large customers to build a credible, cost-effective strategy to cut climate pollution from sectors that are hardest to electrify,” the statement read.
Keep up with LAist.
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Destiny Torres
is LAist's general assignment reporter and brings you the top news you need for the day.
Published April 30, 2026 3:36 PM
Fans take photos beneath a mural depicting L.A. Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, created by artist Robert Vargas on the Miyako Hotel in Little Tokyo.
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Mario Tama
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Getty Images
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Topline:
Global events like the World Cup and the 2028 Olympics are sure to draw thousands of new visitors wanting to get to know Los Angeles. For those interested in exploring the region’s art, here are a few murals you won’t want to miss.
Why it matters: L.A. has been called the mural capital of the world, with its widespread collection of public art.
Read on … for a must-see list of the area’s murals.
Global events like the World Cup and the 2028 Olympics are sure to draw thousands of new visitors wanting to get to know Los Angeles.
L.A. has a lot to offer, including its vast and varied portfolio of public art. It’s even been referred to as the mural capital of the world. So if you want to explore some of the city’s art, here are a few murals you won’t want to miss.
Sports
“LA Rising” at the Miyako Hotel in Little Tokyo celebrates the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, depicting him in his two roles — hitter and pitcher. - Where to find it: 328 First St., Los Angeles
“Blue Heaven on Earth” is a love letter to the Dodgers, depicting both Shohei Ohtani and the late Fernando Venezuela. - Where to find it: 1647 Blake Ave., Los Angeles
A mural honoring Winter Olympics Gold Medalist Alysa Liu in Gardena.
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Jay L Clendenin
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Getty Images
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California native and Olympian Alysa Liu captured the world’s attention with her figure skating in the Winter Olympics. This mural in Gardena celebrates her win. - Where to find it: 15532 Crenshaw Blvd., Gardena
A mural of L.A. Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna can be found outside Hardcore Fitness L.A.
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Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag
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Los Angeles Times
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“City of Angels!” pays tribute to Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gigi. - Where to find it: 400 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles
Music
Whitney Houston, Rihanna, Aaliyah, Amy Winehouse and Selena are memorialized on this Hollywood mural. - Where to find it: 7677 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles
“Jazz on the field” is an ode to Wrigley Field and the Dunbar Hotel in South L.A. and depicts jazz icons Louis Armstrong and Etta James, as well as Martin Luther King Jr. - Where to find it: 43rd St. and Grand Ave., Los Angeles
When Kendrick Lamar featured Tam’s Burgers in his “Not Like Us” music video, the burger spot in Compton commissioned a mural highlighting the rapper’s unforgettable single. - Where to find it: 1201 Rosecrans Ave, Compton
Historic to LA
A section of the Great Wall of Los Angeles mural, designed by muralist Judy Baca, that showcases pivotal moments in Los Angeles History.
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Ashley Balderrama
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LAist
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“The Great Wall of Los Angeles” is one of the largest murals in the world, and it’s supposed to get bigger. The half-mile art piece depicts California’s rich history. - Where to find it: Along the L.A. River in the San Fernando Valley, on Coldwater Canyon Avenue between Burbank Boulevard and Oxnard Street.
“The Blessing of the Animals” at La Placita Olvera depicts the Catholic tradition of blessing one’s animals. - Where to find it: 115 Paseo De La Plaza, Los Angeles
“El Grito” depicts a scene that sparked Mexican independence from Spanish rule. - Where to find it: Placita de Dolores at 831 N. Alameda St., Los Angeles
Gab Chabrán
covers what's happening in food and culture for LAist.
Published April 30, 2026 3:28 PM
The lomo saltado burrito at Merka Saltao in Culver City, served with your choice of homemade sauce.
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Courtesy Merka Saltao
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Topline:
Alonso Franco and Ignacio Barrios, two lifelong friends from Lima, opened Merka Saltao in Culver City in August 2025, with a simple mission: to bring Peruvian food to everyday American diets through a fast-casual format built around lomo saltado — Peru's most iconic dish. Then a viral storm blew up.
Why it matters: Peruvian cuisine has long punched below its weight in the U.S. despite being one of the most complex and biodiverse food cultures in the world. Franco and Barrios are betting that accessibility — not exclusivity — is the key to changing that, offering bowls starting at $13.60 in a neighborhood where Erewhon and Cava are the competition.
Why now: A lomo saltado burrito on their menu sparked an online backlash from self-described Peruvian purists who accused the owners of "Mexicanizing" their heritage — igniting a broader debate about authenticity, fusion and who gets to define what a cuisine can become. The controversy, which spilled from Instagram onto Reddit, ultimately drove more customers through the door than any marketing campaign could have.
What's next: Franco says the restaurant is roughly breaking even and he has his eyes on a second location. For now, he's focused on making Merka Saltao a fixture in Culver City — one burrito, bowl or salad at a time.
When you take a bite of the lomo saltado burrito from Merka Saltao, a fast-casual Peruvian restaurant in Culver City, one of the first things you'll notice is the sauce.
The wok-fried chunks of steak, dressed in a soy-and-oyster sauce reduction spiked with vinegar, saturate the rice inside the tortilla, highlighting the sweet heat of ají amarillo mixed with the velvety texture of pinto beans.
It's a beautiful confluence of flavors. It is also, depending on who you ask, either a creative act of evolution or a betrayal of Peruvian culinary heritage.
Standing on business
The lomo saltado burrito at Merka Saltao wasn't exactly a calculated move. Lifelong friends Alonso Franco and Ignacio Barrios — who met in high school in Lima — came to Los Angeles to bring Peruvian food to the masses, first through a ghost kitchen concept they ran from 2021 to 2023. The burrito happened almost by accident: a member of their kitchen team brought in a tortilla one day, someone suggested wrapping the lomo saltado in it, they ate it, and within three days, it was on the menu.
Merka Saltao co-founders Ignacio Barrios, left, and Alonso Franco, right, inside their Culver City restaurant. The two lifelong friends from Lima opened the fast-casual brick-and-mortar location for their Peruvian concept in August 2025.
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Courtesy Merka Saltao
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The data from the ghost kitchen made the case for keeping it there. Franco and Barrios had launched with around 140 dishes — lomo saltado, ceviche, chicken dishes, the works. But the numbers kept pointing to the same thing: wherever lomo saltado appeared on the menu, in whatever form, burrito, bowl, salad, it was the winner.
(Ceviche, for all its cultural cachet, is raw fish with raw onion — a harder sell for a weekday lunch. Lomo saltado, Franco noted, is steak and fries — basically a hamburger.)
The backlash
The two friends made the leap to brick-and-mortar in August 2025, opening Merka Saltao in downtown Culver City. It's one of the more competitive dining corridors in L.A., the kind of block that can support a $16 wellness bowl and a craft beer bar in the same stretch, populated by Amazon employees on lunch breaks, families on weekend outings, and food-literate regulars who will absolutely have opinions about what goes in a burrito.
Those opinions arrived faster than Franco expected. Within the first week of opening, an influencer came in and posted about the restaurant — but instead of showing the full menu, the bowls, the chicha morada, the flexibility of the concept, they showed the burrito. Just the burrito.
Franco working the wok at Merka Saltao. The high-heat wok technique at the heart of lomo saltado traces its roots to Chinese immigrants in Peru
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Christopher Mortenson
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Courtesy Merka Saltao
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The comments turned quickly. "No! Peruvians don't eat burritos. ¿Qué car—o es eso?" — roughly, "what the hell is this?" — wrote one commenter. Another said "Burritos? We don't eat burritos in 🇵🇪”. Franco describes sitting at his computer reading the pile-on, feeling something between anger and devastation. "There was a moment where I probably even cried," he said, "thinking, I've made a mistake." But then he looked at the numbers. 30,000 had seen the post…. And half the comments were in his defense.
He took the conversation to Reddit, posting to r/FoodLosAngeles asking the community directly: am I wrong for this? The response was overwhelming — hundreds of comments, almost entirely in his favor, and a surge of new customers walking through the door shortly after.
Fusion by default
This is Los Angeles, where many of the dishes that define the Southern California diet were born precisely from cultures colliding. Roy Choi built an empire on Korean tacos. Al pastor traces its technique to Lebanese immigrants who brought the vertical spit. The California roll, invented by Japanese chefs in Los Angeles in the 1960s, introduced an entire country to sushi. None of these dishes destroyed the traditions they borrowed from. If anything, they expanded their audience. And the lomo saltado burrito isn't exactly a novel concept in Southern California to begin with — everyone from Pablitos Tacos in North Hollywood to Le Hut in Santa Ana, run by 2025 James Beard Award-nominated chef Daniel Castillo, has featured their own version. Even Disney's California Adventure got in on it, serving a lomo saltado burrito out of the Studio Catering Co. food truck as recently as last year.
The lomo saltado bowl and burrito at Merka Saltao in Culver City — two versions of the same dish that sparked an unlikely online debate about Peruvian culinary identity.
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Courtesy Merka Saltao
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Franco would also point out that lomo saltado itself — the dish the purists are so eager to protect — is a product of Chinese immigrants bringing the wok and soy sauce to Peru roughly 300 years ago. "Peruvian is by default fusion," he told me. "So we have all the right to wrap it up in a burrito." What the online critics were really doing, whether they knew it or not, was defending a dish that was itself once considered inauthentic — and doing so in the name of authenticity.
Where things stand
Since the backlash, Franco says business has been mostly steady — breaking even, which for a concept that requires high volume at a low price point, he considers a good sign. The controversy changed things in ways he didn't expect: people started coming in specifically because of the story, not just the food. He began putting himself front and center in the brand, regularly making videos on social media about what it's like to run the business, occasionally poking fun at himself and the whole debate. When we visited during the weekday lunch rush, there was a steady line of people waiting to order, many stopping to talk with Franco directly.
In a way, he's answered the authenticity question not with an argument but with a presence — showing up, telling the story, letting the food speak. "Honoring my food, if that requires pairing lomo saltado with a salad or wrapping it in a tortilla, I have no problem," he said. "I'm not being less authentic. We are evolving in Peru anytime. I have to be authentic on the individual flavor and then be flexible to reach more people to discover our flavors."
The burrito, it turns out, was never the point. It was just the door.
