Torres: Pentagon Inspector General Confirms Troops Served Unsafe Food During LA Deployment
U.S. Rep. Norma Torres (D-Pomona/La Verne/San Dimas) announced this week that the Department of Defense Inspector General has substantiated whistleblower complaints she raised in July 2025 regarding unsafe conditions for National Guard troops and Marines deployed to Los Angeles — specifically confirming that service members were served unsafe and unsanitary food during the deployment.
Torres said she raised the complaints after hearing directly from whistleblowers about conditions including unsafe food, lack of clean water, and unsanitary living conditions. The IG’s findings confirm the food safety concerns, raising questions about how the food contract was awarded and whether proper procurement procedures were followed.
“These findings show just how unprepared the Department of Defense was for this mobilization, because it was a task they should not have been asked to do in the first place,” Torres said. “We ask our service members to put their lives on the line for our country. The bare minimum we owe them is safe food, clean water, and dignified living conditions. Anything less is a failure of leadership.”
Torres pledged to continue demanding accountability from the Pentagon and said the findings raise broader concerns about military operational readiness and contracting oversight.
“Oversight is not optional,” she said.
Mitchell Moves to Coordinate Countywide Response to Flea-Borne Typhus Outbreak
Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell (D-Inglewood/Compton/Willowbrook) is bringing a motion to today’s Board of Supervisors meeting directing multiple county departments to mount a coordinated response to a flea-borne typhus outbreak centered in Willowbrook and other unincorporated areas of LA County.
Flea-borne typhus — a bacterial infection spread by fleas carried by rats, opossums and other urban wildlife — has been a recurring public health concern across LA County, particularly in communities with high concentrations of homeless encampments and areas where trash accumulation and rodent activity create conditions for transmission. Several municipalities across the region have reported elevated case counts in recent months.
The motion directs the Department of Public Health to lead a multi-agency effort involving Public Works, Animal Care and Control, and Homeless Services and Housing to identify and prioritize encampment sanitation needs, reduce food sources that attract typhus-carrying animals, enhance flea control efforts in impacted areas, and communicate prevention steps to residents, business owners and local schools.
Public Works is specifically directed to keep streets free of trash, maintain vegetation, remove cast-off items and eliminate rodent burrows in planters along streets and sidewalks in affected unincorporated areas.
All departments are directed to report back to the Board in writing within 90 days on their respective efforts.
Horvath Convenes Fox Studios Meeting to Keep Baywatch Production in Los Angeles
Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath (D-West Hollywood/Santa Monica/Malibu) convened a meeting Friday at Fox Studios with local leaders and producers from FOX and Fremantle to resolve logistical challenges threatening the production of the rebooted Baywatch series at Venice Beach — and announced she will introduce a motion at today’s Board of Supervisors meeting to allow limited drone filming within designated times and locations.
The meeting produced several concrete outcomes. Fremantle will request an amendment to its Coastal Development Permit to allow more flexible production hours, with revisions expected to be considered by the California Coastal Commission at its May meeting. Parking access in the coastal area will be expanded, and a dedicated on-site concierge contact will be established to streamline real-time communication between the production team, FilmLA, and county departments. Production will remain based at Venice Beach with additional LA County beaches added to the filming schedule.
“Bringing Baywatch back to Los Angeles is not just important — it’s essential to sustaining our local economy and reinforcing our position as the global capital of the entertainment industry,” Horvath said. “Today’s meeting delivered clear progress: we aligned on necessary updates to the Coastal Development Permit, strengthened coordination across agencies, and identified additional pathways to ensure Baywatch thrives in Venice and across Los Angeles County beaches.”
Los Angeles City Councilmember Traci Park, whose district includes Venice Beach, pushed back on reports the production was considering leaving.
“Despite the rumors, Baywatch was never leaving Venice or Los Angeles,” Park said. “The City, County, and production team are deeply committed to the success of this marquee effort.”
Raman Moves to Add Security at Runyon Canyon After Reports of Violence
Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman (D-Hollywood/Los Feliz/Silver Lake) is bringing a motion to the full Council today that would allocate $25,000 to hire two security officers at Runyon Canyon Park from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. — a response to mounting complaints about violence and safety at one of LA’s most heavily used hiking destinations.
The motion, co-introduced with Councilmember Curren Price (D-South Los Angeles), would transfer funds from the Council District 4 portion of the General City Purposes Fund to the Recreation and Parks Department for a contract with Allied Universal Security or another approved agency.
The move comes amid growing frustration from Runyon Canyon regulars who say the park has become dangerous after dark. The California Post reported this week that hikers have documented brush fires sparked by suspected arsonists and a series of violent encounters at the site. The security proposal has drawn skepticism from some, who note the city recently spent $1 million on two restrooms at the park while allocating only $25,000 for safety.
“Danger doesn’t run on a schedule,” hiker Shira Astrof told the Post. “You get a smart arsonist, they go at 2 a.m. when no one’s there.”
