Investigations

How the Inaugural LA Jazz Festival Fell Apart

The festival promised John Legend, Janelle Monáe and more than a hundred events across Los Angeles. Instead, it was canceled on the day it was supposed to begin. How organizer Martin Ludlow’s 15-year vision came crashing down.

Julia Wick

Aug 15, 2026

The Gascón Era Is Proving Costly

The County of Los Angeles has agreed to pay out at least $14 million to prosecutors who say they were improperly sidelined, reassigned or otherwise suffered after criticizing the former D.A.'s reforms.

Matt Hamilton

Jul 23, 2026

Bass Advisor Remained in Private Mayor's Office Chats While Doing P.R. for Lineage

Yusef Robb remained in the mayor’s internal communications channels for a week after beginning crisis PR work for the company that manages the Boyle Heights warehouse.

Julia Wick

Jul 22, 2026

How to Get Rid of 85 Million Pounds of Rotting Food

Our quest to figure out where the food waste from the Lineage warehouse disaster is going.

Julia Wick, +1

Jul 15, 2026

L.A. Issued Nearly $1 Million in Bogus Street Sweeping Tickets

LADOT claims it voided the bum tickets — but refused to share the data to prove it. Many were issued in one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods.

Tomo Chien, +1

Jul 13, 2026

The Illegal Fireworks Pipeline Behind L.A.’s Nightly Explosions

A Fourth of July season disaster last year revealed a sprawling alleged fireworks trafficking network — and raised urgent questions about why state and local officials failed to stop it sooner.

Jessica Garrison

Jun 29, 2026

The Strange, Twisted Story of the Frat Troll at UCLA

Joseph Freeman went viral for bashing Sigma Chi. But there’s a darker story off screen. Why hasn’t UCLA stopped him?

Tomo Chien

Apr 29, 2026

Trump's Man in L.A.

Bill Essayli is the face of Trump’s immigration and fraud crackdown in Southern California. Defending his own family’s fraud case, with the ACLU’s help, pitted him against the office he now leads.

Matt Hamilton

Apr 21, 2026