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L.A. TACO

Lexis-Olivier Ray is an award-winning staff investigative reporter for L.A. TACO known for holding powerful people in Los Angeles accountable and his reporting on Los Angeles culture. As well as an artist and filmmaker. In 2022, the Society of Professional Journalists&#8217; Los Angeles chapter named Ray one of their &#8220;distinguished journalists.&#8221; In 2023, Ray won a second place Anthem Award in their Health Innovation category for a texting service geared towards the unhoused community and service providers that he launched in 2021 with L.A. TACO and Subtext. Ray was a 2020 USC Center For Health Journalism (CHJ) Data Fellow. As well as a 2022 CHJ Impact Fellow. As a freelancer, Ray has contributed to the L.A. Times, Men&#8217;s Health Magazine, KCET and SFGATE.

Lexis-Olivier Ray

News

Surrounded By SWAT and K9 Units, Suspect Escapes Cops and Armored Vehicles in El Segundo, After Hours Long Standoff

Sam Ribakoff is a reporter, journalism teacher, communicator for labor unions, and a nice guy from Long Beach.

a man stands in front of a mural with a pig in a police hat being crossed out

Sam Ribakoff

a cartoon taco man giving a thumbs up next to a voting ballot and outline of California

Politics

Our Guide to The Mayor’s Race: Who Won’t Release Tax Returns and Who Got Cash From Samuel L. Jackson

L.A. TACO STAFF

Tacos

A Tiktok Chef Making a ‘Taco de Sal’ (Salt Taco) Is Going Viral For Pranking Everyone

Headlines: Two Shot at Marina Del Rey Restaurant; $50 Burrito Sold at Davos

One of L.A. TACO&#8217;s co-founders, Hadley Tomicki is a writer and editor on food, travel, and culture whose work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, New York Magazine, UrbanDaddy, High Times, and many other places.

Hadley Tomicki

Weed

Blaze It: A New Santa Monica Restaurant Hotboxes Cocktails With a Gravity Bong and Tobacco Terpenes

Featured

Headlines: SoCal Students Stage Walkouts to Protest Gun Violence; Rick Caruso Still “Has No Climate Plan”

Professional punk and Editor-In-Chief for James Beard Award-winning L.A. TACO. Associate Producer for JBA-winning Las Crónicas Del Taco. Former restaurant scout for Jonathan Gold. Co-author of &#8220;Oaxaca: Home Cooking From the Heart of Mexico (2019, Abrams) and &#8220;Asada: The Art of Mexican-Style Grilling&#8221; (2023, Abrams).

Javier Cabral

BREAKING: Street Food Vendors Everywhere Threatened By Santa Monica Senator’s New SB-1290

Events

Weekend Events: DJ Arabian Prince, Houston Tacos in Hollywood, and The Punk Rawk Swap Meet

Mariah Castañeda is a feisty multimedia journalist and social media editor.

Mariah Castañeda

California’s Youngest Congressional Candidate Nicole López Aims to Represent SELA in Crowded Race

Headlines: L.A. Road Rage Incidents Up Over 40%; Legendary Acting Coach Accused of Exploiting Students