L.A.

In an unexpected run of good fortune, a shift in the powerful winds that have fanned the SoCal wildfires over the past week and a half has pushed the Thomas Fire – the largest of the six uncontained blazes – away from nearby communities while also clearing the air of smoke, improving visibility for the beleaguered firefighters working tirelessly to suppress the flames. Meanwhile, further south, firefighters have managed to achieve upwards of 90% containment for the Rye, Lilac and Creek Fires:

On Sunday California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for Los Angeles County as the La Tuna wildfire encroached on L.A. and burned eerily on the skyline just north of downtown, keeping nervous residents on the alert as homes and business were threatened. What is now being reported as the largest brush fire in Los Angeles history began in Burbank on Friday, but the cause is still under investigation.

Thousands of people from all walks of life converged on downtown Los Angeles on Sunday to protest against Big Oil and US President Donald Trump’s executive orders fast-tracking construction of the Dakota Access and Keystone XL oil pipelines.

Hundreds of people were arrested as part of a huge pedophile ring and human trafficking bust in Los Angeles on Saturday.  Over 30 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies participated in “Operation Reclaim and Rebuild,” which saw dozens of sexually abused children rescued. Ktla.com reports: In total, 474 arrests were made, including 142 males on solicitation charges, and 36 males on suspicion of pimping, according to figures provided by the Sheriff’s Department. Additionally, 28 commercially and sexually exploited children and 27 adult victims were rescued.

Submitted by Jed Graham via Investors.com,

Hiring at restaurants, hotels and other leisure and hospitality sector venues slowed markedly last year in metro areas that saw big minimum-wage hikes, new Labor Department data show.

Wherever cities implemented big minimum-wage hikes to $10 an hour or more last year, the latest data through December show that job creation downshifted to the slowest pace in at least five years.