WEST HOLLYWOOD—On Tuesday, January 6, the city of West Hollywood invited the community to participate in the global Veganuary campaign that aims to get people to try plant-based eating during the month of January. (Vegan + January = Veganuary). Any effort to try eating plant-based meals in January is welcomed.

The official Veganuary campaign website has a variety of resources available including recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, as well as nutrition tips and impact reports. A 2010 United Nations report stated that a global shift towards a vegan diet is vital to save the world from hunger, energy poverty, and the worst impacts of climate change. Eating vegan provides is energy efficient and produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions than raising animals to consume.

In 2024, West Hollywood committed to offering vegan food as a default option at city events where food is offered to attendees and the city has joined hundreds of corporations and nonprofits by joining the #veganuaryworkplacechallenge where staff can voluntarily join the Veganuary movement. City employees, residents, visitors, and local businesses are encouraged to join millions worldwide in trying some vegan meals this January.

Veganuary in West Hollywood will include social media posts to encourage residents and businesses to come together to participate in this challenge to raise awareness about the health, environmental, and ethical benefits of plant-based diets.

To support residents and visitors interested in participating, the West Hollywood Travel + Tourism Board (Visit West Hollywood) published a dedicated website page with information about vegan and vegetarian restaurant options in West Hollywood. This resource showcases West Hollywood’s diverse and vibrant plant-based dining scene and provides helpful information for those looking to try new restaurants during Veganuary. For details, visit: https://www.visitwesthollywood.com/stories/best-vegan-vegetarian-food-west-hollywood/.

For additional information about West Hollywood’s Veganuary initiative contact Andi Lovano in West Hollywood’s City Manager’s Office, at (323) 848-6333 or at alovano@weho.org. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing dial 711 or 1-800-735-2929 (TTY) or 1-800-735-2922 (voice) for California Relay Service (CRS) assistance.

 

By Danny Jones

BEVERLY HILLS—On Monday, January 5, the Beverly Hills Unified School District’s Public Information Officer, Colby Gilardian, informed Canyon News via email that an electrical issue sparked the fire at El Rodeo Elementary School on December 30.

On December 30, 2025, a small electrical fire transpired in an exterior utility room at El Rodeo Elementary School. As a result of a quick response from the Beverly Hills Fire Department and the school’s advanced safety systems, the fire was quickly contained to a single area, and no injuries were reported.

The incident took place while Beverly Hills Unified School District (BHUSD) campuses were closed for winter break. The school’s sprinkler system activated immediately, helping to isolate the fire to a single area. There was no damage to classrooms or instructional areas.

Following the incident, BHUSD mobilized facilities and safety teams to conduct a thorough inspection of the entire El Rodeo Elementary School campus. This included:

-A comprehensive assessment of all classrooms and learning spaces
-Air quality testing to confirm a healthy environment post-incident
-Electrical inspections confirming power to all instructional areas
-Installation of temporary generators to ensure consistent and reliable power
-Continued coordination with Southern California Edison and the Beverly Hills Fire Department

“We are grateful for the swift response of our city’s first responders and proud of how quickly our teams worked to ensure the safety and readiness of the campus,” said Dr. Alex Cherniss, Superintendent of the Beverly Hills Unified School District. “All systems are operational, and El Rodeo Elementary School is fully prepared to welcome students back.”

 

 

By Danny Jones

SANTA MONICA—On January 6, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ruled that the city of Santa Monica violated grant assurances as it stockpiled surplus revenues produced by the Santa Monica Municipal Airport, which is scheduled to close on December 31, 2028.

The city of Santa Monica believed it could use a non-aeronautical surplus of nearly $19 million to cover municipal expenditures.

Michael Helvey, the director of the Federal Aviation Administration, ruled that the city of Santa Monica violated a federal law that requires all airport revenues collected from both aeronautical and non-aeronautical activities to be spent on airport operations or improvements to the airport.

The ruling is in response to a 2024 complaint filed by a pilot and a repair station at the Santa Monica Airport, which claimed that the city did not use all of the airport’s surplus revenue to lower the rates it charged aviators. The National Business Aviation Association supported the complaint.

In his ruling, Helvey, the director of the Federal Aviation Administration, stated that, since the Santa Monica Airport is federally obligated and requires the FAA’s approval, as part of the process, the FAA can determine how the surplus can be used upon the airport’s closure.

The FAA ordered the city of Santa Monica to review its non-aeronautical budget to ensure compliance with its federal obligations and to adjust it if necessary.  It also ordered the city to adjust its aeronautical rates annually until the airport closes in 2028.

The city of Santa Monica has 30 days to appeal the ruling.

 

By Danie Diquinzio

BEVERLY HILLS—On December 30, gourmet cupcake bakery owner, and founder Candace Nelson announced the closing of her Sprinkles Cupcakes bakery. The bakery opened its first site in Beverly Hills nearly 20 years ago, the famous Cupcake ATMs, and Sprinkles Cupcake Bakery’s franchise stores nationwide are now closing for good. Nelson confirmed to multiple news outlets and on her social media pages that the stores would be closing between December 2025 and January 2026. All stores closed their doors by New Year’s Day. According to Fortune magazine, the entire franchise was purchased by an investment group. “Nelson sold her business to private equity firm Karp Reilly LLC in 2012 after the company had expanded to 10 locations across the country. The firm owns dozens of other companies for products including a health food home delivery service, kombucha and protein wellness shakes.”   By Sharon

BEVERLY HILLS—On Monday, January 5, the city of Beverly Hills announced that it is updating the Open Space Element—a document that guides how we care for parks, green spaces, and natural resources in our city.

The draft updated Open Space Element will be reviewed by the Planning Commission on January 8, 2026, and the Beverly Hills City Council at a future hearing.

A recent state law, SB 1425, requires that the Open Space Element is updated by January 1, 2026, and includes analysis related to equity, climate resilience, and rewilding/preservation.

Individuals can email longrange@beverlyhills.org or visit www.beverlyhills.org/OpenSpaceElement for more information.

By Danny Jones

SANTA MONICA—On January 4, the city of Santa Monica posted on its Facebook page that it is starting a Mass Timber Accelerator, a year-long pilot program for developers interested in exploring the use of mass timber.

Participants will receive free technical assistance to support them in integrating mass timber into project designs as well as a financial incentive for completing the accelerator program.

Mass timber construction has the potential to unlock benefits to Santa Monica’s building sector including faster construction times and associated cost savings, decreased carbon emissions, and beautiful exposed wood aesthetic design throughout the community.

The Mass Timber Accelerator is an opportunity to continue this tradition by bringing together city staff and the local building design, development, and construction community to explore opportunities for sustainable wood construction.

Mass timber construction uses high-strength prefabricated wood products like columns, beams, and panels that can be assembled quickly on-site and result in faster construction times than when using traditional concrete and steel construction methods. While Southern California is a growing market for mass timber products and construction is common globally and across the country, especially in areas with abundant natural wood resources.

Santa Monica’s Mass Timber Accelerator is part of the Accelerator Cities Program—co-funded by the Softwood Lumber Board and the USDA Forest Service—which provides a structured pathway for local governments to explore, implement, and showcase the benefits of advanced wood building systems. Through the program, Santa Monica and participants will receive financial, technical, and educational support from federal and industry partners. Participants will receive expert assistance from WoodWorks on structural design, fire resistance, code compliance, and detailing of mass timber systems.

Santa Monica Mass Timber Accelerator Goals

-Identify the potential for cost savings and shorter construction timelines with the use of mass timber construction.

-Raise public awareness of the embodied carbon reduction potential, economic benefits, and aesthetic beauty of mass timber construction.

-Connect design teams and City stakeholders interested in advancing use of mass timber (MT) / cross-laminated timber (CLT)

-Introduce more practitioners to the details and feasibility of MT/CLT construction

-Identify development opportunities resulting in new building and infrastructure projects in Santa Monica constructed with mass timber

-Assess workforce capacity and identify the potential for job creation through the expansion of MT/CLT construction

The Santa Monica Mass Timber Accelerator program will competitively select up to five private development projects for funding and technical assistance. With technical support, the selected development teams will explore the benefits and assess the feasibility of incorporating mass timber structural building materials and practices into their building projects.

Applications can be completed via the Use the Santa Monica Mass Timber Application Guide. Applications are due to the Office of Sustainability & the Environment on February 27, 2026, by 11:59 p.m.

By Danny Jones

MALIBU—On Monday, January 5, the city of Malibu posted on its Facebook page that Topanga Canyon Boulevard has reopened from Grandview to Pacific Coast Highway.

Topanga Canyon Boulevard reopened from Grand View Drive to Pacific Coast Highway following a closure due to rainstorms, rockfall and debris flows. The highway reopened shortly after 11:30 a.m. Monday after workers finished clearing debris flows and rockfall from weekend rainstorms.

Caltrans closed the highway just before midnight on Friday night ahead of expected storms for safety.

The stretch of Topanga Canyon 27 is now reopened to the public with previous restrictions. It remains an active work zone for ongoing recovery efforts from the Palisades Fire and winter storms. It is closed from midnight to 5 a.m. daily and has traffic restrictions including a one-way traffic control section south of the Topanga town center, and a 25 MPH speed limit, no parking, no stopping and no pedestrians allowed in the work zones.

Expect delays and drive cautiously, watching for workers and work vehicles. Fines can be doubled in a work zone.

For more information the Palisades Fire recovery work on Topanga Canyon, visit https://dot.ca.gov/…/district…/d7-palisades-fire-repairs.

By Danny Jones

MALIBU—On Wednesday, January 7, the city of Malibu will host the “Palisades Fire Remembrance: Finding Strength in Community,” as we mark one year since the devastating Palisades Fire. The city will honor the lives lost, the families uprooted, the neighborhoods destroyed, and the resilience that emerged in the face of Malibu’s greatest disaster.

“The one-year mark reminds us of both the pain we experienced and the strength we discovered in one another,” said Mayor Marianne Riggins. “Through loss, uncertainty, and recovery, our community has shown extraordinary resilience. As we look ahead, we remain focused on supporting every resident, honoring what we’ve overcome, and building a future rooted in hope and long-term restoration.”

The fire destroyed more than 700 structures, took the lives of three people in Malibu, displaced families, and left entire neighborhoods in ruins. The historic regional disaster took many more lives and thousands of homes, and the city of Malibu stands in solidarity with fellow communities that experienced this tragedy.

The remembrance will include space for neighbors, friends, and strangers to come together, share memories, and support one another, reflect, connect, and heal.

The event will be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Malibu City Hall located at 23825 Stuart Ranch Road. Individuals can live stream on YouTube. No RSVPs needed. The program includes a moment of silence, a native Chumash blessing, a special poem recited by Malibu’s Poet Laureate, soothing music, food, and a memorial space and an art tribute.

For more details, visit www.MalibuCity.org/Palisades1YrRemembrance.

By Danny Jones

BEVERLY HILLS—On Sunday, January 11, the city of Beverly Hills will be hosting a FREE shredding and composting event. Participants can shred sensitive documents, recycle old electronics, and help the Earth at the same time.

The event will transpire at Civic Center Drive and 3rd Street from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. (or until the truck is full).

E-Waste disposal will also be available at the Beverly Hills Farmer’s Market, so it’s a one-stop shop for all your recycling needs!

For more details on the event and Beverly Hills’ ongoing sustainability efforts, visit www.beverlyhills.org/shred or call (310) 285-1000.

By Danny Jones

HOLLYWOOD HILLS—At 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, January 4, the Los Angeles Fire Department battled a fire on Sunset Boulevard. The fire transpired at a two-story (boarded up) large craftsman style home with heavy fire on both floors. Firefighters pulled one victim from the fire (condition unknown at this time).

By 5:42 a.m., the LAFD reported that the fire unfolded at 6720 W. Sunset Blvd. A total of 70 firefighters extinguished the fire in 1 hour and 12 minutes with no reported injuries to LAFD personnel. One civilian patient was transported in unknown condition. There was some extension (degree not known at this time) to two exposed bungalows.

Per protocol, the LAFD Arson is responding to investigate the cause of the fire. PIO Captain Adam VanGerpen responded media availability after 6 a.m. No additional details about the incident have been disclosed to the public.

By Danny Jones