Los Angeles Public Press

10/01/2025

A three-story building looms large among rumbling factories and warehouses in industrial Vernon. Long, vertical, tinted windows with green outlines punctuate the two-acre structure’s grey and white facade — all in the service of keeping its tenants cool inside. Its tenants aren’t people, but giant servers, storage drives and networking equipment.

If you have ever used ChatGPT to write an essay or indulged in TikTok’s latest trend using Google Gemini to create AI-images of yourself with a loved one, you have relied on data centers that serve AI companies.

Data centers like Prime Data Center in Vernon have been popping up all over the country, fueled by the tech industry’s insatiable need for cloud computing services that allow them to host and process enormous amounts of information.

Los Angeles has been no exception. There are 71 data centers scattered across the county. Vernon, a 5-square-mile chunk of southeast Los Angeles with a population of only 222 residents, already houses at least one and is about to get another.

Around the country, residents and local officials have struggled with whether to welcome data centers, expressing concerns about the volume of water and electricity that AI data centers use. But Vernon has seemingly welcomed the new businesses.

Data centers across the U.S. directly consume roughly 17.5 billion gallons of water and represent 4.4% of total electricity consumption, according to a report by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

To learn more, read the full story by Ashley Orona () via the link in the bio or at LAPublicPress.org.

10/01/2025

The AI data center boom comes to Vernon.

While nationwide, neighborhoods have fought to keep the electricity- and water-hungry data centers away, Vernon is welcoming another data center, seemingly without opposition.

While nationwide, neighborhoods have fought to keep the electricity- and water-hungry data centers away, Vernon is welcoming another data center, seemingly without opposition.

09/30/2025

Forget the feds, California has its own vaccine guidance and delivery plan

Who is eligible for flu, COVID-19 and RSV shots, and where to get them? Here are the details.

09/30/2025

Los Angeles families are bracing for flu, COVID-19 and RSV season. Meanwhile the federal government’s health agencies are sending mixed signals over who is eligible for what preventative vaccines.

California also has its own guidance and delivery plan for vaccines.

Who is eligible for flu, COVID-19 and RSV shots, and where can they get them?

To learn more, read the full story by Susana Canales Barrón () via the link in our bio or at LAPublicPress.org.

09/29/2025

USC officials weighed halting sexual assault investigation if professor left — emails reveal.

The professor — accused by multiple students — agreed to retire early if the Title IX investigation was dropped. Then one student sued.

The professor — accused by multiple students — agreed to retire early if the Title IX investigation was dropped. Then one student sued.

09/26/2025

This weekend enjoy the dip in temperature by grabbing your bike or your dancing shoes, maybe even a sketch book because our Friday Flyer Drop is filled with dancing, art gatherings and bike rides all over the county.
As always every event included in our drop is completely FREE to attend. For more details about each event visit the accounts tagged on each flyer.
Stay safe and we love you LA 🤗💕

09/26/2025

LA DJs organize protest rave over Boiler Room’s controversial new ownership.

After the global music platform was bought by a firm with alleged ties to Israeli weapons funding, Hood Rave organized a fundraiser rave that was forced to relocate mid-event but still packed the house.

After the global music platform was bought by a firm with alleged ties to Israeli weapons funding, Hood Rave organized a fundraiser rave that was forced to relocate mid-event but still packed the house.

09/26/2025

LA Metro Board member wants a plan for ICE on transit as reinstated bus drivers fight for back pay. A federal transit agency on Thursday called Metro’s decision to reinstate the two fired bus drivers “disgraceful’ and suggested the move undermines public safety.

A federal transit agency on Thursday called Metro’s decision to reinstate the two fired bus drivers “disgraceful’ and suggested the move undermines public safety.

09/26/2025

There are 221 urban farms and community gardens — where plants and produce can be cultivated individually or collectively — across LA County, according to a mapping project undertaken by Aaron Fox and other researchers at Cal Poly Pomona in 2021.

A separate USC study found that in 2024, about one-quarter of LA County residents struggled to put food on their table. And with federal lawmakers slashing funding to food stamps, the need could increase.

LA Public Press visited four urban farms, Compton Community Garden, Shift Our Ways Collective, Alma Backyard Farms and Crop Swap LA, all of which were founded in the last 13 years. We interviewed their leaders to learn about how they’re using their farms to shift people’s relationships to food and community.

Read the full story by Phoenix Tso () via the link in the bio or go to LAPublicPress.org

09/26/2025

These LA backyard farms could help remake the U.S. food system.
Urban agriculture could address hunger on a large scale with the right support.

Urban agriculture could address hunger on a large scale with the right support.

09/24/2025

Results from multiple testing programs show hundreds of properties still have elevated levels of lead in areas within and around the Eaton Fire burn zone.

The latest results from the Los Angeles County’s Department of Public Health’s Eaton Fire Soil Lead testing, which relies on residents near the fire zone to collect and submit soil samples, found that 571 properties had lead levels between 81 and 200 parts per million (ppm). Some sampled properties turned up even more alarming results.

Lead exposure at those levels can cause premature birth and serious effects in a developing fetus, and behavioral and learning problems in children, according to the public health department.

Over 1,500 samples as of Aug. 31 were submitted for testing, but the reported results come from five zip codes in the Altadena and Pasadena neighborhoods of North Arroyo and Linda Vista.

To learn more, read the full story by Ashley Orona () via the link in the bio or at LAPublicPress.org.

09/24/2025

Hundreds of Eaton fire area homes still have high lead levels in soil, new testing shows.
A local coalition steps in to help provide education and soil remediation support.

A local coalition steps in to help provide education and soil remediation support.