The Brief

In a vote that will be closely watched nationwide, Santa Ana, the county seat of Orange County, could become the first city in California to allow non-U.S.citizens to vote in municipal elections.

Voters in the city of about 310,000 residents will decide on Measure DD when they cast their Nov. 5 ballots.

In California, non-U.S.citizens are currently permitted to vote in school board elections in San Francisco. Oakland passed a similar measure, but has not yet put it into practice. That includes permanent residents, work visa holders, refugees and undocumented immigrants. Allowing votes to be cast by non-citizens in the U.S. actually has a long history (more on that soon.)

That said, Santa Ana’s move comes at a time when Republicans have made opposing voting by non-citizens one of their platforms going into the November elections. In Congress, conservatives have advocated for the SAVE (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) Act to require proof of citizenship in order to register to vote, even tying it to the government spending package. And just a short distance away in Huntington Beach, earlier this year voters passed a voter ID measure that Gov. Gavin Newsom has since moved to block.

The push to allow non-citizens to vote in Santa Ana marks the polar opposite. If Measure DD passes, political science experts told LAist they can see it offering a blueprint for other cities to follow — depending on how it plays out in practice.

History of noncitizen voting in the country

Louis DeSipio, UC Irvine professor of political science and Chicano/Latino studies, said in the late 1800s and early 1900s, around half of the states in the nation allowed non-U.S. citizens to vote in state elections.

The motivation for states, he said, was “to encourage immigrants to pick living in one state over another, and they felt that the sort of encouragement to move to a state that allowed noncitizen voting was that opportunity to be able to participate in governance.”

Beginning in the 1900s, DeSipio said this trend declined. Reformers called for taking elections out of the hands of politicians and placing them into the hands of nonpartisan bodies, like the electoral commissions of today.

Fernando Guerra, director of the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University, said the “red scare” in the 1940s and '50s contributed to the blocking of non-U.S. citizens from voting, as Sen. Joseph McCarthy used fear tactics and intimidation to campaign against the spread of Communism.

Yes, non-U.S. citizens can be allowed to vote, in some instances

While federal law explicitly prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections, that ban does not extend to the local and state level. Legislation passed in 1996, known as The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, provides provisions for noncitizens to vote in non-federal elections if they are "authorized to vote for such other purpose under a State constitution or statute or a local ordinance.”

While still rare, such provisions are currently in practice.

In addition to measures in place in San Francisco and Oakland, three cities in Vermont allow non-U.S. citizens to cast ballots. Non-U.S. citizens can also vote in some cities in Maryland (in Takoma Park that dates back three decades), as well as in Washington D.C., where a voting measure recently passed. These votes are limited to local elections and school board races.

Despite being afforded the right to vote, turnout and registration by non-citizens remains low.

The case for Santa Ana opening voting

Current registration data for Orange County shows about 132,000 of Santa Ana's 310,000 residents are registered to vote in the upcoming election. About 41% of Santa Ana's resident were born outside of the U.S., according to census data.

Laura Pantoja has been living in Santa Ana for 28 years. Panoja, who immigrated from Mexico and is not a U.S. citizen, said she believed that if voters approve Measure DD, “it would be a model to follow for a democratic system where all people are heard.”

“When people listen to us, it gives us a feeling of belonging and participation that is very important for building a community,” Pantoja said.

Sarai Arpero, also a non-U.S. citizen, has lived in Santa Ana for more than 20 years. During this time, she said she has seen representatives come and go in the city council, in various positions of power, and things haven't improved.

“Things have gotten a bit worse, in many areas, in health, in security,” she said.

If Measure DD passes, she said, it will “create a balance and equilibrium” in local politics.

“We are not given a Social Security number to work or permission to work with dignity. But we are given an identification number, the ITIN, to file taxes every year,” Arpero said.

Having the ability to vote, Arpero said, will allow her to have a say in housing, security and economic policies in the city. She said expanding voting to non-citizens would mean elected officials would better represent communities instead of being pushed by people with the money to influence elections.

The case against Measure DD

Those who oppose the measure — including Mayor Valerie Amezcua — say the city would be forced to pay to make costly changes in how elections are run in the city. The onus on running elections in the city is currently with the Orange County Registrar of Voters. If the measure passes, opponents say, the city would have to run their own elections.

They say those extra costs would take money away from first responder budgets, as well as from city services, like fixing potholes.

In May, specific language on the ballot measure was challenged in court by critics who called it “unlawfully partisan” because it included references to "taxpayers and parents," which critics said was a bid to cast the measure in a more favorable light. A judge agreed and ordered the language to be reworded on the ballot measure.

James Lacy, who brought the lawsuit against the Santa Ana ballot measure, previously challenged non-U.S. citizen voting efforts in Oakland and San Francisco.

Lacy, speaking on LAist's AirTalk radio program, said he does not live in Santa Ana, but is encouraging friends to vote against the measure because "when you disconnect the vote from citizenship, what you do is you devalue citizenship and you devalue the aspirational quality of citizenship and belonging."

What's next

UC Irvine's DeSipio said that if Santa Ana’s measure passes, it could lead to ballot measures in other cities in Southern California, particularly those with large longterm immigrant populations.

"Where immigrants are connected to the local community, and have been involved in the civic life of those communities for a long time, you'll see more interest in exploring non-citizen voting," he said.

Loyola Marymount's Guerra said other cities will likely take a wait-and-see approach, noting they’ll want to know how Santa Ana implements the measure. They'll also keep a close eye on potential lawsuits opposing the measure.

Guerra said there are five key factors other cities will consider:

1. Is it the right thing to do?
2. Will it pass?
3. Will it survive a legal challenge?
4. What will be the implemented cost?
5. Do you want to do this in your jurisdiction?

Editor's note: Fernando Guerra is a lifetime trustee of Southern California Public Radio, LAist's parent company.

Associate Producer Gillian Morán Pérez contributed to this report.

After the Thanksgiving leftovers are gobbled and the Christmas trees come down, many turn their attention to the new year, and may celebrate by making resolutions or watching the Times Square ball drop.

Thanks to the widely adopted Gregorian calendar, most people have marked the new year on Jan. 1 for centuries. But with so many other calendar systems — such as the Chinese, Islamic or Hebrew calendar — how did this come to be? And how did it come to represent new beginnings?

How the Gregorian calendar — and Jan. 1 — was born

Let's go back in time. The Gregorian calendar, and its Jan. 1 start date, has its origins in ancient Rome.

The goal of many early Roman calendars was to find a way to align lunar cycles, solar years and seasons, as several religious festivals and holidays revolved around the equinoxes and moon phases.

For example, many Christians wanted Easter to fall on the spring equinox every year, said Darin Hayton, an associate professor of history at Haverford College.

"So we have a number of competing goals that don't admit easily of mathematical solutions," he said.

When a 10-month calendar didn't do the trick, the Romans borrowed from the Greeks and Egyptians, who figured out that 12 lunar cycles fit into a solar cycle. So Roman King Numa Pompilius extended their calendar to 12 months by adding February and January, named after Janus, the Roman god of beginnings. Jan. 1 was then made the start of the calendar, Hayton said.

In 45 B.C.E., while Julius Caesar was high priest, he stretched the 12-month calendar to 365 days and a quarter of a day. But that quarter amounted to a full day after four years. So he implemented leap years to catch the calendar back up with the solar year, Hayton said.

But there was still a problem. The astronomers of Caesar's day who calculated the length of a solar year were off by about 11 ½ minutes, a misalignment that would grow significantly over time.

To fix the overcorrection, in 1582, Pope Gregory XIII added a caveat to leap years: a century year (such as the year 2000) will only be considered a leap year if it is divisible by 400.

Hence, the Gregorian calendar was born. It was popularized as European countries that were a "dominant economic force" began using it, and took it with them into countries they colonized, Hayton said.

Many cultures use days other than Jan. 1 to ring in the new year

Much of the world uses the Gregorian calendar and its Jan. 1 start date as New Year's personally and professionally, but many cultures also use their own calendars for social and spiritual occasions.

In some Asian cultures, such as Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese, people celebrate the Lunar New Year between late January and February to coincide with the first new moon on the lunar calendar.

"It emphasizes family reunions, honoring of ancestors, and prosperity," said Usha Haley, who teaches international business at Wichita State University's business school.

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year and falls on the first day of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar, which is September or October on the Gregorian calendar, according to History.com. Nowruz, the Persian New Year, coincides with the spring equinox in March, Haley said.

Rosh Hashanah "marks a time of reflection, repentance, and spiritual renewal," Haley said, while Norwuz celebrates "rebirth and nature."

How to make your own fresh start

People gravitate to New Year's Day to reset as a part of the "fresh start effect," said Katherine Milkman, a professor of operations, information and decisions at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton business school.

The phenomenon is rooted in humans' tendency to perceive moments in our lives as chapters, instead of one long continuum, and New Year's gives us a "chapter break" from old patterns and previous experiences.

"'That was the old me, and this is the new me, and the new me is going to be different,'" she said. "It gives us optimism about our ability to achieve more."

New Year's is the most popular "fresh start" because there's a strong social pressure, as many other people are doing the same thing at the same time, Milkman said.

But you don't have to start anew on Jan. 1. A fresh start is still valuable if it's on your birthday, the first day in a new apartment or even on a random Monday, according to Milkman.

To stick with the goals you've laid out for a fresh start, Milkman recommends breaking them down into small, actionable items and making them enjoyable. That could mean partnering with someone on a goal or "temptation bundling," which pairs your goals with things you like.

"Like, 'I only get to binge watch my favorite TV shows while I'm exercising,' or 'I can only listen to my favorite podcast while I'm cooking a fresh meal for my family,'" she said.

If you prefer to stick to Jan. 1 for your fresh start, don't worry. Hayton says the Gregorian calendar is unlikely to change anytime soon, as it would be very disruptive. Switching to a new system would likely face heavy resistance due to the potential social costs, like shifting or losing holidays or birthdays.

"The rebel in me would love it to change, but I think that it would take almost an act of God — not an act of the Pope — to get the calendar to change," he said.
Copyright 2025 NPR

This story will be updated. Check back for details.

Southern California will ring in the new year with a pair of storms that will douse the Rose Parade and possibly prompt evacuation orders in recent burn scar zones.

The heaviest rain is expected to fall across Los Angeles on Wednesday night and into Thursday, New Year's Day, according to the National Weather Service.

The ground and roads are already saturated from last week's winter storm, meaning there's a high risk of mudslides, rock slides and other hazards.

"Because of the saturated, really wet soils, we do have that high risk for downed trees with really any wind as well as rock slides and mud slides," Ryan Kittell, meteorologist at NWS, said. "In those vulnerable canyons and hillsides, there's about a moderate risk for flooding and at least shallow debris flows for recent burn scar areas."

L.A. County has already issued evacuation warnings for burn scar areas beginning 11 a.m. Wednesday. That includes communities in the Eaton and Palisades fires.

Rainfall projections

It's supposed to be one of the wettest New Year's Days in decades, according to the National Weather Service. Here are the projected rain levels:

• Los Angeles: 1.53 inches
• Oxnard: 1.00 inches
• Santa Barbara: 0.80 inches
• San Luis Obispo: 0.57 inches

As another storm heads towards Southern California, the National Weather Service shared New Year's Day rain facts.

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Courtesy of the National Weather Service

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The storm will also bring what is likely to be the first time rain to fall on Pasadena’s Rose Parade since 2006.

Snow levels through New Year's Day are expected to remain above 8,500 feet, then drop to around 7,500 feet on Friday.

Evacuations and closures

Due to increased hazard of mudslides and debris flows, evacuation warnings will take effect at 11 a.m. Wednesday in burn zones across L.A. County, including Palisades and Eaton fire areas.

Sign up for L.A. County's emergency alerts for notifications here.

Traffic conditions

Officials urge drivers to avoid the roads as much as possible through Thursday.

See latest road conditions in Southern California

Forecast

This atmospheric river is expected to slightly weaker than last week's, but take this latest round of storms seriously. The ground is already saturated which means we’re at a higher risk for downed trees, rockslides and mudslides.

Understanding National Weather Service warnings

Here’s an excerpt from our guide to understanding flood warnings, if any are issued:

• Flood advisories are how the NWS begins to raise the alarm. The goal is to give people enough time to take action.
• Flood watches are your indicators to get prepared to move.
• A flood warning is issued when a hazardous weather event is imminent or already happening. When one is issued for your area, you need to get to higher ground immediately.
• A flash flood warning is issued when a flash flood is coming or in progress. Flash floods are sudden and violent floods that can start within minutes.

Read more: Flash Flood Warnings? Watches? Here’s What You Need To Know

Tips for driving in the rain

Advice on driving in the rain:

• Check weather and road conditions all along your planned route.
• Slow down.
• Keep a wider-than-usual distance between your vehicle and the one in front.
• Don't drive through standing water — as little as 12 inches of rushing water can carry away most cars, and two feet can carry away SUVs and trucks.
• Make sure tires are fully inflated.
• Check windshield wiper blades and replace if necessary.

Read more: What you should do if you end up driving in a flooded area

Downed tree, power line or flooded road?

Dial 911 in an emergency.

However, if you need to report a flooded road or a downed tree, you can call the following non-emergency numbers:

• L.A. city: Dial 311 for a flooded road or downed tree. Call (800) DIAL-DWP if you see a downed power line.
• L.A. County: (800) 675-HELP
• Ventura County: (805) 384-1500
• Orange County: (714) 955-0200 or visit here.

If you're in L.A. County and need sand bags, you can find some at local fire houses.

Staying safe when the winds are high

• Watch for traffic signals that may be out. Approach those intersections as four-way stops.
• Make sure you have a battery-operated radio and flashlights. Check the batteries to make sure they are fresh. Use flashlights for lighting during a power outage; do not use candles because they may pose a fire hazard.
• If you’re in a vehicle with a fallen power line on it, stay in the vehicle and remain calm until help arrives. It is OK to use your cellphone to call 911. If you must leave the vehicle, exit away from downed power lines and jump from the vehicle, landing with both feet together. You must not touch the vehicle and the ground at the same time. Then proceed away from the vehicle by shuffling and not picking up your feet until you are several yards away. 
• Water and electricity don’t mix. Water is an excellent conductor of electricity. Do not step in or enter any water that a downed power line may be touching.
• Do not use any equipment indoors that is designed for outdoor heating or cooking. Such equipment can emit carbon monoxide and other toxic gases.
• If you use a generator, place it outdoors and plug individual appliances directly into it, using a heavy-duty extension cord. Connecting generators directly to household circuits creates “backfeed,” which is dangerous to repair crews.
• Leave the doors of your refrigerator and freezer closed to keep food as fresh as possible. Place blocks of ice inside to help keep food cold. Check food carefully for signs of spoilage. 
• Check on your neighbors to make sure everyone is safe.

Tips on staying warm

• State law requires residential units to have heating systems that can keep indoor temperatures at a minimum of 70 degrees. That means every dwelling unit and guest room offered for rent or lease should offer heating equipment.
• Use heat smartly to save money: Cranking heaters can be expensive. If money is tight, be judicious about how and when you use your utilities. For example, only use heaters at night or only set the thermostat to around 70 degrees.
• Open and close those vents: If you have central A/C, look at where the vents are around your home. Are any open in places where you don’t stay long? Practice opening and closing those so warm air only goes where you need it (most vents should have a small toggle lever). Humidifiers can also help you warm things up — and it’s useful to add moisture into our dry air.
• Adjust your wall heaters: If you have a wall heater, you can change the output by adjusting the knob (usually at the bottom). Since wall heaters can only warm the areas where they’re placed, it’s essential to close doors to rooms you won’t be in so hot air doesn’t get wasted.
• Turn on your ceiling fan (really): If you have a ceiling fan, try turning it on. This sounds counterintuitive, but there’s science behind it. TSince hot air floats up, your fan can help move it around. For warming, your fan should spin clockwise to create an updraft. Not all fans will have this option.
  

Sign up for emergency alerts

• L.A. City: Notify L.A.
• L.A. County: Ready L.A. County
• Ventura County: Ready Ventura County
• Orange County: AlertOC
• Riverside County: AlertRivCo
• San Bernardino County

How we're reporting on this

WHO IS REPORTING THIS

This is a developing story. We fact check everything and rely only on information from credible sources (think fire, police, government officials and reporters on the ground). Sometimes, however, we make mistakes or initial reports turn out to be wrong. In all cases, we strive to bring you the most accurate information in real time and will update this story as new information becomes available.

It was the everyday moments of saying hello to neighbors. The soundtrack of crashing waves on the walk after dropping the kids off at school. The feeling of cruising down a street filled with trees decorated in lights during the holidays.

These are some of the memories Angelenos shared with LAist in response to our survey asking Pacific Palisades and Altadena residents what made their neighborhoods special before the fires.

As we approach the one-year anniversary of the Eaton and Palisades fires, LAist is highlighting, and illustrating, community stories as the region works to rebuild.

To do this, we read through dozens of responses to our survey and spoke to a handful of people directly to help tell their stories.

Here’s some of what they shared, and what they want to always remember.

The magical neighborhoods

For Palisades resident Kelly Sullivan, some of her most cherished memories are what she described as the simple, fleeting moments that capture the magic of “Pali.”

Kelly Sullivan, a resident of Pacific Palisades, stands on the destroyed secret sidewalk near the neighboring El Medio bluffs in October 2025. It was one of her family’s favorite spots to visit.

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A colorful phoenix windchime hangs from a charred tree branch in mid October 2025 in the secret sidewalk, which was destroyed by the Palisades Fire.

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One of her favorite spots was a path off Abramar Avenue by the El Medio bluffs that neighbors called the “secret sidewalk.” The path, which was destroyed in the fire, now borders the remnants of a home that burned to the ground. Tree branches used to curve down, creating a tunnel, and Sullivan remembers the gentle clanking of windchimes tied to the branches that filled the air.

“There was a sign that said 'secret sidewalk' as you’re walking down. We'd stop and touch all the chimes,” said Sullivan, who used to visit the spot with her family. “You’d have all these beautiful sounds as you’re walking down, and you’d sit on that bench and just listen to them all.”

An illustration of the secret sidewalk before it, and a nearby home were destroyed. This is a special place for Kelly Sullivan, her family, and others in the neighborhood.

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To Sullivan, the secret sidewalk had an almost storybook-like look. She said it was a special place for the people in the neighborhood.

A couple miles northeast from the secret sidewalk, Rachel Jonas and her family often visited the Marquez Business Block, a hometown strip of stores in Pacific Palisades that included a deli, restaurant, nail salon, karate studio and pharmacy.

"We practically lived there with our kids,” Jonas said. “It was the kind of place where you'd see the same people over and over.”

An illustration of the now destroyed Marquez Business Block in Pacific Palisades. Rachel Jonas, her family, and their neighbors often visited the local shops.

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Jonas’ home was destroyed in the Palisades Fire, and she and her family now live in Tennessee with her in-laws as they work to rebuild.

Rob Fagnani and Rachel Jonas in front of where their Palisades home stood.

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Courtesy of Rob Fagnani and Rachel Jonas

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“It wasn't the fanciest but [it] had such an incredible community feel,” said Jonas, describing the business block. “They had annual block parties where there'd be a face painter, a bounce house, etc. It was just the best.”

Residents from both Pacific Palisades and Altadena shared stories in our survey about how great each place was to have a childhood. Julia Goodwine, 16, told us what made Altadena so special to her was the community.

She cherishes memories of biking down to her family's home, which was destroyed in the Eaton Fire, and spending summer evenings at the library. Sometimes she would watch horses go by at Loma Alta Park or sit on the grass with a book. When she was in middle school, she would play baseball near the base of the park’s hill by a Chinese Elm tree with her dad.

An illustration of Altadena's Christmas Tree Lane where many homes were destroyed. The street and lighting ceremony attract many to walk and drive up and down the street admiring the lights on the cedar trees.

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One of her favorite places in Altadena is Christmas Tree Lane on Santa Rosa Avenue, where some homes along the street were destroyed in the fire. About a year ago, shortly before the fires, she got her driver’s license and would drive down the street every night to look at the lights.

“I remember the lights [were] so beautiful. I could just kind of sit, look at the trees, then think about the day, think about my problems,” Julia said. “It was really a beautiful experience.”

Being close to nature in L.A.

A place of peace. A place close to nature. That’s how many survey respondents described their communities before the fires.

An illustration of the Via Bluffs looking toward Santa Monica. Pacific Palisades resident Sue Pascoe would often visit these bluffs with her dogs on their walks around the neighborhood before her home was destroyed in the fire.

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For Sue Pascoe, walking her dogs along the Via De Las Olas Bluffs in Pacific Palisades was a treasure.

She would pass by the different-styled homes and streets lined with trees. Now, the neighborhood has been mostly destroyed by the Palisades Fire, including Pascoe’s home of three decades.

“You can see dolphins, you can see the waves, you can get the wind. The wind is so great up here. Beautiful breezes. You can see the ships going out,” Pascoe said. “It’s a marvelous place to walk.”

Pascoe is the editor and owner of the local Circling the News site, where she writes about the Westside, including Pacific Palisades. She often meets with other residents to talk about how things are going and to support one another.

She said the people are what made the Palisades so special.

“Kids, schools, religion, made this a very, very good place for families,” Pascoe said. “I think people recognized how good it was for families and that’s why they moved here.”

Altadena resident Elizabeth Gonzalez said she misses the backyard view of the San Gabriel Mountains.

Her parents bought her childhood home in Janes Village in Altadena in 1995. The home is one of a handful left on its block in West Altadena. It was professionally remediated after the fires.

Elizabeth Gonzalez grew up in a home in the Janes Village neighborhood in West Altadena. The home she was renting with her family in Pasadena was destroyed in the Eaton Fire.

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Gonzalez rented a home in Altadena for 13 years with her husband and children. It was destroyed in the fire. Now, she said, her family will most likely live in an RV in the driveway of her parent’s surviving home until they can get stable housing figured out .

“It’s hard for me to believe that block after block is gone,” Gonzalez said. “Old wise trees, luscious lawns and charming old homes are gone.”

An illustration of a sign found in West Altadena's Janes Village neighborhood that shows a drawing of the architecture of the homes.

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Gonzalez always admired the architecture of the Janes Village homes in Altadena, which she said looked like the cartoon homes in classic Disney movies. She was about 12 years old when they first moved into the neighborhood.

"They’re little cottages,” she said, remembering the homes. “They’re pointy and kind of interesting looking … As kids we thought they looked like the Snow White house.”

“Somehow my parents ended up living somewhere that is [visually] very close to the small towns in Mexico that they grew up in,” Gonzalez said. “I always thought that was pretty cool.”

Another Pasadena resident, Rebecca Rea, remembers the community and connection she found in nature in Altadena on her miles-long walks before the Eaton Fire.

An illustration of Altadena wildlife, including a bear, mountain lion, parrot and coyote, along with poppies. Bears are often found around the Altadena foothills, and parrots can be heard flying around or in the trees.

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Rea would go on 12-mile walks starting from Lake Avenue and Orange Grove Boulevard in Pasadena, walk toward the hills and end on Altadena Drive. She appreciated the different homes and small businesses that used to line her route, including the Rancho Bar, a local dive bar that was destroyed in the fire, and the wildlife that lived in the mountains.

“I knew every garden. I knew every tree. I made friends with the coyotes for heaven’s sake,” Rea said. “It was just so very, very beautiful.”

The next chapter

Many who responded to our survey wondered about what comes next.

They shared a hope that Altadena and Pacific Palisades will rebuild and not be remembered only for the deadly fires, but for what makes these places special to Los Angeles.

“It’s going to take a long time to rebuild what it once was,” said Julia, the teen from Altadena. “But I think we have such a great community here that we can rebuild to be something better and brighter than we were.”

The annual Polar Bears Plunge at Cabrillo Beach could look a little different this year as the beach in San Pedro remained closed as of Tuesday afternoon.

Every year on New Year's Day, swimmers take a frigid dip into the ocean water, marking the beginning of the new year. But in 2026, that plunge might not happen.

Cabrillo Beach has been closed to swimmers since last Wednesday after 100,000 gallons of sewage contaminated the water, according to public health officials. Officials continue to urge swimmers to stay out of the water and to not make contact with wet sand.

But organizers of the annual plunge say the beloved tradition will go on, even if that means no swimming. That includes the yearly king and queen coronation, hot cocoa and pastries.

“We are just playing it by ear, I know that there is testing for the water being done, but we have not heard back,” Lisa Guerr, president of the Cabrillo Beach Polar Bears club, told LAist. “We are leaving it up to our lifeguards to have the most up-to-date information and make the decision for us. As of now, we are continuing on as planned.”

What’s going on in the water? 

Officials blame a sewer pipe in Carson for causing the spill, which was stopped last Wednesday, according to the L.A. County Sanitation District. The district said the cleanup at the site was completed the next day.

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said staff collected water samples for testing and that they noticed yesterday that the closure signs at the beach were removed.

That signage has since been reposted and lifeguards were notified, officials told LAist.

The county said touching the water during a beach closure may cause illness, especially in children, the elderly and susceptible people.

According to the county, “swimmers should avoid water contact at the posted areas of the beach until the hazardous condition has ended."