Category: Los Angeles

A company looking to use existing tracks to provide luxury overnight train trips between Los Angeles and the Bay Area has announced another crucial step toward the project becoming a reality. On Tuesday, Dreamstar Lines, a Newport Beach-based transit startup, announced it had hired a design firm to create initial concepts for its rail car interiors and exteriors. Designworks, a subsidiary of the BMW Group, has been tasked to design the future Dreamstar train cars, which will include first class suites with bedrooms and restrooms, standard cars with seating and bedrooms, and lounge cars with open seating and a bar. Dreamstar says the design concepts will provide a “vision for a luxurious blend of comfort and elegance.” A rendering of a Dreamstar Lines train car. Dreamstar hopes to launch new overnight passenger rail service between San Francisco and Los Angeles. (Dreamstar Lines Inc.) Designworks was shortlisted to design the train cars, company officials said, but was ultimately selected after expressing interest in the project early on after learning about it. “They were selected based on their capability to deliver the vision we had in mind for

By Dan Snyder, Casey Kuhn Updated on: November 13, 2024 / 6:05 PM EST / CBS Philadelphia CBS News Live CBS News Philadelphia Live Sen. Bob Casey is not giving up on retaining his U.S. Senate seat. The three-term Democrat is currently locked in a tight race with Dave McCormick, trailing the Republican by just over 29,000 votes as of 4 p.m. Wednesday. CBS News has not issued a projection in the race . Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt announced Wednesday afternoon that unofficial results in the race have triggered a statewide recount.  That’s because vote totals for McCormick and Casey are within a 0.5% margin, which triggers a statewide recount under state law. According to the Department of State, Casey received 48.5% of the vote with 3,350,972 votes and McCormick had 48.93% with 3,380,310.  Counties must begin the recount by Nov. 20, the announcement says. The recount will cost more than $1 million in taxpayer funds, the Department of State says. Counties must finish the recount by noon on Nov. 26 and report the results to the secretary of the commonwealth by

November 13, 2024 / 6:02 PM EST / AP The Ohio Senate on Wednesday approved a ban on transgender students using bathrooms that fit their gender identities and sent the measure to Republican Gov. Mike DeWine. The Republican-backed bill applies to public K-12 schools and institutions of higher education. It requires the schools to designate separate bathrooms, locker rooms and overnight accommodations “for the exclusive use” of either males and females, based on one’s gender assigned at or near birth, in both school buildings and facilities used for a school-sponsored event. The legislation would not apply to school employees, emergencies or people helping young children or those with disabilities, and schools would still be able to provide single-use and family bathroom facilities. State Sen. Jerry Cirino, a Kirtland Republican, said the bill “is about safety and security.” The ACLU of Ohio urged the governor not to sign the measure, which it condemned as a violation of the right of privacy of LGBTQ+ Ohioans that will make them less safe. “We are closely considering next steps,” the ACLU said on social media.  “If allowed to go

A 38-year-old Westminster man was charged Wednesday with killing a family member. Irving Abraham Ochoamondragon was charged with murder with a sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a deadly weapon, authorities said. He was also charged with a misdemeanor count of contempt of court for disobeying a court order. Ochoamondragon is accused of killing 57-year-old Teresa M. Julio of Westminster. Police were dispatched at about 9:45 p.m. Friday to the 8200 block of 19th Street to check on the welfare of the victim, who had not been heard from in several days. Officers found the body at the scene and a search warrant led investigators to Ochoamondragon, police said. Police did not disclose a motive nor describe the relationship between the defendant and victim.

“Hawkeye” star Jeremy Renner will be the grand marshal of the 92nd Hollywood Christmas Parade on Dec. 1, organizers said Wednesday. “I’m honored to serve as the Grand Marshal for this year’s Hollywood Christmas Parade and excited to partner with Toys for Tots to bring joy to children in need,” Renner said in a statement. “Their mission aligns closely with the work we do at the RennerVation Foundation, creating meaningful experiences for at-risk youth. This season of giving is about spreading hope, and I’m thrilled to share this moment with my family and friends from the foundation as we work together to make a difference.” Renner, 53, is an award-winning actor and philanthropist whose RennerVation Foundation is a youth-focused nonprofit dedicated to creating opportunities for at-risk youth and children in foster care. The star of films including “The Hurt Locker” and the “Avengers” series, as well as the TV show “Mayor of Kingstown,” Renner has frequently channeled his influence toward philanthropy. A popular tradition in Southern California, the Hollywood Christmas Parade features movie cars, bands from around the country, colorful equestrians, character balloons, floats and

Swedish streaming audio giant Spotify is courting more video creators, podcasters and influencers in an effort to step up its competition with popular digital platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. The Stockholm-based company on Wednesday hosted creators at its office in Downtown L.A.’s Arts District, where executives showed off new features meant to make it easier for video makers to make money from their content and track their performance on the streaming service. The company is launching a new program to help creators earn more advertising and subscription revenue, Spotify said. For example, Spotify Premium subscribers will soon be able to view videos on the service without ads. This comes after some video podcasters have groused about the number of commercial breaks in their shows, which can irritate paying listeners. Qualified creators can earn money based on how often the ad-free videos are streamed. “Now, financial success and quality of your show aren’t at odds anymore — they are correlated,” said Spotify’s co-president and chief product and technology officer, Gustav Söderström, during the event. Ad-free videos will start in January for premium users in

Dane Brown, who survived a 2019 drug overdose and prompted an investigation against Democratic donor and activist Ed Buck, was found dead on a South Los Angeles sidewalk last week. Brown’s call to police and his testimony helped lead a jury to convict Buck of luring young, Black men into his West Hollywood apartment for nearly a decade for “party and play” sessions that involved sex and heavy drug use. Two men died in Buck’s apartment in 2017 and 2019 from drug overdoses. “I don’t think [Brown] really knew the impact that he had,” said Jasmyne Cannick, a political consultant, writer and friend of Brown’s. Brown was found dead on a sidewalk in South Los Angeles on Nov. 6, according to the L.A. County medical examiner’s office. A cause of death has not yet been determined. The men lured to Buck’s apartment, who were often homeless and addicted, were plied with drugs during the encounters and were often offered extra money if they allowed Buck to inject them with drugs. If they refused, Buck would sometimes refuse to pay them. For years, victims and advocates

A Lancaster 18-year-old pleaded guilty Wednesday to phoning in hundreds of false threats of imminent bombings, mass shootings and violence targeting locations across the U.S., including places of worship and schools. Alan W. Filion pleaded guilty to four counts of making interstate threats to injure people, federal authorities said. From August 2022 to January 2024, Filion made more than 375 “swatting” and threatening hoax calls, including calls in which he threatened to detonate bombs or conduct mass shootings at targeted locations, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Swatting occurs when a false crime or emergency is reported at a specific location to provoke an aggressive law enforcement response, often by a SWAT team. According to federal officials, it was Filion’s intention to cause large-scale deployment of police and emergency services units at targeted locations. Filion, who was 16 when he made a majority of the calls, targeted religious institutions, high schools, colleges and universities, as well as government officials and numerous individuals across the nation. When he placed a swatting call at a targeted location, Filion would call emergency responders and provide them with

“Hot in Herre” rapper Nelly is no longer feeling the heat from Missouri prosecutors three months after he was arrested on suspicion of possession of ecstasy. The Times confirmed Wednesday that the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office will not charge the Grammy-winning musician. “We don’t believe the facts in this case warrant the issuing of charges,” a spokesperson told The Times in a statement. Scott Rosenblum, an attorney for Nelly (real name Cornell Iral Haynes Jr.), in a statement to The Times thanked Missouri prosecutor Wesley Bell and his office “for conducting a thorough investigation and reaching what we believe is the appropriate outcome.” The 50-year-old rapper, also known for hits “Dilemma” and “Ride Wit Me,” was arrested Aug. 7 in his home state at a St. Louis-area casino where he was allegedly carrying four ecstasy pills. He was held and released by police in Maryland Heights, a city northwest of St. Louis. At the time, the Missouri State Highway Patrol database also listed a citation for operating a vehicle without proper proof of insurance. Nelly initially received this citation in June 2018 in

It’s unclear what Vice President Kamala Harris will do after losing the presidential election, but should she run for California governor, support among state residents is seemingly strong, new polling suggests. In a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll co-sponsored by The Los Angeles Times, nearly half of the state’s voters would be very or somewhat likely to support a Harris bid for governor. The poll found that 46% of likely voters were somewhat (13%) or very (33%) likely to support her for governor in 2026. The 2026 governor race is already crowded, with several well-known candidates already setting their eyes on the state’s top office.  Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, former Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, former state Controller Betty Yee, former Los Angeles Mayor and Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa, and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond have all entered the 2026 race. The race will be California’s first open gubernatorial race in eight years. The current state governor, Gavin Newsom, was elected in 2018 and is currently completing his second term. Due to term limits, he’s unable to run again. Harris

WASHINGTON —  Theodore B. Olson, the conservative attorney who helped win the right to gay marriage in California, died Wednesday at age 84. Olson was a good-spirited and gracious advocate who won landmark conservative rulings from the Supreme Court. They included the Bush vs. Gore decision that made George W. Bush the president, and the Citizens United ruling that struck down the bans on campaign spending. Four years ago, he represented so-called Dreamers in a Supreme Court immigration case and won a 5-4 ruling that blocked the first Trump administration from repealing protection for the young immigrants who came to this country with their parents. Olson surprised many when he agreed to lead the challenge to California’s Proposition 8 and its ban on same-sex marriages. “I wanted to convey the message that this was not Republican or Democrat, conservative or liberal, that this is about human rights and human decency,” he said in an interview with The Times. Olson sued on behalf of two gay couples, and Judge Vaughn Walker ruled that it was unconstitutional discrimination to deny them the right to marry. The proponents of

Rep. Ken Calvert, the longest-serving Republican member of California’s congressional delegation, will return to the U.S. House of Representatives next year after defeating Democrat Will Rollins, a former federal prosecutor, in a hotly contested race to represent a Riverside County swing district. Calvert’s narrow victory comes amid a decisive rightward shift in American politics, with voters sending President-elect Donald Trump back to the White House and Republicans seizing control of the U.S. Senate from Democrats. The Associated Press called the race on Wednesday, though official results will take more time. Calvert’s win brought the House within one vote of Republican control, according to the Associated Press. The GOP captured control of the Senate last week. Calvert declared victory Monday, saying in a statement posted on social media that “this is a hard-fought victory that shows voters want someone who will put results over partisan politics.” “Together, we’ll continue working to secure our border, bring down prices for working families, and ensure law enforcement has all the tools they need to keep our communities safe,” he wrote. That night, Rollins did not concede, writing in a

Uno a uno los fue esperando y cada uno de ellos la recibió con los ojos bien abiertos acompañados de una gran sonrisa, como si los Reyes Magos hubieran llegado para darles su regalos. “¡Oh guau! ¡Muy bacano!”, expresó el capitán y líder de la Selección Colombia, James Rodríguez, mientras tomaba su versión del “balón pintado” de la artista María Rueda. “Está muy chevere, gracias”. Rueda aprovechó la presencia del seleccionado colombiano que se concentraba en Barranquilla, donde ella vive y en donde se ubica el Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez, la casa del tricolor durante la eliminatoria de Conmebol al Mundial de 2026. El onceno enfrentaría a Chile, a quien goleó por un juego válido de la Jornada 10 para las Eliminatorias al Mundial de 2026 que se realizará en Estados Unidos, México y Canadá. Rueda había visitado previamente a varios miembros del equipo como Richard Rios, Daniel Muñoz y Luis Díaz para hacer entrega de unos balones pintados que se convirtieron en una sensación en las redes sociales. “¡Qué maravilla, qué maravilla!”, exclamó el entrenador de la Selección Colombia, Néstor Lorenzo. “¿Vos lo pintaste?

A two-week law enforcement “surge” operation in San Bernardino County resulted in dozens of arrests and the recovery of several illegal guns and stolen vehicles, officials announced Wednesday. The surge operation, conducted by the California Highway Patrol, led to 64 arrests, the recovery of 11 stolen vehicles, and the seizure of five illegal firearms. Five illegal firearms recovered during a November 2024 law enforcement surge in San Bernardino are displayed in an image from the California Highway Patrol. Surge operations like this one in the city of San Bernardino are meant to curb crime with the help of local law enforcement and additional support from California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office. “In just two weeks, the CHP surge in San Bernardino has taken aggressive action to arrest over 60 criminal suspects and take illegal firearms off the streets,” said Newsom. “I am encouraged by the quick progress we’ve seen.” San Bernardino has one of the highest violent crime rates in the state, with its homicide rate over three times the statewide average, state officials said. The city also struggles with elevated rates of vehicle theft and

President-elect Trump announced Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) will serve as his attorney general, tapping a loyal congressional ally who himself was the subject of a Justice Department investigation. “It is my Great Honor to announce that Congressman Matt Gaetz, of Florida, is hereby nominated to be The Attorney General of the United States. Matt is a deeply gifted and tenacious attorney, trained at the William & Mary College of Law, who has distinguished himself in Congress through his focus on achieving desperately needed reform at the Department of Justice,” Trump wrote on his social media site. “Few issues in America are more important than ending the partisan Weaponization of our Justice System. Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department.”  Trump went on to highlight Gaetz playing “a key role in defeating the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax.” The Florida congressman is the latest in a string of nominations of those who aligned with Trump amid his first impeachment investigation. The announcement comes as Trump has called for retribution against numerous adversaries

By Robert Legare Updated on: November 13, 2024 / 5:35 PM EST / CBS News Trump to nominate Gaetz as attorney general Trump to nominate Rep. Matt Gaetz as attorney general 16:58 President-elect Donald Trump will nominate longtime ally GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to serve as his attorney general , according to a social media post on his Truth Social account. “Matt is a deeply gifted and tenacious attorney, trained at the William & Mary College of Law, who has distinguished himself in Congress through his focus on achieving desperately needed reform at the Department of Justice,” Trump wrote Wednesday.  U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Republican from Florida, is seen outside the U.S. Capitol after the last votes before the August recess on July 25, 2024. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images Gaetz currently represents Florida’s 1st District in the House of Representatives, an office he’s held since 2017.  “Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department,” Trump said.  Responding to Trump’s announcement, Gaetz said, “It will

Why millions of Americans could lose health insurance subsidies – CBS News Watch CBS News Millions of Americans could lose enhanced subsidies that currently help with the cost of health insurance purchased through the Affordable Care Act’s marketplaces, according to experts. CBS MoneyWatch reporter Megan Cerullo has more. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

The Los Angeles Police Department announced Wednesday the arrest of a homeless man suspected of raping several women, prompting investigators to search for additional victims. Police officials said in a written statement that the suspect, identified as 37-year-old Kenneth Alan Woolfolk, has been linked to a total of at least four rape cases. His arrest comes more than a week after a woman reported to police that she had been raped by a man in a tent near the intersection of 1st and Judge John Aiso streets in Little Tokyo. Police said she described her attacker as an adult male, bald and with brown eyes, standing 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 160 lbs. As part of the investigation, the department said, detectives in the case returned to the area on Oct. 10 when they noticed a man fitting the description of the woman’s attacker. Detectives detained the man, later identified as Woolfolk, and placed him under arrest on suspicion of rape. During the investigation, detectives learned about three previous sexual assault investigations that had identified Woolfolk as a suspect. Police said they’re now

There’s a moment in the middle of “Red One,” the Christmas-themed action-comedy starring Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans, where you witness the movie just roll over and die. Time of death? A slap contest during Krampusnacht, the alternative St. Nicholas Day, in which a bunch of extras wearing rubber monster masks foraged from the set of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” stand around and watch as an unrecognizable Kristofer Hivju (the “Game of Thrones” actor playing Krampus) and Johnson take turns walloping each other across the face. Momentum grinding to a halt, the absurdities and indignities that unfolded before this point are all but forgotten, lost in a swirl of badly rendered pixels. The rest of the film is a limp to the finish line, not that it was all that spry to begin with. But is it sinewy? Yes. “Red One,” with a story by Hiram Garcia (Johnson’s former brother-in-law and producing partner), is a movie premised upon the most trenchant of questions: What if Santa Claus was jacked? J.K. Simmons provides the biceps as the St. Nick in question, a buff Father Christmas. Every

Two years after its launch, Amazon’s free ad-supported streaming service Freevee is shutting down, the company confirmed this week. Shows that play on the app will be available for free on Amazon’s Prime Video service even if a viewer does not pay for a subscription. Freevee, which got its start as Amazon’s IMDb TV but adopted its current name in 2022, is one of a handful of streaming services that rely on ads for revenue instead of paying subscribers. Paramount Global’s Pluto TV and Fox Corp.’s Tubi have similar models. “To deliver a simpler viewing experience for customers, we have decided to phase out Freevee branding,” an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement. “There will be no change to the content available for Prime members, and a vast offering of free streaming content will still be accessible for non-Prime members, including select Originals from Amazon MGM Studios, a variety of licensed movies and series, and a broad library of FAST Channels.” The change comes about 10 months after Prime Video launched a lower-cost option for subscribers that included advertisements. For an additional $3 per month

The cell phone ban at the country’s second-largest school district will begin early next year, and now officials are detailing just how the massive change will take effect. The Los Angeles Unified School District voted to ban cell phone use during the school day in June. It’s set to go into effect on Feb. 18, 2025, which is about a month later than the original implementation date. The headliner of the policy: cell phones won’t be permitted to be used on campus from the start of the school day through the end — not even during lunch or scheduled breaks. Bear cub spotted in tree outside Southern California high school The ban applies to all “smart” devices, like watches and tablets that have messaging and internet browsing capabilities. Each individual school will decide how phones are stored or locked up during the school day. Some, for example, may have students to place their phones inside of containers located in each classroom during instruction, while others could require them to be stowed inside of their backpacks. Examples of ways schools could force students to store their phones