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Eric Licas

@ericlicas.bsky.social

Janitor turned journalist based in Southern California. Current and past bylines with the Daily Pilot, South Pasadena Review and Orange County Register.

1276 Posts104 Follower64 Folgt
Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Danny Goodwin grew up riding and helped start the training program after one of the Shea Center’s horses fell down a ravine and got hurt. The OCFA battalion chief led that rescue and realized some firefighters had never encountered a horse in person before. www.latimes.com/socal/daily-...

Firefighters become horse whisperers at San Juan Capistrano training program

Noting some firefighters may not have every worked with a horse before, OCFA Battalion Chief Danny Goodwin helped start a training program on how to handle equines needing rescue or evacuation.

latimes.com

Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 7mo ago

via Norberto Santana Jr. California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed the agency “is currently conducting an investigation into complaints of potential violations of the Fish and Game Code in San Juan Creek,” according to a CDFW spokesman. voiceofoc.org/2026/04/sant...

Santana: Herbicide Use Near Doheny Beach Triggers State Probe

Recent investigations and permit reviews into the spraying of herbicides in the San Juan Creek highlights a patchwork of oversight when it comes to watchdogging local waterways.

voiceofoc.org

Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 7mo ago

via Isaiah Murtaugh “We have serious and growing concerns about whether workers and Angelenos will be treated fairly and share meaningfully in the economic benefits of this tournament,” Unite Here Local 11 co-president Kurt Petersen said. thelalocal.org/neighborhood...

SoFi Stadium workers are threatening to strike less than 2 months before the FIFA World Cup | LA Local

Unite Here Local 11 represents 2,000 cooks, bartenders, dishwashers and servers at the Inglewood stadium. SoFi Stadium workers are threatening to strike less than 2 months before the FIFA World Cup

thelalocal.org

Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 7mo ago

The remodeled skate park will feature a clover pool, new street elements like rails and a manual pad, a snake run and a concrete pump track. It will also include new fencing and additional street lights so the park remains usable after dark. www.latimes.com/socal/daily-...

New concrete pump track, snake run, clover pool coming to Costa Mesa's Skate Park

Work on a $2.9-million expansion of one of Orange County's most popular skate parks is expected to begin in May, following unanimous approval by Costa Mesa's City Council.

latimes.com

Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 7mo ago

via Tristan Longwell "We have more regulations in place for newsstands that are obsolete now on our books than we have about ... an automated, unmanned commercial activity on our sidewalks," Councilmember Ardy Kassakhian said. outlooknewspapers.com/glendalenews...

Glendale Considers Moratorium on Robot Delivery Devices

Delivery robots may soon be directed to power down and out of Glendale if the city council chooses to enact a moratorium on the delivery robots. City staff is reviewing

outlooknewspapers.com

Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 7mo ago

via the Burbank Leader Applications are open to artists 18 and older. Submissions are due by May 1 at 5 p.m. Selected artist will be announced by May 29, with the final design planned to be unveiled to the public during the Burbank Book Festival on Oct. 3. outlooknewspapers.com/burbankleade...

Library Seeks Artist for Bookmobile

With the unveiling of its new Bookmobile coming this month, the Burbank Public Library is seeking artists to design a bold, original exterior wrap for it.

outlooknewspapers.com

Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 7mo ago

via Matt Szabo The auditorium opened in 1926 on the campus of Huntington Beach High School and has hosted thousands of performances, along with assemblies and awards ceremonies for schools districtwide. www.latimes.com/socal/daily-...

Huntington Beach district auditorium to celebrate 100 years with birthday show

The Huntington Beach Union High School District will celebrate 100 years of performances with "A Century of Stars and Stories" on April 18.

latimes.com

Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 7mo ago

via David Folkenflik and Scott Neuman Judge Randolph D. Moss said "the 1st Amendment draws a line, which the government may not cross, at efforts to use government power – including the power of the purse – 'to punish or suppress disfavored expression.'" www.npr.org/2026/03/31/n...

Federal judge finds Trump violated free speech by ordering NPR defunded

A U.S. District Court judge found that President Trump's executive order calling for the defunding of NPR and PBS violated the First Amendment.

npr.org

Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 7mo ago

via Sarah Mosqueda U-pick experiences are available Fridays through Sundays and begin at the Ecology Center grandstand, where the team shares how berries grown on the property are farmed without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides. www.latimes.com/socal/daily-...

Strawberry Fields Forever: How the Ecology Center turns strawberry season into a teaching moment

The San Juan Capistrano regenerative organic farm uses the U-Pick experience to dig into what makes a happy harvest.

latimes.com

Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 7mo ago

"This isn’t us saying we want to walk away," Costa Mesa Councilwoman Andrea Marr told the Daily Pilot. "This is us saying we’ve got some things we have to fix.” www.latimes.com/socal/daily-...

Costa Mesa gives Priceless Pets command to open new veterinary facility in 60 days

A March 19 letter penned by Costa Mesa Police Chief Joyce LaPointe highlighted a series of compliance issues and gave the nonprofit 60 days to correct them. But Priceless Pets' owner says she needs mo...

latimes.com

Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 7mo ago

via Khari Johnson "Californians deserve to know whether fusion centers are serving their intended counterterrorism purpose or whether they have become unaccountable surveillance infrastructure operating in the shadow,” said CA Sen. Sabrina Cervantes. calmatters.org/economy/tech...

Are your local cops telling ICE about you? California is now investigating

The state will audit three of its federally-funded fusion centers amid concerns about violations of civil liberties and privacy.

calmatters.org

Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 7mo ago

ICYMI “Having had the opportunity to be in countries which had massive surveillance systems and see what happened with the dossiers that they kept on people, if you ever spent time in those places, you would be chilled by it,” Mayor Sheila Rossi said. outlooknewspapers.com/southpasaden...

South Pasadena Ditches Flock Cameras on Data Safety Concerns

South Pasadena has cut ties with Flock Safety cameras after audits revealed out-of-state agencies exploited a system feature to access local surveillance data in other cities across the state amid

outlooknewspapers.com

Gabriel San Román@gsanroman2.bsky.social · 7mo ago

NEW: According to OC Sheriff’s Department data, 271 inmates were transferred to ICE last year. The annual Truth Act forum did not include a presentation on the stats by OC Sheriff Don Barnes or comments from three county supervisors. www.latimes.com/socal/daily-...

O.C. Sheriff's Department transferred more inmates to ICE in 2025 than year prior

The Orange County Sheriff's Department reported 271 transfers to Immigration and Customs Enforcement in 2025 during a state-required forum held Tuesday at the County Board of Supervisors meeting.

latimes.com

Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 7mo ago

"There is so much wonderful variety in contemporary poetry, and so much of it is so accessible and just speaks how you speak with your friends," Danielle Hanson said. "There’s beautiful stuff out there that I think most people don’t know is out there.” www.latimes.com/socal/daily-...

Poetry plays a concrete role in the revitalization of Costa Mesa's Brentwood Park

Visitors to newly renovated Brentwood Park will find poems pressed into newly lain sidewalks. The verses are part of a sidewalk poetry project envisioned by Costa Mesa's first-ever poet laureate.

latimes.com

Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 7mo ago

via the South Pasadena Review "For too long, tenants along the 710 corridor have faced unsafe housing conditions, delayed maintenance, and a confusing, inconsistent path to homeownership," Assemblymember Mike Fong said. outlooknewspapers.com/southpasaden...

Amid Local Housing Windfall, Officials Score Caltrans Audit

While the city of South Pasadena is turning a failed freeway project into a housing windfall, the same program is drawing sharp criticism from tenants and state lawmakers who say

outlooknewspapers.com

Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 7mo ago

“This is your project. This is your land,” Elizabeth Hansburg, co-founder of People for Housing — Orange County, said. “… This is a concrete thing you can do that will add units to housing stock that will be rented at below market rate for your residents." www.latimes.com/socal/daily-...

Costa Mesa approves $3.6M in additional funding for two affordable housing projects

Jamboree Housing Corporation and American Family Housing will receive more funding from the city to complete affordable housing projects, distributed in the form of 55-year loans with 3% interest rate...

latimes.com

Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 7mo ago

via Sergio Olmos and Wendy Fry At issue is whether that new rule lowers wages in a way that could ripple through the broader workforce and affect U.S. workers by driving down their pay. calmatters.org/justice/2026...

Trump administration acknowledges it needs immigrant farmworkers as it moves to cut their pay

A Trump administration policy would cut the minimum wage for immigrants with H-2A visas. A federal judge in California heard arguments in the case Wednesday

calmatters.org

Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 7mo ago

via Gabriel San Román Brian Peterson, creator of the mural featuring Chávez’s face spanning the back wall of the OC Educational Arts Academy, said “public art carries responsibility” and he'll “support a path forward that prioritizes truth, healing.” www.latimes.com/socal/daily-...

Santa Ana officials consider erasing César Chávez's name and image from public spaces

Dropping the labor leader's likeness and name from public spaces in Santa Ana is being discussed by city officials in the wake of allegations of sex abuse against minors and rape.

latimes.com

Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 7mo ago

via Brenda Fernanda Verano “This is the first time we've ever done programming for an entire month," SPARC's Sandy Kitto said. "Our goal is to shine the light on artists in and around our community ... provide a space for the community to experience more." outlooknewspapers.com/southpasaden...

South Pasadena Arts Council Brings Series of Events for Women’s History Month

This month, the South Pasadena Arts Council is celebrating women, art and creativity with numerous workshops and gatherings as part of its “Artistry Unveiled: a celebration of women artists” monthlong

outlooknewspapers.com

Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 8mo ago

via Adam Ashton This debate is possible because California prisons are holding about 70,000 fewer people than in 2011, when severe overcrowding and judicial orders compelled the Legislature to create a plan that would draw down that number. calmatters.org/justice/2026...

Newsom closed 5 California prisons. Why lawmakers might want to shut one more

The Newsom administration closed 5 state prisons, a trend enabled by declines in California's incarcerated population. It has capacity to shut one more, according to a new analysis.

calmatters.org

Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Supporters of the development say it will create homes for teachers and inject much-needed funds into NMUSD. Those opposed questioned whether district staff could afford the new homes and say ecologically and culturally sensitive land should be preserved. www.latimes.com/socal/daily-...

Plan to build 196 housing units on Newport Mesa Unified land next to preserve moves forward

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District board this week voted 4-2 to recognize Knighthall Capital LLC as the preferred bidder for a 99-year lease of an 11-acre plot, over the objections of environmen...

latimes.com

Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 8mo ago

via Gabriel San Román City Manager Simone Jurjis noted from the onset of the discussion that it wasn’t the city’s intent to raze “Bunnyhenge.” www.latimes.com/socal/daily-...

Newport Beach eyes Civic Center Park as possible new police HQ location

Councilmembers directed staff to hone in on the park--and its beloved bunny sculptures--as a potential site for a new police headquarters during a recent study session. Dozens of community members spo...

latimes.com

Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Public commenters pointed to numerous examples of misuse in addition to ICE’s unauthorized access to data recorded in California. They argued the company shouldn't be trusted to track the location of every vehicle that moves in and out of South Pasadena. outlooknewspapers.com/southpasaden...

Residents Urge South Pasadena to Cut Ties with Surveillance Company Flock Safety

South Pasadena residents concerned about potential misuse of automated license plate readers by federal immigration agents and others spoke out at the City Council’s meeting last week to urge official...

outlooknewspapers.com

Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 8mo ago

The proposed e-bike policy considered by NMUSD trustees would have prohibited children below grade three from riding pedal bicycles to school. “Children TK and second grade are not terrorizing the streets of our community,” said parent Michelle Feldman. www.latimes.com/socal/daily-...

Newport-Mesa Unified pumps brakes on new e-bike rules after residents point out flaws

The draft e-bike policy was sent back for revisions after the school board heard comments from the public during Tuesday night's meeting.

latimes.com

Eric Licas@ericlicas.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Artist Anna Berlly leads a class on painting faces to close a workshop titled Facing Fear Through Art at the South Pasadena Arts Council's gallery. Story soon via the South Pasadena Review.