How To LA: LA County’s Plan To Combat EBT Scams (And Other Headlines)

Good morning, L.A. It’s Wednesday, October 18. Today in How To LA: LA County forms an anti-skim unit to combat EBT thefts, California adopts an official state bat; plus, pumpkin carving in La Cañada Flintridge.

The fight against skimming

Our public assistance programs have a problem. This year alone, L.A. County officials say around $39 million has already been scammed out of programs like CalFresh, CalWORKS and General Relief, putting taxpayers on the hook.

Those thefts have been on the rise over the past three years, according to a motion put forward by L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis. In 2021, around $950,000 was skimmed from the programs, exploding to over $22.5 million in 2022.

“The people being most impacted are the most vulnerable,” Solis told my colleague Yusra Farzan. “Those are the ones that obtained general relief meaning they only receive $221 in a month, so that is wiped out for some of them.”A new team will be created at the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office to combat scamming that has drained public aid programs.

By next May, California is set to incorporate chips with tap technology on new EBT cards which are thought to enhance security.

Read Yusra’s full story here.

Stay careful, L.A. There’s more news below — just keep reading.

How To LA

We’re here to help curious Angelenos connect with others, discover the new, navigate the confusing, and even drive some change along the way.

Listen Now

More news

(After you stop hitting snooze)

• The L.A. County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted a resolution on Tuesday that supports Israel and condemns the Hamas terror attacks after more than an hour-and-a-half of tense public comments and two recess breaks to remove protesters from the audience.
• In Southeast L.A., community members have organized against the stench of dead animals and other environmental problems for years. Read the final installment of our five-part series investigating how rendering plants in, and near, the city of Vernon are impacting residents.
• L.A. Mayor Karen Bass is in Washington, D.C. this week with a delegation of six of the city’s council members to advocate to top-level federal officials on homelessness – including a push to expand housing opportunities for veterans.
• The U.S. government has agreed to compensate thousands of migrant families who were forced apart at the southern border in 2017 and 2018 as part of the Trump administration's "zero-tolerance" policy.
• Sonoma County partnered with a Redwood conservation group to purchase 394 acres of Russian River Redwood forest, including one of the tallest and oldest trees in California, the Clar Tree.
• Starting in 2024, California is adding another critter to its long list of state animals. Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill making the pallid bat the official state bat.
  

Wait... one more thing

How to carve a pumpkin like a pro

Artist Zack Faraday carved the Joker in the style of Alex Ross on this giant pumpkin for the Carved event at Descanso Gardens.

(

Susanne Whatley

/

LAist

)

Go big or gourd home, folks. It’s officially pumpkin carving season.

Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a jack-o’-lantern newb, you’ll want to check out the creepy creations at Descanso Gardens for its annual nighttime special event, Carved.

My colleague Susanne Whatley took a visit. She found designs ranging from the Joker and Venom to Baby Yoda and a happy little ghost.

Because Carved’s pumpkins weigh hundreds of pounds, they have an unfortunate foe – gravity. Let’s just say jack-o’-lanterns don’t look so pretty when they hit the ground.

Read more about Susanne Whatley’s visit to the pumpkin party here.