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Published April 10, 2026 4:16 PMThe Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is expected to consider, and likely approve, a motion aimed at assessing the impact of the growing number of data centers in the region.
The centers have drawn criticism for their potential health and environmental effects on surrounding communities and for the amount of energy they use.Around the country, the growth in the number of data centers — which house servers, storage systems and other technology — has been driven in part by the proliferation of artificial intelligence, which has drastically increased the need for critical internet technology infrastructure.There already are more than 70 established data centers in the county, with that number likely to grow as developers approach cities and the county to create additional facilities, according to the motion authored by Supervisor Hilda Solis.The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday is expected to consider, a motion aimed at assessing the impact of the growing number of data centers in the region. The centers have drawn criticism for their potential health and environmental effects on surrounding communities, and for the amount of energy they use. Around the country, the growth in the number of data centers — which house servers, storage systems and other technology — has been driven in part by the proliferation of artificial intelligence, which has drastically increased the need for critical internet technology infrastructure. There are already more than 70 established data centers in the county, with that number likely to grow as developers approach cities and the county to create additional facilities, according to the motion authored by Supervisor Hilda Solis. “Establishing local regulatory oversight of data center placement and operation is needed to ensure community and environmental health and safety is protected,” the motion states. “As newer centers expand in scale and complexity, their energy use and environmental footprint is also increasing, with little community engagement on the potential impacts on residents’ health and wellbeing.” A representative of the data storage industry raised concerns about the motion, which calls for a moratorium on data center development in unincorporated L.A. County that would be initiated “as applicable.” “What concerns me most with the motion is the inclusion of a moratorium,” said Khara Boender, director of state policy for the Data Center Coalition. “That sends a strong signal as to whether they are welcome in those areas.”Solis’ motion calls on various departments including public health, public works and fire to provide findings regarding the health, environmental and safety impacts of data centers on neighboring communities, the impact on electrical and water resources and a review of how other jurisdictions around the county are regulating data centers within urban areas. It also calls for a community education and outreach campaign to inform residents on potential impacts of advancing technologies. The Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group, has said the data center industry is under-regulated and accelerating at a speed, scale and concentration that is impacting energy systems, water supplies, air quality, community health, land use and public finances. A recent report by the group said state and local policymakers are at the forefront of this expansion, “uniquely positioned to guide it in ways that reflect local priorities and community needs, especially in the absence of federal guidelines.”The motion by Solis quotes a 2026 report by Community & Environmental Defense Services that showed pollutants emitted from data centers may adversely impact the health of individuals living as far as 0.6 miles from the site. Boender, of the Data Center Coalition, said concerns about data centers have been overstated. In addition, she said data centers have “a lot of positive economic impacts associated with them.” She cited a Pricewaterhouse report that found one job in a data center creates six jobs in the broader economy.In addition to asking county staff to assess the impact of data centers, the Solis motion calls on the county to support state legislation that directs the Public Utilities Commission to create a special rate structure for large-scale energy users and requires these users to pay for upfront transmission or distribution upgrades. The county Board of Supervisors is expected to consider the motion during its regular meeting Tuesday. For more information, clickFellow Democratic candidates are calling on Swalwell to drop out of the race for governor as major organizations are reviewing their endorsements of him following a report in the San Francisco Chronicle alleging he assaulted a former staffer. Swalwell denied the allegations.that a woman who worked in Swalwell’s Castro Valley office claimed to have had sexual encounters with him while she worked for him and alleged he sexually assaulted her when she was intoxicated. The report comes after weeks of rumors that Swalwell had inappropriate interactions with staff for years.Some groups that have endorsed Swalwell declined to comment on the allegations when reached by CalMatters, saying their board members needed time to digest the news. For others, the exodus was swift. U.S. Rep. Jimmy Gomez, a Los Angeles Democrat who chaired Swalwell’s campaign, resigned from the role Friday and called on Swalwell to drop out. He called the allegations “the ugliest and most serious accusations imaginable.”Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, one of the leading candidates for California governor, came under increasing pressure Friday to drop out of the race following a report by the San Francisco Chronicle that he sexually assaulted a former female staffer. Swalwell denied the allegations. Several other Democratic candidates called for him to immediately drop out, including Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and former Controller Betty Yee, who called the allegations “sickening.” Swalwell had racked up endorsements across the Democratic establishment, and at least one labor union and one politician who was backing him suspended their support swiftly Friday afternoon.that a woman who worked in Swalwell’s Castro Valley office claimed to have had sexual encounters with him while she worked for him and alleged he sexually assaulted her when she was intoxicated. The report comes after weeks of rumors that Swalwell had inappropriate interactions with staff for years. On one instance in 2019, the woman said she became intoxicated after Swalwell asked her for drinks and woke up in his bed in a hotel room, feeling the effects of intercourse. "These allegations are false and come on the eve of an election against the frontrunner for governor. For nearly 20 years, I have served the public — as a prosecutor and a congressman and have always protected women. I will defend myself with the facts and where necessary bring legal action,” Swalwell said in a statement Friday. In recent weeks, two social media influencers began posting online what many people had considered rumors about Swalwell’s behavior with women. The influencers said they had spoken with several young women with whom Swalwell had behaved inappropriately. CalMatters has not independently verified the claims. Swalwell pushed back hard against the allegations this week, telling reporters at a town hall in Sacramento on Tuesday that they are “false,” that he had “never” had a sexual relationship with anyone who worked for him. He suggested the allegations were politically motivated. “I don’t want there to be any question in the minds of Californians,” he said. “I’m offering myself also as somebody who is fearlessly going to stand up for Californians on the toughest issues and not flinch.”. The attorney, Elias Dabaie, did not respond to a request for comment on the Chronicle story but confirmed to other news outlets the letter’s authenticity. On Thursday night, Swalwell canceled a planned town hall in Southern California. Swalwell began calling groups that have endorsed him Friday morning to tell them of an upcoming story in the Chronicle, and denying the story, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to CalMatters. Swalwell’s top two Democratic competitors in governor’s race, Tom Steyer and Katie Porter, on Friday avoided calling for him to drop out, though both issued statements commending the woman in the Chronicle story for coming forward. Some groups that have endorsed Swalwell declined to comment on the allegations when reached by CalMatters, saying their board members needed time to digest the news. For others, the exodus was swift. U.S. Rep. Jimmy Gomez, a Los Angeles Democrat who chaired Swalwell’s campaign, resigned from the role Friday and called on Swalwell to drop out. He called the allegations “the ugliest and most serious accusations imaginable.”The powerhouse union California Teachers Association immediately suspended its support of Swalwell, calling the allegations against him “incredibly disturbing and unacceptable” in a statement by President David Goldberg. “Our elected board will be meeting as soon as possible to follow our union’s democratic process to determine next steps.” Another heavyweight union that endorsed him, Service Employees International Union California, suspended at least one ad buy in support of Swalwell following the accusations. The California Medical Association, another backer, was convening an emergency meeting of the board, and “takes these allegations extremely seriously,” said spokesperson Erin Mellon. Published April 10, 2026 2:39 PMNoting the 220 cases of flea-borne typhus reported in Los Angeles County last year, Supervisor Holly Mitchell is expected to introduce a motion at next week’s board meeting aimed at preventing the spread of the bacterial disease., dated April 14, directs several county departments to coordinate efforts to clean up illegal trash dumping, trim overgrown vegetation and control free-roaming animals that can carry infected fleas. The motion directs the Department of Homeless Services and Housing to prioritize sanitation needs at homeless encampments in outbreak-affected areas. It requires a written report back to the Board of Supervisors within 90 days.Mitchell’s motion focuses on Willowbrook, an unincorporated community in her district that has had four local typhus outbreaks since 2017, including one last year. The L.A. County Department of Public Health investigated two other local outbreaks in 2025, in central L.A. and Santa Monica. Typhus infections in L.A. County rose from 187 cases in 2024 to a record 220 in 2025. Last year, 90% of those infected required hospitalization. This year, there have been 17 reported cases of typhus in L.A. County and no local outbreaks, according to the Department of Public Health.is not spread person-to-person. The Public Health Department says the disease is transmitted to humans primarily through infected fleas found on rats, stray cats and possums. Symptoms include fever, headache and rash. Health officials say it can present as a mild illness or a severe disease requiring hospitalization., Dr. Muntu Davis urged residents to use flea control on pets, avoid stray animals and secure trash to keep wildlife off their property.If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.Published April 10, 2026 2:29 PMUbefest is an event that's meant to celebrate not just ube, the purple yam, but also Filipino food culture. Two vendors at the event, Cyclops Coffee and The Burger Ghoul, shared their Filipino-inspired specialty items with“The ube definitely kicks it up a notch, with the crispy pork on the edges,” said Cross of The Burger Ghoul's ube-bun smash burger.Check out Ubefest at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Note: The festival is free.Friday host Austin Cross talked to two folks involved with Ubefest — which takes place Saturday and Sunday in Cerritos — about their work in highlighting Filipino food culture. This week, two more vendors that you'll find at the food festival joined Austin — Cyclops Coffee, which has a shop in Long Beach, and The Burger Ghoul, a smash burger pop-up. Steven Than, Cyclops Coffee owner, and Geoffrey Manila, owner of The Burger Ghoul, discussed the drinks and food inspired by their heritage. Than started in graphic design, but he then segued his interest in coffee through another company — Steelhead Coffee. “They helped me build Cyclops Coffee,” Than said. From Cyclops, we tried the cookies & cream ube latte and piña colada ube latte.“I love the flavor of coconut … and this one delivers exactly what I want out of it,” Austin said about the piña colada ube latte About the burger, Austin said, “The ube definitely kicks it up a notch, with the crispy pork on the edges.”California Republicans meet in San Diego for their annual convention where they’ll consider who to back in the governor’s race and work on plans to maintain and expand their legislative presence.This weekend’s California Republican Party convention was poised to be a drama-filled event. The party held out a slim hope that its two gubernatorial candidates, if they played nicely enough,of the November election and reclaim statewide office for the first time in 20 years. But then President Donald Trump weighed in, backing former Fox News host Steve Hilton over Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. Now, the state party’s endorsement is far less consequential.This weekend’s California Republican Party convention was poised to be a drama-filled event. The party held out a slim hope that its two gubernatorial candidates, if they played nicely enough,But then President Donald Trump weighed in, backing former Fox News host Steve Hilton over Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.“He screwed over California Republicans yet again,” said Rob Stutzman, a Republican political consultant, of Trump. “It's just political malpractice to not have done a dual endorsement,” he added. “People were briefing the White House on the situation.” The weekend’s festivities in San Diego mark the first gathering since the state GOP’s bruising loss last November on, the Democrats’ gerrymandering plan designed to oust five Republicans from Congress in the midterm election. That loss only magnified the statesince the ouster and resignation of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the Bakersfield congressmember who made sure the national GOP didn’t forget about its California members. The gubernatorial contest, as well as legislative races, had become the new focal points for a party in search of a way out of the political wilderness. Trump’s endorsement probably dashed any hope of a Republican governor, leaving the Legislature as Republicans’ best chance for wins.over claims of alleged voter fraud, is still expected to put up a fight for the 60% of delegate votes required to earn the party endorsement. Hilton will likely consolidate GOP support as loyal base voters fall in line behind Trump. Even without the party’s endorsement, Hilton is well positioned to finish in the top-two in June. But the president’s nod is practically the kiss of death for a general election candidate in deep blue California, a state where even some Republicans tout bucking the president as a talking point on the campaign trail. “The big fight if you're trying to be elected governor is actually to have a broad-based appeal in California,” said Matt Rexroad, a Republican campaign consultant who used to work for Bianco. “President Trump doesn't provide that.” Republican candidates Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton participate in a gubernatorial candidate forum at Fresno State on April 1, 2026.Without the drama surrounding the gubernatorial endorsement, Rexroad decided the convention was no longer worth attending. He canceled his flight from Sacramento and his hotel reservation in San Diego, opting instead to send a proxy ballot with another delegate friend. Rexroad planned to back Bianco. Trump’s popularity has fallen dramatically nationally since the war in Iran began and gas prices have skyrocketed, worsening his already poor standing among heavily Democratic California voters. Both Bianco and Hilton have sought to minimize their support for Trump, as nearly three-quarters of Californians disapprove of him, and many strategists believed the party’s best shot at the governorship was keeping the president out of it. “The party is relevant in some localities of the state. But on a statewide basis, the Republican Party is like the Democratic Party in Utah,” said Mike Murphy, a former Republican consultant. “You can’t think of a worse brand than Donald Trump in California,” Murphy said. “If they cancel the Republican state convention, as far as state politics are concerned, it’d make no difference to the outcome.”With a brand irretrievably tied to Trump, one strategy for clawing back Republican losses is to focus on more conservative, inland parts of the state in local races. That includes pockets of Southern California, where Latino voters swung heavily in favor of Trump in 2024 and the party picked up three statehouse seats. “What’s really going to be the difference-maker for Republicans in California is really focusing the ground game on districts that matter,” and raising money, said Jon Fleischman, a longtime Republican consultant. “If we can hold the seats we are capable of holding on a year that looks like a wave year for Democrats, then Republicans will do really well.”Seeking vengeance, a handful of Democrats have lined up to unseat Gonzalez. Meanwhile, Castillo will face an old challenger. Both Republicans will be walking into this weekend with the party’s endorsement already in hand. Castillo clinched her seat by fewer than 600 votes two years ago, defeating Riverside City Councilmember Clarissa Cervantes, who had more money and name recognition. But Cervantes, who sought to replace her sister, Riverside Democratic stateAssemblymember Leticia Castillo at her desk during a floor session at the state Capitol in Sacramento on Jan. 23, 2025.Gonzalez, a retired Marine, flipped his Coachella Valley district in 2024, which swung for Trump by fewer than two percentage points. He faces three other Democrats, including Indio City Councilmember Oscar Ortiz, and so far has amassed a bigger war chest than all of them. Some Republicans also worry whether the party is headed in the right direction. In San Diego, local infighting over whether a moderate or far-right candidate would be best positioned to succeed term-limited Senate Minority LeaderCatherine Blakespear . The district has been trending leftward since redistricting in 2020 pulled in more parts of liberal San Diego County and dropped portions of more conservative Orange County. Blakespear has significantly outraised her two GOP competitors, Laura Bassett and Armen Kurdian, one of whom could be endorsed this weekend.of Roseville could also face a more difficult than usual path to reelection in a midterm where moderate Republicans in liberal areas will have to fight the anti-Trump momentum.Post-Prop. 50, California’s five remaining incumbent Republican House members face a bleak road to reelection. The districts were redrawn so drastically that several members have chosen to vacate their original seats and seek reelection in different districts. Rep. Kevin Kiley, a Roseville resident whose current district spans much of the California-Nevada border, left the GOP entirely and is running as an independent for a Sacramento-area seat that Prop. 50 made more conservative. Rather than risk his political future by challenging Rep. Tom McClintock, an influential party fixture, Kiley settled on the 6th Congressional District after months of deliberation. “This is, I think, probably an attempt to salvage something of a career later down the road by putting in the old college try,” said Mike Madrid, an anti-Trump Republican strategist and co-founder of The Lincoln Project., announced his retirement barely before the deadline to file for the ballot. He reportedly explored moving to Texas to seek reelection there, but abandoned that plan when he failed to earn Trump’s approval. And rather than retire as the longest-serving congressional Republican in California history, incumbent Rep. Ken Calvert is seeking to topple his colleague, Rep. Young Kim, in pursuit of an 18th term after his Inland Empire district was drastically reshaped into a liberal stronghold. Each hasRep. David Valadao’s campaign in the Central Valley. The six-term congressman has worked to distance himself from Trump over the years, voting in favor of the president’s second impeachment after the Jan. 6 insurrection attacks. He has only lost reelection once, in 2018 as part of an anti-Trump blue wave. He won back his seat in 2020 in the same election that former President Joe Biden won his district by double digits. But Valadao faces one of his most difficult reelections yet as Democrats seek to saddle him with his vote for the GOP’s mega budget bill, which has stripped hundreds of thousands of his own constituents of their health insurance through Medi-Cal. If California Republicans want to notch wins in races like Valadao’s, they know they need to motivate their voters to show up in November for what’s expected to be a bruising election for GOP candidates up and down the ticket. The weekend’s gathering in San Diego should provide a good pulse check. Trump’s endorsement in the gubernatorial race could energize the base. Or, it might convince enough GOP voters that the result is a foregone conclusion.
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