Category: Los Angeles

New report raises health concerns about Lunchables New report raises health concerns about Lunchables 01:35 Kraft Heinz is pulling Lunchables — prepackaged boxes of deli meat, cheese and crackers — from the program that provides free and discounted meals to about 30 million low-income school children, the food conglomerate said on Tuesday. Consumer Reports applauded the move, months after the advocacy group sounded alarms about the product popular with kids, saying its tests found troubling levels of lead and sodium in them. “Lunchables and other lunch kits with concerning levels of sodium and harmful chemicals have no place on the school lunch menu,” Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports, stated on Tuesday. “We’re pleased that Heinz Kraft has pulled Lunchables from the school lunch program after lower than expected demand from school districts across the country.”  In an Oct. 30 earnings call, Kraft Heinz CEO Carlos Abrams-Rivera called Lunchables a “very important” part of the company’s business, while noting what he described as “misleading” negative publicity regarding the product.   Kraft Heinz changed two of its Lunchables — Turkey & Cheddar Cracker

Briefing held on classified documents leaker Jack Teixeira’s sentencing – CBS News Watch CBS News Joshua Levy, acting U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts, held a press conference Tuesday after the Pentagon classified documents leaker Jack Teixeira was sentenced to 15 years in prison. The former Air National guardsman admitted to illegally posting sensitive military information online. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena announced Tuesday it will lay off about 325 workers this week, affecting roughly 5% of its workforce, as it copes with continued concerns about its overall funding. The cuts were announced in a memo to the staff by JPL Director Laurie Leshin. She said the layoffs will occur on Wednesday, when all JPL employees were instructed to work from home. Leshin said that the number of planned layoffs “is lower than projected a few months ago thanks in part to the hard work of so many people across JPL.” “The workforce assessment conducted as part of this process has been both extensive and thorough, and although we can never have perfect insight into the future, I sincerely believe that after this action we will be at a more stable workforce level moving forward,” Leshin wrote. The cuts are expected to impact “essentially all areas of the lab including our technical, project, business and support areas,” according to Leshin, who said the decision was made in an effort to address “the dynamic funding environment” for the space agency. “With lower budgets

A 91-year-old man who needs medication for medical conditions and went missing from West Hollywood has been found, authorities announced Tuesday. Mikhail Shinder had last been seen at 1:30 p.m. Monday in the 1000 block of Curson Avenue, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He has since been located, but no additional details were provided about when or where Shinder was found.

Denzel Washington could pay a visit to Wakanda before closing out his illustrious acting career. And he has an itinerary full of films to go with that trip. Appearing on an Australian talk show this week, the two-time Oscar winner confirmed a potential development in Marvel’s “Black Panther” franchise, saying that “Black Panther 3” will be among the final projects he takes on before retiring. The “Glory” and “Training Day” star said that director Ryan Coogler — who helmed and co-wrote the 2018 Marvel blockbuster and its 2022 sequel, “Wakanda Forever” — is writing Washington a bespoke part in a potential third installment. He broached the subject when saying he felt no trepidation about working with Ridley Scott on the upcoming “Gladiator II” film. “For me it’s about the filmmaker, especially at this point in my career. I’m only interested in working with the best,” Washington said on Australia’s “Today.” “I don’t know how many more films I’m going to make. It’s probably not that many. I want to do things I haven’t done.” The 69-year-old actor, to be seen next in Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator

Adrin Nazarian claimed victory Tuesday in a race to represent parts of the San Fernando Valley on the Los Angeles City Council, while Heather Hutt held on to the seat she was appointed to in 2022. With Ysabel Jurado’s victory over incumbent Kevin de León to represent parts of downtown and the Eastside, the council will be majority female for the first time. Hutt on Tuesday emailed supporters to thank them for helping elect her to represent a district stretching from Koreatown to the Crenshaw corridor. Hutt, 65, was first appointed to the post by the council in 2022, after then-Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas was indicted on corruption charges. She is the first woman, and first Black woman, elected to the seat. When the new members start work on Dec. 9, she will be one of eight women on the 15-member council. “We felt good with seven — eight makes it great,” Hutt said in an interview Tuesday. She said homelessness, public safety and cleaning the streets and sidewalks would be her priorities for the next four years. Hutt led in the District 10 race with

A Los Angeles County teacher became so obsessed with a middle school student she’s accused of sexually abusing that she left her husband, described the boy as her “crystal meth” and said she was willing to “go to jail for him,” a prosecutor said in court Tuesday. Colleen Jo Matarico, 43, was arrested last week and charged with seven counts of committing lewd acts on a boy she met when he was 12, authorities said. The alleged sexual abuse lasted more than a year, according to a criminal complaint. Matarico is also accused of giving cannabis to the boy. Last week, Los Angeles police said the teacher “groomed” him. “The accusations against Ms. Matarico are deeply disturbing and violate the trust that was placed in her by the students, their families, and the entire community,” Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascón said in a statement last week. “I want to acknowledge the courage of the young victim and his decision to report the abuse.” Matarico pleaded not guilty during a downtown L.A. court appearance Tuesday. After her attorney asked a judge to free her

People are willing to go to great lengths to support their beloved sports teams—one person even lost his job for it. A Los Angeles Dodgers fan claims he was fired after being spotted at the team’s World Series victory parade after calling in sick for work. The fan, whose identity was not disclosed, told their story on social media and said they were fired by their employer for misconduct. KTLA legal expert Alison Triessl said the firing is an important lesson for those looking to sneak away for unapproved absences. “If you’re going to play hooky, don’t do it where there are cameras and videos everywhere,” Triessl said on KTLA 5 Off the Clock. “He’s going to have a really hard time justifying why he called in sick.” California is an at-will employment state, meaning employers can generally terminate workers without cause. Triessl noted that employees must have a legitimate medical reason for taking sick leave. “There has to be a legitimate medical reason to do so, and employees essentially accrue one hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked, and that’s after a

Radio and podcast giant iHeartMedia has laid off 13 employees at KFI-AM (640), cutting the news staff of the Los Angeles radio station in half. KFI-AM (640) news director Chris Little, who was among the terminated staff members, revealed Tuesday on X that his team of 25 was reduced to 12. Little joined KFI-AM (640) as a news anchor in 1991 and was promoted to news director in 2000. One of the station’s current hosts, Tim Conway Jr., addressed the layoffs Monday on air. “You may have heard by now … a lot of people have left the building here at iHeartMedia, and it is tough,” Conway said at the top of his show. “I’ve known these people my entire life here. When I started here, my daughter was 3 years old. … It just sucks.” On a programming note, Conway prepared listeners for “a lot of voices on the air that you recognize,” as well as “some voices on the air soon that you won’t recognize.” He promised to provide as much information as possible moving forward while encouraging listeners to read up on

Krispy Kreme is giving out free doughnuts on Wednesday in honor of World Kindness Day. “World Kindness Day is a reminder that we can all make a positive impact in people’s lives, including through small gestures like sharing a sweet treat. We hope that each dozen Original Glazed doughnuts we give away enables and inspires many dozens of small acts of kindness,” Dave Skena, Krispy Kreme’s global chief brand officer, said in a statement. Pink’s Hot Dogs to celebrate 85th anniversary with discounted hot dogs, celebrity appearances The first 500 guests who visit participating shops nationwide will receive a dozen Original Glazed Doughnuts for free, no purchase necessary. The free Original Glazed dozen is available in the shop and via drive thru. To find your nearest Krispy Kreme location, click here.

Nov 12: CBS News 24/7, 1pm ET – CBS News Watch CBS News GOP touts gains in Congress after election; Boeing reaches settlement with family of victim of 2019 Ethiopian plane crash. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Behind Biden’s meetings with world leaders before leaving White House – CBS News Watch CBS News President Biden met with Israel’s President Isaac Herzog at the White House as he begins a series of meetings with world leaders before he departs his post. CBS News senior White House and political correspondent Ed O’Keefe reports. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Man’s family awarded millions in lawsuit over Hennepin County jail death, and more headlines Man’s family awarded millions in lawsuit over Hennepin County jail death, and more headlines 04:25 MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group Inc. is the focus of an antitrust lawsuit filed on Tuesday by the United States Department of Justice. A UnitedHealth spokesperson confirmed with WCCO that the suit involves the health insurance giant’s proposed $3.3 billion acquisition of Louisiana-based Amedisys Inc., one of the country’s biggest home health and hospice care providers. Bloomberg News reports the suit was filed days after a meeting last weekend between the justice department and heads of both health care companies failed to quell concerns of possible antitrust issues, despite the companies’ joint offer to sell off 100-plus clinics to a Texas-based competitor. UnitedHealth Group Inc.’s Minnetonka headquarters. Jim Mone / AP The justice department believes the acquisition could “lead to higher prices in home health care in regions where Amedisys is a main competitor” to LHC Group, Bloomberg reports, a business UnitedHealth purchased in 2023. Both companies operate in many of the same states, especially in the South.

Bitcoin surges as pro-crypto Trump prepares for second term – CBS News Watch CBS News Bitcoin is surging and some are attributing it to former President Donald Trump winning a second term in the White House. CBS News’ Kelly O’Grady has more on what a pro-crypto Trump presidency could look like. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Karol G is responding to the backlash surrounding her latest single that drew criticism from critics and social justice advocates for its perceived sexualization of minors. The Grammy-winning singer dropped her high-performing collaboration “+57” last week. Named after Colombia’s telephone code, the dance track is loaded with features from Medellín-born artists — including reggaeton sensations J Balvin and Maluma — and debuted at No. 1 on Spotify in Colombia with 1,042,412 streams . However, the song’s commercial success has been eclipsed by the controversy around its lyrics; “A mamacita since 14” is just one of the lines that has been interpreted as sexualizing underage girls. Karol G argued against that interpretation in a since-expired statement written in Spanish on her Instagram story on Monday. “As artists, we are exposed to public opinion, and to the individual interpretations of people who like us and people who differ with what we do,” the “Provenza” singer wrote. “In this case, unfortunately, the lyrics of a song, with which I sought to celebrate the union between artists and put to shine my people … were taken out of context.

John Mayer and movie director McG have agreed to buy the Jim Henson Company Lot, a legendary studio in Hollywood founded by Charlie Chaplin. Singer-songwriter Mayer occupies an office on the lot and has been working for months to buy it from the family of the famed Muppets creator, according to a real estate industry source with knowledge of the deal who is not authorized to speak about it publicly. Mayer and McG recently agreed to pay more than $40 million for the property, the source said. The pending sale was confirmed by Mayer’s representative Larry Solters, who said in an email: “John Mayer and McG are under contract to purchase Henson Studios.” McG is the professional name of Joseph McGinty Nichol, a former record producer who is now a movie producer and director known for “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle,” “Terminator Salvation” and “Uglies.” It’s unclear when the sale will close and Solters did not elaborate on what the buyers’ plans are for the property at 1416 N. La Brea Ave., which has a history as a movie and television studio but now functions primarily

Cuarenta y dos millones de dólares pueden comprar muchas cosas, pero por lo visto no pueden comprar un campeonato de la MLS, porque por segunda vez en otras tantas temporadas el Inter de Miami se quedó corto en su intento de conseguir el título de liga. Esta vez fue el Atlanta United, el último clasificado de la liguilla de 18 equipos, un equipo que ha jugado los últimos cinco meses con un entrenador interino y con una nómina inferior a la mitad de la de Miami, el que asestó el golpe mortal al derrotar el sábado al equipo de Lionel Messi en el partido decisivo de la primera ronda de la liguilla al mejor de tres encuentros. Y eso ha echado por tierra los planes de la MLS -que prácticamente se ha rebautizado a sí misma como Messi Soccer League- y de sus socios de Apple, que estaban muy interesados en atraer a una audiencia mundial masiva a un partido del campeonato de liga con Messi como protagonista. La Cenicienta, sin embargo, arruinó la coronación al demostrar que la mentalidad sigue siendo más valiosa que

Comedian Chloe Fineman says Space X owner Elon Musk made her cry when he hosted “Saturday Night Live” in 2021. Fineman recalled working with the tech billionaire in a since-deleted TikTok, months after fellow cast member and writer Bowen Yang alluded to the behind-the-scenes drama during an appearance on Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live!” Yang cryptically revealed in August that a host brought several staffers to tears because “he hated the ideas” they had. Speculation abounded and Fineman confirmed her part in it Monday. The “SNL” star broke her silence after blowing up the Tesla chief executive’s “butt hurt” reaction to “SNL” alumnus Dana Carvey’s impression of him in Saturday’s post-election episode. (Carvey returned to Studio 8H as a bouncy, fist-pumping version of the “Dark MAGA”-boasting Musk in the cold open, claiming he would run the country after former President Trump’s re-election last week. Fineman said that world’s richest man and Trump loyalist is “clearly watching the show” despite his barrage of “rude” criticism on his X platform. “I’m gonna come out and say at long last that I’m the cast member that he made

From Inglewood to Tokyo!  Beloved Los Angeles-based chain Randy’s Donuts has announced a “major” expansion to Japan.  The brand announced in a press release Tuesday that they have finalized an agreement to open 50 stores across all of Japan, with the first stores opening in Tokyo in the second quarter of 2025.  “We are incredibly excited to bring Randy’s Donuts to Japan,” said Mark Lekegian, Owner of Randy’s Donuts. “This market represents a significant opportunity for us to share our delicious donuts with even more fans around the world.”  A plane flies past Randy’s Donuts as it makes its descent into Los Angeles International Airport, California on January 24, 2016. (Photo credit: MARK RALSTON/AFP via Getty Images) Randy’s Donuts, which was founded in 1952, is well known for its 32-foot giant rooftop at its flagship store in Inglewood.  In addition to their SoCal locations (L.A. County, Orange County and San Diego) and Las Vegas, you can also get Randy’s Donuts in the Philippines, South Korea and Saudi Arabia. 

In a message posted to his social media accounts on Monday, longtime Republican Rep. Ken Calvert thanked Riverside County voters for once again placing “their trust” in him to “continue delivering results for them in Washington.” Calvert (R-Corona), who has been in office since 1993 in California’s 44th, 42nd, 43rd and currently 41st Congressional District, said he earned a “hard-fought victory” in yet another defense of his incumbency. His declaration came after Decision Desk HQ called the race at about 5:47 p.m. Monday. However, his opponent thinks that victory proclamation came far too soon. Will Rollins shakes hands during a rally for him on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024 in Palm Desert. Rollins is running for US Congress. (Francis Specker/AP Content Services for Human Rights Campaign) Democrat Will Rollins, a 40-year-old former counterterrorism prosecutor, wrote to social media followers on Monday that his campaign views the race as “too close to call.” “Our campaign is following the election results extremely closely, with eyes and ears at the Registrar of Voters every single day,” a statement issued Monday night reads. “Between vote-by-mail ballots and conditional ballots already

Changes are coming to Downtown Disney as officials continue to work on revamping the outdoor shopping and dining destination. Porto’s Bakery’s seventh location, slated to open in 2025 in Downtown Disney, will host the company’s first sit-down table service and a full bar. The Anaheim theme park also shared opening dates and more details about the Avengers-themed retail locations, restaurants, and more coming to Downtown Disney. Here’s what you need to know: D-Lander Shop at Downtown Disney District Coming to the Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif., the D-Lander Shop will be a fresh, quintessentially Southern California boutique celebrating trend-forward fashions for Disneyland fans. The retail location will be light, bright and modern with pops of colors, a relaxing lounge area and fitting rooms with eye-catching artwork. (Artist Concept/ Disneyland Resort) Avengers Reserve at Downtown Disney District Coming to the Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif., Avengers Reserve is an all-new shopping destination celebrating the unique fandom and stories of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Inside, the store will have a high energy, industrial vibe with lighting effects, authentic film props