'Amateur Hour at the U.S. Attorney's Office': L.A. Prosecutors Face More Losses in Protest Cases
Los Angeles federal prosecutors suffered a string of setbacks in immigration‑related protest cases, with U.S. District Judge André Birotte dismissing two trials after finding undisclosed discovery violated defendants' rights. In the high‑profile assault case of Luis Hipólito, who punched an ICE officer, the jury returned a not‑guilty verdict despite video evidence of the strike. The dismissals bring the total of five assault‑on‑federal‑officer prosecutions in the district to zero convictions, highlighting procedural flaws in the U.S. attorney’s office under Bill Essayli. The outcomes underscore mounting judicial scrutiny of the office’s aggressive charging strategy.
Life After California: People Find Dramatically Lower Costs, Are More Likely to Buy Homes, New Data Shows
New research from UC Berkeley’s California Policy Lab shows that Californians who relocate to lower‑cost states cut housing expenses by roughly $700 per month and become 48 % more likely to own a home. The financial gains are most pronounced among...
Speeders Beware: 125 Traffic Cameras Are Coming to L.A., Along with Hefty Fines. What You Need to Know
Los Angeles will install 125 automated speed cameras across its 15 council districts between April and July, targeting school zones, high‑risk corridors, and accident‑prone streets. Drivers caught exceeding the limit by 11 mph or more face fines ranging from $50 to...
Kaiser Made $9.3 Billion Last Year. Critics Say It Has Strayed From Its Charitable Mission
Kaiser Permanente reported a $9.3 billion profit on $127 billion revenue, while its cash reserves swelled to $73 billion. The nonprofit settled a $556 million Medicare fraud case and a $30 million mental‑health lawsuit, both without admitting wrongdoing. Rising premiums, staff shortages and a 30,000‑person...
After Minnesota Scandal, Texas Reviewed Its Child Care Spending. It Found Little Fraud
Texas report shows less than half a percent of federal child‑care scholarship funds were improper, about $4.3 million of a $990 million budget. The investigation, prompted by unfounded Minnesota fraud claims, identified 125 high‑risk providers among roughly 7,500 participants. Improper payment rates...
Sorry Your House Burned Down. Here's a $23,000 HOA Bill — Due Next Month
Los Angeles Times reports that the La Vina homeowners association imposed a $23,614 special assessment on every resident to fund $6.4 million in fire‑damage repairs after the 2023 Eaton fire, giving owners just 34 days to pay before interest and liens...
Inside the Crisis Facing Local TV News: Layoffs, Consolidation and Shrinking Ratings
Local TV news is in crisis as Nexstar Media Group slashes staff, including longtime KTLA anchors, amid plummeting ratings. Streaming now captures more than 40% of U.S. viewing, pulling ad dollars away from traditional broadcasts. The industry is turning to...
L.A. County CEO, Who Got $2-Million Settlement, Is Resigning
Los Angeles County chief executive Fesia Davenport announced she will resign on April 16, citing hereditary health issues that require full attention. The resignation follows a $2 million settlement she received last summer over reputational harm tied to Measure G, a voter‑approved...
In Rare Move, ICE Drags Criminal Defendant Out of a Federal Courtroom
ICE agents in plain clothes entered a Los Angeles federal courtroom and forcibly removed Orlando Olivar, an alleged MS‑13 shot‑caller, despite the judge being absent. Olivar, charged with racketeering and methamphetamine offenses and slated for trial on May 19, was...
LAPD Commander Fired over Drunken Incident Wins $5.7 Million in Discrimination Lawsuit
A Los Angeles County jury awarded former LAPD commander Nicole Mehringer $5.7 million after finding she was wrongfully terminated for a 2018 drunken incident. The verdict concluded that Mehringer faced a harsher standard than male officers who engaged in similar misconduct...
L.A. Is Too Expensive. Here Are 75 Fun Things to Do for Under $20
Los Angeles faces soaring living costs, with job losses, high gas prices and a widening wealth gap straining residents. To counteract this, the Los Angeles Times compiled a guide of 75 activities that cost less than $20, ranging from iconic sites like...
The Music Never Stops. How One Group Is Helping Artists Replace Instruments Lost in the L.A. Fires
A group called Altadena Musicians launched the Instrumental Giving app after the January 2025 L.A. wildfires destroyed homes, studios and instruments. The platform connects donors with fire‑affected musicians, and has already delivered roughly 3,500 instruments to 1,200 families. Corporate partners such...
If the Giant Sequoia Is Dying Out, Why Are There Tens of Thousands of Seedlings and Saplings?
A 2021 high‑intensity fire razed 300 acres of the Redwood Mountain Grove, sparking a massive natural regeneration of giant sequoia seedlings—estimated at 4,000 to 20,000 per acre. Scientists and park managers disagree on whether to let this surge mature naturally...
Celebrate St. Patrick's Day at L.A.'s Best Irish Pubs
The piece chronicles Los Angeles’ Irish‑pub lineage, beginning with Tom Bergin’s 1936 Old Horseshoe Tavern, later renamed and relocated. Bergin’s claims to have introduced Irish coffee to the United States and holds the city’s second‑oldest liquor license. Today the tradition has...
Why Hundreds of People in L.A. Are Strapping Cameras on Their Bodies to Do Chores
A new gig‑economy niche in Los Angeles pays workers to wear head‑mounted cameras while performing everyday chores, creating video data that trains physical‑AI and humanoid robots. Companies such as Instawork, Sunain, Encord and Scale AI coordinate thousands of contributors, offering roughly $80...
California Could Be Attacked by Drones because of Iran War, Memo Warns. Officials Downplay Threat
Federal law‑enforcement agencies circulated a memo warning that Iran might launch surprise drone attacks on California if the United States escalates strikes against Tehran. The alert, based on unverified Coast Guard intelligence, was described by FBI officials as precautionary and...