Los Angeles

The remaining structure of a bricked two-story house on a that was burned during a wildfire can be seen through the trees of a small hill. Some of the exterior walls of the house are charcoaled with black ash, while others are cracked throughout and barely standing.

Commentary

If California bails out LA’s $1 billion budget deficit, beware the slippery slope

Los Angeles' leaders got plenty of warnings they've been overspending for years. Now they're using January's fires to seek a state bailout.

By

Dan Walters

• March 28, 2025

The state Capitol in Sacramento on Aug. 16, 2023. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

Commentary

California politicians have an irritating habit of ignoring the downsides

California’s governors and legislators have a number of irritating habits, but the worst is their tendency to enact sweeping programs or policy decrees without weighing the risks.

By

Dan Walters

• March 26, 2025

A busy shipping port with large, blue gantry cranes labeled 'YTI' towering over stacks of colorful shipping containers. The cranes are equipped with yellow lifting mechanisms used for moving cargo. The sky is clear blue with a few wispy clouds. Rows of containers in shades of red, pink, blue, and brown are stacked neatly along the port, some marked with shipping company names such as 'ONE' and 'CAI.'

Environment

‘Herculean effort’: These port communities have waited decades for clean air. Why a new plan may fall short

The ports of LA and Long Beach are the biggest sources of air pollution in the LA basin. Air quality officials have drafted new rules to help electrify the ports. But community groups representing 400,000 residents say they don't go far enough or fast enough to clean up their dirty air.

By

Alejandra Reyes-Velarde

• March 20, 2025

The exterior of The Original Pantry Café, a well-known 24-hour diner in Los Angeles, features a red and white striped awning and a vintage-style sign reflecting the surrounding cityscape. The building's red and white brick facade leads down a sidewalk where a small group of casually dressed people walks past. Sunlight casts long shadows on the pavement, while modern glass buildings and street signs frame the background.

Commentary

What the closure of an iconic Los Angeles cafe says about the state of California civic life

The Pantry was not just any restaurant, and its passing speaks to larger changes in California and the nation that are not necessarily for the better.

By

Jim Newton

• March 20, 2025

A person in a suit and glasses speaks into a microphone at a podium in a dark room while looking at a teleprompter. In the background is a black curtain hanging on poles to block out the rest of the stage area.

Commentary

California’s cities and schools face big budget gaps, few options

California's major cities and school districts are facing sizable budget gaps. Much like the state, they have few financial options.

By

Dan Walters

• March 13, 2025

A landscape of scorched hills shows remnants of a wildfire, with dry, barren slopes dotted with blackened vegetation. Power lines and transmission towers stretch across the terrain. In the foreground, a blurred warning sign with red lettering reads "DANGER" and cautions against open fires and smoking. The hazy fence adds a sense of distance, emphasizing the vast, rugged expanse of the burned landscape under a clear sky.

California Wildfires

As LA County sues Edison over deadly fire, is the state’s wildfire fund in jeopardy?

Fire investigators have not found Edison responsible for the Eaton fire — but mounting lawsuits heighten concerns about its potential liability for the deadliest and most destructive blaze since the state created a fund to prevent wildfires from bankrupting utilities.

By

Alejandro Lazo

and

Sergio Olmos

• March 7, 2025

Two law enforcement officers and a fire department official stand near a street that is partially taped off with yellow police tape during an active crime scene on a night in Los Angeles. A police car can be seen nearby.

Commentary

Los Angeles police chief takes over in a period of uncertainty and mixed signals

Jim McDonnell comes to the helm of the LAPD at a moment of uncertainty, expected to fight crime and improve neighborhood safety, among other priorities, as the city rebuilds from deadly fires.

By

Jim Newton

• March 6, 2025