Mayor Karen Bass announced on Friday that Steve Soboroff, former president of the Los Angeles Police Commission, will lead the city’s wildfire recovery efforts as the newly appointed chief recovery officer.
Nearly 200 pieces of artwork by Hunter Biden, valued in the millions, were destroyed in the recent Los Angeles wildfires, according to a report by the New York Post. Some of the pieces were priced as high as $500,000 each and were stored near the Pacific Palisades home of Biden's attorney, Kevin Morris. The storage site reportedly succumbed to the flames, while Morris’ mansion remains one of the few properties in the area still standing.
L.A. Times columnist Sammy Roth has attributed the recent Palisades Fire and other devastating wildfires in Los Angeles to climate change, framing the issue as a result of fossil fuel dependence and global warming. In his column titled “Los Angeles is a climate disaster. The fires will change nothing,” Roth called for systemic changes, such as reducing fossil fuel use, supporting green businesses, and prioritizing climate action in public policy and personal decisions.
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) will resume classes Wednesday for students from schools impacted by recent wildfires, with classes held at alternative locations.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced Monday evening that its Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program will extend hotel stays for over 3,000 eligible residents in western North Carolina until January 25. The decision comes amid ongoing recovery efforts following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, which struck in late September.
Singer-songwriter Shaboozey’s highly anticipated Grand Ole Opry debut, originally scheduled for January 18, has been postponed due to the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles.
As devastating wildfires rage across California, some Valley grocery stores have begun limiting the purchase of essential household items like toilet paper, paper towels, and laundry detergent to prevent panic buying.
