The Brief

L.A. County’s courts are expanding the use of electronic recording in the hopes of addressing a chronic shortage of court reporters.

Samantha P. Jessner, the presiding judge of the Superior Court of L.A. County, signed a general order Thursday that allows this type of transcript in hearings where fundamental rights are at stake and a court reporter isn’t available.

Court leadership described it as a “constitutional safety net,” but the Los Angeles County Court Reporters Association (LACCRA) said in a statement that this “hasty decision” will put people at risk of faulty recordings, inaccurate transcripts, and doesn’t guarantee their ability to appeal.

About the general order

The order, which went into effect immediately, allows judges in certain family law, probate, and unlimited civil proceedings to use electronic recording to create a verbatim record under specific circumstances.

Those include:

• If it concerns fundamental or liberty rights
• If it involves significant legal, and/or factual issues
• At least one party wants a verbatim transcript, and they haven’t been able to secure a private court reporter
• A court-employed court reporter isn’t reasonably available 
• And the proceeding should not be further delayed

It’ll be up to each judge’s discretion to request electronic recording on a case-by-case basis.

State law requires court reporters in felony criminal and juvenile cases, and it allows electronic recording in limited civil, misdemeanor criminal, and infraction cases. The L.A. County court order expands the use even further.

What court leadership says

Jessner said the move addresses the constitutional crisis in L.A. County’s courtrooms — the nation’s largest trial system. She added that the crisis is the result of a worsening court reporter shortage and “arbitrary” restrictions on electronic recording.

“It directly impacts the court's ability to meet our mission of providing fair and equal access to justice to all we serve,” Jessner said at a news conference Thursday. “Simply put, no record, no justice.”

She noted that people can hire a private court reporter, which can cost thousands of dollars per day, or delay the proceedings until the court can provide one, which can take weeks or months.

Delay is often not an option in these cases, she said, especially for domestic violence, child custody, and conservatorships.

“Or they can proceed without a transcript, without a record, without a fighting chance on appeal,” Jessner said. “In short, litigants in these courtrooms must pay, delay, or walk away.”

Each one of those options restricts the constitutional right to due process, as well as equal and timely access to justice, she added.

Jessner said the court reporter shortage is growing without an end in sight, and pushed back against any “assertions to the contrary.” She noted that the court has spent nearly $14 million to recruit new hires and retain the court reporters they do have, even starting its own internal training program.

What court reporters say

LACCRA said in a statement that it strongly opposes the efforts to expand electronic recording beyond what is already allowed under state law.

Cindy Tachell, president of LACCRA, told LAist the roughly 200-page general order came as a surprise, and the court didn’t notify them of the change affecting the court reporter workforce.

She said electronic recording is flawed, and isn’t going to produce a record that’s comparable to having a certified court reporter in the room.

“A couple days after the ransomware attack, all the misdemeanor courtrooms used electronic recording and they were shut down,” Tachell said. “They could not get anything done, and court reporters were ready to go to cover everything that the court needed.”

Shanna Gray, vice president of LACCRA, told LAist she worries people won’t understand what’s going on when they come to court, the effect it’ll have on the current court reporters in L.A. County, and the impact on potential applicants.

“I know these things move like a cruise ship, but if you move like a cruise ship, you're not going to get results overnight, which is what they seem to be looking for,” she said. “And then when they didn't get it now, they immediately want to go to electronic recording, which is risky for our litigants.”

Tachell added in a statement that they agree access to justice is the backbone of society, but poor-quality electronic recording threatens that. And they both said there’s still plenty of eager applicants, L.A. County just needs to hire them.

A lawyer’s take

Alphonse Provinziano, a senior trial attorney and certified family law specialist at Provinziano & Associates in Beverly Hills, told LAist the court leadership has accomplished an amazing feat with the order.

Not having a record breaks people’s constitutional rights, he noted, and the only way to ensure that right is to have access to electronic recording.

“We would want nothing more than having court reporters, but if we don't have court reporters, there has to be some solution,” Provinziano said.

Provinziano is a former deputy district attorney in San Bernardino County, where they would use electronic recording for misdemeanor proceedings, and he said it’s a “very efficient way” of handling those hearings.

But with the courtroom acoustics, he noted that everyone has to be aware of the sound and speak directly into the microphone, or else you’re jeopardizing the record.

“But it's the best that we can have, and there'll be procedural ways to deal with those technical glitches and issues,” he said. “I found that in my personal experience, it was satisfactory.”

This story was originally published by The LA Local on Feb. 26, 2026.

Oaxacan cuisine is often defined by two pillars: mole and quesillo. They anchor dishes like tlayudas, memelas, tetelas and tamales, and their flavors travel well — you can find versions of them across Los Angeles and many parts of the world.

But one of Oaxaca’s most satisfying street foods rarely gets the same spotlight — the torta Oaxaqueña — messy, crunchy and loaded with individually transformed ingredients.

Unlike other regional tortas that use either freshly baked bollillo or birote saladao, the Oaxacan variety always features a flat toasted telera roll. It also always has plenty of melted quesillo and refried black bean paste. Then it’s loaded with strips of cecina enchilada (marinated pork), fried Oaxacan chorizo or tasajo (thinly sliced beef).

A chalkboard decorated with bright flowers and a drawing of a torta greets customers at Tortas Mexico in Pasadena.

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Cristabell Fierros

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The LA Local

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In Old Town Pasadena, Tortas Mexico has served Mexican and Oaxacan dishes for 26 years. The family-owned restaurant, operated by the Ramos family, is open seven days a week and offers a menu ranging from breakfast burritos and chilaquiles to birria tacos and enchiladas.

At the entrance, a chalkboard decorated with bright flowers and a drawing of a torta greets customers with the phrase “Hecho con amor y tradición” — made with love and tradition.

“The start of this restaurant business came from an idea by my cousin Francisco, his wife Patricia and my Aunt Macuca,” said Esteban Ramos, who later purchased the location with his wife Blanca.

Esteban and Blanca Ramos outside their Pasadena eatery Tortas Mexico.

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Cristabell Fierros

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The LA Local

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Inside, the space is modest and warm, decorated with artisanal Mexican décor. Above the counter, a sprawling menu lists dozens of options. In the kitchen, at least three cooks work the grill, including Blanca Ramos.

“The recipes primarily stem from my husband’s side of the family, specifically his Tía Macuca,” Ramos said. “She inspired the majority of the menu.”

In recent months, Tortas Mexico has attracted new customers through Instagram and TikTok videos, thanks to Esteban’s son, Neftali Ramos, who runs the restaurant’s social media.

“I want to continue building a spot where you know you’re getting real, authentic Mexican food — that tastes like your mom or your grandma made it,” he said.

Across Los Angeles, other Oaxacan kitchens are crafting their own versions of the regional specialty.

Here are the best Oaxacan tortas in Los Angeles ranked.

No. 5 Tlayuda Restaurant

A Oaxacan torta from El Valle Oaxaqueño in Pico-Union. They also have a second location in South LA.

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Cristabell Fierros

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The LA Local

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Best known for its heart-shaped tlayudas, Tlayuda Restaurant in East Hollywood also turns out a satisfying torta Oaxaqueña. A soft bolillo holds refried black beans, mayonnaise, melted quesillo, avocado, diced chorizo and thin-sliced beef — a balanced, filling torta without any unnecessary flash.

No. 4 El Valle Oaxaqueño

A Oaxacan torta.

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Cristabell Fierros

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The LA Local

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Part bakery, part market and restaurant, El Valle Oaxaqueño presses its house-baked telera rolls on a flat iron for extra crunch. The carne asada torta melts into layers of mayonnaise, black beans and quesillo. Other options include salchicha roja Oaxaqueña and chile relleno for vegetarians.

No. 3 Los Compadres de Oaxaca

A Oaxacan torta from Oaxacali in South Central.

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Cristabell Fierros

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The LA Local

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One of the newer Oaxacan additions to LA, Los Compadres De Oaxaca opened in 2025 and isn’t afraid to lean bold. Its torta Oaxaqueña arrives on a toasted bolillo stuffed with chorizo and carne asada, refried black beans, mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado and fresh quesillo. Fries and tortilla chips with house-made mole come on the side.

No. 2 Oaxacalifornia

A South LA institution for more than two decades, Oaxacalifornia blends Oaxacan flavors with Southern California influence. The vegetarian torta Oaxaqueña is the way to go here — crisp telera bread layered with refried black beans, mayonnaise, avocado, tomatoes and lightly salted quesillo. It comes with nopalito salad and smoky red salsa for extra depth.

No. 1 Tortas Mexico

At Tortas Mexico, their Oaxaqueña begins on a flat-top grill, where a sliced telera roll toasts while strips of cecina enchilada sizzle beside it. The paired grilling adds a rich flavor to the telera roll. That richness is enhanced by every ingredient. The bean paste adds texture that compliments the crunchy bread, followed by the gooey quesillo and the perfectly charred meat.

At the prep station, mayonnaise is spread on the top half of the roll. Lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, white onions and jalapeños follow. The torta is pressed together — warm, heavy, built to drip.

This story was originally published by The LA Local on Feb. 26, 2026.

The city’s police inspector general will begin monitoring LAPD encounters with federal immigration agents and report its findings to the Police Commission, the office confirmed to The LA Local.

“We’ll be working with the department to request notification of all future incidents of department personnel responding to calls for service at the scene of immigration enforcement action,” Inspector General Matthew Barragan introduced at the police commission meeting on Tuesday. “A police special investigator, a member of my team, will review all body worn video recordings and will report back to this full board at future meetings regarding compliance with the executive directive.”

The move follows Mayor Karen Bass’ Feb. 10 directive requiring the LAPD to turn on body cameras and ask federal immigration agents to identify themselves during operations.

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said the department would be in “full compliance with the directive.”

McDonnell recently faced backlash from residents, state senators, City Council members and immigration rights advocates after saying he would not enforce a new law that makes it a crime for agents to wear masks during immigration operations. He argued the law was bad policy and could threaten public safety if enforced.

Soon after those statements, a judge temporarily blocked the mask ban while considering a federal government lawsuit claiming the law improperly limits its work. Other provisions, including requirements that agents identify themselves, remain in effect.

While McDonnell did not explicitly retract his earlier statements on the mask ban during Tuesday’s meeting, he said the mayor’s order is now being followed.

Immigration agents have regularly worked while masked and at times refused to provide their names, agencies and badge numbers to the public, a departure from longstanding law enforcement practice and a violation of recently enacted California law.

Bass directed the police department to enforce the portions of the law not under litigation. The order also requires the department to retain footage for potential use in legal actions by county or state prosecutors.

One commissioner said each LAPD division is expected to designate at least two officers as immigration liaisons, responsible for communicating with department leadership about what’s happening on the ground.

McDonnell said a department administrator would provide a more detailed update on the LAPD’s knowledge of immigration operations across the city at the next commission meeting. He also said the department plans additional public outreach to help communities better understand its role.

“We’re there not to enforce civil immigration law, but to be able to keep the peace at the scenes where this is occurring and to be able to be the police department for everybody,” McDonnell said. “Trust is our currency and we have some work to do to be able to build that up after the incidents we’ve seen since June. So that’s some work in progress, but we are including all of our community members.”

The priority deadline for California students to apply for federal and state-based financial aid is March 2. And as students hustle to meet this deadline, the state is also encouraging them to claim their CalKIDS scholarship—up to $1,500 that can be used to pay for college or a career training program.

Typically, scholarship applications involve writing essays, meeting GPA requirements and maybe even securing letters of recommendation in a competition for limited funds.

But the CalKIDS scholarship requires none of that, said Noah Lightman, assistant deputy director at ScholarShare Investment Board, which oversees the program.

About 60% of California’s public school students are eligible for the scholarship, and it’s non-competitive. Students are entitled to the money by state law, Lightman said — they just have to claim it.

CalKIDS launched in 2022. To date, about 850,000 California students have claimed their scholarships.

Lightman pointed to research showing that children with even a modest amount of money set aside for higher education are three times more likely to attend college—and four times more likely to graduate college than children who don’t have any savings.

He knows from personal experience, having juggled coursework, extracurriculars, standardized tests and college applications while figuring out how he’d pay for college. Knowing there’s easy-to-access money “can be life-changing,” he added.

How are the CalKIDS scholarship amounts determined? And how do I claim it?

Students in second grade and up who are eligible for a CalKIDS scholarship will get at least $500.

The state determines eligibility based on a variety of factors, including family income and whether the student is learning English as a second language. If a student is unhoused or fostered, they will receive an additional $500. Eligible students who are unhoused and fostered will receive $1,500.

Lightman encourages everyone to check, though.

To claim their scholarships, Lightman said, students just need their 10-digit Statewide Student Identifier, which is assigned to them at school. (If you don’t know what yours is, ask your teacher or counselor.) Once they have their SSID, students or their parents can go to the CalKIDS website, plug in that number, along with their birthdate and county where they attend school, and readily find out if they are eligible and, if so, for what amount.

Students do not need a Social Security number to access these funds.

The process takes about five minutes or less, said Julio Hernandez, a college and career administrative coordinator for Los Angeles Unified School District. Counseling teams across the district have been instructed to tell students about CalKIDS, Hernandez added. He’s also used the website to secure a $500 scholarship for his son. Once he graduates, Hernandez’s son will be able to use that money to help cover tuition or other higher ed expenses.

According to CalKIDS, students have used their scholarships to pay for everything from books to housing bills.

Students can start using their CalKIDS funds as young as 17, and they don’t have to spend it while they’re undergraduates. If they would like to hold on to that money till grad school, they may, Lightman said—but the money must be spent by the time they turn 26. Currently, he added, nearly 150,000 students are using CalKIDS to help pay for college.

What might keep students from claiming their scholarship?

At Long Beach Unified, counselors help students and parents navigate the claim process.

Counselors at the district also describe the process as quick and straightforward. But, Candyce Simpson, a counselor at Jordan High School, noted in an emailed statement to LAist that students and their parents are often “bombarded with emails about college and the cost of college.”

“There are predatory programs that spam our kids about scholarships, if you pay a fee,” she added. “As counselors, we constantly remind our students and families that if they ask for a credit card, they should delete the email immediately. These programs are very savvy, and they look very legitimate.”

Messages from CalKIDS may get “buried,” Simpson said. “Students know FAFSA and Studentaid.gov; we need to add CalKIDS to our narratives more intentionally.”

Hey, new parents! There is also a CalKIDS scholarship for babies 

Every baby born in California on or after July 1, 2022 is also eligible for a separate CalKIDS scholarship—regardless of their family income.

These scholarships start at $100. To access them, parents need their child’s 13-digit local registration number, which can be found on their birth certificate. If families choose to link this money with the state's official college savings program, ScholarShare 529, CalKIDS will add another $50 to their account.

The scholarship, though small in comparison to escalating college costs, “serves as a conversation starter,” Lightman said, “helping families look at college savings in general.”

Community members have organized an event called “Disneyland Raza Invasion” outside the theme parks to take place the same day as the planned "MAGA Takeover" at Disneyland in Anaheim tomorrow. Here’s what to know about the dueling events.

Disney is not involved in the events. The two are solely organized by outside groups with no direct affiliation with the amusement park, such as “Dapper Dan Day” and “Bats Day.”

Park officials declined to respond to LAist’s requests for comment.

Organizers with 805 Patriots say “Patriots in the Park” is a “peaceful” event for “family-oriented” conservatives to enjoy a day at the park. They’re encouraging attendees to show support for the president by wearing attire permitted by Disneyland, such as red hats, shirts and accessories.

Organizers say the “MAGA Takeover” meet-up is strictly recreational and participants should enjoy the park as regular visitors, without seeking attention or creating disruptions.

“It is NOT a march, protest, demonstration or political action. Attendees will enter the park as everyday guests and are expected to follow all Disneyland guidelines,” according to a statement from 805 Patriots.

Signs, flags or any form of disruptive conduct are prohibited, according to Disneyland’s rules of entry.

The Brown Berets of California, a Chicano community organization, is also planning a “Disneyland Raza Invasion” outside of the main park entrance on Saturday from 7 to 11 a.m.

Organizers on social media said the “peaceful, united presence” is to “stand against hate and intimidation.” The group speaks out against the Trump administration’s policies, including immigration raids.