Category: Los Angeles

After months of obsessing over the presidential contest, it was jarring last week to tune in to the annual Veterans Day commemoration at Arlington National Cemetery and see President Biden center stage. The all-but-forgotten president is too literally a lame duck; his stride has given way to a shuffle. He looks lost. He tried to project force in his tribute, but you braced for the verbal trips. Why did Biden think he could serve another four years? Opinion Columnist Jackie Calmes Jackie Calmes brings a critical eye to the national political scene. She has decades of experience covering the White House and Congress. He’s so diminished from the politician I’ve covered for 40 years, from the Senate through the vice presidency to the White House. I initially respected his judgment not to retire, as Democrats did. In late 2022, Biden turned 80, but he celebrated unusually good midterm election results for his party and one of the most successful first two years of any president (the Afghanistan withdrawal aside). He’d won landmark legislation, such as the infrastructure law, that will have benefits for years. And

Education policy received little to no attention during much of the presidential campaign. But, in the final phase, Donald Trump was asked during a “Fox & Friends” interview how he would fix schools. His reply : “No transgender, no operations.… There are some places, your boy leaves the school, comes back a girl.” That was a lie. But it was far from the first time Trump, the Republican Party and a wide-range of conservative activists leveraged fears related to schooling for partisan gain. Over the last three years, there has been a coordinated and intentional political strategy targeting public schools. Our team of university researchers spent the past months surveying and interviewing hundreds of school superintendents about the costs of dealing with culturally divisive conflict, such as battles over LGBTQ+ rights, teaching about race and racism, and efforts to ban books. Their answers are troubling. One in 10 were physically threatened. Many were barraged by false rumors and accusations. Two-thirds of the 467 school superintendents in our national survey reported experiencing moderate to high levels of culturally divisive conflict. School districts bear significant financial costs

On Thursday, PBS debuts its new children’s program, “Carl the Collector.” Like many TV shows aimed at the under 10 demographic, “Carl” features adorable animated animals who work together to solve problems and learn valuable life lessons. Carl, a kind raccoon who loves to collect things, lives in a fictional world called Fuzzytown with his friends, including twin rabbits, a helpful beaver, a reserved fox and an energetic squirrel. As we’ve come to expect from PBS children’s programming, the series is funny, sweet, educational and poignant. But “Carl the Collector” is also groundbreaking because Carl is autistic. It’s the first time PBS has centered a series on a neurodiverse character. It was created by children’s book author Zachariah OHora, who says the inspiration came from watching his own children and their interactions with their peers. “All kids, regardless of what their needs are, get the same access to teachers, social time in the classroom and get support for whatever they need,” he says, noting that his children attend an inclusion school. “I noticed that my kids just didn’t differentiate. It was just such a light

Mike Schur, the creator of “Parks and Recreation” and “The Good Place,” is like a kid on a Halloween sugar high. It’s the morning after the Dodgers won the World Series, and Schur — a baseball enthusiast with undying loyalty to the Boston Red Sox — is detailing the team’s extraordinary comeback in the fifth inning of Game 5 against the New York Yankees as a curious Ted Danson listens intently. “I’m not proud of this, I don’t feel good about myself when I say things like this, but it is a part of who I am: I wanted to see sad Yankee fans,” Schur says after his mirthful recap. “I lived in New York for seven years, and in those seven years, the Yankees won the World Series four times. And I was miserable the whole time. That really just hardened my soul. My soul in this area is black and tarred over. I have no empathy. It’s the only place in my life where I feel really dark and evil.” “I was watching ‘The Great British Bake Off,’” Danson deadpans. “Did you feel

Through the window of an upper floor office in West Hollywood, the sky changed from cyan to navy and then indigo blue. The lights of Century City flicked on in the distance, and the expansive view of the Pacific Ocean disappeared from sight. For about three hours, Dwight Yoakam sat at a conference table with a glass of iced tea and two smartphones in front of him, his mind abuzz with details. The country performer’s stories about music are rife with the minute observations and historical tidbits absorbed and disseminated by die-hard fans. We were there to discuss Yoakam’s new album, the singer’s first batch of new songs in nine years. In order to get to that subject, however, he needed to tell me about his inspirations. He talked about the Dust Bowl and its reach throughout the Midwest, where we are both from. He described the connections between bluegrass figurehead Bill Monroe and celebrated American songwriter John Prine. He covered classic country artists Jimmy Rodgers, Buck Owens and the Carter Family. Yoakam was particularly animated about one of his favorite bands, the Byrds. He

November 14, 2024 / 5:38 AM EST / AP 11/13: CBS Evening News 11/13: CBS Evening News 19:46 Baton Rouge, La. — An LSU student has been arrested after, prosecutors say, he made an online threat to kill Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, who advocated for bringing a live tiger onto the field as part of a recent college football game. Landry, a Republican, helped revive the school’s tradition of wheeling a caged Bengal tiger into the stadium before kickoff for the first time in nearly a decade. Animal rights activists protested outside the stadium. A live tiger is rolled into Tiger Stadium before an NCAA college football game between LSU and Alabama in Baton Rouge, La., on Nov. 9, 2024. Gerald Herbert / AP An arrest affidavit says Jackson Pemberton, 21, told state police investigators on Tuesday that he was joking when he posted on social media “I am going to kill you jefflandry,” tagging the governor’s account on X, media outlets reported. Pemberton told investigators he was “upset with the governor’s decision regarding the live tiger that was brought on the LSU football field this

Nov. 14, 2024 2:06 AM PT Si la ceremonia de los Premios Especiales de la Academia Latina de la Grabación logró remover sentimientos y emocionar a los galardonados, la gala de la Persona del Año 20224 hizo vibrar de emoción a la Familia Vives Vásquez de principio a fin. Fue una celebración con todo y “After Party” incluido en el propio escenario donde Vives terminó apoderándose del mismo para cantar “temas a la carta” en compañía de sus cómplices Sebastián Yatra, Fonseca Camilo y Silvestre Dangond, como si tratara del tiempo extra de una Final donde Vives terminó quedándose con la Copa entre sus manos y el aplauso de los multitud. Amigos, colegas, personalidades de la industria, conocidos y desconocidos que de una manera u otra se han relacionado con la propuesta de este colombiano a lo largo de sus tres décadas de trayectoria, se unieron en una misma agenda: Honrar el trabajo, legado y labor humanitaria de unos de los artistas más queridos de la comunidad latina, Carlos Vives. Aunque muchos hubiéramos esperado que Vives recibiera el galardón de manos de su amigo Juanes

Trump calls for 25% tariff for Mexico Trump calls for 25% tariff for Mexico goods over illegal immigration, border security 05:59 Donald Trump , who recently described “tariff” as  “the most beautiful word in the dictionary,” has proposed a range of taxes on imports from other countries. The president-elect’s stated aim: to reduce American companies’ use of foreign goods and parts by raising their cost, a policy he contends would strengthen the U.S.’ international trade position and boost job growth at home. Trump has also claimed that he doesn’t need Congress’ support to impose sweeping tariffs. The reality is more complicated, according to economists and foreign trade experts.  What has Trump proposed? On the campaign trail, Trump proposed tariffs of up to 60% on Chinese goods . He’s offered few additional details, however, such as whether the tariffs would apply to all goods or just certain categories of products.  He’s also proposed much broader tariffs of 10% to 20% on all imports, including those from key allies and trade partners, and has promised retaliatory levies on any country that imposes taxes on American-made goods. Can

El clima extremo contribuye a la migración indocumentada y de retorno entre México y Estados Unidos, lo que sugiere que más migrantes podrían arriesgar su vida para cruzar la frontera a medida que el cambio climático aviva más las sequías, las tormentas y otras condiciones, según un nuevo estudio. Las personas de las zonas agrícolas de México tenían más probabilidades de cruzar la frontera sin autorización legal después de las sequías y menos probabilidades de regresar a sus comunidades originales si el clima extremo continuaba, según una investigación publicada esta semana en la revista científica Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (Registros de la Academia Nacional de las Ciencias). En todo el mundo, el cambio climático —causado principalmente por la quema de combustibles fósiles como el carbón y el gas natural— exacerba el clima extremo. Las sequías son más largas y secas, el calor es más mortal y las tormentas se intensifican rápidamente y arrojan lluvias que rompen récords. En México, un país de casi 130 millones de habitantes, la sequía ha drenado los embalses, creado una grave escasez de agua y reducido drásticamente

Acoso laboral, trauma religioso, relaciones complicadas con sus propias comunidades. Estos son algunos de los desafíos que enfrentan los trabajadores agrícolas LGBTQ+, dijo el reverendo Nelson Serrano Poveda, misionero latino/hispano de la Diócesis Episcopal de San Joaquín. Muchos provienen de pueblos pequeños y socialmente conservadores de América Latina, y Poveda dijo que algunos de los que son LGBTQ+ han sido rechazados por familias que usan argumentos religiosos para alejar a sus hijos: “ ‘Vas a ir al infierno porque eres homosexual’ “ “Mi primera tarea cuando hablo con ellos es decirles: ‘Ustedes no son un error’”, dijo Poveda a The Fresno Bee. “Dios los hizo como son y los ama”. Escuchar eso por primera vez, dijo, puede cambiar la vida de alguien. La investigación académica aún no ha producido ningún dato sobre el número de personas LGBTQ+ en la comunidad de trabajadores agrícolas, pero Poveda, al igual que otros que realizan actividades de extensión en los campos, sabe por experiencia que existen, a menudo con luchas sociales y culturales que agravan los problemas con los que se sabe que los trabajadores agrícolas se enfrentan más

A 19-year-old man posing as an Uber driver, who reportedly said he was driving under a family member’s account, was arrested after he allegedly raped a 15-year-old girl outside her school in South Gate late last month.   The terrifying, traumatic ordeal unfolded on Oct. 23 after the teen’s mother, identified only by her first name, Estella, had ordered the rideshare to take her daughter to school.   According to the victim’s account, the sexual assault lasted several minutes after the man got in the backseat and overpowered her just outside of South Gate High School.   “He grabbed her from the neck, pinned her down toward the seat, pulled down her pants,” Estella explained to KTLA’s Sandra Mitchell.   South Gate High School seen in this undated file photo. (KTLA) The teen’s mother added that she noticed the ride was taking longer than it normally does, that it was past her drop-off time and her daughter wasn’t responding to calls or texts.   After the assault, the sophomore in high school called her sister.   “She was like, ‘Something really bad happened to me

Democrat Will Rollins conceded to Rep. Ken Calvert Wednesday after the Corona Republican increased his lead to 8,123 votes in the 41st Congressional District. “I’m going to be honest, losing sucks, especially after campaigning back to back for nearly three years, but I will never regret running,” Rollins said in a video released on social media Wednesday. Rollins lost to Calvert, 52.3%-47.7% in 2022. “Way too many of us sit on the couch and complain about politics or the way campaigns are run, without ever getting off the sidelines and actually stepping into the arena ourselves. And I get it, that was me until I was 37 years old. That’s why I am so proud to have been in the fight with you, the people who supported this campaign, because win or lose, you know that the work is never really done in America.” Calvert leads 161,202-153,079, 51.3%-48.7%. Decision Desk HQ declared Calvert as the winner in his bid for a 17th term at 5:47 p.m. Pacific Standard Time Monday. Calvert issued a statement Monday saying, “I’m honored that Riverside County voters have once again

A 49-year-old man has been identified in a trio of attempted carjackings targeting women in several East Los Angeles neighborhoods, police announced Wednesday.   The terrifying Nov. 9 incidents, some of which were caught on surveillance cameras, show the suspect, now identified by police as Maurice Latorre, violently attacking the unsuspecting victims.   The first attempt, according to a Los Angeles Police Department news release, occurred at around 10:40 a.m. at a gas station in the 3200 block of North Broadway.   The 49-year-old was seen approaching a woman as she gassed up her car. The victim was able to get into her car and close her door, but Latorre opened the door and forced his way into the vehicle, attempting to push the woman toward the backseat as he demanded her keys.   “A brief struggle ensued, and the victim was able to get the suspect out of her vehicle,” police said. “The suspect then fled on foot.”   A few hours later, just before 2 p.m. in the 2100 block of North Broadway in Lincoln Heights, the hooded 49-year-old is seen on surveillance

On Friday, California’s 24th District Congressman Salud Carbajal unveiled a new legislative effort to rename a Central Coast post office in Goleta in honor of one local veteran. Frederick Lopez, a retired Brigadier General in the U.S. Marine Corps with a 30-year career of distinguished service, is a Santa Barbara native and a Cal Poly graduate. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1967 and served as a platoon commander during the Vietnam War, eventually earning a Bronze Star and Combat Action Ribbon. Over his three decades as a Marine, General Lopez also earned a Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and other decorations prior to his retirement in 1998. In retirement, General Lopez has continued to advocate for his fellow veterans as an active member of the Military Order Of The World Wars including as its Commander in Chief and other veterans groups. Congressman Carbajal, a Marine Corps veteran himself, joined General Lopez, his family and friends, and representatives from Central Coast veterans organizations at the Santa Barbara Veterans Memorial Building on Friday to announce the effort. If putting his name

A Lompoc resident has been arrested for attempted murder after allegedly stabbing one man last week. On the evening of Nov. 8, the Lompoc Police Department reports that it responded to a stabbing on the 100 block of North V Street. Authorities say officers located the victim upon arrival, who had sustained several stab wounds to his armpits and upper chest area. The suspect reportedly fled the area prior to officers’ arrival. Police say the victim was flown by helicopter to an area hospital where he was treated and later released. During the investigation, LPD determined the suspect to be 48-year-old Lompoc resident Henry Bobo, who officers were unable to immediately locate. Authorities report that LPD Detectives later obtained a Ramey warrant for the arrest of Bobo on suspicion of attempted murder with bail set at $2 million. On Wednesday afternoon, officials say the LPD Special Investigations Unit was conducting surveillance in the 100 block of North N Street in Lompoc when they located Bobo. The suspect reportedly attempted to escape authorities, but was eventually captured and arrested without incident.

LeBron James eased his way into the season, ceding shots to Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves, committing to JJ Redick’s style and letting his teammates establish himself in the first handful of games in his 21st season. Maybe it was him being respectful of a new process. Maybe it was a sign that time, the opponent he’d never lost to, was going to claim its eventual victory. Or, just maybe, it was all a mirage, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and one of its greatest players still lurking, waiting for the moment to strike. “He’s mastered the game,” Redick said. And he keeps showing how he has. Wednesday, James did everything in leading the Lakers to a 128-123 win over Memphis. When the offense went cold, he scored. When the ball bounced off the rim, he corralled it. And when a teammate shook open, he found him. James scored 35 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and had 14 assists — his third straight triple-double — all leading to Lakers wins inside their home arena. It’s the fourth time in his career with back-to-back-to-back triple-doubles. Among the

They call him the best receiver in the NFL. They say he’s always open. Whatever praise has been heaped upon Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase, Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton already has heard — and seen — it firsthand. The childhood friends, high school teammates and national champions at Louisiana State will line up against each other Sunday at SoFi Stadium as the Chargers host the Cincinnati Bengals in a prime-time game. Fulton plans to play after a hamstring injury kept him out for two games and said he feels 100%. The return comes just in time as the Chargers (6-3) test their top-ranked defense in a five-game stretch against explosive offenses. The next five games will affirm or expose a Chargers defense that gives up a league-best 13.1 points per game, but hasn’t faced a team that ranks in the top 10 in points scored entering Week 11. With Chase and quarterback Joe Burrow, the Bengals (4-6) are fourth in the NFL with 245.8 yards passing per game and sixth in scoring with 27 points per game. Chase lit up the Baltimore Ravens last week for 264

A 19-year-old man posing as an Uber driver, who reportedly said he was driving under a family member’s account, was arrested after he allegedly raped a 15-year-old girl outside her school in South Gate late last month.   The terrifying, traumatic ordeal unfolded on Oct. 23 after the teen’s mother, identified only by her first name, Estella, had ordered the rideshare to take her daughter to school.   According to the victim’s account, the sexual assault lasted several minutes after the man got in the backseat and overpowered her just outside of South Gate High School.   “He grabbed her from the neck, pinned her down toward the seat, pulled down her pants,” Estella explained to KTLA’s Sandra Mitchell.   South Gate High School seen in this undated file photo. (KTLA) The teen’s mother added that she noticed the ride was taking longer than it normally does, that it was past her drop-off time and her daughter wasn’t responding to calls or texts.   After the assault, the sophomore in high school called her sister.   “She was like, ‘Something really bad happened to me

Nov. 13, 2024 8:56 PM PT Jeremy Renner is already super (as in Marvel hero and survivor of a horrific snowplow accident) — now he’s also grand. The actor has been announced as the 92nd Hollywood Christmas Parade grand marshal, organizers said Wednesday. The two-time Oscar nominee, known for his roles as William James in “The Hurt Locker” and the arrow-slinging Hawkeye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, will head the nearly 100-year-old parade. He follows in the footsteps of a host of celebrity grand marshals including Bob Hope, Olivia Newton-John, William Shatner and Magic Johnson. The Dec. 1 parade will start at 6 p.m. at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles and continue for 3.2 miles along a U-shaped route. The parade winds up with an appearance by the jolly old elf, Santa Claus, and his reindeer. The event supports the Marine Toys for Tots foundation and will be aired Dec. 14 on the CW. “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,”

An always bustling neighborhood hotspot, Lawless Brewery in North Hollywood, reached out to its community earlier this week over social media and, as real friends do, admitted that things are not great.   KTLA regulars might recognize Lawless Brewery since it was featured on “L.A. Unscripted” in Sept. 2021.   “As soon as I started brewing about 10 years ago, I think I was on batch two when I decided this is what I wanted to spend the rest of my life doing,” owner Ben Wallace told KTLA’s Doug Kolk during the episode.  Now, three and a half years after making that dream a reality, and creating a vibrant family and dog-friendly local where people come to drink great craft beers, meet old and make new friends, Wallace shared on Instagram the post-pandemic situation he and his employees are facing.   “The reality is Lawless can no longer survive without significant help,” he wrote in a Nov. 11 post. “When we first opened, we took on a large loan to make Lawless a reality. But then came the pandemic – just one week after we

Trump’s “Department of government Efficiency” Trump gives Musk and Ramaswamy roles leading “Department of Government Efficiency” 06:20 Donald Trump is vowing to reduce wasteful federal spending by tapping two billionaires — Tesla CEO Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy — to spearhead the initiative, which the president-elect is calling the Department of Government Efficiency , or DOGE. The appointments, announced by Trump on Tuesday, raise a host of questions about the effort, including whether Musk and Ramaswamy will have the authority to make changes in federal outlays, given that Congress authorizes the nation’s spending, as well as where the businessmen might look to cut spending. Under the plan, meanwhile, DOGE is not an official government department, raising questions about how its powers and how it will operate. The announcement comes a week after Trump won a second term  as president, with voters expressing their dissatisfaction with the economy under the Biden administration. As part of his campaign vows, Trump promised to slash government spending. Musk’s bio on X, the social media platform he bought in 2022, now reads, “The people voted for major government reform.”