On this episode the bit dog always squeals — and this time it’s coming straight from Sacramento. Governor Newsom’s last-minute legislation, SB 254, quietly lets Southern California Edison further off the hook, shifting more of the recovery burden back onto fire victims. And while some of our elected representatives claim they “didn’t know” this would happen… They knew.

Today SCE dropped its final Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program Protocol. With fifty-plus red-line changes, the offer somehow managed to get worse than the original draft. We always expected pennies on the dollar, but this latest version — released after “community feedback sessions” — is even harder to swallow.

As our Beautiful Altadena attorney Kipp Mueller told The New York Times today:

“In almost every case, it’s pennies on the dollar of what we likely — though there’s not certainty — will be able to recover otherwise.”

If you’re uninsured and need quick relief, this may be a path worth considering. But for everyone else, don’t waste your time. Buckle down with your trusted attorneys. The fight isn’t over.

Meanwhile, LA County quietly paid its CEO $2 million in an unreported settlement — a story first broken by LAist and later confirmed as a buy-off. For fire victims wondering where our public dollars go, there’s one answer.

And this episode's small business shout-outs go to:

• George’s Liquor — now reopened with limited hours at Lincoln & Altadena. Find them online @georges.liquor.altadena
• Altadena Cookie Co. — now with a brick-and-mortar home of their own that soft opened today at Lincoln & Altadena, adjacent Unincorporated Coffee and George's and Lucy's. Follow them online @altadenacookieco
• Ganahl Lumber’s Contractor’s Desk — always gracious and community-minded and a nice alternative to Home Depot @ganahllumberco