Jacob Margolis
What I cover
I cover science, with a focus on environmental stories and disasters, as well as investigations and accountability.
My background
I created, wrote and hosted the LAist Studios podcasts, The Big One: Your Survival Guide and The Big Burn: How To Survive In The Age of Wildfires. I was part of the team that won the 2021 Investigative Reporters and Editors Audio Journalism Award for the series "Hot Days: Heat’s Mounting Death Toll On Workers In The U.S. "Most recently, I’ve published investigations into large scale illegal dumping in L.A. County and previously unreported heavy metal concentrations in fire retardants.
My goals
To uncover how science, policy, and power intersect — so people have the information they need to hold decision-makers accountable and protect their communities.
Best way to reach me
You can reach me by email: jmargolis@laist.com. Or for encrypted communications, I'm on Signal: jacobmargolis.1.
-
The Surfrider Foundation gave California an "A," praising its work regarding sea level rise. -
There’s a warm blob of water off the coast feeding the weather systems. -
For mountain lions, bright noisy freeways can mean death. So how do you get them to cross one safely? -
The outline of what the storms will bring is taking shape. -
We’re still a bit far out, meaning things could change, but the signals are strong. -
It is possible, though not likely. -
A little more rain and snow would be nice. -
A whole lot has changed, but the risk of catastrophic quakes remains. -
The suggested cuts affect programs tied to water, heat and forest resilience. There's a projected $38 billion budget shortfall overall. -
Streets have flooded and hazards will remain into Friday.
