What's it like remediating a home after a wildfire? Eaton Fire survivors shared their experiences
A collage of two photos shows the process of home remediation after a fire.(David Rodriguez / LAist)Rhea Borja and her husband bought their little home in Altadena in 2022. After the January 2025 Eaton Fire, it still stood, in a pocket of other homes that also survived.At first, that was a relief. As many fire survivors have found, though, remediating smoke damage has been nearly as daunting as rebuilding a home that burned.That has been true for the Borjas too. They’ve been living in Northern California since the fire, while they work to get their home cleared of the toxic remnants of the smoke.The Eaton Fire destroyed 9,414 structures, including homes and businesses. For the thousands of structures were left standing, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed laws in September setting new rules for smoke damage cleanup.What has that looked like in practice? Three Eaton Fire survivors spoke with LAist recently about the challenges they’ve faced.Remediation challengesRhea Borja stands in her driveway j
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Everything you need to know about Long Beach’s speed cameras
A speed camera on Ocean Boulevard in Long Beach, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026.(Thomas R. Cordova / Long Beach Post)This story first appeared on Long Beach Post.Long Beach’s speed cameras are now online at 18 locations throughout the city, and they’re here to stay until at least 2031. They started issuing warnings on Oct. 7, and they will start giving out tickets on Dec. 7.It’s a big change. Many people have questions about how they work. Many others hope the cameras can finally slow down a stubborn surge in fatal crashes.If you have a burning question, email jacob@lbpost.com. He might be able to find the answer.Frequently asked questionsWhere are the speed cameras?The cameras are watching for speeding vehicles at 18 locations throughout Long Beach, with two in each City Council district.Half of the cameras are on streets where deadly or severe crashes have occurred most often. The other half are in school zones or in areas where street racing is a problem.How will the cameras work?Tickets r
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Largest US doctors’ group supports banning countertop material linked to deadly lung disease
A stone countertop fabricator wears a mask to help protect against airborne particles which can contribute to silicosis at a shop on Oct. 31, 2023, in Sun Valley.(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)The nation’s largest physician group has backed a near complete ban on the most popular countertop material, which is linked to an aggressive lung disease disabling and killing stoneworkers in California and other states.The American Medical Association has adopted a new policy opposing the manufacturing, importation, distribution, sale, fabrication and installation of high-silica engineered stone products across the U.S. Doctors in California hope that the declaration by the AMA, which counts more than 250,000 physicians and medical students as members, will spur greater regulation of the factory-made material and promote the use of safer alternatives.“Workers are developing an incurable lung disease that can progress to respiratory failure and sometimes, death, often a
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Best things to do in LA and SoCal: Nov. 11-17
'The Importance of Being Earnest' is at the Wallis.(Courtesy The Wallis)A big thank you to all the service members who’ve served our country this Veterans Day. There’s lots going on to honor them, including a ceremony on the beach in Santa Monica, a celebration at the VA and more.Elsewhere on LAist, you can learn about one couple who chose the LAUSD coffee cake for their wedding, come hang out with us at CicLAvia in Pasadena and grab tickets for FilmWeek’s screening of Sideways.MusicLicorice Pizza has your music picks for the week ahead — it is Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction time, after all — including:Wednesday Bonobo begin their two-night run at the WilternAustralian EDM star Ninajirachi begins her four-night run at the Fonda Theatre Thursday The Smashing Pumpkins performing ‘Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness’ in full at the ForumSparta at Sid The CatFriday Icelandic composer Ólafur Arnalds at the WilternE-40 with Too $hort, Mack 10 & more at the YouTube TheaterBand of Horse
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Driver in deadly Los Angeles metro station crash is arrested on DUI and murder counts
A damaged vehicle lies at the scene of a vehicle crash, involving multiple fatalities, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, in the North Hollywood section of Los Angeles.(David Swanson / AP Photo)The 61-year-old driver of a minivan that killed three people when it crashed outside a Los Angeles metro station during rush hour was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and three counts of murder, a police spokesperson said Wednesday.Police have said the driver was taken out of the vehicle and was able to talk, but he appeared in shock after Tuesday’s crash. Officials were not immediately able to determine the cause or whether he acted intentionally.Police identified the driver as Ihor Demianenko, a resident of the Valley Village neighborhood of Los Angeles, Officer Norma Eisenman said. She didn’t know whether he was still at a hospital early Wednesday.It was not immediately clear if Demianenko had a lawyer who could respond to the allegations.The crash at a busy intersection in the North
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OC’s Bolsa Chica Conservancy’s braces for more flooding after damage from El Niño high tides
The Bolsa Chica Conservancy's Interpretive Center pictured after last month's coastal flooding.(Courtesy Bolsa Chica Conservancy)Topline:Huntington Beach nonprofit Bolsa Chica Conservancy is fundraising to replace equipment damaged in recent coastal flooding. It's anticipating the need for more repairs, as the flooding forecast around Thanksgiving and Christmas could be even worse.What was damaged: Bolsa Chica Conservancy’s executive director, Carissa Macias, said that despite its efforts, a pump used for its aquarium shorted out due to water damage and needed to be replaced. (The aquarium houses a tide pool, various fish species and a shark.) The conservancy has since replaced the pump and taken measures to protect the surviving equipment.Future risk: The organization’s Interpretive Center, which hosts its aquarium and exhibits about the region’s ecology, is in a modular trailer-style building. “The threat that we are concerned about is that if we get enough water flow underneath the
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In LA’s Little Bangladesh, Raman’s visits won votes. Now residents have a to-do list for her
Nazmul Chaudhry, owner of Deshi Food in Little Bangladesh, told all his customers and friends to vote for Nithya Raman for mayor of Los Angeles after she spent time in the community speaking to residents about their concerns. (Courtesy Nazmul Chaudhry)For seven years, Nazmul Chaudhry has been trying to get the city of Los Angeles to fix a broken sidewalk in front of his store.Chaudhry owns Deshi Food, a restaurant and grocery store in Little Bangladesh. Before I could even begin our interview, he led me to the front of his store to show me the sidewalk that pedestrians sidestep and electric scooter riders slow down around.He said he’s tried to get the attention of city officials, but nothing has been done. The broken sidewalk in front of Nazmul Chaudhry's shop in Little Bangladesh. (Yusra Farzan / LAist)He’s hoping that will soon change. He said then-candidate Nithya Raman spent time in the historic enclave just north of Koreatown this fall, talking with community members about their p
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Dan Shimell unseats incumbent Valerie Amezcua as Santa Ana’s next mayor
Dan Shimell, an attorney and a new face in local politics, is Santa Ana’s next mayor after an unexpected win against incumbent Valerie Amezcua. (Courtesy of Dan Shimell)Dan Shimell, an attorney and a new face in local politics, is Santa Ana’s next mayor after a shocking win against incumbent Valerie Amezcua. His win has become one of the most surprising upsets in Orange County’s general election and marks a shift for a city that previously elected its first Latina mayor.Amezcua congratulated Shimell on social media late Monday night after the last round of election results nearly doubled Shimell’s lead. As of Tuesday night, Shimell held a 5-point lead over Amezcua. Amezcua did not respond to LAist’s requests for comment.“It has been the honor of my life to serve the people of Santa Ana,” Amezcua said in a post. “Together, we have accomplished great things. We invested in our neighborhoods, expanded opportunity for families, and strengthened the services that make Santa Ana home. Our wo
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In tight South LA race, one city council candidate accuses the other of alleged voter fraud
Estuardo Mazariegos, left, a candidate for LA City Council District 9, speaks during the candidate forum that also featured his opponent, Jose Ugarte, that took place at A Place Called Home on Oct. 3, 2026.(J.W. Hendricks / The LA Local)As the race to represent L.A.’s Council District 9 remains too close to call, candidate Estuardo Mazariegos’ campaign has accused the campaign of Jose Ugarte, the front-runner, of potential ballot tampering.The Mazariegos campaign made the accusations Monday, saying it had filed a complaint with the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. In a press release, the campaign alleged that representatives for the Ugarte campaign had collected voters’ ballots to drop off without signing the appropriate line identifying the individual who returned the ballot.In one case, Mazariegos’ team accused Ugarte campaigners of filling out a ballot on a voter’s behalf without her knowledge of who she was voting for.“Taking people’s ballots, filling them out, a
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Raman’s win triggers surge of optimism among advocates of transit and safer streets in LA
L.A. Mayor-elect Nithya Raman at a press conference to speak in support of safety updates following a fatal crash that occurred on Forest Lawn Drive, on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)In the home-stretch of the L.A. mayor’s race, Mayor Karen Bass and her former ally-turned-challenger Nithya Raman met for the only televised debate of the campaign.They traded jabs over public safety, homelessness and other core issues for Angelenos. But one dig was particularly eyebrow-raising. It came toward the end of the debate, when Bass chided Raman for her support from bike lane advocates.“There’s very influential people who are supporting your campaign who are very, very much advocates for bike lanes,” Bass, who conceded the race Thursday, said in the Oct. 13 debate hosted by NBCLA and Telemundo.“Um, yes,” Mayor-elect Raman can be heard quietly saying as one of the moderators tries to move the conversation along.While it represented just a moment in
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