New year, new season. We had planned to be on hiatus this week. But as the one-year anniversary of the Eaton Fire arrived, so did a flood of media coverage, public events, and major developments that made it clear we needed to get back into the studio. We recorded two back-to-back episodes, that both run a little long — just under an hour — so thank you, as always, for staying with us.

We open with a wide-ranging media roundup, as Altadena and the Eaton Fire were covered across nearly every major outlet imaginable. We focus on a few key pieces that included quotes from Steve and/or me, including coverage in the Los Angeles Times, Politico, and The Economist and talk through what that attention means for our community and for the larger accountability fight.

We also share our own writing and reflections on the one-year anniversary, and review several of the major events that marked the day. We discuss the county’s official anniversary event at Grocery Outlet, which brought out a familiar lineup for speeches and photo ops, followed by the deeply moving community vigil organized by Altadena Rising at Fair Oaks Burger, which offered a far more grounded and meaningful moment of remembrance.

Earlier that day, I was in the Palisades speaking on behalf of Altadena at the “They Let Us Burn” rally, alongside Westside fire survivors who, like so many in Altadena, have become organizers out of necessity, working without funding out of their own pockets. The rally featured speakers including Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt (who announced his run for mayor against Karen Bass there) and former LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva. Interesting bedfellows to say the least. 

We also talk about the growing visibility and actions of the Altadena for Accountability coalition, including the banner drop at the Rose Parade, the community-centered message at the Altadena Forever Run, and a quiet but powerful silent demonstration at the Grocery Outlet anniversary event.

And we touch on the role of state leadership during the anniversary week. Governor Gavin Newsom did travel to Southern California for the one-year mark of the fires, but did not appear in either Altadena or the Palisades, instead attending a tightly controlled, closed-door event away from the communities still living with the consequences of what happened.

We close the episode with an unplanned and emotional conversation about the ongoing toll this fire continues to take, as our community mourns yet another life lost. Even a year later, the impacts of January 7 are not behind us. They are just unfolding.

Small Business Shout-Out

This week’s small business shout-out is a little different. Instead of featuring just one spot, I direct listeners to a comprehensive guide I created covering Altadena’s restaurants and food businesses, along with several closely connected, fire-impacted businesses outside of Altadena