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.
Early every Saturday for the last three and a half years, William Campbell, 61, leaves his Silver Lake home to be at the Angels Flight station for the first ride at 6:45 a.m.
Why it matters: Campbell is one of a team of operators behind the proverbial wheel of the two near-identical funiculars — named Olivet and Sinai — that go up and down a 33% angle slope from Hill Street to Bunker Hill in downtown Los Angeles.
The backstory: Campbell is also a superfan and has been researching the Bunker Hill funicular's 124-year history.
Early every Saturday for the last three and a half years, William Campbell, 61, leaves his Silver Lake home to be at the Angels Flight station for the first ride at 6:45 a.m.
Campbell is one of a team of operators behind the proverbial wheel of the two near-identical funiculars — named Olivet and Sinai — that go up and down a 33% angle slope from Hill Street to Bunker Hill in downtown Los Angeles.
“You’re a part of living history,” said Campbell, who is dressed in an orange and black waistcoat and bow tie, and wears a bowler hat with a monarch butterfly on top. There’s a reason for that, he said mysteriously.
Angels Flight on Bunker Hill.
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James Bartlett
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LAist
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Today, I am the first rider. Soon after, I am joined by a family visiting from Texas.
“I was just looking at a local tourist place, and I just saw this small, cute railway,” said Michael Nguyen, who was alongside his mother and sister. “I was like, oh, this looks interesting. And I saw that you can actually go on it. I was like, OK, that’s pretty dope.”
Masterminded by lawyer, politician and engineer Col. James Ward Eddy, the Angels Flight “hillevator” opened on New Year’s Eve 1901 as a way for people to travel up and down Bunker Hill, which was then the place where the city’s wealthy population lived.
The journey took them down to the streets and stores below and from 1917, Grand Central Market, with the first passengers paying just a penny fare for what was billed as the “shortest railway in America,” traveling just 298 feet.
When he’s not working his weekday full-time day job investigating animal cruelty and abuse, Campbell spends his spare time looking through online newspaper archives for any information about Angels Flight.
Angels Flight Railway.
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James Bartlett
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LAist
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Angels Flight Railway.
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James Bartlett
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LAist
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Originally located by the 3rd Street Tunnel — at the end of the block from where it is now — the train has been through several changes, as has Bunker Hill itself.
“All the wealthy people moved to Beverly Hills, and Brentwood, and Bel Air, and beyond. And all their wonderful Victorian mansions were turned into boarding houses, and it attracted a lower income, more diverse population, which resulted in blight and crime — at least according to the city,” Campbell said of Bunker Hill's transformation.
City officials authorized Bunker Hill to be all but razed in the 1950s and '60s, and Angels Flight was put into what was promised to be temporary storage for a year or two, despite protests from singer Peggy Lee and others.
Angels Flight Railway 351 S. Hill St., Los Angeles Daily, 6:45 a.m. to 10 p.m. A round-trip ticket is $3, which is orange and has a souvenir portion. A one-way trip is $1.75 or $1 for TAP cardholders. William Campbell works there every Saturday and will happily talk to you if he can. You can find out more about Campbell's wildlife interests and win a prize in Angels Flight quizzes via Instagram.
The year was 1969. And it took nearly three decades for its return. Angels Flight welcomed passengers again in 1996 to its current location after test runs were made with cases of beer and soft drinks weighing 9,000 pounds. The cable cars were rebuilt exactly as before, but with modern safety requirements, such as Sinai having wheelchair space.
A 2001 accident in which one person died and seven were injured saw another long closure until 2010, and there was a derailment in 2014, which saw another short shuttering. But Angels Flight has been running ever since 2017, save the odd mechanical problem.
William Campbell.
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James Bartlett
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LAist
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Angels Flight keepsakes made by William Campbell for riders to take.
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James Bartlett
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LAist
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Campbell describes himself as a cheerleader for Angels Flight, and you can easily see why. During his shift he pins up a 1904 photo of the city’s landscape taken from an 80-foot-high observation tower at the original location, so people can compare it to the skyscraper skyline of today.
“At one time you could see all the way to Catalina,” he noted.
There is also a display about near-forgotten Bunker Hill folk artist Marcel Cavalla, and Campbell gives away Angels Flight bookmarks, stickers and maps, all of which he researches, designs and prints out of his own pocket.
One of his projects, old advertisements from 1901 to the 1940s, is displayed in the panels above the seats, and was installed a couple of months ago.
Interior of Angels Flight, showcasing old advertisements from 1901 to the 1940s that Campbell installed.
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James Bartlett
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LAist
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One of the vintage ads for Catalina Carrier-Pigeon Service.
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James Bartlett
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LAist
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There's everything from old Market Basket supermarket ads, to Barbara Stanwyck shilling for Lux toilet soap, to a standard power mower from John Bean manufacturing, to one for the Catalina Carrier Pigeon Service, which operated from 1894 to 1902, taking messages from Avalon to Bunker Hill.
And the monarch butterfly on his hat? That’s related to his Angels Flight “holy grail,” the one question he can’t definitively answer: why were they painted orange and black?
With that, Campbell grabs his binoculars and sees there are passengers waiting for a ride up, so I get into Olivet and wave goodbye as I travel down to Hill Street.
Fiona Ng
is LAist's deputy managing editor and leads a team of reporters who explore food, culture, history, events and more.
Published May 23, 2026 5:00 AM
The group Neighbors Helping Neighbors helps Altadena fire survivors clear weeds from burnt lots.
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Fiona Ng
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LAist
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Topline:
A new group called Neighbors Helping Neighbors has been helping Eaton Fire survivors clear burnt lots of overgrown weeds.
Why now: The volunteering effort is not just to tidy things up – but to clear lots of fire fuels as the region enters fire season.
Backstory: The group is founded by Antoinette “Toni” Bailey-Raines, who grew up in Altadena and whose parents and sister all lost homes in the fire.
Read on ... to learn more about the group and how you can help.
A group called Neighbors Helping Neighbors has been clearing overgrown weeds for free on fire survivors' empty lots in Altadena.
They’ve finished 10 with many more to go. They’re keeping at it not just to keep things tidy, but to avert another disaster as the region enters fire season — and their efforts are spreading. More than 200 homeowners have signed up, after hearing about the group from its Facebook page and through word of mouth.
“I'm 5 feet 2 inches tall, but there were weeds 6 and 8 feet tall,” said Antoinette “Toni” Bailey-Raines, the ringleader. She is also a co-founder of Altadena Talks Foundation, a nonprofit started in the wake of the Eaton Fire.
Bailey-Raines lives in San Dimas but grew up in Altadena. Her parents and sister all lost their homes in the Eaton Fire.
“I went to my parents' lot one day,” she said. “I loaded up the back of my car with my lawnmower, my blower, my rake, because I wanted to make sure their lot was cleaned up.”
It took seven hours, but she figured all that overgrown vegetation can't be good for Altadena with the fire season just around the corner.
And just like that, the idea for Neighbors Helping Neighbors was born.
Antoinette “Toni” Bailey-Raines, founder of Neighbors Helping Neighbors.
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Fiona Ng
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LAist
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Antoinette “Toni” Bailey-Raines at one of the cleared lots.
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Fiona Ng
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LAist
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The very first lot, just south in Pasadena, was cleared in mid-April. Bailey-Raines said the property was getting notices from the city to clear the lot or face escalating fines. Pasadena conducts brush clearance inspections every spring and summer.
Toni said the family had moved to Mississippi after the Eaton Fire.
“You lost everything, and then somebody's gonna tell you they're gonna give you a fine because you have weeds on your lot and you're not even here to see that?” Bailey-Raines said.
That day, she rounded up a group of nine people, including her son and his friend. A neighbor across the street was suspicious at first, but eventually told her, "You have me for about an hour." He stayed for two.
The job took less than four hours.
A growing movement
On May 13, dozens of volunteers showed up in Altadena to clear seven lots in one morning.
One of them — a 14,000-square-foot lot — belongs to Sarkis Aleksanian and his family. He had reached out to Bailey-Raines in late April, after learning about the group from a neighborhood WhatsApp chat.
“I was looking into cleaning up the lot and really daunted by the prospect,” he said. “I was worried that the lawn would dry up and be a problem.”
Aleksanian and his wife were on hand to help out. It’s the one thing that Bailey-Raines requires — for the homeowners to be there.
“I've asked them that if they're able-bodied to be here and help,” she said. “You're here. You're encouraging people, and you're helping on your lot. [Sarkis] was doing everything from weed-eater, to chainsaw, to whatever, and that's what it's about.”
This 14,000-square-foot lot in Altadena was cleaned up in less than two hours on a recently Saturday.
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Fiona Ng
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LAist
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“It was just remarkable, I tell you,” Aleksanian said. He said he recognized some of the volunteers that morning — folks he sees in the community.
And he did encounter someone he knew — a high school acquaintance from years back. “It's neighbors helping neighbors, just like she called it, you know?” Aleksanian said.
His lot was finished in 90 minutes.
More is needed
With a growing waitlist, what is needed are people and equipment — from gloves and trash bags to the hardware.
“I have six brush cutters and two chainsaws and a couple trimmers, but I need, like, triple that at least,” she said.
Same goes for rechargeable batteries that power these tools — which Bailey-Raines juices up with generators they bring on-site.
“My dream is one Saturday morning to have 500 people and that we clear a whole street, a whole block — so that this list of 200 can go down, and as others hear about it, they get on it, and we as a community do this as neighbors to help one another,” she said.
Keep up with LAist.
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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.
(
Ken Bohn
/
Courtesy San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
)
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.
(
Ken Bohn
/
Courtesy San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
)
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.
