‘Wendy’s Peter Pan’ brings Neverland to life at Theatricum
Officials urge Southlanders to be prepared for 2024 wildfire season
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Crews continue extending containment lines around Post Fire in Gorman
Baldwin Park’s ‘Summer Concerts in the Park,’ ‘Downtown Street Market’ return Thursday
By City News Service
By Staff
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irefighters were steadily gaining the upper hand on the massive Post Fire in the Gorman area north of Los Angeles, increasing containment to 39% as of Wednesday morning. The fire was holding at 15,611 acres Wednesday morning and weather conditions were expected to cooperate throughout the day, with temperatures in the low 70s and decreased winds. Firefighters extended containment lines Tuesday, and a red flag warning for critical fire conditions expired Tuesday evening, with forecasters saying winds had fallen below advisory levels. "Conditions will improve over the area Wednesday as winds decrease and minimum humidities trend higher with the return of onshore flow," according to the National Weather Service. The fire, which broke out Saturday, prompted the evacuation of about 1,200 people from the Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area. Evacuation orders remained in place there Wednesday, and also at Pyramid Lake and Oak Flats Campground. An evacuation warning was in place for areas south of Pyramid Lake between Old Ridge Route and the Los Angeles County line, including Paradise Ranch Estates. The following road closures were in place: -- Northbound Interstate 5 at state Route 138; -- Southbound Vista del Lago Road at the entrance to the Vista del Lago Visitors Center;
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The flames and smoke from the Post Fire near Gorman take over the morning sky Tuesday. | Photo courtesy of LACoFD/X
-- Eastbound Castaic Lake Drive at Ridge Route Road. One commercial property has been destroyed, while 10 are being threatened, along with 50 single-family residences, fire officials said. Authorities are officially reporting one injury from the fire, although no details were released. The blaze is being battled by a unified command that includes the U.S. Forest Service, Angeles National Forest, the Los Angeles County Fire Department and Ventura County Fire Department. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, California State Park Services, Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management, Cal Fire and California Highway Patrol were also providing support. "Today, crews will continue extending and reinforcing their control lines to protect infrastruc-
ture and natural resources. Infrastructure protection is ongoing around Pyramid Lake, including Pyramid Lake Dam and support facilities, as well as Southern California Edison electrical 500KV transmission lines," officials said in their Wednesday morning update. "Other assets threatened are State and Federal recreation sites, communication sites, United States Forest Service fire stations, oil pipelines, private camps and residences along Interstate 5, and multiple waterways." The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a wildfire smoke advisory for the Santa Clarita and Castaic areas, with northwesterly winds expected to push smoke from the fire southeast toward Santa Clarita, the San Fernando Valley and parts of the Angeles National Forest. The SCAQMD advised people in the area to limit
their exposure by remaining indoors with windows and doors closed or by seeking immediate shelter, avoid vigorous physical activity and to run their air conditioners or air purifiers. "It's best to avoid using swamp coolers or whole house fans that bring in outside air," the agency said. ``Residents should also avoid burning wood in their fireplaces or firepits. And, if they absolutely must be outside, a properly fit N95 mask or P100 respirator may provide some protection. The Post Fire started at about 1:45 p.m. Saturday at Ralph's Ranch and Gorman School roads, near the Golden State (5) Freeway, Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesman Craig Little told City News Service. Some 1,747 personnel were involved in the firefighting effort. The cause of the fire was under investigation.
aldwin Park’s Morgan Park will come alive with the sounds of music from a lineup of bands and performers as its beloved “Summer Concerts in the Park” series returns Thursday nights between June 20 and July 25, from 7 to 9 p.m. “Summer Concerts in the Park is a beloved tradition in Baldwin Park and a wonderful opportunity for families and friends to come together, enjoy great music and experience the vibrant spirit of our community,” said Baldwin Park Mayor Emmanuel J. Estrada. “We are thrilled to host such a diverse lineup of talented musicians this summer that community members of all ages can enjoy.” The concert series will kick off on Thursday in conjunction with a special Pride Month celebration. The event will open with a resource fair and mixer from 5 to 7 p.m., followed by a Pride performance by Adelaida Pillar and Band from 7:15 to 9 p.m. DJ Angie Vee will open the musical performances for the evening starting at 6 p.m. “Our Pride celebration is a wonderful chance to recognize our diverse and inclusive community here in Baldwin Park,” continued Mayor Estrada. “I am incredibly proud of our city’s commitment to fostering a community built upon See Summer Concerts Page 27
LA County Public Health responds to privacy breach By City News Service
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he Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced Friday that a phishing attack in February allowed a hacker to gain log-in credentials of 53 employees, compromising the personal information of more than 200,000 people. The attack through phishing email took place between Feb. 19 and 20. After discovering the breach, the health department said it disabled the impacted e-mail accounts, reset and re-imaged the users' devices, blocked websites that were identified as part of the phishing campaign and quarantined all suspicious incoming e-mails. Additionally, notifications were distributed to all workforce members to remind them to be vigilant when reviewing e-mails, especially those including links or attachments. Law enforcement was notified and they investigated the incident, according to DPH. The information identified in the potentially comproSee Privacy breach Page 28