Community Corner
Inflation, Abortion, Elections, Oh My! Top 22 SoCal Stories Of 2022
2022 was quite a year. Here are 22 of the top stories out of Southern California over the last year.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — Another year gone in the 2020s, and we’re out of breath. In SoCal, like the rest of the country, the year was a doozy: elections divided Californians on everything from who should sit on the local water board to who should run Los Angeles to the partisan balance of the House of Representatives (ironically, a few wins in California and New York handed the House to the GOP.)
Right before the November election, an explosive recording captured three members of the LA City Council making comments sure to offend most, sparking resignations, protests, and an investigation by the attorney general.
Of course, it wouldn’t be the 2020s without the coronavirus. The year started with an Omicron surge, then a widespread dropping of mask mandates and most other lingering restrictions. And just as we thought we were finally over COVID, something called ‘monkeypox’ began showing up. Then as monkeypox dropped from the headlines, the year ends with a nasty ‘tripledemic’ of the flu, coronavirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
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In early 2022, Russia declared war in Ukraine, contributing to gas prices surging to obscene levels, and prompting Californians to take to the streets en masse. And just as they went home, the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, and thousands of people poured back into the streets across the Southland.
In connection with the war in Ukraine and the rampant inflation that marked 2022, gas prices and consumer goods surged. Still, some lucky so-and-so (who has yet to come forward) in Altadena won a $2 billion lottery jackpot.
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All the while, billionaires spent hundreds of millions on homes in Malibu and Beverly Hills. At the same time, many across SoCal struggled to afford their rent let alone a $165 million homes.
As 2022 wore on, the megadrought continued; fires burned thousands of acres, and a celebrity mountain lion prowled backyards. None of those stories ended well.
But the Rams did win the Superbowl!
Take a pause to look at some of the top stories affecting Southern California in 2022, posted in chronological order.
TOP 22 SOCAL STORIES OF THE YEAR:
Super Bowl LVI Live: Rams Stop Bengals On 4th Down, Seal Victory
The Rams stop the Bengals on fourth down to clinch their first Super Bowl win since the 1999 season.
'Hands Off Ukraine': Protesters Gather In Los Angeles
More than 100 protesters gathered in Westwood to protest Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
LA County To Lift Most Mask Requirements, Vaccine Verifications
The CDC dropped LA County to the "low" coronavirus transmission category, paving the way for the easing of restrictions.
34 Shootings In Bloody Los Angeles Week: Chief Blames 'Too Many Guns'
Less than three weeks into April, 70 people have been shot in Los Angeles in what LAPD Chief Michel Moore describes as a "troubling" time.
Antisemitic Hate Incidents At U.S. Record: What’s Happening In SoCal
Some 392 antisemitic incidents were reported across California in 2021. Some occurred in Southern California as recently as this week.
COVID Cases Up 200%; Omicron Mutant Detected In LA County
With cases doubling across Los Angeles County, officials confirmed the first case of BA.4 which can reinfect people who already had Omicron.
Protests Erupt Across Los Angeles Following Roe V. Wade Leak: Photos
"We will not go back, we will fight back," protesters chanted Saturday in West Hollywood. It was one of many LA protests over the past week.
Biggest Rent Inflation Jump In 42 Years Hits Southland: Reports
The price of rent in Los Angeles County jumped 16 percent in 2022 as compared to last year, while Orange County saw an 18 percent increase.
LA County Confirms 1st Monkeypox Case As California Total Climbs To 4
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health says it confirmed the county's first presumptive case of monkeypox infection.
CA's Racist City Council Debacle: 5 Things To Know
Authorities are probing L.A.'s City Council after audio leaks with racist remarks. Here's how the story has rippled across the Golden State.
$140M Desalination Plant OK'd In Dana Point By CA Coastal Commission
A permit for the plant was approved with the goal of turning five million gallons of ocean water a day into drinking water by 2027.
SD Wildfire Burns 4,400+ Acres; Hundreds Of Evacuees Return Home
San Diegans of rural communities were finally able to return home after a wildfire destroyed 10 buildings and injured six people.
Gas Prices Hit Record High In LA, Orange, And Riverside Counties
Prices of regular unleaded gas in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area rose less than a cent to set the new high at $6.46.
Scandal Prompts Attorney General To Investigate LA's Redistricting
The investigation could be criminal and civil in nature, Attorney General Rob Bonta said.
Bid To Recall Councilman Kevin de León Launched
With few friends willing to publicly back his bid to stay in office, Councilman Kevin de León now faces a recall.
$2B Jackpot-Winning Powerball Ticket Sold In California
There was one lucky person to strike gold in Monday's Powerball, and that person bought their ticket in the Golden State.
'We Wish Mr. Luna Well': Villanueva Concedes In Sheriff's Race
Alex Villanueva on Tuesday conceded to challenger Robert Luna in the Sheriff's race. Luna was up by nearly 20 percentage points Tuesday.
"It looked like an airplane wreck": several sheriff's recruits suffered gruesome injuries after they were struck by a wrong-way driver.
Karen Bass Is First Woman Elected Mayor Of Los Angeles
Rep. Karen Bass shattered the glass ceiling and landed herself at the helm of a city in turmoil.
With Victory In LA's District 27, The GOP Captures The House
Republicans won a northern LA County district to earn 218 seats for majority control, but they could still win more seats in California.
Karen Bass Declares State Of Emergency On Homeless In LA
In her first official act as mayor, Bass declared a state of emergency — an aggressive move to highlight the city's dire housing crisis.
Mountain Lion P-22, The 'Hollywood Cat,' Is Euthanized
"This really hurts...I felt the entire weight of the city of Los Angeles on my shoulders," said the director of CA's wildlife department.
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