All posts tagged: L.A

L.A. region begins the year with the smoggiest first 5 months in a decade

L.A. region begins the year with the smoggiest first 5 months in a decade

Published by Sam Flores

The first five months of 2026 in Southern California have been the smoggiest — with the highest number of unhealtful air days — in more than a decade, according to statewide air monitoring. So far this year, the South Coast air basin, which includes Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, has seen 39 days when the concentration of lung-irritating ozone (commonly known as smog) exceeded the federal standard, according to preliminary state air quality data. That’s even worse than the infamously hot and hazy 2017, when Greater Los Angeles had 36 unhealthful air days by June 4 and ultimately saw 145. Many of the roughly 18 million people who live in the air basin have been subjected to unhealthful levels of ozone, a highly corrosive gas that triggers asthma attacks and a wide range of respiratory illnesses. This has taken many by surprise since successive days of smog more commonly happen in summer, when heat waves and intense sunlight convert man-made pollution into ozone. “If we have this many violations by this time, …

L.A. divided: Bass, Pratt and Raman dominated in different parts of the city

L.A. divided: Bass, Pratt and Raman dominated in different parts of the city

Published by Sam Flores

Mayor Karen Bass ran the table in South Los Angeles, Spencer Pratt found strong support from his Westside base, and Nithya Raman racked up votes in Echo Park and other neighborhoods with a concentration of renters, according to a Times analysis of partial precinct-level results from this week’s primary election. The Times analysis, based on an estimated 62% of the ballots counted so far, found that Pratt was favored in many of the same neighborhoods that voted for mayoral candidate Rick Caruso in 2022, while Raman made inroads in progressive areas dominated by Bass four years ago. Bass found support in neighborhoods along much of the Harbor and Santa Monica freeway corridors, along with central San Fernando Valley communities from Van Nuys to Arleta. With much of the vote left to be counted, a map prepared by The Times showing how neighborhoods voted represents a snapshot of an election still very much underway. Bass garnered enough votes on election night to qualify for a Nov. 3 runoff, the Associated Press determined, but votes are still …

The L.A. ICE raids, one year later. What has happened?

The L.A. ICE raids, one year later. What has happened?

Published by Sam Flores

A year ago, I wrote in this very newsletter about how Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers tried to execute two raids in San Diego, but came face-to-face with San Diegans who fought back. That was merely the beginning of the summer of ICE across the country, but specifically Southern California. The day that newsletter came out, ICE conducted two raids in Los Angeles — one in the Garment District and another at a Home Depot in Westlake. As the enforcement actions took place, onlookers clashed with federal officials. Protesters were assaulted and injured as agents rained down gas and less-than-lethal rounds on crowds. This marked the first day of massive protests against the many raids that popped up in and around L.A. that continued for over a month. Thousands of people were detained by ICE in the L.A. area last summer, most of whom had no criminal record. And which section of the population — as data have shown — was and continues to be the hardest-hit in the region? The Latino community. As we …

Why do we have a housing shortage while the population falls? Just look at my crummy first L.A. apartment

Why do we have a housing shortage while the population falls? Just look at my crummy first L.A. apartment

Published by Sam Flores

My first apartment building in Los Angeles was a crowded, cockroach-infested dump. It was an eight-unit building on Berendo Street in Koreatown, painted Pepto-Bismol pink. It had no air conditioning. Bars on the always-open windows. Ratty carpet in the hallway. In 2011, my husband and I moved in sight unseen. We were newlyweds in our early 20s, fresh out of college in Oklahoma. I had just gotten a job at The Times, and we were too broke to travel to California to check the place out beforehand. The real estate agent, apparently sensing our naivete over the phone, asked: Are you sure? How could we not be? We were moving to the City of Angels! And a one-bedroom apartment for $950 was a steal. A few years ago, all the units were converted to condos. The listing on one real estate website described the 1925 building as “a revived Italianate 8-unit courtyard beauty” and our old unit as having trendy exposed brick walls and designer lights. Our 693-sq-foot unit last sold in 2021 for $325,000. …

How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Randall Park

How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Randall Park

Published by Sam Flores

When it comes to exploring Los Angeles, there are three things that actor and comedian Randall Park loves to do: shop, eat and run. Park, a native Angeleno, grew up on the Westside, attended UCLA, chose a career here and can’t imagine living anywhere else. “I consider myself a small town person who happened to be born in the big city,” Park says. “I’ve traveled a lot for work, and have gotten a greater appreciation for L.A. There’s a little part of everywhere here. There’s so much good food in L.A., so many fun things to do and really great people here.” In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends. The son of Korean immigrants, Park grew up in the South Robertson area, “a part of L.A. that was extremely diverse,” he says. “My friends, growing up and to this day, are all different backgrounds, races and religions. We …

L.A. Times and Sonoro Studios launch “The De Los Podcast”

L.A. Times and Sonoro Studios launch “The De Los Podcast”

Published by Sam Flores

Before the Latinx Files was a newsletter, it was a seed of an idea. “Wouldn’t it be great if the Los Angeles Times had a dedicated space to tell stories about the Latino experience?” I’d ask rhetorically to anyone who would listen before spouting on about how Los Angeles is half Latino. That we make up 40% of California’s total population and account for nearly 1 in 5 Americans. Consider subscribing to the Los Angeles Times Your support helps us deliver the news that matters most. Become a subscriber. And then the whole world watched the fallout after the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, forcing Americans and institutions to reckon with race, discrimination and policing. The Times was no exception. In the aftermath of the tragedy, the paper reflected on its past failures to fairly cover L.A.’s communities of color, apologized for it and promised to do better. It was in this environment that the Latinx Files sprouted to life. After talking endlessly about it, I was tasked with creating a news product …

Best L.A. sports bars to watch World Cup matches

Best L.A. sports bars to watch World Cup matches

Published by Sam Flores

L.A. will soon explode in color as Angelenos and tourists alike don jerseys and wave flags representing their favorite soccer teams playing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with some of the matches taking place at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium. The action kicks off with Mexico vs. South Africa on June 11 and will continue through July 19, with later matches determined by which teams advance. Forty-eight countries are represented in the tournament, including heavyweights like Brazil and Argentina with multiple titles under their belts, and hopeful underdogs like Haiti, whose men’s team qualified for the competition for the first time in 52 years. Local restaurants, sports bars, coffee shops and breweries are getting in on the action with World Cup viewing parties, complete with big-screen TVs, extended hours, food and drink specials, games, giveaways and live performances. Some require tickets or a reservation, but many are free, family-friendly and open to all. About This Guide Our journalists independently visited every spot recommended in this guide. We do not accept free meals or experiences. What should …

How L.A. Mayor Karen Bass won a spot in the Nov. 3 runoff

How L.A. Mayor Karen Bass won a spot in the Nov. 3 runoff

Published by Sam Flores

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass took office four years ago with a reputation as a coalition builder — someone capable of bringing competing factions together to achieve a common goal. On Wednesday, that goal became Bass’ reelection this fall. In a bruising primary campaign, a broad coalition of supporters assembled by the mayor helped her secure a spot in the Nov. 3 runoff, even as her top two rivals — reality TV personality Spencer Pratt and City Councilmember Nithya Raman — battled for the second spot on the ballot. The mayor’s coalition featured organized labor, including the powerful police officers’ union; business leaders, working closely with Airbnb; the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, including key elected officials; and immigrant rights groups who applauded Bass for her condemnation of federal ICE raids. “You don’t often get business and labor on the same side. You don’t often get police and progressives on the same side,” said political strategist Kerman Maddox, a longtime friend of Bass, not long after the Associated Press declared Tuesday that Bass would make …

Best Father’s Day gifts: unique gifts made in L.A. and experiences

Best Father’s Day gifts: unique gifts made in L.A. and experiences

Published by Sam Flores

Here in L.A., you can find plenty of yoga studios that are only a short walk from the beach. But Sol Seek Yoga — The Loft is the only one where, when your instructor tells you to “extend your feet towards the ocean,” you might actually wonder if you’ll get your toes wet. Perched just above the Strand in downtown Manhattan Beach, this cozy studio has sliding doors that open up to a full, unobstructed view of the pier, beach and ocean only a few hundred yards away. The sound of sea waves infuses the room with nature’s original white noise, adding a sense of marine tranquility to every class. “Because of our proximity to the ocean, we’re very connected to nature,” says owner Justin Randolph. “To be able to hear the waves and connect to that rhythm, especially during corpse pose — it’s a little slice of calm.” In fact, calm is something of a specialty at this studio, which focuses less on high-intensity aerobic classes than on restorative, therapeutic methods. Soothing Yin classes …

Best places to eat and drink near the L.A. Coliseum

Best places to eat and drink near the L.A. Coliseum

Published by Sam Flores

First-timers visiting the 35,000-square-foot Mercado La Paloma, take heed: The line likely trailing out the door and into the parking lot is specifically for Holbox, the most decorated and popular among the market’s seven food vendors. Chef Gilberto Cetina’s mariscos creations are revolutionary in their freshness and jigsaw-intricate flavors. Tuna tostada, scallop aguachile, coctel mixto and smoked kanpachi taco number among must-try dishes. Other wonderful options in the mercado await without the Holbox queues. Begin at Komal, where Fátima Juárez’s quesadillas and tacos, as beautiful as they are delicious, showcase the earthy-fragrant masa she crafts daily from heirloom corn varieties, and Chichén Itzá, where the Cetina family serves lush, orange-scented cochinita pibil and other specialties from the Yucatán. The mercado is such a vital sanctuary for the city that fellow critic Jenn Harris and I ranked it number one on our recent guide to the 101 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles. Source link