Good morning. It’s Saturday, and this is your one-minute, weekly roundup of L.A. Material’s best work.
1. The owner of the Dodgers pledged $100 million for wildfire recovery…
… but a year after the splashy announcement, Mark Walter has donated just $7.8 million. Meanwhile, in recent years, Walter has given more than $25 million to animal welfare organizations, including Chimp Haven, a 200-acre sanctuary in Louisiana that more than 300 apes call home.
2. A City Council race is showcasing South L.A.’s demographic changes.
Council District 9, which covers a broad swath of South Los Angeles, has been represented by a Black council member for the last six decades. But this year, every candidate on the ballot is Latino, mirroring demographic shifts in the district and city writ large. In at least one instance, it has caused some friction.
3. Nithya Raman’s campaign urged Rae Huang to drop out of the mayoral race.
The move made political sense for Raman: She’s a progressive star with a strong shot at making it to the general election, while Huang is a leftist community organizer polling in the single digits who could peel off potential voters. “If we keep telling people to vote based on what’s viable, we won’t change our system,” Huang said in an L.A. Material exclusive.
America is crashing out, but we can still take the wheel. Each week, 4x TED Talker Sarah Jones sits with the country’s greatest changemakers to explore our collective trauma, how those wounds drive politics, and ways to move forward with empathy and community. Ben Stiller, Monica Lewinsky, Wayne Brady and more join the conversation. Tune in on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
MORE STUFF WE DID
ARE YOU VISITING LACMA’s new David Geffen Galleries? Think you’ll probably snap a few pics? We visited the museum with an influencer who gave sage advice on getting photos for Instagram.
SPENCER PRATT MADE his fame on the reality TV show “The Hills.” We asked former cast and crew if they’re voting for him in this year’s mayoral race.
L.A. MATERIAL EDITOR Jessica Garrison assembled a delightful list of spring reads to add to your bookshelf.
THE LINKS YOU CLICKED THE MOST
CHECK OUT THIS archival footage of local celebrity Angelyne — known for her pink Corvette, billboards, and … erm … bosom — promoting her new website in 1996. "The internet is becoming a big, huge, luscious chocolate cake,” she says in the vid.
A HOLLYWOOD HILLS homeowner was stunned to learn that he’s responsible for maintaining a storm drain outside his house in perpetuity, thanks to a decades-old deal with the city, ABC7 reported.
A PASADENA HOME that was built by inflating a giant balloon and covering it with concrete is on the market for $1.95 million.
We rely on your support to produce our journalism. Help us by upgrading your subscription.
