ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Alissa, Mike, and guest co-host Golden State’s Mariel Garza talk about how local officials commemorated (or didn’t commemorate) the one-year anniversary of the fires, including a shocking statement from Councilmember Traci Park. Reality TV star Spencer Pratt is running for LA mayor. Gavin Newsom delivers his final State of the State address. And right-wing tabloid journalism is coming to the West Coast with the launch of the California Post.
“It wasn’t an act of nature. It wasn’t some ‘storm of the century.’ And it wasn’t climate change, and don’t let anybody try to tell you otherwise.” Yep, that’s Councilmember Traci Park at the "They Let Us Burn" rally on the anniversary of the fires. Recent LA Podcast guest co-host Sammy Roth wrote a whole story about Park’s climate denial
At the same rally, reality TV star Spencer Pratt announced he was running for LA mayor at what ended up being a very MAGA Palisades rally (but Pratt can’t give interviews until February?)
Mike talked to the Los Angeles Times about Pratt: “If you look at the model of who he is as a candidate, it’s similar to Trump: the reality television background; his most visible communication presence is on Twitter, just as Trump’s was. And he’s sort of developing a candidacy around frustration and blowing the system up, just like Trump did.” Mike also said Pratt’s entry into the race could be “perilous” for Bass.
LA Mayor Karen Bass did not go out in public the entire day on January 7
Read Mariel’s piece: “14 ways fire victims were failed by government at all levels”
LAFD Chief Jaime Moore accepted responsibility for the watered-down after-action report but then news broke that Bass’s office might have been trying to make changes? Sorry, refinements
LA Times: “Anger overflows in west Altadena: Where is the accountability for 19 deaths, epic losses?”
Supervisor Lindsey Horvath made it sound even more like she’s running for mayor in an interview with CNN’s Elex Michaelson (here’s the transcript)
Watch Gavin Newsom’s final State of the State address, with coverage from Politico and commentary by CalMatters’ Dan Walters
Why Mariel is excited about a wide-open governor’s race
The New York Post officially announced the California Post is launching at the end of the month
But lots of other new local publications are launching, like Golden State, the LA Local, and LA Reported
This week’s episode was produced by Kristen Torres
The reporting and analysis you hear in the show is put together by our rotating cast of producers and co-hosts every week. All opinions expressed on the show are solely those of co-hosts and may not represent the views of LA Forward
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