Welcome to L.A. TACO’s daily news briefs, where we bring our loyal members, readers, and supporters the latest headlines about Los Angeles politics and culture. Stay informed and look closely.
—Four organizations in California you can donate to in support of Ukraine. [LAT]
—A large fire broke out at Downey's abandoned asylum known as "Poor Farm" on Wednesday night, destroying its buildings. [CBS]
—Starting Friday, L.A.'s indoor mask regulations will be loosened for the vaccinated. [LAT]
—Formerly incarcerated students participating in the Gaucho Underground Scholars Initiative at UCSB have been denied entry to graduate programs, throwing the future of the program into doubt. [Independent]
—The Women's March Foundation has announced a campaign to have L.A. streets named for activists Dolores Huerta and Biddy Mason. [NBC]
—A suspicious package outside of an Alabama courthouse drew out the bomb squad, who found it was just someone's Taco Bell order. [KRLD]
—A Tarzana couple and another family member who were behind an $18-million Covid relief fraud ring were apprehended in Montenegro. [LAT]
—Legal cannabis in California had its best year yet in 2021, reaching over $5.2 billion in sales. [CBT]
—An environmental activist was arrested in Brownsville, Texas, after leaving anti-Space X and anti-gentrification graffiti on a despised local mural, going on to face personal attacks by the mayor over the incident. [TO]