Support for LAist comes from
Local and national news, NPR, things to do, food recommendations and guides to Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire
Stay Connected
Listen

Share This

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

News

Can A Baywatch Babe Save the EV1s?

Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.

()

Last month, LAist reported on a protest going on to save 70 electric cars from certain death at the hands of their parent company, GM. Yesterday, the 27-day protest in Burbank heated up when several big, black, car-carrying trucks pulled up to ship off about 15 of the cars to be destroyed. (If they ever make another X Files movie, they should use these trucks. Very scary!) Pro-electric car actvists blocked the trucks' way with their own vehicles, and two wound up arrested. One of the ladies in cuffs was Alexandra Paul, the Baywatch actress, whose arrest attracted the attention of the LA Times (which ran a feature on the vigil Saturday), KCRW and even the Daily News. The protestors have tried many tactics, including making an offer of $1.9 million to buy the remaining cars from GM, but what seems to have gotten the most press is putting a pretty lady in handcuffs. Just when LA was getting some activist cred, we turn out to be Hollywood after all.

photo of Alexandra Paul getting frisked from saveev1.org

As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.

Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.

We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.

No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.

Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.

Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.

Chip in now to fund your local journalism
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist