10 dead, more than 9,000 homes, structures damaged or destroyed in L.A. County fires (LIVE UPDATES)
LAT's STAFF: "Ten people have died, more than 9,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed, and at least 130,000 residents are under evacuation orders. Experts say L.A. is not out of danger yet and that these fires have the potential to be the costliest wildfire disaster in American history."
READ MORE -- California fires: Death toll rises to 10; Palisades is 6% contained -- The Chronicle's JESSICA FLORES, AIDIN VAZIRI, MALIYA ELLIS, JORDAN PARKER
Palisades fire brings a level of destruction Los Angeles has never seen. ‘Everything is burned down’
LAT's HANNAH FRY, DANIEL MILLER, NOAH HAGGERTY, GRACE TOOHEY: "The unprecedented scale of the destruction in Pacific Palisades came into horrifying focus Thursday from a fire that flattened a large swath of the community, rendering it unrecognizable.
As the smoke began to clear after two days of intense fire, Pacific Palisades appeared more like a moonscape of destruction than an upscale neighborhood known for its ocean views, beautiful vistas and celebrity denizens. Entire swaths of the residential district, from its quaint village to the shores of the Pacific Ocean, were completely gone, the architectural whimsy and lush landscaping reduced to burned-out ruins with white smoke still billowing from the wreckage."
Incredible aerial imagery of L.A. fires shows huge scale of devastation
The Chronicle's ERIN CAUGHEY, HANNAH ZAKHARENKO, AVA MANDOLI: "Aerial and satellite imagery companies released visuals on Thursday that begin to show the devastating extent of damage caused by the wildfires that have scorched thousands of acres in the Los Angeles area since Tuesday.
Three days in, the Los Angeles County Fire Department reported that over 9,000 structures had been damaged or destroyed by the Palisades and Eaton fires, putting them among California’s most destructive fires in history, according to Cal Fire data. At least ten people have died in the Palisades and Eaton fires, a press release from the Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s office confirmed."
Democratic lawmakers resist calls to switch gears on Trump special session as LA fires rage
Sac Bee's STEPHEN HOBBS, NICOLE NIXON: "California Democrats on Thursday resisted calls from Republicans in the Legislature to end a special session preparing for the upcoming administration of Donald Trump as wildfires raged in Los Angeles.
Instead, they continued their plan to provide aid to the state Department of Justice in preparation for lawsuits against the federal government. Gov. Gavin Newsom in December called on lawmakers to begin the special session."
California lawmakers to consider expediting insurance claims after L.A. fires
LAT's ANABEL SOSA: "As lawmakers regrouped Thursday after fiery devastation across Los Angeles, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas vowed to back legislation to help homeowners expedite insurance claims, while Senate leader Mike McGuire delivered a tearful floor speech addressing California’s “hellish week.”
“Words cannot explain the absolute shock, horror, sorrow, surrounding the devastation that we see day in and day out,” McGuire (D-Healdsburg) said. “The residents of L.A. County need to hear us loud and clear. We have your back. But first and foremost, we have to get these damn fires out.”"
Why hydrants ran dry as firefighters battled California’s deadly fires
LAT's IAN JAMES, MATT HAMILTON, RUBEN VIVES: "As crews have fought the fast-spreading fires across the Los Angeles area, they have repeatedly been hampered by low water pressure and fire hydrants that have gone dry. These problems have exposed what experts say are vulnerabilities in city water supply systems not built for wildfires on this scale.
The water system that supplies neighborhoods simply doesn’t have the capacity to deliver such large volumes of water over several hours, said Martin Adams, former general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power."
Emergency alert sent in error causes confusion across Los Angeles
The Chronicle's AIDIN VAZIRI: "A wireless emergency alert sent to all Los Angeles County residents on Thursday afternoon mistakenly warned of widespread evacuations.
The alert, which caused substantial alarm, read: “This is an emergency message from the Los Angeles County Fire Department. An EVACUATION WARNING has been issued in your area.”"
Why California is likely to be one of biggest beneficiaries of new Social Security law
The Chronicle's KATHLEEN PENDER: "California should be one of the biggest beneficiaries of a bill signed by President Biden on Monday that will increase Social Security benefits for about 2.8 million Americans by an average of $360 a month.
California will benefit more than most states because it has more workers likely to be impacted by the bill, both in sheer numbers and as a percentage of all workers. They mainly include public-school and community college educators and many police, fire and other public-safety workers."
Health care, homelessness and housing in California: Have Gavin Newsom’s promises panned out?
Sac Bee's LIA RUSSELL: "When he first won office in November 2018, Gov. Gavin Newsom promised to build millions of homes to alleviate a housing shortage, end chronic homelessness, and institute a statewide single payer healthcare system, three of his most frequently talked-about commitments on the campaign trail.
Six years later, he’s survived a recall and myriad other failed attempts, weathered a pandemic, and coasted to reelection amid speculation about his ambitions for higher office."
Facing massive deficit, S.F. Mayor Daniel Lurie orders citywide hiring freeze on his first full day in office
The Chronicle's JD MORRIS: "Newly minted San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie announced a citywide hiring freeze on his first full day in office Thursday as he looks to begin closing the city’s massive $876 million two-year budget shortfall.
Lurie announced the move at his first meeting with department heads, his office said in a brief news release. It comes about a month after Lurie’s predecessor, former Mayor London Breed, directed city departments to plan for 15% spending reductions next fiscal year. Breed’s office said at the time that departments should consider freezing hiring and warned that layoffs, while not preferred, may be necessary to rein in spending."
CapRadio lawsuit says former GM stole at least $370K and used some for ‘extensive’ home reno
Sac Bee's ISHANI DESAI: "Capital Public Radio has sued its former general manager, accusing him of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the station to fund a lofty lifestyle filled with lavish overseas trips, renovate his home residence, pay his children’s university tuition and more.
The station, an auxiliary of Sacramento State, in a civil lawsuit filed last month is seeking $900,000 in damages from former general manager Jun Reina and for his 4,500-square-foot West Sacramento home to be placed in a trust."
A swanky S.F. building sold beyond its value. Now the sellers are suing the city for a tax refund
The Chronicle's LAURA WAXMANN: "When a tiny, boutique office building in San Francisco’s coveted Jackson Square neighborhood was sold to an unidentified buyer for $38 million at the start of 2023, the deal was reminiscent of bidding wars not seen in the city since long before the pandemic.
Who would pay close to $3,800-per-square-foot for 807 Montgomery, a century-old, two-story building on the fringes of the Financial District, when entire office towers could be had in the downtown core for under $300-per-square-foot? To date, the answer is not entirely clear: Except that the high-networth buyer has a close relationship with famed iPhone designer Jony Ive, a property owner in the area and the tenant of 807 Montgomery, who has a grand vision for the block on which the building is located."
Automatic braking sensors on cars may not actually notice pedestrians wearing safety gear
Sac Bee's ARIANE LANGE: "A new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety suggests that automated crash prevention systems may fail to detect pedestrians wearing high-visibility clothing that makes them stand out to human drivers.
Nationwide, most fatal pedestrian crashes occur at night. In Sacramento, 20 pedestrians and cyclists were killed in collisions last year, and a significant majority of the crashes occurred at night."
Supreme Court turns down Trump plea to block New York sentencing for hush money conviction
LAT's DAVID G. SAVAGE: "The Supreme Court on Thursday turned down President-elect Donald Trump’s plea to block a New York judge from sentencing him Friday on his felony conviction in a hush-money case.
The vote was 5-4, with conservative Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito Jr., Neil M. Gorsuch and Brett M. Kavanaugh saying they would have granted Trump’s request."
South Korea’s far right borrows from Trump’s playbook to bolster impeached Yoon
LAT's MAX KIM: "They gathered in subzero temperatures, waving banners that read, “Stop the steal.”
Some voiced faint hope that President-elect Donald Trump would support their cause; others accused China’s Communist Party of infiltrating South Korea’s news media."
