#southern-california

#southern-california

First came the heavy winter rains that soaked the soil. Then, the sunny weather not too hot, but just warm enough to fuel the growth. A few more winter rainfalls and Southern California could be ripe for an epic wildflower season in the coming weeks and months. And when they bloom the vibrant colors popping from rolling hills as far as the eye can see thousands of people are bound to seek out their beauty, if past years are any indication.

Junior Kaleena Smith of Ontario Christian has upped her scoring average this season. She's No. 2 in the state with an average of 32.8 points a game. Virtually any college team in the country would welcome her with open arms. There's others making an impact in the scoring department this season, according to stats posted on MaxPreps.com. Aryanna Reyes of Whittier Pioneer is at 30.1 points for 14 games. Leqi Zhen of L.A. Lincoln is averaging 28.9 points in 10 games.

They were just scared actually - just in fear for their lives. They didn't know what was happening,

After weeks of persistent rain, Southern California's drizzle ends Tuesday, ushering in dry conditions and warmer temperatures for the coming weeks. Southern California has experienced record rainfall since October, with downtown Los Angeles already receiving 14.11 inches - nearly 10 inches above normal for the period. Santa Ana winds are expected this weekend, but fire danger remains low because the region's soils are saturated from recent storms.

California's wet winter continued Sunday with the heaviest rain expected in the afternoon and evening, and more rain forecast for Monday before it tapers off Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. Los Angeles and Ventura county coastal and valley regions could receive roughly half an inch to an inch more rain, with mountain areas getting one to two additional inches Sunday, officials said. The next two days will be lighter, said Robbie Munroe, a meteorologist at the weather service office in Oxnard.

Southern California is in for an intense douse of heavy rainfall, strong winds and major snow over the Christmas holiday, a combination that forecasters say has the potential for life-threatening flooding and mudslides, among other risks. The excessive rainfall also has the potential to raise the dangers associated with flash flooding, according to the National Weather Service. "These [high-risk] days correspond to about two out of every five flood-related fatalities and a significant majority of all flood-related property losses in the contiguous United States,"

The FBI and multiple Los Angeles law enforcement agencies held a joint press conference Monday to announce that they'd disrupted a Southern California bomb plot planned for New Year's Eve, according to PBS. Four suspects were allegedly testing their bombs in San Bernardino County this past Friday, as seen below in FBI surveillance footage, and SFGate reports they were planning to detonate the bombs in at least five different Southern California locations on New Year's Eve.

Southern California is a great place to slurp ramen, according to Yelp, which released its list of Top 100 Ramen Shops for 2025 on Thursday, Dec. 11. Four Los Angeles County eateries made it into the top 20. Bincho in Tarzana tops the list. It opened in 2024 in space formerly occupied by Keitaro's Kitchen, a Japanese restaurant with the same chef, Toshiro Tagami. The results are based on Yelp data, which include the number of reviews and the ratings that reviewers give them.

In Orange County, a possible tornado or waterspout moved ashore around 10:15 p.m. Thursday in the eastern Dana Point Harbor, a witness reported to the National Weather Service. The wind "lofted a 12-foot segment of chain link fence with privacy fabric and threw it 70 feet across parking lot," the weather service said. There were numerous calls of flooding in the city of Westminster, police said, where an astonishing 1.84 inches of rain fell in a single hour,

For Michael Carrozzo, leadership isn't about titles or recognition, It's about showing up every day with purpose. "You don't wait for opportunity," he says. "You create it through consistency." From growing up in Southern California to serving as a Major in the U.S. Army, Carrozzo's story is about discipline, adaptability, and staying true to what matters. His approach to life blends focus and humility, forged through years of service and strengthened by hobbies that keep him grounded.

1. SIERRA CANYON: Trailblazers can go 10 deep and have elite trio of Maximo Adams, Brandon McCoy and Brannon Martinsen. 2. SANTA MARGARITA: Four returning starters, led by Georgia Tech commit Kaiden Baley. 3. HARVARD-WESTLAKE: The Wolverines always find a way to improve in the offseasn when top players graduate, and this season will be no different as Pierce Thompson becomes the latest new star.

Finding one can be fatal, whether she's in the mood or not. Females are known to snack on their suitors. "If the female is not receptive, you better run," said Rodrigo Monjaraz Ruedas, assistant curator of entomology for the Natural History Museum of L.A. County. "Even if the female is receptive and they mate - after they mate, the male needs to be really fast and sneaky because otherwise the female can also eat the male as well."

The storm dumped inches of rain on the San Bernardino County mountains and foothills and unleashed a torrent of mud, rocks and trees, particularly in burn scars near Oak Glen and Forest Falls. In the end, three homes were destroyed and more than a dozen other homes, businesses and outbuildings were damaged, according to the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District.

By Thursday morning, much of Southern California had already recorded some measurable rainfall, while a few inland areas were experiencing minor flooding that officials warned could get worse and spread. Much of the region remains under a flood watch through early Friday. "As the day wears on ... we could definitely start getting those heavier showers and thunderstorms developing," said Rich Thompson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. "Some areas will have a lot of rain."

UCLA researchers analyzed hundreds of water systems across six counties in Southern California. They found that in Los Angeles County, average household water bills climbed nearly 60% from 2015 to 2025, faster than inflation. Kern County systems had more than 1,500 violations in the last decade. Over the last decade, water bills in Los Angeles County have risen nearly 60% on average, outpacing inflation and adding to financial strain for low-income households, according to a UCLA report.

A new tropical storm has formed in the Pacific Ocean, potentially bringing dangerous winds, rain and floods as it rolls up the West Coast. The 13th named storm of the Pacific hurricane season has been dubbed Mario, and was called a 'mini' tropical storm by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) on Friday. The storm currently has sustained winds of approximately 40 mph and is expected to impact southern Mexico through the weekend before moving further up the coast, closer to the US border.

Taco Bell has converted two of its Southern California restaurants into Live Más Cafés, its new beverage concept. The restaurants are at 4101 Campus Drive, Irvine, and 11688 Carmel Mountain Road, San Diego. The Irvine restaurant will celebrate its grand opening 1-4 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 16, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, coffee cup sketch artist, complimentary beverages and more, according to a news release.

Several law enforcement agencies worked together to take down the theft crew through "Operation Kill Switch," which arrested 14 people on Aug. 14, nine of whom have since been charged. The criminal enterprise was allegedly led by David Ahl of Woodland Hills, who now faces 45 felony counts, including conspiracy, organized retail theft, grand theft, receiving stolen property and money laundering, prosecutors said. If convicted as charged, he faces up to 32 years in prison.

Cut from the Madison Junior High basketball team, I discovered writing for the school newspaper offered more power and influence than sitting on a bench. Everyone likes to see their name mentioned, so now I knew I had a big responsibility going forward. It was the time of Watergate and new heroes such as journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein uncovering corruption at the highest level, inspiring future journalists. While attending Poly High in Sun Valley, Pete Kokon, the sports editor of the San Fernando Sun, offered to pay me $15 a week to write a story about high school sports.

Since July 25, Bird Rescue has received about 20 gulls exhibiting symptoms. Sick gulls arrive with dehydration, difficulty standing, paralysis, confusion, and respiratory distress. Some are dead.

When I saw it on the beach, I instantly knew what it was, but I was in complete shock. I would never expect to see one washed up in San Diego. The odds of that are so slim.

Studio Mediterranean, located inside the Montage resort, offers a high-end Greek seafood menu created by Chef Dennis Efthymiou, featuring fresh fish and locally sourced produce.