Best of LAist: Our most engaging stories of 2024, according to you

We've been through a lot together this year, haven't we?

Whether it was holding Orange County leaders like former Supervisor Andrew Do accountable, digging into AAPI family legacies tied to historic events, or even the initial excitement and eventual heartbreak of following Big Bear bald eagles Jackie and Shadow as they tried to hatch their eggs, LAist's readers and social media followers were engaged by stories across the spectrum.

Here's what resonated most this year with people like you:

California is adding a new grade for all 4-year-olds. But not every district has the right space for them

The state's $2.7 billion plan to offer transitional kindergarten to all 4-year-old students by 2025-26 faces significant challenges. One big issue? Many of the existing kindergarten classrooms don’t meet state standards.

Our reporters teamed up with KQED on a series examining the hurdles California faces as it tries to add a new grade to its sprawling public school system.

Parents and educators among LAist's followers shared their experiences with transitional kindergarten so far, naming the ways it's helped their children and students in early education, or describing how universal transitional kindergarten could ease their financial burdens.

This is why famous bald eagles Jackie and Shadow continue to sit on their nonviable eggs

The saga of Big Bear bald eagle couple Jackie and Shadow touched a nerve for many of us. What started out as thousands of people watching a nest online and hoping to see hatchlings eventually became a time of collective mourning. As the eagles continued to sit on three eggs long past their period of viability, LAist readers asked why.

Answering that question helped us learn more about California wildlife. Even more magically, Jackie and Shadow's reality offered an opportunity for commenters to connect with one another around stories of grief — their own losses as parents, the sorrows of people they knew and loved, and stories of how they found hope in the face of tragedy.

Antonia Cereijido, the host of LAist's Imperfect Paradise podcast, felt similarly, and she wrote about her own experience with miscarriage and shared it with you, too.

Paying tribute to Fernando Valenzuela and 'Fernandomania'

When Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela died in October, there was an outpouring of love for his contributions to Los Angeles and baseball, as a pitcher and later a broadcaster.

Jaime Jarrín, a fellow sportscasting legend, visited LAist's studios to remember the impact of "Fernandomania" with AirTalk host Larry Mantle, and our reporters went out into the community to join Angelenos for Valenzuela's funeral and to cover the unveiling of the mural in Boyle Heights that honors his legacy.

Clifton’s Republic reopens in downtown L.A. 

With such a long history in Los Angeles, it's no wonder that many Angelenos had memories to recount when the reopening of Clifton's Republic was announced.

From Martin Rickler: "It was either my 9th or 10th birthday, visiting my sister and brother-in-law in California from Brooklyn, and they took me to Clifton's Cafeteria in downtown Los Angeles. It was about 1953 or 1954, and nothing close to anything I had ever experienced in Brooklyn! One of my best birthdays ever!"

From Diana Rene Denman: "Clifton’s was a family tradition. I would go there after school and get dinner and we also went to the one in Century City. A little-known fact I worked at the Clifton Silverspoon location on West 7th Street they served breakfast and lunch. The baked goods were delicious. It was quite an experience. I met many charming people who frequented the place✨✨"

From Janet Grajeda: "OK, I am going to cry!! I need to take my daughter!! My mom would take me all the time, we would even take the bus since at the time she didn’t know how to drive. I miss her so much! This will def be something to do in her honor ❤️❤️"

Inheriting

The Inheriting podcast, a co-production with NPR, focuses on AAPI families in California and explores how one event in history can ripple through generations. LAist and host Emily Kwong created a series of videos about the families featured in each episode, and their stories resonated with others whose families have ties to some of the same events in California's history.

Some of the tales included the 1992 L.A. Uprising, the Cambodian Genocide and its generational impacts on the refugees who moved to Long Beach, and the way the Vietnam War caused clashing homesickness between a father and son. The stories were unique and yet relatable for many readers and listeners.

Amazon drivers in LA say there’s rarely time to use a bathroom. Their solution? Peeing in a bottle

When LAist's Makenna Sievertson heard about dozens of bottles full of urine regularly being left outside of an Amazon warehouse in Atwater Village, it was clear our newsroom needed to dig into what was going on more deeply. It turns out that those bottles hint at what daily life is like for some delivery drivers.

As Makenna reported, many drivers contracted by Amazon say they’re under such severe pressure to make as many deliveries as possible that they don’t have time to use a restroom while on their routes — and that’s during a normal, off-peak time of year. LAist talked to current and former employees, and one Amazon driver took us along during one of his normal shifts.

Readers detailed their experiences on social media, and some asked about the ongoing push for unionization among Amazon drivers in Southern California. LAist covered the latest on that, too, starting with the effort's big initial challenge: Amazon says the drivers are not their employees.

How an unlikely crew took on a shadow tee time system at LA's public golf courses

Everybody loves a caper! The L.A. golf community was rocked when influencer Dave Fink posted a viral video detailing how brokers were snatching up prime tee times at Los Angeles’ public golf courses and reselling them.

Antonia Cereijido interviewed Fink and reported on how he and other enthusiasts of the sport fought back.

The Andrew Do corruption saga 

The r/OrangeCounty subreddit was with Nick Gerda and more LAist reporters as they investigated how millions in public taxpayer dollars were spent. LAist uncovered public records showing that more than $13 million in public money was approved for a little-known nonprofit that records state was led on and off by Rhiannon Do, the daughter of former O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do.

Most of that money was directed to the group by former Supervisor Do outside of the public’s view and never appeared on public meeting agendas. He did not publicly disclose his family ties.

No day was more active among Redditors following the story than the announcement from federal prosecutors that Do had agreed to plead guilty and resign after he was charged with conspiracy to steal millions of dollars meant to feed needy seniors.

From breaking news to discovering new things about Los Angeles, you trusted us to keep you tapped into what was happening in our region. We had great conversations and continued to learn about what's most important to you.

Thanks for being an LAist! Here's to telling more of Southern California's stories in 2025.