Category: Los Angeles

Isaiah Raikes’ nameplate over his locker barely had settled in, but USC’s latest great hope at defensive line already is looking for a new home. Raikes and defensive back Tre’Quon Fegans were removed from USC’s online roster this weekend amid their plans to enter the transfer portal when it opens Monday. As players flirted with, backed out of and entered the portal, discussion around the spring transfer window lingered over the final two weeks of USC’s spring practices, but coach Lincoln Riley emphasized that if the Trojans “lose a couple of guys, then we’ll replace them.” USC also lost freshman offensive lineman Jason Zandamela to the portal this week, but Raikes’ departure leaves a more urgent 6-foot-2, 320-pound hole in the interior of the defensive line. The nose tackle from Texas A&M was expected to anchor the front along with Bear Alexander. The Trojans could turn to another transfer as former Vanderbilt captain Nate Clifton has emerged as a steady force, Riley said. The 6-4, 289-pound defensive lineman led the Commodores in tackles for loss (7½) and sacks (5½) with 30 tackles while starting 12

The executor of O.J. Simpson’s estate has vowed to fight any attempt to collect the more than $30-million wrongful death judgment won by the families of Simpson’s ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. “It’s my hope that the Goldmans get zero, nothing,” attorney Malcolm LaVergne told the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Friday. “Them specifically. And I will do everything in my capacity as the executor or personal representative to try and ensure that they get nothing.” LaVergne, Simpson’s longtime lawyer, was named executor of a trust created in January to hold all of the former college and NFL star’s property, according to the Review-Journal. Simpson died Wednesday of prostate cancer. LaVergne, who did not return a call to his office on Saturday by the Times, told the Review-Journal that he specifically wants the Goldman family to get nothing in part because of their actions involving Simpson’s planned book, “If I Did It.” A federal bankruptcy judge gave the rights to the book to Goldman’s family in 2007. It was later published with the subtitle “Confessions of the Killer.” Forbes reported Saturday that

Hey, all you defensive backs about to enter the transfer portal. Offensive and defensive linemen getting antsy for a new school, listen up. Any tight end who is about to become a free agent, pay attention too. UCLA just might have a spot for you. Three days before the opening of the spring transfer portal window, Bruins coach DeShaun Foster identified his wish list in a bid to infuse talent and depth into a roster that could use a heavy helping of both. “I have six positions I want to address,” Foster said Saturday, “and then best available [talent] after that.” Foster ticked off offensive line, defensive line, tight end, defensive back and possibly running back and quarterback when asked which positions he would like to bolster. The spring transfer options usually are not as robust as they are in the winter because many players on the move this time of year are seeking more playing time after having been beaten out for a starting spot. UCLA certainly could use help along the offensive line after giving up 42 sacks last season. Four of five

WASHINGTON —  Iran launched “dozens” of drones toward Israel on Saturday in retaliation for a deadly Israeli attack this month, both countries said, in what may be the start of a broader multi-front reprisal. A military response from Israel is now expected, although it was unclear how robust it would be. It could take several hours for the drones to reach their intended targets, the identity of which is still unclear. Attacks from Iranian soil to Israel proper would represent a major escalation in regional conflict amid the Israel-Hamas war that has raged for six months in Gaza. President Biden cut short his weekend in Delaware and rushed back to the White House, where he was joined by a team of national security advisors who had been bracing for a violent response from Iran after April 1 Israeli airstrikes killed seven senior Iranian officials at an Iranian diplomatic mission in Syria. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces, reported the launch of Iranian drones and said Israel was already on high security alert, canceling school and large public gatherings until further notice.

White House: Drones launched from Iran against Israel likely first wave of larger attack – CBS News Watch CBS News U.S. officials confirm a drone attack has been launched from Iranian territory against Israel. CBS News’ Margaret Brennan reports the White House is expecting the initial wave of drones to be one part of a larger attack that could last hours. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Thousands of celebrants returned to the Empire Polo Club in Indio Saturday for the second day of the two-weekend Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, featuring a wide range of artists highlighted by the expected reunion of No Doubt. The 1990s Orange County punk/pop/ska band is scheduled to play at 9:25 p.m., preceding Saturday’s headlining set by Tyler, The Creator. Members Gwen Stefani, Tony Kanal, Tom Dumont and Adrian Young appeared in a social media announcement earlier this year, saying they will “do a show,” but didn’t release any further details at the time. This weekend’s fest runs to Sunday, and then re-commences for the weekend of April 19-21. Other performers on the Saturday slate are Ice Spice, Blur, Jungle, Dom Dolla, Bleachers and Kevin Kaarl. Doja Cat will close out each weekend on Sundays. She’ll be preceded by J Balvin, Jhene Aiko, Ludmilla, Lil Yachty, John Summit and DJ Snake. An additional stage was added this year, as well as extended three- hour sets, featuring Honey Dijon and Green Velvet on Friday, Michael Bibi on Saturday and Jamie XX, Floating Points and Daphni on

Housing Department officials are proposing that Los Angeles spend nearly $15 million to subsidize the rent of people living at a Chinatown apartment complex to resolve a long-running dispute over planned rent increases, it was reported Saturday. According to a Friday memo issued from the department to the City Council, the subsidies would apply to 106 of the 124 units at the Hillside Villa Apartments, and would run through February of 2034. The subsidies would not apply to 17 units that are already being charged market rates or the unit occupied by the building manager. A 30-year agreement protecting residents at the complex from rent increases expired in 2019, and since then city officials and tenants have been exploring ways to deal with planned increases by its owner. Those explorations have included looking into a city purchase of the property, or facilitating a transfer to another owner. Ann Sewill, the housing department’s general manager, told the council in her memo that a purchase of Hillside Villa would cost nearly $93 million when renovations and refinancing were factored in. Additionally, the owner has shown no interest

WASHINGTON —  Retaliating for a deadly attack earlier this month, Iran Saturday launched “dozens” of drones toward Israel, the Israeli military said. A military response from Israel is now expected, although it was unclear how robust it would be. It could take several hours for the drones to reach their intended targets, the identity of which is still unclear. Attacks from Iranian soil to Israel proper would represent a major escalation in regional warfare. President Biden cut short his weekend in Delaware and rushed back to the White House, where he was joined by a team of national security advisors who had been bracing for violent reprisal after April 1 airstrikes blamed on Israel killed seven senior Iranian officials at an Iranian diplomatic mission in Syria. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Force, reported the launch of Iranian drones and said Israel was already on high security alert, canceling school and large public gatherings until further notice. “Iran has begun an airborne attack against Israel,” White House national security spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said. Direct Israel-Iran military actions would be a game-changer, U.S.

NEW ORLEANS —  Finally, the stakes are perfectly clear. Sunday, in their last game of the season, the Lakers can win their way out of the back half of the NBA’s play-in tournament, a spot where they could face a horror-movie fate — Stephen Curry in a win-or-go-home game. A win Sunday in New Orleans against the Pelicans, who helped the Lakers by beating those Golden State Warriors on Friday, would guarantee the No. 8 seed in the West and the two chances to win their way into the playoffs that come with it. “Every game matters,” LeBron James said after scoring 37 points in 41 minutes Friday. “Every seed matters.” The only way the Lakers (46-35) can finish 10th is with a loss Sunday coupled with wins by Golden State and Sacramento (both 45-36). The Lakers could lose and end up ninth if either the Warriors lose at home to Utah or the Kings lose at home to Portland. If the Warriors, Kings and Lakers all lose, the Lakers will be the No. 8 seed. The Lakers survived Friday in Memphis, winning 123-120 against a

The rest of weekend one at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival might be a little dustier than usual. The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a Windblown Dust Advisory for the Coachella Valley and Eastern Riverside County on Saturday morning. The advisory runs from 1 p.m. Saturday to 11 p.m. Sunday. Heavy rain, gusty winds and high surf in store for Southern California this weekend The air quality can potentially be unhealthy for sensitive groups during that time frame. Gusty winds in the area are contributing to the dustiness in the area as tens of thousands gather for the first weekend of the yearly music festival. The winds are lifting dust and soil into the air, the AQMD said. Festivalgoers attend the 2018 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Field on April 13, 2018, in Indio, California. (Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Coachella) The District advised those sensitive to lower air qualities to limit exposure to the unhealthy air and avoid vigorous physical activity. The first weekend of Coachella is set to continue Saturday with Tyler, The Creator as

The Lompoc Old Town Market will be returning to the Lompoc Valley this summer, occurring every Friday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the 100 block of South H Street. The market will run from July 5 to August 9. The Old Town Market offers a venue for local artisans and vendors to display their merchandise. It is also a space for local organizations and non-profits to show their accomplishments and inform the community about available resources. Vendor registration is open until June 13 and applications can be submitted online. Sponsorship opportunities will also be available for any businesses looking to support this event. For more information, email chamber@lompoc.com or call the Chamber office at (805) 736-4567.

Construction on the Cultural Arts District Parking Structure in Downtown San Luis Obispo will increase in the coming weeks, bringing traffic disruptions and detours for SLO Transit routes. Dry utility work will start next week on Dana and Nipomo streets, moving toward Palm Street, with completion expected by summer. During construction, Routes 1B, 2A, 2B, and the Old SLO Trolley Service will be detoured. Some important stops along Nipomo and Marsh streets will be affected. These detours a scheduled from April 2024 to August 2025. For more information on the detours, visit the SLO Transit Ride Alerts Webpage. Drivers should expect lane shifts, periodic closures, and night work to minimize daytime disruptions. Wet utility installation will begin following the completion of the dry utility work. The Cultural Arts District Parking Structure will provide 397 parking spots, 41 EV chargers, 32 bike racks, and solar panels. The construction is being done as part of the City Council’s Major City Goals, which include economic resiliency, cultural vitality, and fiscal sustainability. Commuters are being advised to plan alternate routes and allow extra travel time. For more information, visit

A chilly spring storm system moving into Southern California on Saturday was expected to bring drizzles by 3 p.m. followed by a quarter to half an inch of rain through Sunday. “The latest storm total is looking to be around one quarter inch up to 1 1/2 [inches] for mountain areas,” said meteorologist Rose Schoenfeld, of the National Weather Service Oxnard station. Snow was forecast for the mountains above 6,000 feet, with up to 10 inches falling on the highest peaks and a dusting of up to an inch on the Grapevine through Sunday morning. Temperatures were stuck in the high 50s to low 60s across the region Saturday, eight to 15 degrees below normal and were expected to remain below normal through Monday. “This weekend temperatures [will be] struggling to reach 60” degrees, Schoenfeld said. Wind gusts of 20 mph to 40 mph were forecast to accompany the late-season storm reaching peaks along the Interstate 5 corridor and the Antelope Valley. The latest in a series of soggy weekends is expected to be followed by at least a week of warm and dry weather

The American Heart Association’s Orange County Heart and Stroke Walk 2024 took place on Saturday morning, drawing 7,000 participants to Anaheim to take strides towards better heart health.  KTLA 5’s Wendy Burch – who has been a spokesperson for the American Heart Association for more than a decade – served as the event’s Master of Ceremonies, even “double fisting” her KTLA news microphone with the main stage microphone to congratulate participants for raising $1.1 million during Saturday’s walk at Angel Stadium, which featured one mile and 5K options.  Mater Dei football coach out after just 1 season Several walkers shared their stories with Wendy, including a 6-year-old girl named Olivia who has had three heart surgeries throughout her young life.  “It means a lot to me to have the support of the American Heart Association because the funds are being used to further research towards congenital heart defects, which is what Olivia was born with,” said Olivia’s mother Tamika. “[As they get] further with their research, our children are starting to live longer.”  More information about the walk, including ways to donate, can be found

The third round of the Masters tournament is underway, but the biggest star is the course itself – CBS News Watch CBS News The third round of the Masters tournament is underway at Augusta National Golf Club. Max Homa, Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau open play today tied atop the leaderboard, but one of the biggest stars is the course itself. With its lush greens and dozens of varieties of plants and flowers. It’s a standard most other golf courses try to meet. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Hawaii cruise shuttle driver presses gas not brake killing 1 pedestrian, injuring others By John Dodge Updated on: April 13, 2024 / 2:43 PM EDT / CBS Chicago CBS News Live CBS News Chicago Live One woman died, and several others were injured in a bus accident while on holiday in Honolulu, Hawaii, according to local police.  According to local media reports, the woman is from Illinois but has not been identified. Some of the others who were injured are also from Illinois.  The accident happened on Friday when a shuttle bus driver dropping off customers at the Pier 2 cruise terminal,  521 Ala Moana Boulevard, hit the gas pedal instead of the brake, pinning several people against two concrete barriers.  Three pedestrians were transported to Queens Medical Center for treatment, police said. One of those victims was a woman who died at the hospital. The two others were listed in good condition. Two others were transported from the scene to the Tripler Hospital in good condition. Six pedestrians refused treatment. “At this time, speed does not appear to be a contributing factor to this

The executor of O.J. Simpson’s estate says he will try to prevent the payout of a $33.5 million judgment awarded by a civil jury after the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. “It’s my hope that the Goldmans get zero, nothing,” attorney Malcolm LaVergne told the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Friday. “Them specifically. And I will do everything in my capacity as the executor or personal representative to try and ensure that they get nothing.” The former football star and actor, who was acquitted of murder charges in the June 1994 deaths of his ex-wife and her friend Goldman, a waiter, died April 10 in the Las Vegas area from prostate cancer. Simpson was found liable for the deaths in a civil trial in Santa Monica in 1997 and ordered to pay $33.5 million. The families have said that Simpson was not cooperative in the years after the civil verdict, and much of that judgment is believed to have never been paid. According to LaVergne, Simpson’s will, which was revealed Friday and names him the executor in charge of overseeing the estate, places

Forecasters predicted rain once again this weekend in Riverside County, with precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch. Showers could start Saturday, with a 30% chance of precipitation after 11 a.m. in the Riverside metropolitan and Hemet areas, according to the National Weather Service. Saturday’s highs were in the mid-60s, with gusts up to 25 mph in the general Riverside area. The chance of precipitation will rise to 70% in the evening and to 60% in Hemet, with temperatures dropping to the 40s overnight. Sunday should be partly sunny in the Riverside metropolitan area and mostly cloudy in Hemet with a high in the low 60s for both areas. A 30% chance of precipitation was predicted for Hemet on Sunday evening and 20% for the downtown Riverside area. Sunny skies were predicted for the Inland Empire next week, with daytime temperatures in the low 70s to mid-80s in downtown Riverside and Hemet. In good news for attendees of the annual music festival, the Coachella Valley was expected to enjoy sunny skies throughout the weekend and continuing all week with daytime temperatures in

Rebecca Lobo has been in the WNBA from the very beginning. The former New York Liberty center played in the league’s inaugural game in 1997, watched the WNBA become the longest-running women’s professional sports league in the United States and witnessed every draft class with stars like Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner and Candace Parker. Yet even she is in awe of what Caitlin Clark has accomplished. “In terms of attention,” the ESPN analyst said, “we’ve never, ever, ever seen anything like this.” Entering its 28th season, the WNBA is riding a tsunami of interest in women’s basketball after Clark’s record-setting career at Iowa. Not only will the Indiana Fever, who own the No. 1 pick in Monday’s draft, benefit from “the Caitlin Clark” effect, but the whole league is bracing for an increase in ticket sales and viewership with Clark leading a star-studded draft class. “Caitlin’s kind of a world of her own,” Lobo said during a virtual news conference, “but I don’t know that we have seen this kind of excitement across the board.” The Sparks, who have the second and fourth picks, are

Residents who have been fighting huge rent increases at a Chinatown apartment complex could find some financial relief under a tentative deal reached between Los Angeles housing officials and the landlord. The proposed agreement would require the city to spend nearly $15 million to ensure that rents are subsidized in dozens of units inside the Hillside Villa Apartments, according to a memo issued Friday by the city’s housing department. The agreement would run through February 2034 and cover 106 of the building’s 124 units. For some renters, the subsidies would close the gap between the amount they were paying in 2019 and the market-rate rent the landlord wants to charge, city officials said. The subsidy would not cover 17 apartments where tenants are already paying market rate or one unit reserved for the building’s manager, the report said. The deal, if approved by the City Council, is designed to resolve a long-running battle over steep rent hikes announced several years ago by 636 NHP LLC, the building’s owner. The company sought those increases following the expiration of a 30-year agreement with the city that had

A magnitude 3.8 earthquake was reported Saturday morning at 9:08 a.m. Pacific time 15 miles from La Quinta, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The earthquake occurred 19 miles from Palm Springs, 20 miles from Coachella, 21 miles from Indio and 21 miles from Palm Desert. In the last 10 days, there has been one earthquake of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby. An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 7.3 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS. Are you ready for when the Big One hits? Get ready for the next big earthquake by signing up for our Unshaken newsletter, which breaks down emergency preparedness into bite-sized steps over six weeks. Learn more about earthquake kits, which apps you need, Lucy Jones’ most important advice and more at latimes.com/Unshaken. This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor