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Zachary Ellison

@zacharyellison.bsky.social
5.9K followers 11K following 493 posts

USC Whistleblower. Independent Journalist: Politics, Investigations, Media. Barack Obama's 2008 Campaign One-Millionth Online Donor.

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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Elements of Hurricane Polo moving over the Coachella Valley, California. September 28, 2026. ⛈️🌴📸
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Looking up at this beautiful sun halo during my morning swim on the last day of summer. At ease in Coachella Valley, California. 🌴🌞😇📸🤙
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Spotted these crepuscular rays emanating from the afternoon clouds. Coachella Valley, California. 9-13-26. 🌴🌞📸
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Happy Labor Day to One and All!
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Clouds came over the low desert today making iridescent hues. 9-5-26. Coachella Valley, California. 🌴📸
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Just doing the thang tonight. Coachella Valley, California. 🏜️🌤️📸
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
I’ve been married for one month.
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Persistent corona over the Sun with this cloud today. Palm Desert, California. 8-29-26. 😎🌞
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Look at that beauty. August 23, 2026. Coachella Valley, California. 🌴📸
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
August 15, 2026. Coachella Valley, California with an iPhone 15 Pro. 📸
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Thank you to Edgar McGregor and others for doing the hard work of invasive species removal in Eaton Canyon. Without their efforts there is indeed a 100% chance of the canyon being overrun with non-native noxious plants. myeatoncanyon.com/county-staff...
myeatoncanyon.com
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
The official numbers may be fluctuating in Los Angeles on homelessness as the population ages and turns over. Lifesaving measures such as Narcan are reducing overdoses, but it’s still quite deadly to live and sleep on the streets of the Southland. open.substack.com/pub/roofless...
open.substack.com
PITfalls of the 2026 “Point-In-Time” Count
The Point-In-Time count does not distinguish between housing exits and fatalities on the street, and is riddled with issues that make it an unreliable measure of homelessness.
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Today on my 40th birthday in life, I married the woman of my dreams Mae Koo in Palm Desert with family present as our witnesses. We thank everyone for their personal support over the years and hope to do a larger celebration down the line. 💍🥳
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Not quite a thunderhead, but definitely a ray show when this baddie came overhead. Love California! 🌤️ July 16, 2026. Original content.
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
I’m in conversation with the Press Office of California Governor Gavin Newsom about why this funding is seemingly being so heavily directed to traditional newsrooms at the apparent exclusion of independent journalists. www.gov.ca.gov/2026/07/14/g...
gov.ca.gov
Governor Newsom announces $20 million in grant funding matched by Google to support local journalism across the state | Governor of California
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
The latest from @roof.bsky.social on the LA Alliance case that has the city in. quagmire. With Donald Trump pulling federal money out Los Angeles, does the homeless industrial complex have a comeback from defunding? roofless.substack.com/p/milestones
roofless.substack.com
ROBBING THE HOOD: For forcing City of LA to destroy dwellings, #LAAlliance lawyers got $7M
The City destroyed 9,800 tents and RVs to please the plaintiffs of a lawsuit improperly settled in private, at the expense of taxpayers, in violation of the Brown Act and the Democratic process.
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Reminder this is my one of the best times of year for viewing the Milky Way. Shot from the Cholla Cactus Garden in Joshua Tree NP on July 7, 2026. 🌌👍
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
The latest from @roof.bsky.social on the Los Angeles mayoral election which now promises to be a showdown between former political allies Nithya Raman and Karen Bass. Are good intentions enough to save LA from further governmental disaster? roofless.substack.com/p/like-i-rea...
roofless.substack.com
Mayoral Challenger Nithya Raman: “like, I really believe in government!”
Nithya Raman, CD4 Councilwoman and Mayoral Challenger to incumbent Karen Bass, appeared on Hasan Piker’s stream in strategic appeal to the democratic establishment. It worked.
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
Coachella Valley Atoptics. Moondog and Sun Corona 4/29-4/30 - iPhone15 Pro 📸
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
No trail, no problem. Wandering in the Pinto Basin of Joshua Tree National Park where the ground can sink beneath your footstep. The California desert offers a sublime array of natural experiences to calm the mind.
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
Jackrabbit Trail. Rancho Mirage, CA. December 22, 2025. Looking good! 🌞😇
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 22/12/2025
Randall Henderson Trail Happy Winter Solstice from Palm Desert, CA. December 21, 2025. ❄️
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
This evening over the Coachella Valley of California. 🌴🌈📸
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 28/11/2025
Wishing all a pleasant Thanksgiving!
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 21/10/2025
I’m proud to have just renewed my membership in the Los Angeles Press Club for a second year. Thankful for a profession that values investigation and powerful reporting. lapressclub.org
lapressclub.org
- Los Angeles Press Club
18th National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards Gala This year’s National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards contest is officially closed. Our judges now face the daunting task of reviewing a...
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 15/10/2025
Great analysis by Michele Martinez of California politics. What does a successful gubernatorial candidate look like? Will California choose a change leader of business as usual in 2026? Must read. open.substack.com/pub/michelem...
open.substack.com
What a California Governor Really Does—and Why It Matters
Before we choose a governor, we deserve a clear understanding of what the role demands—and what it makes possible.
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 25/09/2025
Welp. After avoiding it capably for a solid 5 years, I’ve finally been infected with COVID-19. My mistake perhaps was not getting the new booster sooner considering I work in public schools. The pandemic is still happening. Hoping for no long-term symptoms.
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 26/08/2025
Now is a great time to support @roof.bsky.social who is again facing a sweep as an unhoused person in Los Angeles. Please support my colleague in her attempt to stay in her shelter. roofless.substack.com
roofless.substack.com
roofless | Ruth | Substack
Survival, Belonging & Justice for The Unhoused in LA • Liberation for landless + oppressed people globally. Click to read roofless, by Ruth, a Substack publication with hundreds of subscribers.
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 26/08/2025
Perfect way to end the thunderstorm with some sunset colors out here in the Coachella Valley. The sudden stormy wind blast at the start was a fairly impressive proceeding.
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 29/07/2025
Today is my 39th birthday. I’m grateful to all my friends and family for being in my life, you’re very appreciated. Thank you also to all who have supported my work as a journalist: zacharyellison.substack.com
zacharyellison.substack.com
Zachary Ellison | Substack
Politics, Investigations, and Media in Los Angeles, California. The biggest stories in Los Angeles other publications are afraid to touch. From political corruption to life on the streets, I go wher...
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L.A. TACO @lataco.bsky.social · 08/07/2025
DAILY MEMO: ICE puts on a show at McArthur Park as we pass the 30-day mark. Welcome to day 32 of the ICE Siege of L.A. ~ @eltragon.bsky.social
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L.A. TACO @lataco.bsky.social · 08/07/2025
Multiple other allegations have been levied against the owner of an L.A. taco chain across the internet since the video's publication, with calls to boycott the establishment, as well as requesting he not be welcomed to BMO Stadium as a LAFC supporter. The full story: lataco.com/taquero-trum...
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L.A. TACO @lataco.bsky.social · 09/07/2025
Part 2
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L.A. TACO @lataco.bsky.social · 09/07/2025
Senator Alex Padilla joins @eltragon.bsky.social to discuss his new bill he introduced with Senator Cory Booker called “The Visible Act” and more. This is part 1. 🧵
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L.A. TACO @lataco.bsky.social · 09/07/2025
DAILY MEMO: Chaos at Van Nuys Home Depot while Bell Gardens Mayor Gets an ICE Agent's Badge Number and More ~ @eltragon.bsky.social
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L.A. TACO @lataco.bsky.social · 09/07/2025
ICE raids, bacon-wrapped hot dogs, and banana pudding: the secrets of survival, solidarity, and sales at a San Gabriel Valley night market. lataco.com/street-vendo...
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L.A. TACO @lataco.bsky.social · 09/07/2025
After being hit, CJ Johnson dropped his skateboard, then picked it up and ran towards the first street medic that he saw. There was “blood everywhere,” . . . He is one of several people LAPD officers reportedly injured during No Kings Day. lataco.com/cj-johnson-l... by @shoton35mm.bsky.social
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L.A. TACO @lataco.bsky.social · 10/07/2025
Our commitment to one another and compassion may be the biggest weapon we've got against the fear L.A. is being targeted with. We've gotten dozens of questions about how you can help, including where to volunteer. We heard you, and we answered. lataco.com/los-angeles-...
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L.A. TACO @lataco.bsky.social · 10/07/2025
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L.A. TACO @lataco.bsky.social · 10/07/2025
“They were arrested, in our eyes unconstitutionally, in the course of an unconstitutional raid meant to attack our communities and pick up people based on the color of their skin and where they're standing," attorney Cal Soto said. 🧵 lataco.com/observers-ho... by @shoton35mm.bsky.social
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 08/07/2025
Six months ago today much of Altadena was burned to the ground. Life has moved on and so have I but I’m going to be optimistic about reconstruction and the future of community. 🙏
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 03/07/2025
The latest with @roof.bsky.social on the pressing questions on housing and homelessness in Los Angeles. In a surprise decision there will be no receivership even as more money than before comes from taxpayers. zacharyellison.substack.com/p/part-178-a...
zacharyellison.substack.com
Part 178: A Homelessness Impasse in Los Angeles? Judicial Nothingburger and Policy Indecision
Published July 2, 2025.
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 29/06/2025
Pretty easy day on the Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail in Idyllwild. Not out as much in the woods lately, but all good things in time. That tree canopy! 💚
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 25/06/2025
Just updated with response from the CA AG’s office. Honestly doesn’t sound too legally promising to sue the oil industry over climate change as a Californian or displaced Altadenan. zacharyellison.substack.com/p/part-176-t...
open.substack.com
Part 176: The Eaton Fire Fallout – Market Conduct Examinations and Community Rebuilding
Published June 13, 2025. Updated June 24, 2025.
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 23/06/2025
Another Sunday spent well in Joshua Tree National Park stopping at all the best exhibits. So many reasons why the California Desert rocks far and wide. 🏜️
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 21/06/2025
Thank you @gustavoarellano.bsky.social for always including me in your newsletter. Guti gang! Subscribe to the newsletter.
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 21/06/2025
Should I write another Best of Substack piece that discuss whistleblowers and whistleblowing? Which authors should I include? zacharyellison.substack.com/p/special-th...
zacharyellison.substack.com
SPECIAL: The Best Los Angeles Substacks – Journalism Practice in the City of Angels
Published March 7, 2025.
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 21/06/2025
The California Attorney General Office press office just phoned to let me know an update is coming on litigation against “Big Oil” soon.
open.substack.com
Part 176: The Eaton Fire Fallout – Market Conduct Examinations and Community Rebuilding
Published June 13, 2025. Updated June 17, 2025.
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Zachary Ellison @zacharyellison.bsky.social · 19/06/2025
Donald Trump has finally angered the masses with his immigration sweeps. Nowhere has fought back harder than Los Angeles and California, the latest from on the ground in Palm Springs. What will happen next in Round 2? zacharyellison.substack.com/p/part-177-t...
zacharyellison.substack.com
Part 177: The Battle for Los Angeles – Resisting Donald Trump in the Golden State
Published June 18, 2025.
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Adam Rose @adamrose.bsky.social · 19/06/2025
Can't stop. Won't stop. On the heels of our lawsuit over LAPD's unlawful treatment of journalists covering protests, @lapressclub.bsky.social join @statuscoupnews.bsky.social & @thesouthlander.com in a separate suit about LASD. Thank you to the attorneys fighting to allow the press to do its job.
Cover page of lawsuit.
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