A former high school classmate of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has written to the L.A. Times to defend the mayor's conduct during the Palisades Fire -- which broke out when Bass was abroad at Ghana's presidential inauguration.
The post Karen Bass’ Classmate Defends Fire Response After Mayor Broke Promise Not to Leave Country appeared first on Breitbart.
Los Angeles residents are furious at an announcement by the Army Corps of Engineers that there will be no testing of local soil for toxins after the first six inches of topsoil are taken away during debris removal that began this week.
The post L.A. Residents Outraged After Army Corps Abandons Soil Testing in Burn Areas appeared first on Breitbart.
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) could have pre-deployed ten engines to the Pacific Palisades ahead of the deadly Palisades Fire on January 7, but chose not to, according to former fire chiefs quoted by the Los Angeles Times.
The post Report: L.A. Fire Dept. Could Have Pre-Deployed 10 Engines to Palisades, but Did Not appeared first on Breitbart.
In what must surely rank as a triumph of hope over experience, former Vice President Kamala Harris leads the Democratic field of contenders for governor of California if she entered the Golden State’s 2026 race to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), polling shows.
The post Poll: Kamala Harris Is Lead Democratic Contender for 2026 California Governor appeared first on Breitbart.
A fishing charter boat captain who rescued two parachuting Navy pilots after witnessing their unmanned fighter jet plummet into San Diego Bay described what he saw as something from a movie.
The U.S. Navy electronic-warfare aircraft, a Boeing EA-18G Growler, crashed into San Diego Bay near Naval Air Station North Island just after 10:15 a.m. Wednesday.
Capt. Brandon Viets of Premier Sportfishing had 12 people on board his boat for recreational fishing nearby on what he called a "normal day," when everything suddenly went south.
"Normally we hear jets taking off, because North Island is right there next to us, less than a half mile away," Viets told Fox News Digital.
However, on Wednesday's trip, he said, a nearby jet was louder than usual, capturing his attention.
"We were cruising out, and when I looked back, I saw a jet at almost eye level, about a few hundred yards off the back of the boat," he said. "I looked to the right of that jet, and I saw two parachutes with two guys falling down."
Viets described the surreal feeling of watching the fighter jet flying, not knowing if anyone was onboard piloting it.
"At that point, I'm like, ‘Holy moly,’" he said. "Like, this is what we see in movies."
Without hesitation, Viets took to the PA system to notify the crew.
"I was telling them, 'Hey, we're going. We've got to go help,'" he said. "'We don't know if they are injured or not or if there are people in the water, and we need to get them out of there.'"
The crew turned the boat around and sped toward the pilots.
Viets said the boat was going as fast as the engine allowed, and they were soon next to the two soaked service members.
The plane was still in the air.
"As soon as I pulled up to them, I was yelling to them, just to make sure they were OK," he said. "Then I heard this loud noise, boom, and [the jet] hit the water less than an eighth of a mile away from us."
The military aircraft crashed on the other side of the channel, Viets said.
He described a "plume" of sand, muck and water, at least 80 feet high, shooting up from the bay.
Viets' crew retrieved all the boat's safety gear, including safety ladders, and positioned the boat near the pilots in the water.
Both pilots were pulled from the water and were coherent, according to Viets.
"I didn't ask anything about what happened or the plane. I was just worried about them," he said. "I asked about how they were, and their composure was pretty good for what just happened. They were pretty calm and collected about it, but you could still see a lot of [things] going on in their brains."
Crew members instructed the pilots to sit down and later were met by the Coast Guard.
A Navy vessel then picked the pilots up and took them to a nearby dock, Viets said. The fishing boat joined and stayed with the authorities for about 45 minutes.
ALASKA CREWS RECOVER REMAINS OF ALL 10 PLANE CRASH VICTIMS, AUTHORITIES SAY
The Coast Guard San Diego Office confirmed the service members were then transferred to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Air and Marine Operations.
"Then the Coast Guard said, ‘OK, you guys are good to go,'" Viets said. "We went fishing after that and caught a few fish for a couple of hours."
Both pilots were taken to a hospital and were reportedly in stable condition, according to the Coast Guard.
Viets said the crew assisted a few small private boats in the past that sank, but Wednesday's incident was unique.
"We have assisted smaller vessels, helping someone get off their boat or if they need a pump or something small like that, but nothing involving an aircraft that crashed — or pilots with parachutes in the water," he said. "Nothing like that."
DELTA AIR LINES, JAPAN AIRLINES PLANES COLLIDE ON THE GROUND IN SEATTLE
He added it took a while for the gravity of the day's events to sink in.
"It took me a little while to take it in and just to think, 'I'm glad that plane landed somewhere where it didn't hurt anyone,'" Viets said. "I'm still thinking, ‘Luckily, it landed somewhere safe, not on land, and those two pilots seem to be OK.’"
The cause of the crash has not yet been released by Naval Base Coronado’s Emergency Operations Center, which is investigating.
However, H&M Landing, a fishing company, provided a statement to Fox News Digital claiming the aircraft experienced a "mechanical failure."
A Navy official told Fox News Digital it is unclear if a distress signal was sent out prior to the crash, and the pilots have not been publicly identified.
As of Thursday, the Navy is continuing efforts to safely remove the aircraft from the bay as quickly as possible, while minimizing environmental impact, according to a statement. Weather conditions may delay the timeline.
In a statement Thursday, the Naval Air Forces said it is leading efforts to assess and coordinate the jet's retrieval, and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group One is the tactical commander for salvage operations.
"Some pieces of debris may resemble weapons or classified components and may present a hazard if handled," it said in the statement.
The public is strongly advised not to approach, touch or collect any debris that may wash ashore. They are also asked to remain clear of the area and not interfere with the recovery.
The wreck came after a recent string of fatal plane crashes across the country.
An Army Black Hawk helicopter collided midair with a commercial passenger plane near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Jan. 29, killing 67 people.
In the following days, plane crashes in Pennsylvania and Alaska claimed the lives of 17 people.
Most recently, a private jet owned by Mötley Crüe lead singer Vince Neil was involved in a fatal crash Monday at Scottsdale Airport in Arizona.
A California budget official revealed this week that taxpayers in the Democrat-run state are paying billions of dollars more on healthcare for illegal immigrants than previously known.
Guadalupe Manriquez, the California Department of Finance program budget manager, told the state Assembly Budget Committee Monday the state is "spending $9.5 billion total funds" to "cover undocumented individuals in Medi-Cal" in the current year.
Manriquez explained that this is a "revised number based on the governor’s budget-updated estimates," adding the earlier figure was from the earlier "budget act."
"Of the $9.5 billion, $8.4 billion is general fund," she said.
Republican Assemblyman Carl DeMaio noted that the cost of healthcare for illegal immigrants could be enough to help solve some of the state’s budget woes and "avoid going into the rainy day fund," The Center Square reported. He said the number originally floated was roughly $6 billion.
A new state law enacted at the start of 2024 ensures that "immigration status doesn't matter" for those looking to apply for taxpayer-backed insurance, according to the state's health department website.
California Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher told Fox News Digital in a statement that gutting the insurance availability for illegal immigrants would make a significant dent in the state’s deficit.
"California’s budget is $30 billion in the red, but instead of tightening its belt, Sacramento is doubling down on reckless spending," the Republican said.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE
"The state is shelling out $9.5 billion on healthcare for illegal immigrants while emergency rooms overflow, hospitals teeter on the brink and working Californians struggle to see a doctor," he continued. "Rather than making responsible choices, leaders are raiding the rainy-day fund to keep the spending spree going. This isn’t just a budget crisis — it’s a complete failure of leadership."
Democratic Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo said during the hearing that healthcare costs are a major target of the new administration, which leads to uncertainty for the state.
"We know that today unelected Elon Musk and DOGE have taken their sights to Medicare and Medicaid, which is Medi-Cal here in California. And that is, you know, well over half of our budget," the lawmaker said.
The spending discussion comes at a time when the federal government is conducting a major crackdown on illegal immigration, including raids done by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and much stricter policies at the border itself.
Steve Hilton, founder of Golden Together and a Fox News contributor, said it's "yet another example of California Democrats' totally wrong priorities."
"Here's yet another example of California Democrats' totally wrong priorities. They have nearly doubled the state budget in the last ten years, yet over a third of Californians cannot meet their basic needs," Hilton said.
"We have the highest poverty rate in America. We pay the highest taxes and get the worst results. People are asking, "Where did all our money go?" And here's the answer: ideological obsessions like this — free healthcare for people who are here illegally. People have had enough of all this. There's going to be change in California sooner than people think."
President Donald Trump could claw back $4.3 billion in unspent federal funds for California's high-speed rail project, just as he froze $1 billion for the perpetually delayed and derailed project during his first term as president.
The post Report: Trump Could Claw Back $4.3 Billion in Unspent High-Speed Rail Funds from California appeared first on Breitbart.
Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to stage a photo-op Tuesday afternoon to mark the start of debris removal after the Palisades Fire -- even though the state government has little to do with it.
The post California Gov. Gavin Newsom to Stage Photo-Op to Mark Start of Federal Debris Removal; Update: No Newsom appeared first on Breitbart.
Steve Hagerty, the founder of Hagerty Consulting, which Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass chose behind closed doors to lead the city's rebuilding effort, had a disastrous tenure as mayor of the liberal college town of Evanston, Illinois.
The post Steve Hagerty, Head of Firm Karen Bass Chose to Rebuild L.A., Was Disaster as One-Term Mayor of Evanston, Illinois appeared first on Breitbart.
Developer Rick Caruso slammed the Los Angeles city government for an apparent delay in construction at a venue that is to be used during the 2028 Summer Olympics that officials are blaming on the recent Palisades Fire.
The post Caruso Slams L.A. After Olympics Construction Delayed over Fire appeared first on Breitbart.
Two former disaster recovery experts at Hagerty Consulting, which L.A. Mayor Karen Bass appointed to lead rebuilding efforts after the recent wildfires, pleaded guilty in 2022 and 2023 to defrauding New York City of Hurricane Sandy relief funds.
The post Former Lead Recovery Consultants at Hagerty, Firm Hired by Bass, Pleaded Guilty to Stealing Disaster Funds appeared first on Breitbart.
Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., called on multiple federal agencies to exempt federal seasonal firefighters from President Donald Trump's executive order implementing a federal hiring freeze.
In a letter to the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Interior and the Office of Management and Budget, Schiff noted that Trump's hiring freeze issued on Jan. 20 had stopped the onboarding of thousands of seasonal firefighters that could harm readiness to respond to wildfires, as Southern California is still grappling with the aftermath of last month's wildfires.
"The memo issued on January 20 states that it does not apply to positions related to public safety, but this onboarding delay is directly contrary to that claim," Schiff said in the letter dated Friday. "Our constituents and communities rely on the hard work and sacrifice of our more than 15,000 seasonal federal wildland firefighters each year."
LOS ANGELES FIRE VICTIMS TO BE BOOTED FROM RED CROSS SHELTER TO MAKE SPACE FOR FILM CREWS, EVENTS
"Seasonal firefighters are essential to the public safety of those who live in fire-prone areas, and I am alarmed that federal firefighters are not party to this exemption," he said. "In light of this, I am requesting information from your agencies explaining why the federal hiring freeze has extended to the hiring of seasonal federal wildland firefighters."
Southern California was devastated last month by two major wildfires and several smaller ones that killed nearly 30 people and destroyed more than 16,000 structures.
Some of the firefighters subject to Trump's order that halted the onboarding of thousands of seasonal federal firefighters were from agencies that helped in the response to the wildfires in the Los Angeles area, according to NBC News.
A Bureau of Land Management official told the outlet that despite Trump's order excluding positions related to "public safety" from the hiring freeze, federal firefighters are not exempt.
"In the face of increasingly destructive wildfires, we cannot afford to diminish the tools at our disposal to fight these fires," Schiff said in his letter. "Impeding the onboarding of federal firefighters and encouraging the early retirement of others, threatens California’s firefighting capacity and puts communities at great risk. Californians rely on the support of federal firefighters, and I hope you share my appreciation for the essential role these individuals play in keeping residents safe."
TABLES TURN ON LOS ANGELES ARSON SUSPECT IN CAUGHT-ON-CAM TAKEDOWN: 'WRONG NEIGHBORHOOD, BUDDY'
The senator also requested information on how the hiring freeze impacts federal firefighting applicants, the number of voluntary resignations and the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency's role in the hiring, preparedness or readiness of federal wildland firefighters.
A major solar power plant project that was granted over a billion dollars in federal loans is on the road to closure, with energy experts blasting the project as a "boondoggle" that harmed the environment.
In 2011, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under former President Barack Obama issued $1.6 billion in loan guarantees to finance the Ivanpah Solar Power Facility, a green energy project that consists of three solar concentrating thermal power plants in California.
The facility was touted by then-Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz as an "example of how America is becoming a world leader in solar energy." But after 10 years, the federally funded plant is now on track to close.
"Ivanpah is yet another failed green energy boondoggle, much like Solyndra," Jason Isaac, CEO of the American Energy Institute, an American energy advocacy group, told Fox News Digital in a statement. "Despite receiving $1.6 billion in federal loan guarantees, it never lived up to its promises, producing less electricity than expected while still relying on natural gas to stay operational."
"Now, with its power contracts canceled, Ivanpah stands as a testament to the waste and inefficiency of government-subsidized energy schemes," Isaac said.
Ivanpah consists of three individual units, two of which were contracted by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) in 2009 and scheduled to run until 2039.
EXPERTS SAY FIRST WEEK OF ‘TRUMP EFFECT’ IS DERAILING GLOBAL CLIMATE MOVEMENT'S ‘HOUSE OF CARDS’
In January, PG&E announced plans to cancel its agreement with Ivanpah 14 years early, determining that "ending the agreements at this time will save customers money compared to the cost of keeping them through 2039" – ultimately putting Ivanpah on notice for closure.
"The Ivanpah plant was a financial boondoggle and environmental disaster," Julia Dowell of the Sierra Club, an environmental activism group, said of the power plant.
"Along with killing thousands of birds and tortoises, the project’s construction destroyed irreplaceable pristine desert habitat along with numerous rare plant species," Dowell said. "While the Sierra Club strongly supports innovative clean energy solutions and recognizes the urgent need to transition away from fossil fuels, Ivanpah demonstrated that not all renewable technologies are created equal."
This comes after another DOE-funded green energy project, Solyndra, went bankrupt in 2011 after receiving $535 million in federal loan guarantees from the Obama administration.
"Green projects have a long history of expensive taxpayer-subsidized disaster that is getting more so," Steve Milloy, senior fellow at the Energy & Environmental Legal Institute and former Trump EPA transition team member, said in a statement to Fox.
Milloy suggested that further green energy failures could come from projects funded by recent Democrat-backed legislation that aims to push the green energy agenda.
"Soon we will be looking at failures of larger magnitude than Green New Deal spending. No green project relying on taxpayer subsidies has ever made any economic or environmental sense," Milloy said. "It’s important that President Trump stop the taxpayer bleeding by ending what he accurately calls the Green New Scam."
Los Angeles "Chief Recovery Officer" Steve Soboroff said Saturday night that he would work for free, after coming under fire for earning $500,000 for three months of work, even though his salary was to have been paid privately.
The post L.A. ‘Recovery Chief’ Steve Soboroff Agrees to Work for Free, After Grenell Exposes $500,000 Salary appeared first on Breitbart.
Jacob Soboroff, a familiar face on MSNBC and NBC's political and national correspondent, has a deeply personal connection to the Palisades Fire: he grew up in town, and is the son of L.A. "Chief Recovery Officer" Steve Soboroff.
The post Bass’ Chief Recovery Officer’s Son, Jacob Soboroff, Leads MSNBC Coverage of L.A. Fires appeared first on Breitbart.
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