Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Will Having ‘Too Many Cooks’ Complicate Recovery From Deadly Los Angeles Fires?

By DAN WALTERS, CALMATTERS

A proverb said to have arisen in 16th-century England postulates that “too many cooks spoil the broth.” When too many people are working on a project without clear accountability, it may produce a shoddy outcome.

In fact, research conducted at Princeton University 11 years ago appears to validate this. Iain Couzin, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and the study’s senior author, said it undercuts the so-called “wisdom-of-crowds” theory that champions multiple inputs.

“It’s a starting point that opens up the possibility of capturing collective decision-making in a more realistic environment,” Couzin said in a statement at the time. “When we do see small groups of animals or organisms making decisions they are not necessarily compromising accuracy. They might actually do worse if more individuals were involved. I think that’s the new insight.”

Examples of spoiled broth abound in the political realm, but a very obvious and current example is California’s haphazard approach to its worst-in-the-nation homelessness crisis.

Monday, February 10, 2025

Insurance Interest from California Wildfire Claims Must Go to Homeowners Under New Bill

In a move to bolster financial support for disaster victims, California state officials introduced legislation Monday that would require lenders to pay homeowners the interest earned when insurance settlements are held in escrow accounts.

The measure, announced jointly by Assemblymember John Harabedian, Democrat of Pasadena, and Gov. Gavin Newsom, would amend state law to require lenders to pay homeowners the interest earned on insurance payouts while properties are being rebuilt.

“Homeowners, not insurance companies, should receive the interest earned on their insurance payouts. Many Angelenos devastated by these wildfires have lost nearly everything; they are struggling and need every bit of financial support. This bill puts people over profits, ensuring that rightful insurance payments go to those who need them most,” said Assemblymember Harabedian.

Under existing California law, lenders must pay homeowners the interest earned on escrow accounts holding property taxes and insurance payments. However, this requirement does not extend to insurance settlements after disasters, which can remain in escrow for months or years during reconstruction,

Monday, February 10, 2025

Parking Enforcement to Resume in Parts of Altadena on Tuesday

New rules include crosswalk safety measures starting March 1

Beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, February 11, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will resume full parking enforcement in specific areas of Altadena, targeting violations ranging from red zone violations to abandoned vehicles.

“We will be focused on the areas to the West, west of Lincoln Avenue and to the South, south of Woodbury Road, covering Windsor Avenue to Lake Avenue and south of New York Drive from Lake Avenue to Altadena Drive,” an official wrote in Facebook.

“To avoid receiving a parking citation or having a vehicle towed, we urge drivers to be mindful of this change,” the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Parking Enforcement Detail announced.

Citations will be issued for multiple violations, including street sweeping infractions, expired vehicle registrations, blocked fire hydrants, red zone parking, fire lane violations, and vehicles disrupting traffic flow.

Vehicles with registrations expired more than six months will face towing.

The department said it will also enforce handicap parking violations,

Monday, February 10, 2025

Trump’s Executive Orders On Immigration: What You Need To Know About Them

By JEANNE KUANG, CALMATTERS

President Donald Trump returned to office last month with a major show of force on immigration, issuing numerous orders and directives to dramatically crack down on enforcement.

They’ve sparked glee from his supporters, condemnation from his opponents, fear from immigrant communities amid nationwide raids — and also plenty of false alarms.

The flurry of new policies — some pushing long-held legal boundaries — are part of a “shock and awe” strategy meant to amplify the promises of a military-assisted mass deportation, experts said. Among the administration’s goals is for fearful immigrants to “voluntarily depart.”

“The big issue is this basically full-court press (from the administration) on immigration enforcement and the fear it’s generated,” said UC Davis immigration law professor Kevin Johnson. “(The fear) probably is the biggest impact of all.”

The uncertainty over immigrants’ futures has led communities to question whether workers should continue to show up to businesses,

Monday, February 10, 2025

Sheriff’s Department Deploys Drones To Patrol Eaton Fire Burn Areas

Enhanced aerial surveillance system launches in fire-affected zones

The Altadena Sheriff’s Station, along with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Enforcement Bureau, is deploying drones in County areas affected by the Eaton Fire, according to official Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department communications.

The Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureau authorizes all unmanned aircraft system (UAS) deployments for the Department. These drones are restricted to emergency missions including fire response, search/rescue, and barricaded suspects.

Operating under Federal Aviation Administration visual line-of-sight requirements, the drones fly below 400 feet altitude and are equipped with non-recording cameras by default, with no payload capacity beyond sensors.

The current deployment allows deputies to cover larger areas in Altadena during ongoing emergency operations.

During the Eaton Fire response, drones have been deployed alongside helicopter patrols and a dedicated Looter Suppression Team in evacuated areas. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department records show the systems also assisted in evacuating vulnerable residents from Kinneloa Mesa and other high-risk zones.

Monday, February 10, 2025

FEMA Recovery Centers to Adjust Hours Monday

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Two FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers for residents impacted by the LA County wildfires will start operating with new hours Monday, officials said.

The Altadena Disaster Recovery Center at 540 W. Woodbury Road will now be open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week, according to the Joint Information Center. The same applies to the center at UCLA Research Park West at 10850 W. Pico Blvd.

Residents seeking financial help can request FEMA assistance online at recovery.lacounty.gov. The deadline to apply is March 10.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass marked the one-month anniversary of the Palisades and Eaton fires Friday with a vow to fully rebuild and conduct a thorough review of the response to the disaster.

The mayor’s remarks came on the heels of a major advancement in the debris-clearance efforts in the Palisades and Eaton fire burn zones.

On Thursday night, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger announced that the county Department of Public Works had officially delivered the first batch of signed “Right of Entry”

Monday, February 10, 2025

Average LA County Gas Price Rises for 15th Time in 16 Days

CITY NEWS SERVICE

The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County rose six-tenths of a cent Monday to $4.653, a day after rising 1.8 cents.

The average price has increased 15 of the last 16 days. It is 12.1 cents more than one week ago and 20.6 cents more than one month ago, but 9.4 cents less than one year ago, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service.

The average price has dropped $1.841 since rising to a record $6.494 on Oct. 5, 2022.

The national average price rose three-tenths of a cent to $3.139, a day after dropping two-tenths of a cent. It is 4.1 cents more than one week ago and 7.3 cents higher than one month ago, but 4.4 cents less than a year ago.

The national average price has dropped $1.877 since rising to a record $5.016 on June 14, 2022.

Monday, February 10, 2025

District Attorney, Lawmakers Announce Effort to Stop Looting During Disasters

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman, L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna and lawmakers are expected Monday to announce legislation they are proposing to toughen laws against looting and impersonating emergency workers during disasters and the recovery process.

The proposed legislation is scheduled to be announced Monday morning at the Hall of Justice.

The legislation was motivated by the devastating January wildfires with more than two dozen arrests of people accused of looting in fire zones, with some allegedly impersonating firefighters to avoid law enforcement.

“For those who commit crimes from looting to arson to impersonation of firefighters to price gouging to financial scams, justice will be swift and significant,” Hochman said when announcing charges last month.

“You will be arrested, prosecuted, and punished to the full extent of the law. Targeting victims of these fires at their lowest moment is despicable and shameful, and this office will do everything in its power to support the victims and bring their victimizers to justice.”

Friday, February 7, 2025

Local Congresswoman Appointed the House Budget Committee for 119th Congress

Rep. Judy Chu, who represents Pasadena, has been appointed to the House Budget Committee, where she vows to oppose Republican-backed tax cuts for wealthy Americans and advocate for middle-class families.

The committee, led by Democratic Ranking Member Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania, oversees the federal budget process and establishes national fiscal priorities.

“The House Budget Committee plays a critical role in shaping the financial direction of our nation,” Chu said, criticizing what she called MAGA Republicans’ efforts to “pass tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy” while “giving billionaires like Trump’s biggest donor, Elon Musk, unfettered access to our government’s sensitive data systems.”

Chu, representing California’s 28th District, said she will focus on education, healthcare, cost reduction and public safety initiatives. This marks her return to the committee, though her previous tenure was not specified.

Boyle welcomed Chu’s appointment, calling her “a tireless advocate for the middle class” and expressing readiness to “stand up to Republican attempts to pass more tax giveaways for the ultra-rich and rig the economy against working families.”

Friday, February 7, 2025

Tenants Demand Action as Eaton Fire Damage Reportedly Leaves Hundreds in Limbo

Tenants say emergency measures are needed as ash and smoke rendered many units uninhabitable, allege landlords are delaying remediation

Dozens of Pasadena and Altadena residents affected by January’s devastating Eaton Fire pleaded with the City’s Rental Housing Board for help Thursday night, describing dangerous living conditions inside their rental units, mounting personal expenditures to deal with the situation, and landlords unwilling or unable to clean up ash and smoke damage in their units. 

The six-hour-and-six-minute meeting highlighted the ongoing crisis that developed after extraordinary windstorm conditions with gusts over 80 mph triggered an apocalyptic fire on January 7, leading to an official Local Emergency declaration.

“I can’t take my toddler home right now because there’s ash and soot all over, her toys, all over our beds,” said one District 2 resident who requested anonymity. “My daughter had to quit college to help me try to clean our apartment and try to help me watch my toddler.”

The disaster destroyed 117 single-family homes,