| Immigration officers assert power to enter homes without warrant |
| WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal immigration officers are asserting sweeping power to forcibly enter people’s homes without a judge’s warrant, according to an internal Immigration and Customs Enforcement memo obtained by The Associated Press, marking a sharp reversal of longstanding guidance meant to respect constitutional limits on government searches.
The memo authorizes ICE officers to use force to enter a residence based solely on a more narrow administrative warrant to arrest someone with a final order of removal, a move that advocates say collides with Fourth Amendment protections and upends years of advice given to immigrant communities. [Article] |
| by , Los Angeles Daily News. 2026-01-21 |
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| Affordable fleet of electric SUVs hit the roads this year, hoping to entice buyers without subsidies - Los Angeles Times |
| The sweet spot of the auto market isn’t hard to find. Millions of American drivers only want one thing: a small- to medium-sized SUV, with a small- to medium-sized price tag.
It’s a huge, lucrative market — comprising around half of new-car sales in the U.S. — but one that few electric vehicles have managed to enter. In 2026, however, that will change. Carmakers are planning to roll out at least six new electric SUVs in the U.S. this year with price tags at or below $35,000, products that could help ease a slowdown in EV sales.
“EVs have to move more into the mass market and there are launches that are now squarely hitting that,” said Nathan Niese, Boston Consulting Group’s global lead for electric vehicles. “It’s what’s going to prop up what otherwise would be a down year.”
EV sales have surged in recent years, as carmakers improved range and charging speed, while federal incentives helped entice buyers. Relatively high costs, however, remained the last speed bump to mass adoption. Of the roughly 60 electric cars and trucks for sale in the U.S. last year, only three could be had for less than $35,000; the median starting sticker price was $59,100, nearly $10,000 higher than the average price for all vehicles.
When federal subsidies disappeared in September, EV sales swooned. The message for the c-suites of Detroit was clear: Price is at least as important as powertrain preference, if not more. Many auto executives have since slowed their EV plans and shifted some production back to gas-powered models that they can build (and price) more affordably.
“Anything you can do to make a customer feel you’ve given them a more affordable product is an advantage to them right now,” said Nick Nigro, founder of Atlas Public Policy.
The good news for auto executives: A steady drop in battery prices has improved the economics of EVs, opening a lane for small new models.
“The end of the EV subsidies does not necessarily spell bad news across the board,” BloombergNEF analyst Huiling Zhou wrote in a recent report. “Carmakers that can cut costs and offer affordable models in the most desirable vehicle segments are likely to see sustained sales growth.”
Here’s a look at the EVs that will probably find plenty of interest in 2026. [Article] |
| by , Los Angeles Times. 2026-01-21 |
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| Bridge Housing completes 119 apartments at Jordan Downs complex |
| Bridge Housing and the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles have marked the completion Cypress View, the latest component of the $1-billion Jordan Downs redevelopment in Watts.
The fourth project from Bridge Housing in the Jordan Downs complex, Cypress View includes 119 apartments up to five bedrooms in size. That total includes 106 units reserved for households earning between 30 and 80 percent of the area median income level and one manager's unit, with the remaining 12 apartments to be rented at market rates. Cypress View includes 20 units reserved for previous Jordan Downs residents. [Article] |
| by , . 2026-01-21 |
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| Copper thefts turned these upscale L.A. streets dark. Residents fought back - Los Angeles Times |
| It’s been months since a swath of Hancock Park lost its streetlights — and it’ll be several more long months of what residents say are “pitch black” streets and roaming burglars before there’s a fix.
So neighbors have been improvising.
Last fall, copper thieves plundered about a dozen public streetlights over three city blocks, leaving their neighborhood in the dark.
A walk down Orange Drive feels treacherous — like “something out of the ‘Twilight Zone’” — one resident said.
“We’ve had car thefts. We’ve had break-ins. It just feels dangerous,” homeowner David Barlag added.
The thefts were reported to the city’s Public Works Department in October, but residents were met with a nine-month timeline for repairs.
To make matters worse, repair times could be further delayed after looters cleaned out a city storage yard housing a large amount of replacement wire, L.A. Police Department Senior Lead Officer Harris Cho said at a recent meeting of the Wilshire Neighborhood Council.
“The actual warehouse that has all of the types of cables and wires that we need to fix these lights ... was broken into and all of that was stolen,” said Sixto Sicilia, of the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council.
Neither the Los Angeles Police Department nor the Department of Public Works returned calls seeking comment.
So some Hancock Park residents — faced with a nearly yearlong wait before their streets emerge from the darkness — have tried to come up with their own solutions. Homeowners pooled their money to purchase and affix makeshift solar-powered lamps to the disabled lightposts. [Article] |
| by , Los Angeles Times. 2026-01-21 |
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| LA County Mental Health Extends Eaton, Palisades Fire Support |
| he Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, in partnership with California Department of Health Care Services' CalHOPE Program, will continue providing mental health and supportive services through June 2026 for those displaced or affected by the Eaton and Palisades Fires.
The funding, provided through a SAMHSA Emergency Response Grant, targets those experiencing trauma and crisis, those with adjustment disorder due to fire-related losses or disruptions, and those needing mental health support during recovery. [Article] |
| by , . 2026-01-21 |
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| ‘It’s important for people my age to be informed’: Nation-wide walk out campaign to ‘resist fascism’ alive in Grass Valley | News | theunion.com |
| Approximately 200 students from a local high school walked off of campus on Tuesday, to participate in a nation-wide campaign called ‘National Walk out to Resist Fascism.’
The majority of participants in the student march walked from Nevada Union High School on Ridge Road in Grass Valley, down Hughes Street, and gathered at the crosswalks at Neal and Mill streets in front of the Del Oro theater and other businesses. [Article] |
| by , Grass Valley Union. 2026-01-21 |
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| State Bar investigating L.A. law firm in $4-billion sex abuse case - Los Angeles Times |
| The State Bar of California has opened an investigation into a prominent Los Angeles law firm that represents thousands of sex abuse victims in a record $4-billion settlement, according to court filings made public Wednesday.
The investigation into Downtown LA Law Group, which is also the subject of a criminal probe into allegations plaintiffs were paid to sue, was detailed in a Tuesday court motion filed by attorneys for L.A. County. The county agreed this spring to the historic payout to settle thousands of claims of sex abuse inside juvenile halls and foster homes.
The latest court filing by the county asks Superior Court Judge Lawrence Riff for permission to give the State Bar confidential case documents related to sex abuse clients represented by Downtown LA Law Group, or DTLA. The county said the State Bar had subpoenaed the documents as part of its ongoing probe into the firm.
The county included a series of Times investigations as exhibits, citing reporting that found nine clients represented by the firm who said they were paid by recruiters to sue the county. Four said they were told to make up their claims of abuse. The firm has denied all wrongdoing and said it “categorically does not engage in, nor has it ever condoned, the exchange of money for client retention.”
DTLA did not directly address an inquiry into whether it planned to fight the request.
“We are unable to comment on matters pending before the court,” the firm said. “While we are cooperating with the Bar, we are also taking whatever steps necessary to protect the legitimate privacy rights of the plaintiffs who are victims of sexual assault.” [Article] |
| by , Los Angeles Times. 2026-01-21 |
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| Subway through Sepulveda Pass gets support by LA city and county, will face Metro board Thursday – Daily News |
| Los Angeles city and county leaders, state and federal office holders, transit advocates, business and labor groups came together in a rare show of unity outside Van Nuys City Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 21, in support of a proposed subway connecting the San Fernando Valley with the Westside.
The group was building momentum for a “Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA)” alignment chosen by the Metro Planning Committee for the Sepulveda Transit Corridor, a $24 billion project and route that goes before the LA Metro Board of Directors on Thursday for a vote. [Article] |
| by , Los Angeles Daily News. 2026-01-21 |
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| South OC Battery Storage Project Halted For Now |
| Following an outcry by residents and local officials, plans to create a battery storage energy facility in San Juan Capistrano have been put on pause. [Article] |
| by , Voice of OC. 2026-01-21 |
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| Plan for L.A. River garden bridge moves forward in Glendale |
| After a whopping seven years, signs of forward progress for a new Los Angeles River bridge in Glendale.
The Glendale-Los Angeles Garden River Bridge Project, now in the environmental review stage, is officially the second phase of Glendale's Riverwalk, which spans one mile along the north side of the river between the intersection of Garden Street and Paula Avenue and the Verdugo Wash. The new bridge be located at the intersection of Flower Street and Fairmont Avenue, and span south across the river to reach Griffith Park.
According to the project's initial study, the new bridge would include two supporting piers within the river channel. The name "Garden River Bridge," derives from plans for landscaping on both the approaches, as well as the structure itself. Plans call for raised bed planets, shade structures, canopied seating areas, and gathering spaces with views of the river. [Article] |
| by , . 2026-01-21 |
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| LAPD wants nearly $100M to police the Olympics. Who's going to pay for it? | LAist |
| The Los Angeles Police Department is requesting nearly $100 million in city funds for vehicles and equipment for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, more than two years out from the world's largest sporting event coming to L.A.
LAPD wants to buy around 500 vehicles and "mobile units," including 300 patrol vehicles, vans and an armored SUV worth half a million dollars. It also is requesting funds for an upgraded radio network and equipment including new computers and more than 1,600 body cameras. In total, it's asking for $95.8 million. [Article] |
| by , . 2026-01-21 |
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| San Clemente approves controversial Border Patrol agreement to deploy coastal surveillance cameras | LAist |
| San Clemente’s City Council has approved a proposal to give federal immigration officials broad oversight of the city’s coastline, despite overwhelming public opposition. [Article] |
| by , . 2026-01-21 |
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| SCE Sues L.A. County Over Eaton Fire; Billionaire Tax Debate - Los Angeles Times |
| Southern California Edison sued L.A. County and other agencies over their role in the deadly Eaton fire that killed 19 and destroyed thousands of homes. Meanwhile, a proposed billionaire tax in California has set the stage for a fierce debate among the wealthy and politicians months before it even makes it on the November ballot. [Article] |
| by , Los Angeles Times. 2026-01-21 |
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| ‘The damage is done’: Why Trump's DEI retreat in court may be too late for many colleges - Los Angeles Times |
| Nearly a year after the Education Department threatened to withhold billions of dollars in federal funding unless schools and colleges eliminated diversity, equity and inclusion programs — the Trump administration on Wednesday gave up a legal fight against DEI.
In a federal court filing, the U.S. government said it would drop its appeal of a federal court ruling that blocked its campaign against DEI in K-12 schools and higher education institutions — which it alleged discriminated against white students and employees — leaving in place a lower court finding that the effort violated the 1st Amendment and federal procedural rules.
Yet the nearly yearlong federal campaign and funding threats against DEI have prompted widespread overhauls and the elimination of diversity programs throughout the nation’s education systems that education experts said will be difficult to reverse.
For at least dozens of college campuses across the nation, websites have been purged of mentions of DEI or diversity, DEI-related positions have been eliminated or changed, or students have lost access to culturally themed dorms focused on Black, Latino and LGBTQ+ students.
“The damage is done,” said Shaun Harper, a professor of education, public policy and business at USC who is working on a documentary about DEI at universities. [Article] |
| by , Los Angeles Times. 2026-01-21 |
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| Verizon's $20B acquisition of Frontier closes. What the deal means for digital equity in California | LAist |
| Verizon’s $20 billion acquisition of Frontier Communications is a done deal after the agreement closed Tuesday, kicking in a slew of digital equity requirements and infrastructure investments for California.
The California Public Utilities Commission’s recent approval included a slew of digital equity requirements, such as expanding affordable internet and new fiber optic projects. [Article] |
| by , . 2026-01-21 |
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| WeHo Provides Tips For Coyote Management - Canyon News |
| On Tuesday, January 20, the city of West Hollywood provided tips for coyote management as they recently observed an increase in coyote sightings, resulting in more frequent encounters in streets, parks, and residential areas. [Article] |
| by , . 2026-01-21 |
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| Plastic recycling in California has failed. You don't have to - Los Angeles Times |
| Last week’s report on California’s abysmal plastics recycling rates made it clear that the state, and individual citizens, need to do more to reduce the amount of the waste going into landfills, streams, rivers and the ocean.
In the report, the state’s waste agency said items like yogurt containers, shampoo bottles and restaurant takeout trays are being recycled at rates only in the low single digits. Colored shampoo and detergent bottles, made from polyethylene, or #1 plastic, are getting recycled at a rate of just 5%. Even plastic water bottles that are presumably more recyclable are being turned into new products at just 16%.
My colleague Susanne Rust reported those findings last week and she and another expert explained to me — despite Californians dutiful use of blue recycling bins — why so little plastic actually gets turned into new products.
The primary reason is that it’s cheaper and easier for businesses to use new plastic, material that is mostly made out of oil and natural gas. “The plastics industry is pretty happy to continue flooding the market with new kinds of plastic and plastic packaging,” Rust told me.
But the haulers can’t find many places that want the discarded plastic items. “For materials such as polypropylene, milk cartons, plastic film and polystyrene — nobody wants it,” Rust said. There either aren’t plants available to convert the plastic into new items, or the market for those items is weak. [Article] |
| by , Los Angeles Times. 2026-01-21 |
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| California surpasses goal of having 1.5M zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2025 | KTLA |
| California has surpassed 2.5 million cumulative new zero-emission vehicle sales in 2025, exceeding the state’s original goal of 1.5 million ZEVs on the road by then, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced during his visit at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday.
“California didn’t reach 2.5 million zero-emission vehicles by accident—we invested in this future when others said it was impossible,” Newsom said in a statement. “While Washington now cedes the global clean vehicle market to China, California is ensuring American workers and manufacturers can compete and win in the industries that will define this century.” [Article] |
| by , . 2026-01-21 |
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| Metro Board goes against staff recommendation for South Bay extension | LAist |
| Metro’s Board of Directors voted Thursday in favor of a different route for a light rail extension farther into South Bay than the one staff for the countywide transportation agency recommended.
Three members of Metro’s Board formally asked their colleagues to approve the alternate route Friday, less than a week before the meeting. [Article] |
| by , . 2026-01-21 |
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| A beachside pool project stalled for a decade; new parking meters may be its savior • Long Beach Post News |
| After years of setbacks and delays, the Long Beach City Council on Tuesday approved a $105 million spending plan to build a new aquatics center on the sands of Belmont Shore.
The plan, which was approved unanimously, relies on future approvals for the city to borrow $24.5 million in bonds that would be paid back in large part by new parking meters at 1,800 public spaces around the Alamitos Bay Marina. [Article] |
| by , . 2026-01-21 |
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