Imperfect Paradise: Rotten food, disease, isolation – what we know about conditions at the Adelanto ICE detention center

At least four people have died in custody at an ICE detention facility in Adelanto, California. A recent lawsuit alleges that living conditions there are inhumane, and some are comparing the facility to "concentration camps." LAist reporter Julia Barajas has been reporting on Adelanto and takes us …

Imperfect Paradise: Looming strike, budget deficit, and superintendent under federal investigation. What it could all mean for LAUSD's 400,000 students and staff

Los Angeles Unified School District could face an open-ended strike if multiple labor deals are not made by April 14. The potential strike comes at a time when the district faces significant challenges, including a budget deficit and a superintendent under FBI investigation. LAist K-12 Education Se…

Imperfect Paradise: Whistleblower alleges manager asleep on job during Eaton Fire response. Complaint raises questions about accountability and preparedness

A whistleblower at the L.A. County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) filed a complaint alleging a colleague with a history of sleeping on the job was in charge of emergency workers sending evacuation alerts during critical moments of the Eaton Fire. LAist Climate and Environment Senior Reporter …

Imperfect Paradise: Women speak a quarter of words in the 2026 Oscars Best Picture nominated films. What that tells us about the movies Hollywood values

The Academy has historically favored men when it comes to giving out its Oscars statuettes.  Women are once again not only underrepresented among this year’s Best Picture nominees, but also fared worse than last year. Emily Tarinelli analyzed how much female characters speak across the 10 nominated…

Imperfect Paradise: Route 66 has a 100-year legacy of American road trips and expansion, but the Main Street of America had its problems too

As Route 66 celebrates its centennial anniversary, we look back at its enduring impact as an iconic road that stretched from Illinois to California — and some of its darker past. It wasn’t just a mode of transportation for family road trips. The historic route was also a primary path for Black Amer…

Imperfect Paradise: California is not tracking whether its multi-billion dollar public preschool program is working. So how do we know if it’s helping or hurting students?

California has spent billions of dollars on a free universal preschool program available to all eligible 4-year-olds in the state. However, there are no official plans in place from the state to evaluate the success of the program, also known as transitional kindergarten, or TK. LAist Early Childho…

Imperfect Paradise: Money, politics and power: Casey Wasserman remains head of LA28 Olympics despite connections to Jeffrey Epstein. What does this mean for Olympics planning?

LA 2028 Olympics head Casey Wasserman is facing growing pressure to resign from his post after recently released Epstein files revealed emails Wasserman exchanged with Ghislaine Maxwell. The board behind LA28 — the private planning committee in charge of organizing the 2028 Games— has voted to keep…

Imperfect Paradise: Inside an Orange County immigration court. What it reveals about the Trump Administration’s changing policies

As the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown continues, we explore what’s happening on the legal side of immigration enforcement. A group of court observers at Santa Ana Immigration Court is trying to help immigrants and asylum-seekers who appear there get a fair shot under the law. LAist O…

Imperfect Paradise: After disasters, California mandates timely reports. Why it matters that more than 100 of them are years overdue

Catastrophic fires are becoming more and more common across California. After-action reports about the fires and other disasters can help officials prevent past mistakes. But the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, or CalOES, has failed to deliver legally mandated reports on time fo…

Imperfect Paradise: A Cambodian Genocide survivor was undergoing the legal immigration process and had protections against deportation. So why was she detained by ICE indefinitely?

Sithy Yi and her family fled Cambodia to the U.S. following the takeover of their home country by the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. But Yi’s visa application process has taken years, and despite complying with ICE, she’s been detained. LAist Watchdog Correspondent Jordan Rynning joins us to breakdown …