West
My house almost burned down in the Palisades fire. Alleged arsonist is not who I blame
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
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)
CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION
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.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM JIM BRESLO
Read the full article from Here
Acquiring the land, rights and equipment needed for a public takeover of PG&E will cost nearly a billion dollars more than San Francisco had previously offered to the utility, according to the city’s newly revised estimate submitted to state regulators.
The new $3.4 billion valuation comes after the city had twice offered PG&E $2.5 billion for the utility’s assets, starting in 2019. Both times, PG&E officials dismissed the offers as too low. The utility has yet to make a counteroffer, however, maintaining a public takeover isn’t in the best interest of the utility or its customers.
In a filing to the state Public Utilities Commission on Monday, San Francisco PUC head Dennis Herrera said the new value is part of the city’s “century-long goal of providing electric service throughout San Francisco.” Herrera cites “consistent problems with PG&E’s service” as a factor in the city’s effort.
In December, there were seven blackouts alone, city officials say, including one triggered by a circuit breaker fire in the Mission substation that left parts of the city without power for three days during peak holiday shopping season.
According to Herrera, the $3.4 billion value is in line with an investment banking analysis that sets a value range for the utility of between $3.1 billion to $3.6 billion. The new value, Herrera says, is based on a final detailed accounting of PG&E’s assets and property and includes the undisclosed bid to acquire PG&E’s Martin substation that feeds most of the city’s power. Documents suggest consultants valued the facility at between $170 million and $370 million.
The city’s two previous offers for PG&E’s grid in the city didn’t include buying the facility in San Mateo County, near the Daly City border with San Francisco. Under the plan, the city would buy the station as well as pay separately to build a smaller PG&E substation next door to the Martin facility to serve PG&E customers outside San Francisco.
The new value accounts for 67 miles of underground transmission lines in the city, as well as more than 1,000 miles of underground distribution lines and 480 miles of overhead distribution lines. The value includes 50,000 enclosed vaults and other enclosed structures, 38,000 power poles, 17,500 switches and other electrical devices, as well as communications and control centers, spare parts and system records.
The cost of buying the land and property rights from PG&E would be about $600 million.
San Francisco’s bid to break up with PG&E and provide public power appears to be gaining momentum. Jaxon Van Derbeken reports.
PG&E – which has long cast doubt on the city’s ability to run its grid in San Francisco – said in a statement: “Our assets are not for sale, and a government takeover in the city would be extremely expensive and raise rates for San Franciscans for decades.”
The company says regulators will require the city to pay for everything from wildfire mitigation, energy efficiency programs and subsidizing rates for low-income customers – and that will mean higher, not lower rates.
The city’s bid, it says, “has grossly underestimated these costs.”
The utility adds the city’s estimate for its assets and property “lists a value billions of dollars below fair market value.” The city price estimate, the utility says, doesn’t factor in all the various costs of separating from PG&E’s grid.
“PG&E will thoroughly review CCSF’s filing and plans to submit its own testimony in October 2026, as the CPUC has directed,” the company said.
Small business owners and residents from San Francisco’s Sunset District on Monday said they plan to file a class action lawsuit against PG&E.
DENVER (KDVR) — Denver police are investigating a hit-and-run crash involving a motorcycle on Tuesday evening.
The Denver Police Department reported that the crash also involved a motorist and happened at East 9th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard.
The motorcyclist was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.
Police did not release any description of the suspect vehicle.
Denver police said drivers should expect delays in the area.
This is developing news.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
After months of build up, the Seattle Seahawks are less than 48 hours from being on the clock for their first pick of the NFL Draft, as long as they hold on to pick No. 32 in the first round.
Seahawks Draft: A mid-round edge rusher with elite length
While the offensive line has long been a need for the Seahawks in drafts, this year running back, edge rusher and cornerback are among their top positions of need.
Former NFL quarterback Brock Huard highlighted a pair of players who could help bolster the Seahawks’ edge group as he continued his draft profile series Tuesday during Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk.
In this edition of Huard’s draft profiles, he looked at Michigan edge rushers Derrick Moore and Jaishawn Barham, who also played on the same team together in high school at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore.
Huard pointed to the connection head coach Mike Macdonald, a former Michigan defensive coordinator, and many members of his coaching staff have to the Michigan program.
“They know these guys, they know them inside and out,” Huard said. “They typically like they’re Michigan men, and these are two physical guys that have all the attributes you’re looking for on the edge.”
The high-floor pick
Moore is coming off a decorated four-year career at Michigan where he piled up 24.5 tackles for loss, 21 sacks, eight passes defended and three forced fumbles in 53 games.
This past season, the 6-foot-3, 255-pound Moore totaled 10.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and two forced fumbles while earning first-team All-Big Ten honors.
“I think this is a pretty fair quote about him: ‘Unselfish, well-rounded, high floor.’ Is he a high-ceiling guy? Not as much as Barham, but he’s a very high-floor guy,” Huard said.
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah has Moore ranked as the No. 65 prospect in this years draft. ESPN has him ranked 60th.
“He is just your fierce, tough, edgy, productive (player),” Huard said. “He played in space a little bit more. They are field-boundary scheme at Michigan at times. He’s been more of the field rusher, more against your left tackle. And (he’s) just got more in the tool bag… He’s been a defensive end. He’s pretty well versed in it. He’s going to have a bigger tool bag, I think, than both Boye (Mafe) and Derrick Hall had, and he’s going to be a second, late-second-round (pick). Rugged, tough Michigan guy.”
The high-ceiling pick
Barham spent his first two college seasons at Maryland, which included earning Freshman All-American honors in 2022, and transferred to Michigan in 2024. He played linebacker at Maryland and in his first season at Michigan before making the move to edge for his final college season.
In 12 games at a new position in 2025, the 6-foot-3, 240-pound Barham amassed 10 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks.
“Jaishawn Barham is a little bit more of a wild card, and one of the scouts that was quoted in some of the prep for this said he may bloom with the right coaching,” Huard said.
Huard recalled seeing Barham as a freshman at Maryland while he was doing color commentary for FOX and being in awe of how physically mature he already looked.
“I remember being on the field, as a freshman, looking at him going, ‘There’s just no way. There’s no way humanly possible that that guy played high school football the year before,’” Huard said.
Jeremiah has Barham ranked as the No. 77 prospect in the draft. ESPN has him ranked 88th.
“He is a higher ceiling guy you’re going to have to coach up,” Huard said. “He doesn’t come with years and years and years of experience on the edge.”
Seattle Seahawks NFL Draft coverage
• An under-the-radar Seattle Seahawks need Brock Huard sees
• NFL Draft: What – and who – Seahawks could get by trading back
• Why Hasselbeck says Seahawks are in great spot to trade back
• Seattle Seahawks open to trading top pick for bigger draft class
• A player Seahawks could trade for another draft pick
-
New York37 minutes agoTrump’s Immigration Crackdown Pervades Long Island Suburbs
-
Detroit, MI1 hour agoChris Simms projects Detroit Lions first-round NFL draft pick
-
San Francisco, CA1 hour agoSan Francisco sets $3.4B price tag for public takeover of PG&E
-
Dallas, TX1 hour agoGame Day Guide: Stars at Wild | Dallas Stars
-
Miami, FL2 hours agoMay a steadying presence as Cards hold off Marlins in Miami
-
Boston, MA2 hours agoTyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe flex in Boston: Takeaways from Celtics-76ers Game 2
-
Denver, CO2 hours agoMotorcyclist seriously injured in Denver hit-and-run crash – AOL
-
Seattle, WA2 hours agoBrock: 2 drafts fits at edge rusher for Seattle Seahawks