David Zahniser

6 July

I have to admit — I’ve never seen a drone power wash a building before

latimes.comAre three City Council meetings a week too much? L.A. voters will decideThe council sidelined a long list of charter reform proposals. But one key idea will make it to the ballot: reducing the number of council meetings.

4 July

The L.A. City Council took a pass on measures to increase the number of council districts and switch the city’s elections over to ranked-choice voting. But they did manage to get one key change on the ballot: reducing the number of council meetings www.latimes.com/california/n...

latimes.comNoncitizen voting was gaining steam in L.A. Then fears of Trump backlash scuttled the planSome critics said the proposal lacked much-needed specifics, while others worried it would endanger the very people it was designed to help.

4 July

L.A. City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez, who wrote the proposal, said the nation has repeatedly broadened the right to vote, bringing in women, Black people and other groups. “To me, it just seemed very natural to expand it,” he said. “It’s part of our history.” www.latimes.com/california/s...

noahmgoldberg.bsky.socialNoah Goldberg (@noahmgoldberg.bsky.social)I cover City Hall for the Los Angeles Times -- noah.goldberg@latimes.com

4 July

With @noahmgoldberg.bsky.social and @melissagomez.bsky.social

latimes.comLos Angeles to pay $20 million to teen who lost leg in Boyle Heights hit-and-runJoshua Mora lost his leg at 13 after being hit by a motorcycle in a crosswalk. He sued the city, saying officials knew the intersection was dangerous.

3 July

The city of Los Angeles will pay $20 million to settle a lawsuit brought on behalf of a teen who lost his leg in a hit-and-run in Boyle Heights. Joshua Mora, 13, was walking home from school in 2023 when he was hit by a motorcycle on Whittier Boulevard. www.latimes.com/california/s...

David Zahniser reposted

latimes.comArrests made in 'takedown' of sex trafficking operation on L.A.'s Figueroa corridorAt least nine people were arrested Wednesday, part of what law enforcement officials described as a major "takedown" of a sex trafficking operation in the Figueroa corridor of South Los Angeles.

1 July

Arrests made in 'takedown' of sex trafficking operation on L.A.'s Figueroa corridor

latimes.comNoncitizen voting, police oversight measures fail to make Nov. 3 ballot in L.A.The flurry of votes brought an underwhelming end to the yearlong effort at rewriting the City Charter, L.A.'s municipal governing document.

1 July

Two proposals that were headed to the Nov. 3 ballot in L.A., one to give the City Council power over police policy, the other focused on noncitizen voting, were pulled today. The votes brought an underwhelming end to the yearlong push to rewrite the City Charter. www.latimes.com/california/s...

latimes.comL.A. homeless agency sues the Trump administration to stop cutoff of federal fundsThe Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority has asked a federal judge to issue a temporary restraining order halting HUD's effort to suspend federal funding.

30 June

The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority sued the Trump administration on Monday to stop it from depriving the region of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding, saying 11,000 people — 1,900 of them children — would be placed at risk of eviction. www.latimes.com/california/s...

I spent a little time in downtown LA today as volunteers gathered donations for earthquake survivors in Venezuela. Some of the boxes were simply marked comida, along with a heart drawn in magic marker

The U-Haul was full by 4 pm

latimes.comSoCal sends rescuers, supplies to Venezuela after massive quakes as hope battles despairLos Angeles County Assistant Fire Chief Trey Espy said the situation on the ground in Venezuela was 'very grim.' 'Everywhere you look, everything’s collapsed.'

Here's our story on the scramble by SoCal residents to help earthquake survivors, both on the ground in Venezuela and here at home www.latimes.com/california/s...

Here's one tidbit from L.A. On the Record, our weekly City Hall newsletter: Douglas Herman wasn't the only political consultant to leave L.A. Mayor Karen Bass' reelection campaign last week. www.latimes.com/california/n...

latimes.comAs an L.A. councilmember fights his ethics fine, the city gets hit with new legal billsThe City Council hired a law firm to represent the Ethics Commission as it defends its decision to fine Councilmember John Lee over gifts he allegedly accepted in Las Vegas.

Also: L.A.'s Ethics Commission issued a $138,000 fine to Councilmember John Lee last year, in a case focusing on gifts he's accused of taking in Las Vegas. Now he's challenging that fine, and it's the city's turn to pay up. @noahmgoldberg.bsky.social has more www.latimes.com/california/n...

latimes.comIn internal shakeup, Mayor Karen Bass replaces her top campaign strategistDoug Herman, the top strategist for Bass' reelection bid, has been replaced by Julie Chávez Rodriguez, who was campaign manager for the Biden Harris campaign in 2024.

24 June

Douglas Herman is out at Mayor Karen Bass' reelection campaign. He's being replaced by Julie Chávez Rodriguez, who was campaign manager for the Biden and Harris presidential bids in 2024. www.latimes.com/california/s...

latimes.comL.A. voters will be asked to increase taxes, yet again. Will they do it for firefighters?If approved by voters, the sales tax hike would raise an estimated $345 million per year for new fire stations and the hiring of more firefighters.

24 June

Voters in Los Angeles will be asked to increase the city's sales tax rate by a half-cent to pay for fire department operations. But they just passed another sales tax hike to pay for county health care earlier this month. Will they be as generous on Nov. 3? www.latimes.com/california/s...

David Zahniser reposted

latimes.comAs World Cup fans pour into LAX, long-awaited people mover train struggles with delaysThe LAX’s automated trains have been beleaguered by delays caused by legal settlements, and technical issues. The first runs with volunteers should start soon.

24 June

As World Cup fans pour into LAX, long-awaited people mover train struggles with delays

David Zahniser reposted

latimes.comFederal judge dismisses Trump administration lawsuit challenging L.A.’s sanctuary city ordinanceU.S. District Judge Fernando M. Olguin granted the city's motion to dismiss the lawsuit, but said the government could file an amended complaint.

23 June

Federal judge dismisses Trump administration lawsuit challenging L.A.'s sanctuary city ordinance

David Zahniser reposted

latimes.comCarvalho resigns as LAUSD superintendent amid federal investigationL.A. schools Supt. Alberto Carvalho won praise for gains in test scores and for defending immigrants, but had been sidelined since a February FBI raid.

22 June

Carvalho resigns as LAUSD superintendent amid federal investigation

latimes.comHow the plan to expand the L.A. City Council got shelved once againCouncilmembers said the proposal to expand the council lacked crucial details. Others say the council didn't want to dilute its own power.

21 June

L.A. politicians have spent years vowing to expand the size of the City Council. They've also talked about reworking the process for disciplining council members accused of criminal wrongdoing. Neither topic will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot. We looked at why: www.latimes.com/california/n...

latimes.comNithya Raman edges out Spencer Pratt, advances to L.A. mayor runoff against Karen BassRaman achieved two crucial goals during her campaign: raise her profile outside her district, while framing Pratt as someone radically out of step with L.A. voters.

9 June

Raman, while declaring victory, invited Angelenos “frustrated by the broken status quo” to join her campaign. “For too long, City Hall has prioritized giving political advantage to powerful interests that fund elections," she said. www.latimes.com/california/s...

latimes.comNithya Raman surges past Spencer Pratt in L.A. mayor’s race, closing in on runoff with Karen BassNithya Raman pulled ahead of Spencer Pratt in the race to get into the Nov. 3 mayoral runoff on Sunday, five days after the vote counting began.

8 June

Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman has pulled into second place in the June 2 mayoral primary, setting the stage for a likely Nov. 3 showdown with Mayor Karen Bass. www.latimes.com/california/s...

latimes.comNithya Raman chops Spencer Pratt's lead in the battle to make the Nov. 3 mayoral runoffRaman has been steadily carving into Pratt's margin, cutting it to about 3% percentage points, down from 8% a few days earlier

6 June

Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman made major headway in the race to make the Nov. 3 mayoral runoff on Friday, chopping Spencer Pratt's lead down to about 3 percentage points www.latimes.com/california/s...

latimes.comHow Mayor Karen Bass weathered a brutal campaign and won a spot in the Nov. 3 runoffA broad coalition that included organized labor and business leaders helped Bass win a spot in the mayoral runoff, where she will face either Spencer Pratt or Nithya Raman.

5 June

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass' first-place finish was fueled by a broad coalition that included labor unions, business leaders, immigrant rights groups and the Democratic Party. “It was a frustrated, anti-incumbent electorate, and she weathered that storm,” said one expert. www.latimes.com/california/s...

latimes.comMayoral candidate Nithya Raman narrows gap with Spencer Pratt in the race for secondRaman continued to close the gap with mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt, trailing him by about six percentage points, according to the latest election update.

5 June

Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman on Thursday continued to close the gap with reality TV personality Spencer Pratt in the race for second in the mayoral election. Pratt and Raman are competing to run against Mayor Karen Bass in the Nov. 3 runoff www.latimes.com/california/s...

latimes.comL.A. Mayor Bass will face either Spencer Pratt or Nithya Raman in Nov. 3 runoffBass has enough votes in the primary election to make a Nov. 3 runoff, the AP said, where she will face either reality TV star Pratt or City Councilmember Raman.

3 June

Mayor Karen Bass, now headed to a Nov. 3 runoff, said her administration had laid a foundation for the future on homelessness, affordable housing and strengthening L.A.'s economy. “We are going to work together to make sure that this city thrives,” she said. www.latimes.com/california/s...

latimes.comIt's a fight to the finish in L.A.'s wild mayoral primaryNo front-runner: Mayor Karen Bass, Councilmember Nithya Raman and reality TV's Spencer Pratt are locked in a three-way battle for the two top slots on Tuesday.

It's election day in Los Angeles, where voters are deciding who will advance to the Nov. 3 runoff. Mayor Karen Bass, democratic socialist Nithya Raman and reality TV personality Spencer Pratt are fighting to get into the top two. w/@noahmgoldberg.bsky.social www.latimes.com/california/s...

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latimes.com'Dark money' casts a shadow over L.A. elections, with mystery group pumping out attack mail'Neighbors First' is targeting left-wing candidates in the L.A. City Council race. As a nonprofit, it doesn't have to reveal the source of its funding.

Voters in Los Angeles also got a taste of dark money during this election, with mystery groups like Neighbors First sending out mail pieces promoting moderates or targeting DSA-backed candidates. www.latimes.com/california/s...

latimes.comAI has invaded the L.A. mayor's race. Some fear it's just the beginningSome see fan-generated election campaign videos as a harbinger of how artificial intelligence could reshape political messaging across the country.

L.A. voters also encountered a spate of AI campaign videos. Many boosted Pratt, former star of "The Hills." But AI was also used to promote the campaign of Deputy Dist. Atty. John McKinney, who is running to unseat City Atty. Hydee Feldstein Soto www.latimes.com/california/s...

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latimes.comRaman says she’s running for mayor because L.A. is headed in wrong directionRaman says L.A. needs new leadership to address housing affordability and homelessness. Critics say she hasn't done enough to forge alliances.

Raman is promising to bring urgency and accountability to City Hall. But, as @noahmgoldberg.bsky.social writes, some say she struggles with Politics 101: Working with others, forging alliances and listening to other points of view. www.latimes.com/california/s...

latimes.comSpencer Pratt jolts mayor’s race: The reality TV antagonist’s path to the 2026 electionFrom a reality TV antagonist to a contender in the L.A. mayoral race, Spencer Pratt has jolted local politics, turning personal tragedy in the Palisades fire into a 2026 election campaign.

Then there's reality TV star Spencer Pratt, who has depicted Los Angeles as a dystopian hellscape overrun by drug-addicted "zombies." He's a Republican in a city where Democrats outnumber GOP voters nearly four to one. "I heard he’s a big MAGA person," Trump said. www.latimes.com/california/s...

latimes.comMayor Karen Bass is in the toughest reelection fight of her career. She says she intends to win itBass will likely be forced into a runoff in Tuesday's primary. Critics say her problems go well beyond the homelessness crisis and the Palisades fire.

Bass' political woes would have been unthinkable two years ago, when she was riding high in the polls and other candidates, including Raman, were seeking her endorsement. "I think the city turned on her after the fires," said political strategist Michael Trujillo. www.latimes.com/california/s...

latimes.comTrump signals support for Pratt in L.A. mayoral election: 'I'd like to see him do well'Trump didn't make a formal endorsement, but the his comments were the first the president has made publicly on the L.A. mayor's race.

20 May

Trump signaled support for Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt, telling reporters he'd "like to see him do well" in the June 2 election. “I heard he’s a big MAGA person,” Trump said. More from @noahmgoldberg.bsky.social www.latimes.com/california/s...

10 May

Los Angeles is seeing its first major infusion of “dark money” during this year’s election, with a mystery group pumping out ads praising moderates and attacking candidates backed by Democratic Socialists of America www.latimes.com/california/s...

David Zahniser reposted

latimes.comL.A.'s long-awaited subway under Wilshire Boulevard opens, linking Beverly Hills to downtownThe opening of three new Metro stops marks the first phase of the D Line extension project, a route long considered key for Los Angeles public transit.

9 May

L.A.'s long-awaited subway under Wilshire Boulevard opens, linking Beverly Hills to downtown

latimes.comBass, Raman and Pratt square off on Palisades fire, police hiring in bruising mayoral debateAt one point, Councilmember Nithya Raman accused Mayor Karen Bass and reality TV star Spencer Pratt of teaming up to attack her.

7 May

The top three candidates in the L.A. mayor's race -- Mayor Karen Bass, Councilwoman Nithya Raman and reality TV star Spencer Pratt -- faced off on live television last night. Here's the rundown from me & @noahmgoldberg.bsky.social www.latimes.com/california/s...

latimes.comJury sides with LAPD in lawsuit over shooting that killed girl at Burlington coat storeThe multi-week trial featured testimony from numerous LAPD officers, use-of-force experts and witnesses about a fatal 2021 incident in which a bullet fired by an officer who charged ahead of his colle...

7 May

A jury has ruled that an LAPD officer was not liable for the death of a 14-year-old girl who was killed when a bullet fired by the officer went through the wall of the department store changing room where she was hiding. @liborjany.bsky.social has the latest www.latimes.com/california/s...

latimes.comMayor Karen Bass and challenger Nithya Raman tussle in first head-to-head debateIn a freewheeling debate in Sherman Oaks, Bass and Raman sparred over housing production, homelessness and other issues. Spencer Pratt wasn't invited.

6 May

LA Mayor Karen Bass and Councilmember Nithya Raman went at each other for 90 minutes last night, trading jabs on homelessness, police spending and other big issues in their first head-to-head matchup of the mayoral campaign. www.latimes.com/california/s...

latimes.comPush to oust L.A. city attorney grows as challenger gains support of D.A., police unionLos Angeles County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman and the union that represents rank-and-file LAPD officers announced their support for John McKinney in the city attorney's race Tuesday.

5 May

L.A. County D.A. Nathan Hochman and the union that represents rank-and-file LAPD officers dealt a stinging setback to City Atty. Hydee Feldstein Soto on Tuesday, endorsing prosecutor John McKinney, one of her opponents. @jqwritesstuff.bsky.social has the details www.latimes.com/california/s...

5 May

Woo hoo!

Looks like the canvassers hit Echo Park pretty hard this weekend — door hangers and flyers for candidates are all over the place

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This one was on the sidewalk

So was this

Looks like the canvassers hit Echo Park pretty hard this weekend — door hangers and flyers for candidates are all over the place

Like this one

@jqwritesstuff.bsky.social

And this one!

David Zahniser reposted

James Queally

27 Apr

Leaked LAPD records reveal officers in fireworks blast received only brief suspensions. Good get from @liborjany.bsky.social www.latimes.com/california/s...

latimes.comLeaked LAPD records reveal officers in fireworks blast received only brief suspensionsThe LAPD has cited state law as the reason for not disclosing information related to the June 2021 explosion that leveled much of a South L.A. city block, but investigative files associated with the i...

David Zahniser reposted

James Queally

@jqwritesstuff.bsky.social

20 Apr

BREAKING: D4vd charged with murder, sex abuse, corpse mutilation in slaying of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez www.latimes.com/california/s...

latimes.comD4vd charged with murder in slaying of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas HernandezDavid Anthony Burke, the 21-year-old musician better known by the stage name D4vd, was charged with murder on Monday morning in the 2025 killing of a teen girl found dead in the trunk of a car in Holl...

latimes.comWelcome to Bass' virtual State of the City (Part II)Mayor Bass already gave one State of the City speech this year. Her next one will be a video.

20 Apr

Video killed the State of the City speech -- at least this time around. Instead of an in-person address, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass will be releasing a State of the City video later this morning More from @noahmgoldberg.bsky.social on the situation www.latimes.com/california/n...

haynesfoundation.orgRG ethics reform effort spotlights – The John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation

17 Apr

L.A. County officials are on track to blow a voter-imposed deadline to create a new Ethics Commission – unless they succeed in coming up with yet another ballot measure to make it work. @robertlgreene.bsky.social has the details

Robert Greene@robertlgreene.bsky.social

In 2024, voters approved a Los Angeles County charter amendment to create an independent Ethics Commission. In 2026. They probably didn't know they'd have to approve it a second time, just a few weeks before 2026 is over. My report: haynesfoundation.org/rg-ethics-re...

latimes.comAmid gentrification fears, L.A. approves 725-unit apartment project in ChinatownThe Los Angeles City Council signed off Friday on a 725-unit apartment project in Chinatown, amid objections from activists who said it has no affordable housing and will result in the displacement of...

8 Apr

If you mean Chinatown’s College Station project, that was approved in 2019. www.latimes.com/local/lanow/...

William B. Fuckley@opinionhaver.bsky.social

Don’t worry though, the permitting process for housing has begun! Eight years ago. I am certain that the city of angels is doing everything in it’s power to hahahahhaahhahaha FUCK