Francine Kiefer

2 weeks ago | csmonitor.com | Francine Kiefer

Immigration is Donald Trump’s signature issue. It propelled him from Trump Tower to the Oval Office in 2016 and, along with the economy, again in 2024. But a question looms over his recent actions in Los Angeles: Will they cement his support as a can-do president on immigration? Or will he lose supporters due to overreach?

3 weeks ago | csmonitor.com | Francine Kiefer

The march toward electric cars in the United States took a U-turn in May when the Senate voted to revoke California’s electric vehicle mandate. And it’s not just about California. The move also applies to nearly a dozen states in step with the Golden State’s zero-emissions requirement, set to start phasing in next year. President Trump has promised to sign the congressional action into law. And as soon as he does, California says, it will sue.

1 month ago | csmonitor.com | Francine Kiefer

For years, the Los Angeles County jail has been known as the United States’ largest mental health institution. An astonishing 5,901 people – nearly half of its population – struggle with mental health issues. In some parts of the jail, incarcerated individuals in quilted robes are chained to metal tables so they can’t harm themselves or others. For years, the U.S. Department of Justice has been monitoring the jail system – also the nation’s largest – to assess its mental health care.

1 month ago | csmonitor.com | Francine Kiefer

Margot Stueber, upbeat in her sporty sunglasses and hot-pink sweater, broke ground on her new home this week – the first to do so in this community that lost nearly 6,000 homes to the January wildfires that ravaged Greater Los Angeles. It’s a milestone, marking the remarkably quick clearing of lots and the start of the next phase of recovery and rebuilding. “Today is the first day of my new life,” she enthused to reporters gathered at a ribbon cutting on her cleared dirt lot.

2 months ago | csmonitor.com | Francine Kiefer

It was his late wife’s favorite tree – a stunning jacaranda, tall and full, that produced a mass of violet-colored blossoms every spring. In Southern California, the joyful “jacs” are the equivalent of cherry trees in other climes. On a recent afternoon, however, Altadena homeowner Jamie is learning that the beloved tree did not survive the deadly Eaton Fire, one of two highly destructive wildfires that roared through Los Angeles County this past January.