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Los Angeles Briefs: County Investigates State Farm Wildfire Claims, Introduces Digital Navigators, and Advances OurCounty Plan

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Los Angeles Briefs: County Investigates State Farm Wildfire Claims, Introduces Digital Navigators, and Advances OurCounty Plan

Los Angeles County Opens Investigation into State Farm’s Handling of Wildfire Claims

LOS ANGELES —Los Angeles County Counsel Nov. 13 launched an investigation into State Farm’s handling of insurance claims filed by policyholders affected by the January 2025 Eaton and Palisades Fires.

The investigation focuses on potential violations of California’s Unfair Competition Law and follows growing complaints from residents about delays, underpayments, and denials of legitimate wildfire claims. County counsel has formally notified State Farm that if it is engaging in any unlawful or unfair business practices, the company must immediately stop such conduct and come into full compliance with state laws and regulations.

Third-party surveys have found widespread frustration with State Farm’s treatment of claims, with far too many residents facing undue claims delays, underpayments and denials that compound their hardship and loss in the aftermath of the devastating Eaton and Palisades Fires.

According to an October 2025 survey by Embold Research for the nonprofit Department of Angels, State Farm customers have had far worse experiences than customers of other insurers, reporting much higher rates of claim denials, lowball claims estimates, poor communication, and multiple adjusters being assigned to their claims. The survey noted the urgent need to resolve claims quickly as displacement coverage will be running out soon for many survivors who must either return home or find other housing.

With more than 2.8 million residential and commercial policies statewide, State Farm is California’s largest private insurer.

County counsel’s letter to State Farm is available here: County Counsel State Farm 2025 Wildfire Claims Letter

DEO Awards $1 Million to Launch Digital Navigators Program

LOS ANGELES —The Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity or DEO has awarded $1 million to Per Scholas and cross-sector partners through its High Road Training Partnership or HRTP Fund, part of a broader $34 million county investment to date, to advance worker-centered, industry-informed, and partner-led training for equity, job quality, and climate resilience.

The new digital navigators program will connect LA County residents to quality and in-demand jobs in the technology sector, expand digital access across the region, and create long-term career pathways for residents who have been historically excluded from the digital economy. Through this investment, 100 participants will receive 300 to 500 hours of hands-on instruction, earn industry-recognized credentials such as CompTIA A+ and Google IT Support, and gain paid, real-world experience by serving as Digital Navigators, helping community members build digital literacy and access technology.

This program builds on the county’s commitment to digital equity, beginning in 2021 with the Board of Supervisors launch of the Delete the Divide initiative and now moves forward with the county’s three-year Digital Equity Roadmap to close the digital divide.

Details: opportunity.lacounty.gov/hrtp

 

Los Angeles Adopts 2025 OurCounty Sustainability Plan

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Nov. 4 adopted the 2025 OurCounty Sustainability plan, the most ambitious regional roadmap in the nation. The plan includes 179 action items to enhance the well-being and foster greater resilience in every L.A. county community.

The 2025 OurCounty Plan builds upon the original 2019 blueprint that set forth 12 overarching sustainability goals for the region grounded in the co-equal values of environment, equity, and economy. More than half of the action items in the original plan have been achieved or are on track to be achieved by the target dates.

Details: View the 2025 OurCounty Sustainability plan, here.

Justice Cannot Wait―Rep. Grijalva Signals Coming End To GOP Pedophile Protection Racket

Paul Rosenberg
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Justice Cannot Wait―Rep. Grijalva Signals Coming End To GOP Pedophile Protection Racket

“Justice cannot wait another day,” newly-elected Representative Adelita Grijalva said in her maiden speech in the House of Representative, as she announced she would immediately sign the discharge petition to release the Epstein files. And the American people agree. While Trump and his allies, have tried to prevent it for months, nearly 90 percent of Americans — including 83 percent of Republicans—want all of the Epstein files released, according to a recent CBS/YouGov poll. Trump’s allies include Speaker Mike Johson, who delayed Grijalva’s swearing in for 49 days.

“Just this morning, House Democrats released more emails showing that Trump knew more about Epstein’s abuses than he he previously acknowledged,” Grijalva said.

More than 20,000 pages were released, coming from Epstein’s estate, but that’s just a small fraction of what Trump’s administration is holding back, after campaigning on releasing all of it.

“Of course he [Trump] knew about the girls,” Epstein wrote in one email, and “I am the one able to take him down,” in another. He called Trump “the dog that hasn’t barked” in another email after Virginia Guifrey’s initial, dam-breaking revelations came out. She “spent hours at my house with him… he has never once been mentioned,” Epstein wrote.

And in a 2015 email conversation with a New York Times reporter, Epstein linked to a picture he identified as “my 20 year old girlfriend in 1993, , that after two years i gave to donald.” This aligns with a page from Epstein’s 50th Birthday book, released in early September, that has a photo of Epstein holding a large novelty check for $22,500 with a “DJTRUMP” signature, with a note “joking” that Epstein sold a “‘fully depreciated’ [woman] to Donald Trump for $22,500.”

There are also emails reflecting Epstein’s close ties to intelligence agencies of multiple countries, including Russia. There’s at least a strong suggestion that Epstein passed them compromising material on Trump.

Trump failed in his desperate last-minute efforts to convince two female GOP representatives to take their names off the discharge petition, so Grijalva’s signature assured it would come to the House floor for a vote, where more GOP representatives are expected to support it—with some speculating that 50 or 100 could do so. It would then go to the Senate, where public opinion would again collide with GOP Trump loyalty. Even if it passes the Senate, which seems likely, it would still have to be signed by Trump, or repass over-riding his veto with a 2/3rds majority in both houses.

All of which is to say that this moment, while historic, is very far from assuring that the Epstein files will be released. In fact, as Rep. Summer Lee reminded the public, there was already a congressional subpoena requiring the files release to the oversight subcommittee she serves on. Lee authored the motion to issue the subpoena, which passed 8-2 on a bipartisan basis on July 23. Since then, it’s simply been ignored.

So Trump is already violating the law to keep the files secret. The congressional vote is, in effect, simply a way to increase the pressure for Trump to follow the law. But the Supreme Court has already ruled that Trump can’t be held criminal liable for vaguely-defined “official duties.”

So none of this actually matters in a strictly legal sense. Which, in the end, may prove to be the whole point: It shows the complete breakdown of the rule of law—and all for the purpose of protecting pedophiles.

In her speech, Rep. Grijalva made the connection between the specific harm suffered by Epstein’s victims and the whole framework of democratic protections for “we the people” being threatened.

“Our democracy only works when everyone has a voice,” Grijalva said. “This includes the millions of people across the country who have experienced violence and exploitation, including Liz Stein and Jessica Michaels, both survivors of Jess Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse. They are here in the gallery with us this evening.”

After noting the release of the Trump-implicating emails, she went on to say, “It’s past time for Congress to restore its role as a check and balance on this administration and fight for we, the American people,” specifically: “We need to fight for our immigrant communities and veterans. We need to stand up for our public schools, children, and educators. We need to respect tribal sovereignty in our environment. We need to stand up for LGBTQ plus rights because that’s what the American people expect us to do, fight for them.”

In short, she reminded us, once again, that an injury to one is an injury to all.

 

POLA Harbor Commission Approves Amendment to AltaSea’s Lease, Paving the Way for Redevelopment at AltaSea Campus

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POLA Harbor Commission Approves Amendment to AltaSea’s Lease, Paving the Way for Redevelopment at AltaSea Campus

LOS ANGELES — AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles announced Nov. 12 that the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners approved an amendment to its lease, a step forward in ensuring the continued redevelopment of AltaSea’s 35-acre campus. The amendment unlocks infrastructure, as well as reimbursements from the Port of Los Angeles, in the continued transformation into the world’s destination for the blue economy. This is the seventh amendment to AltaSea’s lease, which was originally approved in 2017.

The amendment now goes to the Los Angeles city council for final approval.

The amendment paves the way for critical upgrades and new investments across the AltaSea campus, including the redevelopment of 46,500 square foot Warehouse 57, which will undergo seismic, electrical, and fire/life safety improvements, along with the installation of renewable energy systems.

Key elements of Amendment 7 include:

Redevelopment of Warehouse 57 (46,500 sq. ft.), including seismic, electrical, and fire/life safety upgrades, along with the installation of renewable energy systems.

Up to $12 million in port reimbursement for tenant improvements, environmental remediation, and redevelopment costs across berths 57-60.

Strong compliance measures, including prevailing wages, competitive bidding, and transparent reporting.

The Harbor Commission’s approval keeps AltaSea’s progress on track. The upgrades to Warehouse 57 will improve safety, modernize the building, and help bring the facility into full use. The city’s reimbursement plan will help fund construction while maintaining strong oversight through open bidding and progress reporting. Further, it strengthens AltaSea’s role as a working part of the Port of Los Angeles and a center for jobs, education, and innovation.

City of Carson Collaborates with LA County Sanitation District to Host First “Clean N’ Green” Event

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City of Carson Collaborates with LA County Sanitation District to Host First “Clean N’ Green” Event

 

The City of Carson invites residents, families, and community organizations to join the annual Clean N’ Green event that underscores Carson’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, civic engagement, and maintaining a clean, vibrant community for all who live, work, and visit.

“The Clean N’ Green event represents the spirit of community that defines Carson. We strengthen our connection to one another and to the environment we all share when we do events such as Clean and Green. I’m proud of the residents, volunteers, and organizations who dedicate their time and energy to keeping Carson beautiful. Every effort, big or small, makes a lasting impact on the quality of life in our city, “said City of Carson.Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes.

Time: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Nov.15

Cost: Free

Details: 310-952-1740.

Venue: A.K. Warren Water Resource Facility, 24501 S. Figueroa St., Carson

Join the Parade of Trees Gala

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Join the Parade of Trees Gala

 

Join the Parade of Trees Gala at the Dalmatian American Club, Nov. 14. This year, your presence means more than ever. With deep budget cuts and rising community needs, your support helps Toberman continue providing life-changing programs for families, youth, and individuals across the Harbor Area. Keep hope alive together. You’re not just attending an event, you’re continuing a 120-year legacy of compassion, service, and transformation.

Every bid and every gift makes a difference.

Parking & Trolley Details

VIP Parking: If your sponsorship includes VIP parking, those details have been emailed to you directly.

Trolley Service: Available from 5:45 to 11 p.m. between the parking area and the Gala venue.

Parking Location: Crafted at the Port of Los Angeles, 112 E. 22nd Street, San Pedro, CA 90731.

Where to Park: Between the two main warehouses, this is where trolley pick-up and drop-off will occur.

Entry Points: Accessible from both 22nd Street and Miner Street.

Time: 6 p.m., Nov. 14

Details: https://givebutter.com/c/Parade_of_Trees2025 For questions contact: 310-832-1145, ext. 102; development@toberman.org

Venue: Dalmatian American Club, 1639 S. Palos Verdes St., San Pedro

Port of Long Beach Cargo Volumes Steady Through October

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Port of Long Beach Cargo Volumes Steady Through October

 

The Port of Long Beach is moving cargo ahead of the pace achieved last year, largely because retailers ordered shipments early and stocked warehouses before tariffs and reciprocal tariffs were implemented in spring.

In a virtual news conference Nov. 7, Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero and Chief Operating Officer Noel Hacegaba noted that although shifting trade policies have brought uncertainty to consumers and the supply chain, cargo continues to move smoothly at the nation’s second-busiest port.

Looking ahead to the holiday shopping season, Cordero said a robust Black Friday is anticipated, but consumers will likely be cautious with purchases due to rising prices.

“The consumer has not seen significant tariff impacts given that manufacturers, retailers, and others have shared in incurring some of these costs and mitigating price escalation to the consumer, but that may change as we approach 2026,” Cordero said during the news conference. “Consumers will likely see price escalation in the coming months as shippers continue to pass along the cost of tariffs on goods and a higher percentage of these costs will be passed on to the consumer.”

“Even in the midst of the nation’s longest government shutdown, cargo continues to move smoothly through our port and across the nation’s supply chain,” Hacegaba said. “We continue to coordinate closely with all of our partners to anticipate and mitigate issues before they arise to keep cargo and our economy moving.”

Dockworkers and terminal operators moved 839,671 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of cargo containers last month, down 14.9% from October 2024, which remains as the Port’s strongest month in its 114-year history. Imports declined 17.6% to 401,915 TEUs and exports decreased 11.5% to 99,817 TEUs. Empty containers moving through the Port were down 12.6% to 337,940 TEUs.

The Port has moved 8,229,916 TEUs through the first 10 months of 2025, up 4.1% from the same period last year.

Page Against The Machine November Events, Veteran’s for Peace and Poetry Readings

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Page Against The Machine November Events, Veteran’s for Peace and Poetry Readings

 

Page Against The Machine invites you to celebrate the victories where we find them (or rather, make them), but it harbors no illusion that things will be getting better before they get worse. It’s important to stay calm, clear-eyed, and steel your resolve for the difficult days ahead. Community, cooperation, and camaraderie are what put us over the finish line on election night, and will continue to be the driving forces that power resistance.

In collaboration with the Long Beach chapters of Veterans for Peace and Military Families Speak Out, Page Against The Machine or PATM will host a panel discussion with four U.S. veterans to commemorate Armistice Day and is an attempt to reclaim some of the peacemaking spirit of the day with a casual yet intimate discussion with four millennial veterans who will share their experiences of service through the lens of a particular book that especially resonated with them.

As America’s military forces are being deployed both at home and abroad under murky legal circumstances, the shared mission of these veterans in bringing increased insight and understanding of military service to America’s civilian population, including examining individual questions of conscience, is more relevant and necessary than ever.

Trenches Full Of Poets
Image courtesy of PATM

Next, join PATM for the latest installment of Trenches Full of Poets. Dive into the holiday season with an in-store group reading from a diverse trio of Southern California poets. An open mic opportunity will follow the featured readers.

The event takes place on the second Thursday of every month and is always free and open to the public, no tickets or reservations required.

Poetry Readings
Image courtesy of PATM

Then join an in-store poetry reading by two acclaimed SoCal poets and activists who will be reading selections from their most recent books.

Lisa Alvarez’s writing has appeared in journals including​ About Place Journal, Air Light, Citric Acid, Huizache, Santa Monica Review and Anthologies such as Sudden Fiction Latino: Short-Short Stories from the United States and Latin America.

A​dolfo Guzman-Lopez has been a reporter at LAist 89.3, the National Public Radio affiliate in Los Angeles since 2000. In 1994 he co-founded the performance-poetry group The Taco Shop Poets in San Diego, and in the early 2000s created the poetry series the Spine of Califas at Tropico de Nopal gallery in Echo Park.

Long Beach Announcements: Community Meeting on Marine Debris and Trash Capture and Homelless Count Volunteers Needed

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Long Beach Announcements: Community Meeting on Marine Debris and Trash Capture and Homelless Count Volunteers Needed

City of Long Beach to Host Community Meeting on Marine Debris and Trash Capture System

The City of Long Beach Department of Public Works will host a virtual community meeting to share information about the marine debris and trash capture system project, an initiative that will reduce pollution in local waterways and coastal areas. The virtual meeting will take place on Nov. 12.

During the meeting, city staff and project consultants will provide an overview of the project’s initial phase – a feasibility study that will evaluate a range of technologies that could intercept trash and debris in the lower Los Angeles River before it reaches the ocean, identify optimal system locations and outline next steps for potential design, permitting, construction, funding, and long-term operations and maintenance. Participants will also have the opportunity to discuss community concerns related to trash and pollution in the Los Angeles River and surrounding marine environments.

Community members are encouraged to attend the virtual workshop to learn more about the project, the feasibility study process, and how findings will guide future decisions.

Time: 6 to 7:30 p.m., Nov. 12,

Details: Zoom Link: Register https://tinyurl.com/Marine-debris-trash-capture

and lbcity.info/marinedebrisproject

 

Long Beach Seeks Volunteers for 2026 Homeless Count

The City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services is calling on 350 community members to volunteer for the 2026 point in time count, an annual street and shelter count of people experiencing homelessness in Long Beach, taking place on Jan. 22, 2026.

The point in time count is a community wide initiative inviting residents and businesses to connect with neighbors experiencing homelessness, learn about available resources and actively support the city’s response to homelessness. Information gathered during the count plays a critical role in understanding the scope of homelessness in Long Beach, shaping services and identifying gaps in resources.

Volunteer registration is now open and will remain available until all slots are filled. If more than 350 people register, additional participants will be placed on a waitlist.

Street Count Volunteer Information

To volunteer for the street count, people must:

Be 18 years or older.

Attend a two-hour orientation and training prior to the count. Orientations will be offered both virtually and in person in January.

Commit to a four-hour canvassing shift on Jan. 22, 2026. Volunteers must report by 4:30 a.m. and will be dispatched to the field by 5 a.m.

Details: https://tinyurl.com/LB-Homeless-Count-registration

 

Labor Caucus Urges Starbucks to Reach First Contract With Workers

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Labor Caucus Urges Starbucks to Reach First Contract With Workers

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Labor Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Steven Horsford (NV-04), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Mark Pocan (WI-02), and Donald Norcross (NJ-01) with Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) Nov. 10 led 83 House Democrats in a letter urging Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol to finally reach a fair first contract with baristas.

“Disturbingly, we have heard that the company has returned to union busting, which has impeded the ability of Starbucks workers—many of whom are our constituents—to exercise their statutory and constitutional right to organize,” wrote the lawmakers. “Given that it is the policy of the United States to encourage collective bargaining under the National Labor Relations Act, we urge Starbucks to end its union busting and bargain in good faith to reach a fair contract with its employees.”

“We understand that the parties had been making progress towards a fair contract in 2024 and achieved 33 Tentative Agreements to date,” continued the lawmakers. However, we are troubled by reports that since you started your role as CEO in September 2024, the company has failed to put forward a serious economic proposal, backtracking on the previously agreed-upon path forward. This prompted Workers United to file an unfair labor practice (ULP) charge alleging Starbucks’ failure to bargain in good faith and undermining the representative status of the union. Further, since December 2024, Workers United has filed over 100 new ULPs, many of which allege retaliation against union baristas for union organizing or partaking in protected union activity.”

“Accordingly, we want to know how Starbucks, in accordance with the law, will reverse course from its current posture, resolve its existing labor disputes, and bargain a fair contract in good faith with these employees,” concluded the lawmakers.

A full copy of the letter can be found here. The letter was signed by 88 House Democrats.

Supervisors to Explore Ban on Predatory Solicitation Around County Buildings

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Supervisors to Explore Ban on Predatory Solicitation Around County Buildings

LOS ANGELES—The County Board of Supervisors Nov. 4 approved a motion that will explore the feasibility of establishing buffer zones around certain county buildings in which aggressive solicitation would be prohibited. The proposal comes in response to an LA Times investigation that found the Downtown LA Law Group targeted vulnerable people in line for county benefits and paid them to file fraudulent lawsuits against the county.

The motion calls on various county departments to report back to the board in 60 days on potential legal framework, enforcement opportunities, and a possible ordinance in coordination with cities to ban predatory solicitation around public-serving county facilities, particularly Department of Public Social Services or DPSS offices. The report will also include recommendations for public education to inform county clients about predatory solicitation.

The LA Times investigation, published on Oct. 2, found that seven plaintiffs in a record $4-billion settlement by LA County for victims of sexual abuse were paid to join the lawsuit. The report alleges that the Downtown LA Law Group paid recruiters to aggressively target people standing in line outside of a Department of Public Social Services office in South Los Angeles. Customers have also reported to DPSS staff about being solicited for copies of documents containing sensitive information, including EBT cards, WD2 wage statements, Social Security Award letters, and Unemployment/Disability statements, in order to qualify for vendor-offered products and services.

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