Lineage has until today for plan to mitigate odors
Cleanup of the Lineage food storage warehouse has been underway since the fire was put out. The smell of the rotting waste is leading air quality and other officials to get involved.
Southern California air quality officials have given Lineage LLC a deadline of Tuesday to present a plan to mitigate the odors of decomposing food at the company’s Boyle Heights warehouse. South Coast AQMD outlined more than 20 steps for Lineage to take to comply with state law on public nuisances, such as requiring them to apply odor neutralizer to food waste and trucks containing it, requiring coverings for parked trucks loaded with food waste, and notifying the community of any activities that may increase odors.
, the agency said it has worked with Lineage for weeks to recommend ways for the company to lessen the spread of odors, but “the company has not yet incorporated several key actions. ”The move comes after residents filed more than 900 complaints of “rotten, sour, garbage-type smells” last week. The rotting food is a result of last month’s fire at the Lineage cold-storage warehouse, which burned for a week and spewed acrid smoke around L.A.
, inundating Boyle Heights and surrounding neighborhoods. Lineage has until the end of Tuesday, July 21, to present its plan to South Coast AQMD. It has not yet confirmed to LAist if it has done so. Southern California air quality officials have given Lineage LLC a deadline of Tuesday to present a plan to mitigate the odors of decomposing food at the company’s Boyle Heights warehouse.
The move comes after residents filed more than 900 complaints of “rotten, sour, garbage-type smells” last week. The rotting food is a result of last month’s fire at the Lineage cold-storage warehouse, which burned for a week and spewed acrid smoke around L.A. , inundating Boyle Heights and surrounding neighborhoods.
The deadline, which marked an escalation in enforcement tactics, was in a demand letter from the South Coast Air Quality Management District, the agency tasked with maintaining air quality in Southern California. In a, the agency said it has worked with Lineage for weeks to recommend ways for the company to lessen the spread of odors, but “the company has not yet incorporated several key actions.
” South Coast AQMD outlined more than 20 steps for Lineage to take to comply with state law on public nuisances, such as requiring them to apply odor neutralizer to food waste and trucks containing it, requiring coverings for parked trucks loaded with food waste, and notifying the community of any activities that may increase odors. For its part, Lineage reports that it has been attempting to mitigate the rancid smells coming from its warehouse as it hauls away dozens of truckloads of waste.
“We are using a variety of approaches to minimize the effects, including: physical barriers , applying a bleach solution in and around the building, running mist deodorizing systems around the site, and applying deodorizers directly to the debris to reduce odors as much as possible during that period,” Lineage’s websiteLAist has reached out to Lineage and South Coast AQMD to determine if Lineage has presented the agency with its plan to put the additional odor controls in place but had not received a response before publication. , starting July 12, for “discharging such quantities of air contaminants to cause injury, detriment, nuisance or annoyance to a considerable number of persons.
”in place to resolve the notices of violations it has issued. Any fines would then be collected by the state. According to the South Coast AQMD, violators of state air quality regulations face a sliding scale of penalties depending on the severity.
The base civil penalties range from $5,000 per day for a simple violation to $75,000 daily if a person “willfully and intentionally emits an air contaminant”South Coast AQMD has not yet announced litigation against Lineage, though it mentioned the possibility of a civil suit in statements released last week. UCLA environmental health professor Yoshira Ornelas Van Horne said that criminal cases against companies responsible for air contamination are more difficult to bring to trial compared to other forms of accountability.
Prosecutors “have to show that they intentionally were doing something bad, and that they knew that they were doing this, and they still kept doing it,” Ornelas Van Horne said.
“So most of the time, the legal pathway is through these penalties and civil lawsuits — if at all — to bring them into compliance. ”shows that on July 15 and 17, the most recently reported days, the air quality was within EPA guidelines for all contaminants measured, including carbon monoxide and ammonia. 700-9995 or file a complaint online atThough South Coast AQMD has taken the lead on penalties and enforcement so far, other agencies can also step in — though they are limited by law and jurisdiction in terms of what and when they can do it. Lineage to remove all of the estimated 85 million pounds of spoiling food waste from the warehouse within 45 days.
If Lineage is found not to be in compliance by the deadline, the Department of Building and Safety can then hire contractors to remove waste and harmful materials and even demolish the building, among other actions, according to a The cost of these services, plus a 40% surcharge, would then be “placed as a lien on the property upon which the nuisances exist. ” In the same executive order, Mayor Bass committed to recovering the costs of its firefighting efforts, remediation, administrative overhead costs and community recovery centers from “all responsible parties.
”with LAist media partner CBS LA that despite her original 45-day deadline, “these odors are so severe they need to move faster than that. ” The L.A. County Department of Public Health told LAist it has looked into issues involving flies and other potential health issues in and near the warehouse, including “increased fly activity, decaying organic waste odors, and sanitation concerns.
” Public health officials have issued their own notice to abate these issues on July 15, after an investigation that found violations of Los Angeles County code related to fly breeding. The Department of Public Health also said that the city of Los Angeles and Lineage had been directed to develop a pest control plan after reports of rats, flies and other insects. Bass' office said L.A.
's sanitation department placed and is monitoring"about 250 rodent control stations around the facility and in the neighborhood. " It also said the city has hired a pest control company. Lineage’s website reads .
“We are required to follow strict environmental and safety protocols set by the City of Los Angeles and . We have cleanup crews working around the clock, and we are pushing to move faster wherever we safely can. ” Still, the company will indeed have to pick up the pace in order to meet the city’s mid-August deadline. An estimated 3.5% of the total food waste — 1,506 tons — has been cleared out to date.
Between July 15 and July 20, Lineage cleared out 695 tons of spoiled food, an average of 139 tons per day, according to data released by the company. At that pace, the company will have removed about 10.1% of the estimated 85 million pounds of food waste by Aug. 15. LAist has asked Lineage about the pace of cleanup and will update this article when the company responds.
“We’re doing everything in our power to beat that. ” The waste is being hauled away by trucks that can hold 20 tons at once. And Ornelas Van Horne of UCLA said beyond the smells of the material they’re holding, these trucks may pose health concerns of their own, similar to those near warehouses across L.A. County and the Inland Empire.
“Obviously the cleanup is necessary, right? But with the cleanup comes things like additional diesel trucks coming into the community,” Ornelas Van Horne said.
“We have a lot of documented evidence that diesel particulate matter is harmful to health, and so I think that particularly is an additional concern. ”Require loaded trucks that will be stored or sitting at or near the property for more than 8 hours to use a solid covering. Apply an odor neutralizer to the waste, followed by odor suppression material to create a physical crust over the waste surface to create a double layer of odor prevention.
Incorporate routine visual inspection of the contained material on a regular basis to make sure there are no cracks, separation, or other signs of wear or tear. Decomposing food in the building that was not impacted by the fire, must be sealed within the building before being removed and loaded onto trucks. The 2026 World Cup has ended — after almost six weeks, 104 matches and games spread across three countries: the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Here are some of the moments that stood out to NPR's team of journalists who covered the tournament. People were treated to some remarkable soccer games. Let's not forget the hand-wringing when the announcement was made about expanding the number of countries from 32 to 48. Those World Cup debutants — or those that hadn't been in decades — were just delightful.
Scotland , anyone? People from other countries enjoying and exploring the U.S. and posting the absolute best social media videos about it. There was the roar from the crowd in Seattle when forward Folarin Balogun forced an own goal when the U.S. faced Australia. Or the screams in Santa Clara, Calif.
, when midfielder Malik Tillman hit the free kick to put the U.S. up 2-0 despite being shorthanded after the Balogun red card. The U.S. still has a long way to go to match the passion of, say, Argentina when it comes to our national soccer team but here's hoping that the passion will linger for a long time to come.has ended — after almost six weeks, 104 matches and games spread across three countries: the United States, Canada and Mexico.
, defeating the defending champion Argentina to claim its second title. With the win, Spain holds World Cup titles for both the men's and women's national teams —All the drama before the tournament, and just pure enjoyment once underwayin the final were maddening for the soccer purists. But, still, the U.S., Mexico and Canada put on a great show for the world — withthe number of countries from 32 to 48.
"The quality of play will be poor! There will be blowouts! It just won't be as fun!
" And then we all saw what actually happened.. Scotland , anyone? People from other countries enjoying and exploring the U.S. and posting the absolute bestDuring the World Cup round of 32 match between the United States and Bosnia-Herzegovina, fans of the U.S. roared and cheered throughout in Santa Clara, Calif.
The Americans won 2-0 on July 1 to advance to the round of 16 against Belgium.like in Seattle when forward Folarin Balogun forced an own goal when the U.S. faced Australia, or like in Santa Clara, Calif. , when midfielder Malik Tillman hit the free kick to put the U.S. up 2-0 despite being shorthanded after the It's been a joy to see children all over the country, from L.A. to Kansas City to Atlanta to New York, wearing the team's red-and-white striped jerseys.
I had friends and family who never normally watch the sport text me during the U.S. games. Look, I'm not naive. The U.S. still has a long way to go to match the passion of, say, Argentina when it comes to our national soccer teams. But compared to the tiny crowds at other friendlies I've attended, or getting outnumbered by Mexico fans in the Gold Cup final in Houston, this was a great start.
And I'm hopeful that come the next CONCACAF Nations League, which begins this fall, or even the possible Copa América that might be on deck here in the States in 2028, the passion will linger long enough that this story might change.to watch in this tournament. The narrative was that they came out of nowhere, which is not quite true: yes, this was their first time qualifying for a World Cup, but in African tournaments, Cape Verde has been playing amazing soccer for years.
As someone who follows soccer closely, I think African soccer is having a moment, and we may see it come to full bloom in the 2030 World Cup . Vozinha, Cape Verde's extraordinary goalie, was one of the On the other hand, Argentina is a relentless team; they were the defending champions. They have Lionel Messi, a living legend.
The game,The fans were wild and President Donald Trump arrive for the final ceremony after the 2026 World Cup final won by Spain over Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J. on July 19, 2026. It wasn't a surprise, exactly — President Trump has often used sports as a way to score political points. But it— FIFA insists it did not — the optics were terrible, and for many fans, it dimmed a summer's worth of enthusiasm for the team.
For days after Trump confirmed reports of his call to Infantino, U.S. Soccer remained silent on the president's involvement. That silence left some fans feeling as though the organization welcomed the White House's intervention.
Then, when asked about it last week — after plenty of time had passed to issue a statement — the head of U.S. Soccer essentially shrugged.
"The president is able to do what the president wants to do. The president is the president of the United States," U.S. Soccer CEO J.T. Batson said.
"Obviously we're incredibly grateful for all the support for all of our fans all across the country, wherever they are. And we're excited about that, and we know that that'll pay dividends going forward.
"Fans react at a bar in New York as the USA scores to make it 4-1 against Paraguay in a World Cup group match. This is the fourth World Cup that I've covered for NPR, and, unlike at the Olympics, the pride in one's country at the World Cup is always so striking. Fans — young and old — attend the games or show up in the host cities to be around others to cheer on their team.
The passion, the fervor and just the Seeing tens of thousands of fans in a stadium, a bar, or a watch party and watching them will their country forwardthat anything is possible on the pitch. And sometimes the fans aren't even from any of the countries playing that day.are also underway. And the number-two-ranked U.S. Women's National Team is back in action this fall with a pair ofGov, Gavin Newsom's return-to-office mandate has been in effect since July 1.
Roughly 108,000 of California’s more than 245,900 state employees are affected by the mandate, according to the state human resources department. It’s a stance that has upset — and at times befuddled — some state workers who are calling for the governor to scrap the four-day-a-week in-office policy as they hammer out new labor agreements. The new rule that requires state employees to work in office for four days a week also allows for some exemptions.
Those include for workers who live 50 miles or farther from their worksite, or who conduct work outside the office, such as telehealth providers and inspectors. Public transportation costs for commuting are also reimbursable. Service Employees International Union Local 1000, California’s largest state worker union, represents 96,000 employees and is in contract negotiations. It argues that remote work saves taxpayers and employees money, reduces traffic and lowers emissions — all without affecting productivity.
Many workers maintain they’re just as effective at home, which they say they proved when Newsom ordered them to work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. SEIUS filed an unfair labor practices complaint in May with the California Public Employment Relations Board. It also threw its support behind a bill that would give state agencies more authority to shape their hybrid work policies.
“A blanket mandate does not work for all the jobs that our workers do,” said Anica Walls, the union’s president. “Let the departments decide. ”is tougher on public employee unions than his Republican counterpart in Texas: Making state workers show up in the office.for state employees. But Newsom, whose return-to-office mandate has been in effect since July 1, shows no signs of backing down.
It’s a stance that has upset — and at times befuddled — some state workers who are calling for the governor to scrap the four-day-a-week in-office policy as they hammer out new labor agreements. More importantly to them, they maintain they’re just as effective at home, which they say they proved when Newsom ordered them to work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s confusing to people when they think that they’ve done a great job to be told, ‘Well we don’t think it’s good enough and you should incur going back into the office,’” said D’Arcy McLeod, chairperson of the Professional Engineers in California Government’s bargaining team. Roughly 108,000 of California’s more than 245,900 state employees are affected by the mandate, according to the state human resources department.
The others generally already are required to work at a specific location five days a week, including prison, firefighting, law enforcement, and custodial employees. Service Employees International Union Local 1000, California’s largest state worker union, represents 96,000 employees and is in contract negotiations.
It argues that remote work saves taxpayers and employees money, reduces traffic and lowers emissions — all without affecting productivity.on a case-by-case basis, including for those who live 50 miles or farther from their worksite, or who conduct work outside the office, such as telehealth providers and inspectors. Public transportation costs for commuting are also reimbursable. But that isn’t enough for SEIU, which in May filed an unfair labor practices complaint with the California Public Employment Relations Board.
It also“A blanket mandate does not work for all the jobs that our workers do,” said Anica Walls, the union’s president.
“Let the departments decide. ”require state employees to be in the office five days a week, for example. Utah with a Republican governor wants them at the office But Newsom’s blanket policy appears to be an outlier among other blue states with robust public employee unions: Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon and Washington state still embrace remote work in some capacity.
It also differs from Texas, a Republican-led state that A few months after President Donald Trump began his second term and called for federal employees to return to the office, Abbottfor Texas state employees. But following a multi-agency survey that found that telework did not curb productivity and helped reduce turnover,about government adapting to technology and providing services in a more cost-effective way,” said Ted Toppin, the executive director of the engineers union.
“It strikes me as interesting and ironic that Texas would have a more modern, flexible and efficient take on state employee telework. ”,” but that returning to the office helps build a sense of community. The governor has also contended that in-person work fosters McLeod said he’s surprised Newsom remains resolute to the mandate even after the audit found that remote work proved successful during and after the pandemic.
“Every single Newsom appointed official that testified for the state auditor indicated that … the work that was being delivered during telework was substantially of higher quality and more efficient,” said McLeod of the engineers union. In some ways the rift echoes labor disputes from California’s last two governors. , passing a law that curbed retirement benefits and required workers to chip in more for their benefits. He had a reputation for being stingy with raises, too.
Then came the fight over returning to the office. Besides union leaders, Newsom’s steadfast commitment to in-person work has baffled Steve Maviglio, a Democratic political consultant who has worked with public employee unions on pension issues. For Newsom, a Democratic politician who is likely eyeing a bid for the presidency, “it’s political malpractice to come across as anti-labor,” said Maviglio.
“The only thing you’ll be able to say is that ‘I stood up to state workers,’ which isn’t particularly helpful in a Democratic primary where labor is the key constituency nationwide for Democrats. ” But for Will Swaim, chief executive of the libertarian think tank California Policy Center, Newsom’s fight with the unions signals something larger than remote work. Rather, it is a “policy disagreement that has turned into a foundational challenge to democracy,” said Swaim.
Through its campaign donations and labor talks, SEIU is attempting to wrest control from Newsom, a publicly elected official, over who gets to shape policies over government work, according to Swaim.
“That’s simply undemocratic,” said Swaim. “I don’t know anybody out there who believes that in their jobs they could tell their boss, ‘I’m not coming to the office, no matter what you want. ’ It just doesn’t fly. ” But bosses should work to accommodate current employees, according to SEIU president Walls — especially if they have presumably bigger ambitions to oversee even more workers.
“As a state employee I would have trouble voting for someone who would be the boss of federal employees when I know he hasn’t shown to be a stellar employer to state employees,” said Walls. If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.
As a Dr. Pepper lover, I knew I had to try Chicken Charlie's — not new — but strange creation: Pickle Dr. Pepper. The OC Fair is back in town, with plenty of new food items for people to try. How about a PB&J cheeseburger with bacon? Sounds weird, but it works!
Because there's so much food, and so little belly space. The PB&J burger at the Philly Cheesesteak stand is definitely worth your time, and so is the cheesy, greasy French onion bun from the Ten Pound Bun stand. And if you love sweets, don't miss the chocolate chip croffle from Mom's Bakeshoppe: That's a croissant + a waffle covered in ice cream and whipped cream. Picture a gigantic, greasy, fried tiramisu.
Layers of cream, espresso and lady fingers are deep fried in a thick, sweet batter before being sprinkled with cocoa powder. The fair runs through Aug. 16 and in addition to pig races, carnival rides and outdoor music, the big draw is the food — carefully curated creations that test the limits of what’s typical. This year is no different.
I was there on opening day, and here’s what I tried:One of my favorite new items was the Croffle from Mom's Bakeshoppe. This treat was sweet and refreshing with the cold ice cream. The Chocolate Chip Croffle from Mom's Bakeshoppe is a must if you like sweet treats. It’s a cross between a buttery croissant and crispy waffle.
Then it’s adorned with vanilla ice cream, chocolate chips, whipped cream and a caramel drizzle. This creation made its way to the States from South Korea, where it’s a beloved street food. A French onion bun is an OC Fair exclusive from Ten Pound Buns, which bills itself as the king of cheese breads. The French onion bun combines gooey melted cheese and caramelized onions on a crispy piece of bread.
Everything at their stand is made to order, and the portion sizes are very shareable! The Peanut Butter and Jelly Bacon Cheeseburger from the Philly Cheesesteak stand did not disappoint. Don’t be alarmed by this strange sweet and savory combo; the flavors balance each other out perfectly. The burger comes with crispy bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato and pickles on top of a beef patty smothered in jelly and peanut butter.
As a born-and-raised Nebraskan, this was my first time at the OC Fair, and I felt like I needed to try some classics. So, I headed to the OG at the OC Fair, Chicken Charlie’s. They've been at the OC Fair for 30 years now, and are known for classics like the deep-fried Oreos and new eye-popping inventions.
Some of their new concoctions this year include: A fried mangonada — which features fresh mango battered, deep fried and topped with chamoy, lime and Tajin. There's also a Shawarma fry cone, Parmesan garlic fry cone and the fried tiramisu I mentioned. The treats I tried ranged from $10 and $15 each, but there are some deals to be had. Chicken Charlie’s is offering a $30 anniversary meal deal that includes an entrée, fries, fried Oreos and a drink.
“I love being at the fair,” Charlie Boghosian, creator and owner of Chicken Charlie’s, told me. “I love creating new things, because I think frying is an art. ” Profound words from the person who created items like fried Kool-Aid, bacon-wrapped pickles and a Krispy Kreme chicken sandwich.
Street Corn Baked Potato Street Corn Fries Vegetarian Broc-Star Potato with broccoli Freeze-dried candy beverages and Candy Blast gummies The fair is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays and 11 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays. It runs through Aug. 16. Tickets start at $15 for adults and $9 for children, with additional costs for rides.
Discounts are available for seniors and veterans. The commission is meant to serve as a watchdog over local government. Commissioners will be tasked with overseeing and enforcing laws related to campaign finance, lobbying, conflicts of interest and other related issues. Through a multilingual ad campaign, the county is seeking residents who reflect its diverse communities.
The commission will have seven members who will meet at least six times a year. Members will spend about 5 to 20 hours a month on commission-related work. They are also expected to receive $250 for each meeting they participate in, along with reimbursement for any expenses they incur while performing their official duties. , which required the creation of an independent Ethics Commission “to increase restrictions on lobbying and investigate misconduct.
” The measure came amid a series of corruption cases at L.A. City Hall, but calls for reform spilled over into county government.
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