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Los Angeles has long been deeply connected to art and culture in all its forms: from film to music. Among the many ways beauty is created and celebrated in the city, street art stands out as one of the most powerful.

Of all the murals you’ll find on building façades across L.A., one of the most important, both for its historical significance and sheer size, is The Great Wall of Los Angeles. Painted in 1978, this monumental piece stretches half a mile (2,754 feet) and stands as a living testament to the city’s rich multicultural background.

The Great Wall tells California’s history through the perspectives of women and marginalized communities. Created during the Chicano Movement, it highlights often-overlooked stories of Native Americans, religious and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ individuals, and civil rights activists. Artist Judy Baca led the project to fill a void in public art representing L.A.’s diverse heritage, making it a lasting cultural landmark.

The mural begins with prehistoric times and moves through pivotal 20th-century events like Chinese labor, the Holocaust, the Great Depression, Japanese-American internment, and civil rights movements. Designed in the style of Social Realism, each section was crafted by different artists under Baca’s guidance, using dynamic lines and figures to create a vivid, unflinching narrative of California’s past up to the 1950s.

More than 400 people helped paint the mural over six summers, with their names recorded on the wall. The project also involved 40 historians and 40 artists who contributed to bringing it to life.

It’s no surprise that the cost of living has risen significantly since the pandemic hit in 2020, not just in the US but around the world, especially in densely populated areas. This increase is reflected not only in everyday consumer goods but also in the soaring costs of housing.

In fact, according to a report by Zillow, the American tech real estate marketplace, California tops the list of states where starter homes are valued at over one million dollars. A total of 113 cities in our state are included in the survey, which covers 233 cities overall. The Real Estate platform and databank describes starter homes as those that fall within the lowest third of home values in a particular region.

The $1 million starter home is no longer exclusive to our state. While California still leads by a large margin, half of all U.S. states now have at least one city on the list, including Minnesota and Rhode Island. Following California, New York (32) and New Jersey (20) have the next highest numbers.

According to the data Zillow shared with Patch, these are the 10 most expensive cities in the state:

Meanwhile, the full list of cities in California with starter home prices over $1 million is as follows:

See more: Here Are The 10 Most Affordable Neighborhoods in Los Angeles

The Silver Lake billboard — sweet but a little awkward — gives no context.

“I LIKE YOU VERY MUCH,” it proclaims in blocky, all-caps white text on a solid red background. It stands in a grassy lot facing Sunset Boulevard, near Westerly Terrace.

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The billboard isn’t hawking anything. No name is attached to it. And, um, it doesn’t even know me.

I’ve seen it for years while heading to Dodger Stadium and wondered who, exactly, liked me very much. I am, after all, an acquired taste. My colleague Rebecca Castillo, a video creator for 404 by L.A. Times, solved the mystery this month. Rebecca kindly answered a few of my burning questions. Our interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Rebecca Castillo: The billboard is owned by an advertising company called Lamar, and is rented out by Jordan Bromley, an entertainment lawyer who specializes in music. According to Bromley, it had a very “simple and whimsical beginning.”

In 2011, his friend was driving past the billboard, wondered how much it cost, and called Lamar, which gave a quote of a few hundred bucks a month. Bromley has a house in Silver Lake, an artsy neighborhood he describes as “a hub of activity for musicians.” The billboard, he figured, would be “a fun extension of that.”

Bromley said the phrase “I like you very much” was just something that he would say a lot, and he liked the idea of having “fun, positive messaging” in the neighborhood.

Bromley told me the billboard has been up since 2011, usually for 10 months a year. It usually has the white text and red background, but Bromley has put up a green background around Christmastime. Sometimes his friends rent out the billboard. His one rule is that it can’t be used for direct advertising — just for art or messaging.

The first thing he said to me when I called to ask if I could interview him was: “I’ve been waiting for this day.” So, it definitely didn’t come as a surprise.

If anything, he was surprised it hadn’t happened sooner. He assumed people must have been wondering about it.

Bromley now pays around $500 a month. He did some (very) quick math and estimates he has spent around $90,000.

It was before I lived in Silver Lake. I was dating someone who would send me pictures of it. Now, I live in Silver Lake and pass it every day. And it’s pretty funny that my relationship to that billboard outlasted my relationship with that person.

If it doesn’t, then it’s a great liar.

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And finally ... from our archives

On May 22, 1992, television host and comedian Johnny Carson ended his 30-year reign on NBC’s “The Tonight Show.”

The Times’ Rick DuBrow recapped the emotional farewell, which ended with Carson telling viewers: “I bid you a very heartfelt good night.”

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May 22, 2025 3 AM PT

Two fired employees who received a combined $800,000 in legal settlements from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority had accused the agency’s chief executive of hiring cronies for top jobs, attempting to destroy records and being “extremely inebriated” at an out-of-state conference, according to records released Wednesday.

Emily Vaughn Henry, a deputy chief information officer, said in a May 2024 settlement demand letter that she was fired after voicing multiple complaints about Va Lecia Adams Kellum, the top executive at the homeless agency, also known as LAHSA.

Kristina Dixon, formerly the agency’s chief financial officer, characterized her termination last year as part of a “witch hunt.” In her demand letter, sent to LAHSA in June 2024, her lawyer accused Adams Kellum of “hiring inexperienced key staff in critical positions simply because she worked with them before at her prior job.”

LAHSA officials “strenuously denied the allegations” contained in the two demand letters, saying in a statement that the agency “made a business decision to resolve these matters with advice of outside counsel.”

Adams Kellum, in an interview Wednesday, defended the staffers who were hired during her tenure, describing them as “highly qualified.” She declined to provide specifics on the two termination cases, instead offering a broader assessment of her management decisions.

“I came to LAHSA to try to make it better, and not to make excuses, and to put it on a path to improvement,” she said. “Hard decisions had to be made. Changes had to be pursued.”

Vaughn Henry’s lawyer made an opening request last year for a $3.5 million settlement, saying a financial resolution would help the agency avoid “long, costly litigation.” That same attorney made an initial offer for Dixon to receive $1.5 million.

“There is already a high level of public and media interest in the recent terminations at LAHSA, and a public lawsuit will undoubtedly have far-reaching repercussions for many City and County officials,” the two letters state.

LAHSA’s board resolved the claims in March, agreeing to pay $450,000 to Dixon and $350,000 to Vaughn Henry. LAHSA paid $200,000 of the settlement, with insurance covering the remainder.

The settlement demand letters, and the settlement amounts, were first reported on by LAist, but with key details redacted. Under continued pressure from the public radio outlet, LAHSA released more complete versions of the demand letters on Wednesday with far fewer redactions.

Among the newly unredacted claims, Vaughn Henry alleged that Adams Kellum tried without success to delete two emails sent to her by Mayor Karen Bass. Vaughn Henry also alleged that Adams Kellum, while attending a conference in Washington, D.C., became “extremely inebriated and got a ‘lap dance’ from a female consultant that she had just hired to do work for LAHSA.”

LAHSA, in a statement, said that no complaint was filed related to the issue of improper behavior in Washington, D.C. Adams Kellum, during her interview, said the claims were not true.

“I did not do that,” she said. “And that’s not the way I carry myself as a professional.”

The release of the letters comes at a tumultuous time for LAHSA. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted last month to pull more than $300 million from the agency, following damaging audits of its financial oversight. Days later, Adams Kellum announced she would resign from her post, offering to remain for 120 days.

Now, with her departure imminent, Adams Kellum has had to contend with allegations from staffers who were fired from the agency more than a year ago.

Vaughn Henry, the former LAHSA data management expert, accused Adams Kellum of asking her in October 2023 to delete two emails that Bass had sent to her from her personal email account. Vaughn Henry said she refused and told Adams Kellum that the agency had a seven-year retention policy on all emails.

“Vaughn Henry believes [Adams] Kellum ultimately terminated her in retaliation for refusing to violate the retention policy and delete Mayor Bass’ email,” the claim states.

Dixon, in her demand letter, said Adams Kellum hired unqualified “cronies” to high-level positions, including seven staffers from St. Joseph Center, the Venice-based homeless services agency Adams Kellum led until 2022. The salaries for the new hires ranged from $180,000 to $220,000, creating “budget deficits for an already tight agency budget,” the letter states.

Dixon said her decision to challenge Adams Kellum’s hiring practices made her a target for “adverse treatment and retaliation” — and ultimately her termination, the letter said.

Adams Kellum said that she asked for four of her colleagues from St. Joseph to come with her to LAHSA when she was recruited by the agency in 2022. That agreement was approved by LAHSA’s board, she said.

“I knew when I was coming to LAHSA that we had a big job ahead,” she said. “And I did not believe I had enough time to do it alone without a team that could help us be successful.”

Adams Kellum also said she did not request the deletion of any messages from the mayor.

Clara Karger, a Bass spokesperson, said in an email that the mayor has “no knowledge” of the LAHSA staffer’s deletion allegation.

Los Angeles, CA (May 21, 2025) – A vehicle collision with reported injuries occurred late Tuesday night in Central City East at the intersection of Mateo St and E 7th St, a busy area on the edge of Downtown Los Angeles.

The crash took place at approximately 10:34 p.m., prompting a rapid response from emergency medical services and law enforcement. One or more individuals were reportedly injured in the incident, and paramedics provided on-site care before determining whether hospital transport was necessary.

While the exact number of vehicles involved has not been confirmed, witnesses noted significant vehicle damage and a brief traffic disruption as authorities worked to secure the area. Mateo St and E 7th St is a well-traveled route, particularly for delivery trucks and late-night traffic near industrial and warehouse zones.

At this time, no official cause has been announced. Authorities are likely investigating whether driver fatigue, distraction, or failure to yield may have contributed to the crash. Roadway lighting and traffic signal timing in that area may also be reviewed as part of the response.

Our thoughts are with all those injured in this collision, and we hope for a swift recovery.

Dangers of Late-Night Collisions in Industrial Urban Zones

Central City East is a high-traffic area where commercial, residential, and freight movement intersect—especially around streets like Mateo and E 7th. When collisions happen in these industrial corridors, the risk of injury increases due to larger vehicles, reduced visibility, and less consistent traffic flow at night.

The crash reported Tuesday highlights ongoing concerns about safety in urban environments after dark. Drivers moving through commercial zones may not expect pedestrian crossings, sudden turns, or other vehicles approaching from unlit alleys and side streets. Even small misjudgments can lead to injury-causing accidents.

In the aftermath of such collisions, victims often face logistical challenges that go far beyond the moment of impact. From filing insurance claims to arranging transportation or medical care, navigating recovery alone can be overwhelming.

If you or someone close to you was hurt in the crash at Mateo St and E 7th St, Local Accident Reports is ready to help. We offer timely information, personalized support, and access to resources that can assist you as you recover physically and emotionally. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you move forward after an accident.