Breaking News
Wildfires continue to burn through Los Angeles communities
Latest update at 2:45 P.M. PT: Zero percent containment of Pacific Palisades fire
The latest fire incident updates for the wildfires burning through Los Angeles were released early this morning, showing that the cause of fires is still under investigation and over 15,000 acres have been burned or affected due to debris and smoke, over 1,000 buildings have been destroyed, over 15,000 people have been evacuated and 5 people have been killed.
Evacuation orders are in place for parts of Eaton Canyon, Altadena, Pasadena and La Cañada Flintridge, Santa Monica, and Pacific Palisades.
Courtesy of Los Angeles Fire Department
Winds up to 60 MPH are affecting efforts to contain the wildfires and continue to help spread the fire to other locations.
Road closures in effect:
Southbound Pacific Coast Highway at Las Flores Canyon Road
Southbound Pacific Coast Highway at Topanga Canyon Boulevard
Coastline Drive and Southbound Pacific Coast Highway
Evacuation Centers are being established:
Westwood Recreation Center – 1350 South Sepulveda Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90025
El Camino Real Charter High School – 5440 Valley Circle Blvd. Woodland Hills, CA 91367
Pasadena Community Center – 300 E. Green St. Pasadena, CA 91101
Arcadia Community Center – 375 Campus Drive Arcadia CA, 91007
Evacuation center for large animals:
Los Angeles Equestrian Center – 480 Riverside Drive, Burbank, CA
Breaking News
Top California leaders respond to gender affirming care pause
Following Trump’s executive order, healthcare facilities like the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles have paused the initiation of gender-affirming treatments and St. John’s Community Health is unable to access the rest of a $4 million dollar grant to continue providing services for trans and nonbinary people.
The Children’s Hospital of LA has been known as a refuge from discrimination in a country that has set forth many restrictions for trans healthcare and other barriers for equitable access to life-saving services.
Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez (CD-13) released a statement regarding their move to pause surgeries and hormone replacement therapy.
“In Los Angeles, we won’t abandon our most vulnerable communities when they need us most. Instead of caving to Trump’s threats, we must come together, mobilize resources, and ensure every child continues to receive the care they need,” said Soto-Martinez. “We urge Children’s Hospital LA to take a stand against these hateful and illegal policies – and work with the city to ensure this critical care can continue.”
St. John’s was the first healthcare provider which reported service impacts as a result of Trump’s executive orders. On Monday, they reported that the CDC terminated a federal grant that started in 2022 through the CDC’s HIV prevention program. The grant allowed St. John’s to operate a program for transgender adults that included life-saving resources like health education, substance abuse treatment, food stamps, HIV testing and connections for social service programs.
St. John’s released a statement regarding the loss of funding, stating that they believe the revocation of the fund is in direct violation of both the law and the court of order which restored federal funding after the temporary freeze.
Other top leaders in California have also responded, reminding California hospitals and federally-funded healthcare providers that they have an ongoing obligation under California’s anti-discrimination laws to continue providing care.
California leaders support transgender youth to live as their authentic selves and they have issued reminders and notices of the state’s obligation to continue supporting patients.
“We will not let the President turn back the clock or deter us from upholding California values. I understand that the President’s executive order on gender affirming care has created some confusion,” said Att. General Bonta in a statement. “Let me be clear: California law has not changed, and hospitals and clinics have a legal obligation to provide equal access to healthcare services.”
Attorney General Bonta joined 14 other Democratic General Attorneys nationwide in defense of trans youth. Late January, Att. General Bonta and 22 other state attorneys general filed suit in federal district court to halt the federal government’s illegal efforts to freeze $3 trillion in vital federal funding.
Councilmember Ysabel Jurado stepped in to say that she stands with trans, gender diverse and intersex patients who rely on these life-saving resources.
“Everyone deserves the chance to be their most authentic selves free of persecution. Gender-affirming care is health care. To those who have had their healthcare disrupted: I stand with you. I see you. I will fight for you,” said Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, CD-14.
If Trump were to cut federal funding to all organizations and agencies that provide gender-affirming care and promote ‘gender ideology’ as his executive order puts it, then over 220,000 trans, gender nonconforming and intersex adults in California alone are at risk of losing access to gender-affirming care and having to engage in legal battles to obtain life-saving treatments.
Breaking News
Trump’s freeze on funds raises questions, concerns, criticism
Initial ban stated immediate freeze to all federal funds, now blocked by judge
The Trump administration rescinded a memo which alerted agencies and organizations to identify and review federal financial assistance programs that do not align with the president’s new policies. The memo specifically highlight’s Trump executive order signed on Jan. 20, Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government – a move that specifically targets the LGBTQ+ communities and the organizations who aid them.
On Monday, the Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget released the memo, stating Trump’s immediate plans to freeze federal funds that would directly impact departments and agencies who the administration claims are working toward spreading ‘gender ideology extremism.’ The memo immediately created widespread confusion and raised concerns among all organizations who receive federal funds.
The White House even had to release an immediate Q&A to answer all the questions and concerns regarding the freeze. The Q&A explained that the freeze on federal funds was meant for organizations who use federal funds to protect LGBTQ+ rights, access to housing, combating domestic violence and many more, further stating that organizations that provide Medicare, Social Security and SNAP benefits, are exempt from this freeze.
Quickly following the release of this memo and moments before it was scheduled to take effect, District Judge Loren L. AliKhan issued a block and shortly after that, the administration rescinded the freeze in a two-sentence statement, all while arguing that Trump’s action is not full impoundment – when a president holds back money that Congress has already approved for a specific purpose.
The first memo urged agencies to immediately review financial assistance programs and activities to align with the new policies and requirements set forth by the new administration in order to ‘protect the American people and safeguard taxpayer resources,’ referencing the list of executive orders Trump signed into action over the first 10 days in office.
Organizations who heavily rely on this type of assistance worked swiftly to release statements regarding the latest attack on vulnerable communities such as those who are undocumented or identify as LGBTQ+.
The LA LGBT Center reached out to the community to ask for support while the future financial stability becomes uncertain as more incoming threats loom on the horizon. The Center is only one of many organizations which receive federal funding and who stand to see the detrimental losses of financial assistance under this administration.
“We know that our work is being targeted by the Trump Administration and Republican-controlled Congress, but we remain unwavering in our commitment to providing the life-saving services that are essential to our community,” said Joe Hollendoner, CEO of the LA LGBT Center. “The Center will fight to protect federal funding for Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, HIV services and LGBTQ+ specific intimate partner violence programs – despite scare tactics by members of the Trump administration to cut these services.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer issued a statement regarding Monday’s ban on federal funds. “In the blink of an eye, and in the dead of night Donald Trump committed one of the cruelest actions I have seen the federal government make in a very long time,” said Senate Minority Leader Schumer.
This is just the first of many attacks and attempts to severely punish and disable organizations who are working to ensure that vulnerable populations receive basic needs and assistance.
Breaking News
In photos: The aftermath of the Eaton Canyon fire in Altadena
Many LGBTQ-owned businesses and homes have been destroyed
The Los Angeles County Fire Department hosted a press conference on Friday, to answer questions from the community regarding resources and updates. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger directed homeowners and anyone else affected by the fires to visit the new LAFD website for more information regarding resources and assistance.
Law enforcement is allowing community members to access their homes if they are able to verify that they live at the address. Many are returning to a devastating scene – their home and belongings burned to the ground, leaving them to scramble for assistance and resources.
The Eaton Canyon is the second largest fire burning through Greater Los Angeles, with Pacific Palisades being the first. It has affected the Altadena and Pasadena neighborhoods in the Northeast area, burning through 40,000 acres and counting.
“Yesterday we announced that FEMA has set up a new website and I’m seeing that people are filling out the form and being denied,” said County Supervisor Barger. “It is completely mind-boggling to me that people who have lost everything are filling out the form as told and getting an immediate denial.”
People in the area have resorted to crowd-funding sites like GoFundMe to secure financial assistance after the fire burned through their belongings and homes. County Supervisor Barger also stated that there have been scams regarding some of the posts asking for financial assistance.
I witnessed the devastating view of what’s left after the fire tore through this Greater Los Angeles neighborhood: cars abandoned on the side of roads and at homes, houses burnt to the ground, schools and churches – usually easy to spot because of their architectural design – unrecognizable.
Photo credit Gisselle Palomera
This car was in the path of the fire, which started across the street in this Altadena neighborhood off of Glenrose Av. Neighbors say the nearby palm trees caught the sparks from across the street and then the fronds from the pal trees fell onto some backyards, while still lit. This rapidly spread the fire across to more homes on the side of the street that had previously been untouched by the fire.
Photo credit Gisselle Palomera
Homes in the Altadena neighborhoods were caught ablaze during heavy wind conditions on Wednesday, lasting all the way through Thursday night. The Eaton Canyon fire is one of the largest growing fires in Greater Los Angeles. Many homeowners have started filing FEMA requests and been immediately denied.
Photo credit Gisselle Palomera
Scores of power lines were knocked over by heavy winds, and others were burned in the path of the fire, leaving thousands of homes without power. The Department of Water and Power was on-scene today, fixing as many poles as possible and taking proactive measures to reduce fire risks in the area when winds pick up again this upcoming weekend.
Photo credit Gisselle Palomera
When available, firefighters assisted volunteers and neighbors who were helping put smaller fires out in homes where the owners had evacuated. Many fire departments from the nearby areas including Perris, Angeles National Forest and others have stepped in to assist in combating the blaze.
Photo credit Gisselle Palomera
Due to the strong winds from Wednesday and Thursday night carrying lit embers, some homes have been burned to the ground, while others were spared.
Photo credit Gisselle Palomera
Neighbors and volunteers are combating small fires that reignite throughout the day and night in many of these homes that structures that have been affected. Officials announced during a press conference on Friday that, although this red flag event is over, they are anticipating another red flag event on Monday. Other news outlets have reported that strong winds are due back in the Greater Los Angeles area beginning Friday night and possibly lasting through Sunday evening.
We will continue to provide more updates and report on stories as they develop.
Breaking News
Beloved trans adult content creator passes away unexpectedly
Apollo Moon, 26, was a beloved member of the transmasc community
Apollo Moon, known as Forest Harader to his family, passed away on Monday in Los Angeles after being hospitalized in the ICU and on life support as of late November. His death comes as a shock to many of his fans who avidly supported his creative work as a porn creator and model. He was notably famous for being a BIPOC porn creator in a historically white dominated space.
The latest update from his family, according to a news site, is that his health declined after a recent injury, resulting in him being declared brain dead. They are asking the queer, trans and BIPOC communities to support them in ensuring he is properly grieved. His family posted on Meal Train asking for donations and so far, the community has shown their support, raising $12,750 of the $15,000 goal.
The post also says that his parents will be taking an extended leave from work, along with this sister, during this difficult time.
He was beloved and considered a leader in the transmasc community.
This is a developing story and we will continue to update details as they become available.
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