The Leonard Files

Rick Caruso says the City isn’t moving fast enough, and says with or without official approval — he’s trying to solve the problems facing fire victims. From organizing wholesale purchases of construction supplies to developing engineering plans for underground power lines, Caruso says he’s committed to rebuilding faster than many expected. Thanks for listening to The Leonard Files – Stay with us as we uncover

the investigations from some of LA’s most challenging and intriguing

moments. Subscribe now so you don’t miss the next episode of The Leonard

Files.

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Paradise, California says it’s making progress restoring the town that was wiped-out in the 2018 Camp Fire, but the mayor, who visited Altadena this week, says it could take 20 years to fully rebuild. Also, LA’s City Attorney sues alleged price-gouging landlords, and LA Mayor Karen Bass’ text messages from January 7 were ‘re-discovered’ by her office. Thanks for listening to The Leonard Files – Stay with us as we uncover

the investigations from some of LA’s most challenging and intriguing

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The City of LA has struggled to nab thousands of drivers who cause hit and run collisions each year. Although the number of serious hit and runs declined in early 2025, including those that caused deaths, data from the LAPD shows fewer than 2% of hit and run reports lead to arrests. Thanks for listening to The Leonard Files – Stay with us as we uncover

the investigations from some of LA’s most challenging and intriguing

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Hundreds of Pacific Palisades fire victims have joined lawsuits against the City of Los Angeles and the Department of Water and Power. The cases, in general, seek to blame the DWP for the failure of the water system and the resulting loss of their homes and businesses. One case makes a new accusation — that there were multiple sources of ignition during the Palisades Fire. Thanks for listening to The Leonard Files – Stay with us as we uncover

the investigations from some of LA’s most challenging and intriguing

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How will the city of Los Angeles stay afloat in 2025? Amid a massive budget deficit, the city is considering layoffs, spending millions on fire recovery and planning to spend even more money rebuilding the Los Angeles Fire Department after years of under-funding its infrastructure. Thanks for listening to The Leonard Files – Stay with us as we uncover

the investigations from some of LA’s most challenging and intriguing

moments. Subscribe now so you don’t miss the next episode of The Leonard

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LAPD officers were involved in more vehicle pursuits in 2024 than anytime in recent years, and with them, so have the number of innocent motorists and pedestrians injured by accidents caused by the pursuits. The LAPD and its Board of Police Commissioners has been mulling over the data for years, considering adding more restrictions on when officers are allowed to chase suspected criminals. Thanks for listening to The Leonard Files – Stay with us as we uncover

the investigations from some of LA’s most challenging and intriguing

moments. Subscribe now so you don’t miss the next episode of The Leonard

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Palisades Fire victims are being urged to make decisions about debris cleanup ASAP, and attorney Mike Artinian, of the law firm BRIDGFORD, GLEASON & ARTINIAN, discusses why new court-approved inspections of the electrical equipment in Eaton Canyon may reveal new evidence of the cause of the Eaton Fire. Artinian represents the lead plaintiff, a fire victim, in the now-consolidated lawsuits that say Southern California Edison should be liable for the damage caused by the Eaton Fire. Thanks for listening to The Leonard Files – Stay with us as we uncover

the investigations from some of LA’s most challenging and intriguing

moments. Subscribe now so you don’t miss the next episode of The Leonard

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Federal prosecutors say an alleged leader of a multi-generational gang in South Los Angeles ran a “mafia-like” organization that was tied to a variety of crimes. A criminal complaint made public this week accused Eugene Henley, Jr., known as “Big U,” redirected hundreds of thousands of dollars out of his non-profit groups — and into his personal bank accounts. Henley, Jr. denies it, and surrendered to authorities Wednesday. Thanks for listening to The Leonard Files – Stay with us as we uncover

the investigations from some of LA’s most challenging and intriguing

moments. Subscribe now so you don’t miss the next episode of The Leonard

Files.

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Why weren't those high-voltage transmission lines switched-off — on the night of the Eaton Fire?

The frequency of wind speed measurements in Eaton Canyon may have played a role in Southern California Edison's decision -not- to de-energize high voltage transmission lines on the night the Eaton Fire ignited. A state agency had suggested minute-by-minute monitoring, so utility operators could determine if gusts threatened the safety of power equipment.

Edison says its standards are in compliance with state rules:

"Safety and continuous improvement are key values at SCE, so when those issues were flagged by OEIS in 2022, we worked to mitigate them. OEIS was satisfied with our disposition of these issues when they approved our 2023-2025 Wildfire Mitigation Plan," an SCE spokesman told NBC. Thanks for listening to The Leonard Files – Stay with us as we uncover

the investigations from some of LA’s most challenging and intriguing

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The investigation into the cause of the Eaton Fire is circling-in on the possibility an unused, or "decommissioned," power line in the Angeles National Forest, might have become momentarily energized during the high winds on the night the fire ignited. Clues from cell phone and security video, along with official statements from Southern California Edison, seem to raise the possibility. We talk with NBC Bay Area investigative reporter Jaxon Van Derbeken about the electrical theory, the history of electrically-caused wildfires in California, and why unused power transmission circuits are still suspended across high-fire-danger areas. Thanks for listening to The Leonard Files – Stay with us as we uncover

the investigations from some of LA’s most challenging and intriguing

moments. Subscribe now so you don’t miss the next episode of The Leonard

Files.

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