Los Angeles, Ca
These California cities are shrinking fastest, new Census data shows
(NEXSTAR) – California was one of eight states that saw its population shrink last year, according to new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The shrinkage was small, granted, with only a 0.2% drop in population between July 2022 and July 2023. But some of the largest cities and towns in the Golden State saw more dramatic drops. Anaheim and Long Beach, for example, both lost nearly 1% of their populations in a single year.
Chula Vista, San Jose and Stockton also saw populations drop, between 0.2% and 0.4%.
The Census data didn’t specify exactly where folks leaving those California cities were heading, but they could be moving to smaller California towns, more affordable parts of the state, or out of state. Texas is the No. 1 out-of-state target for people leaving California, but that trend has been diminishing in the past couple years.
Meanwhile, several of California’s larger cities were found to be growing last year. Bakersfield, Fresno, Irvine, Oakland, Sacramento, San Diego and San Francisco all saw moderate gains.
Nationwide, the fastest-growing communities are found in the Sun Belt, and in the outskirts of larger metro areas.
California wasn’t the fastest-shrinking state in the nation. According to the Census, that title goes to New York, which lost 0.5% of its population in just one year. Almost every large city in New York saw a population drop in 2023, but the effect was most dramatic in New York City, which lost an estimated 78,000 residents.
Three large Southern California cities – Los Angeles, Riverside and Santa Ana – had population changes so small they essentially amounted to zero.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Jurors deliberating the fate of the man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, failed to reach a verdict Thursday afternoon, telling the judge they were deadlocked.
A spokesperson from the United States Attorney’s Office told KTLA that jurors will continue to deliberate until they reach a verdict or give up.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver and one-time Pacific Palisades resident, is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Eve. The fire continued to smolder underground for about a week, even after Los Angeles firefighters believed it had been extinguished.
Flames reignited on Jan. 7, erupting into the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the upscale community, authorities said.
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A courtroom sketch of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, during his initial court appearance on Oct. 23, 2025. (Bill Robles) -
The U.S. Dept. of Justice booking photo of Jonathan Rinderknecht over the Palisades Fire devastation in Malibu, California in January 2025 (AP).
Prosecutors argued that Rinderknecht deliberately set the fire, claiming he had grown increasingly resentful of wealthy residents and viewed Pacific Palisades as a symbol of that frustration.
“Their case, though circumstantial, is strong,” KTLA legal analyst Alison Triessl said. “The defense is relying on, can they (prosecutors) show beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Rinderknecht actually started this fire and it wasn’t the result of fireworks or some intervening cause.”
The defense argued there is no direct physical evidence tying Rinderknecht to the fire and said the prosecution’s case relies entirely on circumstantial evidence. Rinderknecht did not testify during the trial.
Defense attorney Steve Haney spoke outside the courthouse Wednesday about why he believes it will be difficult for prosecutors to prove how the fire started.
“The lack of scene preservation. The fact that they got there after a lot of the evidence was missing. Not a lot of direct evidence. This is a circumstantial case, which is always difficult as a prosecutor to prove,” Haney said.
Rinderknecht, who was arrested and indicted last October, faces up to 45 years in prison if found guilty of three arson counts, including destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.
Tony Kurzweil contributed to this report
Los Angeles, Ca
Boyle Heights warehouse cleanup begins as crews face 85 million pounds of spoiled food
Cleanup efforts are underway Thursday at the Boyle Heights cold-storage warehouse that burned for eight days after firefighters officially declared the massive blaze knocked down Wednesday evening. Los Angeles Fire Department crews remain at the Lineage warehouse near Union Pacific Avenue and South La Puente Street as they transition into the overhaul phase, searching for […]
A hospital needs help identifying a male patient who was found injured and unconscious in downtown Los Angeles.
The man is believed to be in his 30s, according to the Los Angeles General Medical Center.
He was found injured on the ground on Omar Street and has been hospitalized since June 22.
He stands 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 176 pounds. He has brown eyes, dark brown hair and tattoos across his upper body.
He did not have any personal belongings to help staff identify him or contact loved ones. Workers did not disclose the nature of his injuries.
Anyone who recognizes the man is asked to call clinical social worker Cesar Robles at 323-409-6885.
The public can also call the L.A. General Medical Center’s Department of Social Work at 323-409-5253 or, after hours from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m., call 323-409-6883. On weekends, call 323-409-5254.
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