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.
—L.A. tobacco retailers have until New Year's Eve to sell their remaining inventory of flavored Swisher Sweets and Backwoods or remove them from shelves. After that, a statewide ban on flavored tobacco goes into effect. What exactly does that mean for tobacco retailers and blunt rollers? Will popular flavored blunts actually be removed from store shelves overnight? It's unclear how the anti-flavored tobacco law will be enforced locally. A spokesperson for the LAPD told L.A. TACO in light of the statewide ban on flavored tobacco, the department has been "proactively educating licensed tobacco retailers." "Education consists of site inspections, informational literature & contact phone numbers," the spokesperson said. The Los Angeles City Attorney's Office Tobacco Unit is currently in the process of planning "enforcement strategies" for the new year, the spokesperson indicated. [Lexis-Olivier Ray/Twitter]
—The feds seized more than 30 million doses of fentanyl this year, more than enough to kill everyone living in seven California counties. [LAT]
—Hollywood: Police chased a man reportedly carrying a gun and another man through Hollywood Thursday morning. The suspects both reportedly got away. [ABC]
—More people are dying of COVID now than during the deadly surge this summer. And there are still three more months of winter left. [LAT]
—Long Beach: The new Mayor of Long Beach asked city officials to declare a homeless state of emergency. [KFI]
— Thirty percent of the country's unhoused people live in California, according to the feds. [Cal Matters]
—What would it take to solve California's homeless crisis? Oh, only about $8 billion and more than 200,000 homes. [LAist]
—The L.A. County Public Health Department removed all eligibility requirements associated with the Mpox vaccine. Anyone who needs protection against the disease can get a shot without " disclosing any information or personal risk." [L.A. Public Health/Twitter]
—A former federal agent was convicted of violating the civil rights of two women who tried to report him to the police for sexual assault. [LAT]
—Power has been restored to more than 70,000 Northern California residents who lost electricity after a magnitude 6.4 earthquake earlier this week. [LAT]
