Morning Brief: Castles in Burbank, SoFi Super Bowl Setup, A Different Kind of Animal Crossing Cash

A bunch of Burbank buildings have bastions. What gives?

Are castles commonplace in your neighborhood? Not the kind that dish out sliders and draw airheads on Odyssean quests to quell munchies.

No, the kind that, in a pinch, could provide protection from a trebuchet or two. Siege-worthy structures, the keeps of kings made for maidens and knights alike. LAist reader Samantha Varela in Burbank just had to know:

Why are there so many castles in Burbank?

LAist is here to help solve Samantha’s riddle, a riddle more difficult to decipher than determining the airspeed of an unladen swallow.

Carla Javier, the noble leader of this search for the elusive information, writes:

“I’ve been doing my reporter thing, looking at some records and making some visits and calls. And so far, I’ve found some initial answers. But not all — not yet. Maybe you, LAist reader, hold the key to the castle conundrum.

Maybe you grew up in Burbank in the '80s, when many of these buildings were built, according to records from the Los Angeles County Assessor’s office. Maybe you have memories of these buildings or have noticed others like them. If so, you can email me or tweet at me. And maybe together, we can figure it out.”

Keep reading for more on what’s happening in L.A., and stay safe out there.

What Else You Need To Know Today

• The City of Champions is set for another coronation. The Super Bowl is coming to SoFi Stadium sooner than you think and the venue is ready for its close-up.
• Speaking of screaming fans, Coachella’s star-studded lineup is set and tickets for Weekend 1 are already sold out.
• Gov. Newsom denied parole for Sirhan Sirhan, the man who assassinated Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Last year, a state parole board recommended his release. 
• President Joe Biden’s vaccine-or-test mandate for large private companies was struck down by the Supreme Court Thursday. Read more on the decision here.
• COVID cases tripled among California’s incarcerated youth last week. A spokesperson for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation wrote that the situation is being “monitored closely.” 

Before You Go...A Big Win For Big Cats

Mountain lion P-65 and her kittens.

(Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area)

If completed, the Liberty Canyon Wildlife Crossing over the 101 in Agoura Hills would be the largest urban wildlife crossing in the world. 

That key “if” to start the above sentence is a lot closer to becoming a “when,” according to Beth Pratt of the National Wildlife Federation.

Pratt has helped spearhead the project for about a decade and says the project is set for a spring groundbreaking. But the good news doesn’t stop there; $10 million dollars in funding is currently earmarked for phase two of the project in next year’s proposed state budget.