The images surfacing on my social media feeds in recent days look as if they belong to a post-apocalyptic film rather than present-day Los Angeles.
Train tracks in Lincoln Heights, a neighborhood on the city’s Eastside, are covered with thousands of discarded packages apparently left behind by thieves. Among the detritus are rapid coronavirus tests, torn Amazon boxes and family photos.
My colleagues recently published an article explaining how the problem got so bad, which you can read in full here.
To me, the thefts are further evidence of Southern California’s key role in the movement of goods around the world, made especially relevant by the ongoing supply chain crisis.
Forty percent of all seaborne imports to the United States come through either the Port of Los Angeles or the Port of Long Beach. And a majority of those goods eventually end up on a train.
On their way to their final destinations, some of those trains pause on the Union Pacific tracks in Lincoln Heights. There, they are reconfigured for routes toward Canada or Chicago, creating a window for thefts — and further shipping delays.
The problem is so severe that Union Pacific has hired workers to salvage items from the wreckage, The Associated Press reported.
One such worker, wearing a bright yellow vest as he headed to pick up car tires along the tracks, said he had seen thieves use bolt cutters to break locks on the cargo containers. The stolen merchandise was then loaded into vans or trucks.
“They do it right in front of us,” he told the news outlet. “At first I was shocked. I was amazed by it.”
For more:
See the tweets that initially brought widespread attention to the thefts.
What it’s like to live next to America’s largest port amid a global supply chain crisis.
Supply chain woes could worsen as China imposes new Covid lockdowns.
The latest on Omicron and the pandemic
How sewage is helping cities track Covid surges.
Omicron has hit California’s teacher work force so hard that many schools are weighing temporary closures, CalMatters reports.
As Omicron surges, California students are demanding more from adults, Capital & Main reports.
Ambulances are waiting hours with patients outside California hospitals, The Associated Press reports.
Check case rates in your area.
Tell us: If you’re a health worker, how are you coping with Omicron?
The rest of the news
Wildfire prevention: The Biden administration announced a 10-year, multibillion-dollar plan to reduce the fire risk in California and 10 other Western states.
Homelessness: One man’s lonely journey through California’s plan to end homelessness, from CalMatters.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Abuse settlement: Seven students who were molested by their elementary-school teacher have won $14.7 million in a settlement with the Los Angeles Unified School District, The Los Angeles Times reports.
Bob Hertzberg: The California Senate majority leader is leaving the State Legislature. He will compete for a seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, The Associated Press reports.
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
Chris Mathys: The conservative Republican based in Fresno has announced that he will run for Congress against David Valadao, a fellow Republican, The Bakersfield Californian reports.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
The Boardwalk: After 35 years, one of Sacramento’s premier rock venues is closing permanently, The Sacramento Bee reports.
Sheriff investigation: The state is conducting a civil rights investigation into the office of Sheriff Laurie Smith of Santa Clara County, The Associated Press reports.
Ghost guns: The Oakland City Council has banned the possession, sale, transfer and manufacture of the untraceable weapons, The San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Wrongful death lawsuit: The parents of a student who died of a fentanyl overdose in a Stanford fraternity have filed a lawsuit against the university, The San Francisco Chronicle reports.
What we’re eating
Indian-ish baked potatoes.
Where we’re traveling
Today’s travel tip comes from Sharon Frazier, who lives in Laguna Niguel. Sharon recommends the city of Arroyo Grande on the Central Coast:
“Just 20 minutes south of the more popular San Luis Obispo, ‘AG’ (as the locals call it) is filled with quaint shops, great restaurants and coffee houses, and roaming roosters that don’t seem to mind hanging out with us humans.”
Tell us about your favorite places to visit in California. Email your suggestions to [email protected]. We’ll be sharing more in upcoming editions of the newsletter.
And before you go, some good news
Most R.V. park owners don’t allow vehicles that are more than 10 years old. But not Stewart Silver.
Silver owns three R.V. parks in California and is building a fourth in an effort to increase the availability of low-income housing in the state, ABC7 reports.
Latonya Harvey, who lives in one of Silver’s parks in Santa Clarita, said she and her family had “searched everywhere for a place to park our R.V.”
“We lost everything during this pandemic,” she said. “I don’t want to leave here. I’m comfortable right here.”
Thanks for reading. I’ll be back tomorrow. — Soumya
P.S. Here’s today’s Mini Crossword, and a clue: Like a cactus (5 letters).
Guillermo Hernandez Martinez, Jack Kramer and Mariel Wamsley contributed to California Today. You can reach the team at [email protected].
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The post Abandoned on Los Angeles Train Tracks: Family Photos and Covid Tests appeared first on New York Times.
