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.
Morning Briefing: District Attorney Race Heats Up
L.A. County DA Jackie Lacey. (Screenshot from LA County DA's Office video)
()
Never miss a morning briefing. Subscribe today to get our A.M. newsletter delivered to your inbox.
Good morning, L.A.
L.A. County’s district attorney race this year has been contentious, with incumbent Jackie Lacey drawing the ire of Black Lives Matter activists, and one particularly volatile incident in which her husband drew a gun on protesters outside their home.
Lacey has been criticized for not prosecuting law enforcement officials who use deadly force, and for only sentencing non-white people to death. (According to the L.A. Times, since taking office Lacey has secured the death penalty for 13 Latino defendants, eight Black defendants and one defendant of Asian descent.) The primary election in March resulted in a runoff, meaning that instead of holding onto her seat at that time, Lacey was forced to continue to defend it until voters hit the polls again next month.
Support for LAist comes from
Now, she’s been dealt another blow; L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti withdrew his support of Lacey on Sunday and threw it behind her challenger, former San Francisco D.A. George Gascón.
“[Gascón] knows how to promote public safety through partnerships with and beyond law enforcement,” Garcetti said in a statement. “[He] will help our county shift the burden from the criminal justice system and jails toward diversion, intervention, and re-entry programs that save money and save lives.”
Keep reading for more on what’s happening in L.A. today, and stay safe out there.
Coming Up Today, October 5
After a decade in the making, the Gerald Desmond Replacement Bridge is open to the public, reports Sharon McNary. It’s higher, so there’s more clearance underneath for the largest cargo ships, and that opens up more Port of Long Beach berths to additional shipping business.
Support for LAist comes from
Only 9% of special education is informed through the census, but that funding is needed to fill opportunity gaps for students from low-income homes. Dana Amihere has more.
Carla Javier explains the process L.A. County schools must follow to apply for waivers to reopen in-person instruction for grades TK-2. She also examines why, three months after the LAUSD board voted to make cuts to the school police, there's been little movement on how and when to implement the cuts.
Watch two film festivals from the comfort of your car or couch, learn about the history of Bunker Hill, view Self Help Graphics' annual Día de los Muertos exhibition, and more. Christine N. Ziemba has this week’s best online and IRL events.
Never miss an LAist story. Sign up for our daily newsletters.
The Past 24 Hours In LA
Wildfires: The Bobcat Fire is 84% contained, with a few remaining spots of brush continuing to burn themselves out around Mount Wilson.
Support for LAist comes from
Policing The Police: The Long Beach Police Department says it is investigating how a Trump flag emblazoned with "Make America Great Again" ended up flying over headquarters this weekend.
Coronavirus Updates: L.A. County public health officials on Sunday confirmed 933 new cases of the coronavirus and five new deaths attributed to the disease. As more people within President Trump's circle test positive for COVID-19, the way in which the White House has handled the pandemic all along has come under sharp scrutiny.
The D.A. Race: Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has withdrawn his support for incumbent L.A. County District Attorney Jackie Lacey and announced his endorsement of challenger George Gascón.
Photo Of The Day
Supporters of President Trump took part in a caravan rally for his reelection in Glendale on Sunday.
(Photo by DAVID MCNEW/AFP via Getty Images)
()
Support for LAist comes from
Help Us Cover Your Community
- Got something you’ve always wanted to know about Southern California and the people who call it home? Is there an issue you want us to cover? Ask us anything.
- Have a tip about news on which we should dig deeper? Let us know.
The news cycle moves fast. Some stories don't pan out. Others get added. Consider this today's first draft, and check LAist.com for updates on these stories and more. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
This post has been updated to reflect changes in what's coming up for today.
DON'T MISS ANY L.A. CORONAVIRUS NEWS
Get our daily newsletters for the latest on COVID-19 and other top local headlines.
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
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
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
After rising for years, the number of residential installations in the city of Los Angeles began to drop in 2023. The city isn’t subject to recent changes in state incentives, but other factors may be contributing to the decline. -
The L.A. City Council approved the venue change Wednesday, which organizers say will save $12 million in infrastructure costs.
-
Taxes on the sale of some newer apartment buildings would be lowered under a plan by Sacramento lawmakers to partially rein in city Measure ULA.
-
The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons after suddenly shutting down six months ago.
-
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake.
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
Best of LAist