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Judges and Judiciary

Jan. 17, 2025

Retired Judge Anthony J. Mohr reflects on Los Angeles' transformation from Eden to ashes

Before Jan. 7, Southern California's idyllic neighborhoods were beloved for their beauty and charm, but the recent wildfires have turned these once serene landscapes into hellscapes, leaving behind ashes and memories.

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Welcome to the urban chaparral interface. Before Jan. 7, thousands of pictures showed the world an Eden overlooking the basin and the sea --alabaster homes on the ridges, houses that brought the outside in, palm trees everywhere. Then, zooming in, a little craftsman in Altadena. In the Palisades, a deck with a bronzed couple--an assistant United States attorney on her laptop, editing a brief. An actor reading a script. Their labradoodle is nearby. All enjoying the sun. I live...

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