Survival Of The Fittest Trees (And Other Headlines)

When I think about ways I like to cool off when it gets extremely hot, I first think about jumping into a pool or going inside a public place like a grocery store or library. I even think about my colleague Erin Stone’s recent stories about Pacoima’s cool pavement project.

In search of 'climate ready' trees

I hardly ever think about trees providing safety for us. I like looking at them, especially when they’re full of flowers or citrus; I hardly even think about them as a means for helping us endure an increasingly dangerous climate crisis. But they play a crucial role.

Trees are important to us for a list of reasons, including helping decrease temperatures in urban areas. But not all are suited to the task. Scientists at the University of California Riverside are trying to figure out which species of trees — they’re testing 12 different species — can withstand a warming world.

My colleague Jacob Margolis visited a research field of 48 trees that’s part of a 20-year effort to gauge which ones are "climate ready" and built to survive our drought-prone environment. Another factor being assessed: which trees can best provide us the shade we need in the face of longer and more dangerous heat waves.

Researchers are testing these trees for the following:

• Their attractiveness
• Whether or not they provide good shade
• Whether they’re high or low maintenance
• Whether they can survive with little water

Some are indeed thriving; others are not. Read the rest of Jacob’s story to learn which ones are holding up the best and how you can go see the trees in the research project yourself.

Stay safe and cool, L.A. There’s more news below — just keep reading.

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(After you stop hitting snooze)

• Starting today, city of Los Angeles residents could face eviction if they don’t repay rent debts from the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thousands of Angelenos still owe tens of thousands of dollars. My colleague David Wagner wrote about the challenges of the repayment process and what tenant advocates are fighting for. 
• Speaking of this pandemic rent repayment deadline, my colleague Nick Gerda wrote about the many ways renters can get help in the city of L.A. 
• If you’re an L.A. Department of Water and Power customer, you can now water your yard three times a day week again (corrected). But we still need to use less of it. Read my colleague Erin Stone’s story for all you need to know about this new development. 
• High temperature, strong winds and invasive grasses caused a record-breaking wildfire in the Mojave National Preserve Habitat. My colleague Jacob Margolis wrote about how the York fire impacts native species in the landscape. 
• A 140-gallon sewage spill at Newport Beach has caused a water usage warning. People have been advised not to swim, surf or dive in the area for at least three days. 
• Parents and youth justice reform advocates are growing more and more concerned about the incarcerated youth in the Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey after a string of incidents. My colleague Robert Garrova explained why advocates are demanding L.A. County changed the way they operate the probation department. 
• Mosquitos are showing up and out this year. But why? My colleague Caitlin Hernández spoke with Steve Vetrone, the director of scientific technical services for the Greater L.A. Control District to learn more about why there’s been an abundance of these pesky pests.
• There has been a shortage of nurses in California since the pandemic and lawmakers are working out ways to bring in more. But there’s some disagreement about how to best boost the number of nurses in hospitals. Read CalMatters’ Kristen Hwang’s story for more details. 
• One of the country’s largest freight carriers, Yellow trucking company, is filing for bankruptcy and shutting down for good, according to the Teamsters union. NPR’s Emma Bowman explained what led to their complete shutdown, which includes a strike threat and long standing financial struggles.

Wait! One more thing...

Nervous about your pregnancy? Read this guide

Kindred Space is one Los Angeles organization that hosts a weekly prenatal and postpartum support group.

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Mariana Dale

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LAist

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There are so many unknowns to pregnancy, but you don’t have to figure out everything on your own. Shea Tompkins recently submitted this question to our texting service Hey bb: “What are your best tips for calming all of the nerves around early pregnancy and the unknowns?”

One of the pieces of advice my colleague Stefanie Ritoper gathered from other parents was the importance of taking special care of yourself during pregnancy and postpartum. You got to have a little R&R for YOU.

After all, you’re doing something pretty remarkable: creating life. Stefanie included this mother’s perspective in her article:

Read the rest of the advice Stefanie put together from parents who are on the Hey bb list. And make sure you read all of the LAist pregnancy guides.