Jacob Margolis

3 weeks ago | laist.com | Jacob Margolis

Only 7% of LAist readers currently donate to fund our journalism. Help raise that number, so our nonprofit newsroom stays strong in the face of federal cuts. Donate now. Thunder, lightning and hail: More than 160 lightning strikes were recorded between 2:30 and 3:30 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. Pea sized hail and intense downpours are possible across the greater L.A. area.

3 weeks ago | laist.com | Jacob Margolis

Only 7% of LAist readers currently donate to fund our journalism. Help raise that number, so our nonprofit newsroom stays strong in the face of federal cuts. Donate now. Symptoms: Indicators of sweet orange scab include pustules on leaves that initially look like water spots and scabs on young fruit that can spread and eventually crack. While the inside of the fruit might be OK, SOS can lead to premature fruit drop and limit the growth of young trees.

4 weeks ago | laist.com | Jacob Margolis

On an early May morning, heavy equipment began scraping a property across the street from Kari Toth’s home in Palmdale, kicking up clouds of dust. " It was basically enveloping our houses," Toth said. "We're like … there's something wrong here."The parcel, just about 1,500 feet from the California Aqueduct, is owned by L.A. County. The heavy equipment was from county Public Works, and workers were grading the site, which was covered in native desert scrub.

1 month ago | laist.com | Jacob Margolis

The risk of fires across Southern and Central California is growing, as increasingly dries out fuels following a . Grasses are still green along the coast but have begun to dry to concerning levels farther inland. And that’s a growing concern from the San Fernando Valley all the way up to the Sierra foothills in Merced County. That’s right on time for this part of the year, said Drew Smith, fire behavior analyst for the L.A. County Fire Department.

1 month ago | laist.com | Jacob Margolis

Why it matters: U.S. Forest Service investigators concluded that the fire started when a tree came into contact with a power line owned by Edison and that vegetation around the power line had not been properly maintained. The fire destroyed 171 structures and caused more than $100 million in damage. The settlement: Edison will need to pay the full $82.5 million before to July 14. The company does not have to admit fault or wrongdoing.