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Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Two California judges file suit against LADWP, saying utility failed to prepare, respond to fire
Two federal judges who lost their Pacific Palisades homes in the January firestorm have joined hundreds of their neighbors in suing the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, claiming the utility failed to properly prepare for the wildfire and respond when it broke out. U.S. District Judge Dean Pregerson, who currently sits on the Central District of California's court, and Vijay "Jay" Gandhi, who served as a magistrate judge in the same court, filed the lawsuit last week along with their families. The suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges that the Palisades conflagration "was caused by both LADWP's water and power assets, specifically empty reservoirs and energized powerlines." The lawsuit cites reporting from The Times that found LADWP's Sana Ynez Reservoir, located in the Palisades, sat empty during the firefight, having been closed months prior for repairs. "Despite dire warnings by the National Weather Service of a 'Particularly Dangerous Condition-Red Flag Warning,' of 'critical fire weather' which had the potential for rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior, the LADWP was unprepared for the Palisades fire," the complaint said. A request for comment from L.A.-based law firm Munger, Tolles & Olson, which was hired by LADWP to handle Palisades fire litigation, was not immediately answered. LADWP's most recent statement about pending litigation said it expects plaintiffs to continue to join such lawsuits, but it dismissed claims that the utility provider wasn't prepared and could be held responsible for the fire. "While our crews and system were prepared for situations that might strain the system, no urban water system is designed to combat a massive, wind-driven wildfire of the speed and scale presented by the historically destructive Palisades Fire," the statement said, an explanation that several experts have backed up. Read more: Holocaust survivor, ex-Navy pilot among seniors suing L.A. over Palisades fire damage The utility also said that "long settled law and precedent prevent water utilities, and their rate payers, from being liable for wildfire losses." The current and former federal judges who filed the suit as residents, not in any official capacity, disagree with that line of defense. One of the judges worked as a mediator in prior fire settlements between Pacific Gas & Electric and residents. 'The city must stand up and claim responsibility and do right by the residents of the Palisades. And that's why I joined this battle,' Gandhi, who worked as the mediator, said in an interview with the Los Angeles Daily News. He called the Palisades fire a "manifestation of risks that were widely known but ignored. And the city needs to acknowledge that, because it can't happen again." The judges' lawsuit was recently consolidated with more than 10 other similar cases against LADWP, brought by more than 750 other residents, according to one of the attorneys working on the cases, Alexander Robertson. The long list of cases against the utility continue to pile up as homeowners seek compensation for damage they believe was caused by the utility's mismanagement of water resources or its power lines. The suit also alleges that most of LADWP power lines remained energized during the fire, causing "additional ignitions and fires in Pacific Palisades during a predicted Santa Ana wind event, ... [which] accelerated the rapid spread of the Palisades Fire," the complaint says. LADWP "knew about the significant risk wildfires posed in the event of ineffective infrastructure management, delayed repairs, unsafe equipment, and/or aging infrastructure decades before the Palisades Fire," the complaint said. It called the nearby reservoirs and electric lines public necessities, saying that "failure of one critical infrastructure can potentially have a domino effect." Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
29-04-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Two California judges file suit against LADWP, saying utility failed to prepare, respond to fire
Two federal judges who lost their Pacific Palisades homes in the January firestorm have joined hundreds of their neighbors in suing the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, claiming the utility failed to properly prepare for the wildfire and respond when it broke out. U.S. District Judge Dean Pregerson, who currently sits on the Central District of California's court, and Vijay 'Jay' Gandhi, who served as a magistrate judge in the same court, filed the lawsuit last week along with their families. The suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges that the Palisades conflagration 'was caused by both LADWP's water and power assets, specifically empty reservoirs and energized powerlines.' The lawsuit cites reporting from The Times that found LADWP's Sana Ynez Reservoir, located in the Palisades, sat empty during the firefight, having been closed months prior for repairs. 'Despite dire warnings by the National Weather Service of a 'Particularly Dangerous Condition-Red Flag Warning,' of 'critical fire weather' which had the potential for rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior, the LADWP was unprepared for the Palisades fire,' the complaint said. A request for comment from L.A.-based law firm Munger, Tolles & Olson, which was hired by LADWP to handle Palisades fire litigation, was not immediately answered. LADWP's most recent statement about pending litigation said it expects plaintiffs to continue to join such lawsuits, but it dismissed claims that the utility provider wasn't prepared and could be held responsible for the fire. 'While our crews and system were prepared for situations that might strain the system, no urban water system is designed to combat a massive, wind-driven wildfire of the speed and scale presented by the historically destructive Palisades Fire,' the statement said, an explanation that several experts have backed up. The utility also said that 'long settled law and precedent prevent water utilities, and their rate payers, from being liable for wildfire losses.' The current and former federal judges who filed the suit as residents, not in any official capacity, disagree with that line of defense. One of the judges worked as a mediator in prior fire settlements between Pacific Gas & Electric and residents. 'The city must stand up and claim responsibility and do right by the residents of the Palisades. And that's why I joined this battle,' Gandhi, who worked as the mediator, said in an interview with the Los Angeles Daily News. He called the Palisades fire a 'manifestation of risks that were widely known but ignored. And the city needs to acknowledge that, because it can't happen again.' The judges' lawsuit was recently consolidated with more than 10 other similar cases against LADWP, brought by more than 750 other residents, according to one of the attorneys working on the cases, Alexander Robertson. The long list of cases against the utility continue to pile up as homeowners seek compensation for damage they believe was caused by the utility's mismanagement of water resources or its power lines. The suit also alleges that most of LADWP power lines remained energized during the fire, causing 'additional ignitions and fires in Pacific Palisades during a predicted Santa Ana wind event, ... [which] accelerated the rapid spread of the Palisades Fire,' the complaint says. LADWP 'knew about the significant risk wildfires posed in the event of ineffective infrastructure management, delayed repairs, unsafe equipment, and/or aging infrastructure decades before the Palisades Fire,' the complaint said. It called the nearby reservoirs and electric lines public necessities, saying that 'failure of one critical infrastructure can potentially have a domino effect.'
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Post Malone reportedly filed custody papers days before his ex-fiancée did
Post Malone reportedly filed for custody of his two-year-old daughter days before his ex-fiancée, Hee Sung 'Jamie' Park, did. The 29-year-old 'Sunflower' singer submitted his paperwork in Utah on April 14, while Park's petition was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on April 16, according to documents obtained by TMZ and Page Six. Park filed for sole physical custody and joint legal custody of the child, who is only referred to by the initials DDP. It's not known exactly what Malone, born Austin Post, asked for. The two outlets reported Malone, born Austin Post, filed in Utah because he and Park were originally co-parenting their daughter. Malone's ex-partner's identity was only revealed when she filed her custody case. The artist famously kept the majority of his love life a secret. However, he opened up about proposing to Park in Las Vegas in 2021 during a 2023 appearance on Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddy podcast. The 'White Iverson' vocalist told Cooper, 30, he was intoxicated, and Park originally refused the proposal. Malone also said he had 'lost a significant amount of money' that night. 'I was like, 'Hey, you wanna marry me?' I got a ring and all this stuff. And she said 'no.' She's like, 'Ask me tomorrow,' and I was like, 'Alright.' And then I did and I was sober and it was nice,' he admitted. The former couple welcomed their daughter a year after they got engaged. Malone never posted an announcement for his newborn daughter, but he did confirm her birth in conversation with Howard Stern on his eponymous show. In August 2024, Malone opened up about becoming a father and sharing his daughter with Park while speaking on CBS Sunday Mornings. 'It changes your life in the best way ever, and the most beautiful thing is she has a beautiful mom,' she said. 'I'll never forget her. If you've heard her cry, you'll never forget her, either. Four years ago, I was on a rough path. It was terrible.' Malone's custody revelations come as the singer is set to headline Coachella for the second weekend on Sunday. Last weekend, the Grammy-winner performed a slew of his fan-favorite hits, including 'rockstar,' 'Congratulations,' 'Psycho,' and 'Better Now.'
The Independent
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Post Malone reportedly filed custody papers days before his ex-fiancée did
Post Malone reportedly filed for custody of his two-year-old daughter days before his ex-fiancée, Hee Sung 'Jamie' Park, did. The 29-year-old 'Sunflower' singer submitted his paperwork in Utah on April 14, while Park's petition was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on April 16, according to documents obtained by TMZ and Page Six. Park filed for sole physical custody and joint legal custody of the child, who is only referred to by the initials DDP. It's not known exactly what Malone, born Austin Post, asked for. The two outlets reported Malone, born Austin Post, filed in Utah because he and Park were originally co-parenting their daughter. Malone's ex-partner's identity was only revealed when she filed her custody case. The artist famously kept the majority of his love life a secret. However, he opened up about proposing to Park in Las Vegas in 2021 during a 2023 appearance on Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddy podcast. The 'White Iverson' vocalist told Cooper, 30, he was intoxicated, and Park originally refused the proposal. Malone also said he had 'lost a significant amount of money' that night. 'I was like, 'Hey, you wanna marry me?' I got a ring and all this stuff. And she said 'no.' She's like, 'Ask me tomorrow,' and I was like, 'Alright.' And then I did and I was sober and it was nice,' he admitted. The former couple welcomed their daughter a year after they got engaged. Malone never posted an announcement for his newborn daughter, but he did confirm her birth in conversation with Howard Stern on his eponymous show. In August 2024, Malone opened up about becoming a father and sharing his daughter with Park while speaking on CBS Sunday Mornings. 'It changes your life in the best way ever, and the most beautiful thing is she has a beautiful mom,' she said. 'I'll never forget her. If you've heard her cry, you'll never forget her, either. Four years ago, I was on a rough path. It was terrible.' Coachella for the second weekend on Sunday. Last weekend, the Grammy-winner performed a slew of his fan-favorite hits, including 'rockstar,' 'Congratulations,' 'Psycho,' and 'Better Now.'
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Post Malone's Ex-Fiancée's Identity Revealed in New Custody Filing for Former Couple's Toddler Daughter
The identity of Post Malone's ex-fiancée has finally been revealed. On Wednesday, April 16, the name of the "I Had Some Help" hitmaker's former partner was shared in a custody filing for the pair's 2½-year-old daughter. According to legal documents filed in Los Angeles Superior Court and obtained by PEOPLE, his ex's name is Hee Sung "Jamie" Park. In the filing, Park requested primary physical custody of her and the 29-year-old rapper's daughter, who was referred to only by her initials — DDP. According to the court document, Park is seeking joint legal custody and is willing to give Post Malone, whose real name is Austin Post, visitation rights. She is also asking that Malone cover her legal fees. At the time, a rep for Malone did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. Related: Post Malone's Ex-Fiancée Requests Primary Physical Custody of Their 2-Year-Old Daughter in New Filing While the full timeline of the ex-couple's relationship remains unclear, Malone proposed to his longtime girlfriend during a trip to Las Vegas in 2021 — and initially, she said no. On the podcast Call Her Daddy, he said that he had lost 'a significant amount of money' gambling and was 'hammered.' When Malone asked her if she wanted to marry him, she told him to ask her tomorrow. 'I was like, 'Hey, you wanna marry me?'" he told host Alex Cooper in 2023. 'I got a ring and all this stuff. And she said 'no.' She's like, 'Ask me tomorrow' and I was like, 'Alright.' And then I did and I was sober and it was nice." In May 2022, the "Sunflower" artist welcomed a daughter with his former fiancée, just weeks after he told PEOPLE they were expecting. While he didn't share an official birth announcement for his daughter, Malone revealed the news of his baby's arrival on Howard Stern in June 2022. In September 2023, Malone also discussed the decision to maintain privacy when it came to his daughter and his former fiancée. 'I feel like a lot of people feel entitled to know every single detail of everyone's life and it's why I don't want to post any pictures of my baby, because I want her to be able to make that decision whenever she wants to and is ready," he told CR Fashion Book for the Muses issue. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Related: Who Is Post Malone's Ex-Girlfriend? What the Singer Has Revealed About His Former Fiancée amid Breakup Speculation By 2025, Malone and his ex appeared to have broken up, as he was spotted out with a different woman in March 2025. At the time, TMZ shared a TikTok video captured by a fan who showed him at a bar sitting next to a woman who had been identified as Christy Lee. Malone and Lee have since been spotted in various locales in Rome and Paris. Read the original article on People
