Unacceptable and despicable

Last week, convention center expert Heywood Sanders wrote this about LA's expansion plan: "the likelihood of any significant increase in the city’s convention business is effectively nil." So I called him up to talk me through his analysis — and what he told me makes LA's plan seem *even worse*

Instead of this ridiculous story quoting one person who doesn’t want a bathroom in Runyon Canyon because of “odors” (have you smelled the dog piss there?), please read my story about how we can and should have beautiful public bathrooms in ALL our parks

"Any city we think is going to be a little dangerous for the World Cup — or for the Olympics, where, you know, they have Olympic overthrow, right [???] — but for the World Cup in particular, where they're playing in so many cities, we won't allow it, we'll move it around a little bit"

In 2024, LA Mayor Karen Bass pledged to transform the way LA operated by implementing a citywide capital infrastructure program that would prioritize major investments and distribute services equitably: www.torched.la/civic-promise/ This is the exact opposite of how this was all supposed to work!

"There are boondoggles, there are big boondoggles, and then there are public development disasters. Los Angeles has just embarked on a disaster." Convention center development expert Heywood Sanders on LA's $2.6 billion mistake in the always-excellent Field of Schemes

More than 1800 detainees are missing after the closure of Alligator Alcatraz. Their families and lawyers can’t find them and they’ve vanished from the ICE database. Feels like this should be a much bigger story www.miamiherald.com/news/local/i...

First/last mile connection to the Culver City E Line Station nearly complete la.streetsblog.org/2025/09/22/e...

Breaking News: ABC said that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” would return on Tuesday, ending an impasse that began last week. nyti.ms/3KAl4Np

What was I saying about never getting a moment of peace for wondering if this insane man is going to make his insanity real?

"Remember, Los Angeles is also on the hook for Olympic overruns. The Convention Center bill starts coming due the very same year we could be forced to absorb those Olympic overages." I asked Yaroslavsky for her prepared remarks because I felt they captured this particular moment in LA so perfectly

“Tesla is attempting to conceal the details of three separate accidents involving its Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, despite having only two months of service with a small fleet.” There are names for that kind of thing… electrek.co/2025/09/17/t...

After years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn’t like.

WeHo councilmembers explain support for Fountain Ave project, and Metro approves $85.5 million for 16 LA County bike/ped projects: bikinginla.com/2025/09/18/w... #bikeLA

Cancelled my #hulu subscription #BOYCOTTDISNEYABC

The following is a statement from the WGA on ABC’s decision to pull ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’

Analysis by Lena H. Sun and David Ovalle: For people 65 or older, this week might be the best opportunity to get vaccinated. The CDC is weighing changes to coronavirus vaccine recommendations that could make it harder for some seniors to access them.

Easy to switch off in “settings” …

A free and democratic society cannot silence comedians because the President doesn’t like what they say. This is an attack on free speech and cannot be allowed to stand. All elected officials need to speak up and push back on this undemocratic act.

Thanks to everyone who sent me this announcement, or the breathless media coverage accompanying this announcement. I am most interested in seeing how this will be implemented: "Early access will be available for local communities surrounding Games venues" Is LA28 going to need your home address?

This is today! Join us at noon!

Extremely excited about this! Join Ed Begley Jr., @adamconover.net, @metrolosangeles.bsky.social's Stephanie Wiggins, @billwearsties.bsky.social and me for a very special SoCal Transit Month event. Details and RSVP for the livestream here: www.socaltransitmonth.org/virtual_pane...

HE FUCKING TURNED HIMSELF IN.

Glad to see mainstream publications finally raising the alarms about the lack of Cultural Olympiad plans. I wrote about this problem one whole year ago in my newsletter Torched. Become a paid subscriber and you'll get the latest megaevent news and analysis before the New York Times is on it 😇

"Arts leaders in Los Angeles say that, three years out, their city’s Olympics committee — LA28 — hasn’t adequately taken up that torch, with no cultural plan yet announced, just two people assigned to the effort (one is a volunteer); and no dedicated fundraising for ambitious arts programming" 🎁🔗

Very cool virtual #TransitMonth2025 event coming up: "Transit and Hollywood: Stories that Moves Us!" With Ed Begley Jr, @adamconover.net @billwearsties.bsky.social @metrolosangeles.bsky.social CEO Stephanie Wiggins and @awalkerinla.bsky.social RSVP here www.socaltransitmonth.org/virtual_pane...

Legislation to Streamline Environmental Review for Transit, Bike, and Ped Projects Passes Assembly - cal.streetsblog.org/2025/09/09/l...

That said, if you're trying to buy tickets today for LA's World Cup matches I'd love to hear from you!

This cause is close to my heart - please sign: sign.moveon.org/petitions/co...

How did LA go from being a notorious anti-worker city to a stronghold of labor power? Listen to this re-air of my interview with Kent Wong of UCLA Labor Ctr on What’s Next, Los Angeles. Brought to you in partnership with @laforward.bsky.social . whatsnextlosangeles.buzzsprout.com

"If we can’t pave our streets, repair our sidewalks, trim our trees, house our homeless, light our bridges, and fix our firetrucks, how can we host an Olympics in just three years?" Good question, and only one of many I hope Rick will answer. Get ready for some real talk!

The hotel and airline bankrolled challenge to the Olympic wage *did not qualify* for the ballot according to the LA County Registrar. This means the city’s Olympic wage ordinance , $25/hour beginning this year and $30/hour by 2028, goes into effect for tourism workers immediately

The Rosegarden CLUB? He turned the People's House into a private CLUB? He literally privatized a public good. He stole our house. Do you understand? This is no different than if he seized the Grand Canyon & put it behind a velvet rope, for members only. He's a fucking thief & a vandal to boot.

How is this not a screaming massive headline across every news site? This is insane, a virtual declaration of civil war. We fought a revolution to not be subjected to this kind of tyranny

All angelenos need to support @awalkerinla.bsky.social at torched.la . Become a paid subscriber now.

OMFG

If you want to see the vision for LA’s parks presented in person — and ask all your questions about your local park — the next meeting is 9/6 in Westwood. After that, there are a bunch more meetings online. I highly recommend attending at least one event, details: parks.needs.lacity.gov

This is Sunday! I'm joining several union members from the Fair Games coalition on this panel focused on megaevent legacy improvements, moderated by LAANE's executive director, Víctor Sánchez RSVP here: secure.everyaction.com/yebiplh2SEG3...

Says a man who has never walked down Wilshire on a 90-degree day

I simply cannot believe that in the year 2025 we're tearing out 41 mature shade trees to build a brand-new palm-lined freeway overpass

A Capital Infrastructure Plan (CIP) for LA could change lives! the City of LA is the only major city in the United States without a CIP. Learn more at one of our 3 upcoming teach-ins: www.laforward.org/cip

WATCH: What are BETTER SOLUTIONS for traffic congestion in cities, especially as big employers are now forcing people back to the office? PLUS how politicians claiming bike-lanes cause congestion ARE LYING TO YOU! Watch my CBC interview with @ianhanomansing.bsky.social that played across Canada.

Also TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY. If you become a paid subscriber we can celebrate together at the Torched party on 9/20. But if you've ever found my work useful, you can make a one-time donation. I've set the amount to $28, which is also my age: torched.la/#/portal/support Thank you for your support!

And, frankly, this answer is bullshit. New York's matches are at MetLife Stadium in NJ and they're hosting fan zones and viewing parties in Jersey City and NYC. This isn't hard to do. If LA can't get this together for the World Cup what will the Olympics and Paralympics look like?

Over the last eight months, a supergroup team led by the landscape designers at OLIN has attempted to envision an entirely different LA — where public space is a priority. I spoke with the team about its 496-page draft recommendations for how the city's overworked parks system can get there

Pritzker: "He has no idea what's he's talking about. There is no emergency that warrants deployment of troops. He is insulting the people of Chicago by calling our home a hellhole, and anyone that takes his word at face value is insulting Chicagoans too."

"The state’s refusal to deliver more funding... has driven the Los Angeles organizers to consider their own watch parties beyond FIFA’s control. The international federation countered with threats to deny public viewing licenses if the host committee deviates from its preferred format"

I went deep on LA28's legacy commitments to its host city, presented this week to the ad hoc council committee. One might argue delivering such an important report to the city 147 days late doesn't bode well for a megaevent producer with only 1,050 days to go

If you don’t know about Heather Honey, you should. She’s a national embarrassment, virulent election denier and now in charge of election policies for the US government. www.propublica.org/article/heat...

there is no question in my mind that rfk jr is the most dangerous person in this administration and that his eugenicist ideology threatens the lives of millions of people www.advocate.com/politics/dem...