Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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Emily Elconin
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Getty Images
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Topline:
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is apologizing to his family for a Super Bowl ad that harkened back to the 1960 presidential campaign of his uncle, former President John F. Kennedy.
What he said: "I'm so sorry if the Super Bowl advertisement caused anyone in my family pain," Kennedy said in a post on X, the website formally known as Twitter.
More about RFK Jr.: LAist's latest episode of our weekly podcast Imperfect Paradiseexplores the conspiracy theories, once relegated to a subset of yoga and wellness communities, that are being brought into the political mainstream through the presidential candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is campaigning on a mix of conspiracies from both the wellness world and the far right.
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is apologizing to his family for a Super Bowl ad that harkened back to the 1960 presidential campaign of his uncle, former President John F. Kennedy.
"I'm so sorry if the Super Bowl advertisement caused anyone in my family pain," Kennedy said in a post on X, the website formally known as Twitter. "The ad was created and aired by the American Values Super PAC without any involvement or approval from my campaign. FEC rules prohibit Super PACs from consulting with me or my staff. I love you all. God bless you."
Kennedy had developed a controversial political reputation as a longtime leader of the anti-vaccine movement, promoting baseless conspiracy theories. He first announced his candidacy last spring, vowing to challenge President Biden for the Democratic nomination, but ultimately pivoted to running as an Independent.
The ad, which remains pinned to the top of Kennedy's X page, uses his uncle's campaign song, "Kennedy for Me," colorizing the original black and white video and adding images of the independent candidate.
The video, which was paid for by Kennedy's PAC, American Values 2024, cost $7 million to air during the Super Bowl on Sunday night.
"RFK Jr offers us real change along with freedom, trust and hope," super PAC co-founder Tony Lyons said in a statement to NPR. "Like his uncle and his father, Kennedy is a corruption-fighter, and it's no wonder the DNC is trying every old trick and inventing new tricks to stop him. The public sees through it all and won't stand for it," he added.
The ad release comes just days after the Democratic National Committee filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission, arguing Kennedy's super PAC violated campaign finance laws.
Kennedy remains a longshot candidate, though some political experts warn that a third-party candidate option could take votes away from the eventual Democratic and Republican candidates. In recent NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist polling, Kennedy pulls more votes from Trump-aligned voters, potentially benefiting Biden.
The Kennedy family – who have long been associated with the Democratic party – have largely come out publicly against Kennedy's independent presidential bid and instead have said they will support Biden.
Listen to LAist's podcast episode about RFK Jr's positions
Austin Cross
helps Angelenos make sense of news, politics, and more as host of Morning Edition, AirTalk Fridays, and The L.A. Report.
Published October 20, 2026 1:43 PM
Alex Mendham and His Orchestra perform at the Los Angeles Theatre.
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Courtesy of Art Deco Society of Los Angeles
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Topline:
Alex Mendham and His Orchestra will bring back music of the 1920s and '30s to The Biltmore Los Angeles next month, after a sold-out performance last weekend.
What’s bringing them back: Mendham tells LAist he has a theory about why people are drawn to music from a century ago: Turn on the news, and you’ll understand pretty quickly. Getting dressed up on a Saturday night, hitting the dance floor and hearing a live orchestra play songs from the '20s and '30s is about as good an escape as this city has to offer.
He proved his case ahead of his performance at the historic Biltmore Hotel last weekend. The show sold out weeks early.
How to catch them again: Mendham and his orchestra return to the Biltmore on Saturday, Nov. 7, for a reprise of the night. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the music starts at 8 p.m. Tickets start at around $44.
Shoppers browse vendors inside Un-Other Space during the first Friends & Family Flea in Koreatown on Sept. 26, 2026.
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Courtesy of Friends & Family Flea
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Topline:
Friends & Family Flea is returning to Koreatown. Organizers plan to make the flea market a monthly event in the neighborhood and offer reduced registration fees for local vendors.
Why it matters: The first market was held in September and drew more people to the space than organizers expected. Friends & Family Flea co-founder Kioh Park said more than 400 people RSVP’d but roughly 650 to 700 people attended.
The backstory: The flea grew out of Park and Byun’s experience building MAUM Market, a traveling market for Asian and Asian American makers. Park, who grew up in South Korea, first visited Los Angeles in 2016 and later moved to Koreatown, where the two met and developed their business.
Friends & Family Flea is returning to Koreatown. Organizers plan to make the flea market a monthly event in the neighborhood and offer reduced registration fees for local vendors.
The market will take place on Nov. 21 and Dec. 12 from noon to 5 p.m. at Un-Other Space at 524 S. Western Ave.
The first market was held in September and drew more people to the space than organizers expected. Friends & Family Flea co-founder Kioh Park said more than 400 people RSVP’d but roughly 650 to 700 people attended.
Some attendees told Park they lived just a few blocks away and had learned about the market through social media or The LA Local’s coverage.
The response convinced the organizers to continue.
“It was a trial, but definitely we saw the demand from the vendors and attendees,” Park said. “That’s why we want to keep pushing this.”
Organizers plan to invite back vendors from the first market while bringing in new vendors.
They plan to keep the market at Un-Other Space as vendors and attendees responded well to the indoor venue, Park said.
Attendees play Go-Stop with the LA Hwatu-Hanafuda Club at the first Friends & Family Flea in Koreatown on Sept. 26, 2026.
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Courtesy of Friends & Family Flea
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The organizers are also trying to make the market more accessible to neighborhood businesses. Vendors based in Koreatown can qualify for a reduced registration fee by providing proof of their address, such as a driver’s license or mailing address. Vendors from outside the neighborhood pay a different rate.
“Just so we can have more people who live in that neighborhood and then who do small business there join,” Park said.
The resident-rate program is part of their broader goal of building markets around individual neighborhoods, Park added.
The flea grew out of Park and Byun’s experience building MAUM Market, a traveling market for Asian and Asian American makers. Park, who grew up in South Korea, first visited Los Angeles in 2016 and later moved to Koreatown, where the two met and developed their business.
“L.A. Koreatown was really, it was really kind of a shock. It feels like a late 1980s, early 1990s, Korea vibe. So it reminds me of my childhood. And there’s a lot of mom and pop shops, so it was really an interesting experience for me,” he said.
Park said he had struggled to apply to established flea markets as a vendor because of language barriers and complicated paperwork.
“Back in the day, I didn’t speak English well, I wasn’t able to understand English well, and the process, paperwork was all very complicated,” he said.
Park said organizers plan to continue their partnership with the Koreatown Youth and Community Center, with proceeds from sales of Friends & Family Flea hats going to the nonprofit.
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Kavish Harjai
writes about how people get around L.A.
Published October 20, 2026 1:23 PM
The protected bike lanes are just one part of a longer-term project to increase mobility on Fountain Avenue, including sidewalk widening.
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Courtesy City of West Hollywood
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Topline:
The West Hollywood City Council has rejected an effort that could have delayed plans to add protected bike lanes to Fountain Avenue.
The vote: The motion failed in a 3-2 vote on Monday night. It would have directed staff to evaluate an alternative plan for the road that maintained street parking but didn’t include bike lanes. West Hollywood City Councilmembers Chelsea Byers and John Erickson and Vice Mayor Danny Hang voted to reject the motion. Mayor John Heilman and City Councilmember Lauren Meister, who introduced the motion, supported the effort.
What happens next: The first phase of the project is set to begin construction before the end of the year. The plan includes reducing traffic lanes, pedestrian improvements and protected bike lanes.
The motion: Meister’s motion, which critics said came at the last minute, aimed to avoid the loss of 60% of the street’s parking as a result of the roadway changes. Meister said on Monday her motion was an attempt to weigh the approved plan against an alternative that “might accomplish the same safety objectives while preserving parking.”
Reaction to the vote: Michael Schneider is the founder and CEO of Streets for All, a transportation advocacy group that mobilized bike lane supporters before Monday’s meeting. In a text to LAist, Schneider said “common sense prevailed” and that he looks forward to construction starting.
Watch the meeting: If you’re looking to hear impassioned public comment and West Hollywood City Council members trade jabs, the Fountain Avenue item begins at around 2:06:20 in the meeting recording.
Read more: LAist previewed last night’s meeting with additional context, which you can read here.
Elly Yu
covers issues facing the youngest Angelenos and their families.
Published October 20, 2026 1:17 PM
A damaged tank at GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove forced thousands of nearby residents to evacuate.
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Ethan Swope
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AP Photo
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Topline:
An Orange County judge has approved a $125 million settlement with the company that owns a chemical tank in Garden Grove that malfunctioned earlier this year.
What’s new: The agreement sets aside up to $100 million for a claim program for residents and businesses who were forced to evacuate. Those affected can be reimbursed for expenses like hotel stays and loss of wages.
What’s next: GKN Aerospace, the company that owns the tank, said the claims program will open up as soon as possible and that it will hold a community event on Oct. 27.
The agreement between the Orange County District Attorney and GKN Aerospace sets aside up to $100 million for a claim program for residents and businesses who were forced to evacuate.
What’s covered in the claim program?
Those affected can be reimbursed for expenses like hotel stays and loss of wages. That includes:
Up to $300 a night for lodging, up to five nights
A $500 payment per household for the loss of using their home
Up to $500 per day in lost wages for hourly employees who missed work due to the evacuation, up to three working days
Up to $5,000 per day in lost profits for businesses that had to close during the evacuation
An additional $8.5 million will be used to reimburse government agencies that responded to the emergency.
The company has agreed to a safety plan, which includes new equipment and upgrades to existing equipment, and monitoring and oversight for at least the next seven years.
What’s next?
GKN says it will hold a community event on Oct. 27 so residents can learn about the claim program, though details about the event haven’t yet been released.
The company says now that the agreement has been court-approved, the claim program will open “as soon as possible.” To prepare, GKN said residents should keep receipts related to their expenses during their evacuation.
"Additional guidance on acceptable documentation will be provided when the program opens," according to a company FAQ site.
