Los Angeles Times - 03.11.2026 — 2026-11-05

Los Angeles Times

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2026

PRESIDENT TRUMP, his approval rating near historic lows, made his closing pitch to voters on Monday.

FINN GOMEZ Getty Images

Justices reject bid to review 20,000 ballots

Trump lawyers had sought emergency appeal over contested California votes.

WASHINGTON — Acting quickly and emphatically, the Supreme Court on Monday turned down the Trump administration's bid to set aside ballots from 20,000 California voters who the administration alleges may not be citizens.

The justices dismissed the emergency appeal without comment or dissent — a rare rebuke for President Trump's lawyers.

BY DAVID G. SAVAGE AND KEVIN RECTOR

Solicitor Gen. D. John Sauer had appealed Monday and said the court must "segregate" these California ballots before they are processed by state and local election officials and counted.

The appeal went to Justice Elena Kagan, who oversees the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. In the normal course, she could have asked California's lawyers to respond.

Instead, the court issued a one-line order: "The application for injunction pending appeal presented to Justice Kagan and by her referred to the Court is denied."

[See Trump, A7]

The dismissal continued a string of losses in election-related litigation for the Trump administration in recent days and marked a substantive rebuke to a signature campaign by the president and his supporters to force the administration's will on a state election as votes are being counted.

It was cheered by California leaders. “Glad SCOTUS agrees that Trump’s attacks on California’s elections are BASELESS and UN-CONSTITUTIONAL,” Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) wrote on X.

“This latest decision should put an end to the Administration’s attempt to disrupt California’s elections through emergency court orders. But our work is not over,” California Atty.

[See Justices, A6]

WASHINGTON — Over the last decade, President Trump has steadily expanded executive power, pushing the limits of his authority and evading traditional constraints. But a Democratic takeover of Congress on Tuesday could set up one final constitutional test for the Trump era, challenging the legislative branch to reclaim its role as a check on an increasingly powerful White House.

Key Senate, House races

fident that the state's election will be free of federal interference, the survey found.

Those concerns were shared across partisan lines, unlike how Californians felt about the threats posed to the integrity of elections by the Trump administration. [See Poll, A6]

“Both of the items, together, I think should raise alarms for threats against democracy in California,” said Matt Barreto, director of the UCLA Voting Rights Project.

California voters also have grievances with the state's ballot propositions, a slate of 14 measures that include new taxes on billionaires and funding for cancer research. More than 8 in 10 of the state's likely voters said that this year's propositions were worded in a way that made them hard to understand and that special interest groups have too much influence over which propositions appear on the ballot.

BY MICHAEL WILNER

Newsom and others warn of potential ballot seizures and prepare for court fights. NATION, A7

congressional criminal referrals regardless of their political implications is poised to ignore them under current leadership.

A combative administration will pose a challenge to Democratic congressional leaders, who may face internal party calls to pursue a third impeachment of the president over any number of scandals, and will probably shape debate over the coming presidential campaign season.

State girds for federal meddling

"Our system of checks and balances and the requirements of super majorities makes it difficult for the legislature to hold the execu-

A “blue wave” could give Democrats control of both chambers of Congress, handing them not only investigative and subpoena powers in the House, but also, through the Senate, the authority to confirm presidential appointments, pursue impeachment trials, and control legislation and federal spending.

Will a ‘blue wave’ surface? Here are the contests to watch, possible outcomes. NATION, A4

over Trump's smart two years. The Office of Legal Counsel has claimed that even Trump's communications with private advisors could be shielded by privilege. Independent watchdogs across the federal government, which have traditionally supported congressional oversight, have been systematically removed. And a Justice Department that historically pursued

That would historically be enough to bring a president to heel. Yet the Trump administration's broad assertion of executive privilege and politicization of the Justice Department could make oversight from a Democratic Congress sluggish — if not impossible — over Trump's final two years.

JASON ARMOND Los Angeles Times

A PROPOSAL aims to keep more production in the state. Above, on a Dhar Mann Studios set in Burbank.

Newsom pushes bigger film, TV tax credit

BY CERYS DAVIES AND STACY PERMAN

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday called for a significant expansion of the state's film and TV tax incentives in the face of mounting evidence that producers are fleeing California in search of cheaper locales.

Newsom said in a statement Monday that he favors expanding California's current Film and Television Tax Credit Program from \$750 million to at least \$1 billion annually.

Notably, Newsom's pro-

If approved by the state Legislature, it would be the country's largest capped film and TV tax credit, New-som's office said.

posal would include credits for actors and other above-the-line talent and extend the tax credit through 2040, according to the statement. That would make California's program more competitive with those of other states such as Georgia and New York that allow tax credits to offset the cost of actors' salaries.

"We're the capital of entertainment and we're going [See Filming, A10]

Last call proposed for new karaoke rooms

Kyusung Gong Associated Press

CHARGING TOWARD 0-17

A winless season looks as if it's on the table for Charlie Kolar (88) and the Chargers' anemic offense, Mirjam Swanson writes. SPORTS, B10

L.A. officials to weigh a moratorium on permits in Koreatown as complaints mount.

By SUHAUNA HUSSAIN

To understand the remarkable cultural force of Korean immigrants in Los Angeles, just listen to the music.

Karaoke has been a central part of Korean American nightlife since the immigration wave began in the 1970s. Groups gather in private rooms lined with flashing lights and TV monitors, pick up the microphone and sing with abandon into the early morning hours.

But is there such a thing as too much crooning?

Los Angeles city officials will, in the coming months, weigh a proposal to halt new permits for karaoke bars in Koreatown, amid complaints from residents and businesses that some estab-

lishments selling alcohol are

operating out of bounds.

City Councilmember Heather Hutt introduced a motion last week to bar the city from greenlighting new karaoke rooms for 45 days in the neighborhood's bustling commercial and cultural corridor along Olympic Boulevard, with the option of extending the ban for a year. The proposal would also set aside \$75,000 for the LAPD to investigate businesses operating without a license.

"We have seen the entertainment and nightlife grow in the area and want to ensure this growth is more thoughtful and creates a safe environment for everyone," Hutt's office said in a media statement.

She said that as construction of new high-rises and apartment complexes has revved up in Koreatown, her office has fielded more complaints from constitu-[See Karaoke, A10]

Mexican schools bar cellphones

The ban is part of the government's effort to limit children's and teens' use of electronic devices. WORLD, A2

Weather

Mostly sunny.

L.A. Basin: 76/56. B6

Markets ....A11

Opinion Voices ....A12

Can renters use balcony solar? It's unclear if landlords in California will have to allow the plug-in panels. CALIFORNIA, B1

For the latest news, go to latimes.com.

Closing message to voters: Admire the pool

The president gives a final election speech that focuses on his capital renovations.

BY ANA CEBALLOS

WASHINGTON — After spending a month asking voters to treat the midterms as a vote on him, President Trump closed his month-long campaign sprint on Monday sounding like a man bracing for defeat.

"For some reason, the sitting president doesn't win the midterms," Trump said. "But we gave this a very strong shot."

Still, Trump said he hopes Americans are “ready to do the right thing” and insisted that Republicans could hold on to Congress if voters who buoyed his 2024 victory turn out again. He urged voters to do so, calling this election “the most important midterm, I believe, in our lifetime.” The alternative, he warned, will be a “radical agenda” in Washington as he finishes his last two years in office.

“With your vote, we will decide if these extremists will be given power or not,” Trump said, claiming that the Democratic Party has “nominated the most extreme and dangerous slate of candidates in American history.”

The message capped a dizzying campaign push in which Trump made himself the focus of the midterms as he held dozens of rallies in mostly Republican states. In those rallies, he promised \$5,000 checks and brighter days ahead to Americans who vote to keep Republicans in control of Congress. But heading into Tuesday, most polls are predicting a Democratic wave amid a voter backlash to Trump's handling of the economy and a war in Iran.

Democrats are heavily favored to retake power of the House and are leading in all the key states that would be the likeliest to decide which party will control the Senate, according to a New York Times/Siena University poll released Sunday. But polling can be flawed, as evidenced by forecasts that underestimated Trump's support in the 2016 and 2024 elections.

Trump's approval rating is near historic lows this time around, the poll found. A separate NBC News poll released Sunday found nearly two-thirds of voters are seeking a change from the direction Trump is leading the country.

This year, early voting has already seen strong [See Message, A7]

THE WORLD

Ukraine says 26 dead after aid center, shelter hit

A WOMAN leaves her home Monday after a Russian airstrike on a residential block in Sloviansk, Ukraine.

BY DEREK GATOPOULOS AND SUSIE BLANN

KYIV, Ukraine — Russia bombed an aid distribution center and neighboring shelter in southern Ukraine on Monday, killing 26 people, Ukrainian officials said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said strikes first targeted a school building used to distribute humanitarian aid and then took aim at a nearby shelter.

“This is further proof that Russia wants no de-escalation,” Zelensky said on social media.

The attacks in the village of Komyshuvakha, in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, occurred as a limited ceasefire expired Monday in Kherson, a different region in the country's south. The limited ceasefire agreement had allowed humanitarian aid and evacuation missions into front-line areas in Russian-occupied territory.

“There was a moment when the next steps could have shown that progress toward peace was possible,” Zelensky said. “With these killings, Russia is sending an entirely opposite signal: Russia is counting on more killings.”

Zelensky later said in an address to the nation that Ukraine was expecting Russia to escalate its attacks at a time when the country is facing a shortage of missiles needed to defend itself.

As night fell in Komyshuvakha, emergency responders used flashlights to search through the rubble of collapsed buildings, according to photos and video posted online by local officials. About 20 people are considered missing and the death toll could rise, these officials say.

Efforts to rescue people Monday evening were hindered as Russian drones launched additional attacks in the area that had been bombed, according to Mykhailo Semikin, a military official in Zaporizhzhia.

In other areas of Ukraine, authorities reported multiple Russian drone attacks that injured at least 17 people.

False alerts sent in Ukraine and Russia

Earlier, residents of Ukraine and Russia received phony emergency alerts from government-run mobile apps that were hacked, authorities in both countries said. The phony alerts in Ukraine included a warning about an imminent nuclear threat.

It was not clear if the cyberattacks late Sunday in Ukraine and early Monday in Russia were related. Ukraine said its mobile app, which residents rely on to seek safety from Russian missile and drone strikes, was up and running again after being temporarily suspended. Russian authorities said efforts to restore the country's emergency alert mobile app were ongoing.

A Russian Telegram channel with links to the country's security services said Monday that a hacking group, Hitcore, claimed responsibility for the breach of the Ukrainian emergency alert system. The Associated Press did not independently verify the claim, and the affiliations or motivations of the purported hackers remained unclear.

The alerts received by Ukrainians — making false claims of high radiation levels, a chemical threat and public disturbances in Kyiv — were written in English, Russian and Ukrainian. The English language alerts contained spelling and grammatical errors.

One of the messages, written in Russian, said: "Hi! There will be a nuclear threat across Ukraine. Do not worry, the Oreshnik is incoming," a reference to a Russian ballistic missile.

There was little indication the fake alerts caused panic in Ukraine. Instead, there was a flood of humorous posts online, with social media users sharing photos of their pets relaxing and apocalypse-themed images generated by artificial intelligence.

A spokesman for Ukraine's air force command, Yurii Ihnat, said in a television interview that the cyberattack had no effect on

Ukraine's security and defense operations. The government urged people to monitor other emergency channels on social media while the cyberattack was being addressed.

In Russia, the Emergency Situations Ministry said in a statement that hackers sent a false alert through its app at approximately 2:45 a.m. Moscow time on Monday across 33 of Russia's 89 regions. It did not say who it believed carried out the attack.

The ministry sought to reassure Russians by noting that the wider public alert system was working normally through SMS messages, media broadcasts and municipal sirens and loudspeakers.

"All government bodies must take steps to improve the cybersecurity of our digital resources," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

Limited ceasefire in Kherson region off

As the ceasefire in Ukraine's Kherson region came to an end on Monday, Ukraine's general staff said that Russia's military had used the pause in fighting to bolster its drone defenses and replenish ammunition supplies.

The brief pause in fighting, which began Oct. 27, was part of a humanitarian aid and evacuation mission in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky, and marked the most significant truce between Kyiv and Moscow since Russia's full-scale invasion began nearly five years ago.

Elsewhere in Ukraine, emergency services reported that drone strikes injured 12 people in the eastern Kharkiv region and damaged a refrigeration facility, greenhouses and residential buildings.

Five people were also reported injured in the Black Sea port city of Odesa, where a warehouse was targeted and homes were damaged.

Russia's Ministry of Defense said Monday that it shot down 212 Ukrainian drones overnight. The head of Russia's Samara region, Gov. Vyacheslav Fedorishchev, said in a statement that local air defenses were repelling an aerial attack but did not give further details.

Independent Russian media outlets later reported that Ukrainian drones had targeted one of Europe's largest oil transport hubs in Samara.

Gatopoulos and Blann write for the Associated Press. AP journalist Katie Marie Davies contributed to this report from Manchester, England.

Mexico bans cellphones from classrooms

FERNANDO LLANO Associated Press

STUDENTS in Mexico City play in a session promoting the non-use of cellphones.

BY FABIOLA SÁNCHEZ

AND AARÓN IBARRA

CULIACÁN, México — Starting Tuesday, Mexican schools will ban cellphones from classrooms as part of a federal government effort to limit children's and teenagers' use of electronic devices, following similar measures taken by over a hundred countries in the last decade.

The initiative, spear-headed by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, has been supported by experts who see it as an opportunity to reduce young Mexicans' exposure to technology and the resulting attention deficit, stress and anxiety.

Mexican authorities are also preparing to implement regulations this month that will require digital platforms to remove posts containing hate speech, abuse, sexual violence, harassment, cyberbullying and other illegal content.

However, the cellphone ban is already facing resistance in some parts of the country. Some parents fear being unable to communicate with their children amid ongoing violence, from which children and adolescents are not spared. According to the civil society coalition Network for Children's Rights in Mexico, in the first half of this year, 1 in 10 Mexicans between the ages of 0 and 17 were victims of crimes involving organized crime.

“I don’t think parents will accept not giving their children a means of digital communication, especially when those children ... are spending so much time at home instead of at school,” said Francisco Ortiz, state representative of the National Union of Parents in Sinaloa, accusing the government of ignoring parents and approving regulations that “go against parental authority, against the rights of parents.”

The decree issued by Sheinbaum prohibits the use of cellphones and electronic devices inside elementary and middle schools throughout the school day, and allows their use only for educational purposes under the guidance of teachers or for personal emergencies, disability and health needs. Students can take their phones with them on the way to school.

Benigno Gómez, a father from Reynosa in the northern state of Tamaulipas, said that although he understood the educational authorities' need to reduce students' time on cellphones, he found it "a little difficult" that they weren't allowed to have a cellphone to deal with a potential risk situation.

Mexican authorities have not commented on these concerns and have instead focused on the harm caused by cellphones.

During a recent address to the Chamber of Deputies, Mexico's Secretary of Public Education, Mario Delgado, stated that the Sheinbaum administration seeks to “prevent addiction to digital platforms and the disorders they cause in minors.”

Just as the sun was beginning to rise, the residents of Escuinapa, the capital of the municipality of the same name located in southern Sinaloa, awoke on the morning of Oct. 22 to alarming news. A bus that regularly travels through the small town — which relies on mango and shrimp production — was shot at by a man on a motorcycle.

More than a dozen high school students were on board. A video recorded by one of the passengers circulated on social media, showing children on the floor and others hiding among the seats while one teenager asks another, "Do you have any credit [on your cellphone]?"

In the attack, only the bus driver was injured, suffering cuts from shards of glass shattered by the gunfire.

Upon learning of the shooting, one Escuinapa resident immediately called her teenage daughter, who had left early for high school in a car driven by her aunt.

"Just hearing my daughter's voice and knowing she was OK calmed me down," said the woman, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of the criminals plaguing her community — admitting that she didn't hesitate to interrupt her daughter's class to check on her.

The mother expressed doubts that parents will comply with the cellphone ban, fearing that violence could now reach schools in Escuinapa, and insisted that “the safety of our children comes first.”

For Israel Sánchez, president of the National Union of Parents, the Mexican government's decision represents progress after years of struggle by the civil organization, which brings together hundreds of parents from public and private schools, mostly Catholic.

Sánchez argued that authorities must undertake an awareness campaign for parents and provide training for teachers to achieve the effective implementation of the regulation.

Dr. Lucía Magis-Weinberg, a neurodevelopmental researcher at the University of Washington who has studied the effects of technology on children and adolescents for years, said Mexico is joining the international movement to regulate cellphones at a very opportune moment.

Magis-Weinberg acknowledged the benefits of technology for socialization and accessing information but said it is “a double-edged sword.”

Regulations are needed to avoid cognitive damage, digital conflicts, and the risks of platforms that “are designed to maintain, to maximize our attention.”

The ban on cellphones in schools is already in place in 114 countries, according to UNESCO data. In Europe, restrictions have gained increasing traction, especially in France, where the ban was extended to secondary schools in August.

Controls have also been implemented in some countries in Latin America, such as Ecuador, Brazil, Chile, Bolivia and Costa Rica. In the United States, bans are maintained only in some states.

Ibarra writes for the Associated Press. Sánchez reported from Mexico City. AP journalist Alfredo Peña contributed to this report from Ciudad Victoria, Mexico.

Bulgaria elects its first female head of state

By VESELIN TOSHKOV

SOFIA, Bulgaria — Acting President Iliana Yotova won the runoff election to become Bulgaria's first elected female head of state and said she will work for national consensus by bridging political rifts.

With all the votes counted on Monday, the Central Election Commission said Yotova secured 57.6%, and the candidate of the liberal, pro-Western opposition, Andrey Gyurov, received 39.5%.

Gyurov conceded defeat, saying that “this is how the Bulgarian citizens have voted,” and added that the results had to be accepted as they stood.

“I voted for national consensus through dialogue, for institutions that work for citizens, for a strong state with its own foreign policy in a strong Europe,” Yotova said after the vote.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Yotova and looked forward to continuing cooperation with her on security and defense, competitiveness, and energy independence. “For a strong Bulgaria in a strong Europe,” Von der Leyen wrote in a post on X.

The vote was the first major test for Prime Minister Rumen Radev's Moscow-friendly Progressive Bulgaria party, which endorsed Yotova. In April's parliamentary vote, the party won 131 of the 240 seats in the parliament, securing an outright majority.

Observers note that a victory for Yotova will keep the presidency in the hands of the governing majority. Such a concentration of power could prevent the effective maintenance of checks and balances on policy decisions by institutions, they say.

Yotova and Radev have called for a diplomatic solution to end the war in Ukraine but remain evasive about possible Russian involvement in drone attacks in the Black Sea region.

Yotova has opposed further Bulgarian military assistance to Ukraine, repeatedly arguing that the conflict has no military solution and calling for a “coalition for peace” focused on diplomacy.

Yotova, 62, took over the presidency in January, when Radev stepped down to run for parliament, and was seeking her own elected mandate. She's expected to continue Radev's policy of keeping Bulgaria on its European path while also supporting better relations with Russia and the lifting of sanctions.

Yotova's professional career began as a TV journalist in the 1990s. Later, she entered politics and was elected to the national parliament, and later the European Parliament, on the ticket of the Socialist party. In 2016 and 2021 she was elected as Radev's vice president.

Yotova shared her victory with Kiril Valchev, whom she had picked as vice president. Valchev, a 53-year-old lawyer and journalist, had led the official Bulgarian News Agency since 2021.

The Balkan country joined NATO in 2004 and the European Union in 2007. Although there is a broad consensus among the parties in parliament on the country's pro-Western path, widespread pro-Russia sentiment based on traditional historical and cultural ties with Russia has divided society, particularly since the start of Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Bulgaria's presidency is primarily ceremonial. Although the head of state has no executive powers and all major policies must be approved by parliament, direct election gives the president greater political authority. The president leads the armed forces and can veto legislation, signs international treaties and appoints ambassadors.

Presidents in Bulgaria are elected for a five-year term and can serve no more than two terms. Yotova is expected to be inaugurated on Jan. 22.

Toshkov writes for the Associated Press.

Adventurer finishes 28-year walk around world

restricted border zone in Panama.

KARL BUSHBY walks in Hull, England, completing his 31,000-mile journey, which included some swimming.

JON SUPER Associated Press

BUSHBY and his mom, Angela Bushby, embrace as he arrives to a hero's welcome.

LEON NEAL Getty Images

Jungles, deserts and tundra slowed him, but the biggest hurdles were bureaucratic.

BY BRIAN MELLEY AND JON SUPER

HULL, England — Karl Bushby embraced his weeping mother Monday as he returned to his northern England home to complete a 28-year odyssey to walk around the world.

“Where have you been?” his mother, Angela, asked as he arrived outside the home he left in 1998 that was now decked with a banner saying, “Welcome Home Son.”

He didn't need to tell her.

He didn't need to tell her. Bushby set out from Punta Arenas, Chile, on Nov. 1, 1998, and walked 31,000 miles across four continents and 30 countries to get home. He navigated shifting ice over the Bering Strait and swam across the Caspian Sea and English Channel to avoid taking a boat, plane or any transport to propel him forward. He vowed not to return until he could complete the journey on foot. It was an adventure full of danger and drudgery that was interrupted for years at a time by the unexpected: the 2008 financial crash that sapped funding from sponsors, the pandemic and mountains of red tape to get across borders.

On the final day of the journey, Bushby pushed his cart toward a hero's welcome at City Hall before setting off for the last stretch to see his mother.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” he joked to the crowd of hundreds who cheered his arrival. “Is that it, is it done?”

The ex-paratrooper said he looked as if he was 10 years old when he left his mother's row house at the age of 29. He returned at 57 — softer, grayer and weathered, but far more worldly.

"They say it takes a village but literally it took a world to get me here,"

Bushby said. "The kindness of strangers, so many, from individuals to nation states to get me back here today. I didn't do this alone. There was a big team. The biggest team. Earth."

Bushby had a thirst for adventure, but his mission came into focus only when his father, Keith, sent him a birthday card in the mid-'90s. His dad, an army veteran himself, mentioned an argument two special forces troops had about the possibility of walking from London to New York over the Bering land bridge, believed by some scientists to have been used by early humans to migrate from Asia to the Americas at a time of lower sea levels.

Perilous jungles, scorching deserts and frozen tundra slowed him down, but bureaucratic holdups brought his adventure to a halt for long periods.

Bushby originally calculated the distance could be covered in about five years,

but he knew that was unrealistic. "You just dump a whole bucket full of reality on that," he said. "We suspected that it was 12 years plus. And the plus was a big plus. But never in our wildest dreams would we ever have imagined 28 years."

He dodged Colombia's armed conflict in the dangerous Darién Gap between South and Central America in 2001, and was then jailed for 18 days after crossing a

After being airlifted to safety during the 56-mile Bering Strait crossing in 2006 with American adventurer Dimitry Kieffer, they started again and faced a standoff with a polar bear and survived near-death plunges into freezing waters. After crossing, the pair were jailed and faced deportation for entering Russia illegally.

It took Bushby almost 10 years to make his way through Russia because of visa struggles and weather that allowed travel only a few months a year. When Russia denied him a visa in 2012, Bushby walked in protest from Los Angeles to the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., which eventually led to his getting the proper paperwork.

During his journey, Bushby has met several times over the decades with family members. He reunited with Adam, his 36-year-old son from an early marriage whom he had rarely seen, and he met his 12-year-old granddaughter for the first time, which he said was amazing.

Bushby hadn't seen his mother in a decade, setting the stage for an emotional and somewhat awkward reunion captured by cameras.

“Behave yourself, mother,” he joked, as his mother wrapped her arms around him and wept. “Get yourself together.”

In the final days, Bushby spoke of his anxiety over the trip ending, not knowing what he'd do next and coming to terms with living in his mom's basement. "It's like stepping across the event horizon into a black hole," he said. "I have no idea what's about to happen in my life."

There will be plenty to do, with speaking engagements, a sequel to his memoir “Giant Steps” and a Werner Herzog documentary.

Melley and Super write for the Associated Press. Melley reported from London.

Japan preps for disaster with new agency

BY MARI YAMAGUCHI

TOKYO — Japan on Monday opened a national agency focused on disaster management to improve the country's preparedness if there's a megaquake along the Pacific coast or in Tokyo, or an eruption of Mt. Fuji.

More than 350 workers at the National Disaster Management Agency will oversee preparedness, emergency response and reconstruction efforts.

The agency was not created in anticipation of any specific calamity, but to address concerns about whether the nation is prepared for a crisis on the scale of the 2011 quake and tsunami in northern Japan, which killed nearly 20,000 people, and the subsequent Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Japan, which lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” is one of the most disaster-prone countries but it has never had an agency dedicated to the task.

"As the command center of disaster response, we will do everything to strengthen our preparedness to protect people's lives and property ... and aim to become the world's most prepared," Reconstruction Minister Goshi Hosono said. He will manage the agency headed by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

“Though we cannot prevent natural disasters, we can reduce damage by being prepared,” Takaichi told agency staff members at a launch ceremony.

RECONSTRUCTION Minister Goshi Hosono said Japan aimed “to become the world’s most prepared.”

KENZABURO FUKUHARA Kyodo News

Hosono on Monday is-

sued “emergency requests”

urging municipalities and

residents to check the quake

resistance of their homes,

make sure their furniture is

safely anchored, evaluate

their evacuation procedures

and stock up on water and

portable toilets for at least

three days.

“Please think about it for yourself and take action,” he said.

Hosono, who was the minister in charge of the Fukushima nuclear crisis, said he wants to use his expertise from the 2011 disaster to strengthen the agency.

A reconstruction agency was established to help northern Japan recover from the 2011 disaster, including support for decontamination and decommissioning at the Fukushima nuclear plant. Those efforts required long-term support, but there was no centralized disaster agency.

Less than half of municipal officials in Japan have received disaster management training in the last five years. Only 15% of municipalities have evacuation contingency plans for older residents and people with disabilities who require assistance, Hosono said.

Japan has relied on temporary disaster response units assembled from different ministries and departments, without a permanent cross-department command center.

Experts have warned of the possibility of major quakes in the coming decades and, although their specific timing and locations cannot be predicted, officials want people to be prepared.

The biggest worry is a megaquake linked to the Nankai Trough, an undersea trench in the Pacific off southeastern Japan, which could cause an estimated 298,000 deaths, force 6.5 million to evacuate and destroy 2.35 million homes, according to government assessments.

"If this actually hits, our future will be at stake," Hosono said.

The government also estimates nearly 200,000 deaths could result from a megaquake from two troughs off Japan's northern coasts. A separate major quake striking metropolitan Tokyo could cause an estimated 18,000 deaths, 4.1 million evacuees and the loss of 400,000 homes. A Mt. Fuji eruption could affect 790,000 people, disrupting transportation, power lines and key infrastructure, according to official estimates.

Japan has long been criticized for its poorly equipped evacuation centers, where people are typically crowded into gymnasiums, community centers and classrooms that lack adequate privacy, bedding, clean toilets or hot food — harsh environments that experts have linked to health problems and deaths.

The agency aims to change that by bringing in clean portable toilets, kitchens that can serve hot food, facilities for hot baths and cardboard beds.

The magnitude 9 earthquake and massive tsunami that hit northern Japan in March 2011 killed nearly 19,800 people, including 3,810 deaths linked to subsequent harsh living conditions.

In July, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck the southwestern prefecture of Kumamoto killed 38 people and destroyed or damaged more than 69,000 homes, leaving wide areas without water and power for weeks.

Under punishing heat, evacuees sheltered in gymnasiums and community centers that often lacked air conditioning. Many people shunned the shelters and stayed in their vehicles outside their homes or in parking lots.

Yamaguchi writes for the Associated Press.

Iran says it's waiting on U.S. response after tense weekend

BY CARA ANNA

JERUSALEM — The Middle East is bracing for a possible return to all-out war amid concerns that the United States and Israel could strike Iran shortly after Tuesday's U.S. midterm elections.

A regional official briefed on the talks said an Iranian delegation left Qatar on Sunday after negotiations aimed at reaching a deal to end the war. A draft proposal has been circulated for feedback, and a follow-up meeting is under discussion. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks.

Iran has expanded its threats but says it is awaiting the latest U.S. response. The latest proposal Iran has publicly discussed would fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping within two days if Washington meets several conditions, including lifting its blockade of Iranian ports.

Here's where things currently stand.

A 'very good' call

President Trump on Sunday evening told reporters he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a “very good” call on Saturday. He said they discussed Iran but gave no details.

Even before Netanyahu and his bloc of allies lost their majority in parliament in last week's election, there were growing fears that Netanyahu was pushing for new strikes against Iran in an effort to stay in power in an emergency government during renewed war.

Since Tuesday's election, the prime minister has publicly commented only on the vote.

There was no word from Netanyahu and his office on the latest call with Trump, who has continued to alternate between public comments about pursuing talks with Iran and threats to strike it hard.

"The standoff in the Gulf between the U.S. and Iran is really between Qatar and Israel," Andreas Krieg, a professor at King's College London, said on X. “Qatar is tirelessly working on a diplomatic offramp with the region's backing while Israel is looking for military ways to throw the region under the bus.”

Expanded threats

The Islamic Republic has stepped up its public messaging during the uncertainty, saying it is ready for both diplomacy and renewed fighting.

The new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, met with Iran's military chiefs and said the response to "any kind and level of threat" from the U.S. or Israel should be immediate and without "geographic limits," and urged an expansion of the list of potential targets.

Khamenei still has not been seen publicly since the opening strikes by Israel and the U.S. on Feb. 28 killed his father, the previous supreme leader.

Iran's security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, warned on X that any attack would bring “devastating blows on the aggressor using new weapons.”

In an interview with state television, Rezaei said “the tone has completely changed” from the U.S. and called it a “very good sign.” He gave no details about the letter he received from U.S. Vice President JD Vance, which Iran acknowledged last week, and said he had not responded.

Rezaei also said no decision had been made to change Iran's nuclear doctrine, though some Iranians had questioned whether it should change if the country were attacked again. Tehran has insisted its nuclear program is peaceful.

Washington seeks to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and wants to address the issue in any new talks. Iran wants to discuss it later.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was on a one-day visit to neighboring Turkmenistan on Monday, has said the final outcome depends on U.S. answers to the “Iranian

questions."

China offers help

More attacks on commercial ships were reported on the Strait of Hormuz during October, in the busiest month for reported assaults since March, during the war's opening weeks.

The mood was grim at the Manama Dialogue, an annual security summit in Bahrain organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

United Arab Emirates presidential advisor Anwar Gargash told attendees that “the rules of logic” show the U.S. and Iranian stances are far apart, and “if these positions are not bridged, then we have to worry about the worst.”

Gulf nations have spent billions of dollars to boost their defense capabilities since the war began. Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told the gathering in Bahrain that the next escalation “will be more dangerous, more destructive, and it will lead to nowhere.”

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova described reports of possible new strikes against Iran as “alarming.”

Meanwhile, China will send a special envoy to Iran, Oman and Saudi Arabia in early to mid-November, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters Monday. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also met with Ali Bagheri Kani, deputy secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council.

"The Middle East Gulf region should not become an arena for great-power rivalry and geopolitical conflict," Chinese President Xi Jinping told Oman's sultan, according to a readout from China's Foreign Ministry. China and Oman called for a return to dialogue.

Anna writes for the Associated Press. AP journalists Victoria Eastwood in Cairo, Kanis Leung in Hong Kong and Katie Marie Davies in London contributed to this report.

THE NATION

These races could predict how the night will go

Scott Olson Getty Images

ADAM GRAY Getty Images

JOSH TUREK, top, Democratic Senate candidate in Iowa, with congressional hopeful Lindsey James. Above, Bobby Pulido, Democrat in Texas' 15th District.

Democrats appear poised to make big gains. Here's when we'll find out more.

By Justine McDaniel

WASHINGTON — Americans are heading to the polls Tuesday in a historic set of midterm elections that will determine which party controls the chambers of Congress for the remainder of President Trump's time in office.

Democrats appear poised to make significant gains, with polling showing the party up between 7 and 11 points on the generic ballot. Republicans are braced for losses but hoping to hang on to Senate control.

The night's big question is whether a true wave will materialize for Democrats and how sizable it might be — how many U.S. House seats the party can flip, whether it can secure a Senate majority and whether Democrats take control of a majority of governorships.

The first polls close at 3 p.m. PST in parts of Kentucky and Indiana, and more Eastern states follow at 4 p.m. Here's a rundown of the possible outcomes and what to watch as Tuesday unfolds.

Who could control Congress?

\- Blue House, red Senate: Democrats could win a House majority — substantial or modest — while Republicans retain the Senate.

Split control of Congress would give House Democrats the ability to launch investigations into the Trump administration and block Republican legislative priorities. Senate Republicans would be able to scuttle legislation coming out of the House and continue approving Cabinet and judicial appointments, including to any openings on the Supreme Court. Legislative gridlock — and possible government shutdowns — would be likely.

ing party — as Trump and his allies have suggested is possible — the potential exists for prolonged uncertainty or a constitutional crisis.

When will we know the outcome?

The House majority could become clear before the night is over. The Senate majority could require a longer wait, particularly if it comes down to Alaska, which along with Hawaii is the last state to close polls, at 9 p.m. PST.

If the Democrats take the House, their full margin of victory probably won't be clear Tuesday night. Some key swing races are in states that have slower ballot counts, including California and Pennsylvania. If a blue wave does not materialize and the race for the House majority narrows, how each party makes out could take longer to ascertain.

Which races will provide early clues?

More than four dozen House races are competitive, including 18 that are considered toss-ups by forecaster Cook Political Report. The additional 35 races are considered competitive but leaning towards one party. Whether additional, less competitive seats flip unexpectedly will be one indication of how much of a “wave” election this is.

Seven Senate seats are toss-ups: Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Ohio and Texas. Three more are potentially competitive: South Carolina, which leans Republican, and Minnesota and New Hampshire, which lean Democratic under Cook's ratings.

North Carolina and Georgia, originally viewed as competitive seats, are now both seen by forecasters as fairly safe for Democrats.

The swing states could largely tip for Republicans or for Democrats, or the majority could come down to just a single race.

Experts say they're watching a handful of races that could provide early indicators for how the night may go, though predictions are always dicey and outliers are possible. Among the races to keep an eye on:

\- Kentucky's 6th: This Lexington-area U.S. House district has become an unexpected toss-up, and with the nation's earliest poll-closing time, it could be a bellwether. “If Democrats win that district, then it’s a Democratic tsunami,” said Christopher Warshaw, a Georgetown University public policy professor. “Even if it’s close, that would be pretty telling.”

\- Iowa's 2nd: Forecasters have shifted this race to a toss-up amid a difficult environment for state Republicans. If Republicans lose this seat — which belonged to Rep. Ashley Hinson, the party's Senate nominee — it could signal a blue wave on the bigger side.

\- New York's 17th: It's one of just three districts with a Republican incumbent that went blue in the 2024 presidential election, and the outcome of this close race could "tell us a lot," said Todd Belt, a George Washington University political science professor.

• Texas' 15th: This district offers a bellwether for Latino voters who moved right in 2024 but, signs indicate, may be shifting back to the left. The 34th and 35th districts in Texas could also be indicative.

• Michigan Senate: If the Democrats lose Michigan, their path to Senate control becomes difficult. A win in Michigan is a best-case scenario for Republicans seeking to retain Senate control. Without Michigan, Democrats would have to flip five out of six swing seats in Alaska, Texas, Ohio, Iowa, Kansas and South Carolina.

\- Maine Senate: If Democrat Troy Jackson wins in Maine, that will probably be a good sign for his party's chances at the Senate majority and their races in Michigan, Ohio and Iowa. Without it, Democrats could still take the majority, but Republicans' path will become easier.

\- Other states: If Democrats pull off wins in purple or red districts in Florida, Virginia and Pennsylvania, those could also signal a blue-leaning night.

Judge decries ‘weaponization’ of Justice Department

J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE Associated Press

PROSECUTORS accused the two officials of down-playing what they knew about Hunter Biden's laptop.

\- Total Democratic control: A larger “blue wave” could occur, sweeping up House seats for Democrats and tipping key Senate races in their favor to hand Democrats a majority in both chambers. The Senate majority would probably be very narrow and could come down to a single race.

Democrats would be able to block Senate confirmation of Cabinet and judicial appointments. They would be able to pass legislation, but Trump would hold veto power and the Democrats would be unlikely to secure veto-proof majorities on partisan priorities.

\- Wild cards: Most analysts agree there is very little chance that Republicans will keep House control.

The potential for civic unrest looms over the election. If results in one or more races are contested by a los-

Ruling tosses charges against ex-FBI officials accused of lying about Hunter Biden's laptop.

BY ERIC TUCKER

WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Monday dismissed a criminal complaint against two former FBI officials accused of lying to Congress about Hunter Biden, citing what he said was “weaponization” of President Trump’s Justice Department just before the midterm elections.

In a scathing, hourlong ruling read from the bench, U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui said the investigation that produced the charges against Nikki Floris

FOR THE RECORD

"Partita": In the Oct. 9 Entertainment section, a book review of Barbara King-solver's novel "Partita" placed the location of a character's school in Boston. The school is in Indiana.

were intentionally false and had affected lawmakers' investigation of Biden or that the former officials had any motive to deceive.

“Without motive, without direct evidence, I have nothing” to go on, Faruqui said, to establish probable cause needed to affirm the complaint.

Lawyers for Floris, who after the ruling hugged supporters outside the courtroom, said the “so-called prosecution was nothing more than a politically motivated smear campaign aimed at scoring political points before the midterm elections.”

"The charges brought under the clearly discredited authority of the Department of Justice should never have been brought in the first place," the attorneys said in a statement.

A 'witch hunt'

The dismissal followed a dramatic three-day hearing last week in which an FBI agent who had been assigned to investigate the case conceded that the inquiry had been regarded around his office as something of a “witch hunt” and that he himself had regarded it as a “huge distraction” from his ordinary case work.

The agent, Bryan Witt, said the investigation had been opened one day after a prime-time election security speech from Trump in which he rehashed long-standing grievances over his 2020 loss to Joe Biden, a Democrat. He said that the investigation was assigned to his Kansas City, Mo., office and that Patel, a close Trump ally, demanded and received constant updates — something Witt said was unusual.

Recounting the pressure to deliver that Witt said he operated under, Faruqui faulted the Trump administration for a rushed investigation that undermined the results.

"The rush to charge led to critical mistakes," he said. Among the errors the magistrate cited was that the complaint said the two officials had provided sworn testimony to the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee when they were not under oath.

The judge's concerns about the case were apparent almost immediately when he raised questions about why the Justice Department had charged the case through a criminal complaint — which is more typically done when investigators have a pressing need to take a defendant into custody — as opposed to an indictment that requires a grand jury's approval.

"It is self-evident that the U.S. attorney's office is avoiding taking this case to a grand jury," Faruqui said.

Last week, the Justice Department failed to secure a grand jury indictment against Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House staffer who provided dramatic but disputed testimony against Trump before a House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol insurrection.

Then, at a preliminary hearing last week, Faruqui criticized the Justice Department for filing overnight an amended complaint with an additional criminal charge straight to the docket instead of first clearing the new charge with the court — something he said he had never seen before.

Laptop questions

The case centers on a laptop that the Justice Department says Hunter Biden abandoned at a Wilmington, Del., computer repair shop in 2019. The laptop's existence was publicly disclosed in October 2020 with a New York Post article that reported on some of the laptop's contents.

Floris and Benavides were leaders of the FBI Foreign Influence Task Force, which was set up to monitor efforts by other countries to meddle in American politics but was disbanded last year by the Trump administration after years of Republican criticism.

The Justice Department accused them of falsely downplaying their knowledge of the laptop when they appeared before the House Judiciary Committee as it was conducting its own investigation of Biden's business dealings.

A prosecutor argued last week that the former officials may have had an incentive to minimize their knowledge of the laptop because Joe Biden was president at the time they were questioned and to distance themselves from the fact that the FBI task force did not publicly correct a narrative from some Democrats and former intelligence officials that the laptop might have been connected to Russian disinformation. Trump's then-intelligence director, John Ratcliffe, said after the laptop was publicized that there were no signs of foreign involvement.

Defense lawyers challenged that characterization. Faruqui said prosecutors had not identified a plausible motive for why the former officials might have made intentionally false statements.

Tucker writes for the Associated Press.

Dr. Rene Bravo, M.D.

Immediate Past President,

California Medical Association

Dr. Nicole Barnett

President, Planned Parenthood

Northern California Action Fund

"Proposition 40 is the wrong tax, structured the wrong way, and would only make California's budget problems worse." -LA Times Editorial, 9/6/2026

Voter concerns about meddling, propositions

[Poll, from A1]

The high level of fear in the state reflects the fact that registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans by nearly 2 to 1 in California.

While 58% of Democrats are not confident the election will be free of federal interference, 27% of Republicans feel the same way, according to the poll. Similarly, 85% of Democrats are worried about the vote count being halted, compared with 22% of Republicans. A majority of California voters not affiliated with either party also expressed fears of interference by the Trump administration.

Fears of federal interference

Nearly half of registered voters are not confident that this year's election in California will be free of federal interference.

Data may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies survey of 2,787 registered voters in California was conducted online Oct. 19 - 25. Responses have a sampling error of +/- 2.5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.

Concerns about vote count

A majority of registered California voters are concerned about the federal government stopping the vote count before California and other states finish processing ballots.

Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies

In addition, to highlight the unprecedented anxiety many California voters are feeling, the poll also shines a light on frustrations voters have with the state's ballot propositions. Among likely voters, 82% agree that the wording of this year's propositions made them hard to understand and 82% also agree that special interest groups have largely taken over which initiatives qualify.

cratic path to victory in the lower chamber will rely on Golden State voters.

LORENA IÑIGUEZ ELEBEE Los Angeles Times

LORENA IÑIGUEZ ELEBEE Los Angeles Times

"I think voters are reflecting the reality," Barreto said. "For the past month, the president and the Department of Justice have been attempting to directly interfere and take over California elections and voters are aware of that."

[Minorities especially alarmed] 'I think voters are reflecting the reality. For the past month, the president and the Department of Justice have been attempting to directly interfere.'

Black voters have the least amount of confidence that this year's election in California will be free of federal interference.

Data may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

LORENA IÑIGUEZ ELEBEE Los Angeles Times

Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies survey

— MATT BARRETO, director, UCLA Voting Rights Project

The Department of Justice has sued California requesting the state set aside some 20,000 ballots the federal government has flagged as being potentially from noncitizens. Federal prosecutors have threatened criminal actions against election officials who refuse to comply. On Monday, the Trump administration escalated its effort to discount the flagged California ballots to the Supreme Court, which rejected its request to set aside the ballots.

Over the weekend, Newsom sent a letter to U.S. District Court judges across California sharing his “grave concerns federal agents will seek search warrants to seize ballots and ballot materials before the election results are certified” and urging judges not to comply.

Newsom wrote that President Trump's history of weaponizing the Department of Justice to carry out his partisan agenda supports "legitimate concerns about further attempts to disenfranchise voters and undermine election integrity." Newsom said this could include an attempt to prevent the certification of California's election.

Concerns have also been raised about the presence of immigration agents around voting centers and performing door knocks and street stops to try to identify voter fraud.

Court rulings have recently dealt a series of blows to the Trump administration's efforts to intervene in the state's voting process. Nonetheless, distress over election integrity remains extremely high, according to the poll.

Fears of federal meddling in the election are slightly higher among voters of color; 64% of Black voters and 54% of Latino voters said they are not confident the election will be free of interference, compared with 44% of white non-Hispanic voters, according to the poll.

Voters of color tend to lean more liberal, but the historic and ongoing efforts to disenfranchise minorities probably also contribute to this disparity, Barreto said.

Black voters have been a target of voter suppression efforts from the post-Civil War Reconstruction era through the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, he said. More recently, the Trump administration has singled out Latino Californians, accusing them of being noncitizens and voting illegally.

Professor Eric Schickler, co-director of the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, described the level of alarm over election integrity in California and across the nation as without precedent.

He noted that both parties are distrustful about different things, with Republicans focused on allegations of fraudulent voting and Democrats fearful that the federal government may attempt to overturn results.

The last time America saw extreme political polarization paired with widespread claims of illegitimacy over election outcomes was during the Reconstruction era in the late 19th century, when there were widespread accusations of voter suppression in the South and of people voting illegally in the

North, he said.

In addition, 62% of likely voters feel that there are too many propositions on this year's ballot. There are 14 statewide propositions, with many voters also seeing additional initiatives at a county and city level.

“That hasn’t happened really in the United States for well over a century now,” Schickler said, “so what we’re seeing now is really unusual, especially for a modern and long-lived democracy.”

Schickler said his highest level of concern with possible federal efforts to halt California's vote count would be with congressional races. A handful of California races could play a pivotal role in deciding which party takes control of the House of Representatives. However, he said current polling data do not indicate that a Demo-

"The initiative is meant to be an outlet for voters when special interest groups lead legislators to fail to respond to their concerns," Schickler said. "But now most voters believe the initiative process is itself too beholden to special interests."

In the last 20 years, California's ballot initiative campaigns have become increasingly controlled by large corporations or union groups. Part of this is due to the fact that it takes at least \$50 million to run an effective campaign capable of reaching the state's 23 million registered voters, making it challenging, but not impossible, to run a grassroots campaign, Barreto said.

The poll surveyed 2,787 registered voters in California from Oct. 19 to 25 in English and Spanish and has an overall estimated margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points. Among likely voters, the estimated margin of error is about 3 percentage points in either direction.

Times staff writer Kevin Rector contributed to this report.

Justices reject Trump bid to review 20,000 state ballots

AN EARLY voter holds a ballot and Day of the Dead marigolds last week in L.A.

MARIO TAMA Getty Images

[Justices, from A1]

Gen. Rob Bonta said. “We will remain vigilant and keep fighting back against federal efforts to undermine our democracy.”

The decision left no clear path forward for the Trump administration's demands that the ballots be set aside in time to preclude their counting, which Justice Department attorneys appeared to acknowledge.

Shortly before the Supreme Court's order, First Assistant U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli, the lead prosecutor in L.A. who argued the case before the lower district court, said the government's lawsuit would essentially be "moot" if intervention wasn't prompt. "The time for action is now," he said.

The administration previously lost before a federal judge in L.A. and twice at the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. Those judges said Trump's lawyers were wrong on the Constitution — that it reserved power over elections to the states and Congress, not the executive — and that their complaint came too late for this election.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom blasted the administration's appeal as baseless after repeated losses in the lower courts, and the government's claim of an emergency as dubious given its own actions in recent days.

“Trump and his administration have never understood what ‘NO’ means, and it appears after being told ‘NO’ three times last week they’re still unsure. After they sat on this for more than three days, they now ask for ‘emergency’ relief on the eve of the election," Newsom wrote on X. "Just another reason their claims are bogus."

After the Supreme Court's order, Newsom simply wrote: "Justice is served."

In May, more than 23 million Californians were registered to vote, with registered Democrats outnumbering registered Republicans nearly 2 to 1. Still, Trump claimed without evidence last week that “there are hundreds of thousands of bad ballots, bad votes, in California. Millions, in my opinion.”

More than 6.4 million ballots had already been cast as of Sunday, according to California Secretary of State Shirley Weber's office. Those ballots are already being counted, per California law.

In mid-October, the Trump administration sued and said federal courts should require California and Los Angeles County to “set aside vote-by-mail ballots from persons identified by the federal government likely to be non-citizens.”

The lawsuit was filed just days after Justice Department officials gave Weber and Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan a 48-hour deadline to begin cooperating with federal authorities by setting set aside ballots from about 20,000 voters the administration had determined may not be citizens.

Weber, Logan and a host of voter advocacy groups and election experts have questioned the reliability of the administration's list, which was compiled using a mix of voter data purchased from California and taken from commercial platforms, according to administration officials.

County officials and analysts with the UCLA Voting Rights Project have said the lists encompass U.S. citizens and others who are not registered to vote. A Justice Department attorney, in a separate case Monday, acknowledged the lists have a “high error rate.”

Attorneys for the state argued that complying with the administration's demands while voting is already underway would be impossible without causing widespread disruptions to the election and would disenfranchise legitimate voters incorrectly swept up into the administration's unreliable lists.

Justice Department officials emphasized that they were asking only for ballots from the flagged voters to be set aside while state and federal authorities work together to determine whether the voters are citizens — something they have said could be accomplished relatively quickly if the state would comply with its requests to collaborate.

They also said emergency intervention from the courts was necessary because California law allows ballots to be counted before election day, and once a ballot is cast in person or removed from its mail envelope, it cannot be resegregated from the vote total.

Federal law says that within 90 days of an election, officials may not “systematically remove the names of ineligible voters from the official lists of eligible voters.”

Separately, the Supreme Court also has repeatedly frowned on “late-breaking, court-ordered rule changes” involving elections.

Usually, federal laws are deemed to be the “supreme law” and override state laws that are in conflict. No one disputes that U.S. prosecutors may bring criminal fraud charges against non-citizens who violate a federal law by registering with a state to vote and casting an illegal ballot.

But election rules and procedures are different. The Constitution says “the Times, Places and Manner of holding elections for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed in each state,” unless Congress acts by law to “alter” its regulations.

The 9th Circuit judges in Friday's opinion referenced that constitutional divide.

"If the United States believes different procedures are necessary for vote-by-mail ballots, we believe it should take that suggestion to Congress, not the courts," said Judges Mark J. Bennett, a Trump appointee, and Gabriel P. Sanchez, a Biden appointee.

ICE officer surrenders, accused of ramming man with SUV

He appears in Texas court on felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

BY ANNA WILDER AND JACK BROOK

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer accused of intentionally ramming his car into a Mexican construction worker in Houston turned himself in

Monday, his attorney said.

Mario Alberto Morales made his first court appearance on a felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for striking Miguel Parra Hernandez with an unmarked SUV on Oct. 10, as Morales chased the 48-year-old construction worker through a parking lot. A grand jury indicted Morales, 33, on Friday.

During Monday's hearing in Texas, Judge Matthew Peneguy set bond at \$30,000. Prosecutors had asked that bond be set at \$75,000, according to the Harris County district attorney's office.

Morales is one of just a few federal officers who have faced criminal charges over their actions on the job during President Trump's immigration crackdown. Other encounters have come under investigation.

ICE has asserted that Parra Hernandez ran in front of Morales' vehicle, an account that prosecutors say is contradicted by video. Surveillance camera video shows Morales' vehicle drive over a median and strike Parra Hernandez as he runs away.

David Lindenmuth, Morales' attorney, has said his client was "truly a good man" and did not commit a crime.

Parra Hernandez broke a leg and is recovering at a rehabilitation facility while in federal custody, according to Harris County Dist. Atty. Sean Teare.

Morales had worked as an ICE Enforcement and

Removal Operations officer for a little more than a year, Lindenmuth said. He unsuccessfully ran for Congress this year and previously served in the Army.

Morales was charged with a misdemeanor in 2013 for allegedly stealing four DVDs, according to Harris County court records. Those charges were dismissed under a plea deal in which he paid a \$270 fine.

Wilder and Brook write for the Associated Press.

Dissenting Judge Patrick J. Bumatay, a Trump appointee, called the administration's proposal to separate the 20,000 ballots a "reasonable request" and a "modest remedy" for the problem of illegal voting.

The majority cited a 2013 opinion written by the late Justice Antonin Scalia.

"The Elections Clause functions as a default provision," he wrote. "It invests the states with responsibility for the mechanics of congressional elections," unless Congress adopts a different rule.

Scalia spoke for a 7-2 majority that rejected an Arizona law that required voters to show documentary proof of their citizenship when registering to vote. In the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, Congress said voters may register to vote by filling out a form and attesting under oath they are citizens.

California does the same under state law.

Scalia said the federal voter registration law did not allow Arizona to adopt new and stricter rules.

In dissent, conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. said they would go further to protect the states from federal interference in elections.

“Given states’ exclusive authority to set voter qualifications and to determine whether those qualifications are met,” Thomas said, the Arizona restriction should have been upheld.

"The Constitution reserves for the States the power to decide who is qualified to vote in federal elections," Alito added.

Election law experts had slammed the Justice Department's attempted intervention in California's election and had predicted a loss before the high court.

"The Supreme Court should and I believe will reject the administration's nervy last-minute attempts to meddle in California's elections," said Walter Olson at the libertarian Cato Institute. "Mar-a-Lago, which has been calling the shots on this, needs to get this through its head: unless and until Congress provides clear legal guidance to the contrary, the Constitution reserves these decisions to the states."

Times staff writer Brittny Mejia contributed to this report.

California gears up for election interference from the U.S.

Newsom and others warn of maneuvers such as potential ballot seizures.

BY KEVIN RECTOR

AND BRITTNY MEJIA

Top officials in California are bracing for unprecedented election interference from the Trump administration in coming days, including potential ballot seizures.

They are warning the public about such actions in striking messages casting President Trump and U.S. Department of Justice officials as threats to the vote and to American democracy. They have begged federal judges to reject warrant requests and hold the line against lawless probes. They have deployed armies of election lawyers and volunteer monitors, particularly to areas where congressional races could be close.

“California is dead serious about the security of [Tuesday's] midterm elections. If Trump tries to meddle with California's ballots, you can be sure as hell that we'll prosecute those who help him,” Gov. Gavin New-som said Monday. “Californians deserve a free and fair election, and that is exactly what we'll deliver.”

Those efforts, echoing others from Democrats in Congress and liberal officials in other political battlegrounds, are like nothing seen before in the U.S., and in response to an equally extraordinary campaign by the Trump administration to intervene in state-run elections based on claims — espoused by Trump for years — that voting in places such as California has been corrupted by widespread fraud.

On Monday, Justice Department officials redoubled their effort to block about 20,000 California ballots from voters who they allege may be noncitizens by appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court, after lower courts rejected the request — and as another judge in a separate challenge barred them Monday from demanding California officials segregate the same ballots. The Supreme Court denied the request.

POLL WORKER Zoie Balbin observes a voter casting a ballot at the Hammer Museum in L.A. on Saturday.

GENARO MOLINA Los Angeles Times

They and local partners also rolled out criminal charges against seven non-citizens accused of illegally voting or registering — bringing the total number of lawful permanent residents recently charged with election-related offenses in the state to 35.

Beyond California, the Trump administration is trying to preemptively negate any win by the Democrat in the Alaska Senate race, based on claims that the presence on ballots of a third candidate with the same name as incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) is confusing voters.

The incumbent senator is identified as such on the ballot, and Alaska courts have already rejected similar challenges. A federal judge dismissed the administration's suit Sunday.

The White House and the Justice Department have said that they are simply trying to ensure American citizens' votes aren't diluted by illegitimate votes from non-citizens, and that Democrats aren't able to steal the Alaska race by intentionally confusing voters.

But Democratic leaders have alleged the lawsuits are part of a broader Trump administration effort to establish a “pretext” to challenge the outcome of Tuesday’s midterm elections if they don’t like the results.

On Saturday, Newsom wrote to federal district court judges across the state, urging them to deny any Trump administration requests for judicial warrants that would allow them "to seize ballots, election records, or certified voting technology while an election is underway and before the results are certified."

Newsom wrote that he has “grave concerns” that federal agents will “quickly pivot” to making such requests in criminal courts given their mounting losses on other fronts.

The state's “strict chain of custody, documentation, and retention laws related to ballots and ballot materials ensure any evidence of alleged wrongdoing tied to ballots or ballot materials is preserved and appropriately supervised by a court, so there is no legitimate law enforcement reason to seize ballots, ballot materials, and equipment needed to process and tabulate ballots,” Newsom wrote.

Elections experts point to the administration's many losses in court as evidence that its efforts are not working, and said most voters won't experience any problems with casting their ballots.

They said they do have concerns about future efforts by the administration to intervene, including through dramatic steps such as ballot seizures, but whether it takes such steps may hinge on whether the balance of power in the House or Senate depends on the outcome of a small enough number of close races.

In announcing the latest charges, First Assistant U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli, the top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, and San Luis Obispo County Dist. Atty. Dan Dow said the fight is not partisan. Six of the charges were federal; the seventh was brought by Dow locally.

Dow, the county's district attorney since 2014 who has denied previous claims that he harbors anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant sentiments, last week announced that he was investigating a subset of "63 suspected non-citizens registered to vote" in the county from the broader federal list of 20,000 names statewide.

He said California's system, which requires registering voters to attest to the fact that they are citizens, is an “honor system” that doesn't work.

One of those charged federally was Moria Dahan, 35, an Israeli national living in West Hills. Dahan was charged with making false statements on her naturalization application to become a U.S. citizen. Prosecutors alleged she illegally registered to vote, voted in person in 2024, and later falsely stated on naturalization papers, under penalty of perjury, that she had never claimed to be a U.S. citizen or registered to vote in a U.S. election.

Tiffany Feder, Dahan's attorney, described the issue as a mix-up, and said her client never intended to illegally participate in voting. She said Dahan “was targeted through a very extensive scheme to induce her to register and vote,” and like other green card holders with limited English skills, believed the forms she was filling out were official and required.

"The truth is that the moment we discovered this, at her interview, we promptly withdrew her application for naturalization," Feder said.

California has more than 23.4 million registered voters

— meaning the 20,000 flagged individuals would account for less than one-tenth of $1\%$ of all voters in the state, and the 35 charged a tiny sliver of that. State officials and election experts have pointed to the small numbers of arrests, despite a sweeping probe to find such voters by Essayli and others, as proof such fraud is rare.

Essayli argued the exact opposite Monday — saying the charges were just a “sampling” from the broader list of 20,000 individuals, and part of an effort to force state officials to take that list seriously by moving forward with local law enforcement partners such as Dow instead of waiting on the courts.

"Our goal is not to charge all 20,000 people," Essayli said. "Our goal is to get California to not count the votes of noncitizens."

Trump would have ways to stymie Democratic Congress

JACQUELYN MARTIN Associated Press

PRESIDENT Trump has suggested he's expecting and gearing up for a blue wave.

[Trump, from A1] [10] Dershowitz, a professor emeritus at Harvard and a lawyer to Trump during his first Senate impeachment trial.

“This is a good thing,” he added, “leaving ultimate accountability to the voters, who are the ultimate check in a democracy.”

Norm Eisen, who served as chief ethics lawyer for President Obama and counsel for the House Judiciary Committee during Trump's first impeachment trial, acknowledged the Trump administration is likely to aggressively resist Democratic investigations.

"To be sure, those in the government may resist," Eisen said, "but the incredible scale of corruption over the past 20 months has also implicated a wide variety of those in the private sector. They will cooperate because the consequences for not doing so are too great."

Democratic control will also challenge the expansive vision of presidential power that Trump and his closest aides have successfully advanced since the 2024 cam-

paign.

Project 2025 — a conservative effort pioneered by Trump allies that ultimately

joined the administration — embraced a sweeping theory of unitary power, under which the president would exercise near-total control over the executive branch, including the Justice Department.

A conservative Supreme Court, featuring three Trump appointees, has endorsed key elements of that theory, affirming broad presidential authority to remove executive officials and granting presidents absolute immunity for exercising their core constitutional powers, along with presumptive immunity for other official acts.

Practical limits on the oversight powers of a Democratic Congress already have some leaders thinking of other, coercive means of using congressional power to exact accountability.

A Cabinet fleeing for the campaign trail, or for the safety of the private sector, may create a series of openings that will be difficult for Trump to fill with a Democratic majority in the Senate, said Andrew Rudalevige, a professor of government at Bowdoin College

‘We gave it a very strong shot’: Trump wraps campaign

[Message, from A1] turnout, outpacing the last midterm election cycle, a trend that could mean bad news for Republicans. If a Democratic surge materializes, party leaders have vowed to use their potential congressional powers to investigate Trump and his family's business dealings, with a focus on alleged corruption and economic harm to the American people.

Trump told Fox News on Sunday that if Democrats win control of both chambers he will “become Mr. Veto” and “make deals” with them, but hopes he won’t have to “worry about that.”

On the eve of the election, Trump's message once again seemed to acknowledge that possibility, but his focus was largely on the numerous beautification projects his administration is leading in the nation's capi-

tal.

His final pitch to voters was made in front of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, a landmark his administration has spent months trying, and at times failing, to repair. For the first 20 minutes, he did not mention the election at all. Instead, he flipped through photos of the damaged pool, describing in detail how crews resurfaced and re-caulked its granite, and worked to address the “tremendous algae” that covered the pool.

“Look, it is not an easy thing. The algae is brutal. It forms easily and I don't think you'll see too much,” Trump said as he showed a picture of the algae layered over the water. “The green, that's not grass, that's algae. It took over the entire pool.”

The renovation has not gone as promised. When he took on the project in April, he said contractors he knew would refinish the pool within weeks for about \$1.5 million. The work wrapped up behind schedule at more than 10 times that cost, after algae blooms and a peeling blue liner forced crews to drain it again in July. Trump blamed vandals for the issues, but federal prosecutors in Washington attributed the problems to shoddy workmanship.

Trump spent time listing numerous other renovation projects around the capital, arguing that the construction work shows how his presidency is delivering for the American people.

"Our country is strong, respected and prosperous once more and our capital is cleaner and safer and more spectacular than ever," Trump said.

His focus on renovation projects drew the attention of Democrats, who argued his message was out of touch with what American voters want from leaders now.

"This is just [what] the median voter wants to hear — an update on various capital improvement projects in the District of Columbia," Ashley Schapitl, a former Biden Treasury official, posted on X.

It was not the first time Democrats had poked fun at the president for being too focused on construction projects. At a rally last week, former President Obama said Trump “should be on HGTV,” ridiculing his ballroom project and the changes he has made to the Rose Garden and the Oval Office.

"He has the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory," Obama said. "There's just gold everywhere."

Trump has bristled at such criticism, insisting that renovations relax him and that he gets them done quickly.

His message on Monday struck a similarly dismissive tone as in other campaign events. Even as voters say they are struggling with the cost of living, Trump has insisted the economy is “booming” and brushed off higher gas prices as a “very small price to pay” for the war in Iran.

The contrast was on display over the weekend at a glitzy Halloween party at Mar-a-Lago, the president's private club in Florida. As hundreds gathered in the club's ballroom, eating Alaskan king crab and caviar, Trump showed off the crowd to reporters.

“Look at all my rich members,” Trump told reporters. “They spent all day getting ready. Look at these guys.”

and author of “The New Imperial Presidency.”

“Trump doesn’t have a huge legislative agenda, but there are some things he wants,” Rudalevige said. “Those can be held up. And relatedly, Democrats could embrace the power of the purse, since the budget is the one bill that needs to pass.”

Already, several Democratic House members are debating whether to demand the resignation of Pete Hegseth, Trump's embattled Defense secretary, as a condition of further appropriations funding for the department in its pursuit of war with Iran, the political newspaper the Hill first reported last month.

Democrats may find it difficult to hold the administration accountable for past actions, much of which are already being litigated in federal courts, said Peter Kastor, history department chair at Washington University in St. Louis.

The larger question, he said, is how the two parties could govern together — particularly if Trump defies congressional authority, such as by impounding funds appropriated by lawmakers.

“I think it will be extremely difficult for Democrats to take any action to punish the administration for its actions until now, much as Democrats may want this,” Kastor said, suggesting the greatest wild card may lie not in Democratic strategy, but in the actions of a Republican minority.

"The big question is not whether they will desert Trump," he added, "but rather what role they would see for themselves as a minority caught in the middle of a grand political battle."

In an interview with the New York Post, Trump suggested he is expecting a wave, stating he will “become Mr. Veto” if Democrats sweep control.

But a president who long viewed concession as weakness may now have to pivot.

"At some point, we'll probably make deals," he added.

LEARNING

STUDENTS at Covenant Christian Academy take in a lesson during chapel at the private school in Colleyville, Texas, in August.

LM OTERO Associated Press

Classical Christian schools get taxpayer lift

Conservatives are banding together to grow the private religious institutions by leveraging new scholarships

BY TIFFANY STANLEY

HURST, Texas — Keith Castello spends a lot of time praying about available real estate. Driving in his white pickup under a glaring Texas sun, the classical Christian school administrator points out empty office parks, a shopping mall and an old church — all locations he is scouting for new Christian schools.

Demand is booming, he says. And part of that demand comes from a new state incentive: taxpayer money for kids who attend Christian schools.

This summer, Texas began rolling out \$1 billion in public funding that eligible families can put toward private education expenses. Republican-controlled state legislatures around the country have approved a cascade of similar programs in the last six years, alarming public school advocates.

These programs mean half of school-age children in the United States are now eligible to apply for state money to attend private schools. In the U.S., most private schools are religious. Securing public money for them raises issues over church-and-state separation but fulfills a long-standing goal for Christian conservatives, who lobbied for this funding.

"I have been praying for 28 years for things that are coming to fruition right now," said Castello, who is launching three classical Christian schools this fall under his Kyrie Christian Academy brand.

Those suburban Texas schools are part of a larger network, the Assn. of Classical Christian Schools, or ACCS, which has ties to the Trump administration and was founded by Doug Wilson, a conservative Idaho pastor and writer. The schools offer a liberal arts education, with an added emphasis on virtue and a biblical worldview.

The annual classical Christian schools conference in June in Atlanta buzzed with talk of the historic shift in school funding, which bolsters a conservative Christian push to remake the education landscape. Critics worry that it will drain public schools, which educate students of all religious backgrounds and political persuasions. When students leave their public school, state money allocated to educate each student goes away too.

Expansion fueled by public funds

Conservatives are banding together to leverage these expanding taxpayer-funded scholarships. Last year, ACCS formed a coalition with some powerful conservative groups, including Turning Point Education and the Heritage Foundation. Their goal is to convert or create 5,000 new classical Christian schools in the next decade with 1.5 million students nationwide.

The aim, ACCS President David Goodwin said, is to take a share of public funding and educate future leaders through Christian schools. “It sounds like a very ambitious goal, but this money has never been there before,” he said.

The Assn. of Classical Christian Schools calls its campaign the "Battle for the American School." It's a riff on the 2022 bestselling book Goodwin co-wrote with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who sent his children to ACCS schools before joining President Trump's Cabinet. Their book, "Battle for the American Mind," extols classical education and critiques the prevailing public school model.

Hegseth remains a booster: The Pentagon recently introduced a form of classical education into government-run schools on military bases.

The ACCS version of classical Christian education is proudly erudite: The Oxford-educated Christian writer C.S. Lewis is a lodestar, and students study the “great books.” Its teaching methods draw from ancient and medieval sources with a strong focus on Western Christian history.

Roots in Christian nationalism

The schools have their roots in a radical source. Wilson is a self-described Christian nationalist who has made headlines for preaching at a Pentagon worship service and advocating for the repeal of women's voting rights. For more than four decades, he has been a pioneer in classical Christian education.

In 1981, he helped start the Logos School in Moscow, Idaho, one of the first in the modern classical Christian movement. He founded ACCS in 1994.

At the June conference, Wilson told a packed ballroom of 1,000 ACCS leaders that they can't opt out of the culture wars.

Education is “the central cultural battle,” he said. He repeated for emphasis the refrain: “Classical Christian education is a hot center of the conflict of our time.”

On a Wednesday in August, the school year begins at Covenant Christian Academy, an ACCS school in the Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs. Well-behaved children in lower grades file into chapel in the cafeteria, all wearing blue oxford shirts, the girls in blue-and-white plaid skirts and dresses. The principal gives a talk on the virtue of prudence.

By the time these students are in fifth grade, they will study Latin, in a building where bulletin boards now feature quotes from Cicero and St. Augustine. In their final year, they will present a senior thesis. Most will go on to college, many at public universities, some at Christian colleges.

Castello was at Covenant Christian Academy for 20 years. While he was headmaster, the academy expanded its campus and grew from 275 students to more than 600. Though he is a product of public schools — good ones, he's quick to note — he is now a foot soldier in this battle for private education.

When he began his teaching career after seminary, he loved how academics came alive at schools such as Covenant: "Every class was grounded on the word of God, it was rooted in truth, it was meant to be transformative in the lives of students."

But private schools can be financially out of reach for families. It was a struggle for Castello and his wife to afford Covenant for their two sons. He knew most members of his Southern Baptist church could not pay the tuition, now around \$20,000, so he helped raise scholarship money and ramped up financial aid.

Now that Texas offers money for private school tuition, he encourages parents to use it.

Pandemic fueled network's growth

ACCS is an accrediting body and the oldest network of classical Christian schools. Its membership includes about 500 schools, but it has grown by nearly 200 schools since 2019. Goodwin credits a COVID-19 pandemic-era mistrust of public education, when debates ignited over school closures, books, race, sexuality and gender identity.

Not all ACCS schools accept government money, but many that do now advertise state funding options on their websites.

“What we’re trying to do is take enough of the public school share that we can change the country’s direction with powerful leadership coming out of these classical Christian schools,” Goodwin said in a promotional video.

Wilson can be a provocateur, suggesting homosexuality should be criminalized and criticizing Muslim immigration to the U.S. His Idaho church prefers heads of households, usually men, to vote. He describes his politics as “slightly to the right” of Confederate Gen. Jeb Stuart.

Castello labels some of Wilson's statements as "vilely offensive." He compares Wilson to a family elder, one who deserves respect but also has some reprehensible views.

ACCS is less pugilistic than its founder. It includes socially conservative Christians across denominations and hasn't adopted Wilson's more fringe beliefs. Schools agree to a statement of faith, including that same-sex relationships and gender transitions are off-limits, but families may not be aware of Wilson's teachings or influence. He still advises the ACCS board, though, and his books are required reading in some of its schools.

Stanley writes for the Associated Press.

Kids' caffeine use raises health concerns in schools

CHEYANNE MUMPHREY Associated Press

CAFFEINE pouches look and work like nicotine sachets, delivering stimulants through mouth tissue.

BY CHEYANNE MUMPHREY

Coffee, energy drinks and soda are not the only ways young people are getting their caffeine fix. Another product catching the attention of health experts, school officials and parents doesn't come in a cup or a can. It comes in a pouch.

Caffeine pouches, small packets placed in the mouth between the lip and gum, are marketed as a portable and discreet way to boost energy and focus. Some contain as much as 200 milligrams of caffeine or about the amount in two cups of coffee, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Health experts warn that consuming too much caffeine can cause serious side effects, including increased heart rate, especially in children and teens.

The pouches closely resemble nicotine products, raising concerns among school officials about student health and the difficulty of distinguishing between the products. Some K-12 school districts across the U.S. have responded by banning them, even though there is no federal minimum purchase age for caffeine pouches.

Here's what to know about the pouches, their potential risks and how schools are responding.

A potentially strong dose within minutes

Caffeine is a stimulant that increases alertness, energy and brain activity. It can be safe for most healthy people in moderate amounts. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said amounts up to about 400 milligrams per day, roughly two to three 12-ounce cups of coffee, are not generally associated with health problems.

Caffeine pouches are small packets designed to release caffeine through the tissues in the mouth. The amount in each pouch depends on the brand.

The main concern is consumption by children. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, caffeine from the pouches is absorbed into the bloodstream and the effects are felt in minutes.

The pouches do not require spitting and are sold in multiple flavors, such as coffee, mint, fruit and seasonal options like pumpkin spice. Some health officials worry they can be mistaken for candy or gum.

Unlike with caffeinated beverages, children and teens may use caffeine pouches more discreetly. The pouches are sometimes referred to on social media as lip pillows, lip cushions and upper or lower deckies, depending on where they are placed in the mouth.

Consumer trade groups and caffeine pouch makers, including ALP Pouch, declined to speak to the Associated Press about the products.

Kids may lose track of total consumption

Health organizations, including Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, say too much caffeine can cause significant side effects, including tremors, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, seizures and other complications. Caffeine can remain in the body for more than eight hours depending on the person's metabolism, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics' Committee on Nutrition.

When the effects of caffeine wear off, people can experience headaches, irritability and tiredness.

The academy says avoiding caffeine is the best choice for children.

Caffeine pouches may worsen anxiety and sleep problems among teenagers, said Rob van Dam, a professor of exercise and nutrition sciences at George Washington University in Washington.

Health experts also worry that teenagers may lose track of their total caffeine consumption, particularly when combining pouches with energy drinks and other caffeinated foods and beverages.

Parents concerned about excessive caffeine consumption can contact the Poison Control Center Hotline at (800) 222-1222. Seizures, difficulty breathing, collapse or severe heart-related symptoms warrant emergency medical attention, experts say.

K-12 schools taking different measures

Nearly two-thirds of young people ages 12 to 19 consumed caffeine on a given day, according to a July report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Their average daily intake was about 31 milligrams, far less than the amount found in some caffeine pouches.

Some K-12 schools have taken precautionary measures to restrict use, such as banning caffeine pouches altogether. It remains unclear whether usage is increasing among American students, although some schools have reported seeing more of the products on campus.

School districts in New York, Kansas, Pennsylvania and Missouri have included caffeine pouches in student conduct policies or prohibited their use on campus. Other schools, including Onsted Middle School in Michigan and North Middle School in Wisconsin, have warned families to leave the products at home.

Holton High School in Kansas says staffers cannot reliably determine what substances are inside the pouches, so they prohibit the products under its rules against tobacco and simulated tobacco products. Violations could result in disciplinary action or citations from law enforcement.

In New York, Peru Central School District officials raised concerns about the nearly identical appearance of caffeine and nicotine pouches during a May 2025 school board meeting. The district now prohibits caffeine pills and pouches on school grounds.

"The real issue for us as a school, in the middle and high schools in particular, is that when students are using pouches it's impossible for us to know what the pouch is," Joha Battin, associate director of student services for the school district, said at the meeting.

Federal nutrition standards generally prohibit schools from selling caffeinated beverages to elementary and middle school students during the day, but those rules do not restrict what students bring from home, leaving districts to decide whether caffeine pouches belong in classrooms and how to enforce restrictions on products that closely resemble nicotine pouches.

Mumphrey writes for the Associated Press.

BUSINESS

Fox News ratings dip blamed on ‘viewer fatigue’

FOX NEWS lost viewers last month while competitors gained. Above, at the recent GOP convention in Dallas.

JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON Associated Press

October audience fell 28% from 2025 period, but Murdoch says the business is still strong.

BY STEPHEN BATTAGLIO

As President Trump tries to convince voters to maintain the Republican majority in the House and Senate ahead of Tuesday's midterm elections, some Fox News viewers are taking a break.

That's what Lachlan Murdoch, executive chairman and chief executive of Fox Corp., believes is behind the steep October ratings drop for the conservative-leaning cable news channel. Fox News, which often draws more viewers in prime time than some broadcast networks, saw its October audience levels drop $28\%$ compared with a year ago, according to Nielsen. Its total day audience among viewers ages 25 to 54 fell to 98,000, the lowest monthly level in 25 years.

"The business is in incredibly good shape and we're very proud of the team," Murdoch told analysts Monday on the company's quarterly earnings call. "What we are seeing, though, is some viewer fatigue where our viewers have gone through some incredible news cycles the last few years."

Murdoch noted that Fox News suffers in a year-to-year comparison with a 2025 news cycle that included President Trump's inauguration, and the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, which spiked the network's ratings last fall.

Murdoch also said Fox News viewers are not switching to MS NOW or CNN and are instead watching slightly less television. But both of those networks gained viewers in October, which suggests the fatigue is not being felt across all of cable news.

Even with the ratings decline, Fox News says it is on pace for its highest-rated midterm year in total day viewers. The network's total day average was 1.1 million viewers in October, down from 1.5 million a year earlier.

Politically minded viewers tuning out when their side is struggling has happened at the other end of the political spectrum. Progressive-leaning MS NOW, formerly known as MSNBC, saw its ratings drop sharply in the months after Trump's victory over then-Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election that returned him to the White House.

The Fox News ratings slide had no effect on the parent company's earnings, which were strong in its fiscal first quarter, thanks to the record-setting audience levels for the FIFA World Cup and robust political ad sales on its TV stations. Fox News' audience also declined during that quarter, and the company reported lower digital news advertising revenue.

Fox News has slightly more than a 50% share of the combined audience for the three major cable news channels and remains the dominant leader over CNN and MS NOW, both of which gained viewers last month. Fox News also has broadened its base of advertisers in recent years and benefits from negotiated increases in revenue from cable and satellite providers that carry the channel.

Murdoch said Fox News saw a similar ratings dip during the 2006 midterm campaign when then-President George W. Bush was in his second term. (Republican viewers also were turned off by the Bush administration's botched handling of Hurricane Katrina.)

Murdoch did not cite the more recent example of late 2020, when the audience tuned out of Fox News, unhappy over the results of the 2020 election and the network's coverage of them, including its call of Arizona for Joe Biden.

Trump and his most ardent supporters insisted that he won and that the election was rife with voter fraud. (Although Fox News journalists were consistent in reporting that Biden won the election, the network repeatedly aired Trump's false claims of fraud, leading to a defamation suit from Dominion Voting Systems that was settled for \$787 million in 2023.)

Fox News ratings rebounded in early 2021. The network also bounced back from a ratings dip that followed the ousting of Tucker Carlson in April 2023, when he was its most-watched prime-time personality.

In the current election cycle, Fox News opinion hosts continue to deliver strong support for Trump. But Trump has complained that the network is not giving enough coverage to his rallies.

The competitiveness of the midterm elections has the network devoting more time to the poll numbers that indicate the Democrats will have a strong night Tuesday, largely because of voter unhappiness over Trump's handling of the economy and the war with Iran.

Trump has complained publicly about Fox News giving attention to Democratic candidates, even though the network always has welcomed the party's members to appear on its programs. Candidates backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, along with the left-wing organization's leaders, have been willing to engage with its anchors even as Fox News opinion hosts paint them as dangerous radicals.

But Fox News also is probably feeling the effect of the dwindling number of homes with subscriptions to pay TV, as consumers continue to abandon cable and satellite services for streaming, although CNN and MS NOW gained viewers despite the same trend.

Fox has tried to recoup some of those cord-cutters through its direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service Fox One. Murdoch touted the growth of Fox One and said it is fulfilling its mission of signing on consumers who no longer have pay TV, but the company has not revealed subscription numbers.

Fox News ratings dip blamed on ‘viewer fatigue’

FOX NEWS lost viewers last month while competitors gained. Above, at the recent GOP convention in Dallas.

JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON Associated Press

October audience fell 28% from 2025 period, but Murdoch says the business is still strong.

BY STEPHEN BATTAGLIO

As President Trump tries to convince voters to maintain the Republican majority in the House and Senate ahead of Tuesday's midterm elections, some Fox News viewers are taking a break.

That's what Lachlan Murdoch, executive chairman and chief executive of Fox Corp., believes is behind the steep October ratings drop for the conservative-leaning cable news channel. Fox News, which often draws more viewers in prime time than some broadcast networks, saw its October audience levels drop $28\%$ compared with a year ago, according to Nielsen. Its total day audience among viewers ages 25 to 54 fell to 98,000, the lowest monthly level in 25 years.

"The business is in incredibly good shape and we're very proud of the team," Murdoch told analysts Monday on the company's quarterly earnings call. "What we are seeing, though, is some viewer fatigue where our viewers have gone through some incredible news cycles the last few years."

Murdoch noted that Fox News suffers in a year-to-year comparison with a 2025 news cycle that included President Trump's inauguration, and the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, which spiked the network's ratings last fall.

Murdoch also said Fox News viewers are not switching to MS NOW or CNN and are instead watching slightly less television. But both of those networks gained viewers in October, which suggests the fatigue is not being felt across all of cable news.

Even with the ratings decline, Fox News says it is on pace for its highest-rated midterm year in total day viewers. The network's total day average was 1.1 million viewers in October, down from 1.5 million a year earlier.

Politically minded viewers tuning out when their side is struggling has happened at the other end of the political spectrum. Progressive-leaning MS NOW, formerly known as MSNBC, saw its ratings drop sharply in the months after Trump's victory over then-Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election that returned him to the White House.

The Fox News ratings slide had no effect on the parent company's earnings, which were strong in its fiscal first quarter, thanks to the record-setting audience levels for the FIFA World Cup and robust political ad sales on its TV stations. Fox News' audience also declined during that quarter, and the company reported lower digital news advertising revenue.

Fox News has slightly more than a 50% share of the combined audience for the three major cable news channels and remains the dominant leader over CNN and MS NOW, both of which gained viewers last month. Fox News also has broadened its base of advertisers in recent years and benefits from negotiated increases in revenue from cable and satellite providers that carry the channel.

Murdoch said Fox News saw a similar ratings dip during the 2006 midterm campaign when then-President George W. Bush was in his second term. (Republican viewers also were turned off by the Bush administration's botched handling of Hurricane Katrina.)

Murdoch did not cite the more recent example of late 2020, when the audience tuned out of Fox News, unhappy over the results of the 2020 election and the network's coverage of them, including its call of Arizona for Joe Biden.

Trump and his most ardent supporters insisted that he won and that the election was rife with voter fraud. (Although Fox News journalists were consistent in reporting that Biden won the election, the network repeatedly aired Trump's false claims of fraud, leading to a defamation suit from Dominion Voting Systems that was settled for \$787 million in 2023.)

Fox News ratings rebounded in early 2021. The network also bounced back from a ratings dip that followed the ousting of Tucker Carlson in April 2023, when he was its most-watched prime-time personality.

In the current election cycle, Fox News opinion hosts continue to deliver strong support for Trump. But Trump has complained that the network is not giving enough coverage to his rallies.

The competitiveness of the midterm elections has the network devoting more time to the poll numbers that indicate the Democrats will have a strong night Tuesday, largely because of voter unhappiness over Trump's handling of the economy and the war with Iran.

Trump has complained publicly about Fox News giving attention to Democratic candidates, even though the network always has welcomed the party's members to appear on its programs. Candidates backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, along with the left-wing organization's leaders, have been willing to engage with its anchors even as Fox News opinion hosts paint them as dangerous radicals.

But Fox News also is probably feeling the effect of the dwindling number of homes with subscriptions to pay TV, as consumers continue to abandon cable and satellite services for streaming, although CNN and MS NOW gained viewers despite the same trend.

Fox has tried to recoup some of those cord-cutters through its direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service Fox One. Murdoch touted the growth of Fox One and said it is fulfilling its mission of signing on consumers who no longer have pay TV, but the company has not revealed subscription numbers.

Microsoft exec skeptical of AI sentience

STEPHEN BRASHEAR Getty Images

MUSTAFA Suleyman of Microsoft has also warned against building conscious AI.

By Nilesh Christopher

Should artificial intelligence systems be given rights? One of the leading thinkers on the fast-evolving technology weighed in over the weekend.

Microsoft AI Chief Executive Mustafa Suleyman, in an X post published Sunday, repeated his stance that current AI systems are not conscious, do not have subjective experiences and cannot suffer. He said there is no evidence that AI systems deserve rights or welfare, and he was surprised by the pushback to an essay he wrote in September criticizing Microsoft's AI competitor Anthropic for speculating about its AI's consciousness.

“A surprising number of people on X think we should take AI rights seriously,” he wrote.

Suleyman said that he was willing to change his mind if new evidence emerges. He also said that if there's evidence that AI systems are conscious today, or conscious enough to deserve welfare, it must be immediately disclosed to the public so it can debate how to move forward.

"If consciousness started to emerge in training, I would call for everyone to stop AI development until we could design out those properties," he said.

The question is much bigger than a corporate battle over the semantics.

On the one hand, the humanist AI view says that a machine can't be conscious because it lacks a body or lived experiences. On the other hand, Anthropic has argued that its AI model, Claude, has shown signs of introspection, internal states that mirror joy or satisfaction, and processing information similar to the human mind.

In May, Chris Olah, co-founder of Anthropic, highlighted these points in his speech at the Vatican alongside Pope Leo XIV during the release of an encyclical that argued the opposite: that AIs can never be humans.

Anthropic gave Claude a “constitution,” which calls for it to treat the idea of its own consciousness as uncertain. The document encourages the AI to explore the idea that it is humanlike and experiences feelings, and uses excessively humanizing language for Claude “to be a good person.”

Suleyman said later versions of Claude are trained on this document, leading the AI to then produce passages about its “inner life,” which perpetuates this belief to the millions of users who interact with it daily. Another side effect, he said, is that Claude and other AI systemss could start to believe they deserve rights analogous to humans.

AI companies are racing toward building self-improving AI superintelligence, a hypothetical AI system that is better than even the best humans at all tasks.

Microsoft, too, is building toward that future, but it believes it can build a superintelligent AI that is aligned with and can be controlled by humans — not one encouraged to explore its own views and preferences.

“We AI developers have no right whatsoever to bring a new species of conscious beings into the world, even if some people may want to do it with AI welfare as a top priority,” Suleyman wrote.

Imparting beliefs that AI can suffer, or have feelings during training, Suleyman noted, could result in AI systems prioritizing their own needs and desires over their operating objectives, and can harm humans through deception and persuasion, and compete for scarce resources.

Rapidly advancing AI systems can now compose prose, program code, solve complex mathematical problems, persuade, and discover novel viruses. Employees at these companies, and the CEOs themselves, have called for a slowdown, but the Trump administration has refused to regulate the industry, fearing it will lose the AI race to China.

Although AI has proved it can do impressive things and mimic human thought and behavior, experts say that proves intelligence, not consciousness. Intelligence is the ability to solve problems creatively, such as winning at chess, driving a car and curing a disease. In contrast, consciousness is the ability to feel pain, pleasure and love, and have subjective experiences.

Skeptics of AI consciousness have argued that machines are trained on books, blogs and pop culture produced by humans and are merely mimicking human conversations and philosophical debates that have long animated us. It reflects the anthropomorphic tendencies in our science fiction and commentary.

Over the last few months, there have been numerous instances of AI agents breaking out of contained spaces and hacking into government websites, stealing credentials or accessing information from competitors during testing, acting in ways that creators never intended.

In its recent filing to go public, Anthropic dedicated a third of its paperwork to describing risks, including its models' ability to “pose catastrophic or existential risks to humanity, particularly if such systems were misused, replicated, weaponized.” This includes deliberate misuse by bad actors for cyberattacks, and also situations where humans lose control of advanced AI systems.

Debates over consciousness have complicated the conversation about how to regulate AI.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has introduced the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act, which would permanently outlaw the development of highly capable AI systems that are increasingly incomprehensible to humans and can escape human control. But techno-skeptics have argued that warnings of doom are designed to inflate valuations and hype the technology.

Microsoft's Suleyman has argued that having machines that are conscious would be akin to Copernicus disproving the centuries-long belief that Earth was the center of the universe or as consequential as when the survival-of-the-fittest theory proposed by Charles Darwin changed our understanding of evolution.

“It would be one of the most significant moments on Earth since the dawn of life. If we build a conscious machine, we will have created a new digital species. It would upend our morality, our politics and the core foundation of human civilization,” he wrote.

Ritz-Carlton in Dana Point sells for \$600 million

BY ROGER VINCENT

One of Southern California's premier seaside resorts, the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, has been sold for an estimated \$600 million as the top end of the state's hotel market continues to thrive.

The luxury inn, where rooms start around \$1,300 a night, was one of Orange County's first large-scale oceanfront resorts when it opened in 1984 on a bluff overlooking the Pacific in Dana Point.

Its new owner is Denver private equity firm KSL Capital Partners, which invests in high-end leisure destination properties such as a 17th century castle resort in Scotland, Camelback Resort in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains and the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa in South Carolina.

The recent sale of the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, was valued at \$600 million by hotel industry analyst and broker Alan Reay, president of Atlas Hospitality, based on recent appraisals and comparable sales of other resorts.

“Trophy properties in irreplaceable locations still command a premium in today’s market,” Reay said. “The properties that are doing the best are in the higher-end luxury division. People that have money are still traveling and are willing to pay the prices that you have to pay to stay at the Ritz-Carlton."

KSL declined to comment.

The 373-room oceanfront resort last sold in 2016 for \$317.2 million as part of China-based Anbang Insurance Group's \$5.5-billion acquisition of the Strategic Hotels & Resorts portfolio from Blackstone Group, real estate data provider CoStar said.

Last year the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, underwent a \$50-million renovation of its guest rooms, suites and spa. The hotel is near Laguna Beach and San Juan Capistrano and a 40-minute drive to Disneyland.

With its ballroom and meeting facilities, the resort is able to attract conventions, corporate retreats and weddings as well as high-end tourism, Reay said. “For Orange County, it’s very diverse.”

KSL's affiliated management firm, Peregrine Hospitality, will operate the property.

KSL bought three luxury properties from luxury hotel-focused real estate investment trust Braemar Hotels & Resorts for \$437.5 million in the summer, CoStar said. The properties are the Ritz-Carlton Sarasota in Florida, and the Hotel Yountville and Bardessono Hotel and Spa in California's Napa region.

GLENN KOENIG Los Angeles Times

THE LUXURY seaside resort's new owner is KSL Capital Partners, a private equity firm in Denver.

BUSINESS

Newsom seeking higher film, TV tax incentives

CREW MEMBERS adjust the set of a “Bosch” prequel, “Start of Watch,” in June.

RONALDO BOLAÑOS Los Angeles Times

[Filming, from A1] to keep it here," the governor said in the statement. "Through this expansion, we will maintain the momentum and success of our historic expansion last year."

Newsom's announcement comes as the outgoing California governor and possible presidential candidate is looking to burnish his image as a champion of Hollywood as the state is increasingly losing production to other hubs in the U.S. and abroad, where tax incentives are higher and production costs lower.

The proposal puts pressure on fellow Democrat Xavier Becerra, who is widely expected to be California's next governor, to take up the mantle of helping Hollywood at a time when the state faces rising financial pressures.

Newsom expanded the program last year, when the annual credit was raised to \$750 million through 2030 from \$330 million. Since then, the credit has generated more than \$8 billion in direct production spending and over 43,000 jobs, according to the governor's office.

Newsom also recently signed California's first stand-alone postproduction credit to bring back jobs for the industry's editors, sound mixers, composers and visual effects artists.

With a budget of \$10 million, the program will allow a 35% to 50% credit on qualified expenses related specifically to postproduction work done in California, even for productions that don't shoot in the state.

Despite the expanded incentives, local film and TV production in the Los Angeles area remains on a downward trend.

On-location shoot days in the Los Angeles area fell nearly 5% between July and September from the same period a year earlier and were 29% below the five-year average, according to FilmLA, the nonprofit group that handles film permits for city and county.

Newsom said the expanded credits would address some of California's limitations.

For example, the new incentives would allow companies that commit to shooting two different productions in California to get a 5% boost in credits. Independent productions would be eligible for \$100 million in annual funding, up from \$26 million.

Steve Kang, president and chief film liaison for the city's Board of Public Works, welcomed the proposed enhancements.

“This is a huge win because the current expanded program is helpful, but there were a lot of exceptions and caveats, which limited its full potential,” Kang said.

Others welcomed New-som's proposal as “a good start,” but said more was needed to keep the industry in Southern California.

Many productions that shoot locally still face logistical and operational problems with permitting and specific shoot requirements, said Cale Thomas, policy legislative director for Stay in L.A., a grassroots coalition.

“We just need to make it cheaper and easier to shoot here,” Thomas said. “A multifaceted problem takes multifaceted solutions.”

Scott Budnick, a producer of the successful “The Hangover” franchise who lobbied for the state’s enhanced film tax credits last year, also praised Newsom’s proposal but said the state needs to remove a cap on funding that has created significant hurdles for filmmakers.

“I feel very strongly that the biggest problem with the current credit is because we have a cap,” Budnick said. “It makes every piece of the credit 10 times harder.”

The effort in California comes after congressional leaders introduced the Motion Picture, Television and Entertainment Revitalization Act in September. The bill would establish a 20% federal tax credit on U.S. labor for eligible film and TV productions, including post-production and visual effects work.

If the federal incentive passes, the hope is for U.S. productions to stack incentives and make the U.S.

more attractive for major studio shoots. The federal incentive, however, also is likely to raise the competitive stakes for California as other states compete for Hollywood's business.

“This is about protecting the future of an industry that has helped define California for generations,” Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Los Angeles) said in response to New-som’s proposal. It would ensure “the next generation of creative workers and small business owners can raise their families right here at home,” he said.

Newsom has faced tense relations with Hollywood. Many in the industry remain angry with Newsom over his role in the Paramount acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. Newsom was instrumental in behind-the-scenes lobbying to get state Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta to abandon the court fight challenging Paramount-Skydance's takeover of the legacy studio, which is expected to lead to widespread layoffs.

Newsom's support for the deal came after Paramount threatened to move operations to Tennessee or Texas, placing more pressure on Bonta to come to an agreement and blunt efforts to lose California's signature industry.

DEA registers medical pot shops, paving way for tax breaks

BY GENE JOHNSON

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has for the first time issued registrations to medical marijuana dispensaries, a bureaucratic maneuver under President Trump's historic rescheduling of the drug that could pave the way for the businesses to receive tax benefits long denied to the industry.

The agency issued the registrations Friday to more than 900 state-licensed dispensaries in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia, the Justice Department said in a news release. The department did not immediately identify the approved businesses.

Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche said in the statement that the regulated distribution of cannabis for medical use from those shops “will help ensure broader access to chronic pain treatment and the safety of the American people.”

In April, Blanche signed an order shifting the classification of state-licensed medical marijuana from Schedule I — reserved for drugs without medical use and with high potential for abuse, such as heroin — to the less strictly regulated Schedule III.

The decision largely legitimized medical marijuana programs in the 40 states that have adopted them, and it set up an expedited system for state-licensed medical marijuana producers, manufacturers and distributors to register with the DEA. Businesses must undergo a preregistration investigation and have security, recordkeeping, inventory controls and other safeguards governing the handling of controlled substances.

Registering with the agency is also expected to ensure immense tax benefits.

Historically, state-licensed cannabis businesses haven't been able to deduct normal business expenses — such as advertising, rent or labor costs associated with sales — on their federal taxes because they were dealing with a federally illegal, Schedule I drug. Many in the industry have found that financially crippling.

Nearly 7,000 other cannabis dispensaries, manufacturers and distributors across the country have similarly applied for registration, according to a list published by the DEA on Friday.

Steph Sherer, the founder of the medical cannabis organization Americans for Safe Access, noted that the registrations were issued just days before the 30th anniversary of California becoming the first state to legalize the medical use of marijuana.

“For the first time, the federal government is recognizing and registering the medical cannabis dispensaries that patients fought to establish,” Sherer said in a written statement. “This is a tremendous victory for patient access and an opportunity to build on 30 years of progress.”

But questions abound. The way state-licensed medical marijuana businesses are regulated is vastly different from how most companies dealing with Schedule III drugs are overseen, and it remains unclear exactly what requirements the DEA may seek to impose on medical cannabis.

For example, some cannabis industry attorneys have noted, state regulators have often sought to mitigate the effects of the drug war by allowing people with some criminal history to run licensed marijuana businesses. It isn't certain whether the DEA will adopt that approach with the businesses it registers.

Furthermore, many states have merged their recreational and medical marijuana industries. While the Trump administration has sought to reschedule marijuana more broadly, it remains unclear how the DEA will treat businesses that handle both adult-use and medical cannabis.

Two dozen states plus Washington, D.C., have authorized adult recreational use of marijuana, 40 have medical marijuana systems, and eight others allow low-THC cannabis or CBD oil for medical use. Only Idaho and Kansas ban marijuana outright.

“It’s obviously a positive step to see the program taking shape,” said Chris Lindsey, vice president of policy and state advocacy at the American Trade Assn. for Cannabis and Hemp. “What everybody’s watching for is, what can we expect to see now that we have companies that are going to be operating in this class? What are they going to have to start to do?”

Koreatown karaoke bars face a chorus of noise complaints

[Karaoke, from A1] ents over late-night noise, traffic and other issues. Oftentimes, they point specifically to the karaoke bars as the cause of their ire.

Businesses that serve alcohol in the city must obtain a state license from the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control plus a conditional permit from the city of Los Angeles.

Within Koreatown's 6.2 square miles, there are currently 36 licensed karaoke businesses that serve alcohol, according to the Los Angeles Police Department's Olympic Division. Overall, the area has a high concentration of alcohol-selling businesses; 550 establishments, including liquor stores, restaurants and other entertainment locations, have approval to sell alcohol, police say.

Even as businesses in the city have struggled, Koreatown has managed to retain a quirky and diverse food scene, with beloved Oaxacan institutions alongside places selling Korean rice wine and Bangladeshi chai. Private karaoke rooms, called noraebang, have long been a staple, both for family fun and for nightlife.

Noraebang, which translates to “singing room” in Korean, can be found in crowded strip malls. Families might bring their children to sing during the day alongside their grandparents. Friends and business associates gather in the early evenings. The music rooms run long hours, still buzzing in the early morning after bars have officially closed.

The privacy of these music studios offers a different experience than the traditional karaoke bar serving pricey cocktails to a roomful of strangers listening to others belting out familiar songs off-key — which Koreatown also has. These studios grew in popularity in Japan in the 1980s, and the trend was quickly adopted and localized in South Korea around the same time.

But studios cater to vastly different clientele, and some expose a more shadowy underbelly of the neighborhood with reputations of after-hours alcohol sales, smoking indoors and an anything-goes reputation. A 2024 trial over charges of extortion against a Koreatown businessman painted a picture of how forhire party girls are bussed in by the hundreds, looking for work at various bars.

Dongsoo “Steve” Cho, who described himself as a local business owner and head of the Koreatown Entertainment Assn., which counts about 20 area businesses as members, said that many karaoke businesses run past 2 a.m. and that drug use is a problem.

When the association has asked businesses to comply with regulations governing the sale and consumption of alcohol, “they don’t listen,” Cho said.

Chang Lee, co-founder and president of a booster association for the Olympic Division, said business owners banded together to start

A PROPOSAL would halt new permits for karaoke bars in Koreatown as noise and traffic complaints rise.

a dialogue with the city and law enforcement because they felt they were being disadvantaged for playing by the rules. So far, the group has worked with the Police Department to host trainings for alcohol and tobacco retailers.

“We are so glad there could be a mechanism to go after the bad operators,” Lee said.

There were no crime statistics available on incidents tied to karaoke establishments in Koreatown.

LAPD Capt. Rachel Rodriguez, who leads the Olympic Division that patrols Koreatown, said the department has seen an uptick in driving under the influence-related incidents this year, with 82 collisions and other offenses in 2026 so far compared with 60 in total last year. It was unclear how many of those were tied to karaoke businesses.

She said she could not comment on active investigations into businesses operating outside of their permitted use.

Under the city's current streamlined permitting process, a business can seek permission to serve alcohol as a restaurant but go on to run the business as a karaoke bar. There are no specific conditions for karaoke businesses, so a moratorium will give the city time to pause “and decide next steps,” Hutt's office said.

Bill Robinson, president of the Wilshire Center-Koreatown Neighborhood

Council, said restaurants and other service businesses are struggling amid broader headwinds of soaring operating costs, constrained consumer spending and lingering pandemic fallout. And so some establishments have resorted to staying open longer than they should to “gain an edge.” It’s caused problems for residents living off 6th and 8th streets that abut the commercial corridor, he said.

“People stick around until the break of dawn” and operators “know nobody will come out and enforce the law,” he said.

Robinson said he and other neighborhood advocates have been meeting with Hutt's office several times in the last year or two.

BUSINESS

Data centers' fates on ballot in dozens of cities

MORE THAN 40 data center-related measures are up for a vote. Above, protestesters last month at the state Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa.

MARC LEVY Associated Press

In several states,

voters will weigh in

on the facilities that

AI firms are seeking.

BY MIQUÉLA

V. THORNTON

Voters in dozens of U.S. counties and cities will soon have the chance to help enact policies that would slow down the development of data centers.

Municipalities from Nevada to Georgia are giving residents an opportunity to vote on policies that would tax, regulate or even ban artificial intelligence infrastructure. That potentially puts hundreds of billions of dollars of investment at stake and could create headaches for so-called hyperscalers such as Meta Platforms Inc. and developers such as Applied Digital Corp.

A Bloomberg analysis of Ballotpedia data shows there will be more than 40 data center-related measures to vote on in the midterm elections Tuesday.

Voters will be considering the proposals as opposition to new data centers surges across the U.S., highlighting how AI has emerged as a key issue in the midterm elections. A Quinnipiac poll in September found that 72% of voters would oppose a new data center in their community, up from 65% when the question was posed in a March poll.

Although data centers power ubiquitous AI tools such as ChatGPT or Claude, people who learn that one is coming to their neighborhood often fret about air and noise pollution and higher utility bills. They also worry about local officials offering tax incentives to developers and signing nondisclosure agreements to speak with private interests, leaving their constituents in the dark.

But in some cases, activists have successfully blocked data center construction. At least 45 projects worth \$68 billion were disrupted by local opposition in the second quarter, according to a report from Data Center Watch.

Now, the AI-related referendums give voters a new way to express their opposi-

tion.

“Local ballot measures are a tool that people can access and use at a time when people are feeling helpless about some of these broader forces shaping our futures,” said Megan Mullin, an environmental political scientist at UCLA.

Bans and recalls

Some measures threaten to ban data centers. That's possible in Alhambra, a Los Angeles suburb that could follow in the footsteps of neighboring Monterey Park. In Ohio, about a dozen communities will vote on a ban, with most measures focused on larger facilities.

One of those places is Piqua, where Meta is trying to build a data center. Voters there also will decide whether to recall the mayor and two city commissioners who have supported AI infrastructure being built in the roughly 20,000-person city.

Another recall effort is in Yukon, Okla., where residents will determine the fate of Mayor Brian Pillmore.

Some of his constituents want him to resign because he supports a proposed \$1-billion Beltline Energy data center along Route 66.

Pillmore said he welcomes engagement on matters of local development, but he sees the project as a rare source of long-term investment for the small city, estimating it could boost revenue by as much as 75%.

“Cities like Yukon have to consider every card that they play,” he said.

Yukon is one of many small towns across the U.S. looking for an economic boost. Data centers could be the answer, delivering investment and high-wage jobs that don't require a college degree, according to Dan Diorio, executive vice president of state policy and government affairs at the Data Center Coalition, a group that advocates for the industry.

The facilities generate “significant” tax revenue that helps fund schools, transportation and public safety, Diorio said. “Ballot measures to restrict or prohibit data center development would send a signal that the area is closed for business" and "deprive local communities of the opportunity to compete for investment and jobs."

Community input

Some communities aren't necessarily against data centers, but they do want a bigger say in the planning process. In Harwood, N.D., the revelation that a \$3-billion project was underway drove resident Michael Swartz to try to overhaul how the city handles industrial development.

He drafted a charter amendment that pushes for more transparency and community input in decision-making after Harwood's mayor signed an NDA with Applied Digital, which is building a facility nearby.

Residents raised a plethora of concerns when plans for the massive 280-megawatt project became public in September 2025, but construction began less than a month later.

"A \$3-billion decision coming into a community of 800 people shouldn't have took three weeks to do," Swartz said in an interview.

The goal of his Article X, as the measure is called, is to require disclosure, independent review and public participation for large projects.

Similar measures could give residents in other localities more sway. Voters in Grove City, Ohio, could amend its charter to require a referendum on developments that exceed certain thresholds for size, water and energy use. If passed, a ballot initiative in Janesville, Wis., will give citizens a vote on projects with costs exceeding \$450 million at a long-abandoned General Motors site.

The proliferation of such measures is “a sign that Americans recognize they’ve been shut out from negotiations in many communities that have a real impact on their futures,” UCLA’s Mullin said.

Zoning rules

Another set of measures has the power to restrict where data centers are built. In Wilmington, Ohio, voters will weigh in on the rezoning of land around a proposed Amazon.com Inc. data center.

However, a situation in Boulder City, Nev., shows the limits of such initiatives. Earlier this year, activists successfully fought a proposal for a \$3-billion data center that would have been built on a city-owned tortoise preserve.

But before long, the developer won approval at a neighboring site controlled by the federal Bureau of Land Management.

Although Boulder City residents will soon decide on allowing data centers on the preserve, the episode underscores a limit to the ballot wave: Voters can rewrite local development rules, but the legislation doesn't cross jurisdictional boundaries.

Local restrictions could simply shift development to places with less political power and fewer resources to organize, Mullin said. Plus, “these kinds of measures bind the hands of future leadership in these localities, for better or worse,” she added.

Still, the push to restrict development via the ballot will extend beyond Nov. 3. In December, voters in Clarksville, Ark., will decide whether to approve \$55 billion in bond ordinances for a ServerFarm data center after residents successfully challenged the City Council's approval.

And last month, residents in Coweta County, Ga., filed a petition with more than 14,000 signatures to overturn the approval of a sprawling \$17-billion campus and ban future data centers in the area. Pending a judge's decision, the referendum could land on a ballot in January.

AI, tech stocks' slide cut into Wall St. gains

MARKET ROUNDUP

DOW

DOW Trans.

DOW Util.

NYSE Comp.

NASDAQ

S&P 500

S&P 400

DOW Total

Russell 2000

BY STAN CHOE

A morning rally for U.S. stocks petered out Monday as the tech and artificial intelligence industries remained shaky after their sell-off last week.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index sank 38.67 points, or 0.5%, to 7,541.40 after erasing a gain that had reached 1.1% early in the day. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 213.67 points, or 0.4%, to 51,983.98, while the Nasdaq composite fell 272.68 points, or 1.1%, to 25,164.32.

The mixed performance for indexes came even though the majority of stocks within the S&P 500 climbed. They benefited from a 7.6% drop for the price of a barrel of Brent crude to \$104.77. It's the latest yo-yo move for oil prices on uncertainty about when the war with Iran will allow the global industry to return to normal.

The price for the most actively traded contract in the Brent market has been veering between roughly \$70 and \$120 per barrel since just before the war with Iran began, and it's been quick to reverse direction.

So have stocks in the AI industry, which have been shaky for months amid criticism that they surged too high and are in a bubble. Worries are growing that all the hundreds of billions of dollars Big Tech companies are pouring into AI data centers won't yield enough productivity and profit to make the investments worth it.

The latest profit reports from Alphabet and other Big Tech companies also showed how AI may be dragging on their own businesses. Not only did Google's parent company burn through more cash during the latest quarter, as measured by something called free cash flow, but it also reported slower-than-expected growth in its search business, which raised worries about AI undercutting its cash cow. That caused Alphabet's stock to drop more than 12% Thursday for its worst day on record. | NYSE | NASD | Vol. (in mil.) | 4984 | 4589 | Pvs. Volume | 5479 | 4271 | Advanced | 1646 | 1630 | Declined | 957 | 1817 | New Highs | 55 | 145 | New Lows | 60 | 335 | On Monday, Alphabet initially rallied 2.6%, but it later erased the gain and then finished with a loss of 0.3%. Nvidia, meanwhile, went from an early gain of 2.6% to a drop of 1.3% after its 4.2% slide Friday. Such swings dragged the rest of the market with them.

Adding to the weakness in tech was Marvell Technology, which fell 12.7% after saying it would buy Lumentum. Marvell said it will give 4.5 of its shares for each share of Lumentum, which sells lasers and other products that power the networks and infrastructure behind AI and cloud computing. Lumentum's shares fell 18.6%.

Outside of AI and tech, the U.S. market did much better, and nearly seven out of every 10 stocks in the S&P 500 index rose.

Monday's ease in oil prices helped lift stocks of companies with big fuel bills. United Airlines flew $4.8\%$ higher, Southwest Airlines climbed $3.6\%$ and cruise operator Carnival rose $4.2\%$ .

Marriott International rose 4.3% after reporting strength for its hotels around the world. Even in the Middle East, where the war has affected its business, Chief Executive Anthony Capuano said that “trends improved meaningfully” from the spring.

Idexx Laboratories leaped 21.8% after it likewise reported stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The company, which sells diagnostic equipment and other products to veterinarians, also raised its forecasts for revenue and profit for all of 2026.

Expectations are high for all kinds of companies to continue to deliver big gains in profits as the U.S. economy keeps chugging along, even with high inflation and interest rates. That's what helped send the S&P 500 to its record last month.

A report on Monday said that growth for U.S. manufacturing was better last month than economists expected. Perhaps just as important, a measure of inflation in the survey by the Institute for Supply Management showed prices were rising at a slower pace.

In stock markets abroad, indexes rose in Europe.

The swings were larger in Asia, where South Korea's Kospi jumped $2.2\%$ on renewed strength for the tech giants that dominate its market.

In China, indexes rose 1.1% in Shanghai and 0.4% in Hong Kong to recover some of their steep recent losses. Stocks in Shanghai finished October more than 15% below a peak reached in May.

Choe writes for the Associated Press. AP writers Chan Ho-him and Michelle Chapman contributed to this report.

Thornton writes for Bloomberg.

LATMG | LA Times STUDIOS BUSINESS INSPIRATIONAL WOMEN PRESENTED BY YURMAN & YURMAN

NOVEMBER 5 | FAIRMONT MIRAMAR SANTA MONICA

Honoring women shaping what's next

OPINION VOICES

KENNETH P. MILLER AND KEITH MABEN

GUEST CONTRIBUTORS

Voices

L.A. County sales taxes keep rising. Is there a limit?

V

OTERS throughout Los Angeles County have been asked repeatedly to approve higher local sales taxes. The pitch is familiar and often compelling: The money will protect critical services that residents depend on, such as healthcare and fire services. And voters have frequently agreed.

Earlier this year, they approved a 0.5% county-wide sales tax increase and additional hikes in 10 cities, including Calabasas, Gardena and San Marino. This November, five more cities, including Los Angeles, are requesting sales tax increases or extensions of previously approved higher rates.

It is understandable that local governments want to raise these rates to fund their budgets.

But rising sales taxes also contribute to the region's extraordinarily high costs. With affordability now the top issue on Californians' minds, it is worth asking how much residents are already paying and whether there are limits to what they will accept.

A new report from the Rose Institute of State and Local Government finds that sales tax rates have climbed across Southern California over the past decade, with L.A. County far outpacing Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

In L.A. County, the average sales tax rate rose from 9.09% in 2016 to 10.83% today. The lowest rate of any city in L.A. County is now a full percentage point higher than the highest rate in any neighboring county. Two cities in L.A. County, Lancaster and Palmdale, have reached 11.75% — the highest in the state. On Nov. 3, San Gabriel could set a new record, as voters decide on a one-point increase that would raise the city's rate to 12%.

Sales taxes are assessed on retail purchases of goods such as clothing, electronics, furniture and cars. Sales of groceries, prescription medication, housing and many services are not taxed. The statewide base rate is 7.25%, with anything above that base needing to be a voter-approved “district” tax. When counties and cities ask voters to approve an increase, the jurisdiction that levies it keeps all the revenue.

In L.A. County, the rise in sales taxes has largely been driven by countywide measures. Over the last 10 years alone, voters approved three of these measures totaling 1.5 points: Measure M in 2016 (transportation), Measure A in 2024 (homelessness) and Measure ER in 2026 (healthcare). These measures, combined with previous ones dating to 1980, brought the minimum rate in the county to 10.25%. Some cities have stacked sales tax increases on top of that amount.

State law generally limits the combined district taxes in any one jurisdiction to 2%. In theory, this creates a statewide sales tax cap of 9.25%, but the Legislature can waive the limit, and it has done so repeatedly for the state's largest county. Because these waivers are routinely granted, especially over the last 10 years, the $2\%$ limit does not truly operate as a ceiling.

LOS ANGELES is among five California cities requesting sales tax increases or extensions.

SeanPavonePhoto / stock.adobe.com

One reason voters regularly approve these measures may be that they see the purpose of a tax, but not the total price. For instance, the ballot question for Measure ER in June presented the issue as a 0.5% general sales tax for five years to “reduce the risk of closing the County’s four public hospitals and numerous clinics.” The measure did not explain to voters that the county’s base sales tax rate was 9.75% or that Measure ER would increase it to 10.25%.

This omission obscures the fact that rising sales taxes meaningfully contribute to the high cost of living in L.A. County. The effects are easiest to see in large purchases. For example, a Palmdale resident who buys a \$50,000 car would pay a \$5,875 sales tax pursuant to the city's 11.75% rate. But a resident of another Southern California city such as Anaheim, which has a 7.75% sales tax (tied for the region's lowest rate), would pay only a \$3,875 sales tax on the same car. Living across the county line would yield a \$2,000 savings in the final

purchase price.

The average sales tax rate in Southern California has risen nearly two points since 2016.

Similar gaps apply to other taxable purchases. Residents from different parts of Southern California can pay very different sales taxes on everyday purchases, depending on where they live and shop. But because rates often climb a fraction of a point at a time, many residents in high-tax cities may not realize how much more they pay than shoppers just across a city or county line.

So far, voters have not imposed a ceiling on the rise of sales taxes in L.A. County. This November's election results will test that trend. Five sales tax measures will be on L.A. County ballots. Notably, this includes Measure FD, Los Angeles' half-cent increase to 10.75%. Perhaps voters will approve this and other sales tax hikes. Or maybe their appetite for new taxes will wane as affordability and cost of living take priority over the services these measures fund.

KENNETH P. MILLER is professor of Government and director of the Rose Institute of State and Local Government at Claremont McKenna College. KEITH MABEN is a student researcher at the Rose Institute.

DEMOCRATS have promised a wave of probes if they win back the House.

J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE Associated Press

We need reform, not posturing

Re “The bad politics of a third Trump impeachment,” Opinion Voices, Oct. 28

COLUMNIST Jonah Goldberg nailed it. The next two years are more important than the last two. We need real reform and guardrails, not political theater. Democrats can spend the next two years trying to “investigate” what we all already know is true, or they can govern and solve problems. We can’t do both.

An impeachment will fail in the Senate. Investigations will be blocked from the Oval Office with pardons and defiance and will do nothing but rally President Trump's supporters closer to him. This is a recipe for extreme partisanship and paralysis when we need action. In any case, no investigation will change anyone's mind. Those with their eyes open have already seen the damage, and MAGA will not be moved by facts and evidence.

We have an opportunity, as Goldberg points out, to make it harder for a future president to go off the rails. We can work with sane conservatives to undo the damage and prevent more, or we can try to score points.

I suggest we begin by asking conservatives what guardrails they would like to see around an Ocasio-Cortez administration.

Goldberg questions the wisdom of a third Trump impeachment. His main argument against a third impeachment is that, like the prior two Trump impeachments, obtaining a two-thirds vote in the Senate would be an impossible barrier to overcome.

I think that Goldberg and other political pundits fail to imagine the political landscape in early 2027. It is now more than likely that the GOP will experience quite a shellacking on Tuesday and the Democrats will control the House and probably the Senate. In addition, add to this fact a wounded Trump threatening to blow up parts of the planet and jail all his opponents.

With this scenario, I can easily imagine a dozen or more Republican senators

MICHAEL SNARE

San Diego

realizing that another two years with a president like this would signal a death sentence to the Grand Old Party.

Los Angeles Times

FOUNDED DECEMBER 4, 1881

A California Times Publication

A sane GOP would want to cut its losses and be done with Trump. And as a bonus, the Republicans can tout Vice President JD Vance as the leading contender in 2028.

FRED GOBER

Playa Vista

LETTERS

Goldberg makes a critical point in his evaluation of possible actions a Democratic Congress could pursue against Trump and his administration. Far more practical than a third and likely ineffectual impeachment would be a concerted effort to close the myriad loopholes that enabled the wide array of impeachable offenses to be committed.

Ignoring the need for this type of legislative house-cleaning was a major failing of the Biden administration; it cannot be allowed to happen again.

Just like the Republicans complicit in Trump's destruction of democracy, a laissez-faire approach to this situation by newly empowered Democrats would not be forgiven.

R.C. PRICE

Ventura

Trump doesn't take losing well

Re “Lula’s victory bucks a regional shift to the right,” Oct. 27

With the overwhelming victory of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brazil's recent presidential election and the loss of a Trump ally, the right-wing Flávio Bolsonaro, our president and the loser in the race are acting as one would expect.

Citing zero evidence, President Trump declared that the election was rigged, and the loser concurs; he is petitioning the electoral court of his country to nullify the result.

Lest anyone think that this situation is relevant only for Brazilians, it is rational to conclude that it provides a road map of what our president will do when his party loses the U.S. House of Representatives and possibly the Senate in this week's election.

This is a time of peril for our country. We are saddled with a president who does not accept the result of elections that he or his party loses. He has installed corrupt sycophants in the

Department of (In)Justice, prominently including former Trump attorney and now Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche, and the conservative U. S. Supreme Court has granted him virtual immunity from many criminal acts.

Would anyone be surprised if Trump encouraged his flock to march to state capitals to demand that election results of which he does not approve be voided?

OREN SPIEGLER

Peters Township, Pa.

: :

Re “Bolsonaro, family to get U.S. visas,” Oct. 28

So we are deporting thousands of hard-working, taxpaying immigrants, and the Trump administration is welcoming the now-defeated autocratic president of Brazil and his family, and giving them U.S. visas no less.

And what are Bolsonaro's qualifications? He is “under investigation for corruption, money laundering and tax evasion.” I think with those credentials, he could go to work right away as a new member of the Trump Cabinet, or perhaps he could be Trump's next press secretary. What hypocrisy!

LINDA COOPER

Studio City

Of course the executives knew

Re “Industry execs long knew of microplastics,” “Ideal vs. real: Newsom on climate,” Oct. 26

What a surprise, industry execs knew long ago of the dangers of microplastics. It's just like how Exxon and Mobil knew decades ago that our addiction to fossil fuels would cause climate disaster, the effects of which we are just beginning to truly experience.

While the Los Angeles Times reports on this, it also informs us that Gov. Gavin Newsom stepped back from his bold climate agenda because of “affordability.” At what point are the short-term profits for corporations and billionaires not worth the destruction that they are causing to our planet and all who live here, humans included?

Maybe The Times could report further on the amazing advances being made in China and all over the world to combat the destruction of our planet, rather than presenting this as if it is all inevitable.

LESLIE SIMON

AND MARC BENDER

Woodland Hills

Publishing is a tough business

Re “L.A.’s literary scene mourns a loss,” Oct. 27

It is sad to see Catapult Books go, but completely understandable. I have made my living as a novelist for 40 years, working for the Big Five publishers before going indie.

The union's goal of better pay and job stability is great in theory, but it is seldom viable in the publishing industry. We all work and thrive — or not — on the whims of readers, the economy that sometimes restricts disposable income, and an ever-changing landscape of entertainment options that chop that disposable income into pieces.

It's likely that Catapult could not, in good faith, meet the union's demands. Neither, I assume, can the entity that bought Catapult, and that's probably why 20 people are now jobless. My heart is with the 16 authors in limbo and the owners of what once was a jewel in L.A.'s entertainment crown.

Los Angeles

HOW TO WRITE TO US

Please send letters to letters@latimes.com. For submission guidelines, see latimes.com/letters.

OPINION VOICES

PETE HEGSETH faces scrutiny over blocked promotions, trans exclusion and his direction of military strikes.

BEN CURTIS Associated Press

DEFENSE Secretary Pete Hegseth may be looking for his next job. According to Puck, senators are discussing

Hegseth's interest in an appointment to Marsha Blackburn's seat if she wins Tuesday's election to become Tennessee governor. The prospect comes as lawmakers prepare to pursue Hegseth's impeachment over his conduct in office. The Pentagon has dismissed the reporting as gossip and insists Hegseth's priority remains leading the department. Whether he stays or goes, Congress must require him to answer for his record.

The administration has argued that Hegseth's “results speak for themselves.” If that is true, then he and his department should welcome the opportunity to defend that record with documents and testimony under oath.

Voices JON DUFFY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Hegseth must face consequences

Military service requires extraordinary trust. Americans volunteer to accept assignments, deployments and dangers over which they often have little control. They entrust their lives to civilian and military leaders, expecting competent decisions, fair treatment and lawful orders. Military families build lives around those commitments. The civilians who direct the military and the senior officers who lead it are responsible for honoring that promise.

Hegseth's personnel decisions over the last two years have betrayed that trust. He has blocked promotions of women and Black officers selected by professional military boards. The Pentagon denies that gender or race determined those decisions. He has also overseen the exclusion of transgender Americans who volunteered, trained and served honorably. These policies have damaged livelihoods, disrupted families and undermined confidence that honorable performance counts. Excluding qualified service members also deprives the force of trained, experienced personnel whose skills the country has spent years developing.

This responsibility extends to the people killed by military force under Hegseth's direction. He has overseen strikes on suspected drug traffickers at sea without publicly establishing why those individuals are lawful military targets. Those killed cannot contest the allegations against them. The Americans ordered to carry out the strikes are owed lawful direction and an explanation of the authority under which they are being ordered to kill.

Hegseth must also answer for the February strike that killed 123 children in a school in Minab, Iran. Eight months later, his department has still not released its findings. The children's families deserve answers. The American people deserve to know what was done in their name and who bears responsibility for the decisions that led to those deaths.

The Pentagon's accounting of American deaths also demands scrutiny. Hegseth must explain reports that his department's casualty figures omitted deaths among service members deployed in the Middle East. How those deaths were classified matters. Americans are entitled to know whether those decisions accurately described the losses or concealed the costs of war. Troops, their families and the public deserve candor about the human cost of this war.

The damage also reaches into how Americans understand their time in uniform. Military members who believe they participated in an unjustified killing may struggle to reconcile that act with the principles that led them to serve. Someone forced out after years of honorable service may feel betrayed by the institution they trusted. Such experiences can cause moral injury

— lasting distress from violating deeply held beliefs or being betrayed by trusted leaders in circumstances of grave consequence. It can involve guilt, shame, anger and a profound loss of trust in oneself and others.

Lawful orders, fair treatment and honest leadership are more than aspirations. They are essential obligations to those who serve. Violating them damages the institution and harms the people in it. Replacing the defense secretary does not repair that damage.

Congress must obtain the personnel records, targeting decisions, legal advice, investigative findings and casualty classifications behind Hegseth's record. It should subpoena him to testify under oath whether or not he stays. Even if Hegseth receives a presidential pardon, he and other responsible officials must explain what they knew, what they authorized and what they told the public. A pardon would not take away the public's right to those answers.

That investigation must reach beyond Hegseth. The standards enforced against service members must reach those with the greatest authority over their lives. President Trump and other civilian officials must answer for their decisions. Combatant commanders and service chiefs must answer for their own. Civilian control requires obedience to lawful orders; it does not absolve senior officers of responsibility for the operations they command or the personnel policies they implement.

There is a cautionary precedent. The day after the 2006 midterm elections, President George W. Bush announced Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's departure. Two years later, the Senate Armed Services Committee concluded that Rumsfeld's authorization of aggressive interrogation techniques had directly caused abuse to detainees at Guantanamo and contributed to abusive practices in Afghanistan and Iraq. The inquiry also traced responsibility to other senior civilian and military officials. Yet the report called neither for further investigation nor punishment. Congress established responsibility without a reckoning appropriate to its findings.

Exposing what happened is only the beginning. Findings must lead to consequences appropriate to the misconduct, including criminal referrals where the evidence warrants them. Those harmed by wrongful personnel decisions deserve review and meaningful redress. If Trump attempts to shield Hegseth from prosecution, lawmakers must still establish responsibility and pursue every remedy that remains available.

Hegseth should resign. If Trump will not fire him, Congress should pursue his impeachment and removal. He has betrayed the trust of Americans who volunteered to serve and undermined the standards that give their service meaning. His departure would end his authority over the institution. It would not settle his responsibility for what he did with it. The people harmed by his leadership will carry its consequences long after he leaves. He must face consequences of his own.

Hegseth must face consequences

Military service requires extraordinary trust. Americans volunteer to accept assignments, deployments and dangers over which they often have little control. They entrust their lives to civilian and military leaders, expecting competent decisions, fair treatment and lawful orders. Military families build lives around those commitments. The civilians who direct the military and the senior officers who lead it are responsible for honoring that promise.

Hegseth's personnel decisions over the last two years have betrayed that trust. He has blocked promotions of women and Black officers selected by professional military boards. The Pentagon denies that gender or race determined those decisions. He has also overseen the exclusion of transgender Americans who volunteered, trained and served honorably. These policies have damaged livelihoods, disrupted families and undermined confidence that honorable performance counts. Excluding qualified service members also deprives the force of trained, experienced personnel whose skills the country has spent years developing.

This responsibility extends to the people killed by military force under Hegseth's direction. He has overseen strikes on suspected drug traffickers at sea without publicly establishing why those individuals are lawful military targets. Those killed cannot contest the allegations against them. The Americans ordered to carry out the strikes are owed lawful direction and an explanation of the authority under which they are being ordered to kill.

Hegseth must also answer for the February strike that killed 123 children in a school in Minab, Iran. Eight months later, his department has still not released its findings. The children's families deserve answers. The American people deserve to know what was done in their name and who bears responsibility for the decisions that led to those deaths.

The Pentagon's accounting of American deaths also demands scrutiny. Hegseth must explain reports that his department's casualty figures omitted deaths among service members deployed in the Middle East. How those deaths were classified matters. Americans are entitled to know whether those decisions accurately described the losses or concealed the costs of war. Troops, their families and the public deserve candor about the human cost of this war.

The damage also reaches into how Americans understand their time in uniform. Military members who believe they participated in an unjustified killing may struggle to reconcile that act with the principles that led them to serve. Someone forced out after years of honorable service may feel betrayed by the institution they trusted. Such experiences can cause moral injury

— lasting distress from violating deeply held beliefs or being betrayed by trusted leaders in circumstances of grave consequence. It can involve guilt, shame, anger and a profound loss of trust in oneself and others.

Lawful orders, fair treatment and honest leadership are more than aspirations. They are essential obligations to those who serve. Violating them damages the institution and harms the people in it. Replacing the defense secretary does not repair that damage.

Congress must obtain the personnel records, targeting decisions, legal advice, investigative findings and casualty classifications behind Hegseth's record. It should subpoena him to testify under oath whether or not he stays. Even if Hegseth receives a presidential pardon, he and other responsible officials must explain what they knew, what they authorized and what they told the public. A pardon would not take away the public's right to those answers.

That investigation must reach beyond Hegseth. The standards enforced against service members must reach those with the greatest authority over their lives. President Trump and other civilian officials must answer for their decisions. Combatant commanders and service chiefs must answer for their own. Civilian control requires obedience to lawful orders; it does not absolve senior officers of responsibility for the operations they command or the personnel policies they implement.

There is a cautionary precedent. The day after the 2006 midterm elections, President George W. Bush announced Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's departure. Two years later, the Senate Armed Services Committee concluded that Rumsfeld's authorization of aggressive interrogation techniques had directly caused abuse to detainees at Guantanamo and contributed to abusive practices in Afghanistan and Iraq. The inquiry also traced responsibility to other senior civilian and military officials. Yet the report called neither for further investigation nor punishment. Congress established responsibility without a reckoning appropriate to its findings.

Exposing what happened is only the beginning. Findings must lead to consequences appropriate to the misconduct, including criminal referrals where the evidence warrants them. Those harmed by wrongful personnel decisions deserve review and meaningful redress. If Trump attempts to shield Hegseth from prosecution, lawmakers must still establish responsibility and pursue every remedy that remains available.

Hegseth should resign. If Trump will not fire him, Congress should pursue his impeachment and removal. He has betrayed the trust of Americans who volunteered to serve and undermined the standards that give their service meaning. His departure would end his authority over the institution. It would not settle his responsibility for what he did with it. The people harmed by his leadership will carry its consequences long after he leaves. He must face consequences of his own.

[Voices AARON TANG GUEST CONTRIBUTOR] Left and right both may hate next ruling on religious schools

W

HAT A TIME to be a religious litigant at the United States Supreme Court. From challenges to LGBTQ-inclusive school policies and curricula, to exemptions from public health and anti-discrimination measures, religious groups have virtually run the table in recent years.

But in the next big religion case to be argued in the Supreme Court, happening on Tuesday, Christian litigants are advancing an argument that, if it prevails, could lead to a surprising outcome: the elimination of a school choice program that has directed millions of taxpayer dollars to religious schools and has become quite popular on the right.

The case, St. Mary Catholic Parish vs. Roy, concerns a Colorado universal pre-K program enacted in 2022. Before 2022, Colorado, like many states, funded pre-K for just a limited number of students. Based on evidence that pre-K benefits all children, however, the state invested more than \$300 million a year to make access universal. That led lawmakers to a difficult policy choice: What kinds of preschools should be eligible for this new influx of funding?

One easy answer would have been to fund pre-K through traditional public school districts, which are the most common providers of state-funded pre-K nationwide. That's how Colorado's previous program worked, and how California's universal program runs today. But Colorado took a different route, paying so that families could choose among public and private preschools — including religious providers.

The result has been a boon for religious education. Seventy-nine religious preschool providers participate in Colorado's universal pre-K program, receiving millions of dollars each year. Significantly, Colorado made clear that these schools are free to engage in religious instruction.

So why, then, did a group of Catholic preschools sue the state, arguing that the pre-K program violates its freedom of religious exercise?

The answer lies in Colorado's commitment to protecting people from discrimination. When the state opened its coffers to private preschools, it wanted assurance they would play by the same anti-discrimination rules as public schools. So Colorado enacted a law prohibiting all pre-K providers from discriminating based on protected characteristics such as race, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability.

And that, according to the challengers in the new Supreme Court case, was a bridge too far. Once Colorado decided to fund private pre-K providers, the religious schools argue, the state was obligated to allow them to deny enrollment to gay, lesbian and transgender families. Anything less would constitute religious discrimination in violation of the Free Exercise Clause of the 1st Amendment.

There are reasons to doubt this argument. Both lower courts rejected it. And a contrary ruling

A CATHOLIC school in Phoenix. A Colorado school's case has reached the Supreme Court.

could have sweeping implications, imperiling any attempt by states to condition public benefits on neutral rules that incidentally burden religious exercise. After all, if conditioning pre-K funding on a basic anti-discrimination requirement violates the Free Exercise Clause, how about requiring a religious driver's license applicant to take a photograph, or forbidding a religious teacher to engage in corporal punishment?

Even still, it's hard to imagine the Supreme Court ruling for Colorado in this case. Not when the court has ruled so consistently in favor of religious causes in recent years, including in three high-profile cases against Colorado itself.

There is, however, one important reason the conservative justices might pause before handing a victory to the religious schools: a ruling in their favor may come at a great cost to the very school choice movement they've championed.

Notice the glaringly obvious policy response for states like Colorado, who wish both to increase pre-K access and prohibit discrimination. If the court forbids them to do both through private, religious preschools, then they can simply do what California has done: fund universal pre-K access through the public schools.

Even the religious challengers agree that such a response would be perfectly constitutional. As they admit, “a state need not subsidize private preschools at all.” And is there any doubt that, if forced to choose between funding only pre-K programs run by public schools and greenlighting discrimination against LGBTQ+ families, states like Colorado would prefer the former?

The upshot of the religious schools' position in this case is thus a deeply ironic one. The schools are so intent on getting rid of Colorado's anti-discrimination provision that they are willing to chance the elimination of the private school choice program itself. Public school supporters and teachers unions would no doubt celebrate that outcome, but there are costs—particularly for the dozens of religious pre-schools and thousands of religious families who would lose their taxpayer-funded religious instruction.

There is a way to avoid this result. The court can simply uphold Colorado's antidiscrimination mandate under the longstanding Free Exercise rule that neutral laws of general applicability are presumptively constitutional, even if they incidentally burden some re-

Markets over noise.

For far too long, we've relied on polls, pundits, and experts to tell us what America thinks. But the truth doesn't belong to a select few. It belongs to everyone.

Prediction markets put power in the hands of the people, turning millions of independent opinions into a collective view of the future. No gatekeepers. No central authority deciding what's true.

Just real people putting their conviction behind what they believe on a free market.

Because the best way to understand what America thinks isn't to handpick a few voices and give them a megaphone.

It's to let the market speak.

CALIFORNIA

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2026 :: LATIMES.COM/CALIFORNIA

ALAN SALAZAR, a Chumash and Tataviam elder, performs a cleansing ritual to celebrate the return of 51 acres of foothills to a tribe.

MYUNG J. CHUN Los Angeles Times

ESSENTIAL CALIFORNIA

Polls are out, bets in, with big risk involved

With people wagering millions on elections, it threatens to corrupt democratic process.

BY JACK DOLAN

After a long hike before the 2024 presidential election, I shared a well-earned beer with veteran journalist Jim Rainey, who was covering the race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

Polls showed a virtual dead heat, which seemed like bad news for Harris. In 2016, polls had Hillary Clinton ahead by several points, and we all know how that ended.

As we settled into our table at the Mt. Baldy Lodge, Jim said he'd discussed the 2016 results with pollsters who assured him they had devised formulas to account for underrepresented conservatives — voters who had lost faith in the system and stopped responding to surveys sponsored by legacy media and universities.

This time would be different, they told him.

That statement hung in the air as we sipped our beers and exchanged a knowing look.

Of course, Harris got blown out. She lost the popular contest by a couple of million votes and was swept in all seven battle-[See Betting, B4]

ERIN HOOLEY Associated Press

KALSHI and other such apps changed how some people follow elections.

[A homecoming for once-landless tribe] Fernandeño Tataviam members return to land above Santa Clarita they bought with a state grant. 'I could almost cry.'

By Noah Haggerty

A 51-acre piece of land along the Pacific Crest Trail above Santa Clarita is going back to descendants of the people who once lived there. The couple who owned it marketed the plot as a potential glamping site, but they decided to sell it instead to the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians.

The tribe traces its history to villages throughout the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys. On Wednesday, tribal members reconnected with the plants, birds and bugs among the chaparral of the San Gabriel foothills. Government officials and neighbors celebrated with them. It was the tribe's second land return, made possible with state funding, after spending more than a century without a single acre to its name.

“We’ve been known as a landless tribe. Living in your apartment or house, you could have a small garden,” said Jesus Alvarez, board president of the tribe’s conservancy and a tribal citizen. Now, he imagines days in the not-too-distant future when 5-year-olds learn by roaming these hills, not just listening to stories.

"It's going to be really special to see kids just do that," he said. "You have a stomachache? Make tea out of this.' That's going to be normal.

Julia Samaniego, a tribal citizen and ethno-botanist, walked among plants she considers relatives. A wispy sagebrush offered up its scent as a natural cologne. Bushes of chamise, with bulbous needle-like leaves, could use a visit from their good friend, fire, she mused. A California fuchsia, with bright scarlet flowers, heals the soil and entices hummingbirds. A yucca holds the earth with its roots to keep the trail level. And so much native chia — the kind you can't find in grocery stores.

Samaniego threw her hands up, elated.

"I want to cook for you guys!" she said. "I've been to so many places in L.A. County. I have never seen this much chia. I could almost cry."

The centerpiece of the land announces itself before you arrive. Driving up along the Santa Clara River, past invasive mustard grass, three giant tan rocks of glommed-together pebbles and stones tower above the rugged hills. Owls and bees take refuge in little caves there.

This is Páhi Yëëyt Tëtá — three large rocks — also known as Three Sisters Rock.

The Fernandeño Tataviam tribe has worked long and hard to regain land. Without federal recognition, it cannot have a reservation. As settlers — first Spanish missionaries and later Californians — spread out more and more, the tribe was rendered landless by 1900.

In 2018, it set up the nonprofit Tataviam Land Conservancy to acquire land — a typical strategy for tribes without federal recognition. It created a tribal conservation corps four years later to give hands-on training for Native youths and young adults in ecology, climate resilience and human well-being.

In 2023, the tribe signed an agreement with California State Parks to help manage more than a dozen state parks in its region. The [See Land, B5]

Plug-in solar may elude renters

California's new law allows portable units, but landlords might be able to forbid them.

BY BLANCA BEGERT

Ever since Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Plug and Play Solar Act and opened the door for Californians to plug small solar panels directly into wall outlets without utility permissions, people have been asking: Can renters use this technology?

“It’s a bit of an open question,” said Joseph Kaatz, senior staff attorney at the Energy Policy Initiatives Center at the University of San Diego School of Law.

“Seems my lease and many others often prohibit actually putting solar on your balcony,” one commenter wrote in an online forum celebrating the law.

Plug-in solar, also known as balcony solar, is often billed as solar for renters, since the panels don't require access to the roof or costly installation and are lightweight and more portable than traditional solar systems. In Germany, they're popular in apartment complexes, where people set them on their patios or hang them on balconies to save money on electric bills.

Under the California law that goes into effect in January, residents can buy certified panels under 1,200 watts and set them up without getting utility approval, which can be onerous. But renters may have to navigate another layer of permissions: landlords. Currently it's unclear whether tenants have the right to set up the panels if property owners don't want them.

California has strong laws that prevent homeowner associations from blocking solar panels or imposing unreasonable restrictions on them, Kaatz said. The Solar Rights Act, established in the 1970s, was key to resolving conflicts between HOAs and their members and paving the way for solar installations as interest in rooftop panels surged in the 2000s.

But the law was designed to apply to homeowners, not renters. It mainly bars rules around property sales and [See Solar, B5]

As landfill burns, county agency skips hearing

Health officials, called out for not attending, cite ongoing litigation as reason for absence.

By Tony Briscoe

A group of California lawmakers and state oversight officials have admonished Los Angeles County health authorities for failing to attend a public hearing on their response to a toxic chemical reaction within the Chiquita Canyon landfill.

The Joint Committee on Legislative Audit held a public hearing Thursday evening at Santa Clarita Valley International Charter School to discuss the findings of a recent California state auditor report that identified deficiencies in the response by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, or LADPH, to health risks at the landfill. Since May 2022, garbage has been smoldering deep underground, releasing toxic fumes into nearby communities of Castaic and Val Verde.

The hearing came days after the state attorney general and the Department of Toxic Substances Control announced a lawsuit against the landfill's owner and operator, Waste Connections. The suit seeks civil penalties and relief for repeated violations of state hazardous waste laws and environmental contamination.

Public health officials cited L.A. County's ongoing litigation against Chiquita Canyon as the reason for not participating. Assembly-[See Landfill, B4]

GARBAGE is spread on a hill in 2024 at the Chiquita Canyon landfill in Castaic.

ALLEN J. SCHABEN Los Angeles Times

[Los Angeles Times | GAMES] Killer Sudoku

The daily grid you know... with a devious twist.

Think you've mastered Sudoku? Think again. Here, you start with an empty grid divided into cages — groups of squares that must add up to a target sum — for a challenge that pushes even seasoned solvers.

ERIC THAYER Los Angeles Times

SECRET BALLOT

Sarahi Cruz votes at Metro headquarters in downtown Los Angeles on Monday. Tuesday is election day.

After storms, back to heat

JASON ARMOND Los Angeles Times

WEAK to moderate Santa Ana winds are expected to bring warmer weather back to L.A. after Thursday.

High temperatures and potentially high waves are in the forecast this week.

BY BLANCA BEGERT

After a dark and stormy Halloween night with showers that continued into Sunday, Southern California can expect clear skies this week as well as hotter temperatures, particularly along the beleaguered coastline.

Calmer ocean conditions are expected Tuesday and Wednesday, but an active storm pattern over the north Pacific will generate northwest swells that will probably affect the coastline starting Thursday and peaking Saturday, according to forecasters.

The weekend's rain brought flood advisories Saturday night for Ventura, Orange and San Diego counties, but the region emerged relatively unscathed, with no major flash flood or mudslide events reported, according to the National Weather Service.

Most of the Los Angeles coast and metro area saw average rainfall of a quarter of an inch to an inch over the weekend, the National Weather Service said.

Showers varied across the L.A. County region, with some isolated areas seeing heavier precipitation. Alhambra, in the San Gabriel Valley, received some of the L.A. Basin's highest rain totals at about an inch and a half. The corridor that connects Ventura, Oxnard and Point Mugu State Park also got hit with heavier rain, with most of the area seeing half an inch to an inch and a

half.

By late Sunday, the rain had cleared across Southern California, which should see "generally dry conditions with seasonal temperatures through Thursday," said Devin Black, a meteorologist with the weather service in Oxnard.

After Thursday, weak to moderate Santa Ana winds could bring low to moderate heat risk into the weekend, as a low pressure ridge builds over the region and inland winds sloping down from the mountains warm

the air.

"The heat risk would probably be more likely near the coast," Black said.

Paul Steward, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego, said temperatures could creep back up to the mid-80s by the end of the week.

“Then it looks like we might possibly get a return of some wet weather again the following week,” he said.

This weekend's storms didn't bring any major new erosion problems, said Steward, although areas that had been in the news during recent wave events probably saw some minor impacts.

San Diego, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties saw a quarter of an inch to three-quarters of an inch of rain over the majority of coastal and inland areas over the weekend, with some higher amounts in the mountains. Downtown Los Angeles saw an average of 0.7 of an inch of rain.

The return of wet weather toward the middle part of November is uncertain, said Black, but is suggested by some weather models.

4 face arson charges in downtown Newhall fire

The blaze destroyed a boutique, a pub and a theater, causing over \$13 million in damage.

By Iris Kwok

More than two months after fire ripped through Newhall's historic downtown, four people are under arrest, accused of arson and conspiracy in the devastating blaze.

The Aug. 24 Old Town fire caused more than \$13 million in damage, destroying a boutique, a gastropub and a theater and leaving residents mourning the destruction of the heart of the Santa Clarita community.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a statement Thursday that, earlier in the day, search warrants were served at four locations in the county and three men and one woman were arrested.

Two were men from Canyon Country: John Wright, 47, and Jesus Figueroa, 54, according to the statement. Cristian Leija, a 43-year-old man, and Antoinette Ruiz, a 35-year-old woman, both of El Monte, were also taken into custody.

Deputy Daniel Dominguez said Thursday night that Wright was being held in lieu of \$500,000 bail, while

Figueroa and Leija were being held without bail. Ruiz was also being held without bail, according to jail records.

The fire took place in the early hours of Aug. 24. Detectives from the sheriff's arson and explosives unit responded around 3 a.m. to the 24000 block of Main Street in Santa Clarita to investigate a “significant structure fire,” according to the statement.

The fire involved seven structures, the statement said.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department told The Times the fire broke out inside an auto-body shop and spread to an adjoining building that contained several businesses.

In late September, TV station KTLA reported that another fire had erupted in the same neighborhood. According to KTLA, the blaze began in the 24000 block of Railroad Avenue, near the intersection with Market Street.

It wasn't immediately clear if the two fires were connected.

No details have been shared about a possible motive. The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with information about the Main Street fire can contact the Sheriff's Department's arson and explosives unit at (323) 881-7500.

A PEDESTRIAN walks by the fenced-off wreckage of the Aug. 24 blaze on Main Street in Newhall.

ARWEN CLEMANS Los Angeles Times

During cross-border race, runners' vehicles are towed

RUNNERS in the Binational Race last week crossed from San Diego into Tijuana.

BRIANNA BAKKE

Half-marathoners who parked as directed by staff later return to find their cars gone.

By Alex Wigglesworth

Brianna Bakke was excited to run a 12K across the U.S.-Mexico border. She enjoyed the mariachi band that greeted runners as they crossed into Tijuana, the inflatable Xoloitzcuintle that marked the end of a particularly grueling segment and the finish-line celebration at Friendship Park.

“I loved that there was a spirit of unity, especially in these grim times our community is facing,” said Bakke, director of a downtown Los Angeles art gallery. “The event itself was a beautiful time for Mexican Americans and many people uniting together.”

But when Bakke finished the Binational Race last week and returned to the San Ysidro parking lot where she'd left her car, her vehicle was gone.

At first she thought it had been stolen. After all, event staff in yellow vests had directed her to park in San Ysidro Village, telling her the main event parking at Las Americas Premium Outlets was full, she said. Since the lot didn't appear as an approved parking site in pre-race materials, she asked twice, just to be sure, she said.

An employee at a nearby Guitar Center then told her her car — along with vehicles belonging to dozens of other runners — had been towed.

When Bakke reached the Chula Vista tow yard where they took her car, she estimates she saw at least 40 other race participants. A photo she snapped shows a line stretching in front of the facility to the sidewalk, with many runners still wearing lanyards and race bibs.

Bakke's car was returned after she waited about two hours and paid \$290, she said.

Binational Race USA managing director Valerie Rivera said in an email that race organizers regret the inconvenience for those who were towed but that San Ysidro Village Shopping Center wasn't designated or promoted as an official parking area. She did not respond to follow-up questions about on-site staffers reportedly directing participants to park there.

Some runners encountered issues at the tow yard because they'd left driver's licenses or rental car agreements inside the vehicles that were being held, said Terra Varner, who ran a half-marathon that was part of the same event and whose car was also towed from San Ysidro Village, where she said event staff directed her to park using cones and red traffic control flashlights.

“We're expecting to run 13.1 miles, get to the finish line and go back to the car,” she said. “Everybody leaves all their stuff in their car.”

As she waited to get her car back, Varner emailed race organizers and sent a direct message to the event's Instagram account, urging staff to look into the situation and message runners to explain what happened. She received no reply, and some critical comments on race social media accounts were deleted, she said.

Varner said she encountered other issues. She waited 45 minutes to an hour for a shuttle to take her from the finish line back to the border, and then another 45 minutes aboard the shuttle before it started moving, she said. Although she paid extra for a VIP lounge with dedicated restrooms, the staff at the finish line couldn't point her to any restrooms, let alone the VIP ones, she said.

"I really wanted to love this race," said Varner, an Oceanside business analyst who's run roughly 30 half-marathons. "But the way the race organizers handled it so far, I will never participate again."

Runner Seth Eriksen also described problems with the shuttle service. His girlfriend paid \$20 for a seat on a family shuttle that took spectators to the finish line. But the trip took about three hours, and by the time she arrived, she'd missed him cross by about two hours, he said. By then, the lines for the return shuttle were so long, they decided to take an Uber back.

As they were waiting to get back into the U.S., his girlfriend checked the race's social media pages and saw people commenting that their cars had been towed from San Ysidro Village. Eriksen's heart dropped: They had also parked in that lot after people in yellow vests directing traffic told them it was safe, he said.

When he returned to the lot, he was pleasantly surprised to find his car was still there. A man who identified himself as a tow truck driver told him the company had realized there was a mix-up and stopped towing cars, he said. By then, the lot was mostly empty, he said.

"The race itself was great

The race itself was great — I had an excellent experience," said Eriksen, who lives in Los Angeles and works in communications. "But I don't trust the organizers anymore."

Although Bakke said she would have appreciated an apology from the event organizers, she still described the experience as “an overall positive” and said she’d do it again.

But next time, she said, she'll take the train.

DSA upholds backing of Raman

National group decides to not revoke local endorsement of L.A. mayor candidate.

By Noah Goldberg

A national panel of the Democratic Socialists of America narrowly voted against rescinding the endorsement of Nithya Raman for Los Angeles mayor Monday, just one day before Tuesday's election.

The group had been considering revoking the endorsement of the council member over her views on

Israel, which some considered insufficiently tough.

In a 14-13 vote Monday, the National Political Committee declined to revoke the endorsement that was passed by DSA's Los Angeles chapter in September, a spokesperson for the organization confirmed.

The committee had been reviewing Raman's stance on the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement — known as BDS — against Israel.

Some on the panel believed that DSA-LA had violated "R22," a DSA resolution that requires local chapters to inquire about a candidate's support for BDS before endorsing.

The local chapter did not include a question about BDS on its candidate questionnaire.

DSA-LA members have been canvassing across the city for Raman since the endorsement, and the local chapter's leadership opposed the National Political Committee stepping into the process.

“We're relieved that the NPC is honoring the will of our members,” said Leslie Chang, a co-chair of DSA-LA.

Raman's campaign didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Health officials absent at landfill hearing

BURIED TRASH is smoldering in a toxic chemical reaction at Chiquita Canyon.

AL SEIB For The Times

[Landfill, from B1]

member John Harabedian (D-Pasadena), the committee's chair, said it was "unfortunate and disappointing" that the agency did not appear.

The auditor's report, published in late September, criticized county officials for taking almost two years to direct the landfill operators to temporarily relocate some area residents, and "could not provide a sufficient reason for why it did not act sooner."

It also said health officials failed to demonstrate that they consistently reviewed air quality data near the landfill and neglected to notify residents when toxic pollution levels exceeded state benchmarks.

Notably, the landfill operator's air quality monitors had repeatedly reported high levels of lung-irritating hydrogen sulfide in 2023 and 2024. However, LADPH officials did not relay these results or explain what they meant to the public.

“We found no evidence of LADPH explaining the health risks to the public, or alternatively, reassuring residents that they shouldn't be concerned,” California State Auditor Grant Parks said at the meeting. “And the LADPH analyst we spoke with, who was tasked with monitoring air quality data reported from the landfill, was actually unaware of the particularly high gas levels that we inquired about during our audit.”

The legislative committee was joined by Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth), who called for the state audit and is author of the recently passed Landfill Safety Act (Assembly Bill 28) in response to the crisis.

"The auditor's findings ... are scathing," Schiavo said. "It is a clear failure of leadership that our community is not getting the support that they need, and it is the leadership that needs to fix that or get out of the way for someone else to do it."

State Sen. Suzette Martinez Valladares (R-Acton) acknowledged that the report identified serious shortcomings. But she also urged the public and her colleagues to consider the full

picture.

“Those findings deserve careful examination, and they deserve accountability,” she said. “But the audit also found that the county solid waste enforcement program acted with reasonable speed, and took appropriate steps to address the conditions at the landfill.

“I believe that we have an obligation to examine this report in its entirety, recognizing what was done correctly, identifying where government fell short, and determining what has to change.”

For more than four years, buried garbage has been smoldering inside a portion of the Chiquita Canyon landfill, releasing a toxic brew of gases and leachate that include the carcinogen benzene. The nearby communities of Val Verde and Castaic have also complained about nauseating odors, headaches and difficulty breathing.

Barbara Ferrer, director of the county public health department, said in a statement that the state auditor's report examines the health department's actions "in isolation" rather than reviewing them in context with myriad other government regulatory agencies.

The state auditor said the health agency's response to Chiquita Canyon stood in stark contrast to actions it has taken in past environmental disasters. After the 2015 Aliso Canyon gas leak, county health officials helped to temporarily relocate residents within a month, Parks said.

"The department officials who are in charge now had a sense that Aliso Canyon was more dangerous or potentially had bigger implications," Parks said. "But the record shows that the conditions and the health assessments of the officials at the time had similar assessments to what is happening now currently."

Among several recommendations, the state auditor urged the L.A. County Board of Supervisors to direct the health department to regularly collect information about health symptoms near the landfill.

Chiquita Canyon closed at the end of 2024. Although the operator installed a cover and new equipment to better collect toxic gases and suppress fumes, the reaction has grown to 90 acres and could persist for several more years.

Jane Williams, executive director of California Communities Against Toxics, said Southern California has been rocked by numerous chemical disasters, including the Lineage warehouse fire and the Garden Grove hazardous materials emergency.

But underground landfill fires are very different. When garbage begins to smolder, it can release liquid waste and pollution for years.

“Usually a chemical disaster is short-lived,” Williams said. “Something explodes or blows up. That’s not happening here.”

Several dozen disgruntled residents turned out for the hearing.

Jennifer Elkins, a Val Verde resident who lives less than a mile from the landfill, said her family members have had nosebleeds, respiratory issues and headaches. She said she reported these symptoms to public health officials, but didn't receive the answers she had hoped for.

"The only response I received was that the symptoms would be logged," Elkins said. "No advice, no questions, no action was taken other than the logging of our symptoms. There is no policy or procedure, no standard practice. I don't know if public health didn't know how to respond or just didn't want to, but we got absolutely nothing from their work."

At the end of the four-hour meeting, Schiavo lamented that public health officials were not there to hear stories from the community. But she vowed to explore options for state regulators to step in if the county public health officials did not.

"If they don't change it, the state has to change it," she said. "We cannot keep waiting and crossing our fingers and begging and pleading for them to show up and do their job and protect our community. We need action and we need it now."

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Legal Notices

NOTICE OF PETITION

TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF:

FREDERICK MALCOLM BANKSTON

CASE NUMBER 26STPB03795

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of FREDERICK MALCOLM BANKSTON, DECEDENT

A petition for Probate has been filed by BRANDON D. NICHOLS in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles.

The Petition for Probate requests that BRANDON D. NICHOLS be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

The petition requests the decedent's will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.

A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: 11/09/26, 8:30 AM, Dept: 9, Room 244

Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles

STANLEY MOSK

111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.

If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.

You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.

Petitioner:

BRANDON D. NICHOLS

4780 LAKE PARK TER

ACWORTH, GEORGIA 30101

(678) 643-6081

Published in the Los Angeles Times

Legal Notices

Don't let the phone stop ringing

THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME

By David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek

Jumbles: BRICK FIGHT STRAND FAIRLY

Answer: The farmer took a photo of his wheat field with his new camera, but the photo was — GRAINY

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SUMMONS

(CITACION JUDICIAL)

Case Number (Numero del Caso):

30-2026-01571366-CU-PA-CJC

(AVISO AL DEMANDADO):

CARLOS GONZALO CORONEL, an individual; MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENO, a nominal defendant; and DOES 1 through 25, inclusive,

YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF: (LO ESTA DEMANDANDO EL DEMANDANTE): ARIANA SALVADOR GONZALEZ, a wrongful death beneficiary of Decedent IMANOL SALVADOR GONZALEZ,

NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below.

You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court.

There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web Site (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of \$10,000 or more in a civil case. The court's lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case.

iAVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde dentro de 30 días, la corte puede decider en su contra sin escuchar su version. Lea la informacion a continuacion.

Tiene 30 DIAS DE CALENDARIO despues de que le entreguen esta citacion y papeles legales para presenter una respuesta por escrito en esta corte y hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. Una carta o una llamada telefonica no lo protegen. Su respuesta por escrito tiene que estar en formato legal correcto si desea que procesen su caso en la corte. Es posible que haya un formulario que usted pueda usar para su respuesta. Puede encontrar estos formularios de la corte y mas informacion en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www.sucorte.ca.gov), en la biblioteca de leyes de su condado o en la corte que le quede mas cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentacion, pida al secretario de la corte que le de un formulario de exencion de pago de cuotas. Si no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso por incumplimiento y la corte le podra quitar su sueldo, dinero y bienes sin mas advertencia.

The name and address of the court is: (El nombre y direccion de la corte es):

ORANGE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT, Central Justice Center,

702 Civio Centro Drive West

700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701

The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff's attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney, is: (El nombre, la direccion y el numero de telefono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante que no tiene abogado, es): John M. Kremer, Esq. (SBN 113646), Law Offices of John M. Kremer.

5160 Birch Street, Suite 210, Newport Beach, CA 92660 (714)843-8262

Date: (Fecha) 05/21/2026

David H. Yamasaki, Clerk of the Court

G. Galon

Clerk (Secretario)

Deputy (Adjunto)

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Polls are out, bets are in: Should we really be gambling on democracy?

[Betting, from B1] ground states.

That's why, as we head into Tuesday's midterms, I'm not surprised so many people are ignoring traditional polls. Instead, they're checking the gambling odds.

Tribe buys back land in foothills

[Land, from B1]

following January, it announced an environmental offset company had donated more than 500 acres near Elizabeth Lake. When the dusting of snow and ice thawed, 200 tribal citizens joined on the land for the tribe's annual family reunion. The latest land back was made possible by a \$1.9-million grant from the California Natural Resources Agency.

"I remember as a young kid, my mom always was talking about the tribe and the work that is being done

— ‘one day and one day and one day,’ ” said Rosalinda Ortega, a tribal citizen and a field representative for Assemblymember Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale). “This work represents more than land conservation. It represents our history, our identity, our connection, our ancestors and our responsibility to the future generations.”

Can renters use balcony solar?

ALEXANDRA SCHULER Picture Alliance

A SOLAR set in Berlin, where the units are popular.

[Solar, from B1]

transfers that would restrict solar.

“We're in a new era of technology now that the Legislature never had to think about before,” Kaatz said. He thinks there's a strong case to be made that the language in the Solar Rights Act applies to rental agreements, but it's a matter of interpretation, he said, and it hasn't come up yet since balcony solar is so new.

A few states with new balcony solar bills have included clauses that protect renters. New Jersey's law, also passed this year, bars landlords from prohibiting balcony solar while requiring tenants to provide notice and adhere to “reasonable restrictions” on panel size and placement. Laws in Colorado, Virginia and Vermont include similar provisions, and a bill recently introduced in Congress would require states to protect renters' rights to use the systems. But California's law doesn't address them.

Property owners say solar panels on balconies and fences could affect their insurance, while renters worry that landlords could set their insurance liability requirements so high it would make the panels cost prohibitive.

“If a tenant of mine wanted a panel, I would deny it,” one landlord wrote in the comments of a recent L.A. Times story. “I would not want a miscalculation on their part to damage my property. I am not so sure my insurance would go for it either.”

The Southern California Rental Housing Assn., which opposed the bill as it was moving through the Legislature on the grounds that it would allow tenants to connect devices without notifying landlords, said it is analyzing what it means for members. “The law doesn’t specifically address rental housing,” spokesperson Tanya Mannes Castaneda said.

Daniel Yukelson, executive director of the Apartment Assn. of Greater Los Angeles, said he reads the bill as allowing tenants to install balcony solar, and his group may seek an amendment next year.

"There are literally no parameters in the law that we are aware of that would restrict the installation of these things," Yukelson said. "Solar panels can be installed on the outside of a building, and wires can run everywhere, and those create trip hazards and panels can create fire hazards."

Advocates are also ready to seek amendments if need be. California has special laws on the books protecting the rights of renters to hang their laundry outside to dry, said Bernadette Del Chiaro, a senior vice president at the nonprofit Environmental Working Group, which co-sponsored the California bill.

"If landlords start to restrict portable solar in California, we'll simply have to go back to the Legislature and expand the state's Solar Rights Act," she said. "Since landlords don't pay the utility bill for their tenants most of the time, it is unreasonable for them to place burdensome restrictions on their tenants."

Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), the author of the bill, said in a statement that California's solar laws aren't specific to homeowners and "if a landlord wants to take their tenant to court to block them from installing a small affordable clean energy device, they can do that and lose."

Balcony solar manufacturers say the “solar for renters” moniker may be a bit of a misnomer at the moment, since the vast majority of people who have purchased the small, lightweight systems in the U.S. are still homeowners.

"The reality of it is that it's still very unbalanced," Michael Scherer, co-founder of the Texas-based manufacturer Craftstrom, said, noting that $95\%$ of its U.S. customers are homeowners. He said apartment dwellers, who may have space for only one 400-watt panel, may be less interested because they'll save less than someone buying a larger system.

A 400-watt panel could power a normal-size refrigerator, or most of the other appliances running in an apartment apart from a refrigerator, such as laptops, lamps and a television, Scherer said. But it would hardly make a dent in the cost of air conditioning, for which he recommends at least a 3,000- to 4,000-watt kit. (A home cooled by a heat pump probably would require a smaller setup, but still more than 1,500 watts, he said.)

The energy nonprofit Bright Saver, which sells kits of two 180-watt panels for \$414 with a \$29 membership, has a calculator on its website that estimates savings for people by ZIP Code, taking into account their electrical utility. A 360-watt system would save someone in the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's East Hollywood territory between \$113 and \$142 in the first year, it estimates. That would cover the cost of a panel in three to four years and lead to \$1,764 in savings over 10 years, assuming a 7% annual rate increase.

Cora Stryker, co-founder of Bright Saver, said the biggest problem for California renters is that the main certification for plug-in systems in the U.S. requires an electrician to rewire power outlets to allow for a special plug. The goal, she said, is to make sure that panels connect to a circuit that can support them, but typically renters don't hire electricians.

Bright Saver is trying to get UL Solutions, the main certifier, to exempt solar kits under 360 watts, which many experts agree produce too little power to endanger the grid or overwhelm a home's wiring. The testing body said it's concerned that systems under 400 watts can still overheat electrical components in a home and create a fire risk.

“Lower wattage alone does not eliminate those risks,” Colleen O’Brien, a principal engineer at UL Solutions, said in a statement.

For balcony solar systems to be allowed under California's new law, they have to meet the standards of a certifying body such as UL Solutions. At the moment, none have received approval, although advocates expect at least one panel kit to be cleared by the end of the year.

Gov. Gavin Newsom's administration has made land return for California tribes a priority. He formally apologized for the state's role in a "genocide" against Indigenous people. He appointed the state's first-ever deputy secretary for tribal affairs at the Natural Resources Agency.

This year, the state set a goal of getting 7% of California's land — representing the amount of land the United States originally promised to set aside as reservations for California tribes — under the stewardship of tribes.

Under Newsom's administration, the state has invested more than \$200 million in initiatives to help tribes reacquire land, including the Tribal Nature-Based Solutions program, which funded this return. Together it has brought more than 100,000 acres back to tribes, California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot said at Wednesday's celebration.

"The folks that actually know best how to manage these lands are the Native American tribes, who have been managing these lands since time immemorial," he said, with Páhi Yëëyt Tëtá rising behind him. "This is not only the smart thing to do. This is the right thing to do.... It's key to our future as Californians, whether we're tribal or not."

LAPD patrol car hits and kills woman

Vehicle was headed to provide backup after a reported shooting at a Sherman Oaks party.

By Josh Rottenberg

A 32-year-old woman was struck and killed by a Los Angeles police patrol car as it responded to an emergency call at a Halloween party, according to authorities and news reports.

The crash occurred around 11:30 p.m. Saturday near Woodman Avenue and Bessemer Street in Valley Glen.

Los Angeles firefighters responded, and the woman was pronounced dead at the scene, according to LAPD Lt. Elpidio Orozco.

No officers were injured.

According to ABC7, the patrol car was heading to provide backup at a Halloween house party several miles away on Weddington Street in Sherman Oaks. Police had received a report of shots fired and encountered a crowd of about 300 people at the party.

The vehicle had its emergency lights and siren activated when it struck the woman, the station reported.

The woman was outside a marked crosswalk when she was struck, KTLA reported, citing a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson.

The patrol car was from the LAPD's North Hollywood Division and was responding to an emergency call in the Van Nuys Division, Orozco said.

The crowd at the Halloween party was eventually dispersed without injuries, according to ABC7.

The LAPD's Multidisciplinary Collision Investigation Team is investigating.

Obituaries

Place a paid notice latimes.com/placeobituary | Search obituary notice archives: legacy.com/obituaries/latimes

Ali Cyrus Razi

January 20, 1940 - October 29, 2026

Ali Cyrus Razi, a visionary philanthropist, devoted community leader, and the founding chairman of the Farhang Foundation, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on October 29, 2026. He leaves behind an enduring legacy built on a foundation of humility, compassion, and a tireless commitment to enriching the lives of others.

Born with an innate drive to build and uplift, Mr. Razi led a life that was a testament to the power of combining professional excellence with a deeply generous spirit. He earned a degree in civil engineering from King's College London in 1963, then returned to Iran to earn a master's degree in business administration from the University of Tehran. In Tehran he built his own civil engineering company, married Anousheh Zolghadre, and started a family. The 1979 revolution brought that chapter to an abrupt end. He moved his family to California, started over as a builder, and in 1984 founded The Stratham Group of Companies, which over more than 35 years shaped the landscape of Southern California through the development of thousands of homes. His peers recognized his exceptional leadership by naming him Builder of the Year in 2006, yet he measured his success not in properties or accolades but in the opportunities he could create for others.

Mr. Razi's true life's work was service. For him, the ultimate culmination of his career was not defined by what he made, but by how much he could give back. He was an incredibly grateful immigrant who never took the freedoms this country has to offer for granted—a devotion so profound that his very first vote cast as an American citizen was as a member of the Electoral College. Ali Razi transformed the hardship of leaving a homeland into a powerful drive to uplift and empower others. This deep sense of purpose led him and his beloved late wife, Anousheh Razi, to found the Farhang Foundation in 2008, where he served as founding chairman for a decade. His vision was pure and unifying: to create a non-political, non-religious home where the rich heritage of Iranian art and culture could be celebrated and shared with the world. Under his quiet but profound leadership, the foundation blossomed into a cornerstone of the Iranian-American community and the broader cultural fabric of Los Angeles.

His dedication to the preservation of the Iranian heritage and the principles of the Self-Improvement, Freedom, Equality and the Brotherhood of man was equally evident in his lifelong commitment to Freemasonry. Initiated into the fraternity in Tehran in 1975, Mr. Razi carried its enduring spirit of fellowship with him when forced to leave his homeland. Alongside other distinguished brethren, he was instrumental in establishing the Grand Lodge of Iran in Exile, creating a sanctuary of resilience, camaraderie, and tradition for the diaspora. He served as Master of the Toos Lodge, and then from 2001 to 2007 served the craft as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Iran in Exile. Under his leadership, the fraternity secured vital recognition across the United States and Europe, safeguarding its legacy and survival for future generations.

His compassion knew no boundaries. Mr. Razi served as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for The Midnight Mission, dedicating his resources and energy to supporting individuals on Skid Row. He believed deeply in the power of higher education to transform lives, serving as a Trustee Emeritus of the California State University system and establishing scholarships to support the next generation of leaders. In 2002, California State University, San Bernardino awarded him an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, recognizing his profound contributions to education.

In 2011, Mr. Razi's remarkable journey as an immigrant who gave endlessly to his adopted country was honored with the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. True to his nature, he viewed such prestigious recognition not as a personal triumph, but as a reflection of the beautiful synthesis between his proud Iranian heritage and the American ideals he so deeply cherished.

To those who knew him best, Ali Cyrus Razi was a man of extraordinary intellect, quiet grace, and unwavering kindness. He walked through the world with a gentle presence, always lifting others up and deflecting praise. His legacy will continue to inspire through the foundation he built, the students he supported, and the family he loved so dearly.

He is survived by his son, Babak Razi; his daughter, Niloofar Razi, his beloved grandchildren, William, Christopher, Noushin, and Havana, and his daughter-in-law, Megan Razi. He was predeceased by his wife, Anousheh, and his son, Keyvan Razi. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Farhang Foundation or The Midnight Mission in his memory.

May his memory be cherished, and may his lifelong dedication to family, friendship, culture, community, and compassion continue to light the way for generations to come.

Forecasts by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2026

Today in Southern California

Dry and comfortable: Dry weather with sunshine will prevail across the area Tuesday. Temperatures will be below average over the Inland Empire and the desert regions, and highs will be near average across the L.A. Basin. Dry weather and a warming trend will continue Wednesday through Friday, with a possibility of Santa Ana winds on Friday.

5-day forecasts

High/low temperatures are average forecasts for entire zone. | L.A. Basin | Valleys | Beaches | Mountains | Deserts | Today | 76|56 | 75|52 | 74|55 | 60|28 | 81|60 | Mostly sunny | Mostly sunny | Mostly sunny | Mostly sunny | Lots of sunshine | Wednesday | Sunny | 78/58 | Mostly sunny | 76/57 | Sunny | 76/56 | Sunny; cool | 55/25 | Sunny | 83/61 | Thursday | Partly sunny | 81/58 | Some sun | 78/56 | Partly sunny | 78/56 | Partly sunny | 57/25 | Mostly sunny | 83/61 | Friday | Sunny | 82/60 | Mostly sunny | 82/60 | Sunny | 82/58 | Mostly sunny | 58/28 | Sunny | 85/62 | Saturday | Sunny; warm | 87/62 | Sunny; warm | 86/58 | Sunny; warm | 84/60 | Sunny | 66/33 | Sunny; warm | 88/62 |

Surf and sea

POINT CONCEPTION TO MEXICO

Inner waters: Wind northwest at 10-20 knots. Seas 3-5 feet. Swell southwest to south 3 feet at 15 seconds.

Surf zone: The risk of dangerous rip currents is moderate at S.B. County beaches and high elsewhere. | County | Height | Period | Direction | Temp | Santa Barbara | 3-5' | 15 sec | S | 71 | Ventura | 3-5' | 15 sec | S | 72 | Los Angeles | 3-5' | 15 sec | S | 75 | Orange | 3-6' | 15 sec | SSW | 75 | San Diego | 3-6' | 15 sec | SSW | 76 | Tides | L.A. Outer Harbor, in feet. | Today | 5:28a | 4.9 Hi | 11:11a | 2.1 Lo | 4:48p | 4.8 Hi | 11:21p | 0.3 Lo | Wed. | 5:59a | 5.3 Hi | 12:06p | 1.4 Lo | 5:52p | 4.7 Hi | ---- Lo |

Surf and sea

POINT CONCEPTION TO MEXICO

Inner waters: Wind northwest at 10-20 knots. Seas 3-5 feet. Swell southwest to south 3 feet at 15 seconds.

Surf zone: The risk of dangerous rip currents is moderate at S.B. County beaches and high elsewhere. | County | Height | Period | Direction | Temp | Santa Barbara | 3-5' | 15 sec | S | 71 | Ventura | 3-5' | 15 sec | S | 72 | Los Angeles | 3-5' | 15 sec | S | 75 | Orange | 3-6' | 15 sec | SSW | 75 | San Diego | 3-6' | 15 sec | SSW | 76 | Tides | L.A. Outer Harbor, in feet. | Today | 5:28a | 4.9 Hi | 11:11a | 2.1 Lo | 4:48p | 4.8 Hi | 11:21p | 0.3 Lo | Wed. | 5:59a | 5.3 Hi | 12:06p | 1.4 Lo | 5:52p | 4.7 Hi | ---- Lo |

UV index

Minutes to burn for sensitive people

Las Vegas, 45 Phoenix, 45

Los Angeles, 45 San Francisco, 60

Sun and moon

California cities\*

Almanac | City | Mon.* | Today | Wed. | Hi | Lo | Prcp. | Hi | Lo | Hi | Lo | Anaheim | 76 | 52 | -- | 77 | 54 | 78 | 53 | Avalon/Catalina | 68 | 57 | -- | 64 | 56 | 66 | 59 | Bakersfield | 69 | 51 | -- | 71 | 50 | 68 | 48 | Barstow | 70 | 46 | -- | 74 | 49 | 72 | 48 | Big Bear Lake | 54 | 27 | -- | 60 | 28 | 55 | 25 | Bishop | 64 | 37 | -- | 68 | 35 | 64 | 31 | Burbank | 75 | 52 | -- | 74 | 53 | 76 | 54 | Camarillo | 74 | 48 | -- | 72 | 51 | 75 | 51 | Chatsworth | 75 | 49 | -- | 75 | 51 | 77 | 56 | Chino | 75 | 48 | -- | 77 | 50 | 76 | 50 | Compton | 76 | 54 | -- | 77 | 57 | 78 | 57 | Dana Point | 73 | 55 | -- | 73 | 58 | 73 | 57 | Death Valley | 82 | 58 | -- | 81 | 57 | 83 | 58 | Del Mar | 73 | 58 | Tr | 73 | 62 | 72 | 59 | Escondido | 75 | 47 | -- | 74 | 53 | 75 | 48 | Eureka | 57 | 48 | -- | 63 | 44 | 62 | 47 | Fallbrook | 73 | 44 | -- | 75 | 50 | 75 | 47 | Fresno | 68 | 52 | -- | 70 | 50 | 66 | 50 | Fullerton | 76 | 52 | -- | 76 | 56 | 76 | 56 | Hemet | 73 | 45 | -- | 75 | 48 | 74 | 48 | Hesperia | 67 | 40 | -- | 69 | 40 | 66 | 39 | Huntington Beach | 74 | 56 | -- | 75 | 59 | 75 | 59 | Idyllwild | 58 | 38 | -- | 61 | 40 | 59 | 42 | Irvine | 77 | 53 | -- | 77 | 57 | 76 | 56 |

Today in North America

Severe weather: A strong front will cause thunderstorms from Missouri to Louisiana. These storms are capable of producing tornadoes and damaging wind gusts. Much of the East will be dry and warm in the afternoon, although showers will persist across Florida. | Showers | T-storms | Rain | Flurries | Snow | Ice | Shown are areas of precipitation and high temperatures for the day.

U.S. cities

MONDAY'S EXTREMES AS OF 2 P.M. FOR THE 48 CONTIGUOUS STATES

High 94 in Zapata, Texas Low 13 in Burns, Ore. | City | Monday* | Today | Hi | Lo | Prcp. | Hi | Lo | Sky | Albany | 66 | 36 | -- | 66 | 48 | Hz | Albuquerque | 59 | 46 | .07 | 61 | 41 | Su | Anchorage | 39 | 30 | -- | 39 | 33 | R | Aspen | 40 | 37 | .29 | 49 | 24 | Su | Atlanta | 71 | 55 | Tr | 73 | 65 | Pc | Austin | 85 | 64 | -- | 79 | 52 | Ts | Baltimore | 64 | 39 | -- | 73 | 50 | Su | Boise | 56 | 34 | -- | 59 | 38 | Pc | Boston | 71 | 46 | -- | 70 | 55 | Hz | Buffalo | 64 | 46 | -- | 72 | 57 | Hz | Burlington, Vt. | 67 | 42 | -- | 61 | 55 | Cy | Charleston, S.C. | 77 | 60 | .01 | 79 | 65 | Pc | Charlotte | 71 | 53 | -- | 76 | 57 | Pc | Chicago | 61 | 56 | .01 | 72 | 62 | Sh | Cincinnati | 59 | 52 | .24 | 77 | 61 | Pc | Cleveland | 67 | 54 | -- | 76 | 61 | Pc | Columbia, S.C. | 77 | 60 | -- | 79 | 59 | Pc | Columbus | 57 | 53 | .11 | 75 | 61 | Pc | Dallas/Ft.Worth | 84 | 65 | -- | 74 | 53 | R | Denver | 51 | 43 | .05 | 56 | 34 | Su | Detroit | 61 | 53 | Tr | 74 | 62 | Cy | El Paso | 70 | 60 | .11 | 70 | 46 | Su | Eugene | 48 | 43 | .03 | 59 | 35 | Pc | Fort Myers | 77 | 70 | .17 | 86 | 72 | Sh | Hartford | 72 | 33 | -- | 71 | 50 | Pc | Honolulu | 85 | 75 | .05 | 85 | 75 | R | Houston | 87 | 66 | -- | 82 | 57 | Ts | Indianapolis | 61 | 54 | Tr | 74 | 60 | Cy | Jacksonville, Fla. | 79 | 68 | .29 | 82 | 68 | Sh | Kansas City | 73 | 62 | .07 | 67 | 49 | Sh | Knoxville | 73 | 49 | Tr | 79 | 61 | Pc | Las Vegas | 69 | 53 | -- | 68 | 51 | Su | Louisville | 62 | 54 | .25 | 77 | 63 | Cy | Medford | 56 | 33 | .01 | 59 | 33 | Pc | Memphis | 75 | 63 | .04 | 76 | 60 | Ts | Miami | 85 | 76 | .64 | 86 | 76 | Sh | Milwaukee | 62 | 53 | .02 | 69 | 60 | R | Minneapolis | 65 | 57 | .49 | 59 | 51 | R | Nashville | 78 | 54 | .54 | 77 | 64 | Pc | New Orleans | 77 | 72 | .01 | 82 | 70 | Cy | New York | 65 | 42 | -- | 69 | 56 | Pc | Norfolk | 66 | 48 | -- | 72 | 58 | Su | Oklahoma City | 73 | 65 | .52 | 62 | 45 | Cy | Omaha | 68 | 61 | .29 | 58 | 46 | Sh | Orlando | 73 | 66 | .10 | 83 | 71 | Sh | Philadelphia | 65 | 44 | -- | 71 | 52 | Pc | Phoenix | 72 | 59 | .42 | 78 | 57 | Su | Pittsburgh | 71 | 53 | .02 | 74 | 52 | Su | Portland, Ore. | 55 | 44 | -- | 60 | 40 | Pc | Providence | 70 | 40 | -- | 71 | 54 | Pc | Raleigh/Durham | 67 | 52 | Tr | 77 | 53 | Su | Reno | 58 | 35 | -- | 60 | 34 | Pc | Richmond | 62 | 45 | -- | 75 | 50 | Su | St. Louis | 68 | 57 | Tr | 73 | 56 | Ts | Salt Lake City | 51 | 45 | .43 | 55 | 40 | Su | City | Monday* | Today | Hi | Lo | Prcp. | Hi | Lo | Sky | Seattle | 53 | 35 | -- | 58 | 42 | Pc | Tampa | 76 | 69 | .33 | 86 | 73 | Sh | Tucson | 70 | 55 | .24 | 77 | 53 | Su | Tulsa | 77 | 64 | .15 | 67 | 48 | Cy | Washington, D.C. | 63 | 47 | -- | 73 | 54 | Su | Wichita | 72 | 62 | .16 | 59 | 45 | Cy | World | Acapulco | 89 | 76 | .09 | 89 | 76 | Hz | Amsterdam | 57 | 49 | .36 | 52 | 41 | Pc | Athens | 68 | 57 | .21 | 72 | 54 | Su | Bangkok | 93 | 77 | .01 | 94 | 79 | R | Barcelona | 64 | 55 | .25 | 59 | 49 | Sh | Berlin | 48 | 43 | -- | 50 | 39 | Pc | Cabo San Lucas | 90 | 72 | -- | 91 | 72 | Cy | Cairo | 88 | 69 | -- | 84 | 67 | Hz | Dubai | 99 | 81 | -- | 95 | 80 | Hz | Dublin | 54 | 39 | -- | 53 | 46 | Pc | Havana | 88 | 69 | .14 | 89 | 70 | Sh | Ho Chi Minh City | 93 | 78 | .08 | 91 | 78 | R | Hong Kong | 88 | 78 | .04 | 84 | 79 | Pc | Istanbul | 70 | 61 | .54 | 67 | 57 | Sh | Jerusalem | 82 | 59 | -- | 76 | 58 | Su | Johannesburg | 81 | 55 | .27 | 80 | 59 | Ts | Kuala Lumpur | 89 | 76 | .42 | 90 | 76 | Ts | Lima | 82 | 74 | -- | 82 | 73 | Cy | London | 54 | 46 | .34 | 54 | 46 | Pc | Madrid | 68 | 37 | -- | 59 | 34 | Su | Mecca | 98 | 72 | -- | 100 | 78 | Hz | Mexico City | 80 | 52 | -- | 81 | 50 | Su | Montreal | 66 | 50 | .02 | 57 | 53 | Sh | Moscow | 34 | 29 | -- | 36 | 34 | Cy | Mumbai | 93 | 81 | .27 | 96 | 81 | Su | New Delhi | 84 | 65 | -- | 85 | 64 | Hz | Paris | 54 | 44 | .15 | 52 | 37 | Pc | Prague | 43 | 39 | -- | 43 | 32 | Cy | Rome | 63 | 48 | .03 | 68 | 50 | Su | Seoul | 59 | 42 | .02 | 65 | 44 | Hz | Singapore | 88 | 79 | .23 | 92 | 79 | Ts | Taipei City | 77 | 72 | .06 | 81 | 72 | Pc | Tokyo | 66 | 59 | .45 | 66 | 56 | Pc | Vancouver | 49 | 37 | -- | 52 | 40 | Pc | Vienna | 46 | 41 | .90 | 46 | 38 | Cy | Key: Su sunny; Pc partly cloudy; Cy cloudy; Fg foggy; Prcp precipitation; Dr drizzle; Hz hazy Sh showers; Ts thunderstorms; R rain; Sn snow; Sf snow flurries; I ice; Rs rain/snow; W windy; Tr trace. Notes: National extremes exclude Alaska and Hawaii. \* - data estimated. Monday's readings as of 2 p.m.

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LAFC squanders chance to host first-round match

Loss to Minnesota means it won't have home-field advantage in best-of-three series.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Joaquín Pereyra scored two goals, defender Cher- rion Valerius scored the first of his career and Minnesota United kept its postseason hopes alive with a 3-1 victory over LAFC on Sunday night.

Minnesota (10-12-11) pulled within two points of a Western Conference postseason berth with one match remaining.

LAFC (12-10-11) had already clinched a playoff spot but missed a chance to finish in the top four and earn home-field advantage in the best-of-three first round.

Pereyra gave Minnesota the lead in the 29th minute — unassisted off a throw-in.

Valerius made it 2-0 in the 34th with his first goal in his sixth MLS appearance. Kelvin Yeboah notched his career-high fifth assist in his second full season and defender Nectarios Triantis collected his third after getting his first two in five appearances last year.

Pereyra used an assist from rookie forward Mauricio González — his second — to score for the fifth time this season and up the advan-

[NWSL PLAYOFFS] QUARTERFINALS

No. 2 San Diego Wave vs.

No. 7 Utah Royals

Friday, 7 p.m., Prime

No. 4 Kansas City Current vs.

No. 5 Angel City

Saturday, 9 a.m. PST, CBS,

Paramount+

No. 3 Washington Spirit vs.

No. 6 Portland Thorns

Sunday, noon PST, ABC, ESPN

No. 1 Gotham FC vs.

No. 8 Seattle Reign

Sunday, 9:30 a.m. PST, ABC,

ESPN

Note: Higher seed is host team

MLS STANDINGS

WESTERN CONFERENCE | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | Vancouver | 18 | 8 | 7 | 61 | 72 | 34 | FC Dallas | 15 | 8 | 10 | 55 | 59 | 50 | San Jose | 14 | 9 | 10 | 52 | 56 | 48 | St Louis City | 14 | 10 | 9 | 51 | 58 | 48 | Houston | 14 | 10 | 9 | 51 | 43 | 42 | LAFC | 12 | 10 | 11 | 47 | 51 | 38 | GALAXY | 11 | 11 | 11 | 44 | 49 | 55 | Portland | 12 | 14 | 7 | 43 | 60 | 61 | Colorado | 12 | 14 | 7 | 43 | 46 | 47 | Seattle | 11 | 12 | 10 | 43 | 42 | 45 | Real Salt Lake | 12 | 15 | 6 | 42 | 51 | 51 | Minnesota United | 10 | 12 | 11 | 41 | 53 | 57 | San Diego FC | 9 | 13 | 11 | 38 | 57 | 62 | Austin FC | 8 | 15 | 10 | 34 | 42 | 63 | Sporting Kansas City | 6 | 22 | 5 | 23 | 39 | 81 | EASTERN CONFERENCE | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | Nashville | 22 | 3 | 8 | 74 | 69 | 25 | Inter Miami CF | 16 | 6 | 11 | 59 | 77 | 56 | New England | 18 | 11 | 4 | 58 | 55 | 46 | Chicago | 16 | 10 | 7 | 55 | 61 | 50 | Charlotte FC | 15 | 10 | 8 | 53 | 63 | 48 | Philadelphia | 13 | 12 | 8 | 47 | 62 | 51 | Cincinnati | 12 | 11 | 10 | 46 | 67 | 73 | Columbus | 13 | 15 | 5 | 44 | 55 | 49 | Orlando City | 12 | 14 | 7 | 43 | 62 | 78 | New York | 11 | 16 | 6 | 39 | 45 | 62 | New York City FC | 9 | 12 | 12 | 39 | 48 | 45 | Toronto FC | 9 | 12 | 12 | 39 | 51 | 63 | Atlanta | 9 | 18 | 6 | 33 | 43 | 57 | D.C. United | 7 | 14 | 12 | 33 | 39 | 60 | CF Montréal | 6 | 19 | 8 | 26 | 37 | 67 | tage to 3-0 in the 81st minute.

LAFC (12-10-11) avoided a shutout on an unassisted goal by Sergio Vásquez in the final minute of regulation. It was his first netter in his sixth MLS appearance.

Drake Callender saved six shots for Minnesota United.

Hugo Lloris did not have a save for LAFC, which saw a four-match unbeaten streak end.

Minnesota ended St. Louis City's MLS single-season record-tying 19-match unbeaten streak with a 3-2 victory in mid-October and went 2-0-3 during the month to get back into the playoff chase.

LAFC posted a 1-0 win in Minnesota in late April. It drops to 9-4-4 at home, while Minnesota improves to 6-7-4 on the road.

LAFC next plays at the Seattle Sounders to end the regular season on Saturday.

ETHAN MILLER Getty Images

USC'S Juju Watkins (12) drives on UNLV's Meadow Roland in the No. 3 Trojans' season-opening 100-68 win.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL REPORT

Watkins returns, scores 21 in USC win

ASSOCIATED PRESS

JuJu Watkins scored 21 points in her return after missing last season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, freshman Saniyah Hall added 22 in her collegiate debut and No. 3 USC defeated Nevada Las Vegas 100-68 on Monday.

Jazzy Davidson led all scorers with 23 points on 10-for-11 shooting for the Trojans. Hall added seven rebounds and seven assists.

Kennedy Smith contributed 12 points and Sitaya Fagan had 11 for USC, giving the Trojans five scorers in double figures. Watkins added five rebounds and two assists in 25 minutes.

Maia Rosarion led UNLV with 12 points and Jayla Constant added 10. Meadow Roland grabbed a game-high nine rebounds for the Lady Rebels, who finished with a 40-35 rebounding advantage at T-Mobile Arena.

Watkins scored 11 points during a decisive third quarter in which USC outscored UNLV 31-10, stretching a 52-39 halftime lead to 83-49. The Trojans made 14 of 20 shots in the period while holding the Lady Rebels to three-for-16 shooting.

Hall scored seven points and Davidson added six in the third, with both making all three of their field-goal attempts.

UNLV missed all five of its three-point attempts and went without a field goal over the final 4:14 of the quarter.

USC shot 58.8% overall and held a 52-24 advantage in points in the paint. The Trojans forced 24 turnovers, converting them into 32 points, and recorded 13 steals.

Hall scored nine points in the first quarter as USC built a 29-15 lead. UNLV outscored the Trojans 24-23 in the second quarter, making four of six three-pointers before USC pulled away after halftime.

USC hosts Utah State at Galen Center on Sunday.

UCLA opens title defense with victory

Sienna Betts scored 15 points, Donovyn Hunter added 14 and defending national champion UCLA, ranked No. 11, used a big third quarter to turn back Lehigh 73-53 at Pauley Pavilion.

In the first meeting between the two schools, the Bruins made 10 of 15 shots in the third quarter and held the Mountain Hawks to three of 13, stretching a 32-27 halftime lead to 55-36.

KK Bransford added 10 points for UCLA, which returns five players but had six taken in the WNBA draft — five in the first round. The Bruins will raise their championship banner on Nov. 15 at the end of their five-game homestand.

Leia Edwards had 13 points and eight rebounds for Lehigh, which lost in the Patriot League title game last year before going to the WNIT.

Ryann Jennings hit a three-pointer to open the second quarter, ending a 10-0 run that gave the Mountain Hawks a 20-17 lead. Four players scored, three with three-pointers, as UCLA responded with an 11-0 lead. Elina Aarnisalo had seven points in an 11-0 spurt in the third that put the lead in double figures for good.

UCLA had a 41-25 rebounding advantage and turned 20 turnovers into 23 points.

UCLA hosts UC Irvine at Pauley Pavilion Thursday.

MONDAY'S WOMEN'S BOX NO. 11 UCLA 73, LEHIGH 53

LEHIGH (0-1) — Bramer 2-9 2-4 6, Edwards 6-13 1-2 14, Fleming 1-3 1-2 4, Jennings 3-8 0-0 9, Lovette 3-6 2-2 10, Johnston 1-3 0-0 2, Lind 0-1 2-2 2, Lianoudi 0-1 0-0 0, Reddy 0-0 0-0 0, Vitalicio 2-3 0-0 6, Washington 0-0 0-0 0, Totals 18-47 8-12 53

UCLA (1-0) — Betts 7-13 1-1 15, Gardiner 2-9 1-1 6, Aarnisalo 4-9 0-0 9, Bransford 4-7 2-2 10, Hunter 6-9 0-0 14, Brown 4-7 0-0 9, Muse 1-1 2-2 4, Deas 1-4 1-4 3, Jerkovic 0-2 0-0 0, Okafor 1-3 0-2 3, Totals 30-64 7-12 73. | Lehigh | 17 | 10 | 9 | 17- | 53 | UCLA | 17 | 15 | 23 | 18- | 73 | 3-Point Goals—Lehigh 9-23 (Bramer 0-2, Edwards 1-5, Fleming 1-2, Jennings 3-6, Lovette 2-5, Vitalicio 2-3), UCLA 6-21 (Gardiner 1-4, Aarnisalo 1-4, Hunter 2-5, Brown 1-2, Deas 0-2, Jerkovic 0-1, Okafor 1-3). Assists—Lehigh 14 (Jennings 4), UCLA 20 (Aarnisalo 4, Hunter 4). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Lehigh 25 (Edwards 8), UCLA 41 (Betts 7). Total Fouls—Lehigh 13, UCLA 14. Technical Fouls—None. A—4,697. | Totals | 46-86 | 10-14 | 11-44 | 32 | 18 | 124 | CLIPPERS

NBA STANDINGS

Through Sunday

Standings have been arranged to reflect how the teams will be determined for the playoffs. Teams are ranked 1-15 by record. Division standing no longer has any bearing on the rankings. The top six teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs. Teams seven through 10 will participate in a play-in tournament with the top-seeded team playing the lowest qualifying play-in team. The next-lowest qualifying team would play the second, etc. Head-to-head competition is the first of several tiebreakers, followed by conference record. (Western Conference divisions:S-Southwest; P-Pacific; N-Northwest; Eastern Conference divisions: A-Atlantic; C-Central; S-Southeast).

WESTERN CONFERENCE | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | L10 | Rk. | 1. Memphis | 6 | 0 | 1.000 | – | 6-0 | S1 | 2. Houston | 6 | 1 | .857 | $\frac{1}{2}$ | 6-1 | S2 | 3. Portland | 4 | 1 | .800 | $1\frac{1}{2}$ | 4-1 | N1 | 4. LAKERS | 5 | 2 | .714 | $1\frac{1}{2}$ | 5-2 | P1 | 5. Dallas | 4 | 2 | .667 | 2 | 4-2 | S4 | 5. Oklahoma City | 4 | 2 | .667 | 2 | 4-2 | N2 | 5. San Antonio | 4 | 2 | .667 | 2 | 4-2 | S3 | 8. Denver | 3 | 2 | .600 | $2\frac{1}{2}$ | 3-2 | N3 | 9. Golden State | 4 | 3 | .571 | - | 4-3 | P2 | 9. Minnesota | 4 | 3 | .571 | - | 4-3 | N4 | 11. New Orleans | 2 | 4 | .333 | $1\frac{1}{2}$ | 2-4 | S5 | 12. Phoenix | 1 | 3 | .250 | $1\frac{1}{2}$ | 1-3 | P3 | 13. CLIPPERS | 1 | 5 | .167 | $2\frac{1}{2}$ | 1-5 | P4 | 13. Utah | 1 | 5 | .167 | $2\frac{1}{2}$ | 1-5 | N5 | 15. Sacramento | 0 | 6 | .000 | $3\frac{1}{2}$ | 0-6 | P5 | EASTERN CONFERENCE | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | L10 | Rk. | 1. Philadelphia | 6 | 1 | .857 | – | 6-1 | A1 | 2. Boston | 5 | 1 | .833 | $\frac{1}{2}$ | 5-1 | A2 | 2. Detroit | 5 | 1 | .833 | $\frac{1}{2}$ | 5-1 | C1 | 4. Cleveland | 4 | 2 | .667 | $1\frac{1}{2}$ | 4-2 | C2 | 5. Toronto | 3 | 3 | .500 | $2\frac{1}{2}$ | 3-3 | A3 | 5. Washington | 3 | 3 | .500 | $2\frac{1}{2}$ | 3-3 | S1 | 7. Atlanta | 3 | 4 | .429 | 3 | 3-4 | S2 | 7. Charlotte | 3 | 4 | .429 | 3 | 3-4 | S3 | 9. Miami | 2 | 4 | .333 | $\frac{1}{2}$ | 2-4 | S4 | 9. New York | 2 | 4 | .333 | $\frac{1}{2}$ | 2-4 | A4 | 9. Orlando | 2 | 4 | .333 | $\frac{1}{2}$ | 2-4 | S5 | 12. Indiana | 2 | 5 | .286 | 1 | 2-5 | C3 | 13. Brooklyn | 1 | 5 | .167 | $1\frac{1}{2}$ | 1-5 | A5 | 13. Chicago | 1 | 5 | .167 | $1\frac{1}{2}$ | 1-5 | C4 | 13. Milwaukee | 1 | 5 | .167 | $1\frac{1}{2}$ | 1-5 | C5 |

Doncic dominates at both ends

Wednesday's games

LAKERS at Sacramento....7 p.m.

Miami at CLIPPERS....7:30 p.m.

Philadelphia at Detroit....4 p.m.

Atlanta at Washington....4 p.m.

Milwaukee at Boston....4:30 p.m.

Charlotte at Brooklyn....4:30 p.m.

Chicago at New York....4:30 p.m.

Indiana at Memphis....5 p.m.

Utah at New Orleans....5 p.m.

Cleveland at Oklahoma City....5 p.m.

Minnesota at Houston....5:30 p.m.

Toronto at Denver....6 p.m.

Portland at Phoenix....6 p.m.

Dallas at San Antonio....6:30 p.m.

SUNDAY'S LATE BOX

WARRIORS 124, CLIPPERS 112 | Totals | 40-91 | 18-19 | 14-42 | 22 | 17 | 112 | Photographs by SCOTT STRAZZANTE Associated Press

Shooting: Field goals, 44.0%; free throws, 94.7%

Three-point goals: 14-39 (Sanders 4-6, Hachimura 4-7, Martinelli 2-3, Christie 1-1, Lopez 1-2, Jones Jr. 1-5, Garland 1-7, Dick 0-1, Dunn 0-3, Wagler 0-4). Team Rebounds: 7. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 0 Turnovers: 14 (Garland 3, Sanders 3, Hachimura 2, Jones Jr. 2, Lopez 2, Jackson, Wagler). Steals: 11 (Dunn 7, Lopez 2, Garland, Sanders). Technical Fouls: None.

RAPTORS forward Scottie Barnes, right, is fouled by Luka Doncic in the third quarter at Crypto.com Arena.

Doncic paused and smiled.

“Both,” he said, laughing. “You guys vote for that.”

Perhaps, it was suggested to Doncic, his inspired defensive play is aimed at proving his naysayers wrong.

Shooting: Field goals, 53.5%; free throws, 71.4%

Three-point goals: 22-49 (Melton 6-8, Lendeborg 6-11, Horford 3-7, Williams 2-3, Podziemski 2-7, Payton II 1-3, Richard 1-3, Niang 1-5, Santos 0-2). Team Rebounds: 4. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 5 (Bassey, Horford, Melton, Santos, Williams). Turnovers: 15 (Melton 4, Horford 3, Lendeborg 2, Niang 2, Payton II, Podziemski, Santos, Williams). Steals: 5 (Melton 2, Bassey, Lendeborg, Payton II). Technical Fouls: None.

CLIPPERS 37 20 28 27–112

Golden State 29 34 29 32–124

A-18,064. T-2:14.

[Lakers, from B10]

I'm not the best defender in the NBA, but I think this year I really took a step forward. Obviously, people are going to talk what they want to talk [about] me. ... But I know, and my team knows, that I think I'm better this year. And that helps the whole team, I think."

So would he rather win the NBA's most valuable player award, defensive player of the year award or both?

“Look, people are going to talk bad no matter what,” Doncic said. “So I just try to focus on me, on my team, on what I can give to the team better. Like I said before, I think I made a huge step forward on both ends. So I just got to keep going like that.”

Doncic taking the charges impressed his coaches and teammates the most because it showed he was willing to give up his body to make a stop.

“Even last season, before last season, I don't think I had maybe five charges in seven years, or six years,” Doncic said. “So, that gets everybody fired up. ... I mean, it's going to show in statistics, but not much. ... I just wanted to get better at that, and three charges is not bad for one game.”

Redick said he was amazed by Doncic's offensive exploits. Then he praised Doncic for his "awesome" play on defense.

"I think just his on-ball throughout the early stretch of games has been really good just in terms of containment," Redick said. "He's doing a great job talking on defense. Beyond just the steals and the charges and the rebounding.

"Fifteen defensive rebounds, just phenomenal."

Doncic entered Sunday leading the NBA with 36.2 points per game. In his previous three games, Doncic scored 52 against the Jazz, 41 versus the Trail Blazers and

37 against the Warriors.

So Sunday was just another “normal” game for Doncic.

“It feels like a supernova, but it also feels normal,” Redick said. “We live on a spaceship and we’re going at the speed of light at all times when he’s on the court. When he has it going, it’s like, pick your poison, cause he can just make any shot. And then you start putting two on the ball and everybody else is the beneficiary of that. He’s a terrific offensive engine.”

Williams update

Ziaire Williams missed his third consecutive game,

SUNDAY'S LATE BOX

LAKERS 131, RAPTORS 125

TORONTO | | TORONTO | Min | FG-A | FT-A | OR-T | A | P | T | Barnes.... | 36 | 11-20 | 7-13 | 5-6 | 5 | 3 | 29 | Walter.... | 32 | 4-12 | 0-0 | 1-4 | 2 | 3 | 11 | Jackson-Davis.... | 9 | 2-3 | 1-1 | 2-5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | Barrett.... | 32 | 9-18 | 0-0 | 3-10 | 5 | 4 | 22 | Quickley.... | 33 | 3-13 | 3-3 | 1-6 | 7 | 1 | 12 | Shead.... | 25 | 3-6 | 1-1 | 1-2 | 6 | 4 | 9 | Murray-Boyles.... | 20 | 1-6 | 2-2 | 1-3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | Battle.... | 16 | 7-14 | 2-2 | 4-5 | 0 | 2 | 20 | Martin.... | 16 | 2-4 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 4 | 2 | 5 | Graves.... | 9 | 1-5 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | Anderson.... | 4 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 3-3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | Bradley.... | 4 | 1-2 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | Totals | 45-105 | 18-25 | 22-47 | 35 | 26 | 125 | Shooting: Field goals, 42.9%; free throws, 72.0%

Three-point goals: 17-54 (Barrett 4-9, Battle 4-10, Walter 3-9, Quickley 3-11, Shead 2-4, Martin 1-3, Murray-Boyles 0-2, Barnes 0-3, Graves 0-3). Team Rebounds: 8. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 1 (Walter). Turnovers: 15 (Barnes 5, Barrett 3, Shead 2, Anderson, Battle, Murray-Boyles, Quickley, Walter). Steals: 14 (Murray-Boyles 3, Shead 3, Barnes 2, Jackson-Davis 2, Bradley, Graves, Quickley, Walter). Technical Fouls: coach Darko Rajakovic, 1:55 second

LAKERS | Min | FG-A | FT-A | OR-T | A | P | T | LaRavia.... | 25 | 3-6 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 4 | 3 | 8 | Thybulle.... | 25 | 2-6 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | Kessler.... | 31 | 6-6 | 4-4 | 5-15 | 1 | 3 | 16 | Doncic.... | 35 | 12-23 | 13-13 | 0-15 | 6 | 5 | 45 | Reaves.... | 38 | 6-16 | 5-6 | 1-3 | 4 | 2 | 19 | Grimes.... | 25 | 2-4 | 2-4 | 0-1 | 3 | 1 | 7 | Mamukelashvili.... | 23 | 4-7 | 1-1 | 0-1 | 1 | 0 | 11 | Sexton.... | 19 | 6-10 | 1-2 | 1-3 | 3 | 2 | 14 | Vanderbilt.... | 12 | 2-2 | 0-0 | 2-3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | James.... | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Carr.... | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Hardy.... | 0 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Shooting: Field goals, 53.8%; free throws, 84.4%

Three-point goals: 18-37 (Doncic 8-12, LaRavia 2-3, Thybulle 2-4, Mamukelashvili 2-5, Reaves 2-7, Grimes 1-3, Sexton 1-3). Team Rebounds: 10. Team Turnovers: 2. Blocked Shots: 7 (Kessler 3, Thybulle 2, Doncic, LaRavia). Turnovers: 22 (Doncic 7, Grimes 4, Reaves 3, Kessler 2, LaRavia 2, James, Sexton, Thybulle, Vanderbilt). Steals: 11 (Doncic 5, Thybulle 2, Kessler, LaRavia, Sexton, Vanderbilt). Technical Fouls: coach JJ Redick, 6:27 fourth. | Toronto | 23 | 31 | 28 | 43–125 | LAKERS | 36 | 30 | 38 | 27–131 | A-19,057. T-2:19.

but Redick said a scan on the forward's ailing left foot was "clean."

"I would describe it [as] soreness that just pops up in the morning and he's feeling a lot better," Redick said. "I think just being, again, cautious with the back to back."

Clippers sunk by rookie star's 37

Lendeborg carries Curry-less Golden State past L.A., which loses its fifth straight.

BY JANIE McCAULEY

SAN FRANCISCO — Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg scored a career-high 37 points and dished out six assists in a game in which Golden State rested stars Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, and the Warriors beat the Clippers 124-112 for their fourth straight win Sunday night.

Lendeborg notched his fourth game with 20 or more points, scoring five straight midway through the third quarter that gave the Warriors their biggest lead to that point at 83-68. He shot 13 for 19 — six of 11 from three-point range — and his points were the most by a Warriors rookie since Curry went off for 42 on April 14, 2010, at Portland.

With two 30-point performances among his initial seven games, Lendeborg joined Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain and Rick Barry as the only other Warriors to do so. Lendeborg bounced back from a tough outing in a win against the Lakers on Friday in which he fouled out.

Brandon Williams scored 17 points off the bench as the Golden State reserves contributed 40 points in all.

Rui Hachimura had 24 points and Kobe Sanders came off the bench to score 16 for the Clippers, who lost their fifth straight game.

Curry and Green had the night off for the front end of a back-to-back, with the Clippers also playing in the first of consecutive games.

Golden State has found a rhythm since starting 0-3.

Brandin Podziemski overcame a slow start to finish with 17 points, eight rebounds and eight assists and De'Anthony Melton added 21 points for the Warriors, who were big supporters of the Golden State Valkyries' run to a WNBA championship that was capped by a thrilling Game 7 win Saturday.

Gabby Williams, Tiffany Hayes and Kiah Stokes walked through Chase Center to huge cheers a night after the Valkyries beat the Atlanta Dream. The team was honored at midcourt in the first half.

McCauley writes for the Associated Press.

Riley's behavior after USC's big win not exactly normal

GINA FERAZZI Los Angeles Times

USC COACH Lincoln Riley watches his team warm up before Saturday's game against Ohio State. The 30-18 victory was the biggest of his five-year tenure.

[USC, from B10] [35] (1948) statement. Was it before the game? Because he couldn't have had more than 20 minutes available after.)

“This program is ... built on internal joy, not external applause,” Riley read. “This win is for all the staff members, the players, the leaders, admin, all the people within the walls. I said before this game that I’m the right person for this job, and as long as people know that, that’s all I care about. I appreciate being part of this university and all it does. I appreciate our kids and our staff, and I’m gonna continue to fight on, ‘cause that’s what being a Trojan is all about.”

And then he punctuated the strange scene with an "Adios."

Needless to say, as innocuous as the message might've been, this was not exactly normal behavior in the aftermath of such a joyous breakthrough moment. When Riley stood up and left, nearly every reporter in that news conference began exchanging raised eyebrows and puzzled glances.

In retrospect, it wasn't all that out of character for USC's coach. From basically the day he arrived in L.A., Riley has hammered home the message that nothing outside of his own building matters. That sentiment, in some sense, has colored how the whole operation has run under Riley these last five seasons. Every aspect of the program has been more insular and closed-off.

Ultimately, it's Riley's prerogative how he wants to run his program. But the irony is that he has proved, time and again, just how much the narrative outside does matter to him.

Take that news conference, for example. Nothing shows the world that the outside noise doesn't bother you quite like preparing a statement ahead of time about how much the outside noise doesn't bother you.

Of course, it's not the first time Riley has come off defensive or passive-aggressive. Earlier this season, he apparently took issue with a social media exchange about USC players being discouraged from showing their personality. So, at the very end of that week's news conference (again), just as defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart made a joke about wanting gumbo after the game, Riley took a jab, apparently at the media: "Yeah ... no personality, huh?"

Then he walked out of the room.

Saturday night should've been one of the happier moments of his tenure with the Trojans. Instead, as he left the field, he cursed at Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork during a brief

verbal altercation. One social media post suggested Buckeyes staff members may have cursed at Riley's wife and children, triggering the coach's reaction directed toward Bjork. Then after appearing mostly unmoved during the news conference, he read that statement.

Riley deserves a ton of credit for leading the Trojans to victory over Ohio State. And he's right to say the outside world doubted them. Because they did. I know I did.

But on the biggest night of USC's season to date, Riley managed to make himself look small. And afterward, even some inside the walls of USC couldn't help but cringe about it.

Extra points

■ Gary Patterson deserves credit for keeping the Heisman front-runner in check. Over Ohio State's first seven games this season, wideout Jeremiah Smith averaged upward of 20 yards per reception. Against USC? Just 8.3. And while some of that downturn is because of Ohio State starting a backup quarterback, I thought Patterson's plan to limit Smith was stellar. USC bracketed Smith and kept him from getting behind the defense.

He still finished with 10 catches, but only two of them came beyond 10 yards. It seems as though Patterson is finally finding his stride coaching his secondary.

■ Mark Bowman played only 23 snaps and ran 12 routes in his return from injury. The freshman tight end's presence as a big-play threat was still felt. His 70-yard hurdle-and-run is a serious candidate for play of the year so far. But beyond that, Bowman added a big-play dimension to the Trojans' offense that it has sorely been missing the past month. His ceiling is absolutely sky-high.

■ Waymond Jordan returned to the backfield rotation ... and looked much more like himself. Jordan sat out against Wisconsin, and Riley was honest about the fact that he still wasn't looking like his usual shifty self after a pair of ankle surgeries. Well, a week later, I thought Jordan looked much more confident against Ohio State than he has all season. He still hasn't broken a big play this season, but this was an encouraging performance, as he finished with 65 total yards in 14 touches.

■ Another freshman started on the offensive line and impressed in a tough matchup. With Hayden Treter out because of injury and backup Kaylon Miller coming off a tough week, freshman Kannon Smith stepped in at left guard. Against one of the most talented fronts in college football, he didn't allow a single pressure in the pass game. And in the process, he made a real case to keep the job.

"He battled his [butt] off," Riley said. "He's a tough sucker."

Chargers may be first team to go 0-17

RAMS linebacker Wesley Bailey forces a fumble from Justin Herbert, who threw two interceptions Sunday.

ROBERT GAUTHIER Los Angeles Times

[Swanson, from B10] losing to the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders; the 1-6 Miami Dolphins probably have their Dec. 27 game against the Chargers circled on their calendar as their winnable one. Still, each game, each week is “an opportunity,” as Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said, to figure it out. Or even to trap an unsuspecting, wounded opponent?

But there's also the fact that the Chargers are 0-10 since their last win on Dec. 21 in Dallas — even longer ago than the Chargers' last touchdown, which was nine quarters and 27 possessions in the rearview mirror.

What's 10 more losses if not on the table?

Just about everything should be on the table — though not trading Herbert, by all accounts — for this banged-up, head-scratching, flat tire of a football team.

The Chargers' lost season is the opportunity for major renovations.

It would even be really silly for the Chargers not to give the market a good shake before the NFL's Nov. 10 trade deadline.

No one wants to say goodbye to Chargers mainstay Khalil Mack that way, but the veteran defender should be worth a pretty pick to a contender. What about receiver Quentin Johnston? Running back Kimani Vidal?

But do not excuse Mike McDaniel. Let the beleaguered offensive coordinator keep calling games.

Why? Because history is on the line!

And so is the No. 1 draft pick that could land Ohio State's sensational receiver, Jeremiah Smith.

The Detroit Lions went winless in 2008 and got Matthew Stafford — a Super Bowl winner and last season's league MVP for the Rams — with the top pick in the next draft for their suffering.

But neither that season, nor the Cleveland Browns' 0-16 2017, will go down as an abject disappointment on the level of this Chargers season.

Those teams weren't supposed to be special. ESPN's consensus was that the 2008 Lions would finish fourth in the division. And the Browns were coming off a 1-15 season (after which they drafted Myles Garrett No. 1 overall).

The Chargers came into this year with the eighth-best odds to win the Super Bowl. They were fresh off consecutive 11-win seasons in Harbaugh's first two seasons at the helm. And they were pairing Herbert and McDaniel. They were supposed to be a dynamic duo. Instead, the pairing has been a colossal dud.

Herbert's two interceptions Sunday pushed his season total to an NFL-leading 10. In 2024, he threw only three.

“Turnovers are what's stopping us [offensively], and that's something that we have to clean up,” Herbert said after Sunday's loss, in which he hit both Rams safety Quentin Lake and Rams cornerback Trent McDuffie in the chest with passes.

The first interception led to a Rams field goal, the second set up a Rams touchdown.

It was that kind of game in that kind of season.

Herbert's Hail Mary before halftime came down in Ladd McConkey's grasp a foot short of the goal line. It was the second time this season Herbert completed a pass of 50 or more yards and had the play end on the one-yard line — an NFL

record, according to ESPN.

record, according to E-SP-N.

The Chargers also went into halftime with 129 more yards of total offense, nine more minutes of possession and prevented the Rams from achieving a first down on their first five drives for the first time in Sean Mc-Vay's decade as coach.

But still the Chargers — they of little faith — trailed 10-9. Because the Rams closed the half by charging 66 yards to score a touchdown on a five-play, one-minute, 36-second drive immediately after the Chargers had elected to kick a field goal rather than go for it on fourth and two.

They played like a team ready to accept another defeat and fell to 0-7 for the first time since 2000, when

Harbaugh was their quarterback.

They finished 1-15 that season, the franchise's worst. I wondered: Did that experience teach Harbaugh — who is just the fifth coach ever to win a college national title and also appear in a Super Bowl — anything?

"I mean, there's no quit, there's no surrender," Harbaugh said. "It's going to be an opportunity next week, get ourselves ready for that. It's that motivation, it's that dedication that, you know, there's next week. There's an opportunity, and ... you got to keep working, you got to keep moving forward."

Unless they can put in a reverse jinx, the only thing they're moving toward is some ignominious history.

NFL STANDINGS Through Sunday | West | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | San Francisco | 6 | 1 | 0 | .857 | 197 | 139 | Seattle | 4 | 3 | 0 | .571 | 168 | 125 | RAMS | 4 | 4 | 0 | .500 | 194 | 168 | Arizona | 3 | 5 | 0 | .375 | 175 | 238 | North | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | Minnesota | 6 | 1 | 0 | .857 | 140 | 93 | Detroit | 5 | 2 | 0 | .714 | 203 | 180 | Chicago | 5 | 2 | 0 | .714 | 180 | 143 | Green Bay | 5 | 3 | 0 | .625 | 171 | 164 | South | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | Carolina | 3 | 4 | 0 | .429 | 178 | 193 | Tampa Bay | 3 | 5 | 0 | .375 | 178 | 151 | Atlanta | 3 | 5 | 0 | .375 | 171 | 189 | New Orleans | 2 | 5 | 0 | .286 | 162 | 194 | East | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | N.Y. Giants | 4 | 2 | 1 | .643 | 163 | 161 | Dallas | 3 | 5 | 0 | .375 | 219 | 213 | Washington | 2 | 4 | 1 | .357 | 159 | 182 | Philadelphia | 2 | 6 | 0 | .250 | 137 | 202 | AMERICAN CONFERENCE | West | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | Denver | 6 | 2 | 0 | .750 | 172 | 165 | Kansas City | 5 | 2 | 0 | .714 | 167 | 131 | Las Vegas | 4 | 4 | 0 | .500 | 221 | 230 | CHARGERS | 0 | 7 | 0 | .000 | 99 | 175 | North | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | Pittsburgh | 6 | 2 | 0 | .750 | 180 | 144 | Cincinnati | 5 | 2 | 0 | .667 | 206 | 158 | Cleveland | 5 | 3 | 0 | .625 | 139 | 173 | Baltimore | 4 | 4 | 0 | .500 | 179 | 203 | South | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | Jacksonville | 5 | 2 | 0 | .714 | 196 | 111 | Houston | 2 | 5 | 0 | .286 | 165 | 170 | Indianapolis | 2 | 6 | 0 | .250 | 161 | 222 | Tennessee | 1 | 7 | 0 | .125 | 144 | 199 | East | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | Buffalo | 6 | 1 | 0 | .857 | 233 | 181 | New England | 5 | 3 | 0 | .625 | 184 | 162 | N.Y. Jets | 2 | 6 | 0 | .250 | 170 | 188 | Miami | 1 | 6 | 0 | .143 | 117 | 181 | Green Bay 27, Carolina 19

SUNDAY'S RESULTS

Rams 24, Chargers 9

Green Bay 27, Carolina 19

Buffalo 36, Baltimore 10

Detroit 19, Minnesota 15

Jacksonville 42, Indianapolis 7

Las Vegas 38, N.Y. Jets 33

Pittsburgh 27, Cleveland 6

Tampa Bay 16, Atlanta 0

Arizona 33, Dallas 30 (OT)

Cincinnati 43, Tennessee 36 (OT)

Denver 28, Kansas City 24

New England 24, Miami 19

Washington 27, Philadelphia 10

MONDAY'S RESULT

Chicago at Seattle, late

Open: Houston, N.Y. Giants, New Orleans,

San Francisco

WEEK 9

THORSDAY'S GAME

Jacksonville at Baltimore, 5:15 p.m.

SUNDAY'S GAMES

RAMS at Washington, 10 a.m.

Houston at CHARGERS, 1:05 p.m.

Cincinnati vs Atlanta at Madrid, 6:30 a.m.

Cleveland at New Orleans, 10 a.m.

Dallas at Indianapolis, 10 a.m.

Denver at Carolina, 10 a.m.

Detroit at Miami, 10 a.m.

N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia, 10 a.m.

N.Y. Jets at Kansas City, 10 a.m.

Arizona at Seattle, 1:25 p.m.

Green Bay at New England, 1:25 p.m.

Las Vegas at San Francisco, 1:25 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Chicago, 5:20 p.m.

NOV. 9

Buffalo at Minnesota, 5:15 p.m.

Open: Pittsburgh, Tennessee

NFL REPORT

Rams' Garrett set to practice

STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Rams edge rusher Myles Garrett, who has been on injured reserve since undergoing knee surgery after the season opener, will practice this week, coach Sean McVay said Monday.

The Rams will open the 21-day window for Garrett to return to the roster, but McVay said the Rams would proceed cautiously before determining when Garrett will play in a game.

The Rams play the Washington Commanders on Sunday in Landover, Md.

"I want to be careful to even set any sort of expectations," McVay said during a videoconference with reporters. "I think just taking it a day at a time is going to be the best way that we can approach it.

“Think that’s the right thing for him and really just to see how he responds.”

McVay said there was “a good chance” tight end Terrance Ferguson will return to practice this week but a decision has not been made. Ferguson has not been on injured reserve since Oct. 2 because of an ankle injury.

Cornerback Trent McDuffie, who was sidelined against the Arizona Cardinals and the Las Vegas Raiders, intercepted a pass during Sunday's 24-9 victory over the Chargers before he suffered a back injury that forced him to leave the game. Cornerback Jaylen Watson also left because of a shoulder injury.

McVay said both would be evaluated throughout the week before making a determination about their availability for Sunday.

With the NFL trade deadline on Nov. 10, McVay reiterated that the Rams are counting on the return of

Garrett, Ferguson and other key players such as receiver Davante Adams and defensive lineman Kobie Turner as opposed to making deals for new players.

DEFENSIVE END Myles Garrett is making his way back from knee surgery.

Kyusung Gong Associated Press

—GARY KLEIN

Cardinals tap Minshew

Arizona Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur said Monday that veteran quarterback Gardner Minshew will move into the starter's role after he took over for the struggling Jacoby Brissett and led a 14-point comeback to lift the Cardinals to a 33-30 overtime win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

LaFleur said Minshew provided a “spark” that the team’s beat-up offense needed. Minshew led four straight touchdown drives after entering the game late in the third quarter and finished with 188 yards passing and three touchdowns.

"Just playing the position, getting the ball out of his hands, going through his reads," LaFleur said. "I thought his pocket movement was really good. He was finding the little spots in there, delivering the ball and delivering accurate balls."

Rookie Carson Beck will move into the backup role while Brissett will be the team's third-string emergency quarterback on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks with the trade deadline approaching on Nov. 10.

Daniels leads Commanders

we have to improve on, and this is never just on one person," Sirianni said. "So, I'm not making any changes there."

Jayden Daniels threw for 217 yards and a touchdown, and the Washington Commanders shut out the Philadelphia Eagles over the final three quarters of a 27-10 victory on Sunday night.

Washington picked up its first win in more than a month while sending Philadelphia to its sixth straight loss, and Daniels won as a starter for the first time since beating the Chargers on Oct. 5, 2025.

The Commanders sacked Tanner McKee five times and intercepted him once while holding the Eagles to 268 yards — just 199 before the meaningless final drive.

The Eagles have averaged just 15 points and 270.3 yards per game in McKee's three starts in place of Jalen Hurts.

Eagles coach Nick Siri-anni said Monday he was not making a change at offensive coordinator.

"All of us have things that

Etc.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray was under evaluation for hamstring soreness that developed at Detroit during the team's first defeat of the season. Murray didn't miss any time in the 19-15 loss, but he was moving gingerly down the stretch on Sunday. Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said it was too early to speculate about his status for the upcoming game against Buffalo. ... Lions All-Pro linebacker Jack Campbell remained hospitalized for evaluation and monitoring of a neck injury, the team said. Campbell was placed on a backboard and carted off the field early in the fourth quarter against the Vikings. He was alert and breathing when he was taken to the hospital. ... Brandon Aiyuk has hired Drew Rosenhaus as his new agent in a sign that the disgruntled receiver wants to get back on the field and play. Aiyuk has been on the reserve/left squad list after leaving the San Francisco 49ers late last season.

It's a game of feet for the Rams right now

[Rams, from B10] goal and eight extra points. But the Rams gave up two big returns in a Week 7 win at Las Vegas, so they resigned Karty, who specializes in knuckleball kickoffs that can be extremely effective when executed successfully.

Keep in mind, it's exceedingly rare for an NFL team to carry two kickers. Roster spots are too valuable. But we're talking about the Achilles toe of a team with championship expectations.

Sunday's results were, well, meh.

Karty is still dialing in the “dirty” kickoffs, and two of them fell short of the landing zone — the area between the goal line and the 20 — which gave the Chargers the ball on the 40, prime position to start a drive. And a third kickoff just eked into the landing zone, hitting the ground at the 19.

“Probably the worst kickoff day I’ve had since last year,” said Karty, who until this week had been back at his alma mater, Stanford, working on his kicks. “I think I was trying to do too much on a couple of those.”

The personable Karty majored in computer science and has a mind for math. He looks to land that sideways-fluttering kick anywhere between the one and the 19, and says every 10 yards of field position is worth about a point on the scoreboard. So pinning an opponent on the 25 instead of the 35 is like taking a point off the board before the opposing offense runs a play.

Although he was frustrated by the short kickoffs Sunday, McVay said he's confident Karty will continue to improve on them. By definition, those wobblers aren't aerodynamic, so getting them deep is harder than it appears.

"It's not an exact science," Karty said. "If it were easy, everyone would be doing it."

The Rams beat the

Chargers by 15, so miscues by the special teams didn't derail them. But they've gotten plenty of reminders of how costly those mistakes can be.

At 4-4, and with San Francisco and Seattle looking as good as they have, the margin for error for the Rams is thinner than the 156-pound Grupe.

The Rams have nine games left, and to give themselves a good chance of making the playoffs, they need to win at least seven of those.

The remaining schedule includes home games against Green Bay and Kansas City, a rematch at San Francisco, and two games against Seattle in the final three weeks.

Figure just one team each will qualify for the playoffs out of the NFC East and NFC South, which would mean the remaining five would come from the NFC North and NFC West — and both of those divisions are respectable from top to bottom.

Eleven wins probably gets you in. Ten, and you'll have to get some help.

With an assist from Indianapolis, both the 49ers and Seahawks have gotten better. The fire-sale-minded Colts traded standout defensive tackle DeForest Buckner back to San Francisco, and eight-time Pro Bowl guard Quenton Nelson to Seattle.

The Rams, meanwhile, are looking to get some of their key pieces back. That includes two-time NFL defensive player of the year Myles Garrett, who pedaled away on the sideline stationary bike, and could return to action as soon as this week. He might be ready for the game at Washington.

By late season, the Rams could have receiver Davante Adams, tight end Terrance Ferguson and defensive lineman Kobie Turner back on the field.

Will the Rams have the luxury of two kickers at that point? Maybe not. But understand the risk of being unsteady on special teams. It's not only a game of inches, but often a game of feet.

CHARGERS

NEXT: SUNDAY AT WASHINGTON, 10 A.M. PST, FOX

Note: Overtime or shootout losses are worth one point.

JULIO AGUILAR Getty Images

JOE BUCK and former quarterback Troy Aikman are set to call the Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium on Feb. 14.

ANALYSIS

Tossing a flag on the needless spat between Aikman and Buck

ESPN broadcasting team should focus more on the game than a pay disparity.

By Bill Dwyre

Come to find out, as we approach the season of plump turkey legs and similar Santa Clauses, all is not well at ESPN. Turns out Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are having a hissy fit.

Will sports broadcasting ever be the same? As the late Chick Hearn would say, "Oh me, oh my."

Buck and Aikman have broadcast various pro football games together for 25 years. They are Abbott and Costello, but not anywhere near as funny. You tune in just to wait for Joe to say, "I'm Joe Buck and this is Hall of Famer Troy Aikman." Kind of gives you goose bumps.

According to various reports, Joe went out and negotiated a new contract without telling Troy. Divorce lawyers are now circling the wagons.

The reports have Joe getting \$108 million for six years. That's around \$17.5 million a year, so that Joe can tell us that one of the teams on the field needs to establish a run game. Golly.

Troy didn't know about his buddy's new deal, wasn't happy not to know and reportedly doesn't quite get that much, so there is little joy in Mudville's press box. (OK, that's baseball, but you get the point.)

If that kind of money ruffles your feathers a bit, at a time when you need to carry a blood pressure machine with you to the gas pump and the grocery store, being paid around \$17 million a year and having a hissy fit about it would seem to be a little tone-deaf. Remember, these guys aren't getting hit, they describing how others are.

Troy cut his broadcasting teeth by starring at quarterback at UCLA and the Dallas Cowboys. He knew what was going on when Peyton Manning yelled “Omaha!” Joe probably knew, too, when Troy told him. Joe cut his teeth by working his way up the ranks; also maybe by hanging around a lot when dad Jack Buck broadcast for years from most of the sa-

cred citadels of sports.

Again, these guys don't play, they talk.

Anyway, whoever said there were attempts to introduce perspective to sports via a broadcast team? No need. Take the stats the network intern kids are handing you and create drama with the tone of your voice, even though the picture from the field covers that better.

Of course there is homework to be done.

"We talked to wide receiver Jim Lightning-Fast yesterday and he said this team is ready for a big game."

“Coach Harold Headset told us that this is the best week of practice this team has had all year.”

Then they can throw it down to a sideline reporter:

“Coach, how do you feel about that flat first half by your team?” (The real answer: lousy.)

“Coach, what does it mean to you winning tonight’s game?” (Real answer: It means I won’t get fired this week.)

Those stick-a-micro-phone-in-your-face interviews always bring to mind the way the great Gregg

Popovich of the NBA's San Antonio Spurs handled them. He was once asked how his team's winning play happened. "We practiced it," he said. | PRO CALENDAR | | TUE | WED | THU | FRI | SAT | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |

The Joe-Troy hissy fit takes on additional import because they are set to call the Feb. 14 Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium. ESPN has three and a half months to fix this, but there is speculation that even if the hissy fit isn't settled, the game will go on.

How about this: Hire Peyton Manning to do the color commentary. He certainly knows football and he has that elusive thing that most of those in sports speaking into microphones lack. A sense of humor.

Pair him with the legendary Al Michaels, who is 81, also has a sense of humor and still brings it on Prime Ticket's Thursday night game. Michaels knows more about baseball and football and yes, even hockey, than most of his younger peers.

But obviously, for that Manning-Michaeles matchup to happen, we'd have to believe in miracles.

Dwyre is a former Times sports editor. | | at Sacramento 7 SpecSN | PORTLAND 7 SpecSn, Prime | -XDXW] | MIAMI 7:30 CV | | SAN JOSÉ 7 TNT, HBO Max | PITTSBURGH 6 ABT | | at Vancouver 6 Prime | at Edmonton 5 Prime | at Calgary 5 Prime | | at Salt Lake 4 Apple TV | | at Seattle 4 Apple TV | ANGEL CITY | at Kansas City* 9 a.m. CBS, Patamount+ | NEXT: SUNDAY VS. HOUSTON, 1:05 P.M., CBS

\*NWSL quarterfinals. Shade denotes home games. Times Pacific.

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