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It’s Friday, Feb. 28 And Here Are The Stories We’re Following Today

Happy Friday! You made it. As a reward, temperatures will start to drop out of the 80s this weekend, into the more reasonable and seasonable 60s and 70s. Now is the moment to extricate that saucy sweater from the depths of your closet while you still have the chance!
As you lay out your slightly-chilly-for-SoCal weather gear, get up to speed on what we're...
Covering Today:
- The bridge shelter in Venice that was the subject of loud protests by residents is finally open this week (not to be confused with the new homeless shelter in Los Feliz, which began construction earlier this week).
- Follow along as our intrepid reporter Kyle Stokes takes us through his experience as he votes with one of the new machines at LAC+USC Medical Center.
- One of the most well-known stars in the galaxy, Betelgeuse, is safe -- for now. Pablo Cabrera explains.
- Los Angeles was founded by settlers of African, Indigenous, and Spanish descent, and that centuries-old combination of identities is being celebrated in the new "afroLAtinidad" exhibition, reports Mike Roe.
In Case You Missed It:
- Dogtown was onto something – skateboarding is good for your mental health.
- California now has 33 confirmed cases of coronavirus.
- If one CA lawmaker gets her way, we’ll soon be able to compost our earthly remains after we die.
- The city needs to do more to contain the dust bowl that is Owens Lake.
- A couple of Kobe Bryant’s No. 8 and 24 jerseys are going to auction at the end of April. The seller is a private collector.
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.
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First aspiring spectators must register online, then later in 2026 there will be a series of drawings.
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It's thanks to Tropical Storm Mario, so also be ready for heat and humidity, and possibly thunder and lightning.
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L.A. County investigators have launched a probe into allegations about Va Lecia Adams Kellum and people she hired at the L.A. Homeless Services Authority.
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L.A. Mayor Karen Bass suspended a state law allowing duplexes, calling more housing unsafe. But in Altadena, L.A. County leaders say these projects could be key for rebuilding.
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This measure on the Nov. 4, 2025, California ballot is part of a larger battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives next year.
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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.