Alene Tchekmedyian

My first story for L.A. Material is a behind-the-scenes account of the week that remade the L.A. mayoral race — how the city’s political class scrambled to marshal an alternative to Mayor Karen Bass, and ended up w a challenger no one saw coming. lamaterial.com/p/five-days-th…

New polling on LA mayor’s race shows Karen Bass with less than 20% support, concerning for an incumbent. Behind her are Nithya Raman and Spencer Pratt who have about 10% support each. 51% of likely voters are undecided, poll says latimes.com/california/sto…

3 vital days, many ignored warnings: How the LAFD failed to prevent the Palisades inferno latimes.com/california/sto…

Who made the call to leave the Lachman fire? A firefighter says he warned of hotspots. A capt says he told his chief pulling hoses wasn’t a good idea. That chief says no one raised concerns & decision was made earlier. Prior shift chief says if wasn’t him latimes.com/california/sto…

L.A. firefighter testifies that Lachman fire was not fully put out when crews were ordered to leave ⁦@AleneTchek⁩ latimes.com/california/sto…

L.A. firefighter testifies that Lachman fire was not fully put out when crews were ordered to leave - Los Angeles Times latimes.com/california/sto…

A Los Angeles firefighter said in sworn testimony that he sounded the alarm about the inadequate mop-up of the Lachman fire — and was blown off by a captain — days before the embers reignited into the deadly Palisades fire. The firefighter, Scott Pike, testified last month in a lawsuit brought by Palisades fire victims against the city and the state. Pike said there were about five areas that were still smoking. Read more here: latimes.com/california/sto…

L.A. firefighter testifies that Lachman fire was not fully put out when crews were ordered to leave “It kind of sits heavy with me that nobody listened to me,” he said. latimes.com/california/sto…

FBI raids LAUSD Supt. Alberto Carvalho’s home, office U.S. attorney’s office in L.A. just confirmed law enforcement is executing a judicially approved search warrant at these locations. Declined to comment further latimes.com/california/sto…

Confidential memo reveals how LAFD tried shielding Mayor Bass from fire fallout ⁦@PaulPringleLA⁩ ⁦@AleneTchek⁩ latimes.com/california/sto…

Confidential LAFD memo: “It’s our goal to prepare and protect Mayor Bass, the City, and the LAFD from reputational harm associated with the upcoming public release of its” Palisades fire after action report latimes.com/california/sto…

Who pays for Newsom's travel? Hint: It's not always taxpayers latimes.com/politics/story…

For weeks, Mayor Karen Bass has denied that she was involved in altering an after-action report on the Palisades fire to downplay failures by the city & LAFD But sources say she was concerned about legal liabilities & directed the changes latimes.com/california/sto…

And earlier this year, LAFD formed a “crisis management workgroup,” in part to manage the narrative around the Palisades after action report

Also worth noting — someone had asked for the author’s emails in a public records request in October. The city produced almost 180 emails, but this one was left out. LAFD hasn’t explained why

Author of LAFD Palisades fire after action report declined to endorse final version, called it ‘highly unprofessional’ latimes.com/california/sto…

LAFD’s after-action report was revised to downplay the failures of city and LAFD leadership in preparing for and fighting the Palisades fire, records show latimes.com/california/sto…

.@AleneTchek and I wrote about whether the LAFD is more prepared for a major emergency today than it was in January, when the Palisades fire broke out. Some are not optimistic. latimes.com/california/sto…

This was the story @AleneTchek and I wrote about it last year, when we reviewed the investigative file and initally reported that Maya had been investigated for doing her job as a journalist: latimes.com/california/sto…

Former @latimes reporter @mayalau is SUING ex-sheriff Alex Villanueva, ex-detective Mark Lillienfeld and the county, saying they violated her 1A rights when they criminally investigating her for reporting on a list of problem deputies: latimes.com/california/sto…