California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a civil rights investigation Thursday into how delayed evacuations affected a historically Black community ravaged by one of last year’s deadly wildfires in Altadena.
Los Angeles fires January 2025
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Fighting L.A. wildfires broke my heart but prepared me for life outside prison
“When people think of incarcerated people, they often see us as a danger, with our past mistakes magnified,” writes Jose Angel Amezcua, a formerly incarcerated firefighter from Salinas who helped battle the disastrous January 2025 blazes in the Los Angeles area. “Amid the smoke, ash, and destruction of the L.A. fires, people saw us as heroes, recognizing the good we could achieve when given a second chance.”
Posted inLatest News
Trump is bound for L.A. — threatening to withhold fire aid and keeping Newsom out of the loop
The Trump administration apparently opted not to coordinate at all with Gov. Gavin Newsom while planning the president’s planned Friday visit to fire-ravaged Los Angeles. Just how awkward will this be?
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
My daughter and grandson had to evacuate during the L.A. fires – we are all one when it comes to worrying about fire risk
Lookout columnist Claudia Sternbach’s daughter and grandson live 10 miles from Altadena and had to evacuate during the fires that started Jan. 7. Sternbach watched the tragedy unfold on TV and on her phone and felt powerless to help her small and only remaining family. She lost her husband to cancer last February and has been considering moving to be closer to them.
Posted inFood & Drink
Best of Santa Cruz County food & drink events, Jan. 17-23
Lookout food & drink correspondent Lily Belli highlights top events happening around Santa Cruz County in the coming week, plus more listings from Lookout’s BOLO events calendar.
Posted inLatest News
Private firefighters are increasingly popular with insurers. But do they pose a risk?
A growing and controversial ecosystem of private firefighting companies have seen themselves thrust into the spotlight as some of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Los Angeles have gone up in flames. It includes firefighters directly contracted with government agencies as well as those who work for insurance companies and directly for rich families and developers.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
We need comfort, not conflict, amid L.A. fires: Here’s a lesson in nonviolent communication for Trump, Musk and more
Santa Cruz therapist Lisa Herendeen is stunned by the harsh rhetoric and blame game circling the Los Angeles fires. What we need is empathy, she writes, and leaders who understand the merits of nonviolent communication. She just finished a training on this and she applies nonviolent communication skills to the political moment – and to the angry language she hears coming from Donald Trump, Elon Musk and others. Where are our leaders, she wonders. She longs for public rhetoric that raises us all up. She is even nostalgic for the Terminator.
Posted inLatest News
Want to support fire victims in Southern California? Here are some ways to give.
As devastating wildfires continue to rage in the Los Angeles area, Santa Cruz County residents are searching for opportunities to help. Lookout compiled a variety of ways locals can support the thousands of displaced Southern Californians, along with animals, firefighters and other emergency personnel.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Santa Cruz County agents say new insurance rules offer hope for homeowners, even as fires rage in Southern California
Santa Cruz County agents see a glimmer of hope in new state regulations aimed at enticing insurance companies back to the California market, though questions about access and affordability remain.
Posted inLatest News
Los Angeles, I love you, and I mourn for you
In the wake of the ruinous fires in Southern California, it’s appropriate to acknowledge the unique charm of Los Angeles, a world-class city too often dissed and overlooked.