How To Vote On New Streetlights — And Other Headlines

“Be home before the streetlights come on” is a common saying that kids who grew up spending a lot of time playing outside would hear from parents.

All about streetlights voting

Whether or not we made it in on time, the streetlamps served as our guiding light, letting us know it was time to get in the house before it got dark — and, possibly, unsafe.

I know I can’t be the only one that takes these lights for granted. Did you know that sometimes in L.A. we have to vote on streetlights before they’re installed?

Today, votes are being tallied for streetlights in certain areas of the city. My colleague Caitlin Hernández takes us into the brilliant world of streetlight voting — why we do it and which streetlights are up for a vote now. They have all the info you need to know right here.

Also, voting on streetlights isn’t the only way to take action and make your area shine brighter. You can also petition the Bureau of Street Lighting to begin an assessment process for lights on your street.

So, what makes these specific streetlights we're voting on so special? Read more about how tax and assessment laws come into play when it comes to which streetlights require a vote.

As always, stay happy and healthy, folks. There’s more news below — just keep reading.

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More news

(After you stop hitting snooze)

• A day after her State of the City speech on Monday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass released her plan for the city’s budget. My colleague Nick Gerda has more details on the spending she’s proposed.
• United Teachers Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Unified School District have agreed to a tentative deal to raise wages for educators, among other things. Read my colleague Mariana Dale’s story for more information about what else is in the deal. 
• A Japanese rice cracker factory on the edge of Little Tokyo is now going to be used for affordable housing. The current structure is set to be demolished soon to make way for a 175-unit building, of which half will be used as supportive housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness. 
• The Orange County Power Authority could fire CEO Brian Probolsky. My colleague Jill Replogle has more on what could be OCPA’s biggest change yet. 
• The California state Capitol is getting a facelift. But the $1 billion plan to bulldoze and replace the annex building, and construct a new visitor center and underground parking, has come with some controversy. Here's how you can weigh in.
• Tonight, the fate of abortion pill mifepristone may be made known after the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling. My colleague Jackie Fortiér wrote about the possible scenarios ahead. 
• Groups that oppose abortion rights have tried to limit access to mifepristone by citing the 150-year-old Comstock Act. Here’s how that anti-obscenity law has come into play.  
• The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard arguments on how much employers should accommodate their employees’ religious practices. NPR’s Nina Totenberg has more on this critical case.

Wait... one more thing

Let's talk about WILD love with Erick Galindo

Erick Galindo and Megan Tan of LAist's WILD podcast, host a WILD Spring Fling on Wednesday, April 19.

(Erin Hauer/Dan Carino)

What is the wildest thing you would do for love? For me, it’s probably singing Bobby Caldwell’s hit song in public.

My colleagues Erick Galindo and Megan Tan certainly have some thoughts on the matter. They are the co-hosts of the new LAist Studios WILD podcast season: I Think I’m Falling in Love, which as you can guess, is all about our favorite four-letter word. It’s a serialized show that’s all about people’s grandest gestures of pure devotion and adoration.

Erick, a Southeast L.A. homegrown journalist, takes us Way Back in the Day in L.A. this Wednesday with his list of the “Most Rewatchable, Yet Absolutely Cringy ‘90s Rom-Coms.”

He has some of my favorites on there — 10 Things I Hate About You, The Wood, and Groundhog Day — and he shares what makes them great. If you love these movies too, you gotta check it out.

Lastly, make sure you check out Erick and Megan tonight as they share their wildest stories of what they did for love on the Wild Spring Fling live show at 7 p.m. in the Crawford Family Forum.