Dakota Smith covers City Hall for the Los Angeles Times. She is part of the team that won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize in breaking news for reporting on a leaked audio recording that upended City Hall politics. She joined the newsroom in 2016 and previously covered City Hall for the Los Angeles Daily News. She is a graduate of Lewis & Clark College and lives in Los Angeles.
Latest From This Author
The pier, the oldest in California, was badly damaged by storms in 2023. First built in 1872 as a commercial wharf, it has been repaired or rebuilt countless times.
June 29, 2024
For years, there’s been little public criticism about the 2028 Olympics from local politicians. Now, L.A.’s elected officials are starting to pipe up.
June 29, 2024
Under the city charter, 10 council members must be present to conduct a meeting. But at City Hall, the definition of present is a bit flexible.
June 22, 2024
With Olympic events planned at the Convention Center, city leaders want to use the Games as an impetus for construction that could ultimately cost billions.
June 19, 2024
An L.A. County lifeguard is stirring up a national audience over the county’s Pride flag policy. Within the county, not so much.
June 15, 2024
A lawsuit alleged that L.A. city shelter staff failed to provide the woman’s son with written notice of the dog’s bite history before he adopted the canine.
June 14, 2024
They share similarities as Black women leading California’s marquee cities, but the mayors of San Francisco and L.A. are confronting key issues in different ways.
June 11, 2024
L.A. City Council President Krekorian blasted the Burbank police officers as “inhumane” and accused them of failing to help the man.
June 7, 2024
The incident comes as the city’s shelters face a crisis of overcrowded conditions for dogs.
June 1, 2024
Caruso made clear two years ago that he wouldn’t run for mayor a second time if he lost to Karen Bass. But lately, he’s been behaving like a candidate again.
June 1, 2024