It’s Tuesday, February 25, and against all odds, the word “fire” and its derivatives were only used seven times in this newsletter.
On today’s L.A. Local podcast: Mayor Bass speaks exclusively with us as fractures grow deeper at City Hall over the firing of Chief Crowley. An LAFD inspector also speaks with us about how the fire department got to its current state, and says the mayor's rationale makes no sense.
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1. The councilmember representing the Palisades says she was blindsided by the LAFD chief’s firing.
Traci Park said she wasn't included in any discussions about Kristin Crowley’s removal by Mayor Karen Bass, and that it wasn’t a decision she would have made at this time.
“But I also want to be very clear, if there is anybody who deserves answers about what happened, it's me and the residents of the Pacific Palisades,” Park told KNX News’ Craig Fiegener.
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2. L.A.’s fire recovery czar said he was “lied to” about his pay, then backtracked.
Following widespread uproar that Steve Soboroff was going to make $500,000 for a three-month stint leading the city’s recovery, Soboroff agreed to offer his services for free. According to the Hollywood Reporter, he said the city never actually had the money to pay him in the first place – but he later denied that the mayor “deceived [him] on purpose.”
“I was disappointed in what happened but I’m choosing to stay on until the end because I have to put the trains on the tracks,” Soboroff told THR.
KNX News
3. Granada Hills residents are concerned about plans to dump fire debris at a local landfill.
Republic Services, which owns the Sunshine Canyon Landfill, said its state-of-the-art systems will ensure the toxic waste is "managed safely and responsibly.” But residents aren’t so sure.
“I’ve seen 10 people pass away - a couple from cancer, others from different issues, but there’s something going on still as we live here today, and they want to bring waste over here that we don’t need,” a resident told KNX News’ Jon Baird.
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4. A year after a landslide forced its dismantling, the historic Wayfarer Chapel is ready for a new home.
Pieces of the nearly 75-year-old architectural marvel have been in storage since it was damaged last February due to land movement in Rancho Palos Verdes. Communications director Stephanie Cartozian said the goal is to find a new site locally.
“We're planning not only to rebuild the chapel, but to add a visitor center, possible museum, gallery, restaurant, and other facilities for hikers and people that are out in the community,” Cartozian said.
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When Louvenia Jenkins’ Pacific Palisades home was turned to ash last month, she was left to start her life over at the age of 97.
Jenkins, a trailblazing educator and community champion, was honored by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors today for her lifetime of service.
"Today as we acknowledge the loss of her physical home, we also celebrate the enduring love, strength and community that defines her life,” Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said.
