If 2025 appears like a blur of headlines, disasters and scandals, don’t fret, all of us really feel this fashion. That will help you kind and recall all the massive tales of the 12 months, we’ve constructed a fast timeline of 2025. And, no, it wasn’t all dangerous information.
January
On Tuesday, Jan. 7, fires broke out in Pacific Palisades and Altadena that might go on to kill 31 and destroy greater than 16,000 buildings, among the many worst in California’s historical past. The Palisades and Eaton fires devastated Southern California however work continues on the rebuilding effort.
Extra on the fires:
Additionally in January, Donald Trump was inaugurated because the forty seventh president of the USA.
February
As Trump settled into the presidency, he instantly started pushing controversial insurance policies, together with ending birthright citizenship, ordering Okay-12 faculties and schools to remove Range, Fairness and Inclusion insurance policies and starting a mass layoff of presidency workers.
President Trump and First Woman Melania Trump arrive on the Commander in Chief Ball.
(Alex Brandon / Related Press)
What else occurred this month:
March
Readers discovered some entertaining aid from the standard information cycle with the Academy Awards, throughout which filmmaker Sean Baker made historical past by turning into the primary particular person to win 4 Oscars in a single night time for a similar film with “Anora.”
What else occurred this month:
- U.S. Secretary of Well being and Human Companies Robert F. Kennedy Jr. enacted sweeping cuts to his division.
- The Trump administration additionally gutted the Division of Training, shedding about half of the company’s workers.
In leisure information, the month introduced the harrowing finale of “Severance” Season 2, Teyana Taylor and Aaron Pierre showing coupled up on the Self-importance Truthful Oscars bash and padels gaining recognition in L.A.’s sport scene.
April
Within the months after Trump assumed his function because the forty seventh U.S. president, he continued on his agenda, canceling worldwide scholar visas and saying a dramatic collection of worldwide tariffs. However many pushed again, with protests breaking out throughout the nation, criticizing Trump and Elon Musk, billionaire advisor to the president.
What else occurred this month:
- Star Michelle Trachtenberg’s reason behind demise was decided to be issues of diabetes mellitus.
And April delivered loads of leisure with the Season 3 finale of “White Lotus” and The Occasions went again a number of a long time for each the most effective 30 nonfiction and fiction books within the final 30 years.
Might
After Pope Francis’ demise on April 21, the primary U.S. pope within the historical past of the Catholic Church was chosen Might 7. The selection of Chicago-born Robert Prevost, who took the title Leo XIV, shocked the nation.
What else occurred this month:
- One particular person died and a number of other others had been injured in a suspected bomb blast outdoors a fertility clinic in Palm Springs on Might 16 that the FBI described as “an intentional act of terrorism.”
- President Trump picked Dr. Casey Means, a holistic medication physician and wellness influencer who give up her medical residency, as his nominee for surgeon normal.
Readers additionally resonated with our information for 5 social expertise you may enhance to make new buddies as an grownup, a riveting characteristic on how a girl’s demise infected the controversy over how California manages drawback black bears and the roaring occasions of the 151st Kentucky Derby.
June
Sweeping ICE raids started in Los Angeles this month, ramping up the Trump administration’s large-scale battle towards immigration. The aggressive raids prompted an uproar, with intense clashes between regulation enforcement and protesters and the arrival of the Nationwide Guard.
Residents protest the latest ICE raids within the southland on the nook of Atlantic Avenue and Firestone Boulevard in South Gate on June 12, 2025.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Occasions)
What else occurred this month:
Other than the headlines of political and social upheaval, readers took observe of Occasions restaurant critic Invoice Addison’s record for the 101 greatest eating places in California.
July
As immigration raids continued in Los Angeles, Trump’s almost 900-page “Huge Stunning Invoice” handed. The invoice options trillions of {dollars} in tax cuts, billions towards border and nationwide safety, and affected tens of millions of Medicaid recipients to fund the invoice.
What else occurred this month:
And dramatic information erupted on this planet of leisure, with “South Park” creators reaching a billion-dollar streaming deal with Paramount.
August
Gov. Gavin Newsom ramped up his struggle with Trump along with his formidable redistricting measure that shook up California.
What else occurred this month:
Different massive tales of the month included a characteristic on what tons of of Californians discovered after being paid $10,000 to relocate to Oklahoma.
September
Conservative determine and Turning Level USA Founder Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at an occasion at Utah Valley College on Sept. 10. Drama within the leisure world ensued after Jimmy Kimmel, throughout a Sept. 15 present, made feedback in regards to the right-wing activist’s demise that resulted in ABC suspending “Jimmy Kimmel Reside!” indefinitely. But it surely didn’t stick, with the late-night speak present returning later that month after backlash.
What else occurred this month:
For extra award glory, readers adopted the 77th Emmy Awards, which noticed an 8% improve in rankings from final 12 months. See a recap of the occasion, together with all of the winners and the night time’s greatest and worst moments.
October
On Oct. 9, Israel and Hamas signed a ceasefire deal in Gaza, after two years of lethal battle and simply over two years after the Oct. 7, 2023, assault by Hamas. However the ceasefire was undone later that month, as Israel launched airstrikes in Gaza and claimed that Hamas launched an assault on its forces.
What else occurred this month:
- A large explosion and hearth broke out at an Chevron refinery in El Segundo.
And in nonsensical information: Youngsters started screaming “6-7” as a part of an internet phenomenon that appeared to start out with a music by Philadelphia rapper Skrilla.
November
And to kick off November, Los Angeles bled blue because the Dodgers gained the World Collection towards the Toronto Blue Jays in a nail-biter 5-4, 11-inning Sport 7. Events and parades adopted, celebrating the back-to-back champions.
The Los Angeles Dodgers maintain the World Collection trophy after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in Sport 7 of the World Collection on Nov. 1, 2025.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Occasions)
What else occurred this month:
- California handed Prop. 50, a redistricting poll measure touted by Newsom to assist Democrats. State Republicans quickly after filed a lawsuit to dam the measure.
December
And lastly, the killings of Rob Reiner and his spouse, Michele Singer Reiner, dominated headlines in December. Nick Reiner, the couple’s son, was arrested and charged with two counts of homicide. The court docket case has largely concerned Nick Reiner’s psychological state and historical past of habit, as he faces the potential of the demise penalty or life in jail with out parole.
What else occurred this month:
- Southern California noticed its wettest Christmas in fashionable historical past, which introduced record-breaking rainfall throughout the area. The storm introduced evacuations, flooding and mudslides, additionally ensuing within the deaths of three folks.
- A large Hollywood battle between Netflix and Paramount continues over the public sale of Warner Bros. Discovery.
And when studying the information turned an excessive amount of, folks sought out The Occasions’ record for the 101 greatest eating places in Los Angeles in the hunt for closing out the 12 months on a great chew no less than.
As we speak’s prime tales
A plow removes particles from the northbound lanes of the 5 Freeway in Solar Valley on Dec. 26, 2025.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Occasions)
Extra vacation rain is coming again to Southern California
- Residents ought to count on to have an 80-90% likelihood of rain New Yr’s Eve and Day, with rainfall charges from 1 / 4 to half an inch an hour predicted for Wednesday night time into Thursday morning.
- Evacuation warnings start Wednesday at 11 a.m. for fire-scarred areas affected by the Franklin, Palisades, Eaton and different main fires throughout the area.
- Gov. Newsom is mobilizing emergency crews because the storm bears down on California.
2026 Rose Parade
- Visitors on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena shall be changed by barbecues, folding chairs and coolers beginning Wednesday night time forward of the 137th Event of Roses Parade on New Yr’s Day.
- Meaning street closures, visitors congestion and plenty of folks. A forecast of rain is including one other layer of complexity for campers and parade-goers.
- Earlier than the petals hit the metallic, right here’s what you need to know.
L.A. ignored hearth security because it permitted improvement in high-risk areas, a lawsuit alleges
- L.A. repeatedly accredited improvement in fire-prone areas in violation of state requirements for protected evacuation and firefighter entry, in line with the lawsuit.
- The town has a protracted historical past of struggling to undertake and implement wildfire security rules.
- Resident teams and hearth security watchdogs have made pure allies towards loosening rules in high-risk areas, complicating the controversy round California’s housing disaster.
What else is happening
Commentary and opinions
This morning’s should learn
Different should reads
To your downtime
After the latest rain, a bloom of wildflowers covers Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
(Raul Roa / Los Angeles Occasions)
Going out
Staying in
A query for you: What’s your New Yr’s decision?
Jeanette Hernandez stated, “My New Years’ decision for 2026 is to ask extra questions and assume as little as attainable. On the finish of 2025, I seen my assumptions prompted me to make errors in judgment about folks and create little dramas in my head that weren’t actual.”
E mail us at essentialcalifornia@latimes.com, and your response may seem within the e-newsletter this week.
And eventually … your picture of the day
Nancy Gonzalez poses in an outfit displaying her Mexican heritage at a rally in July at Los Angeles Metropolis Corridor.
(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Occasions)
As we speak’s nice picture is from Occasions photographer Carlin Stiehl at a July rally towards immigration raids at Los Angeles’ Metropolis Corridor. It’s a part of our roundup of the 12 months in pictures for 2025.
Have an important day, from the Important California staff
Jim Rainey, employees reporter
Hugo Martín, assistant editor, quick break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew Campa, weekend author
June Hsu, editorial fellow
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
How can we make this article extra helpful? Ship feedback to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com. Examine our prime tales, matters and the newest articles on latimes.com.
