Paul Thornton

Just unbelievably sad.

He supported L.A. Mayor Karen Bass. Now he wants her job Austin Beutner, a former L.A. Unified superintendent, says City Hall has come up woefully short on wildfires, homelessness, housing and affordability.

We're podcasting! Check out co-founder @marielgarza.bsky.social's chat with L.A. mayoral candidate Austin Beutner. They talk wildfires, housing, affordability, the Olympics and, yes, Donald Trump.

He supported L.A. Mayor Karen Bass. Now he wants her job Austin Beutner, a former L.A. Unified superintendent, says City Hall has come up woefully short on wildfires, homelessness, housing and affordability.

Austin Beutner -- former LA schools, deputy mayor and LAT publisher -- now wants to be mayor. He sat down with @marielgarza.bsky.social and @goldenstatereport.bsky.social to talk fire response, Donald Trump, immigration raids and what he sees as a failure in leadership at City Hall.

This is a great piece by @marielgarza.bsky.social for @goldenstatereport.bsky.social -- a peak into what might have been the most jubilant election night watch party, hosted by L.A.'s democratic socialist City Council members. Interesting comments by @nithyaraman.bsky.social and Eunisses Hernandez.

Insane by design? I'm a veteran healthcare reporter, and I can tell you the American system is nuts As a journalist and parent, I've had a front-row seat to the “complexification” of American healthcare, which demoralizes and depletes users. We have to fix it - or at least not make it worse.

Seriously, if Julie Marquis -- healthcare journalist and Pulitzer winner -- has a devil of time with insurance, billing, claim denials, the dreaded "explanation of benefits" and all the other features of American healthcare, then the rest of us are truly screwed. From @goldenstatereport.bsky.social

A good time to read this piece by @holynopales.bsky.social in @goldenstatereport.bsky.social -- "What do the Dodgers owe Latino fans?"

One answer: not another White House visit.

Can Los Angeles elect its own Zohran Mamdani? Mamdani’s Democratic primary win electrified LA’s progressive movement, which had already made significant gains in the previous three election cycles.

Can Los Angeles elect its own Zohran Mamdani? Short answer: Maybe, but probably not in 2026 substack.com/@msmarielgar...

Occupied LA is a jubilant place now. Go Dodgers. We needed this.

L.A.'s $2.6 billion convention center upgrade might not just be another Olympics white elephant, by @jonregardie.bsky.social for @goldenstatereport.bsky.social
goldenstatereport.substack.com/p/las-26-bil...

The popups will be the death of me.

My heart swells seeing the flags of the US, Canada, California and Los Angeles on the field at Dodger Stadium.

Honestly I need a healthier relationship with baseball.

On repeat.

Does the WaPo have California derangement syndrome? The Washington Post editorial board's recent punditry on California veers into lazy cheap shots.

The ideologically reinvented Washington Post editorial board has California derangement syndrome. From me:

YouTube video by Harry Nilsson - Topic Yo Dodger Blue

Dumb as hell but it's my mood now
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Iry...

YouTube video by Harry Nilsson - Topic Yo Dodger Blue

You and Harry Nilsson
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Iry...

In the 15th inning: OMG someone end this game already.
Now: I’M SO GLAD I NEVER LOOKED AWAY

The next Ohtani rule needs to be not intentionally walking him after 15 innings.

Honestly the WS Dodgers this year kind of remind me of the WS Yankees last year.

What do the Dodgers owe Latino fans? When the team was silent on immigration raids and reparations for ousted Chavez Ravine residents, it spoke volumes to its homegrown fan base. Time to speak up.

A timely piece by L.A. writer Patricia Escárcega in today's @goldenstatereport.bsky.social

Ditto to this. Read Sammy Roth (though it's not as if he needs my help!).

YouTube video by Golden State Report What the Bay Area can expect when Trump's immigration sweeps arrive

A primer from yours truly for @goldenstatereport.bsky.social on what the Bay Area can expect when Trump's immigration goons arrive, if its experience goes anything like L.A.'s.

In short: Get ready for lies, terror and some community solidarity.

First the feds came for L.A. Now San Francisco. Here's what to expect We in Los Angeles saw the effects of Trump's constant lying and terrorizing of immigrant communities. Now the feds are arriving in the Bay Area.

What to expect when you are expecting the arrival of 100 federal troops.
goldenstatereport.substack.com/p/first-the-...

I am so happy to see you here! And thanks for finding us. There will be more soon.

My three children — ages 13, 13 and 10 — are about to see their fifth Dodgers World Series.

I’m old enough to remember waiting 29 years.

Not gonna lie: Being a newly independent journalist is rough. I don’t regret leaving the LAT, and I have the encouragement of former colleagues. But this is hard, so I’m working at the beach today.

I’d appreciate if anyone reading this gave goldenstatereport.substack.com a look. Onward, and thanks.

Follow @goldenstatereport.bsky.social for more from @marielgarza.bsky.social, me and others.

What the heck was the Marine Corps thinking? It said shooting shells over Interstate 5 as part of a celebration was no big deal. Then, oops, one exploded over what was thankfully an empty freeway.

California was right, Marine Corps leaders were wrong. Some local I-5 insight from @marielgarza.bsky.social:

“I shudder to think of that explosion and rain of debris happening above the normal Saturday traffic flow…. It could have been its own kind of carmageddon.”

I repeat.

Go Dodgers …. but a Blue Jays championship wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.

I joke that my wife’s cancer had perfect timing — a few years after Obamacare passed, letting us hit our out of pocket max early in her treatment. Before, we would have been bankrupted. Instead, we could dig ourselves out of a years-long financial hole while she recovered.