LOCAL

For the handful of skiers gliding across a sun-drenched ridge high in the San Gabriel Mountains, the wide expanse of the Inland Empire stretched to the Pacific Ocean nearly two vertical miles below.

Across sparkling water, the rugged spine of Catalina Island graced the horizon.

The view rivaled anything at the posh, world-renowned ski resorts of Lake Tahoe, but this was humble Mt. Baldy — the familiar local mountain that, for a few precious weeks each year, becomes a downhill skiing destination that holds its own with anything in the American West.

A sign inside Top of the Notch restaurant at Mt. Baldy.

Last week — after the 10,000-foot summit that looms above Los Angeles emerged from storm clouds blanketed in white — was one for the ages.

But in a rapidly warming world, and in an industry dominated by two huge and growing conglomerates that are crushing the competition, every run feels fleeting.

These days, managing a small ski business is like trying to keep a mom-and-pop general store afloat after Walmart comes to town.

By noon last Wednesday on Mt. Baldy — a little more than an hour’s drive from downtown L.A. — it was getting pretty hot, and the snow was melting fast.

• Share via Close extra sharing options

For a skier racing between towering Jeffrey pines and plummeting through soft, slushy piles of forgiving snow, the hardest part was dodging exposed rocks and random tree limbs that appeared underfoot with alarming frequency.

The hardest part for the business is the fact that one of the conglomerates, Alterra Mountain Co., essentially surrounds Mt. Baldy.

Zac Chambers and his daughter Whitney, 6, of Upland, snowboard together at Mt. Baldy.

It owns Big Bear Mountain Resort and Snow Summit in nearby San Bernardino County, and Mammoth Mountain, the closest big resort in California’s High Sierra.

Although a season pass at Mt. Baldy is a relative bargain at about $300, it’s good only when there’s snow.

For about $800, you can get an “Ikon Pass” from Alterra, which offers access to all of its resorts in California and dozens more across the country and around the globe, including South America, Europe and Asia.

All of which makes keeping the lights on and the chairlifts spinning at beloved, but beleaguered, local resorts an exhausting labor of love.

Last week, Robby Ellingson, president and general manager of Mt. Baldy Resort, drove two hours to a rival resort in Big Bear Lake to pick up spare parts for an old chairlift that had broken down. He thanked them with a few cases of beer.

He planned to grab some tools and install the parts himself, with the help of an electrician.

Michael Phelps, left, and Seven Foster, of Riverside, take the chairlift up to Mt. Baldy Resort.

“I climb the lift towers, I drive snowcats, I do pretty much everything,” he said, chuckling at all of the hard, physical labor despite his executive title. “There’s a lot of things I do that none of the other dudes who hold my position would dream of — out of necessity.”

Another Mt. Baldy executive, Ellingson’s brother Tommy, turned up for an interview on the mountain in a camouflage hoodie, clutching an electric hand drill.

“Everybody’s like a Swiss army knife up here,” he quipped. “It’s awesome, it’s organic!”

It’s also very old-school.

While resorts like Mammoth invest millions in state-of-the-art chairlifts that whisk six people at a time up the mountain with astonishing speed, Mt. Baldy relies on slow, creaking two- and three-person lifts reminiscent of the 1980s.

A lot of the ski gear, ski fashion and the skiers themselves seemed proudly rooted in a bygone era too.

A skier carves down the mountain at Mt. Baldy.

Chris Caron, a 65-year-old retiree who lives 20 minutes down the road, stood at the top of the experts chairlift with a beard as white as snow, a black plastic sun shield across his nose and a cold craft beer in hand.

“There’s big conglomerates trying to buy everybody up, and I don’t want that,” he said, shading himself beneath the bill of his Pliny the Elder ball cap. “That’s what I love about here. It’s not so commercialized.”

Caron said he snowboards at Baldy every chance he gets — 20 to 30 days in a good year.

“I grew up here. We used to ride our bicycles and hike these mountains,” he said. “It’s like home.”

Driving back from visiting family in Missouri recently, Caron stopped at Taos Ski Valley in New Mexico, a bucket list destination for people who don’t shy from pricey vacations. He couldn’t help himself, he said — they’d just had a big dump of fresh powder and it wasn’t too far out of his way. But it didn’t feel right.

“It’s pretty posh,” he said with a resigned shrug. “That’s just not me.”

Also enjoying the uncrowded slopes and gloriously short lift lines on Wednesday was Tommaso Ghio, 28, an aspiring filmmaker from Italy who spent much of the afternoon snowboarding shirtless and looking like an extra from a Visit California commercial.

Old skis adorn a light fixture at the Top of the Notch restaurant at Mt. Baldy.

He and his friends drove up through the desert where it was, “like 80 or 90 degrees, and then we just ended up on top of a mountain,” covered in snow, he said, grinning as if he had won the lottery. “You can’t get this anywhere else.”

But the balmy weather that made the afternoon feel so decadent, and otherworldly, also poses a serious threat to Baldy’s on-again, off-again ski season.

It started with a surprise early storm in November — one that had locals dreaming of a record-breaking year — followed by a bone-dry December.

Then at Christmas, an atmospheric river that dumped several feet of snow on Northern California resorts arrived at Mt. Baldy, which tops out at 8,600 feet, as “catastrophic” rain, Ellingson said.

Rain washes away existing snow and destroys the quality of anything left behind.

And since Christmas week crowds generate about 30% of annual revenue at many U.S. ski resorts, the storm soaked Mt. Baldy in more ways than one.

Things stayed grim until last week’s storm, which dropped more than 2 feet of snow at the base of the resort and up to 3 feet at the top.

With limited snow at lower elevations, people make the up-and-down trip from the chairlift at Mt. Baldy.

It took some time to recover from damage done by the howling wind and make sure none of the enormous piles of snow on the upper reaches became life-threatening avalanches. When the resort finally opened, the skiing was as good as any in recent memory.

“I’ve lived in Mt. Baldy almost my entire life,” said Ellingson, who is 50, “and last Friday was one of my top five days ever.”

He’s hoping the storm delivered enough snow to stay open for at least a month, but the heat is not helping.

Ellingson’s family bought the Mt. Baldy Lodge, a restaurant in the village far below, in the late 1970s. They started running the ski hill, which they own a substantial share of, in 2013.

Increasingly fickle winters have forced the resort to branch out in an attempt to boost summer earnings and attract non-skiing customers: hosting moonlight hikes with live music in the restaurant at the base of the lifts, renting “glamping” tents on wooden platforms — with beds and locking doors — to tempt uneasy campers to sleep beneath the stars.

And in what Ellingson called a “swing for the fences” move, the resort recently bought a microbrewery in Upland. After serving beers at the restaurant for decades, it seemed like a natural next step.

Anything to avoid getting trapped in a “desk job,” Ellingson said, like his friends working as middle managers at the big, corporate resorts.

“I hate to throw shade,” he said, but do those guys ever go skiing?

Independence is priceless to Ellingson because, when you’re the boss and the snow is good, nobody can order you to stop throwing tricks in the terrain park and flying off jumps.

“I grew up during the X Games boom. That’s my identity,” he said. “I still get rad every single day.”

Wigan: Field; Eckersley, Keighran, Farrell, Marshall; French, Smith; Havard, O’Neill, Thompson, Nsemba, Walters, Ellis.

Replacements: Mago, Partington, Eseh, Forber.

Leigh: Hodgson; Senior, Niu, Brand, Charnley; Cook, Lam; Ofahengaue, Horne, Mulhern, Halton, Trout, Liu.

Replacements: Hughes, Davis, Alick-Wiencke, O’Brien.

Referee: Liam Moore.

Nexstar Media Group is slashing personnel from its TV stations, including several on-air veterans at Los Angeles outlet KTLA.

Glen Walker and Lu Parker, anchors of KTLA’s late morning and midday newscasts, are out along with meteorologist Mark Kriski, according to people briefed on the moves not authorized to speak publicly.

Kriski had been with KTLA since 1991, while Walker has been at the station’s anchor desk since 2010. Parker joined KTLA in 2005.

A representative for Nexstar said the company does not comment on personnel issues, adding it is “taking steps necessary to compete effectively in this period of unprecedented change.”

The layoffs are part of a company-wide cost reduction across Nexstar’s stations. The Irving, Texas-based media giant, which recently agreed to a $6.2-billion merger with station group Tegna, is looking for savings as traditional TV viewing declines and puts pressure on ad revenue as consumers continue to move to video-streaming platforms.

Television station groups have been lobbying the government to lift restrictions that limit them to 39% coverage of U.S households. They say lifting the cap will enable them to better compete with technology companies that have no such restrictions.

Nexstar is the largest TV station ownership group in the U.S. It also operates the cable network NewsNation, which has been slow to make significant inroads against established channels CNN, Fox News and MSNBC since it launched in 2020.

Nexstar has been chipping away at the staff of its Chicago station WGN, which produces 12 hours of local news daily. A total of 21 people have been cut in recent weeks, including nine reporters and anchors on Monday.

Known locally as “Chicago’s Very Own,” WGN has long been a source of civic pride in the city. Insiders at the station say they have been deluged with emails and texts expressing dismay over Nexstar’s moves, which eliminated a number of staffers with decades of experience and institutional knowledge.

Among those let go is Dean Richards, WGN’s longtime entertainment reporter and critic who has been a fixture at Hollywood press junkets.

At New York’s WPIX, Nexstar eliminated at least three on-air positions, including weekend anchor and reporter John Muller and afternoon anchor Arrianee LeBeau, who covered transit for the morning newscast.

SAG-AFTRA, which represents employees at KTLA and WGN, issued a statement blasting the cuts.

“By laying off journalists across the country, Nexstar is eroding the resources and talent that local communities rely on for trusted news,” SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin said. “These actions highlight the risks of media consolidation and underscore the urgent need for regulators and the company to prioritize the public interest and the professionals who serve it.

KTLA, WGN and WPIX have been part of Nexstar since 2019, when the company completed its acquisition of Tribune Broadcasting.

Disneyland Resort’s high percentage of California visitors has helped mitigate a dip in international tourists, an executive said Thursday.

More than 50% of the Anaheim theme park’s audience has typically been from California, Thomas Mazloum, president of Disneyland Resort, told reporters during a media event at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa. As a result, the company has been able to quickly shift marketing focus to that audience, as well as its ongoing efforts to boost out-of-state attendance.

Walt Disney Co. had previously indicated a slowdown in international visitation at its U.S. theme parks in its fiscal first-quarter earnings call earlier this month.

Company executives said they expected to see “modest” growth in its operating income for its experiences sector — which includes Disney’s theme parks — due to “headwinds” in foreign visitation trends to its domestic parks, as well as pre-launch costs for its new cruise ship and a “Frozen”-themed land in Disneyland Paris.

And as Disneyland Resort hit its 70th anniversary last year, the park is looking to grow and find new audiences to stay relevant for the future.

Because of the large number of California visitors, the company recently expanded its traditional deal for Southern California locals to all residents of the Golden State. Disneyland Resort has also made its lowest-price entry ticket of $104 available year-round to active-duty members of the U.S. armed forces, and introduced a new summer promotion pricing a one-day, park-hopper kids’ ticket at $50 a day.

The theme park is also looking to attract more young families. To that end, Disneyland Resort will open an immersive theater experience called “Bluey’s Best Day Ever!” on March 22 at the Fantasyland Theatre, a nod to the massive appeal of Australian animated show “Bluey.”

“I continue to say how critical it is to expand the audience,” Mazloum said. “I still see a lot of opportunity for people who haven’t discovered Disneyland yet.”

Disney California Adventure’s Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! ride will also stay open into 2027, Mazloum said. The ride was originally scheduled to be retired this year to make way for an “Avatar” ride and experience, but after some planning from the engineering and operations teams, it can now stay open without negatively affecting construction and project progress, he said.

The park is also looking to increase spontaneity for visitors, and will eliminate the current 11 a.m. start time for park-hopping later this year, allowing guests to move back and forth between the parks at their leisure, Mazloum said.

The plans for growth at Disneyland Resort come as Disney recently named theme parks chief Josh D’Amaro as its new chief executive. The theme parks sector he previously oversaw is Disney’s economic engine, providing the majority of the company’s operating income in the last few years.

Snoop Dogg is dropping Olympics tickets like it’s hot.

The hip-hop icon has been busy at the Milan-Cortina Games as a special correspondent for NBC as well as an honorary coach for the U.S. team. According to recent reports by NBC and Reuters, he’s also been spreading the Olympics joy to the locals.

The rapper reportedly sent five tickets for the men’s snowboard halfpipe final to the owners of a local restaurant who covered his dinner after there were some troubles with the credit card payment. Sofia Valmadre, whose parents own Cronox in Livigno, Italy, said Snoop had placed an order for a cheeseburger, chicken wings, chicken nuggets and French fries at her family’s eatery. Unfortunately, the credit card the mogul’s staffer tried to use was declined for an unknown reason.

“My mother told him it was OK [to take the food] without paying,” Valmadre told Reuters. “[The next day] he sent us five tickets to see the final.”

The “Gin and Juice” rapper has become a familiar presence at the Olympics, especially since NBC made his involvement official starting with the 2024 Paris Summer Games. In addition to cheering on American athletes including curlers Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin, snowboarder Chloe Kim and speedskater Erin Jackson at their events — usually in custom apparel celebrating the sports stars — Snoop has been spending his time in Italy hanging out with bestie Martha Stewart, learning how to ski from Picabo Street and getting chummy with Olympians like “Quad God” Ilia Malinin.

For those curious about Snoop’s dining habits, Stewart recently described him as a “very fussy eater.” She even surprised him with a bowl of spaghetti with meatballs topped with cheddar cheese during a recent fine-dining outing.

SACRAMENTO — After a collapse in state budget negotiations late last week over funding for cities and counties, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger pushed to revive his plan Saturday to protect their revenues.

One of the last sticking points in reaching agreement on the $103-billion state budget, the local government provisions have rocked the Capitol for several days and sent city officials across California into a frenzy of last-minute opposition.

The governor is pressuring lawmakers to support a plan under which cities and counties would accept $2.6 billion in cuts over the next two years in exchange for an amendment to the state Constitution that would prohibit such cuts in the future.

His latest push for that plan comes days after he walked away from a compromise with Democrats that would give the Legislature more flexibility in how it provides assistance to local government. The governor abandoned the compromise after local leaders rebelled against it, triggering a meltdown in the Legislature. Legislative leaders threw up their hands, and lawmakers headed home for the weekend.

“We are all here today calling on the legislators, and to tell them to go back to Sacramento and to vote for our local government agreement so that the people have their budget,” Schwarzenegger said at a rally before a few dozen police and firefighters Saturday at L.A. City Fire Station 88 in Sherman Oaks, where the governor also filmed scenes for his 2002 movie “Collateral Damage.”

“We were at the home stretch, we were very close to have a deal and a budget, but suddenly the legislators shut down and left Sacramento and went back home.”

The governor demanded an immediate floor vote on the deal he and local leaders had worked out.

Senate President John Burton (D-San Francisco) downplayed Schwarzenegger’s appearances, saying the governor hammering lawmakers at public rallies “doesn’t faze me.”

“Bring it on if you want,” Burton said. “We’ll just let the cards read for themselves. I believe the negotiations with the Legislature and the governor can be done pretty quickly.” He said he had been speaking with the governor and his chief of staff by telephone and believed a budget deal could be reached soon.

The deal the city and county leaders are pushing is simple. It begins with them accepting $1.3 billion in cuts for each of the next two years.

In return, the governor and lawmakers would support a constitutional amendment that would protect their share of the state budget from ever again being cut.

Democrats say that plan is full of problems: It would make it nearly impossible for lawmakers to borrow from cities and counties during a fiscal crisis; it would lock into the Constitution a system that forces local governments to become overly dependent on sales tax, leading too many to become overly reliant on “big box” retail stores, leading to sprawl; and it would give cities and counties priority in the state budget over education, social services and most every government program.

“It gives local government more protection than schools,” Burton said.

Burton called on the local leaders to return to the negotiating table.

He cautioned them not to take their chances on an initiative they have on the November ballot that would prohibit the state from taking any money away from cities and counties ever again.

“The polls show it is going in the dumpster,” Burton said. “If they want to come to the table, good. If they don’t, let them take their chances.”

Standing alongside the governor in Los Angeles on Saturday, however, several big-city mayors said they saw no reason to give in to any Democratic demands.

“We had a deal,” said Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn. “We want that deal to go through.”

Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown said local governments were not the Legislature’s “personal piggy bank.”

A Cotswolds local has shared her five favourite spots to go for a bite to eat when you’ve completed your long country walk and need something hearty and delicious

Who can resist a hearty pub lunch after a refreshing walk, soaking up the stunning natural beauty around them? It’s simply an unbeatable experience.

It feels like a well-earned treat, and there’s nothing quite like the satisfaction that comes after a good bout of exercise. That’s why a local woman from the Cotswolds has shared her top picks for a pub lunch if you’re visiting the area, but she warns that you “must” book in advance to avoid disappointment. Ali listed five of her favourite local eateries, all of which sound absolutely delightful and are worth checking out sooner rather than later.

1. The Kingham Plough, Kingham

Ali enthused: “My all-time favourite pub in the Cotswolds. Incredible roasts, consistently great food, faultless service and one of the prettiest villages around.”

A recent Tripadvisor review reads: “We had a lovely dinner with family and friends. The food, especially the more sophisticated dishes, was very good, the ambience pleasant, and the service enjoyable.”

2. The Lamb, Shipton-under-Wychwood

“Outstanding food and such good value evenings (think chicken night, curry night, etc). They also own a few other brilliant Cotswolds pubs that are just as good,” Ali noted.

A recent Tripadvisor review reads: “Roast Chicken – best I’ve ever had (obviously apart from my wife’s and mother’s). It’s really very exceptional. I would go as far as saying I would travel to the Lamb just to eat the roast chicken. Fabulous deal on Thursdays – an entire roast chicken plus trimmings for £30.”

3. The Fox at Oddington, Oddington

Ali praised it, writing: “A Daylesford-owned pub and a local favourite – especially on Thursday nights. Amazing pizza, beautiful interiors and a great atmosphere.”

One glowing Tripadvisor review gushed: “Wow! What a pub… the vibes are on point as soon as you walk in the door. We went on a busy Friday evening without a booking, and after having a drink in the bar, we were seated at a table by James, who was an outstanding host!”

“The food was absolutely superb, we had steak tartare, and the nduja scotch egg for starters, both amazing, then had the Fox double burger and beef bourguignon.

“Hands down the best burger I have ever tasted, and the beef was amazing, both were generous portions, great value for money. The service was great the whole time. Shout out to James, who was great to chat with and looked after us!”

4. The Bull, Charlbury

Ali described it as: “Recently named one of the best pubs in the UK. The menu might look a little intimidating, but trust me – the food is fantastic. Pie night every Thursday.”

One Tripadvisor reviewer shared: “We had a great lunch at The Bull! It is somewhat full of Londoners in rust-coloured corduroy, but that didn’t spoil what was a lovely lunch!”

“You do need to book as it’s extremely popular. Be prepared that it is incredibly dark with only candles for lighting, but all in all, we had a lovely meal – the plates are small, but deceivingly filling! The staff are really nice, and the atmosphere is cosy, lighthearted and easy.

“One word of caution – if you order a Bloody Mary, it may blow your head off!”

5. The Chequers, Churchill

Ali said: “Clarkson’s local and currently undergoing a refurbishment. Reopening mid-March in a stunning village location – one to watch for great food and atmosphere.”

A recent Tripadvisor review reads: “We had a lovely meal at The Chequers. The food was genuinely excellent – fresh, well-cooked, and full of flavour, with a great menu choice. What really stood out, though, was the staff. They were incredibly attentive without being overbearing, friendly, and made us feel very welcome throughout our visit.

“Everything came out promptly, and nothing was too much trouble. It’s clear they really care about the quality of both the food and the customer experience. We’ll definitely be returning and would happily recommend The Chequers to others.”

Which pub would you fancy visiting if you found yourself in the Cotswolds? Share your thoughts in the comments below…

A Cotswolds local has shared her five favourite spots to go for a bite to eat when you’ve completed your long country walk and need something hearty and delicious

Who can resist a hearty pub lunch after a refreshing walk, soaking up the stunning natural beauty around them? It’s simply an unbeatable experience.

It feels like a well-earned treat, and there’s nothing quite like the satisfaction that comes after a good bout of exercise. That’s why a local woman from the Cotswolds has shared her top picks for a pub lunch if you’re visiting the area, but she warns that you “must” book in advance to avoid disappointment. Ali listed five of her favourite local eateries, all of which sound absolutely delightful and are worth checking out sooner rather than later.

1. The Kingham Plough, Kingham

Ali enthused: “My all-time favourite pub in the Cotswolds. Incredible roasts, consistently great food, faultless service and one of the prettiest villages around.”

A recent Tripadvisor review reads: “We had a lovely dinner with family and friends. The food, especially the more sophisticated dishes, was very good, the ambience pleasant, and the service enjoyable.”

2. The Lamb, Shipton-under-Wychwood

“Outstanding food and such good value evenings (think chicken night, curry night, etc). They also own a few other brilliant Cotswolds pubs that are just as good,” Ali noted.

A recent Tripadvisor review reads: “Roast Chicken – best I’ve ever had (obviously apart from my wife’s and mother’s). It’s really very exceptional. I would go as far as saying I would travel to the Lamb just to eat the roast chicken. Fabulous deal on Thursdays – an entire roast chicken plus trimmings for £30.”

3. The Fox at Oddington, Oddington

Ali praised it, writing: “A Daylesford-owned pub and a local favourite – especially on Thursday nights. Amazing pizza, beautiful interiors and a great atmosphere.”

One glowing Tripadvisor review gushed: “Wow! What a pub… the vibes are on point as soon as you walk in the door. We went on a busy Friday evening without a booking, and after having a drink in the bar, we were seated at a table by James, who was an outstanding host!”

“The food was absolutely superb, we had steak tartare, and the nduja scotch egg for starters, both amazing, then had the Fox double burger and beef bourguignon.

“Hands down the best burger I have ever tasted, and the beef was amazing, both were generous portions, great value for money. The service was great the whole time. Shout out to James, who was great to chat with and looked after us!”

4. The Bull, Charlbury

Ali described it as: “Recently named one of the best pubs in the UK. The menu might look a little intimidating, but trust me – the food is fantastic. Pie night every Thursday.”

One Tripadvisor reviewer shared: “We had a great lunch at The Bull! It is somewhat full of Londoners in rust-coloured corduroy, but that didn’t spoil what was a lovely lunch!”

“You do need to book as it’s extremely popular. Be prepared that it is incredibly dark with only candles for lighting, but all in all, we had a lovely meal – the plates are small, but deceivingly filling! The staff are really nice, and the atmosphere is cosy, lighthearted and easy.

“One word of caution – if you order a Bloody Mary, it may blow your head off!”

5. The Chequers, Churchill

Ali said: “Clarkson’s local and currently undergoing a refurbishment. Reopening mid-March in a stunning village location – one to watch for great food and atmosphere.”

A recent Tripadvisor review reads: “We had a lovely meal at The Chequers. The food was genuinely excellent – fresh, well-cooked, and full of flavour, with a great menu choice. What really stood out, though, was the staff. They were incredibly attentive without being overbearing, friendly, and made us feel very welcome throughout our visit.

“Everything came out promptly, and nothing was too much trouble. It’s clear they really care about the quality of both the food and the customer experience. We’ll definitely be returning and would happily recommend The Chequers to others.”

Which pub would you fancy visiting if you found yourself in the Cotswolds? Share your thoughts in the comments below…

Conversations about Culver City — the vibrant enclave on Los Angeles’ Westside often called “the Heart of Screenland” — usually include phrases such as “walkable” and “green spaces” and “Erewhon.”

So when U.S. Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi insinuated the city of 39,000 residents is a crime haven during a heated exchange with Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles) Wednesday, local officials and personalities responded with statistics, memes and wry mockery.

Bondi slipped in the jab near the end of an arduous House hearing largely focused on the Department of Justice’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. Kamlager-Dove, whose district includes Culver City, hammered Bondi over deleted Department of Justice data linking far-right ideology with political killings, asserting that “there are violent, dangerous people out there with real threats.”

“There are — in your district,” Bondi responded. “Her district includes Culver City, and she’s not talking about any crime in her district. Nothing about helping crime in her district. She’s not even worth getting into the details.”

Hometown names stepped up to defend the burg by posting photos of clean streets, manicured parks and humming community events.

Political commentator and Angeleno Brian Taylor Cohen called the city “one of the most non-controversially safe” places in L.A., while Culver City-based comedian Heather Gardner said: “The worst crime of the century is that this woman had made a mockery of our justice system. Release the un-redacted files. Prosecute the REAL crimes.”

Kamlager-Dove shrugged off Bondi’s comment, saying Culver City was known for “breakfast burritos — not crime.”

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for Bondi to clarify her statements.

Crime in Culver City declined 9.7% in 2024 and was down an additional 6.1% in the third quarter of 2025 compared with the same period of 2024, according to the Culver City Police Department. Violent crime declined 3.9% in 2024 — the last full year of available data.

Over that period, murders dropped to zero while aggravated assault, kidnapping and robbery also fell. There were 26 cases of sexual assault in the city in 2024, compared with 25 in 2023. The only violent crime that saw a significant increase were simple assaults, which rose 8.1%.

The California Department of Justice and the FBI reported in 2024 that crime in the state had fallen to “among the lowest levels ever recorded.”

Mayor Freddy Puza, in an interview Thursday, described Culver City as a “strong and vibrant community” of people with no shortage of job opportunities at small businesses and corporations alike, including TikTok, Pinterest and entertainment giants Apple, Amazon and Sony.

He said the local government has been able to lower crime rates through community-based policing and by providing housing and social services to its unsheltered population. The mayor characterized Bondi’s retort as a “knee-jerk reaction” from an attorney general faced with damaging public trust concerns at her department.

“My read of it is that she’s trying to deflect,” he said. “I think she could really spend her time prosecuting the people in the Epstein files and making sure that information from the federal government is transparent.”

The city had seen no ideological violence, he said, adding, “but the potential for it is right around the corner. There’s no doubt that it is on the rise and the president is stoking it. People are becoming further and further polarized.”

At the hearing, Bondi faced sharp criticism over the Justice Department’s Epstein investigation — specifically over redaction errors in the release millions of case files last month. In one instance, the attorney general refused to apologize to Epstein victims in the room, saying she would not “get into the gutter” with partisan requests from Democrats.

Her performance has already prompted a volley of bipartisan demands for her resignation, including from conservative pundits including Megyn Kelly, Nick Fuentes and Kyle Rittenhouse.

Culver City was not Bondi’s only target Wednesday. She called Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) a “washed-up loser lawyer,” accused Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of suffering from “Trump derangement syndrome,” and branded former CNN anchor Don Lemon a “blogger.”

Since the hearing, however, she has stayed silent as locals continue to question her intel and chuckle over images of the pylon-protected war zone of Culver City.

“The worst crime in Culver City,” Gardener joked again on TikTok, “is that they charge $24 for a smoothie at Erewhon.”