Los Angeles

Harris and Trump campaign in battleground states in election’s final stretch

Harris and Trump campaign in battleground states in election’s final stretch – CBS News Watch CBS News Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are both campaigning in battleground states as the 2024 presidential election approaches. Both will head south today, with Harris holding events in Georgia and North Carolina and Trump holding events in Virginia and North Carolina. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

San Diego

Flouting IRS rules, Carlsbad church gave $1,900 to school board candidates, and urged worshipers to as well

A Carlsbad church has asked for the return of two $950 donations it made weeks ago to each of two school board candidates, despite federal rules that forbid tax-exempt organizations like churches from financially supporting or speaking in support of any candidates for public office. The Mission Church Pastor David Menard had also urged his congregation during a sermon last month to donate to the two Carlsbad Unified candidates, Jen Belnap and Laura Siaosi. When The San Diego Union-Tribune asked about the donations in light of the Internal Revenue Service’s tax-exempt rules, Menard said in an email Thursday that they had been made in error and that the church asked for their return. “To support our community, we recently contributed to the campaigns of two Carlsbad school board candidates. Upon doing so we realized we had stepped out of the IRS guidelines for a 501(c)(3),” he said. Belnap said in an email Friday that she learned Thursday that the church’s donation was illegal and that her treasurer then returned it. Siaosi said the church’s donation was “a nice gesture of support” but that she too returned

San Diego

Vista RV park residents face possible homelessness before Christmas

For decades, a small RV park on private land in North County has been an oasis for people struggling to make rent, providing affordable spaces on month-to-month leases that have allowed many families, couples and individuals to stay put year after year. But residents, nearly 70 people including 28 children, learned in late September that they must vacate their spots by Dec. 1 as Vista’s Green Oak Ranch comes under new management. While the recreational vehicles they live in can be moved, their owners say they cannot find new parks charging anywhere close to the $1,000 monthly rent they’re currently paying, and social programs they say have thus far been unable to offer other housing options. The situation is urgent because the 110-acre property’s owners have agreed to lease and eventually sell Green Oak Ranch to Solutions for Change, a Vista-based nonprofit that works with families experiencing homelessness. A letter dated Aug. 15 from Green Oak president Dorinda de Jong to Green Oak Ranch Ministries, a private nonprofit that currently operates multiple programs on the site, directs the organization to vacate the property and make

San Diego

‘A little nervous,’ but confident: How officials, police and poll workers are preparing for Election Day

If something goes awry at the vote center in Calavera Community Park in Carlsbad, Gwen Holm will first consult her 104-page poll worker manual. If that doesn’t help, she will call the poll worker hotline. And if the matter is more urgent and safety is compromised, then she will call 911. Poll workers are trained to handle all sorts of scenarios, from voters’ questions about how to cast their ballot to more contentious situations, such as when people illegally campaign too close to a vote center. “We’re all kind of on the alert,” said Holm, 68, who lives in Oceanside. More than 200 vote centers will be open Saturday across San Diego County for the final four days of the presidential election, and local election officials and law enforcement are assuring jittery voters and poll workers of how they are keeping them safe. Nationwide, concerns have risen dramatically since the 2020 election. There has been an increase in threats against election officials, fueled largely by false claims from former President Donald Trump about his 2020 election loss. Holm and her team, along with county officials and

Los Angeles

Collected letters of Oliver Sacks offer a glimpse into the neurologist’s mind

Book Review Letters By Oliver SacksKnopf: 752 pages, $40If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores. There are those who can write, and those who can’t not write. Oliver Sacks fell into the latter category. A neurologist by trade, Sacks was insatiably curious and wrote ceaselessly and joyfully about anything that caught his interest, which was just about everything. Readers get a new glimpse into his mind this year, nearly a decade after his death, thanks to a handsome new collection of the doctor’s letters compiled and annotated by his longtime editor, Kate Edgar. (Knopf) To read these letters is to be reminded of the deeply felt humanism and ebullience that Sacks brought to his prose: They include condolences, replies to fans and long scientific musings that read like dry runs for his books. There isn’t a shred of cynicism or pessimism to be found here, only delight in sharing ideas and enthusiasms with friends, family, colleagues and fans. Sacks did his level best to respond to every letter that found him

Los Angeles

The Uplift: Trooper the dog

The Uplift: Trooper the dog – CBS News Watch CBS News An abandoned dog, left behind ahead of Hurricane Milton, is rescued by a trooper and given a second chance at life. Ukrainian ballet dancers use their strength and grace on and off the stage. Plus, a school custodian receives a big honor from the community. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Los Angeles

Shooting survivor defies the odds after taking bullet to the brain

By Annabelle Allen November 2, 2024 / 7:00 AM EDT / CBS News Sneak peek: Fatal First Date Sneak peek: Fatal First Date 03:36 Leslie Reeves and Chris Smith were shot during their first date. Only Smith survived. A look at how he defied the odds to make a remarkable recovery. The scene of the crime The exterior of Chris Smith’s Farmersville, Illinois, home. Illinois State Police On the night before Thanksgiving 2021, Smith went on a first date with a woman named Leslie Reeves. The morning after, first responders found Smith in his Farmersville, Illinois, home with a bullet lodged in his brain. Reeves was dead. Shooting victim in a coma Chris Smith was placed in a medically induced coma after brain surgery. Chris Smith EMTs rushed Smith to a hospital where he underwent brain surgery and was placed in a medically induced coma. A bullet lodged in his brain An X-ray shows a bullet fragment in Chris Smith’s brain. Chris Smith Fragments of the bullet remained in Smith’s brain. His doctors say that to retrieve the bullet could risk causing further damage.  Family

Bay Area

Word Game: Nov. 2, 2024

TODAY’S WORD — MERCIFUL MERCIFUL: MER-sih-ful: Full of compassion or leniency. Average mark 38 words Time limit 45 minutes Can you find 45 or more words in MERCIFUL? The list will be published Monday. YESTERDAY’S WORD — EMPHASIS: mash mashes mass mesa mesh mess messiah mishap miss misshape pass passe passim phase pima hasp heap hemp hiss ahem amiss aphis apish apse apsis ashes same sash seam semi sepia sham shame shape shies shim ship smash spam spasm spies impasse To purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last! RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed. Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe at kzsaxe@gmail.com.

Bay Area

Asking Eric: I saw his ex’s letters, and I don’t think he told her about me

Dear Eric: My partner and I just bought a house together and are settling in nicely. He and his ex were married for 10 years, and she was mentally and emotionally abusive toward him. It took a lot of strength for him to leave. They do not have children, pets or any property together. It should have been a clean break; however, she still contacts him. Recently, she sent him a card in the mail. In it was a housewarming gift, a $1,000 gift card. Two weeks later, she sent him a letter stating how much she still loved him, misses him and wishes he would let her into his life and that she’s changed. He’s not falling for it. He’s aware she is being manipulative but he’s also not confronting her on the issue of letting go either. Instead, he’s choosing to ignore it and believes any response would fuel her behavior even more. I trust my partner, and I know there’s no funny business happening. I also feel this isn’t healthy for anyone. He’s mentioned in the past how he feels obligated to

Bay Area

Harriette Cole: I don’t want to invite her, but I know she’ll find out

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a “friend” who contacts me only when she needs something. She will text or call, acting like she wants to check in on me and then, like clockwork, she almost immediately tells me about something that she is doing and how I can support her. I didn’t figure out her pattern for some time, but now it is obvious to me. Sometimes I don’t have a problem with it, as I like to help people, but it’s clear now that she isn’t really a friend. I’m having a party soon and making the guest list. It is not a large event — mostly close friends. She is on the periphery of this group. I don’t really want to invite her, but I know she will find out about it. Should I add her to the list just to avoid hurt feelings? — Guest List DEAR GUEST LIST: If your party is for good friends, review the potential list of attendees and cross off anyone who doesn’t fit that category — period. Why add her if she doesn’t deserve to be on

Los Angeles

Shasta County faces another pivotal election — and more uncertainty over voting

As a devoted Republican who runs a cattle ranch and proudly talks about owning a gun, Shasta County Supervisor Mary Rickert is an unlikely progressive icon. But that is exactly what the 72-year-old devout Catholic and grandmother has become to some in this northern California county — which has been convulsed by conspiracy theories about voter fraud and other extremist ideologies over the last three years. Rickert is still a staunch conservative. But she has also emerged as an often lonely voice on the Board of Supervisors against a far-right insurgency that has roiled her county. (Shasta County) After an ultra-conservative majority took over in 2022, the board voted to dump Dominion voting machines in favor of hand-counting ballots. The supervisors passed a measure to allow concealed weapons in local government buildings in defiance of state law. And they explored hiring a California secessionist leader as the county’s chief executive. Rickert, whose personal style tends toward feathered blonde hair and flowy scarves, argued against much of what they did. On Tuesday, voters in her district, which stretches from Redding into the waterfalls and mountain peaks

Los Angeles

Tacos, tonics and ‘shadow work’: L.A.’s answer to election anxiety

It was a classic fall Saturday in L.A. — sunny and 75 degrees — but about 30 Angelenos were glued to their screens. Actor Bradley Whitford was Zooming in from New York to address members of Swing Left Los Feliz, a local chapter of the national progressive advocacy organization. The topic of the former “West Wing” star and vocal Democrat’s remarks: Election anxiety. Concern over the outcome of the upcoming Nov. 5 vote is inevitable. The question is how to minimize the stress. For some people, that looks like long yoga sessions, activating airplane mode and lots of hot tea. For others, talking it out is the best approach. In Los Angeles, there are many characteristically creative options to help stave off the existential despair, such as self-tapping workshops, guzzling cold-pressed juices and special taco deals. Many of those who tuned in to see Whitford speak have been furiously phone-banking and knocking on doors for the Harris-Walz campaign and down-ballot Democratic candidates, hoping they can help turn the electoral tide blue. The alternative — a red wave that carries former President Trump back to the

Los Angeles

‘Wild and crazy ride’: The stunning, exhausting presidential race we all just witnessed

Less than six months ago, the oldest sitting president in U.S. history appeared so befuddled during a debate that his barely younger, twice impeached, convicted felon predecessor — a man who stands federally accused of orchestrating a complex criminal scheme to violently cling to power the last time he lost it — seemed poised to reclaim the White House with ease. Within weeks, things had changed. Former President Trump had survived an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally, President Biden had dropped out of the race, and Democratic party officials had nominated Vice President Kamala Harris to run in Biden’s place as the first woman of color to ever top a major party ticket. Now, with just days left to go, Trump and Harris are locked in an incredibly close race, with polling showing them within striking distance of each other in seven battleground states. It has all made for one of the most astonishing presidential election cycles in modern American history, full of unprecedented political moments, bizarre politicking and endless messaging designed to elicit outrage, fear, hope, bigotry and bitter, biting partisanship. Former President