Toyota’s truck division Hino to pay $1.6 billion as part of emissions scandal

• January 16, 2025

By Michelle Chapman | The Associated Press

A Toyota division that manufactures trucks will pay more than $1.6 billion and plead guilty to violations related to the submission of false and fraudulent engine emission testing and fuel consumption data to regulators and the illicit smuggling of engines into the United States.

Hino Motors, a subsidiary of the Toyota, first acknowledged in 2022 that it has systematically falsified emissions data dating back as far as 2003.

That was part of a broader scandal involving emissions tests that ensnared other automakers as well.

The Justice Department said that Hino’s unlawful conduct allowed it to improperly secure approvals to import and sell, and cause to be imported and sold, more than 110,000 diesel engines in the U.S. from 2010 to 2022. The engines were primarily installed in heavy-duty trucks made and sold by Hino nationwide.

“Hino knew the requirements that engines must meet to be certified to operate in the United States, yet it falsified data for years to skirt regulations,” Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, said in a prepared statement. “Hino’s actions led to vast amounts of excess air pollution and were an egregious violation of our nation’s environmental, consumer protection and import laws.”

Hino Motors Ltd. has agreed to plead guilty to engaging in a multi-year criminal conspiracy. The plea agreement, which is subject to court approval, requires the company to pay a criminal fine of $521.76 million, serve a five-year term of probation — during which it will be prohibited from importing any diesel engines it has made into the U.S. — and implement a comprehensive compliance and ethics program and reporting structure.

Hino has also agreed to a forfeiture money judgment against it in the amount of approximately $1.1 billion. As part of the plea deal, Hino’s future payments towards its civil settlement obligations, as well future payments as part of a civil class action settlement brought by private plaintiffs, will be credited towards its criminal forfeiture money judgment obligation.

The Justice Department, Environmental Protection Agency, FBI, Customs and Border Protection, Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and State of California reached criminal and multiple civil resolutions with Japanese Hino, which are subject to approval by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.

In separate civil resolutions of environmental, customs and fuel economy claims by the federal government and the State of California, Hino will pay a civil penalty of $525 million.

Hino, as part of its plea agreement, admitted to submitting and causing to be submitted false applications for engine certification approvals between 2010 and 2019. The company also admitted that it submitted fraudulent carbon dioxide emissions test data.

Hino said in a statement on Thursday that its agreements resolve all of the company’s outstanding legal issues in the U.S. related to its legacy emissions issues.

“We deeply apologize for the inconvenience caused to our customers and stakeholders. In order to prevent a recurrence of this kind of issue, we have implemented company-wide reforms, including meaningful improvements to our internal culture, oversight, and compliance practices,” CEO Satoshi Ogiso said.

​ Orange County Register 

The 2025 Grammys will proceed with wildfire relief changes. Here’s what to expect

• January 16, 2025

By MARIA SHERMAN

NEW YORK (AP) — The 2025 Grammy Awards are right around the corner, which means it is time to get those viewing party plans in action. Allow us to help.

The 67th annual Grammy Awards will still take place Sunday, Feb. 2, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles — though the Recording Academy has refocused its aim to support relief efforts following the devastating Los Angeles-area wildfires.

Here’s what you need to know about watching the 2025 Grammys, including how to stream and where you can see music’s biggest stars walking the red carpet.

When does the Grammys start and how can I watch?

The main show will air live on CBS and Paramount+ beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern. Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers can also watch live and on demand.

How do I stream the Grammys?

The Grammys can also be watched through live TV streaming services that include CBS in their lineup, like Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV and FuboTV.

Paramount+ subscribers will be able to stream the Grammy Awards the day after the ceremony.

How can I watch the red carpet?

The Associated Press will stream a three-hour red carpet show with interviews and fashion footage. It will be streamed on YouTube and APNews.com.

Who is nominated for the Grammys?

Beyoncé leads the Grammy nods with 11, bringing her career total to 99 nominations. That makes her the most nominated artist in Grammy history.

As of 2023, she’s also the most decorated artist, having earned 32 trophies across her career.

Post Malone, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar and Charli XCX follow with seven nominations.

Taylor Swift and first-time nominees Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan boast six nominations each.

How will the Los Angeles-area wildfires affect the Grammys?

The 2025 Grammy Awards will go on as planned but will focus its attention on wildfire relief efforts.

Each year, the Recording Academy hosts a multitude of events to welcome the music industry during Grammy week; record labels do the same. However, many institutions have canceled their plans — Universal Music Group, BMG and Warner Music Group among them — and instead are allocating resources to Los Angeles-area wildfire relief and rebuilding efforts.

On Wednesday, the Recording Academy announced it had condensed pre-Grammy week plans to just four events, each featuring a fundraising element.

Events like the annual pre-Grammy Black Music Collective event, Grammy advocacy brunch, and others scheduled to take place at the immersive pop-up Grammy house have been canceled. In all, at least 16 pre-Grammy events sponsored by the Recording Academy have been canceled.

“We understand how devastating this past week has been on this city and its people. This is our home, it’s home to thousands of music professionals, and many of us have been negatively impacted,” Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. said in a statement.

Last week, the Recording Academy and MusiCares launched the Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort with a $1 million donation. According to the letter, thanks to additional contributions, they’ve already distributed $2 million in emergency aid.

How is the broader music industry responding to the fires?

Universal Music Group, one of the big three major record labels, has canceled all of its Grammy-related events. Those include its annual artist showcase, held on Saturday, and its after-party on the Sunday of Grammy week. Instead, it will redirect those funds to wildfire relief.

BMG will no longer host its pre-Grammy party and a representative for Warner Music Group confirmed to The Associated Press that the major label will not host a party this year and are instead “redirecting funds to support efforts.” Earlier this week, WMG and the Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund pledged $1 million to Los Angeles area fire relief and rebuilding efforts.

Sony Music Group confirmed it has canceled its events during Grammy week and after the ceremony and will instead redirect efforts and money to local relief efforts.

MusiCares, an organization that helps music professionals who need financial, personal or medical assistance, holds its annual Persons of the Year benefit gala at the Los Angeles Convention Center a few days before the Grammys. The 2025 gala will still take place on Jan. 31, this year honoring the Grateful Dead with an additional commitment to wildfire relief.

“At our upcoming Persons of the Year, we will make a special appeal for donations to support our wildfire relief efforts,” according to an email sent by the Recording Academy to its members on Tuesday.

For more coverage of this year’s Grammy Awards, visit: www.apnews.com/GrammyAwards

​ Orange County Register 

Containment of Palisades, Eaton fires continue upward trend while winds expected to die down

• January 16, 2025

Containment of the Eaton and Palisades fires continued its trend of gradual increases overnight — and with offshore winds weakening, firefighters may have an opportunity for bigger gains on Thursday, Jan. 16.

The Eaton fire, burning in Altadena, Pasadena and Sierra Madre, was 55% contained as of 6:30 a.m., according to Cal Fire.

The Palisades fire, burning in Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Topanga and Mandeville Canyons, inched upward to 22% containment.

Neither fire has grown in size in the last two days, with the Palisades fire standing at 23,713 destroyed acres and the Eaton fire at 14,117, according to Cal Fire.

A red flag warning remained in effect for the western San Gabriel Mountains until 3 p.m. Thursday, signaling dangerous weather for fires. That warning was dropped for all other parts of Los Angeles County at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15.

Both fires have been burning since Jan. 7 and started during an uncommon windstorm that brought peak wind gusts of 100 mph in some parts.

They’ve wreaked neighborhoods, combining to damage or destroy more than 12,000 structures, officials have said. They have claimed at least 25 lives, with urban search and rescue efforts continuing Thursday to see if more have perished.

Firefighters battling the Eaton fire used aircraft on Wednesday to support crews on the northern edge of the fire and utilized data from infrared flights to find and put out hot spots, Cal Fire officials said.

Crews also put ground-based retardant around the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and cleared brush “at strategic locations in La Cañada,” officials said.

“Calmer but dry conditions will build Thursday with some moisture arriving this weekend,” officials said. “Critical fire weather conditions will likely return next week.”

Crews on Thursday will continue their focus of addressing smoke and heat sources within the fire’s perimeter, particularly on the northern perimeter, while air support “continues to be used to extinguish inaccessible hot spots, aiding containment efforts,” Angeles National Forest authorities said.

For the Palisades fire, officials said they expected the fire to “remain within the current perimeter with no additional growth anticipated” as weather conditions “return to seasonally normal.”

Crews continued to establish and improve the fire line and extinguish hot spots while constructing containment lines to limit further damage to structures within areas still at risk, officials said.

As of Wednesday, 58 arrests have been made by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Los Angeles Police Department for crimes such as burglary, curfew violations, drone violations and impersonating firefighters or law enforcement officers. That number may have increased overnight and officials were set to announce those totals at an 8 a.m. press conference.

The two agencies, as of Wednesday morning, were also working 42 active missing persons cases, authorities said.

The causes of both fires are unknown, though lawyers and some victims accuse Southern California Edison for the Eaton fire, while a previous, small fire might have ignited the Palisades blaze.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was investigating the trails near Skull Rock in relation to the Palisades fire’s origin and asking anyone hiking there on Jan. 7 to contact the agency by texting ATFLA to 63975 to create a report and describe anything seen, smelled or heard. That site was also the scene of another fire that broke out just after the turn of the new year.

For evacuation orders and warnings, shelters and road closures: fire.ca.gov/incidents

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

​ Orange County Register 

Theater angels deliver a happy twist, and monumental new task, to Camino Real Playhouse

• January 16, 2025

If you’re brave enough to say goodbye, writer Paulo Coelho once said, life will reward you with a new hello.

Nice, right? But Leslie Eisner didn’t really want to be brave. And she didn’t really want to say goodbye. And she wasn’t really jonesing for a new hello.

But, alas, the president and artistic director of the Camino Real Playhouse had no choice. After decades of almost-free rent in a city-owned building near the San Juan Capistrano Mission, the city was forced to sell. A developer proposing a new arts center bought it. Then plans changed, and a veritable wrecking ball hung over the beloved community theater’s head for years as it struggled to find a new home.

Think of that as Act 1 if you like. Act 2 is filled with nearly insurmountable obstacles: The quest to buy a building in town and move everything there (Eisner worked with multiple real estate agents, knocked on doors of buildings that weren’t for sale), considered moving the company to a nearby city (rankling theater types there) and was forced to take a different tack.

Then, in Act 3, the clouds part and the angel chorus sings. On Friday, Jan. 9, Eisner got the keys to Camino Real’s new home at 31896 Plaza Dr., in a shopping plaza setting akin to the Chance Theater’s home in Anaheim.

It’s a long-term lease (10 years, plus an option for five more), just minutes from its old home and the historic district, near the BrewHouse Tap Room & Bottle Shop.

The space is a wide open 7,700 square feet right now, and will be carved into a main stage with 99 seats — larger than the main stage it has now — as well as a smaller black box, she said.

A state-of-the-art lobby bar is being donated — “It will be beautiful when you walk in,” she said — and there will be a separate restroom for the actors, which the theater doesn’t have now (nothing like running into a cast member in the loo to shatter the theatrical illusion).

The signage will be visible from the freeway — a great perk to reach more eyeballs — and, perhaps most monumentally, there’s free unlimited parking.

“I took a deep breath for about a second,” Eisner said, relishing the accomplishment. “And then it hit me.”

The Playhouse has to move some 35 years’ worth of stuff — sets, costumes, props, etc.; draw up renovation plans; get city permits; hire a contractor; build things out. “It’s a lot,” she said.

Architects and contractors are being lined up for the work, and even at cost, it’s going to be an expensive project. It will embark on a $1 million fundraising campaign to pay for it all. The organization is starting on firm financial footing: The South Orange County Community Theatre, as it’s officially called for IRS purposes, had net assets of more than $587,000, according to its latest filing.

Arts organizations in Orange County — and throughout California — have been squeezed by sky-high rents. Many have been left homeless and, eventually, defunct. It’s hard to keep an audience when you don’t have a home base, so this appears to be a soft landing for Camino Real Playhouse.

“I think it will be a good location for them moving forward,” said Richard Stein, president and CEO of Arts Orange County. “The shopping plaza in which they will be located is next door to a craft brewery, within walking distance of a variety of dining options, has ample free parking available, and faces the freeway. While it’s not the original plan envisioned several years ago, it will solve their immediate need to vacate the current property and remain in operation.”

When will Camino Real move into its new digs? It has two more shows scheduled for its current home: the comedy “Dearly Departed” from Jan. 17 to Feb. 2, and the charming “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” from Feb. 14 to March 3. It has contracted with a theater in Aliso Viejo to do a three-week show in July, and Eisner hopes that all the work might be done on the new space by the end of this year.

“This playhouse has been around for 36 years, and some people thought that a strong wind could knock us over,” she said. “Well, we survived COVID, and we survived this. I really feel like we have the wind at our back right now.”

Hello, new hello!

​ Orange County Register 

From couple who lost their home to fire a year ago: How to work strategically toward rebuilding

• January 16, 2025

In a few words, you can say that life partners Renee Dominique and Brian Smith have been through it — and then some.

Almost a year ago, the couple’s home in Eagle Rock was destroyed by fire, thrusting them into a confusing whirlwind of insurance companies, adjusters, inspectors, architects, pushy sub-contractors and as Smith put it, even some shysters.

It’s an experience they’re still working out, living in their second temporary dwelling, while awaiting word on recently submitted plans to rebuild their home. While their thoughts and prayers are with thousands who’ve lost homes from the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires, they wanted to do more. For those now in the same boat, they’ve kept a checklist of do’s and don’ts they’ve offered to share.

“You have to be your own advocate. And yes, it becomes a full-time job,” said Dominique on Jan. 13, speaking from their temporary residency in Pasadena. They were not affected by the Eaton fire in north Pasadena and Altadena.

“We want to help people who are going through this experience to maybe make things go smoother,” she added.

The couple’s general advice to those navigating what to do next is to simply slow things down.

Almost immediately after Dominique’s family home burned on Feb. 4 and the two escaped with their dog Kirby, they got offers from independent adjusters and sub-contractors, many who sweet talked them and offered to help — but for a steep price. Smith said don’t sign anything. Talk to your insurance company first.

“You don’t know who is coming at you,” he said, “You don’t know who is a fraud or who is legit. You just have to pull back from everything because you don’t know if these people are from your insurance company, or independent. You are not going to make good decisions under duress.”

“There are a lost of shysters in this business. You have to be very careful,” Smith added.

Supervisor Kathryn Barger said on Tuesday that while visiting the shelter at the Pasadena Convention Center, she saw business people talking to fire victims. “They were handing out business cards knowing they can’t do things they say they can do.”

Uninvited contractors

Smith and Dominique rejected help from independent insurance adjusters who barraged them with deals and yes, business cards.

“They say, ‘Oh, we can get you more money,’ ” said Dominique. “But they are like ambulance chasers.” A friend signed up with an independent adjuster and her insurance company said she had to pay their fee first, or the insurance claim would be delayed, she said.

Instead, if a homeowner has insurance, they should get in contact with their insurance company first and talk things over before signing any side deals. Some may need extra help, but that depends on their coverage, the couple said. “First, see what your insurance carrier will do for you. That policy is the business contract,” Dominique said.

Obtain, read all documents

Remember that any side deals cost money. And that cost gets deducted from your insurance claim, Smith said. That could leave someone with a lot less money for the actual rebuild, he added.

Homeowners should get a full copy — not the abbreviated fact sheet — of their insurance policy. Read it through several times and write down all the details. If there is still confusion, a lawyer may help.

Sometimes homeowners miss out on coverage in their policy for ancillary items, including tree removal or debris cleanup. For the couple, these were covered, so they did not make side deals with demolition contractors, which can be very expensive and unnecessary, they said. Some demo contractors showed up unannounced, saying they needed to board up the house or remove dead trees, when they were never hired, Smith said.

“You only get what is in the policy. And that is so important to know but it’s hard because there is a lot of legalese,” Smith said. “You and your adjuster should sit down and go over the policy with you.”

To get organized, Smith recommended setting up a separate email account only for recovery and rebuilding information. It’s key to  document everything.

“Any time an adjuster says: “I’ll send you some money for rent, you say: ‘Can you send me an email.’ That way you have it in writing,” Smith said. In talking to others who lost their homes to fires, it’s common that insurance companies don’t make good with verbal promises, he added.

Insurance coverage comes in separate buckets. Some for rebuilding. Some for temporary housing. Some for incidentals. Smith and Dominque tried to save money on temporary housing, then transfer the remainder into the rebuilding bucket. “But the columns don’t cross over. You can’t do that,” she realized.

A DIY approach works best

The Pasadena couple said the more they did things on their own, the more money was saved for the rebuild.

For example, insurance companies will contract out with a company to find and book temporary housing, known as an ALE: Additional Living Expense. Instead of using the ALE service, Smith and Dominique went online and found their own temporary housing, avoiding fees that would come back and bite them later. “They have a commission and that comes out of your policy,” she said.

Also, insurance companies want their policy holders to rent furniture, possibly because they have deals with rental companies, Dominique said. Instead, she went to thrift stores and used Facebook Marketplace to buy couches, chairs and beds. Renting just a stool costs $50 a month, which adds up to $600 a year taken out of their claim, she said.

“I got a beautiful rug for $40. We got furnishings that we now own. You have to be frugal,” Dominique said. “You don’t want all your money to go on the front end and in the end, you don’t have enough coverage.”

Examine contractor backgrounds

Since they are rebuilding in Los Angeles, they searched for a firm that knows the buildings regulations in that city. “It is not so much the skill, it is about their connections with the city,” Smith said.

Architect John Cataldo, in business in South Pasadena for 40 years, said the red tape for rebuilding will play a role, unless the process is somehow streamlined.

“The nature of getting plans approved is so arduous,” he said on Jan. 13. “We have to streamline the process. We shouldn’t have to have people go through this process.”

A cost-saving and time-saving tip is for people to assess their slab or foundation. “It is possible the foundation system can still be utilized without having to tear out the concrete or the footings,” Cataldo pointed out.

Making self-care a priority

Finally, Dominique said she had to adjust her thinking to accept help. She began seeing a therapist to walk her through the grieving process, she said.

“At first, you are not sleeping. You are in shock. But you have to take care of yourself. You have to eat properly. Exercise. And I advise people to reach out to the Red Cross to acknowledge you need help,” she explained. The Red Cross offered her telephone therapy sessions. A GoFundMe campaign raised some extra cash that she has used to continue weekly therapy.

“You have to allow yourself not to put attachment onto things,” she said, emphasizing her partner and their beloved dog were safe. “You need to be clear that your being is not your possessions,” she said.

Also connecting with people, and in their case, a caring organization is critical. They joined First Baptist Church Pasadena and found support from its members. “You need people praying for you, instead of preying on you,” she said.

​ Orange County Register 

Eaton fire destroys 3 generations of Altadena family’s homes

• January 16, 2025

Bryan Davila stood in the kitchen of a Monterey Park Airbnb on Thursday, Jan. 9, his family’s rented refuge, and flicked on the stove. The flame lit and he flinched.

Davila’s wife, Dani, sees flames whenever she closes her eyes.

Dani’s father, Rene Stone, has returned to Altadena every day for the last week, trying to get past barricades to see for himself what the fire has wrought.

And Dani’s grandmother, Helen Montanez – who is nearing 90 – keeps asking to go home. To a home that’s no longer there.

Three generations of the same family. Three homes. Countless, invaluable memories.

All lost.

And so much more.

This family, with more than 60 years of history in Altadena, is among the victims of the Eaton fire, a capricious, unrelenting inferno that, as of Wednesday afternoon, had burned more than 14,000 acres in this working-class neighborhood north of Pasadena. Thousands of structures have been lost. At least 16 people have died. Myriad families have been displaced by the carnage.

And in this one clan – the Davila, Stone and Montanez family – the story of Altadena, the story of a community beloved by its residents, the story of hard-working immigrants striving to build generational wealth and realize the American dream, is cast in relief against the devastation of the Eaton wildfire.

“We have so much history in this city,” Dani Davila, 37, said. “We’re getting updates about friends and families who have lost homes. I could name at least a dozen.”

They waited too long to leave, Dani Davila said. They were smoked out. But they eventually fled, arriving safely, at first, to the Hacienda Heights home of Bryan Davila’s big sister, Shiara Davila-Morales, and then to Monterey Park.

In the days since, they have cried. They have laughed about the absurdity of it all. They have mourned, for themselves and their community. And now, slowly, they have begun to think about rebuilding. They will not give up on Altadena.

“That’s what we love about Altadena,” Dani Davila said. “Our neighbors have become our family.”

This is a story about three generations of the same family that each lost their homes in the Eaton fire. But it’s also about Altadena itself – and its resilience.

Bryan and Dani Davila had decided to take a break from house hunting.

It was the summer of 2022 and the couple, now in their mid-30s, had been looking to buy a house in Altadena.

They put forward offer after offer on prospective homes, only to be outbid.

So they decided to take a pause.

They were used to circumstances outside their control derailing their plans.

Bryan’s parents, after all, were well-educated Nicaraguans who pulled themselves out of poverty only to upend their lives because of a civil war in their native country. His parents, with Bryan’s elder sister in tow, fled Nicaragua for the United States, rebuilding their lives as working-class immigrants.

Bryan Davila, now 35, was not yet born.

He arrived about a decade after his sister, and grew up a “city boy,” as he described it, living in apartments in Alhambra.

Dani Davila, meanwhile, is a daughter of Altadena.

Her grandmother, Helen Montanez, bought a two-bedroom home in Altadena and raised her six kids there – with the children sharing one room. Dani Davila’s mother and father, Rene and Dana Stone, moved the family from a Pasadena apartment to a 1920s, Spanish-style Altadena home when she was 5.

Her family was, as she described them, grinders – the sort of people who set goals and diligently worked toward fulfilling them. Her job growing up was to pull weeds.

“I’m a city boy,” Bryan Davila said. “She’s the one who knows how to do yard work.”

Bryan and Dani Davila, whose parents both valued education, each have college degrees. Bryan left home at 18 to attend the University of Michigan. Dani went to the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, in downtown Los Angeles.

Shortly after graduation, Bryan Davila moved back home.

The couple met in 2012 at a marketing agency they worked at. Dani was a graphic designer and Bryan was a project manager.

They bonded over their shared love of music – their romance blossoming over Spotify playlists.

Bryan proposed to Dani on New Year’s Eve 2018 at 71Above, a restaurant with panoramic scenes, making sure that they were seated with a view of Pasadena. They planned to marry in May 2020.

But their wedding was postponed by the coronavirus pandemic. The couple then moved into Dani’s parents’ home in March 2021 to save up money to buy a house.

After multiple failed attempts to buy a house in Altadena, they decided to take a break.

But the weekend after, they saw an open house for a place on Wapello Street.

The property was about 1,300 square feet and had been owned by an engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Bryan Davila said. It had two handmade decks, separated by a bridge – all up to code. But the plant life was overgrown.

Still, it was the place they wanted.

“Dani was like, ‘Let’s just go check it out,’” Bryan Davila said. “I was an apartment kid. I remember walking in and saying, ‘I want this house.’”

The couple put an initial offer on the house – and waited.

A few days later, on Sept. 27, 2022, the couple was at a Pitbull concert at the Hollywood Bowl, when their Realtor called.

Bryan Davila, standing by the bathroom, had his phone to one ear and his finger in the other.

They had made the shortlist and needed to submit another offer.

“That was a fun night,” Dani Davila said.

Less than a month later, the couple had their dream house, in their dream town – Altadena.

They married on April 8, 2023. Three months later, their daughter, Melina, was born.

Melina, or Meli, as they call her, was supposed to grow up in that home on Wapello Street.

But the fire had different ideas.

“I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to stay and help.”

— Dani Davila

It was time to leave.

For Dani Davila, Jan. 7 had begun normally enough. It was a Tuesday and she headed to work at AXS Experience, a concert ticketing company. Her mom, Dana Stone, cared for Meli. She had a dentist appointment in the afternoon and left work early.

After getting her teeth cleaned, Dani Davila headed home. But first, she called her mother and asked if she needed anything from the store.

She pulled into Super King Market in the afternoon. A gale was already tossing the trees every which way, so she parked where nothing would land on her car.

It was busy in the supermarket, and she was nervous.

So Dani Davila bought only what she could carry: Milk, rice, eggs.

And she left.

As Dani Davila headed to her mother’s house, on Terrace Street, the wind pushed her car from side to side.

“I was stressed,” she said.

But she didn’t panic – yet.

After picking up Meli, she headed home – telling her daughter to listen to the wind lash against the car – and then finished up work, having left her job early to get her teeth cleaned.

In the early evening, her boss sent her a message that there was a fire in her area.

The fire soon hit the mountains above their home.

“We could see the flames from the deck,” Dani Davila said.

“I called my dad,” she added, “and told him to come assess the situation,”

As they waited, Dani and Bryan Davila folded clothes. It was a distraction. But the concern on each other’s faces belied the prosaic chore.

“I could see (the worry) on her face,” Bryan Davila said.

Rene Stone arrived and saw the flames.

He is the steadfast patriarch of the family, an unruffled go-getter. But when he saw the flames, his daughter said, he looked nervous.

That’s when Bryan and Dani Davila knew the danger was real.

Around 7 p.m., the power went out. Dani, with Meli in her arms, packed her infant’s things and clothes for herself, essentially in the dark.

Her husband and father set about trying to safeguard the house, watering the deck and turning off the gas, among other measures.

All the while, Bryan Davila said, he could see a fireball inching toward them.

Finally, around 10 p.m., Bryan Davila and Stone told Dani that she had to go.

The smoke wasn’t safe for young Meli.

“I didn’t want to leave,” Dani Davila said. “I wanted to stay and help.”

But she had to think about her daughter. So she left.

“I said goodbye to the house before I left.” Dani Davila said, fighting back tears while sitting on her sister-in-law’s sofa in Hacienda Heights, on Wednesday, Jan. 15. “I had a feeling I was saying goodbye to the house.”

Altadena was Dani Davila’s playground.

She would walk around the neighborhood barefoot. She’d walk into her neighbors’ houses and ask if their kids – her friends – could play. She’d eat their food. She’d hike the nearby trails.

“Altadena is a small town in a big city.” Dani Davila said. “You’d see regulars around town, you’d become friends with the business owners.”

That familiarity was her family’s legacy.

Her great-grandmother came to the Pasadena area in the early 1900s. Her grandparents bought a house on North Glenrose Avenue in 1962. Her grandmother, who had gotten divorced in her 30s, ultimately transformed that house into a home – one for the entire neighborhood.

“It was magical,” her son Danny Montanez said in a Wednesday phone interview. “It was a two-bedroom house but everyone (from the neighborhood) came over for Thanksgiving.”

Danny Montanez and his siblings would ride bikes down to Lincoln Avenue. They would go to the nearby mountains and catch snakes, selling them to a pet store owner. They played baseball on a Little League field – that the Eaton fire destroyed.

His mother’s house, meanwhile, was the gathering place for his friends.

“If you sat in her yard, with all her plants, it was special,” the younger Montanez said. “Altadena was special.”

Dani Davila’s parents initially raised her in a Pasadena apartment. But when she was 5 years old, they moved to the house on Terrace Street, in Altadena, not far from her grandmother’s.

“I would walk around her yard barefoot,” Dani Davila said about her grandmother’s place. “I would eat the fruits and vegetables out of her garden. I hiked all the trails. (Altadena) has become part of who we are.”

For her family, she added, Altadena represented opportunity.

Until the fires came.

Dani and Meli fled to her parents’ house. It was their safe house – or so they thought.

Dani, with Meli in her arms, sat with her mother in her parents home while her husband and father worked to protect their home.

“We felt helpless,” Dani Davila said.

Late into the evening, Bryan Davila saw embers flittering about his yard and decided it was time to leave.

“I wasn’t going to die to protect the house,” he said on Monday. “I needed to live for my daughter.”

So he and his father-in-law fled to the latter’s house.

But soon, the fire followed.

Rene Stone had gone to Helen Montanez’s house to check on her. She didn’t want to leave. She had, after all, grown old in that home.

But back at the Stone house, Dani Davila, who had laid down in her parents’ bedroom with Meli, began smelling and seeing smoke, which was filling the property.

“That’s when I got really nervous,” she said. “I said, ‘We have to go now.”

But Montanez didn’t want to leave her home. Dana Stone wouldn’t leave without her mother. And Dani Davila wouldn’t leave without her mother.

Thankfully, around 3 a.m., a Los Angeles County sheriff’s vehicle rolled past her grandmother’s house and announced an evacuation order.

Helen Montanez begrudgingly left.

In a caravan of five cars, the family avoided fallen trees, fought against swirling winds and navigated through thick smoke – and left Altadena.

They arrived at Davila-Morales’ house around 5:30 a.m. Then, the waiting began.

“I just started screaming. I don’t even know if it was a scream. It came from a different part of my diaphragm.”

— Alexandria Stone

Alexandria Stone watched the news as the fires tore through Altadena – while she was 100 miles away.

She’s the baby of the family, 14 years younger than her sister, Dani Davila, and is in her last year at UC Santa Barbara, majoring in psychological and brain sciences.

The week the Eaton fire began, she had started the winter quarter.

When the power went out in Altadena, Stone became the main point of communication for her family. But beyond that, there wasn’t much she could do.

She wanted to come home, but her parents, always trying to protect, told her to stay where she was.

So the television and texts from her friends were her only source of information.

“It was stressful,” she said in a Wednesday phone interview from Santa Barbara. “I felt helpless.”

Stone went to sleep – or at least tried to – around 1 a.m. on Jan. 8, but was awoken at 4 a.m. by a text from her friend. Her friend’s yard was on fire.

Stone called her friend, and listened to her scream.

“I was devastated for my friend,” Stone said, adding that she still didn’t think the fire would reach her family’s homes.

She called her mom to tell her the news.

“How did you find out,” her mother told her.

“What do you mean?” she replied.

Dana Stone thought her youngest daughter knew that the house she had grown up in had also been destroyed.

“I just started screaming,” the younger Stone said. “I don’t even know if it was a scream. It came from a different part of my diaphragm.”

A few days later, the younger Stone got the OK to come home. She threw everything she had in her closet into a suitcase and rushed back to Los Angeles County.

When she entered the Monterey Park home her family was staying at, she “melted” into her mother’s arms, Stone said.

Then she hugged her father. And then her big sister.

Stone eventually returned to Santa Barbara. But she’s not sure how she’s managing to get through school or her job at a behavioral clinic, where she works with people on the autism spectrum.

But she knows one thing for sure – her family is resilient.

“They say home is where the heart is and for me, that’s true,” she said. “We could be in a single room with a box of pizza, and I’d be happy.”

But she’s still grieving for her family and community – from afar.

It was Thanksgiving 2022 and Bryan and Dani Davila were in their new home.

There wasn’t much in the house yet, and he and Dani were still living at the Stone family’s house.

“I was making apple pie,” Bryan Davila said, while sitting on his sister’s sofa on Wednesday afternoon.

“And I wasn’t feeling well,” Dani Davila said.

So Bryan Davila went to a drugstore and, like a bashful teen with his hoodie pulled over his head, bought a pregnancy test.

It was positive.

A new light fixture paid the price: Bryan Davila shouted in joy and punched his fist into the air, smashing it against the fixture.

Dani Davila, overjoyed, rushed to tell her mom.

Their house, which they had diligently saved up to buy, was supposed to be where Meli grew up.

She had her first birthday party there. She took her first steps there. She was supposed to have so many other memories there.

“I showed her the rose garden and said, ‘These are your roses,’” Dani Davila said. “I walked her around the neighborhood and said, “This is yours.’”

Altadena was supposed to be Meli’s – a legacy continued.

But last week, that legacy became rubble.

On the morning of Jan. 8, the family, exhausted and overwhelmed, waited in Hacienda Heights as Dani’s father, as well as Danny Montanez, drove to Altadena to determine the fate of their homes.

The Stone house was the first confirmed victim.

Then, Rene Stone called his son-in-law.

“It’s gone, mijo,” he told Bryan Davila.

Finally, in the afternoon, they learned that the family matriarch had lost the home she had lived in for more than six decades.

“We didn’t want to tell her,” Dani Davila said about her grandmother. “She kept saying she wanted to go home.”

But none of them – Helen Montanez, Rene and Dana Stone, Bryan and Dani Davila, and young Meli – had a home left to return to.

The Davilas had created a few happy memories in their home. But in the fire’s wake, they have many more memories that should have been – but will never be. At least not in the home they loved.

On Wednesday morning, Jan. 15, Dani and Bryan Davila sat on Davila-Morales’ sofa. Davila-Morales held Meli in her arms and then sat her on the floor and played with the toddler.

Dani and Bryan took turns holding back tears. Dani slowly slouched on the couch, starting upright and ending up lounging.

“I’ll end up on the floor,” she joked.

Two months earlier, the Davilas had hosted their first Thanksgiving at their home – bringing both of their families together. About a month after that, Bryan Davila’s nieces – Davila-Morales’ – spent New Year’s Day there, first going to the Rose Parade, and then eating posole and watching football.

For the Davilas, that was supposed to mark the beginning of a calm 2025 after years of busily building a family and a home.

A week later, they and the community they love were left devastated.

“It took us a while to get to sleep,” Dani Davila said. “I would close my eyes and see fire.”

Dani Davila’s grandmother still wants to go home. Her parents, blue-collar workers, lost the home they spent years cultivating. Dani and Bryan Davila lost the home they thought they’d grow old in.

“My heart breaks for them,” Danny Montanez said. “My heart breaks for my mother and my sister, and my niece and nephew. I just want to be there for them.”

That was a common theme among the family this week. They want to be there for themselves – and their community.

“Altadena and Pasadena are the only home I’ve known” Alexandria Stone said. “I’ve always wanted to come back and I don’t think I’ll ever give that up.”

For Dani and Bryan Davila, they are mourning the lives they thought they’d lead, the memories they thought they’d create in their home.

They know they won’t get closure until the barricades are removed and they can see the detritus of their home.

But even though it’s too early to discuss rebuilding their home, they, like Dani’s little sister, know they won’t give up on Altadena.

“We want to do something to help our community,” Bryan Davila said, looking at his wife from across the couch.

“We want to help rebuild,” Dani Davila replied.

Their family, like their community, is resilient, they said.

The flames may make them flinch. The fire may flit beneath their eyelids. The inferno may make them cry for what’s been lost.

And the Eaton fire may have burned their homes.

But their trauma will fade. They, and their community, will endure.

And they will build anew.

How to help

To donate to help the Davila family rebuild, go to gofundme.com/f/help-dani-bryan-rebuild-after-losing-their-home-in-fire.

​ Orange County Register 

Best exercise bikes to keep you moving and motivated

• January 16, 2025

Which exercise bike is best?

Exercise bikes are among the bestselling home fitness equipment. Not only do they offer a great workout and major calorie burn, they also lend themselves to dynamic use.

The main types of exercise bikes include upright, indoor, recumbent and air bikes. Each model offers adjustable resistance to deliver true-to-life riding experiences and intense workouts.

NordicTrack Commercial S22i Studio Cycle, one of the leading indoor models, is full of high-tech features to help cyclists get the most out of every ride.

This article was reviewed and approved by Judd NeSmith, the BestReviews Fitness Expert.

What to know before you buy exercise bikes

Exercise bike types

With so many exercise bikes to choose from, you might be wondering where to begin your search. Understanding the four basic types and determining which one is best for your exercise needs is an easy way to narrow your options.

• Upright: Upright bikes place riders in upright positions, not pitched forward like on bicycles. They often have smooth magnetic resistance that offers a different riding experience than road bicycles.
• Indoor: Indoor or spinning bikes simulate outdoor cycling experiences with a weighted flywheel that offers realistic resistance. Many models are equipped with a wealth of high-tech features such as Bluetooth connectivity.
• Recumbent: On recumbent bikes, riders are in a reclined position with their legs positioned almost as high as their hips. Legs do the brunt of work in these models, which are particularly popular for long-distance or resistance training.
• Air: Air bikes work the upper and lower body simultaneously by pedaling and pulling levers. They have fan-based resistance and the faster a rider pedals, the more the resistance increases.

Interactive vs. preset programs

With the exception of air bikes, exercise bikes are equipped with either preset or interactive programs. Preset programs are built into the dashboard or display of budget and midrange models. Each program adjusts the incline or resistance based on difficulty, and some programs adjust it multiple times during a session. Riders can manually adjust settings as well.

Interactive programs, which stream live or on-demand classes, are seen only on premium exercise bikes. Some of the most expensive exercise bikes have high-definition touch screens, whereas other models lack screens. Instead, some bikes allow users to connect smartphones or tablets to access interactive streaming platforms.

What to look for in quality exercise bikes

Bluetooth capabilities

Many exercise bikes have Bluetooth capabilities, a feature that allows riders to connect compatible earbuds, headphones, smartphones and tablets. Riders can also pair fitness trackers and smartwatches to Bluetooth exercise bikes and log essential health information or performance metrics.

Adjustable features

Adjustable seat height is a standard feature in exercise bikes, and on average, they adjust anywhere from 5 to 14 inches. Certain models also have adjustable handlebars that can be drawn closer to the body or raised.

Exercise bikes introduce new challenges to riders with adjustable incline, decline and resistance levels. Incline and decline simulate uphill and downhill riding, and most bikes offer a range of -15% to 20%. Resistance levels vary considerably among exercise bikes, and depending on the model, they offer up to 100 levels. High-end bikes compatible with interactive classes allow instructors to adjust resistance too.

Pedal design

Most exercise bikes have wide pedals with straps, some of which are adjustable to secure the foot. Other pedals have toe cages that stabilize the forefoot. Some higher-end exercise bikes have clipless pedals compatible with cycling shoes.

How much you can expect to spend on exercise bikes

Entry-level exercise bikes with limited adjustability features cost around $350. Midrange options, particularly models with several preset programs, cost $450-$850. Top-tier exercise bikes with high-tech capabilities range from $900-$1,500, and high-end models run as high as $2,200.

Exercise bikes FAQ

Is delivery free with an exercise bike?

A. Some retailers and manufacturers offer free delivery, but others charge an additional fee. Although some exercise bikes are delivered in one piece, certain models require assembly. Like delivery, there may or may not be an extra charge for assembly service.

Do exercise bikes have accurate heart rate trackers?

A. At best, the heart rate trackers on exercise bikes provide estimates. This is caused by a few variables, including inconsistent readings and motion artifacts. Instead, many riders prefer using fitness trackers or smartwatches for more accurate monitoring.

What are the best exercise bikes to buy?

Top exercise bike

NordicTrack Commercial S22i Studio Cycle

What you need to know: If you’re looking for a studio-quality experience, this high-end cycle offers interactive classes through iFit.

What you’ll love: The bike comes with a 22-inch rotating HD touch screen with brilliant image and video quality. Thanks to an updated drive design, the bike operates quietly and smoothly. There are 24 digital resistance levels and incline controls that offer dynamic workouts.

What you should consider: After the free iFit trial expires, it costs $180-$400 annually.

Top exercise bike for the money

Schwinn IC4 Indoor Cycling Bike

What you need to know: Even when you’re on a budget, you can enjoy immersive classes on this smart Schwinn bike.

What you’ll love: It has a device dock that holds most smartphones and tablets. The dual-sided pedals let users wear sneakers or SPDs. It comes with a one-year Jrny membership with access to unlimited classes and programs. Smooth magnetic resistance is realistic yet easy on knees.

What you should consider: Some riders didn’t like the free weight placement, noting they had to hunch over to reach them.

Worth checking out

XTERRA Fitness Folding Exercise Bike

What you need to know: This portable exercise bike is easy to fold and put away when you’re not using it.

What you’ll love: With 18 inches by 18 inches of floor space when it’s folded up, it can be put into a closet easily for storage. It has a 3.3-pound flywheel that allows for smooth, magnetic resistance levels. It has a simple display that’s easy to read, which includes fitness stats like the time, your heart rate, calories burned, and the distance cycled.

What you should consider: It doesn’t really have a lot of fancy features.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

​ Orange County Register 

Best neck massagers to ease tension and soothe sore muscles

• January 16, 2025

Which neck massager is best?

Neck pain is a common occurrence in our increasingly technologized world, where it seems like everyone is hunched over a computer or staring down at their smartphone. Neck pain can also be caused by arthritis and other conditions. A professional massage often provides much-needed relief for tight and painful muscles.

When a professional massage is not feasible, there are many options for portable neck massagers that simulate a hands-on massage and provide a therapeutic effect for aching necks. For overall quality and quick recovery, the TheraGun Pro is the top choice.

What to know before you buy a neck massager

What is causing your neck pain?

Everyone gets a sore or stiff neck from time to time, but according to the Mayo Clinic, if your pain is severe, has lasted for several days or has spread down your arms or legs, you should consult your healthcare professional to make sure the neck massager won’t make your condition worse.

What is your goal of using a neck massager?

For some people, a neck massager is to help them relax from a stressful day. Fitness buffs and dedicated athletes may use a neck massager to help muscle recovery after an intense workout. The type of massager, its features and attachments will differ based on what you ultimately want to accomplish.

Which type of neck massager is best for you?

There are three main types of neck massagers.

• Shiatsu neck massagers use balls that press against pressure points. Based on Japanese tradition, there are many shiatsu massagers in the marketplace. Many of these units incorporate heat and do a good job on deep tissue. Bear in mind that no machine can fully replicate the human hand and fingers, so some shiatsu massagers can be uncomfortable depending on the angle against the pressure point.
• Handheld neck massagers allow the user to control the wand to reach specific spots with different intensities and attachments. They are lightweight but often corded, which may be limiting. What’s more, remember that handheld neck massagers might be less relaxing since one of your arms will be lifted to maneuver the unit. Some people use handheld neck massagers for other parts of the body.
• Pillow neck massagers are padded and shaped for reclining as the unit wraps around your neck and upper shoulders. This type of massager is easily transported since most brands are cordless. It can be difficult to pinpoint troublesome areas with this style of neck massager, and the battery life may be limited.

What to look for in a quality neck massager

Heat

Many neck massagers feature a heating option to apply soothing warmth while the massage is underway. Padded pillow neck massagers are able to transfer heat more evenly. Look for products that have adjustable heat to control when things are too hot or not warm enough.

Speed and vibration

Look for neck massagers that offer multiple speed options and vibration patterns. Each person is unique and will prefer a different intensity and level of vibration and kneading. Having several options to choose from will increase your chances of finding the right fit or just changing up the experience if you use the neck massager frequently.

Cordless

When possible, look for a cordless neck massager so that you can take it with you and use it in a wide variety of settings. Some handheld neck massagers are corded, which can make it difficult to use freely.

How much you can expect to spend on a neck massager

All three styles of neck massagers start around $15-$20, with mid-range pillow and neck massagers priced from $40-$60. Higher-end shiatsu and handheld massagers may cost as much as $120-$150, depending on their features and attachments.

Neck massager FAQ

Do neck massagers come with a warranty?

A. Most manufacturers offer a limited warranty, usually for 1 to 2 years. Check the product information to see how long the warranty is and what it covers.

Can a neck massager be used on other body parts?

A. Handheld neck massagers, in particular, can be used on other painful parts of the body, such as the legs or arms. You will need to test run different speeds and attachments since the muscles in other body areas may not respond the same as your neck muscles.

What are the best neck massagers to buy?

Top neck massager

TheraGun Pro

What you need to know: This high-quality massage gun is known for the quick recovery it provides active users.

What you’ll love: Boasting an ergonomic design, this massage gun also employs technology for an extra quiet run. It comes with a customizable screen, 5 hours of battery life and Bluetooth capabilities.

What you should consider: There have been reports of difficulty with the control settings.

Top neck massager for the money

iReliev Back and Neck Massager

What you need to know: This flexible shiatsu massager works the neck and back similar to an actual massage.

What you’ll love: Both the heat and massage intensity controls are easy to adjust. This massager works well on the upper back. Made from breathable fabric, it also has arm supports to hold it in place whether at home or work.

What you should consider: Higher heat settings can cause skin irritation in people with sensitivity.

Worth checking out

PlayMakar MVP+ Percussion Massager

What you need to know: Developed by professional athletes, this massager has six speeds for deep tissue impact.

What you’ll love: The high torque motor delivers deep tissue relief. The unit is relatively quiet and has six different attachments. It comes with a carrying case, charger and batteries. This massager is great for both recovery and relaxation.

What you should consider: It’s a bit more pricey than similar models.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

​ Orange County Register