🌱 Sierra Fire Nearly Contained + New Tax For Home Sales Over $5M?

Hello again, everybody; today is World Croc Day, which was started in 2017 by the Belize Zoo and the Crocodile Research Council! It's Friday in Los Angeles, and I'm back in your inbox with everything you need to know about what's happening locally. Here goes.

While road closures remain in effect, evacuation orders in and around Bouquet Canyon have been lifted. Also, do you want sellers of high-end real estate parcels to pay a new tax? Finally, do you have room in your heart and home to foster or adopt a cat or dog?

First, today's weather:

Low clouds, then sun. High: 75 Low: 60.

⭐️ Three Of The Cheapest Gas Stations In Los Angeles ⭐️

• Arco at 3834 E 3rd St., $5.97
• 76 at 4600 Melrose Ave., $5.99
• Kwik Serv at 2600 N Figueroa St., $5.99

📢 Fireworks Poll!
Fireworks are illegal in the City of Los Angeles. Scofflaws may be fined $500, $1,000, or more. How do you feel about that? Please let me know your thoughts! (As of today, 74.6% don’t want fireworks, 19.4% want “safe and sane fireworks,” 4.5% want to choose what to buy, and another 1.5% don’t care one way or the other.)

Here are the top fivestories today in Los Angeles:

1. Sierra Fire Update: Erupting on Wednesday afternoon “near Bouquet Canyon and Spunky Canyon,” the blaze quickly spread over 11 acres. As of Thursday, firefighters have been able to achieve a 90% containment. While evacuation orders were lifted, road closures are still in effect. (Patch)
2. The City Council voted on Wednesday to allow a ballot measure that creates a new tax on the sale of high-end real estate. The money is supposed to be used to “fund solutions to homelessness, including permanent housing.” If voters approve, there will be a 4% tax on real estate sold for more than $5 million and 5.5% for properties over $10 million. Critics point to the cost overruns of Prop HHH units that could reach “$900,000 or $1 million per unit if the city doesn't make any changes.” (ABC)
3. The L.A. animal shelters are full, and officials are begging Angelenos to adopt or foster a dog or cat. “The issue that we are seeing is that a lot of people are moving, or their housing situations have changed. Or landlords are putting restrictions on dog sizes,” the VanNuys shelter explains. To ease the strain of adoption on the pocketbook, the shelters reduce adoption fees for dogs and waive them for cats. (ABC)
4. It’s official! Pizzeria Bianco has opened at 1320 E. Seventh Street. There’s a sit-down option and a to-go counter. However, don’t expect standard pizzeria fare only. In addition, there are also “wood-roasted bell peppers, burrata, basil, black pepper and aged sherry” or “mortadella with wood-roasted apricot mustard” on house-made focaccia. (AZ Central)
5. Mark your calendars! If you miss the goodies from New York City’s iconic Russ & Daughters, you have an opportunity to enjoy them here in L.A. However, you only have this weekend to do so. A pop-up will be at 8175 Melrose Avenue and is part of the Maisel-verse experience. Hours are from noon to 8 p.m. (LA Eater)

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See important Reg A Disclosures

Today in Los Angeles:

• Coffee & Community Connections with the North Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce at the R Coffee House (9 a.m.)
• Alzheimer's Caregiver Support Group meets at the Miraleste Library (10 a.m.)
• Free Online Sing-Along Session For Seniors from Music Mends Minds (11:30 a.m.)
• Juneteenth Celebration & Resource Fair at Magic Johnson Park (noon)
• K-PLAY! FEST! at KTOWN Night Market (4 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Congratulations to L.A. County Fire Department's newest team members who successfully completed Ocean Lifeguard Academies 37 and 38! (Los Angeles County Fire Dept. via Instagram)
• A Westwood-Upper Fairburn neighbor found hateful anti-Semitic literature in a plastic bag. Your security camera may have recorded the person delivering them. (Nextdoor)
• Our neighbor in the Los Feliz Knolls area needs help from the Nextdoor art sleuths. Can anyone identify this work? Signature looks like first name is “Shi”? It’s dated 1973. Also has LACMA and Graphic Arts Studio (GAC) stamp. (Nextdoor)
• Our Beachwood Canyon neighbor would love a suggestion for a great drywall person. (Nextdoor)
• A cat-loving Little Armenia East neighbor needs advice for their cat. (Nextdoor)

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Events:

• Dance with LA Choreographers & Dancers (June 17)
• Estate Planning for Your Loved Ones - Webinar (June 18)
• Great American Tiny House Show-LA (June 19)
• Hire A Pro To Clean Up The Yard For Dad (June 19)
• Estate Planning for Your Loved Ones - Webinar (June 22)
• [Free Masterclass] Increase Your Website Sales & Leads Using SEO (June 25)
• Taxes in Retirement Webinar (June 27)
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• 1992 Classic Cadillac Allante - 51K mls - $8,000 - Excellent Maintenance (Details)
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That's it for today. See you all tomorrow morning for another update!

— Sylvia Cochran

About me: Sylvia Cochran works out of sunny Southern California and has been freelance writing full-time since 2005. She loves dogs, cats, books, plays Best Fiends (don't judge), embraces social justice, and tries to live out Micah 6:8.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Los Angeles Daily? Contact me at losangeles@patch.com