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.
—Semifinalists for The James Beard Foundation's Best Chef California include L.A. mole queen Rocio Camacho of Rocio's Mexican Kitchen, Holbox chef-owner Gilberto Cetina, and Andrew and Michelle Muñoz of Moo's Craft Barbecue, as well as the chefs at Jitlada, Anajak Thai, and Hayato. Niki Nakayama of N/Naka and Here's Looking at You also made it in other categories. [James Beard Foundation]
—Fentanyl has killed a handful of skateboarding legends in San Francisco, including Thrasher editor Jake Phelps, with the cause of death being hidden for years. Such secrecy is likely to lead to more deaths that could be prevented, as the combination of open-air drug use areas and certain cultural aspects is perceived to be married to the skateboarding lifestyle. [SF Standard]
—Monterey Park: Vice President Kamala Harris will visit Monterey Park today to honor the eleven victims whose lives were lost to this weekend's mass shooting. Harris is expected to arrive at 4:15 pm to meet with the families of the victims. Yesterday a vigil at City Hall was attended by hundreds of people, paying their respects. [CBS]
—After 42 years, NBC sports anchor Fred Roggin is stepping away from doing daily T.V. broadcast news. The 65-year-old plans to continue appearing on his AM 570 radio show, and plans to explore opportunities in television production, both as a host and behind the scenes. [LAT]