The Brief

For decades, the Los Angeles Metro Board, which runs the countywide public transit system that sees more than 1 million daily riders, has operated without a member of the public who regularly rides trains and buses among its members.

Now, calls to change that are growing. On Thursday, the Metro Board is set to vote on what the future make-up of the governing body should look like, and there are several options on the table:

• Allow politicians who select Metro Board appointees the flexibility to appoint transit riders or subject matter experts to the Metro Board — a recommendation from Metro staff. 
• Reserve two seats for transit riders and expand the board from 13 to 14 voting members — a proposal from L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and three of her colleagues on the Metro Board. This option would not allow for the so-called flexible appointments recommended by agency staff. 
• Create an additional Metro Board seat guaranteed to be held by a transit rider — a proposal from L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn.

Sound complicated? It is. Let’s break it down:

The background

Currently, there are 13 voting members of the Metro Board: the five L.A. County Supervisors, the mayor of L.A. and her three appointees, and four regional representatives from across the county chosen by a selection committee.

There’s no requirement that they have transit expertise or public ridership experience.

At the beginning of this year, the Metro Board formed a committee that convened monthly to discuss how the Metro Board could be reformatted in light of Measure G. That’s the measure L.A. County voters passed in 2024, which expands the Board of Supervisors from five to nine members by 2032 and adds an elected countywide executive.

The make-up of the Metro Board is codified in the state’s public utilities code, so any proposed changes approved on Thursday will need another vote by legislators in Sacramento before they go into effect.

Metro staff’s recommendation and Bass’ competing motion

Based on feedback from committee deliberations, public input and a review of peer agencies across the country, Metro officials in June proposed maintaining the size and geographic split of the Board. 

Under that proposal, they also recommended expanding the pool of people who could serve on the Metro Board to include riders and experts in relevant subjects, like engineering or finance. If ultimately approved, these members could be chosen by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, the mayor of L.A. or the city selection committee.

In its recommendation, Metro officials notably shied away from adding a seat to the board, saying an extra person would impose “administrative and financial burdens on the agency.”

According to the rules for the Board, members are paid $150 per day they attend “to the business” of Metro up to $600 per month.

Metro’s media relations office did not answer a request for more information on what additional administrative and financial burdens the addition of a board member would impose on the agency.

A competing motion introduced by Bass would not allow the L.A. County Board of Supervisors or the committee that selects the four regional representatives to appoint a transit rider or subject matter expert.

Instead, it would designate one of the mayor’s four seats for a for a transit advocate or rider, and it would add a 14th voting member of the board who would also be a rider.

Currently, all five of the L.A. County Supervisors are guaranteed a spot on the L.A. Metro Board.

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Courtesy L.A. County Board of Supervisors

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A guaranteed seat for a transit rider versus an optional seat

Hahn’s motion does not directly conflict with staff’s recommendation, and similar to Bass’ motion, would add a transit rider to the Metro Board.

Hahn said a dedicated seat for a transit rider would be more powerful than an appointed one.

“I worry that if [the rider] was just an appointed position by an elected official … [the rider] would feel loyalty to the appointing elected official as opposed to loyalty to their fellow riders,” she said in an interview with LAist.

She said it’s clear that there’s a community desire for a guaranteed rider seat on the Board.

During a public outreach period between February and May, Metro gathered input from 1,300 people. The clearest and most consistent piece of feedback was that the public wants to see a “formal rider voice on the Metro Board,” according to a Metro report. 

While the staff recommendation to expand who can sit on the Metro Board would theoretically allow for the appointment of a transit rider, if not several transit riders, some officials have questioned whether elected officials would voluntarily cede political power to a member of the public if that option moves forward.

L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath characterized a future under Metro staff’s recommendation as a “political game of chicken.”

“ Who's going to take the responsibility and give up the power that they hold?” Horvath told LAist.

Why don’t the Metro Board members … just ride transit themselves? 

Michael Schneider, the head of the influential transportation advocacy group Streets for All, warned that reserving a seat for a transit rider on the Metro Board could backfire.

He said adding a seat for a rider, or any interest group, risks creating a situation where Metro Board members defer leadership to the representative.

“The rider experience should be top of mind for all board members,” Schneider said. “If there’s a specific seat for a rider, then board members may decide to not pay as much attention to the rider experience.”

Schneider argues Metro Board members should all be mandated to use Metro at least once a week. It’s a metric that could be tracked using TAP cards, he suggested.

“It’s hard to improve a system that you don’t have experience with,” Schneider said. “Experience is not sitting in a chair in a boardroom. It’s on a train or on a bus or using Metro bike share.”

A large part of the L.A. Metro Board's responsibility is overseeing L.A. County's public transit system.

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David McNew

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Getty Images North America

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Transit rider appointment just one part of broader conversation 

The debate over a dedicated transit rider on the Metro Board is just one of several thorny questions, some politically charged, that officials are weighing as they decide what the Metro Board should look like.

Here’s what else will likely be discussed on the topic on Thursday:

• How many seats should the city of L.A. have on Metro’s Board? Under state law, if the city’s population falls below 35% of L.A. County’s entire population, then one of the city’s  four seats would be transferred to the other 87 cities. Some, including Horvath and John Fasana, a former mayor of Duarte and previously a longtime Metro Board member, have urged that the threshold be increased to 43.75%. 
• Should the county executive have a dedicated seat on the Metro Board? With the number of county-level seats remaining at five despite an upcoming L.A. County Board of Supervisors expansion to nine seats, some have argued that parts of the county could be underrepresented without additional representation.

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Hundreds of East Los Angeles households near the site of the Lineage warehouse fire will begin receiving a one-time $200 utility credit on their Southern California Edison bills after weeks of pressure from residents and L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis to extend relief beyond Boyle Heights. 

Lineage, the owner of the cold-storage warehouse, initially provided $50,000 in utility assistance to 218 Los Angeles Department of Water and Power customers in Boyle Heights. Residents in unincorporated East L.A., including some who live just blocks from the warehouse, were not included in that support. 

Last week, David Eisenhauer, a representative with Southern California Edison (SCE), told Boyle Heights Beat that Lineage provided $26,600 to cover $200 credits for 133 households in East L.A. These residents live within a boundary designated as Zone 2, which stretches between Indiana Street and Hicks Avenue, and Union Pacific Avenue and the 5 Freeway. SCE said customers living within the boundary will receive an automatic $200 credit applied to their accounts. 

The expansion came after Solis called on Lineage to provide East L.A. residents with the same level of support that was given to the city.

“Lineage has a responsibility to provide fair and equitable support to everyone affected by this disaster, including delivering the remaining $25,000 in utility assistance that was allocated for East Los Angeles residents,” Solis said in a statement to Boyle Heights Beat. 

“After learning that Lineage was working with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to provide utility assistance to Boyle Heights residents, I made clear that East Los Angeles residents deserved the same level of support through Southern California Edison,” Solis said. 

On Monday, a Lineage representative told the Beat that the relief had been expanded to cover hundreds more households in East L.A., extending as far as Herbert Avenue. The company has not yet determined the exact amount of support it will provide and some SCE customers’ credits are still being distributed.

The utility assistance comes as residents continue to report higher electricity bills after relying on air purifiers and air conditioners to cope with the stench of rotting food inside the warehouse and poor air quality following the June 17 warehouse fire. 

Why some residents qualify and others don’t

The boundaries of Lineage’s relief programs have been a source of confusion for residents. 

At a virtual community meeting hosted by the mayor’s office last Thursday, a resident sent in a question asking, “Why are not all residents affected by the fire and stench eligible for financial assistance?”

Officials have used a map dividing the area around the warehouse into Zones 1, 2 and 3, with the zones representing the areas closest to the fire. It is unclear who created the map and how those boundaries were established. 

A map of Zones 1, 2 and 3 used by Lineage to determine the type of support offered to households closest to the Lineage warehouse.

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Courtesy of Lineage

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Lineage has used the map to determine which households are eligible for various forms of relief, including air purifiers, air conditioners, housing support, grocery vouchers, cash assistance and utility credits. 

For weeks, residents have called for broader relief, saying the effects of the fire and lingering odors have affected not only homes close to the warehouse, but neighboring areas as well. 

In response, Jenny Delwood, deputy chief of staff to L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said that while the areas closest to the warehouse had been prioritized, “… Bass and her partners from the county and city are working to raise additional funding to provide more utility assistance and additional bill payments for a larger geographic area.”

Details on expanded support for households outside of the boundary were not immediately available.

How to know if you qualify: 

According to SCE, customers living between Indiana Street, Herbert Avenue, Union Pacific Avenue and the 5 Freeway will begin receiving an automatic credit to their account.

No further action is required from qualified customers.

LADWP customers living between Los Palos Street, Indiana Street, Union Pacific Avenue and Beswick Street received an automatic credit to their account on July 31.

What support is available for residents who live outside of the boundary?

SCE customers can apply for:

• A number of income-based programs with discounts, including the California Alternate Rates for Energy and Family Electric Rate Assistance. 
• Payment plans, including a long-term installment plan, so customers can spread their balance over time with manageable payments, and the Budget Billing Plan, which helps spread energy costs more evenly throughout the year. (For customers within the impact boundary who enter into a long-term installment plan, the down payment for a new payment plan will be waived.) 
• The Energy Assistance Fund, which provides one-time bill assistance of up to $200. SCE works with United Way and over 80 community-based organizations to provide the assistance but customers need to apply directly through the organization. To find the partner organization closest to you, click here.
• Customers in areas affected by the fire can get more information on SCE’s support programs here.

LADWP customers can request:

• Payment arrangements: No down payment, no interest, no fees; A long-term payment option that divides the total account balance evenly across a specified number of billing periods.
• Payment extension: A short-term payment option that gives customers additional time, up to one billing period, to pay their full balance.
• Level pay: A billing option that helps you plan by providing predictable monthly bills based on average usage. You can also roll in past-due balances.

To inquire about these programs, call 1-800-DIAL-DWP, visit a customer service center or use the online form on LADWP.com/ContactUs.

LADWP customers can also apply for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) through the Maravilla Foundation. But the Maravilla Foundation website says that due to reduced government funding and high demand, fewer applications are being accepted. To qualify for LIHEAP, the monthly income for a family of four must not exceed $6,407.16. A full list of requirements and application instructions can be found here.

The two candidates vying for the job of Los Angeles mayor — incumbent Karen Bass and challenger Nithya Raman — will face off Wednesday night in their first debate ahead of the general election in November.

The backstory

Bass finished ahead of Raman in the June primary with 34% of the vote to Raman's 29%. With no one in the crowded field topping 50% the two women moved to a runoff. While Bass was ahead of Raman. she's considered a vulnerable incumbent. Rising street homelessness, skyrocketing housing costs and a shortage of basic city services like pothole repair have left some voters disenchanted with Bass, whose unfavorable ratings top 50%.

She’s also been criticized for her handling of the Palisades Fire.

Here's a look at the candidate's standard positions so far in this election cycle:

Bass

The incumbent has said she understands that people are frustrated, but she’s “not done” doing the job of mayor.

“You want to hear frustrated?” Bass said at a recent campaign event. “I’m frustrated too. But I’ll tell you what frustration does to me. Frustration makes me fight even harder.”

She says there’s been progress: fewer homeless encampments in many neighborhoods, more permits issued to build affordable housing and a drop in crime. Much of the establishment is backing Bass, including the L.A. County Democratic Party, L.A. County Federation of Labor and Chamber of Commerce.

Raman

A city council member since 2020, two years before Bass became mayor, Raman remains relatively unknown to many voters. She says she's running against “the political machine.”

Raman has touted a 49% drop in unsheltered homelessness in her council district, District 4, which runs from Silver Lake to Sherman Oaks, and she says she has a plan to cut street homelessness in half citywide by the Olympics and eliminate it entirely by the end of four years.

Her supporters include City Controller Kenneth Mejia, various local Democratic clubs and the Western States Carpenters Association.

Debate details

Sponsor: Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association
Location: Sherman Oaks East Valley Adult Center, 5056 Van Nuys Blvd.
Timing: It is expected to run from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Follow along: You can listen to the debate live on LAist.com, just click the "Listen" button at the top right of your screen. You can also turn to 89.3 on your radio dial, listen in the LAist app or ask your smart speaker to play "LAist 89.3."

The ABC network sued the Federal Communications Commission in federal court Tuesday in a case with major First Amendment implications, arguing that the Trump administration has violated its free speech rights by launching investigations and challenging its broadcast licenses in retaliation for its news coverage, late-night satire and views on talk shows.

ABC and its corporate parent, the Walt Disney Co., allege that the FCC has taken these actions to appease President Trump, who has repeatedly called for the network to be stripped of its licenses in response to material which has sparked his ire.

The network's lawsuit cites Trump's own social media posts which condemn ABC's news coverage, its talk show The View and late night comedian Jimmy Kimmel — who has frequently mocked the president.

The lawsuit starts: "Government censorship is deeply un-American."

It goes on to note that, in the words of a recent unanimous U.S. Supreme Court decision involving the National Rifle Association, the government may not "use the power of the State to punish or suppress disfavored expression."

"This case concerns the Administration's sustained effort to do just that," the ABC/Disney lawsuit argues. "The Administration has waged a retaliatory campaign against ABC for a single reason: it disapproves of what ABC broadcasts."

ABC and Disney own eight local TV stations which beam out the national network's shows and local programming in specific regions. Among them are stations in six of the nation's largest markets, which contribute significantly to ABC's bottom line.

They require federal licenses because they rely on the public airwaves. The FCC forced all eight of them to undergo early scrutiny of the renewal process of the licenses, years ahead of schedule. It's an essentially unprecedented move in the modern era.

The FCC and its chief, Brendan Carr, did not immediately comment on the suit. The commission has historically acted in a quasi-independent role from presidential administrations, with the president's party holding three seats and the opposing party two. But Trump publicly said before taking office that he saw it as an extension of the executive branch; recent court decisions have reined in the independence of some other semi-autonomous agencies set up by Congress; and Carr has acted as a booster and advocate for Trump's excoriation of the press, including ABC.

For his part, Carr has said he is making sure broadcasters operate in the public interest — a legal requirement — and that they don't violate Trump's executive order on diversity, equity and inclusion.

But he has also been outspoken in his support for Trump's agenda, including specific criticisms of ABC, Kimmel, "The View" and its journalists. In one instance, he warned that ABC and Disney could "do this the easy way or the hard way" amid the president's call for Kimmel to be pulled off the air. The host was suspended and returned days later after a major public outcry.

Ironically, ABC had been the first in a string of major media companies and digital giants to reach settlements with Trump over lawsuits he filed against them as a private citizen. It paid $16 million to settle his defamation case in December 2024, involving remarks by anchor George Stephanopoulos, after Trump had won a return to the White House but before his inauguration.

Given Trump's continuing broadsides against Kimmel, its daytime talk show "The View," and its journalists, however, Disney has taken an increasingly assertive stance against the administration.

"We're very principled on this," Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro told CNBC's Julia Boorstin last week. "We're going to stand up to what we believe is journalistic and integrity, and we're not going to be told how to run that side of our business."

He took over from former Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger in March. Iger, who remains on the Disney board, is now a business partner of Josh Kushner — the brother of President Trump's son-in-law and diplomatic adviser, Jared Kushner — in striking a deal to buy the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers.

Other outlets are closely watching the growing ABC-FCC confrontation.

CBS's parent company Paramount, Meta, X and Google all struck deals similar to the one ABC reached to resolve lawsuits filed by Trump. The president has also filed private lawsuits against the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and the BBC over their reporting. They are ongoing.

Copyright 2026 NPR

Students are back at Ensign Intermediate School in Newport Beach Tuesday morning, e-bikes are not.

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District banned electric bikes from school property for kindergarten through eighth grade, citing a spike in e-bike incidents.

Annette Franco, communications officer with Newport-Mesa, said parents wanted to see more e-bike enforcement. It’s the first district in California to adopt a ban, according to officials.

In Orange County, e-bike and e-motorcycle injuries have gone up 430% in the last four years, according to the District Attorney’s office. Children between the ages of 11 and 14 accounted for more than 60% of crashes.

High schoolers in the district can still ride e-bikes to school, but have to take an e-bike/bicycle safety and training course.

LAist has asked the district for information about how officials will enforce the ban, including possible penalties.

What parents say

Some parents applauded the ban, including Brooke Diehl, who was dropping off her daughter at the middle school.

“ I think it's the best thing for the kids,” Diehl said. “I saw a lot of crazy things that I didn't think were safe, and I think ninth grade and up is a good age group for them.”

Sue Healey, a crossing guard, also told LAist that riding e-bikes is more manageable for high schoolers.

“ For the little ones, in this traffic, at this particular time of day, it's not so safe for them,” Healey said, but she also recognizes the downfalls. “ I know it's going to really hurt the parents because now we have a large influx of cars dropping kids off and picking them up.”

Keiko dropped her goddaughter off at the middle school Tuesday morning, and she told LAist that the ban may have been too rash. Keiko declined to share her last name out of concern for pushback from other parents and officials.

“There could have been more education and dialogue, instead of the school board saying, ‘This is what we’re doing,’” Keiko said. “There are a lot of kids that I know who are upset. … they were learning their independence. We need to encourage safety not just through authority but through practice.”

Students at Ensign Intermediate School in Newport Beach can only ride traditional pedal bikes to school as the district's e-bike ban takes effect.

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Jill Replogle

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LAist

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Some students have mixed feelings

A group of four boys walked their bikes across the street from Ensign after riding up a hill. "It's lame," one said of the e-bike ban. "My legs hurt," another said.

Katherine Martinez, a seventh grader, said the change doesn’t affect her because she has a ride to school, but the same can’t be said for all her peers.

“If someone doesn't have anyone to drop them off, and if they miss the bus, they don't have a form of transportation besides that bike,” Martinez said.

Why now? 

The ban comes as more policies across OC crack down on e-bikes.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer created an e-bike prosecution unit, “RIDE SAFELY,” to review cases of illegal motorized vehicles. The team would review potential criminal charges for youth and adults, including parents who allow their children to ride illegal e-bikes, according to the department.

In the city of Buena Park, e-bikes, as well as electric skateboards and scooters, are prohibited from being ridden on public city sidewalks. The city of La Palma enforces similar rules.

In Anaheim, Class 3 e-bike riders are not permitted on sidewalks.

Other cities like Santa Ana have seen e-bike incidents. A driver running a red light hit a 44-year-old resident riding an e-bike. He died in the hospital earlier this month, according to Santa Ana police. The day before, a different e-bicyclist was struck by a speeding hit-and-run driver, an incident captured on video provided to KTLA.

More restrictions could be coming 

A state law AB 1569 is in front of legislators that would require the California Department of Education and the California Highway Patrol "to develop a standardized electric bicycle safety and training program for pupils in grades 7 to 12."

On the federal level, the Safe SPEEDS Act would require the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to develop safety standards, mandatory labeling and to regularly conduct studies on e-bike incidents.