West
My house almost burned down in the Palisades fire. Alleged arsonist is not who I blame
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The Trump administration’s Department of Justice and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced they had determined the cause of the Pacific Palisades fire and arrested an alleged arsonist. Previously, local officials had said the cause was unknown but may have been caused by fireworks.
As a Palisades resident whose home was damaged but survived the fire, I hope whoever is guilty goes to jail for a long time. However, let there be no mistake, he was not the one responsible for the town of Pacific Palisades burning to the ground. The brunt of that responsibility lies with California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
Newsom has failed to properly manage the state’s forests, leaving them dangerously overgrown with the brush that fuels the fires. Rather than taking swift action to clear them, Newsom seems to relish in blaming climate change after each devastating fire. After the Palisades fire, he said, “The hots are getting a lot hotter. Dries are getting a lot drier. The wets are getting a lot wetter. That’s climate change.”
ARREST MADE IN CONNECTION TO DEADLY PACIFIC PALISADES FIRE, SOURCES SAY
Bass has shown her utter disregard of her duties as mayor. During her campaign, she said if elected, “I would not travel internationally. The only places I would go would be DC, Sacramento, San Francisco and New York in relation to LA.” Yet, she left the country five times, including her now infamous trip to Ghana while LA was under a Fire Weather Watch from the National Weather Service (which quickly became a Red Flag Warning the next day) in order to attend the inauguration of the president of Ghana. She was at a cocktail party when she learned of the fire.
It is bad enough to violate a campaign pledge, but to do so at a dangerous time, and for something that has absolutely nothing to do with her job as mayor, is inexcusable. She is the mayor of the second-largest city in the U.S., but does not seem to appreciate the responsibility that comes with the job. (This was her second inauguration party outside the country; she also attended the Mexican president’s inauguration.)
Bass is also to blame because her DEI hiring practices put less qualified people into critical positions in charge of protecting the safety of city residents. These positions included the deputy mayor of public safety, the fire chief, and the head of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), all of whom let down the city. She proudly states on her website her commitment “to make sure our administration truly reflects the full diversity of the people of Los Angeles,” rather than a commitment to hire the best and brightest.
Thanks to the feds, we now know conclusively that the fire, and its spread, was utterly preventable. The ATF has determined that the January 7 fire was a re-ignition of a very small fire created by the arsonist on New Year’s Day. The fire only burned eight acres, and the arsonist even called 911 immediately after starting it. However, anyone knowledgeable about brush fires knows that just because you put it out does not mean it cannot reignite, especially when dealing with overgrown brush.
The ATF special agent on the case, Kenny Cooper, reported that “the fire burned deep within the ground, in roots and in structures, and remained active for several days.” He reported that when he worked at a state forestry agency, “we would have a lightning strike, and it would hit a tree, and it would burn for days, sometimes weeks, and then ignite into a forest fire. We would go suppress that, and then every day, for weeks on end, we would patrol those areas to make sure they didn’t reignite.”
Flames from the Palisades Fire burn a building on Sunset Boulevard amid a powerful windstorm on January 8, 2025, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. (Apu Gomes)
But this was not done in the Palisades. Instead, according to the ATF, the LAFD returned the next day to collect their hoses and did not return until it had reignited on January 7, when it was too late. The ATF findings are a stinging indictment of the LAFD. From other reports we also know the LAFD did virtually nothing to prepare for the potential of a fire despite the red flag warning that had been issued, like pre-deploying fire trucks in sensitive areas.
The fire chief was Kristin Crowly, an LGTB female who herself is known for DEI hires. (As reported by the Los Angeles Times, she has “elevated younger historically marginalized deputies to replace older veterans.”) Bass fired her after Crowly partly blamed the mayor’s budget cuts to the department for the failure to better contain the fire.
She was not wrong. Under Bass, the city has increased spending on the homeless while decreasing spending on basic services to protect residents. Last year, the Council passed a budget providing $1.3 Billion for homeless-related expenses while cutting the fire department by $17 million. The city has the same number of fire stations today as it had in the 1960s.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, right, and Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, left, address the media at a press conference on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
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We also know they were handicapped by a lack of water because the Santa Ynez reservoir, built to provide water for fire fighting in the Palisades and managed by the LADWP, had been left empty for almost a year awaiting minor repairs, causing all the fire hydrants in the Palisades to run dry by the evening of the fire. The fault for this lies at the feet of Bass’s pick to run the department, Janisse Quinones, a Latina female, born and raised in Puerto Rico with a degree from the University of Puerto Rico. Her experience was in energy, not water. Without the reservoir, firefighters were left with three million gallons of water rather than over 100 million. The cost of the repair: $130,000.
We also know that at the time Bass left for Ghana, the city had no one in charge of public safety. That is because her deputy mayor of public safety, Brian Williams, a Black male, was on suspension at the time for calling in a fake bomb threat to the police. He admits he did so and says it was to get out of a long meeting. He recently pled guilty to a felony for “threats regarding fire and explosives.” Bass did not replace him until April, months after the fire.
Bass said of the DOJ’s indictment of the arsonist that the city is “working towards closure and towards justice — and today is a step forward in that process.” It is a first, small step. Justice means those responsible paying a price. For the arsonist, it means jail time. For Bass, it means resigning her post.
If she had any shame, she would have done so immediately upon her return from Ghana. Instead, she has put herself in charge of leading the recovery of the town she destroyed. Recently she announced she is running for reelection. In deeply blue LA, she is favored to win.
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SAN FRANCISCO – As concert season kicks into high gear, the excitement of seeing a favorite artist live is being dampened for many by the sticker shock of skyrocketing ticket prices.
What they’re saying:
At the Chase Center in San Francisco on Monday night, fans gathered for a Demi Lovato concert. Many who spoke with KTVU said they were lucky enough to snag tickets early, but they worry that the era of affordable live music is quickly disappearing.
“It’s just fun. You forget about your daily life, and you laugh,” said concertgoer Barbara Gallardo.
Fellow fan Heloisa Rodrigues agreed, noting that nothing beats “the feeling of hearing the artist so close to me… in real life.”
However, the reality for many other fans is a “sold out” screen followed by astronomical prices on secondary markets.
The “California Fans First Act”
What we know:
State Assembly Member Matt Haney (District 17) says the current system is broken.
He has introduced AB 1720, also known as the California Fans First Act, to combat what he calls “speculators” who buy up inventory just to turn a massive profit.
“Everything from small shows to the biggest festivals are being taken advantage of by folks who want to profit and speculate,” said Haney,”All of that extra money is going into the pockets of scalpers and speculators—not to the artists, not to the venues.”
The bill proposes a strict cap: tickets for concerts and live events can not be resold for more than 10% above the original face value, including fees. Haney pointed to recent Sam Smith performances at the Castro Theater as a prime example of fans being priced out by bulk buyers looking for huge margins.
Mixed Reviews from Advocates
While fans like Mikey Mendrano—who says high prices are “stealing the opportunity” for thousands to see their favorite artists—support the bill, not everyone is on board.
The Consumer Federation of California has come out in strong opposition, calling the bill a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.” The nonprofit advocacy group argues that by limiting the secondary market, the bill inadvertently hands more control to Live Nation—Ticketmaster.
In a statement, the group claimed: “This bill merely takes consumers for a ride and enhances the monopoly’s power over an industry it already dominates.”
Several hurdles
For their part, Ticketmaster has signaled support for Haney’s efforts, stating the legislation would protect both artists and fans.
KTVU reached out to secondary ticket platforms, including StubHub and Vivid Seats for comment but did not receive a response.
The “Fans First” bill still faces several hurdles. It must pass through both the State Assembly and the Senate. If successful, the legislation is expected to land on the Governor’s desk by early September.
For fans like Gallardo, the change can’t come soon enough.
“I don’t want to spend $1,000 for a ticket that should have been… $200,” she said.
Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave a message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU, Instagram @AmberKTVU or Twitter @AmberKTVU
The Source: California State Assembly Member Matt Haney, Ticketmaster, Consumer Federation of California, concert-goers / music fans
Denver, CO
Former Denver Bronco Craig Morton, who became the first quarterback to start Super Bowl for 2 franchises, dies at 83
Craig Morton, who spent 18 years in the NFL and became the first quarterback to start the Super Bowl for two franchises — the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos — has died. He was 83.
Morton died Saturday in Mill Valley, California, the Broncos confirmed through his family.
Morton is one of only four QBs to start the NFL’s biggest game with two organizations. The other three — Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Kurt Warner — all ended up with at least one win. Morton’s only Super Bowl ring came as a backup.
His first Super Bowl start was in a turnover-plagued Super Bowl V to end the 1970 season — a 16-13 loss by the Cowboys to the Colts. Morton threw the Cowboys’ first touchdown pass in a title game.
Seven years later, and after an unsuccessful stint with the New York Giants, Morton led the Broncos to a matchup against his former team. He threw for 39 yards and four interceptions before getting pulled for Norris Weese in a 27-10 loss, which marked the first of four straight Super Bowl defeats for Denver.
Known for his strong arm, Morton turned in a college football Hall of Fame career at California, where he played for coach Marv Levy and assistant Bill Walsh. Morton went fifth in the 1965 NFL draft to the Cowboys. Oakland also took him in the 10th round of the AFL draft.
He joined a Cowboys team coached by Tom Landry that had veteran Don Meredith at QB. Morton played in four games that season. He then split time with up-and-coming Roger Staubach in 1970-71, the year the Cowboys went to their first Super Bowl.
The next season, Morton and Staubach also split time — at some points, even alternating every play. But ultimately, it was Staubach who took over the starting job, then led the Cowboys to the Super Bowl and a 24-3 win over Miami. Staubach was the MVP of that game and it wasn’t hard to imagine the end of Morton’s time in Dallas.
The Cowboys dealt their backup to the Giants in 1974 for a package that included a pick Dallas would use to take defensive lineman Randy White, who became a Super Bowl MVP and Pro Football Hall of Famer.
Morton struggled in New York, but enjoyed a renaissance after getting traded to Denver before the 1977 season — the season that put the Broncos on the map.
The veteran QB became the final piece for a Broncos team under a new coach, Red Miller, who inherited a strong defense that would become known as the Orange Crush.
Morton led the Broncos to a 12-2 record and playoff wins over the Steelers and Raiders. He famously spent the week in the hospital with a hip injury before spearheading the win over rival Oakland.
Four years later — and after the Broncos had toyed unsuccessfully with finding his replacement — Morton teamed with a new coach, his former Cowboys teammate Dan Reeves. In 1981, Morton threw for 3,195 yards and 21 TDs, both career highs (he matched his best mark in TDs).
He retired after starting three games in the strike-shortened 1982 season. Denver would trade for John Elway, who supplanted Morton as the franchise’s most famous and revered No. 7.
Morton threw for 27,908 yards over his career with 183 touchdowns and 187 interceptions. Morton ranked in the top 20 all-time in yards passing and TD passes when he retired following the 1982 season.
He was voted into the Broncos’ Ring of Fame in 1988, along with two other standouts from that ’77 team — Haven Moses and Jim Turner.
SEATTLE – Offshore winds at the surface will warm us well into the 80s on Tuesday. This will mark the warmest day of the week with some spots warming to the upper 80s, especially in the Cascade foothills.
Offshore winds will warm many spots into the 80s on Tuesday.
What To Know:
The ridge will begin sliding to the east, opening the door for some high clouds to increase throughout the day. A disturbance will produce showers and even a few storms in Oregon. These will eventually move northward into western Washington, increasing showers and rumbles of thunder. There is also a chance for showers in Central and Eastern Washington as well.
A disturbance will push showers and even a few storms into the area beginning Tuesday night.
What’s next:
Tuesday will be the warmest day of the week. Days will quickly cool off beginning Wednesday with chances for showers through the weekend. Drier skies and mild weather will return by next Monday.
80s for Tuesday with a cooldown later in the week.
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The Source: Information in this story came from the FOX 13 Seattle Weather Team and the National Weather Service.
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