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After years of planning and construction, the L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced this week that the new LAX/Metro Transit Center station will open on June 6.
Why it matters: The stop will bring train passengers closer to the airport — but not quite there, yet.
Read on ... to find out more about the new Metro stop and how it fits in to the agency's plan to connect the train system to LAX.
After years of planning and construction, the L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced this week that the new LAX/Metro Transit Center station will open on June 6. The stop will bring train passengers closer to the airport — but not quite there, yet.
The new stop is located between Aviation Boulevard and 96th Street. Two trains will run through the station: the C and K lines.
In order to reach the airport, passengers will still need to exit the station and board buses that will shuttle travelers to terminals every 10 minutes. That will change in early 2026, when the Los Angeles World Airports plans to complete work on the Automated People Mover, which will directly connect train riders with the airport.
LAX is ranked as the world’s seventh busiest airport. About 200,000 travelers pass through it daily. But without convenient train access, the airport has become a notorious traffic vortex.
Transit officials hope to finish LAX’s direct light rail connection before major international events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics.
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A federal court struck down the Trump administration's latest attempt to shift federal homelessness funding away from permanent housing. The decision could change the pace of a separate legal battle between the L.A. region's lead homelessness agency and the federal government.
The ruling: U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy in Rhode Island found Friday that the Department of Housing and Urban Development violated federal law by issuing new requirements for federal homelessness grants without first seeking public comment.
Why it matters: As a result, the judge threw out the department’s 2026 funding notice for its main federal grant application as a result. That notice officially set the terms and conditions for how communities like L.A. can apply for federal grants.
The background: It's the second time McElroy has struck down HUD's grant regulations on the same grounds. Friday's decision means HUD will have to issue new guidelines for its annual homelessness grant funding competition.
A federal court struck down the Trump administration's latest attempt to shift federal homelessness funding away from permanent housing. The decision could change the pace of a separate legal battle between the L.A. region's lead homelessness agency and the federal government.
U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy in Rhode Island found Friday that the Department of Housing and Urban Development violated federal law by issuing new requirements for federal homelessness grants without first seeking public comment.
As a result, the judge threw out the department’s 2026 funding notice for its main federal grant application as a result. That notice officially set the terms and conditions for how communities like L.A. can apply for federal grants.
It's the second time McElroy has struck down HUD's grant regulations on the same grounds. Friday's decision means HUD will have to issue new guidelines for its annual homelessness grant funding competition.
"The court ruled that HUD violated the law when it attempted to shift Congress's priorities away from housing first and towards its own priorities of interim shelter and services," said Shayla Myers, an attorney with the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles.
The L.A. region was already in the process of preparing its application for federal grants based on regulations that were thrown out Friday. The deadline to submit was just weeks away.
The regulations would have directed a significant portion of funding away from permanent housing and toward transitional housing and treatment programs, prompting California and nearly two dozen other states to sue.
The Rhode Island decision could also change the pace of a separate legal battle between LAHSA and the federal government. The federal government suspended LAHSA from federal grant activity in June, putting $240 million in funding for the region in limbo.
Judge David O. Carter presided over a federal hearing this week, where LAHSA is looking to overturn the suspension. Carter is expected to decide early next week whether to temporarily block the suspension while the case proceeds to trial next year.
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Malaysian food takes on a variety of different food cultures from across Southeast Asia, which why local chef Johnny Lee wanted to learn more about it, leading to the Malaysian-fusion restaurant Rasarumah.
About the chef: Lee grew up in Los Angeles and went into the service industry following the 2008 recession. Since then, he opened Pearl River Deli, where he became well known for his Hainan chicken recipe. When that closed, he helped open Rasarumah.
Read on... to learn about the food we tried and how to have the best experience at Rasarumah.
Chef Johnny Lee stepped away from the food business for a short time after feeling burned out. With additional support from Last World Hospitality, Lee regained the energy to help build Rasarumah, a fusion restaurant influenced by Malaysian cuisine.
Lee grew up watching Japan's version of Iron Chef, but didn't see it as an option.
That changed after he graduated from college during the 2008 as he found work at restaurants, falling in love with the fast pace and hands-on work.
He sat down with Austin Cross, who hosts AirTalk every Friday, to explain what makes his Southeast Asian fusion cuisine stand out.
Lee grew up in a Cantonese-Chinese family, having grown his knowledge of Southeast Asian cuisine through his work at Pearl River Deli, his Cantonese restaurant that's now closed.
One of the reasons he was interested in veering into Malaysian food?
"It's an extremely diverse group," Lee said.
Lee recommends starting with a tiki drink and their pu pu platter, which gives you a little bit of everything.
Next, try one of their cold salads to lighten things up. And for the finale, the Rendang.
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Sunday will mark the 8th annual Mundo Maya Day at MacArthur Park. The celebration returns for the first time since the summer of 2024 after planners postponed the event for a year due to immigration enforcement concerns.
Celebrating Maya culture: The event will celebrate Maya culture and indigeneity through a Maya ceremony, a game of Maya ball, food, and marimba. The event will also feature dances from Chiapas, Yucatan, and Guatemala. The event will go from 5 – 8 p.m. and will include a backpack giveaway.
Why it matters: A census study conducted by the local indigenous woman-led nonprofit organization CIELO (Comunidades Indígenas en Liderazgo) showed roughly 24,000 residents of Mayan descent lived in Los Angeles. The regions of Pico Union, Koreatown, and Westlake consist of a highly diverse indigenous population ranging from Zapotec, K’iche’, Chinanteco, Mixe and many more groups according to CIELO. Last year's event was postponed due to immigration enforcement concerns.
This story first appeared on The LA Local.
Sara Mijares moved to Los Angeles from Yucatan, Mexico when she was 15 years old. She had left her home behind but not her culture.
Thousands of miles away from her hometown of Muna, she’s preserving the Maya culture she grew up with for the indigenous community in Los Angeles.
Sunday will mark the 8th annual Mundo Maya Day at MacArthur Park. The celebration returns for the first time since the summer of 2024 after planners postponed the event for a year due to immigration enforcement concerns. Mundo Maya Day is being held in partnership with MAC·LA, formerly Levitt Pavilion, who are currently curating the summer concert series at MacArthur Park.
The event will celebrate Maya culture and indigeneity through a Maya ceremony, a game of Maya ball, food, and marimba. The event will also feature dances from Chiapas, Yucatan, and Guatemala. The event will go from 5 – 8 p.m. and will include a backpack giveaway.
“MacArthur Park is the heart of the Maya immigrant community,” said Mijares. “When we come here, we don’t leave our culture behind. It comes with us.”
The area has seen more activity this summer with World Cup watch parties and the summer concert series hosted by MAC LA, formerly known as Levitt Pavilion.
She remembers going to MacArthur Park as a child with her father and seeing groups of Maya Yucatecos from Yucatan. She remembers how beautiful and safe the park felt, the community environment that reminded her of home.
It was this feeling she wanted to bring back to the community when she had the idea for the Mundo Maya Day. Around 900 guests attended the first official celebration at MacArthur Park in 2018.
A census study conducted by the local indigenous woman-led nonprofit organization CIELO (Comunidades Indígenas en Liderazgo) showed roughly 24,000 residents of Mayan descent lived in Los Angeles.
The CIELO Organization says, “The ‘Maya’ category aggregates all Mayan groups. However, this is an umbrella term that includes communities from Guatemala and Mexico that often have different and distinct languages, cultures, and traditions.”
The regions of Pico Union, Koreatown, and Westlake consist of a highly diverse indigenous population ranging from Zapotec, K’iche’, Chinanteco, Mixe and many more groups according to CIELO.
The celebration will also add a final-hour dedication to Yucatan and honor Armando Manzanero, a Mayan Grammy winner who died in 2020.
Mijares admits there is always a concern with the risks of immigration enforcement, but is confident families will feel safe at this year’s event. The celebration will have security guards present throughout the event.
During this time last summer, federal agents arrested over 4,000 people, according to a report by the Department of Economic Opportunity. By the end of 2025, that grew to over 14,000 people, who were mostly residents without a criminal record, according to researchers from UCLA and UC Berkeley.
In June, Immigration and Customs Enforcement recorded 43,138 arrests across the nation, the highest monthly total of the current administration. Immigration enforcement in Los Angeles has been much more subtle in its execution in comparison to last year but enforcement numbers continue to increase in the city.
Still, Mundo Maya organizers felt like they could not deprive their community of the event.
“At some point in life we need to decide if we let fear control us or not. So we have to take that step and say we’re here,” said Mijares.
She hopes that for at least the three hours they can bring life, music, and healing to the community. She welcomes anyone interested in learning about Maya and indigenous cultures to show up.
“We want people to feel proud of who you are and where you come from. Feel proud of who we are here, the backbone of the country.”
Organizers recommend several ways to get to the event:
Via the train: The Metro B Line to the MacArthur Park / Westlake Station
Via the bus: Metro bus lines 18, 20, 51, 351, 603, 720
Parking: Athena Parking at 611 S. Carondelet St.
Attendees are welcome to bring their own picnics, blankets and lawn chairs.
What happened: Architectural Digest recently published their list of the prettiest towns in each state. Their pick for California? Carmel-by-the-Sea.
But: Of course Carmel-by-the-Sea is gorgeous, but Hailey Branson-Potts of the L.A. Times thinks the publication got it wrong. She’s traveled all over California to report from small, quirky (and pretty) towns.
So: She joined us during an episode of AirTalk, LAist 89.3’s daily news show, and we asked listeners what California town they think is the prettiest.
Listen: To the AirTalk episode above, and maybe have a notepad handy to jot down your next California destination.
What happened: Architectural Digest recently published their list of the prettiest towns in each state. Their pick for California? Carmel-by-the-Sea.
But: Of course Carmel-by-the-Sea is gorgeous, but Hailey Branson-Potts of the L.A. Times thinks the publication got it wrong. She’s traveled all over California to report from small, quirky (and pretty) towns.
So: She joined us during an episode of AirTalk, LAist 89.3’s daily news show, and we asked listeners what California town they think is the prettiest.
Listen: To the AirTalk episode above, and maybe have a notepad handy to jot down your next California destination.
