Los Angeles Times - 11.10.2026 — 2026-10-11

Los Angeles Times

\$3.66 DESIGNATED AREAS HIGHER © 2026 WST

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2026

latimes.com

ERNESTO BENAVIDES AFP/Getty Images

ANCHOVIES caught off the coast of Peru's Lima province. Peru is a leading producer of fishmeal and fish oil.

All eyes are on swing voters in race for Senate

WASHINGTON — With the midterm elections just over three weeks away, the fight for control of the U.S. Senate is intensifying in battleground states, as Democrats push into red regions and Republicans pour money into key contests.

Hidden cost of farmed fish takes global toll

With upper house up for grabs, candidates train efforts on large pool of independents.

Feed behind modern aquaculture drives ocean depletion, labor abuses and unrest.

[See Senate, A10]

In Iowa, Republican Ashley Hinson used a Wednesday night debate to emphasize her willingness to break with Trump. In Kansas, Democrat Adam Hamilton is circulating a video in which he describes himself as both liberal and conservative. In Alaska, a GOP-backed ad blitz launched last week aims to persuade voters that Democrat Mary Peltola isn't independent-minded.

BY IAN URBINA

As of 2022, more than half of the seafood eaten worldwide was farm-raised rather than caught at sea, a fact that has been praised as evidence that fish farming can meet a growing demand for seafood while slowing the collapse of the oceans.

But the unbridled embrace of aquaculture as a sustainable answer to feeding the planet ignores some very real costs.

The most popular types of farmed seafood — salmon, shrimp, trout, seabass, seabream — are fed “fishmeal,” a protein-rich powder or pellet made from the kinds of wild fish that aquaculture is thought to save.

In fact, fishmeal is fed to two-thirds of global farmed fish. Before they reach market, some farm-raised salmon eat more than six times their weight in wild-caught fish.

With thousands of fish farms worldwide, aquaculture provides millions of people with year-round access to affordable protein. Fish farming is also a crucial source of jobs, especially for women in India.

But a wide-reaching investigation by the Outlaw Ocean Project, a nonprofit news organization based in Washington, D.C., has found that the aquaculture industry's answer to worries about the world's oceans — "grow more fish so we can catch less" — is often making the very problem it hoped to solve worse and harming the people it was meant to help.

The business of fishmeal — often out of public view — can involve using forced labor, poisoning communities, and eradicating the livelihoods of local fishermen.

Fishmeal production has led to chronic chemical exposure, violent protests — typically spurred by the stench from fishmeal factories — and escalating transnational tensions as countries compete for catch. That price is paid primarily by the poorer countries where the main ingredient of fishmeal is harvested and processed.

The Outlaw Ocean Project mapped roughly the entire global fishmeal industry, including more than 1,400 fishmeal factories across 64 countries. The effort involved dozens of journalists [See Fish, A6]

A rocky road ahead for Ellison and Skydance

Hollywood's failed mergers serve as a reminder

Tech scion David Ellison spent three years doggedly pursuing his dream: acquiring Paramount, then Warner Bros. Discovery.

By Meg James

Ellison pulled off his bold feat last week by completing Paramount's \$11-billion takeover of Warner Bros., uniting two industry pioneers and a wealth of cherished properties — Batman, Bugs Bunny, Harry Potter and Maverick of "Top Gun," as well as CBS, HBO, Comedy Central and CNN. All will be tucked under a corporate umbrella that Ellison is calling Skydance — the name of the studio he formed two decades ago.

The mogul and his lieutenants celebrated their victory in style, ringing the New York Stock Exchange opening bell on Thursday, capping a bruising battle to secure approval of a deal that had sparked protests across Hollywood over fears of looming job cuts.

Ellison and his team must braid together two huge film studios (housing nine film labels), four streaming services, three TV production studios, three animation units and more than 50 television networks, including two prominent news organizations. That could be a daunting task, particularly based on how previous Hollywood mergers have fared.

"Now, the real work begins," David G. Fubini, a Harvard Business School senior lecturer, said in an interview.

Anxieties were evident Tuesday — the [See Mergers, A13]

Campaigns are entering a crucial stretch for persuading the independent voters who will probably determine outcomes in swing races. Nearly all of the most competitive Senate races are in states with significant swaths of people unaffiliated with either major party — the “kingmakers” in these high-stakes midterms, said Jeremy Gruber, an independent-voting expert.

Stylish rides in stolen U.S. rental cars

“Independent voters are going to be deciding this election in every respect,” said Gruber, senior vice president of Open Primaries, an organization that advocates for states to open primary elections to unaffiliated voters.

Though many unaffiliated voters have made up their minds, those who remain undecided will begin making decisions soon, as

Mexican cartels increasingly spiriting high-end vehicles across border

By Steve Fisher

By Justine McDaniel

MEXICO CITY — Mexican cartels are stealing cars and trucks from U.S. rental agencies at an alarming rate, spiriting thousands of vehicles across the border each year to keep top capos in the latest model BMWs and Cadillacs.

Law enforcement agencies and companies charged with trying to recover stolen vehicles say that while much of the theft occurs in border states, cartel operatives have stolen vehicles from as far away as New York, Chi-

The urgency around courting nonaligned voters has been on display at recent debates, in ads flooding the airwaves and in the campaign money pouring into key states. For Republicans, it has become an effort to put distance between themselves and President Trump; for Democrats, it's often a rhetorical shift toward the center and away from the far left.

LUXURY rental cars at Los Angeles International Airport. California is the top target for rental thefts.

CARLIN STIEHL For The Times

How four Angelenos escaped homelessness

The way back can follow many different paths, none of them easy

Voices STEVELOPEZ COLUMNIST

MICHAEL MATA, a supervisor with Chrysalis' road cleanup program, works at the office last week.

ERIC THAYER Los Angeles Times

A bout two years ago, Michael Mata boarded a bus at 5 a.m. near the shelter

where he was living, on the northern edge of South Los Angeles. He was determined to bring an end to years of sporadic homelessness and a string of dead-end jobs.

A shelter mate had advised him to arrive early at Chrysalis, a nonprofit that helps people figure out how to find work and rebuild their lives. A line forms early, Mata had been told, and they can only take in so many people each day.

That day, Mata took two of the four required orientation classes. Two days later, he took the other two. When I met him Wednesday, Mata was driving a van into the parking lot at Chrysalis headquarters. He's a road crew supervisor, with six people under him. They

“I got here at 5:30,” said Mata, who was first in line.

[See Lopez, A16] cago and Miami. But California remains the top target.

Each year, about 2,000 vehicles stolen from California end up in Mexico, according to the California Highway Patrol. LAPD Sgt. Juvey Mejia, a member of the Task Force for Regional Auto Theft Prevention, said the cartels love heavy-duty pickup trucks and Jeeps.

“Anything that can drive through tough terrain to get away from Border Patrol so they can move dope,” Mejia said.

Along with Chevy Suburbans, Ford Raptors and To-[See Rental, A4]

---

Major attack on Saudi airport

Strike kills 12, injures 300 in escalation of key front in Iran war. U.S. may respond, Trump says. WORLD, A8

Tropical storm's threats to SoCal

Rachel could gain strength and bring potential hazards that include coastal flooding. CALIFORNIA, B1

UCLA holds on for big victory

Bruins remain undefeated and end a five-game losing streak against Oregon with a 17-15 win. SPORTS, D1

Weather Some rain. L.A. Basin: 72/60. B7

Opinion Voices ..... A14

Trans issues return to election spotlight

GOP pushes message that rights should be dismantled, while Democrats are split.

By Kevin Rector

At the Republican Party's midterm convention, President Trump said he would make his crusade against transgender rights a major campaign issue ahead of the Nov. 3 election — calling the message that “men should not be playing in women’s sports” one of his party’s “great sound bites of all time.”

During a recent campaign trip, Gov. Gavin Newsom, a longtime LGBTQ+ advocate and likely Democratic contender for president in 2028, stood by his remark last year that allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls' sports is "deeply unfair," saying, "I haven't been able to figure out how to make it fair from my perspective."

For the second election cycle in a row, the rights of transgender people have taken center stage politically, despite their accounting for only about 1% of the U.S. population and many voters identifying other issues as far more important

— splitting Republicans and Democrats, but also Democrats among themselves and putting the party on the defensive.

The politics are part of a much broader, international battle playing out in education, sports and the law, from local California classrooms and high school sports to the Olympic stage and the U.S. Supreme Court. Polling for years has shown most Americans oppose discrimination against transgender people, but also that a majority — including a substantial portion of Democrats — oppose transgender athletes participating in girls' sports and children receiving gender-affirming care such as surgery or puberty blockers.

Republicans are pushing a well-funded message that transgender rights should be dismantled across the board, in healthcare, education, sports, the military and public spaces such as restrooms. Conservative megadonors such as Elon Musk have spent millions amplifying that message in competitive races from Alaska to Ohio to Texas.

And to some degree, those tactics have worked. [See Trans, A10]

Voices MARK Z. BARABAK COLUMNIST

They're seeking to be the doctors in the House

ideological conspiracy theory."

CANDIDATE Dr. Richard Pan meets Dr. Teah Harris-Johnson and her daughter at a church in Sacramento.

JOSE LUIS VILLEGAS For The Times

Physicians and scientists run for office to counter attacks on health.

FOOTHILL FARMS, Calif. —

A s a California state lawmaker, Richard Pan authored some of the strongest

vaccine laws in the country.

His reward — and part of the backlash, on top of death threats — was being physically assaulted outside the Capitol in Sacramento and spattered with blood thrown from the gallery.

Now, a few years removed from the state Senate and teaching health policy at UC Davis, Pan is running for Congress, in part to fight an old nemesis, the terminally misguided Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and to arrest the Trump administration's sledgehammering of the nation's public healthcare system.

“We need people in Congress who have the background, the training, the knowledge to basically hold this administration accountable,” Pan said last week on a baking 100-degree day in the Sacramento suburbs.

“I know what it’s like to be on the front lines,” said Pan, who spent a dozen years teaching and practicing pediatrics before being elected to the Assembly in 2010. “I’ve seen measles, right?”

In fact, his push to toughen vaccination requirements was spurred by a 2014-15 measles outbreak at Disneyland, which, at the time, was one of the largest and most significant epidemics to arise after the disease was supposedly eliminated from the U.S. in 2000.

Little did we know.

Every action has an equal and opposition reaction, a law of physics that's equally applicable to the realm of politics.

Pan is part of a wave of doctors and scientists running for office this November — for school boards, city councils, state legislatures, the House and U.S. Senate — owing in good part to Kennedy's quackery and the hollowing out of such vital health and research agencies as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health.

The political organization 3.14 Action — its name a decimal approximation of pi — has recruited and helped elect hundreds of candidates from STEM backgrounds (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and endorsed more than 500 of those running this year, including Pan in his race in Sacramento and in neighboring Placer and Yolo counties.

Shaughnessy Naughton, a chemist who worked on drug discovery and breast cancer research, founded 3.14 Action in 2016 after two unsuccessful tries for a congressional seat in the Philadelphia suburbs. When she started the organization, Naughton noted, there were more talk radio hosts on Capitol Hill than scientists and engineers. (Nearly two dozen doctors and

nurses currently serve in Congress. More than 30 have run this election cycle.)

"There isn't an issue that doesn't benefit by having fact-based decision-makers, people that will go into office as problem-solvers," Naughton said from Pennsylvania, which is in the throes of the nation's worst measles outbreak in more than three decades. Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy has downplayed the severity, even as the incidence of other vaccine-preventable diseases is rising.

“That’s essentially what scientists and physicians are,” Naughton said. “They are problem-solvers. and clearly our country is facing a lot of problems.”

Among those she cited was “the arsonist in charge of HHS.”

Pan has a history with Kennedy, who has long reigned as one of the country's preeminent anti-vaxxers.

In 2015, he helped summon hundreds of demonstrators to Sacramento to protest Pan's legislation tightening vaccination

requirements. (Kennedy later apologized for using the word “holocaust” to condemn the proposed law, though he revisited the Nazi analogy during the COVID-19 pandemic.)

In 2019, Kennedy returned to Sacramento to oppose another bill Pan authored, this one tightening the rules for vaccination exemptions. Again, he was joined by an army of protesters. Tensions peaked when a demonstrator threw a cup of blood from the spectators' gallery onto the Senate floor, halting business for several hours before the bill passed.

Pan's opponent in November is Rep. Kevin Kiley, a conservative Republican running as an independent.

Seeking election in a Democratic-tilting district drawn under Proposition 50, the voter-passed gerrymander, Kiley has sought to distance himself from Trump and the MAGA movement, saying he would not caucus with GOP lawmakers if he returned to Washington.

Like his jury-rigged political persona, Kiley seems to want it both ways on vaccines.

Before going to Congress, while serving in the Assembly, Kiley voted against Pan's legislation cracking down on fraudulent vaccine exemptions. He's described vaccines as a vital public health tool, but condemned government mandates and suggested vaccination should be a matter of parental choice. He claims Pan has eroded public trust by politicizing the issue.

As for Kennedy, Kiley told the San Francisco Chronicle a lot of things “that I don’t agree with,” though he’s never called out the secretary for his cuckooland theories — vaccines cause autism, the fluoride in public water supplies is making Americans “stupider,” and many more — or denounced his destructive policies.

That passivity, Pan said, amounts to complicity.

“It’s not just simply a talking point,” Pan said of public health policy. “It’s reality and we need to have policy based on what’s really happening, not on some

Pan's campaign is focused on more than vaccines and RFK Jr.

Like most Democrats, he's made affordability a key part of his candidacy, citing higher gas and grocery prices and, inevitably, the rising cost of healthcare and the roughly \$1-trillion cut from Medicaid under last year's Big Sop to Billion-aires Bill.

The super-wealthy got tax cuts, Pan told a silver-haired audience at a 55-and-older community in Roseville, while the bill will make healthcare less accessible for millions and undermine both Medicare and Social Security. Kiley supported the legislation, the centerpiece of Trump's second term. As a doctor and state lawmaker, Pan said, he worked to expand healthcare and address the needs of his community.

"We don't pass laws to make lives harder," Pan said. "That's what he's done."

Later, at a forum on Black maternal health, Pan said Trump's attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion programs and the so-called war on woke ignores glaring disparities in the treatment of Black women versus other patients.

"The data is there," said Pan, speaking before a banner decorated with purple butterflies and the proclamation, "Black Mothers Matter."

"The facts are there," Pan went on. "It's a very, very real problem and it needs to be addressed and it needs to be solved."

He brought up, somewhat sheepishly, his campaign.

“That’s why I’m running,” Pan said, to “have another person in Congress … who’s going to tell the administration we are not going to bury DEI. We’re not going to bury disparities. These are real problems.”

As is the assault on science, the undermining of research and the promotion of nutty nostrums by those at the highest levels of the federal government.

Hopefully, the midterm election will begin the healing process.

Voices LORRAINE ALI COLUMNIST

Public executions are barbaric. Now the U.S. joins in

Planned livestreamed killing of Ft. Hood shooter would mark a new low for nation.

ran. Afghanistan.

North Korea. Somalia.

And now, the United States.

If Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is to be believed, America will soon gain the dubious distinction of joining the only four countries on the globe that carry out executions in public.

Hegseth said Thursday that he wanted the execution of convicted Ft. Hood shooter Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan to be available for public viewing.

"It was a radical Islamist attack ... so he's going to get a firing squad of soldiers, as it should be," Hegseth said in an interview with far-right political activist Jack Posobiec. "We'll make sure that people are able to watch it. That it's public. Because people need to understand that there's serious consequences for these types of things."

The execution is scheduled to be livestreamed Dec. 3 from the same military base where Hasan opened fire in 2009, killing 13 and wounding 32.

The planned public display is, in a word, barbaric. It's the archaic act of tyrannical monarchies, staged in the shadow of a looming tower or in the town

ALEX WONG Getty Images

DEFENSE Secretary Pete Hegseth's call for the public execution of Nidal Hasan has been widely condemned.

square. The Taliban and ISIS were big on public executions. So was Nazi Germany. They were either fighting a war on their own soil or had just come out of one. It's a poor excuse, but the U.S. military can't even point to that as justification for the animalistic intention of broadcasting a state-sanctioned murder.

Should plans for the livestream of Hasan's killing become a reality, our peers will be countries that the U.S. has long held up as the worst of the worst. Oppressive “shithole” countries, to use a Trump term, that wield intimidation and the threat of death to keep their people in line.

Iran carries out its hangings in public squares, typically using truck-mounted cranes as makeshift gallows. The Taliban exacts its death penalty in sports arenas. Amnesty International reports that North Korea forced local residents, students and workers to watch the 2008 execution of 13 women and two men as a deterrent. Their crime? Attempting to flee to China.

Hasan, an Army psychiatrist and a Muslim, opened fire on dozens of his fellow soldiers as they were preparing to deploy to Afghanistan. He was reportedly angry about the U.S. involvement in the region and in Iraq. In court, prosecutors argued that he was radicalized online and motivated by an ideology that called for “jihad duty.”

His crimes were horrific, and he should be punished.

OFFICE OF

RELIGIOUS

AFFAIRS

Whether you believe in the death penalty or not (I do not), turning his execution into a morbid form of entertainment — or a warning to never do what he did — would mark a new low for this country.

And we are pretty low as it is. On Thursday, ICE agents in civilian clothing fired at least seven rounds, at 4 p.m. on a busy Manhattan street, into a car with a 5-year-old boy inside. They hit the driver, who survived, and by some act of God missed the child.

Federal immigration agents have shot at least 21 people, killing seven, since President Trump returned to office less than two years ago with the promise of cracking down on crime and making the country safer via mass deportations. The public execution of Hasan, who is a U.S. citizen, is being sold as part of that tough-

on-crime initiative. Hegseth said the public killing is meant as a deterrent.

The idea that keeping a population safe requires removing the guardrails of civilized society is absurd, though despots throughout history would have us believe otherwise.

If Hasan's death is televised, it will be the nation's first government-sanctioned execution carried out in public since 1939. It will be the first U.S. military execution since 1961 and the first military death by firing squad, or "musketry," since 1945, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

The Army had planned a very different type of execution for Hasan. ABC News reported that officials were preparing to use lethal injection if Trump authorized the execution of one of the four prisoners on the service's death row.

Trump's approval of Hasan's execution last Friday came days after a botched lethal-injection execution in Tennessee. Christa Pike, who was sentenced to death for a 1995 murder she committed as a teenager, survived despite being injected with two supposedly lethal doses. She is now said to be lucid and even walking. On Saturday, her attorneys said she had been discharged from the hospital and returned to prison.

Hasan, who is partly paralyzed and uses a wheelchair after being shot by officers who were responding to the Ft. Hood attack, will be put to death in a more dramatic fashion — and for everyone to see.

"The public execution even of one who has done grave harm will only further undermine the moral fabric of our nation and be a blight on the conscience of its people," Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley said in a statement Friday. "The word of God exhorts us: 'Do not repay anyone evil for evil' (Romans 12:17)."

A few congressional Republicans even broke ranks with their party and criticized Hegseth's plans for the livestream. Sen. John Curtis of Utah posted on X that “a civilization erodes when it cultivates an appetite for executions as a form of entertainment. Secretary Hegseth's plan to livestream the Fort Hood execution risks feeding that appetite.”

There is no reason the U.S. should stoop to the barbarism of public executions. It's ghoulish, inhumane and a marker of tyrannical rule. Do we really want to join Iran, Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia in the global hall of shame?

THE WORLD

A year after ceasefire, progress in Gaza has stalled

MURID AKHZIQ lights a fire for cooking inside his destroyed home in Gaza City.

BY JOSEPH KRAUSS

Saturday marked a year since a ceasefire deal brokered by President Trump and Arab allies promised to end the war in Gaza, and Israel is still launching deadly strikes on the devastated territory.

The agreement halted major military operations, freed all remaining hostages and increased humanitarian access. But it has failed to deliver on promises of a new Palestinian administration aided by international forces, the disarmament of Hamas and an end to Israel's control over more than half the territory. Almost nothing has been rebuilt.

Israel has tied any progress on other issues to Hamas' complete disarmament, while the militant group — and the Trump administration — say they should happen simultaneously. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hardened his stance over the summer, openly defying Trump, his most important ally, ahead of Israeli elections later this month.

The wrangling has left Gaza's 2 million Palestinians in limbo. Most are sheltering in rodent-infested tent camps, the rubble of their former neighborhoods or war-damaged buildings at risk of collapse.

In the Jabaliya area of the northern Gaza Strip, Abdullah Abu Zubaida's family lives in a makeshift shelter built from the debris of their house.

"When the ceasefire began last October, we expected the war to halt, assassinations to cease, and aid to flow in," he said. None of that has happened.

For Ne'man Abu Jarad and his family, displaced from Beit Lahia in northern Gaza to Khan Yunis in the south, the truce also has brought no clear path home.

The family, including five daughters, continues to live in tents.

"The ceasefire is merely nominal, ink on paper," Abu Jarad said.

---

Early success raised hopes

The 20-point ceasefire agreement, reached after months of negotiations under the Biden and Trump administrations, ended major military operations and led to the return of all the remaining hostages taken in Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack that ignited the war.

Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people that day and abducted 251. Israel responded with massive bombardment and a ground invasion that has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

The ministry, part of the Hamas-run government, maintains detailed records and is seen as generally reliable by United Nations agencies and independent experts. It does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its toll but says women and children make up around half the dead.

After the deal was announced, Trump called for a new era of harmony in the Middle East. “We have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to put the old feuds and bitter hatreds behind us,” he said.

---

Agreement called for much more

The agreement called for Hamas to hand over power to a committee of Palestinian administrators vetted by the Board of Peace, a new body chaired by Trump and charged with implementing the ceasefire.

The militants officially dissolved their government in July but left the civil service intact and remain the dominant power in the roughly 40% of Gaza not controlled by the Israeli military. Israel has meanwhile barred the new Palestinian administration from entering Gaza via Egypt.

The formation of an International Stabilization Force was announced in February but has yet to materialize. Indonesia, which pledged the largest troop contingent — 8,000 soldiers — put those plans on hold last spring as the world's focus shifted to the Iran war.

Israel was supposed to withdraw from Gaza but has instead seized more territory, pushing the Line of Control, generally known as the Yellow Line, westward toward the Mediterranean Sea. It has also carried out regular strikes on individuals it accused of violating the ceasefire, approaching the Yellow Line or having taken part in the Oct. 7 attack — strikes that have often killed civilians.

Israeli strikes have killed more than 1,400 Palestinians since the ceasefire took effect, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Sporadic attacks have killed five Israeli soldiers in Gaza in the same period.

In July, Trump announced a deal to disarm Hamas, portraying it as a breakthrough in the long-stalled process.

That deal, an extension of the original ceasefire, called for Hamas to disarm “in a gradual, sequential and time-bound manner” that is “linked to an Israeli withdrawal, in phases.” Hamas confirmed for the first time that it had agreed to disarm, also linking it to Israel halting its strikes and withdrawing from Gaza.

Days later, Netanyahu announced that Israel would not withdraw from any part of Gaza until after Hamas had completely disarmed, explicitly rejecting the agreement announced by Trump.

Paramilitary drone strike kills 41 in Sudan, rights group says

ASSOCIATED PRESS

CAIRO — A drone strike blamed on Sudan's paramilitaries hit a gathering of displaced people on the border with Ethiopia and killed 41, a rights group said.

Friday's strike by the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, took place in the Abu Shandi area in Sudan's Blue Nile province, according to

Emergency Lawyers, which tracks the war in the north-eastern African nation.

Among the dead were eight children and many women, the group said.

A spokesperson for the RSF didn't respond to a request for comment.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said it was appalled by the reported strike, which also wounded dozens.

“Condemning these senseless killings is essential, but there must also be accountability for this flagrant disregard for international humanitarian law,” said Denise Brown, the U.N. resident and humanitarian coordinator in Sudan in a statement. “As each day goes by in this war, the world continues to accept the suffering of the people of Su-

dan."

Sudan's war started in April 2023 when tensions between the military and the RSF exploded into open fighting in the capital, Khartoum, and spread across the country.

The conflict has killed at least 150,000 people, according to ACLED, the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data project, though humanitarian aid groups say the actual number is probably higher.

The fighting has forced more than 12.4 million to flee their homes, according to U.N. figures, creating what aid groups call the world's largest humanitarian crisis. Across Sudan, 33.7 million people, including 17.3 million children, urgently need aid this year, and an estimated 825,000 children face severe acute malnutrition.

The rare instance of friction between the two allies came as Netanyahu seeks to shore up his nationalist base ahead of Oct. 27 elections that could end his nearly unbroken 17-year rule, the longest in Israel's history.

Netanyahu has come under fire over security and intelligence failures leading up to the Oct. 7 attack, with opponents accusing him of having been soft on Hamas. That gives him little space to make even minor compromises on Gaza, at least until a new government is formed, which could take months.

Krauss writes for the Associated Press.

THE EXCEPTIONAL DAYS OCTOBER 9 - 25

Script. Modular sofa, designed by Sacha Lakic.

rochebobois PARIS

Keeping cartel leaders in Cadillacs and BMWs

[Rental, from A1]

LUXURY CARS stolen by cartels are rented in the U.S. and spirited south. Above, the crossing into Tijuana.

Photographs by CARLOS MORENO For The Times

TIJUANA vendors sell icons and flags to drivers at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.

yota pickups, the vehicles of choice include Cadillac Escalades and BMW SUVs, according to people whose job is to recover them. To battle rival cartels or authorities, criminal groups sometimes convert the trucks into mutant tanks, adding heavy ballistic-proof steel plating, firing ports and gun mounts.

The thefts don't require much stealth: Vehicles are rented by cartel operatives and then driven across the border. The exact number of vehicles is unknown.

California sees significant theft, in part, because of its restrictive privacy laws on GPS tracking of rental vehicles, according to Sharky Laguana, owner of Bandago Van Rentals based in San Francisco.

Unlike other states, California requires that rental agencies wait to turn on GPS tracking until the vehicle return deadline has passed and the renter has been contacted by the company. By then, most stolen vehicles are deep in Mexican territory.

“California allows criminals to take advantage of the fact that we are not allowed to see where the vehicle is until it's too late,” Laguna said. The American Car Rental Assn., a trade group, said in a statement that California laws make it harder to recover vehicles.

“Members are reporting a sharp increase in rental vehicle theft from California into Mexico, where California law uniquely restricts rental fleet operators from accessing technology to protect and recover their assets,” the association said in a statement. “The result is millions of dollars in annual theft-related costs.”

Early this year, criminal groups stole 10 new Ram pickup trucks from Oakland, Los Angeles and Las Vegas airports, according to private investigators. The trucks ended up in Jalisco state in regions controlled by the violent Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

The private investigators recovered one truck with help from the Mexican army. Security forces also seized a cache of Browning and Barrett .50-caliber weapons.

In another haul this year, thieves stole six 2026 model Jeep Wranglers from Oakland and Las Vegas. Four have been recovered so far. Private investigators believe the vehicles were destined for the Sinaloa cartel.

The same investigators received requests last week to recover a dozen Ram trucks tracked to Sinaloa and seven more in Durango state.

“For the cartel, it is the cheapest way for them to do business,” said Kevin Carter, owner of Collateral Consultants, a rental car recovery company in Texas. “There’s no sense in them buying a car when they could rent one for a few hundred bucks, and it’s theirs forever.”

Along with California, Texas and Arizona are the other top targets for Mexican criminal groups.

One tactic involves cartels hiring people in the U.S. via social media to rent a vehicle for five days, get the damage waiver that includes covering the car if it is stolen, and then leave the keys in the vehicle still parked in the rental parking lot. An operative arrives, gets in the car and drives it south to Mexico.

In other cases, thieves will rent the vehicle online or at a kiosk using a stolen identity, said Mejia, the LAPD officer. Since the pandemic, it's not unusual for people to wear protective masks, so the renter will wear a mask to hide their identity from the kiosk camera. “They know it won’t be traced back to them,” Mejia said.

The process for reporting a stolen rental vehicle varies from state to state, but it is often tedious. It can take three days after the vehicle has gone missing for a company to prepare a demand letter to the renter seeking return of the vehicle. Such notification is required before a vehicle can be reported stolen, and it can take an additional two days to send the letter by certified mail.

Depending on the state, a company might have to wait up to nine days to report the theft to police. Only then can it appear on the FBI-managed U.S. National Crime Incident Database, where stolen vehicles are reported.

More days will pass before the VIN number is registered in Mexico's stolen vehicle database. If the car or truck was rented in one state, set to return in another state and crossed into Mexico via a third, the coordination required between three state law enforcement agencies can make timely recovery of the vehicle even more complicated.

Many vehicles are never registered in the U.S. stolen car database. Carter, from Collateral Consultants, said that of the approximately 1 million cases he has seen in his 15 years recovering rental vehicles in the U.S. and elsewhere, fewer than half made it into the U.S. database.

A vehicle is not officially considered stolen until it appears in the registry. Large rental agencies often don't bother recovering vehicles that disappear across the border, and consider the loss the cost of doing business, Carter said.

“It’s a calculated risk to most of the big companies,” he said.

While insurance companies insure rental agencies against vehicle damage, they do not cover theft, according to Laguna of Bandago Van Rentals. Most agencies are self-insured, meaning the loss of a vehicle cuts into their bottom line, he said.

Though sometimes the target is a single vehicle, authorities have also uncovered larger theft operations.

In 2024, the Colorado attorney general's office indicted 17 people's associated with the Sinaloa cartel, accusing them of stealing 190 new Ford F150s and luxury Suburbans near the Denver airport. The cartel operatives drove the stolen vehicles, valued at nearly \$10 million, to Mexico, according to court documents, and exchanged them for cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine.

In the Texas border city of Laredo, Deputy Police Chief Timothy Tubbs said he has seen a 50% increase in the theft of rental vehicles — about 10 a month.

“They have seen how easy it is to steal a rental car, and the process it takes to report it,” Tubbs said of criminal groups. And the vehicles are supporting drug trafficking into the U.S., he said. “These stolen vehicles empower the cartels,” Tubbs said. “It is another tool for them to continue their smuggling and continue their violence.”

Once the vehicles are in Mexico, operatives approach corrupt Mexican officials and change out the U.S. license plates for Mexican plates and register the vehicles on Mexico's online car registry platform, according to car recovery experts.

Authorities install a chip that is scanned by machines along federal highways. The chips are supposed to flag stolen cars and trucks, but because the new plates are valid, the vehicles are never listed as stolen.

In the United States, stolen vehicles are far more likely to be identified, experts said, for a variety of reasons — a routine maintenance check or a scan by a highway license plate camera could trigger an alert. But once a stolen car arrives in Mexico, it essentially vanishes.

"It crosses that border, it is a brand-new car," Carter said.

Cartels steal more cars and trucks when turf wars break out because they require more resources, one U.S. law enforcement official said. And in recent years, cartels have increasingly splintered as leaders have been arrested.

One of the more dramatic examples is the Sinaloa cartel, founded by the now imprisoned Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. His sons, known as Los Chapitos, are fighting a rival faction for control of the criminal group.

The ruthless Jalisco cartel has fought to expand its territory to Michoacán and Chiapas states, warring with groups from Baja California and fighting wars on multiple fronts as it seeks to expand its presence.

Though many stolen vehicles disappear, some are recovered. In Guerrero state last November, the Mexican army seized a Toyota TRD Pro and other vehicles loaded with high-caliber weapons and nearly half a ton of meth.

According to sources familiar with another recovery, in August a member of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel went to the border city of Mexicali to pick up a tractor trailer with a 2026 Cadillac Escalade and a late-model Ram hidden inside, apparently to evade detection systems until they could be outfitted with Mexican plates.

But private investigators hired to recover the Cadillac began tracking it. They asked not to identify their tracking methods to avoid tipping off criminals. The investigators notified the Mexican army, providing the license plate number.

Their tracking method allowed them to see the Cadillac was on the move, passing through toll booths and military checkpoints, but without setting off alarms. At one checkpoint, National Guard soldiers opened the trailer and, seeing a wall of hay bales, let it pass.

At the next checkpoint, however, soldiers pulled back the bales to reveal the Cadillac and the Ram. The driver said he was to be paid nearly \$1,500 and admitted the cars were bound for drug lords.

Fisher is a special correspondent. This article was co-published with Puente News Collaborative, a bilingual nonprofit newsroom. Reporting for this article was supported with a grant by the Fund for Investigative Journalism.

Coles Phillips (American, 1880-1927)

Yes, There is a Santa Claus, Life magazine cover, December 1926

Gouache on board | 19 x 14-1/2 inches (48.3 x 36.8 cm) (image)

Estimate: \$30,000 – up

How to contact us

(800) LA TIMES

Home Delivery and Membership Program

For questions about delivery, billing and vacation holds, or for information about our Membership program, please contact us at (213) 283-2274 or customerservices@latimes.com. You can also manage your account at myaccount.latimes.com.

Letters to the Editor

Want to write a letter to be published in the paper and online? E-mail letters@latimes.com.

For submission guidelines, see latimes.com/letters.

Readers' Representative

If you are calling to request a clarification or correction, or you have questions about a story, video or other content, please email

readers.representative @latimes.com or leave a message at (877) 554-4000.

Advertising

For print and online advertising information, go to latimes.com/mediakit or call (213) 237-6176.

LOS ANGELES TIMES

(ISSN 0458-3035)

is published by the Los Angeles Times,

2300 E. Imperial Highway, El Segundo, CA

90245. Periodicals postage is paid at Los

Angeles, CA, and additional cities.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to

the above address.

Home Delivery Subscription Rates (all rates

include applicable CA sales taxes and apply

to most areas)

Los Angeles Times

Reprint Requests

For the rights to use articles, photos, graphics and page reproductions, e-mail reprint@latimes.com or call (213) 237-4565.

Times In Education

To get the digital

Los Angeles Times at no

cost (along with our

newspaper-based teaching

materials), contact us at

latimes.com/tie, or email

monika.khare@latimes.com.

Los Angeles Times

A California Times Publication

Founded Dec. 4, 1881

Vol. CXLV No. 312

The Newsroom Know something important we should cover? Send a secure tip at latimes.com/tips. To send a press release go to the newsroom directory at latimes.com/staff.

Media Relations

For outside media requests and inquiries, e-mail commsdept@latimes.com.

L.A. Times Store

Search archives, merchandise and front pages at latimes.com/store.

Print + unlimited digital rates: Seven-day \$42/week, \$2,184 annually. Thursday–Sunday \$22/week, \$1,144 annually. Thursday & Sunday \$14/week, \$728 annually. Saturday & Sunday \$13/week, \$676 annually. Sunday \$12/week, \$624 annually. Monday–Saturday \$24/week, \$1,248 annually (also includes Sundays, except 3/29, 5/24, 9/6, 10/11). Monday–Friday \$24/week, \$1,248 annually.

City National Bank | APLAHealth

We know how to end HIV. Who are we leaving behind?

A pill or injection can prevent it. A simple test can catch it early. Treatment lets people live long, full lives – and stops new transmissions before they start. The tools exist, and they're easier to use than ever. But a tool only works if you can reach it. This walk is about making sure everyone can.

The danger now is complacency. It's tempting to think HIV is a problem we've already solved. It isn't, and treating it that way is how progress and funding quietly come undone.

Tools only help when in reach. A senior choosing between their pills and rent. A worker two buses from her nearest clinic. A student never told he should get tested. For them, the tools might as well not exist.

Generations paid for our progress. Hundreds of thousands fought and died to get us where we are today. We can't walk away from those still counting on the care that they won.

People of color are hit the hardest. Brown and Black communities carry the most new infections, yet are too often the last to receive care and the first to be cut off from it when services shrink.

THE WORLD'S FIRST AIDS WALK BEGAN RIGHT HERE. FOUR DECADES LATER, THE FIGHT IS STILL OURS TO FINISH.

AIDS WALK

LOS ANGELES

---

SUNDAY, OCT 18, 10:30AM • WEST HOLLYWOOD PARK

Register, start a team, or donate today. Every dollar you raise supports APLA Health and the more than 23,000 people we serve throughout LA County, many of them low-income, uninsured, or with nowhere else to turn. From primary care, dental, mental health, and sexual health care to a food pantry and housing, these services are a lifeline. With federal support for HIV care under threat, that lifeline has never been more vulnerable. This year, we walk to defend care and demand action, and every walker brings us closer to ending HIV. Join us at AIDSWALK.LA

WALK WITH US,

JOIN OR DONATE

---

THE HEROES WHO HELP MAKE THIS WORK POSSIBLE

---

PREMIER SPONSOR

PAUL HASTINGS

---

GRAND SPONSORS

---

PRINCIPAL SPONSORS

LATHAM&WATKINS LLP

Anthem.

---

MAJOR SPONSORS

Albertsons VONS PAVILIONS

Keck Medicine of USC

Eddie's PHARMACY

THE ABBEY

---

SUPPORTING SPONSORS

---

EVENT SPONSORS

DECRON

LIONSGATE

Baldwin Hills Investors, Ltd

Room&Board HOME FURNISHINGS

KC CHENG

FISHERMEN offload a catch at the Port of Laayoune in occupied Western Sahara. More than 2,400 ships are tied to fishmeal production, with many difficult to police.

Fish farming drives pollution, labor abuses

MUHAMMAD AMDAD HOSSAIN NurPhoto

NIAN LEI VCG/Getty Images

WORKERS, top, dry fish on bamboo racks in Bangladesh. Above, a crew collects fish netted from icy Bosten Lake in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China.

‘Any accounting of the true impact of aquaculture has to start not with the farm, but with the feed. And that kind of accounting offers a very different picture than the industry offers.’

[Fish, from A1]

from over 15 countries who visited factories and farms and boarded fishmeal ships at sea.

Using certification documents, ownership records, trade data, audits and government lists of licensed fishing ships, the reporting team was able to connect ships to the plants they supplied and pin down which species were being targeted for fishmeal. This allowed them to determine which fishmeal plants were connected to ships engaged in illegal or unsustainable fishing. Then, they traced the fishmeal to the fish farm and to where the seafood was sold by retailers.

The investigation found that more than 2,400 ships tied to fishmeal production, operating in the waters of at least 30 countries. It found that most of those ships do not fully comply with the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency, a guide created by leading ocean-focused civil society groups detailing accountability standards for industrial fishing fleets.

For example, less than 30% of the fleets had publicly available location information, and less than 25% had a unique vessel identification number. Such opacity makes the ships difficult to police.

At least half of the species landed by the assessed fishmeal vessels are classified by scientific studies as “overexploited” or worse. Most of these vessels are purse seiners or trawlers, which deploy vast nets to capture dense schools of fish. Both gear types are associated with high levels of waste, routinely hauling in large volumes of nontarget species.

At least 165 of the ships were bottom trawlers, a particularly destructive form of fishing that uses weighted nets that scrape the ocean floor, destroying virtually everything in their path.

Concerns about aquaculture extend far beyond the fate of the oceans. In Gambia and Mauritania in western Africa, the industry drives food insecurity as fish that once sustained local communities are diverted into fishmeal factories.

In remote islands in Russia's far east and in China's Xinjiang region, the reporting detailed the use of forced labor on ships, farms and in factories. In other countries, including India and Peru, this industry was tied to at least 80 incidents of civil unrest, some violent, usually in the form of labor strikes and protests sparked by the water pollution or the stink from factories cooking tons of decomposing fish.

In Chile in 2024, several hundred demonstrators burned tires and blocked coastal highways and railway tracks to protest the early closure of the fishing season, a move partly driven by overfishing tied to fishmeal.

In Senegal, fishmeal has put local fishers out of work, so they increasingly are selling — or repurposing — their boats to ferry migrants to Spain's Canary Islands, a stepping stone to Europe. This perilous journey of roughly 930 miles claimed more than 3,000 lives in 2025.

"We're fishermen, but there's no fish left here, so we left," said Cheikhou Omar, a 21-year-old fisherman in 2024 as he sat on a beach in Senegal, rescued after the fishing boat he tried to sail to Spain capsized, killing 30.

The fishmeal industry also contributes to transnational tensions. For example, in 2021, a dozen Turkish bottom trawlers fishing illegally in the Aegean Sea tried to ram a Greek research vessel when the scientists began filming their activity.

In 2018, riots broke out in Saint-Louis, Senegal, after a fisher was shot and killed by Mauritanian coast guards, during what the Mauritanians said was a cross-border raid by a fishmeal boat.

— DANIEL PAULY, project director of Sea Around Us initiative at the University of British Columbia

---

The politics of protein

In her 2021 book “The Fishmeal Revolution,” Kristin A. Wintersteen traces how the Humboldt Current — a cold, nutrient-rich upwelling system along the Pacific coast of South America — was reimagined as a protein mine. That shift, she argues, turned Peru into a fishmeal superpower, responsible for roughly a quarter of worldwide production.

Fishmeal helped fuel the post-World War II expansion of industrial chicken and hog farming, particularly in Europe and the United States. Since then, this model has spread worldwide.

The feed industry has emphasized that it is decreasing its reliance on fishmeal and fish oil — and especially the use of whole fish or fish parts that can be eaten by people. However, as aquaculture grows, global fishmeal production is predicted to rise by nearly 10% by 2032, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization, a United Nations agency.

For example, five of the world's largest salmon companies increased their use of fishmeal and fish oil made from whole wild fish by as much as 39% between 2020 and 2024, according to a report from the Farm Animal Investment Risk and Return Initiative.

Asked about sustainability concerns tied to her industry, Véronique

Jamin, a spokesperson for IFFO, the international fishmeal association, said that fish farming is “the most efficient animal protein system.” She added that her organization’s “role is not to advise which markets should use fishmeal and fish oil.” Attempts to make the industry more sustainable must consider market forces, she said, and seafood companies have to respond to “what people actually want to buy and eat.”

Efforts to move away from fishmeal and fish oil have struggled. Researchers have identified potential alternatives — including seaweed, cassava waste, single-cell proteins produced by fungi and even sewage.

But none is being produced affordably at scale, and the alternatives often lack the nutrients that support the growth of farmed fish.

---

The role of forced labor

For those toiling at fishmeal plants and fish farms, the work and conditions can be brutal, the investigation found.

In Russia, fish processing workers were held captive in secluded company towns or stuck on ships far from shore. "People have nowhere to go, no money," one worker told President Vladimir Putin, who participated in a call-in television show about the fishmeal plant in 2016. A second worker pleaded: "Please, help us."

In China, the aquaculture industry is expanding rapidly in the country's mountainous and desert areas inland, particularly in Tibet and Xinjiang, two areas known for political repression, with criminal penalties for speaking native languages or practicing religious or cultural traditions.

Because the U.S. government found human rights abuses to be pervasive there, Congress enacted a law in 2021 that banned all goods produced “wholly or in part” by workers in Xinjiang or by ethnic minorities from the region on the presumption that they were made with state-sponsored forced labor. No such law exists for Tibet.

The investigation mapped more than 1,000 fish farms in Xinjiang and Tibet that produce an estimated half-billion dollars' worth of seafood annually, much of it exported to more than a dozen countries, including the United States. Despite the 2021 law banning goods from Xinjiang, the investigation found that farm-raised fish from that region have reached the United States.

For example, the Xinjiang Tiayun fish farm, which produces 40% of China's domestically produced salmon, is tied through supply agreements to a brand of seafood called Aqua Star sold by Walmart and the world's largest food service company, Sysco, which in the U.S. distributes to public schools, military bases and congressional cafeterias.

Sysco said it was unaware of the link to Xinjiang. “We hold all suppliers across our global supply chain accountable” to uphold U.S., international and local laws, and Sysco suspends contracts when they do not, said Ramit Plushnick-Masti, a company spokesperson. Aqua Star and Walmart did not respond to a request for comment.

Xinjiang Tianyun said in a statement that claims of forced labor “are completely factually unfounded.” The Chinese government did not respond to a request for comment.

More than 80% of seafood eaten in the U.S. is imported, and 9% of that comes from China.

Another major supplier of seafood to the U.S. is India, which produces roughly a third of the shrimp that Americans consume, almost all of it grown with fishmeal. The investigation found at least 18 instances of civil unrest and at least 20 cases of water or air pollution tied to Indian fishmeal

KC CHENG

plants.

A WORKER uses a tractor to haul dried and crushed fish for animal feed supplements at a processing plant in Reedville, Va.

ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS AFP/Getty Images

FOR SOME countries, aquaculture has been a boon. Above, a seller in Mauritania.

In November 2020, Indian government investigators found hidden bore holes where the operator of the United Marine Products fishmeal plant in Goa had been covertly disposing of toxic waste, thereby contaminating groundwater. The plant owner denied wrongdoing.

Shrimp sold by Sysco and at Kroger and Safeway is fed fishmeal from United Marine, according to Bait to Plate, an online tool that maps seafood supply chains. Kroger and Safeway's parent company, Albertsons, did not respond to a request for comment.

---

Sustainable practices

Though problems with fish farming have arisen worldwide, for some countries, aquaculture has been a boon.

In Bangladesh, aquaculture has driven down the price of fish. Even accounting for fishmeal and transportation to the U.S., the production of certain farmed fish, including tilapia and Atlantic salmon, emits less greenhouse gas per pound than beef or pork.

Harvesting bivalves, like clams, oysters, scallops and mussels, is especially sustainable because these species do not require feed. This type of aquaculture also has a low carbon footprint and the shells function as a form of carbon capture, according to a 2020 paper by the scientific journal Nature Food.

In the United States, at least 16 factories processed fishmeal as of 2025, along the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia, the Gulf Coast in Mississippi and Louisiana, and in California, Oregon and Alaska.

Most of these factories use inedible offcuts from fishing because nearly every U.S. state has outlawed the targeting of whole fish for fishmeal. The factories also tend to be better regulated than plants elsewhere in the world.

As the production of seafood has become more globalized, its supply chains have stretched longer, making it tougher for consumers and grocers to know whether it was harvested sustainably or legally.

Robert K. Stumberg, professor at Georgetown Law and supply-chain expert, said grocers typically buy from wholesalers and rarely track their suppliers. One other reason may be plausible deniability, he added. "Companies can escape blame or the need to fix problems if they're unaware of them."

With government oversight of supply chains sometimes lacking, industry-led certification programs have sought to fill the gap and root out unsustainable, unethical or illegal practices.

But critics say these programs generally focus on environmental crimes and overlook labor abuses on ships. On land, at processing plants or farms, certification programs rarely conduct true spot checks to authenticate the reassurances given by managers, said Allie Brudney, a senior staff attorney at Corporate Accountability Lab, a strategic litigation nonprofit.

Instead, the programs frequently alert companies before inspectors show up. At sea, these programs often rely on self-reported information from ship captains rather than having auditors inspect vessels offshore.

Devan Meserve, a spokesperson for the Global Seafood Alliance, which runs the Best Aquaculture Practices program, defended the value of such inspection programs. She said that her organization represents the “most comprehensive program for farmed seafood,” partly because it covers the “entire aquaculture production chain.”

Protecting workers on the fishing vessels that supply feed mills is, however, an “immense challenge,” Meserve added, because audits occur at port. She added that her organization helps the industry counter illegal and overfishing by requiring feed mills to source most of the fish they use in fishmeal or fish oil from fisheries accredited by certification programs like Marine Trust and Marine Stewardship Council.

---

The risk of false advertising

"Any accounting of the true impact of aquaculture has to start not with the farm, but with the feed," said Daniel Pauly, project director of the Sea Around Us initiative at the University of British Columbia. "And that kind of accounting offers a very different picture than the industry offers."

Since 2020, at least nine lawsuits alleging false advertising have been brought against six seafood companies in six U.S. states. Plaintiffs challenged language such as “sustainable,” “eco-friendly” and “wild-caught,” as well as claims of superior worker-safety standards. Five of the lawsuits resulted in settlements, and the companies paid the plaintiffs more than \$2 million.

In at least four cases, the use of fishmeal or fish oil and their link to industrial fishing and ecosystem depletion were central to arguments that the products were not environmentally sustainable. Additional allegations included forced labor on fishing vessels and reliance on harmful pesticides and antibiotics.

The Outlaw Ocean investigation assessed more than 500 seafood companies that made marketing claims that were comparable to — or stronger than — those cited in the lawsuits. Over half of those companies had supply chain ties to fishmeal producers involved in crimes, misconduct and unsustainable fishing practices.

Dana Cleaveley, a research consultant formerly with SeaChoice, a Canadian sustainable-seafood group, said that many industries have already had to begin reckoning with the human rights and environmental abuses buried in their supply chains. She cited “sweatshop garments,” “fair-trade coffee” and “blood diamonds” as examples.

Seafood has been slower to face such scrutiny, though, as the world leans further into aquaculture, that may change, she said, particularly if more governments begin restricting imports tied to illegality or unsustainable practices. She added: "That's when investors will begin to see material, not just reputational risk, and companies will have to adjust."

But in some quarters, the troubling costs of fish farming remain unaddressed.

In April 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14276, “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness,” which instructed government officials to reduce regulatory burdens and boost the commercial fishing and aquaculture sectors in the United States.

It made no mention of feed or fishmeal.

THE SEAFOOD industry has been slower to face scrutiny, an expert says, as the world leans further into aquaculture. Above, workers collect fish in Western Sahara.

Panamanians sleep in streets amid powerful quake aftershocks

A VEHICLE sits crushed beneath a collapsed building in Penonomé, Panama.

ARIS MARIOTA Associated Press

BY ARIS MARIOTA,

JUAN ZAMORANO,

MEGAN JANETSKY

AND ALMA SOLÍS

LA VILLA DE LOS SANTOS, Panama — Unnerved residents of rural Panama awoke Saturday on the streets as the aftershocks of two powerful earthquakes that roiled the country shook their communities for hours.

The magnitude 7.7 and 6.6 earthquakes toppled buildings near the epicenter and prompted evacuations across the Central American country. Seismologists at the University of Panama recorded dozens of aftershocks, including ones measuring magnitude 5.8, 5.5 and 5.2.

The initial earthquake, felt as far away as neighboring Colombia, was centered about six miles southwest of the remote community of Pitaloza Arriba, in the central province of Herrera, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It struck at a depth of six miles.

Panamanian authorities had not attributed any deaths to the earthquakes.

In La Villa de Los Santos, a colonial-era community about 40 miles northeast of the epicenter, homes and a historic Catholic church collapsed. People who spent the night on the streets were waiting for the government's guidance on what to do next.

"We've been here since 1 p.m. yesterday; we haven't moved," Tony Jiménez, whose home partially collapsed, said while sitting with relatives under a tent. "It was a terrible thing. I can tell you with absolute certainty that in my 90 years, I had never experienced anything like it. It was intense — truly intense."

---

Panama has strict building codes

Images of crumbling buildings and deep fissures slicing through roads added to fears across a region battered by a series of devastating earthquakes in recent months.

Back-to-back magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes roiled Venezuela's La Guaira state in June, killing more than 6,500 people and leaving 17,000 homeless. In August, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake in Colombia killed at least 289 people.

The notably lower toll in nearby Panama may have been due to the country's strict building codes, especially governing construction of skyscrapers in the capital, said Carlos Valdés, head of the Seismology Department at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

Omar Smith of the National Civil Protection Service said that damage was concentrated in the central provinces of Veraguas, Herrera and Los Santos. He said there were no reports of damage in Panama City.

---

Several injuries and building collapses

Smith said several injuries have been reported, including one person struck by debris from a partially collapsed structure in the city of Penonomé, about 90 miles from the capital. He confirmed a partial collapse and cracks at the cathedral in the district's main square, as well as damage to the governor's office building and the Dos Continentes hotel.

The Church of San Atanasio in La Villa de Los Santos collapsed. It was declared a National Historic Heritage Site in 1938. Elsewhere, including in Veraguas province, large fissures ran along roadways.

Tocumen International Airport in Panama City, one of the region's busiest airports with more than 20 million passengers in 2025, temporarily suspended operations after the first quake but said Friday afternoon that it was reopening.

The Panama Canal Authority said operations were continuing normally along the global trade route. It said that its priority was the safety of employees, vessels and crews and that specialized technical teams were inspecting facilities for possible damage.

The last major earthquake to cause widespread damage in Panama struck in 1991. A magnitude 7.4 quake, centered in nearby Costa Rica, killed 23 people, injured 559 and left thousands of people homeless in the border Bocas del Toro region.

Saudi airport attack kills 12, injures 300; U.S. weighs response

BY SAMY MAGDY AND CARA ANNA

CAIRO — The latest attack on the international airport in Saudi Arabia's capital killed 12 people and injured over 300 others, civil aviation authorities said early Sunday, the deadliest strike in any gulf country outside Iran since the start of the war there.

It marked a major escalation in the growing front in the regional war, driven by a recent surge in fighting between the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and Saudi-backed government forces there.

The aviation authorities' statement, which did not assign blame for the attack, said the dead included four

Saudi citizens as well as two Bangladeshi nationals, a Palestinian, a U.S. citizen, an Egyptian, a Jordanian, a Syrian and a Sudanese. It said the injured, including many in critical condition, were being treated at several hospitals.

The attack — the latest of several in the last week on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh — is expected to increase Saudi pressure on allies including the United States to provide military support for the kingdom.

Shortly after the attack on Saturday afternoon, President Trump said he was evaluating whether the U.S. should join Saudi strikes against the Houthis.

The Houthis claimed responsibility for attacks earlier in the week on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh that killed three Saudis, including a pilot. On Saturday, a missile struck a complex housing terminals 3 and 4 for domestic flights and many people were wounded, a regional official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak to the media.

“We may. We’re going to look at it,” Trump said about the prospect of U.S. intervention. “We just found out about the recent attack. So we’ll make a decision. We move very quickly.”

The surge in attacks, including against other Saudi airports, military facilities and oil infrastructure, has come in the week since a Saudi-led coalition launched a major military offensive against the Houthis. There was no immediate statement from the rebels, who earlier Saturday accused Saudi Arabia of striking Sanaa International Airport in the Houthi-held Yemeni capital.

Saudi civil aviation authorities said airport operations were suspended and the extent of injuries and damage was being assessed. An official notice to aviators said the suspension was through midnight. The airport had a heavy police presence, with all entrances blocked, and lights around the complex were dimmed.

Flights were diverted elsewhere, the Flight-radar24 tracker said. Countries including the United States, Britain, Germany,

Australia and Canada warned citizens to avoid the airport.

Fighting in Yemen between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces has escalated, with the Saudi-led coalition providing air support for government forces in an attempt to reverse recent Houthi gains along the Red Sea. Those gains gave the rebels better surveillance of shipping on a corridor that's a crucial alternative to the Strait of Hormuz.

Magdy and Anna write for the Associated Press. Anna reported from Jerusalem. AP writers Victoria Eastwood in Cairo, Collin Binkley in Washington and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut contributed to this report.

Earthquakes are common, especially along Panama's border with Costa Rica and its Pacific coast, because of the interaction of several tectonic plates, including the Cocos, Nazca and Caribbean plates.

Panama lies along the "Ring of Fire," a 25,000-mile arc of volcanoes and fault lines around the Pacific Basin, where most of the world's earthquakes occur.

Mariota, Zamorano,

Janetsky and Solís write for

the Associated Press.

Janetsky reported from

Mexico City, and Zamorano

and Solís reported from

Panama City. AP writers

Regina Garcia Cano and

María Verza in Mexico City;

Clara Preve in Buenos Aires;

Gabriela Molina in Quito,

Ecuador; Eléonore Hughes

in Rio de Janeiro; and Becky

Bohrer in Juneau

contributed to this report.

REPIPE NOW WITH Copper and PEX Repiping

PROBLEM

0% Interest for 18 Months\*\*

With Our One-Stop Repipe™ Process

COMPLETED in 2 DAYS or Less!

Repipe Specialists

Our process has been developed and refined with over 75,000+ home repipe installations. This means a quick, convenient, and efficient repipe process for you.

Reasons to Repipe Your Home

\- Pipe & Slab Leaks

• Preventive Maintenance

\- Low Water Pressure

• Rusty or Discolored Water

SAVE 20% on a COMPLETE Home Repipe\* FREE REPIPE ESTIMATES

BBB ACCREDITED BUSINESS

CALL NOW for a Fast Appointment! 877-895-8431

\*Must mention discount at time of purchase. Financing offers subject to approved credit.

\*\*Call today for details. NMLS #208156 www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org. Expires 10/31/2026

Shop.RepipeMyHomeNow.com

THE NATION

Trump says Ukraine should get a new president

U.K. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, left, Volodymyr Zelensky and others on Thursday visit Pryluky, Ukraine, where a Russian strike killed five children.

STEFAN ROUSSEAU Associated Press

U.S. leader blames

Zelensky for price of

diesel and failure to

reach a peace deal.

BY MATTHEW DALY,

SUSIE BLANN

AND ELISE MORTON

WASHINGTON — President Trump said Saturday that it was time for Ukraine to get a new president, suggesting Volodymyr Zelensky has not done enough to end his country's war with Russia and blaming him for high diesel prices in the U.S.

“I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal, because he could have made many deals and for some reason he never does,” Trump said.

Trump, who on Friday struck a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to buy diesel from Russia — angering Zelensky and reversing long-standing U.S. policy — in an attempt to address high fuel prices ahead of the U.S. midterm elections, has been urging the Ukrainian leader for weeks to stop strikes on Russian energy infrastructure. He has also sought to blame record U.S. diesel prices on Ukraine rather than the U.S.-led war in Iran, the chief driver behind elevated world energy prices.

“He wants to make problems for the world. He wants to make problems for our farmers, our ranchers, with diesel fuel,” Trump said before departing for Tennessee, where he was set to rally Republican voters.

Ukrainian and European officials on Saturday reacted to Trump's diesel deal with dismay, saying it will help pay for Russia's war efforts. Diesel prices have skyrocketed due to a collision of events, including the difficulty of getting oil out of the Middle East since the start of the Iran war, which has raised the price of all oil products.

An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll conducted last month and published Oct. 1 found that Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of Iran, and blame him for higher prices.

Trump also suggested, as he often has before, that if he had been president in 2022, "that war would have never started. There was no reason that war with Ukraine and Russia started. It started due to incompetence."

Apparently addressing the Ukrainian people, Trump said that Zelensky has “lost 30% of your country and you’ve had over a million people go between the two of them, over 2 million people killed. That’s a war that should have never started. And I think it's time for Ukraine to get a new president."

Independent estimates are that about $20\%$ of Ukraine's territory is under Russian control. British defense officials recently estimated that about half a million Russian soldiers have been killed in the war; there are no reliable recent estimates about how many Ukrainians have died.

---

Russian strikes kill at least 20

Trump's extraordinary intervention came after Russian strikes killed at least 20 people in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region, Ukrainian officials said Saturday.

Three children were among those killed when Russian aerial bombs hit residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine's State

Emergency Service said Saturday. At least 18 people were wounded.

Russia and Ukraine are locked in a long-range aerial war while their armies remain largely deadlocked on the front line, more than 4½ years since Moscow's full-scale invasion. Ukraine is struggling to counter escalating Russian bombardments that have killed more than 60 people in the last four days.

---

Anger in Kyiv over diesel deal

“Today, Russia expressed its thanks for the lifting of sanctions on diesel exports by dropping five glide bombs on residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia,” Zelensky wrote Saturday on X.

JOE RAEDLE Getty Images

500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons “immediately thereafter.” Russia will deliver an additional 3 million tons “within a short period of time” after that, he wrote.

He said every additional billion dollars Russia earns from exports would help pay for weapons components, drone upgrades, missile production and the recruitment of mercenaries, and that Moscow would be ready to stop only when its ability to fight diminished.

Trump announced Friday that Russia will immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel, followed by an additional

THE ROOF of an apartment complex was blown off by the storm in Milton, Fla.

In Kyiv, people gathered at a memorial to fallen soldiers on Independence Square greeted the deal with a mix of anger and resignation.

“Trump has once again shown his true face,” said Oleksandr Petrenko, 26. “He didn’t care about the situation, the shelling or the destruction of our homes. All he’s interested in is oil or the fuel prices and how much Americans have to pay.”

For Oksana Yakunina, a financial advisor from the central city of Kropyvnytskyi, the announcement “didn’t really come as a surprise.”

“Trump has been working with Putin for a long time,” she said.

Isaias kills four, threatens flooding across the Southeast

Daly, Blann and Morton write for the Associated Press. Daly reported from Washington and Morton reported from London. AP journalists Bela Szandelzsky in Kyiv and Collin Binkley in Washington contributed to this report.

Storm came ashore as Category 2 hurricane, damaging roofs and downing power lines.

BY EMILIE MEGNIEN,

GERALD HERBERT

AND MICHAEL CASEY

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. — Isaias peeled off hotel and condominium rooftops and facades along the Florida Panhandle before charging north Saturday, dishing out torrential rains and the threat of flash floods and tornadoes across the Southeast.

At least four deaths were linked to the storm, including two people killed when trees fell on homes in Florida and Alabama. Forecasters warned that flooding could stretch into the Appalachians.

Isaias came ashore as a Category 2 hurricane Friday near Destin, Fla., a Gulf Coast vacation spot filled with high-rises and tourist shops. The storm weakened overnight but remained dangerous.

Despite warnings of storm surges ahead of Isaias, several major routes along the coast were open by daybreak Saturday and free of the downed trees and power lines typically seen after major hurricanes.

---

Scattered damage across Gulf Coast

Within the first hours after landfall, nearly 900,000 customers were without power, mostly in Florida and Alabama.

Hurricane-force winds in the Florida Panhandle blew the roof off a Pensacola hotel, and the city's mayor said the airport "took some damage." The storm flattened a boathouse in Destin and ripped away part of the facade of a high-rise in Panama City Beach.

A worker in a condominium parking lot swept up piles of the building's insulation while others put back beach chairs that had been

tossed about.

In Florida's Escambia County, Sheriff Chip Simmons said a woman was killed when a tree fell on her home and a man died of carbon monoxide fumes from a generator running in his garage. Four of the man's family members, ranging in age from 4 to 72, were treated but are expected to survive, the sheriff said.

Nearby in Gulf Breeze, Jayme Mitich wiped tears away Saturday as she surveyed the damage to her apartment. Her living room was soaked and covered in insulation.

She and her 13-year-old daughter, Jeweliana Jackson, hid beneath a mattress before the storm tore off part of their roof. “The noise got so loud, and I just kept hearing things break and crash into everything,” Mitich said.

The rest of their apartment complex was littered with roof shingles and broken beams from a wooden fence. The winds uprooted trees and flipped a truck on its side.

“It’s going to be OK,” Mitich said. “No matter what, we’re going to make it.”

---

Alabama hit with devastating winds

Isaias, the first hurricane of the Atlantic season, roared farther into Alabama with tropical-force winds.

One person died when a tree fell on a house in Birmingham, said Cory Moon, the city's fire chief.

A second storm-related death in the state was attributed to a motor vehicle crash involving a downed tree in Barbour County, said Josh Johnson of the state's emergency management agency.

Along Alabama's Gulf Coast, authorities in Mobile reported numerous downed trees and power lines.

Maranie Adams, who rode out the storm with her family and their chickens in Gulf Shores, said the winds rocked their home but that it was nothing like Hurricane Sally, which left water under their elevated house.

“I feel very much more relieved today,” she said.

---

Wind and rain still threaten the region

President Trump approved an emergency declaration for Georgia after earlier doing the same for Florida and Alabama, allowing for federal aid.

The U.S. Energy Department authorized emergency exchanges of crude oil from the nation's strategic petroleum reserve to address disruptions in supply due to the storm.

The Atlantic hurricane season has been unusually quiet this year, and Isaias was the first hurricane to hit the eastern U.S. since 2024.

The National Weather Service advised that parts of Georgia and the Carolinas could see heavy rains capable of causing flash floods. The storm was expected to move into the Tennessee Valley and then the mid-Atlantic on Sunday.

Megnien, Herbert and Casey write for the Associated Press. Casey reported from Boston. AP writers Sophie Bates in Gulf Breeze, Fla., Thomas Strong in Washington, Julie Walker in New York, Tim Sullivan in Minneapolis and John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed to this report.

Tennessee woman who survived state execution is discharged from hospital

Book a valuation today

Ying Su

+1 (415) 857 7008

ying.su@bonhams.com

sell.bonhams.com

ASSOCIATED PRESS

A Magnificent Gilt Copper Alloy Glass-Embellished Elephant Stand Qianlong/Jiaqing Period Sold for US\$610,100 inc. premium

NASHVILLE — Christa Pike, who survived Tennessee's attempt to execute her by lethal injection, has been moved back to prison, according to a statement released by her attorneys.

Pike was discharged from the hospital and is back at the Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center, the women's prison where she was housed for 30 years, her attorneys said in a statement.

“She is grateful to the first responders and her medical team for their care in these extraordinary circumstances. She is continuing to receive medical care at the prison, and we will con-

LEARN THE TRUE VALUE OF YOUR ASIAN ART

tinue to track her recovery," her attorneys said in a statement released Saturday.

We are accepting consignments for upcoming auctions. Schedule an appointment or visit us at 7601 W Sunset Boulevard for a complimentary auction estimate.

Pike, 50, survived two doses of pentobarbital as the state attempted to execute her by lethal injection on Sept. 30 for the 1995 beating and stabbing death of classmate Colleen Slemmer. Pike had been in a hospital since the failed execution.

© 2026 Bonhams & Butterfields Auctioneers Corp. All rights reserved. Bond No. 57BSBGL0808

CHARLIE NEIBERGALL Getty Images

TOMAS OVALLE For The Times

Democrats split over trans issues ahead of the midterms

[Trans, from A1] [Trans, from AI] While many Democrats have ardently defended transgender rights, particularly in California, others in the party have sided with Republicans or softened their support.

James Talarico, the Democratic U.S. Senate candidate in Texas, back-pedaled from past votes by saying young transgender athletes shouldn't be allowed to play "if it risks safety or fairness," while others including Rob Sand, a candidate for Iowa governor, and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) have said they shouldn't play.

Such messaging has dismayed transgender people and their families, as well as LGBTQ+ rights groups who have been trying to refine Democratic messaging on trans issues since Vice President Kamala Harris — another longtime LGBTQ+ advocate from California — responded to Trump's anti-trans attacks in 2024 with a message some considered muddled.

Imara Jones, a transgender journalist and founder of TransLash Media, a platform built to spotlight trans people's own experiences, said the party's conflicting messaging "underscores the degree to which the Republicans have actually successfully weaponized trans issues."

“You're seeing a really sharp political calculus among Democrats,” Jones said, with those “in tight races, where they need to have Republican votes,” bending one way, and others who “want to make a statement about principle” and defending LGBTQ+ rights moving in the other.

Many Democrats in California say they believe the issue is a moral one and that Democrats only hurt themselves by ceding ground on human rights.

"The solution is not to be ambiguous, but to be firm that we support basic human rights and the basic humanity of trans people," said state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), a leader on pro-LGBTQ+ legislation running to replace retiring Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco). "Then go on to talk about the big issues facing our country, like this illegal war, like the fact that Congress has done nothing to regulate AI, like the explosive cost of energy and child care and housing."

---

A national conversation

Trump has signed executive orders to bar transgender athletes from competing in girls' sports, prohibit federal funding for gender-affirming care for youth, oust transgender service members from the military and deny recognition of transgender and nonbinary identities on critical documents such as passports.

The Justice Department has sued California and other states over their trans-inclusive sports policies, and successfully threatened large hospitals into ending gender-affirming care programs. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services barred federal Medicaid spending on gender-affirming medication or surgeries for minors.

GOP candidate for governor Steve Hilton spoke out against transgender athletes competing in girls' sports.

Trump campaigned on such policies, and he and other Republicans clearly see them as helpful in the midterms. In his convention speech, Trump said he's been surprised more Democrats haven't abandoned transgender rights given polling showing a majority of Americans oppose transgender athletes in girls' sports.

“They say it’s an 80/20 issue,” Trump said, in an apparent reference to a January 2025 New York Times/Ipsos poll that found 79% of respondents believed transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete in women’s sports. More recent polls have shown a smaller majority opposed.

Arne Johnson, a Bay Area father of a transgender

The debate has prompted new bans on transgender athletes in college sports and in the Olympics and divided some of the most well-known professional women athletes in the world. It has also put transgender kids in California and elsewhere under an intense microscope — and on the receiving end of harassment from protesters who show up with loudspeakers to local track meets.

---

'MAGA wants to talk about trans kids because they're losing the conversation voters actually care about.'

—RAMIRO SARMIENTO, Human Rights Campaign

child who helps run the advocacy group Rainbow Families Action, said being targeted by Republicans is scary, but watching Democrats “find ways to be more flexible about the rights of human beings” has been profoundly disappointing.

But he said he's also been encouraged by some more recent polling showing Americans moving back toward the middle on transgender rights, which he believes is in part due to people being deluged with anti-trans ads getting frustrated that the political conversation isn't focused on issues they care more about, like affordability and healthcare.

Ramiro Sarmiento, a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, which has tracked at least \$50 million in anti-trans political ads this cycle, agreed, saying, “MAGA wants to talk about trans kids because they’re losing the conversation voters actually care about.”

Conservative groups reject that framing. Many deny that transgender people exist, while others say they are working to protect cisgender children or defend religious beliefs. They have also scoffed at Democrats who have changed their positions in the lead-up to the election, with the conservative American Principles Project accusing Talarico of only pretending to shift away from his “gender radicalism” on sports in order to win votes.

Allison Schuster, a White House spokesperson, said the Biden administration “spent four years pushing a radical agenda” of gender-affirming care for children, while Trump “pledged to restore common sense” and has since “delivered by consistently taking strong action to protect children from these dangerous, life-altering medical practices.”

---

The fight in California

In California, transgender athletes competing in youth sports has been raised as an issue in the governor's race, where Republican hopeful Steve Hilton has rallied against their inclusion, and featured prominently in the races for the next state attorney general and the next state superintendent of public schools.

Several Democrats running for Congress in the state have been criticized for their records on transgender rights, including San Diego City Councilmember Marni von Wilpert, who is seeking the redistricted congressional seat of departing Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Bonsall), as well as Reps. Adam Gray (D-Merced) and Derek Tran (D-Orange).

Christian Martinez, a National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson, has accused Von Wilpert of having a “perverted agenda [that] pushes hormone treatments on kids," and Gray of being "for they/them, not for Californians."

California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta's office is fighting on multiple fronts to protect gender-affirming care and successfully rebuffed a Justice Department lawsuit over the state's transgender sports policies. But pressure is coming not only from the Trump administration.

The California Interscholastic Federation, which oversees high school athletics, also revised its rules to ensure that transgender athletes in individual sports do not displace cisgender ones from rankings or medal podiums. And after local California teachers sued, the U.S. Supreme Court in March ruled against a controversial California student privacy law that precluded teachers from revealing a child's interest in presenting in gender nonconforming ways in school to their parents if the child requested confidentiality, finding that the policy infringed on parents' rights and the free exercise of religion.

Meanwhile, state lawmakers just passed at least a dozen measures aimed at bolstering LGBTQ+ rights, including by restoring an LGBTQ+ youth suicide and crisis hotline; helping discharged LGBTQ+ service members find housing and jobs; requiring California gender-affirming healthcare providers who are subpoenaed to inform Bonta's office if they intend to respond; improving access to HIV prevention care and enhancing LGBTQ+ data privacy.

Newsom signed all those measures into law — his office said California “will not stand” for Trump’s “all-out assault on the LGBTQ community” — but vetoed a bill that would have barred future governors from allowing the extradition of abortion or gender-affirming care providers in California to states where such care is illegal, citing concerns about reduced executive discretion.

The 2026-27 state budget appropriated \$66 million for gender-affirming care, including up to \$30 million for underinsured patients in the Uncompensated Care Program, \$26 million to assist organizations that provide such care and \$10 million to cover care for poor children who lost it under the new Medicaid rules. Wiener called the latter a “short-term solution” that will protect kids while the state figures out a more permanent billing pathway under Medi-Cal.

A.W., a Bay Area mother of a transgender teenager who requested anonymity because she fears being targeted by the Trump administration, said her child's gender-affirming care was disrupted by the Medicaid rule change, and the state's temporary fix was too little, too late.

A.W. said families like hers “shouldn’t have to make medical decisions based on politicians in Washington,” particularly for care so critical to her son and other kids. “If he had not had access to gender-affirming care, I don’t know where we would be,” she said. “It scares me to think about it.”

Times staff writer Dakota Smith contributed to this report.

Senate hopefuls court largest-ever pool of independents

CHARLIE NEIBERGALL Getty Images

U.S. REP. Ashley Hinson, the Republican candidate for Iowa, plays the violin at a fundraiser in August.

[Senate, from A1] [Sebate, from 11]

mail ballots go out and early

voting begins in some states.

"For Republicans who are running behind and are looking at a potentially devastating midterm election performance, what they really need to do is target the independents who lean Republican," said Karen Kedrowski, an Iowa State University political scientist. "For Democrats in some place like Iowa ... what they need to do is make it seem safe [to independents] to vote for a Democratic candidate."

Unaffiliated constituents have long been key to victory in swing states, particularly where races are traditionally decided by small margins. They have been viewed as particularly persuadable this year, as public dissatisfaction with Trump's economic policies puts the votes of swing voters who backed him in 2024 up for grabs.

Forecasters predict that Democrats are on track for the House majority and could hold a majority of gubernatorial seats for the first time since 2010. Though Senate control remains a toss-up, Democrats' chances are viewed by forecasters to have significantly improved since the summer.

A set of New York Times/ Siena polls reported last week showed Democratic candidates for the Senate ahead in Texas, Michigan, Alaska and Ohio and neck-and-neck in Kansas and Iowa — all states Trump carried in 2024. Republicans, meanwhile, are feeling increasingly bullish about their chances in Maine, New Hampshire and Minnesota, all states that went blue in the last presidential election.

Republicans hold a significant fundraising advantage, however, and party donors hope spending more on key races can cut into the Democrats' edge. By September's end, GOP advertisers had more than doubled their spending compared with August, outstripping Democrats, according to tracker AdImpact. Among the nine Senate races considered the tightest by forecasters, Republicans have outspent Democrats in all, AdImpact reported.

But on Friday, the Cook Political Report, a leading election forecaster, moved 18 House races in Democrats' direction, saying heavy ad spending by Republicans has not begun to move the needle in their favor.

Democrats view themselves as in their “strongest position yet” to win the majority, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), who chairs the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said in a statement last week.

“In this final stretch of the election, Democrats will continue to vigorously campaign and fight for every vote across the expanded map,” Gillibrand said.

Republicans are confident about their ability to persuade voters in key states, said Bernadette Breslin, a spokesperson for the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

“Republicans will defend the Senate majority across key battlegrounds that have trended reliably red,” Breslin said, “with candidates like Mike Rogers [in Michigan] and Roger Marshall [in Kansas] winning over independents by exposing their Democratic opponents' radical, unaffordable agendas."

Along with the decisions of independent and swing voters, the midterm outcomes could also hinge on the level of turnout within each party, analysts say. If a portion of the party faithful stay home in a given place — for instance, disillusioned conservatives in Kansas or frustrated Black Democrats in Michigan — that could swing individual races, analysts said.

The number of independent voters reached a record high this year, with 45% of American adults identifying as political independents in Gallup polling. Equal shares identified as Republicans and Democrats, 27% for each party. The trend is partly driven by majorities of millennial and Gen Z voters choosing not to be affiliated with either party, according to Gallup research.

Such voters make up a majority in Alaska and between 30% and 40% of all registered voters in Maine, Iowa, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Ohio. They account for about 29% in Kansas and about 16% in Texas and Michigan, according to state data compiled by the Independent Voter Project.

Across recent polls, independent voters have favored Democrats and expressed dissatisfaction with Trump. In a late September poll from Emerson College Polling, 66% of independents said Trump has done worse than expected during his second term in office.

In Texas, Democrat James Talarico led Republican Ken Paxton among independents by 32 points in a September poll by Texas Public Opinion Research.

The Democratic candidate in Ohio, Sherrod Brown, led Republican Sen. Jon Husted by 27 points among independents in a CNN poll released Thursday.

In Kansas, where the Senate race has become unexpectedly close amid economic-driven anger with Trump, disapproval of the president's performance among independents appears to be rubbing off on incumbent Sen. Roger Marshall, the Republican seeking reelection.

Fifty-two percent felt unfavorably toward Marshall and $62\%$ disapproved of Trump's performance, according to a recent Emerson College/Nexstar poll.

In those battleground red states, that creates a tough fight for both parties, analysts said. With control of the Senate hanging in the balance, candidates are duking it out in fundraising and on the campaign trail to win every last vote.

“Both campaigns are raking in ridiculous amounts of money ... and they're spending every penny because [they] have to,” said Wichita State University political science professor Alexandra Middlewood, referring to the Kansas Senate race. “We see that they're really going to have to fight it out all the way to the end.”

Debates are another tool for candidates to reach independent voters, said Corwin Smidt, a political science professor at Michigan State University.

In Michigan, where the Senate candidates sparred in their first debate Thursday evening, Rep. Mike Rogers, the Republican Senate nominee, has distanced himself from Trump twice in recent weeks, first calling for an end to the war in Iran and then releasing an ad last week denouncing the tariffs against Canada. Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, meanwhile, announced a rally with former President Obama, an appeal to mainstream voters.

“They’ve got to try to both win over people who have been paying attention, but also introduce themselves to the ones who haven’t been paying attention,” Smidt said.

Winning unaffiliated voters can require a tightrope walk for candidates who are faced with the dual tasks of appealing to their party base while persuading independent constituents.

In the final stretch of the campaign, candidates seeking independent votes should telegraph a willingness to admit their party's flaws and an understanding that voters are turned off by partisan rhetoric, said Chad Peace, legal strategist at the Independent Voter Project, which advocates for open primaries.

“They have to communicate to those folks and try to meet them where they’re at,” Peace said. “[Independents] want the campaigns of persuasion, they don’t want to hear you tell me how bad the other candidate is.”

And, Gruber said, they want to be engaged with, not ignored.

“Independent voters,” he said, “are going to be responding to those candidates and parties that actually talk to them.”

BUSINESS

STEF GARCIA has made more than half a million dollars in four years selling vintage finds on Whatnot.

GENARO MOLINA Los Angeles Times

Platform rakes in billions on shopping as spectator sport

Culver City startup is fueling rise of livestream retail in U.S.

Stef Garcia stands in front of her phone and sells, sells, sells.

The former reality television worker who lives in North Hollywood shows off a neon-green watch in a live video as viewers bid on her rapid-fire offers. She gives shoppers seven seconds to bid.

“Don’t lose it for a dollar,” Garcia says, counting down.

By Queenie Wong

“Let's go!” screams her co-host. As time runs out, the winning bidder's name flashes on the screen. The watch sells for \$13. The duo moves on to the next piece from the early 2000s and quickly sells a snake-shaped watch, a blue polka-dot watch and a metallic watch as viewers chime in with questions and comments.

After an hour and a half, they've sold more than 200 vintage watches during a "Y2K Watch Party" on Whatnot, a live-stream shopping platform from a Culver City startup. Over four years on the app, Garcia has raked in more than half a million dollars in sales selling vintage finds this way.

Welcome to the new wave of shopping: live commerce.

It is QVC on steroids: thousands of people selling anything from soap to baseball cards live while interacting with their customers. It is already a massive industry, as hosts have stumbled upon new ways to excite viewers into spending more and more.

Whatnot, founded in 2019 and now valued at \$20 billion, has propelled the rise of live shopping in the U.S. The company said it surpassed \$8 billion in live sales in 2025 and is on track to more than double that figure this year. Whatnot, which wouldn't share its total user numbers, added more than 16 million new accounts this year.

It competes with TikTok, which launched live shopping in 2023. E-commerce giants EBay and Amazon have also jumped into the fray.

“Whatnot is really the first that has started to gain significant traction in the U.S.” outside of TikTok, said Sky Canaves, a principal analyst of retail at eMarketer.

In 2025, global TikTok Shop livestream sales reached \$17.1 billion, according to Charm, a data intelligence platform that tracks sales on the platform. Roughly \$2.8 billion of TikTok's livestream sales are in the United States.

The phenomenon started in China, fueled by e-commerce giant Alibaba. People flocked to live shopping not only because it's entertaining but also because it's a place to find deals and win prizes. Livestreaming sales in China are projected to hit \$1.1 trillion in 2026, making up roughly 31% of total e-commerce sales, according to eMarketer.

The United States has lagged behind, with live shopping making up roughly 1% of total e-commerce sales. Livestreaming e-commerce sales are expected to grow 58% from \$19.76 billion in 2026 to \$31.24 billion in 2029, according to a forecast from eMarketer.

Whatnot started as a business that acted as a marketplace that buyers and sellers could use to authenticate popular Funko Pop figurines and later added live-streaming.

Whatnot co-founder Grant LaFontaine sold Pokemon cards as a kid and, as an adult, worked at Facebook and YouTube. Logan Head, another Whatnot co-founder, was a senior product manager at Los Angeles-based online sneaker marketplace GOAT Group.

Whatnot makes most of its money through fees, charging an average of 8% for every sale on the platform, said Armand Wilson, Whatnot's chief revenue officer.

Wilson, who also co-founded a small business called Artefact that sells shoes and baseball caps, knows firsthand that starting a business can be expensive as advertising and real estate costs pile up. Livestreaming commerce lets entrepreneurs start small from home and use their passion and personality to interact with shoppers in ways big retailers, online and offline, cannot.

"It allows you to really do the storytelling behind the product and connect with potential buyers in a really authentic way," Wilson said.

The possibility of making millions from selling live on Whatnot or TikTok has lured former entertainment workers, moms, small-business owners and others to the platforms. Some sell as a side hustle, while others go

all in.

Jeff Tedmori, a former child actor turned entrepreneur, started a Costa Mesa-based seafood business called E-Fish in 2020. While recovering from surgery this year, he spent time watching livestreams on Whatnot and later joined the app to sell fish.

“That first livestream, I went all out. Super high energy, like screaming at the camera, and it was wild,” he said.

He's hit \$20,000 in sales in a single live show and even livestreamed from a boat for 48 hours as fish were reeled in.

Whatnot faces stiff competition from TikTok, where users see live streams appear on their personalized feeds. On TikTok Shop, a separate tab on the app, viewers can ask questions and leave their comments and ratings.

Mandys Peña, founder of hair-care and beauty brand Simply Mandys, said she's hit more than \$1 million in sales in a single live session six times on TikTok. Her personal account has more than 2 million followers, and her brand has more than 581,000 followers.

"There are some people who just go on camera, and they sell like crazy," said Peña, who views her followers as friends.

Her business, based in Reedley, Calif., sells flat irons, shampoo and other items. She has a physical store and a website, but more than 90% of her customers buy her products through TikTok Shop.

Other entrepreneurs are creating spaces where livestreaming sellers can go online and also have a physical place to sell items to walk-in customers.

In a studio on Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, hosts stand in front of cameras and products from major brands such as Samsung and Samsonite that they're selling on TikTok. Startup Outlandish, which offers video production, livestreaming and marketing services, opened the space in 2024, and people can also buy items there.

“You still need to go outside and socialize and touch things and experience things, and what better way to bring offline back than using online traffic,” Outlandish founder and Chief Executive William August said.

As live shopping grows, platforms like Whatnot have also grappled with issues such as theft and addiction claims.

One popular Los Angeles sneaker seller that used Whatnot and other platforms was accused of selling stolen goods.

Whatnot says it uses identity verification, automated detection and human review to stop bad actors. It says more than 30% of its employees work on trust and safety. The high buyer return rate, along with the high average seller rating, shows that users feel safe on the platform, said a Whatnot spokesperson.

Some shoppers have shown signs of addiction to the new form of shopping. One reportedly spent more than \$1 million on the platform.

Vanessa Veliz has often spent hundreds of dollars on Whatnot buying collectibles. She deleted the app to avoid being enticed by deals.

"It does get addicting because it's like you're getting stuff on sale, even though you're still spending money," Veliz said.

Users can set spending and watch time limits on the platform, according to Whatnot's trust and safety center.

Whatnot seller Garcia started selling full-time on Whatnot after she lost her job in reality television.

She helped produce shows such as “Revenge Body with Khloe Kardashian” and the documentary series “Helter Skelter.” Now she looks for vintage clothes and accessories from the late 1990s and early 2000s to sell to her very niche audience who have a similar fashion sense. She ships more than 1,500 items a month.

She loves interacting with customers and finding things that she thinks they will like. She's always surprised at how many people like her picks.

“You can show an item and start it at \$5, and the crowd is going to tell you how much they think it's worth,” said Garcia, who has been on Whatnot for four years. “I've always been into fashion, but I didn't think that people loved vintage or Y2K fashion as much as I did.”

Google Maps backlash sends users looking for alternatives

BY KELVIN CHAN

Just because Google and Apple are calling it Lake America doesn't mean everyone has to.

After President Trump ordered a new name for Lake Ontario, the two U.S. tech giants quickly fell in line, relabeling the body of water on their digital maps.

The move sparked a backlash among some users, already unhappy with the companies' decisions to re-name the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America on their maps following a previous Trump edict.

The controversy and lingering worries about digital privacy have fueled interest in map services that aren't from Big Tech companies, especially Google Maps, which is the dominant player with about 80% of the market, according to most estimates.

Here's a rundown of some of the most popular free map app alternatives:

---

MapQuest

MapQuest has been around for three decades but was overtaken by the rise of Google. It's now owned by California company System1.

Downloads of the MapQuest app surged in early September after Apple renamed Lake Ontario, topping the free app charts in both the U.S. and Canada on Apple's App Store.

The MapQuest app has real-time traffic updates and turn-by-turn route guidance, and shows what's nearby, like gas stations and coffee shops.

However, the app isn't available outside the U.S. and Canada. But people in other countries can still use the MapQuest website.

The company is currently looking into making

MapQuest more broadly accessible, after receiving requests for the app from “people in multiple countries,” spokesperson Anne Brownlee said.

---

TomTom

Another granddaddy in the mapping world, TomTom helped popularize GPS route mapping with the 2004 release of its TomTom GO, which the Dutch company says was the world's first all-in-one portable satellite navigation device.

TomTom still sells physical devices but it also has a free map app for Google and Android phones that is designed “exclusively for drivers” with live traffic data and info on road hazards.

The TomTom app's mobile interface is clean and basic, with no ads and few extra features or settings. But its focus on drivers means there are no other route options such as walk-

ing or cycling.

---

HERE WeGo

HERE WeGo has been hailed by some as the closest non-Big Tech alternative to Google Maps. It began life as Nokia Maps and is now owned by a consortium of German carmakers including Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

The free app, available for both iOS and Android devices, offers many of the same features as Google Maps. There's route mapping for various modes of transport: car, public transport, walking, bike and, in some regions, taxi.

Like Google Maps, drivers can add multiple stops to routes and users can choose different maps views like terrain, traffic and satellite — but there's no Street View.

If mobile signal is spotty or nonexistent, users can download country maps to navigate offline. Offline maps can also be down-loaded on Google Maps, but the area is limited and they expire after a year.

---

Apps in the EU

HERE WeGo is just one of many lesser-known map apps based in the European Union that embrace the bloc's strict privacy framework known as GDPR. Unlike Google, they don't rely on vacuuming up masses of user data to sell ads targeted at those users.

HERE WeGo's business model is based on licensing deals with businesses like trucking companies. Others sell premium subscriptions alongside free versions.

Estonia's Organic Maps is completely free and based on data from the volunteer-run OpenStreetMap database. Netherlands-based OSMand is similar, but a subscription is needed for more than just basic functions.

New Pixar film, ‘Michael’ sequel to get state tax credits

BY SAMANTHA MASUNAGA

A new Pixar animated film, the sequel to Lionsgate's “Michael” and a large crop of indie projects are among the latest films to be awarded a California tax credit for in-state production.

In total, 35 films — including 28 independent projects — received production incentives in the latest round of incentives.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement.

Together, the projects are expected to contribute more than \$1 billion in direct production spending in-state and hire more than 5,400 cast and crew members and more than 24,800 background actors, the California Film Commission said Wednesday.

"California is the home of entertainment, full stop,"

"We're not just protecting that legacy; we're investing in its future."

Pixar received the largest credit (\$40.1 million) for an untitled animated film, followed by Lionsgate, which was awarded \$30.8 million for the sequel to “Michael,” the film based on the life of Michael Jackson.

Paramount Pictures got \$29.3 million for an untitled crime thriller.

The latest round of tax credit awards comes less than a month after Newsom signed a bill to create the state's first post-production incentive. Industry editors, sound mixers, visual effects artists and composers had said such a credit was necessary to lure jobs back from overseas.

On a national level, a bipartisan coalition of law-makers is pushing to create a federal tax credit for film and television.

The bill is expected to be introduced in Congress in early November and backers are aiming to get it passed by Dec. 11, when the current Congress adjourns. If passed, the credit would take effect in 2027 and would be stackable with states' production incentives.

Magic Earth is a Dutch route planner that says it never collects personal data or tracks user movements.

Sygic, from Slovakia, is a GPS route navigation app that offers free offline maps, but you'll have to buy a subscription to get extra features including traffic updates, speed camera warnings and a dashcam function.

Mapy.com, from a Czech technology company, is an outdoor route planner known for detailed hiking and trail maps that can be downloaded for use offline.

---

Citymapper

Need to get across town without a car? Citymapper is a free journey planning app that's a major rival to Google Maps when it comes to finding the best routes around a city on public transportation.

The app covers 430 cities around the world and options include bus, subway and ferry routes as well as taxi, rental bike and scooter options.

---

Waze

This GPS navigation map is focused on providing route guidance for drivers. It's known for crowdsourcing real time traffic information such as car accidents and police speed cameras from other drivers.

But don't be fooled by the name. Although it has its own app and branding, Waze is owned by Google, which bought it in 2013.

Chan writes for the Associated Press.

JUSTIN SULLIVAN Getty Images

BUSINESS

SpaceX in a trade fight over wireless spectrum

The FCC has been asked to scrap the way some bands of the spectrum are shared.

BY TED MANN

SpaceX and its allies are pushing the Trump administration for easier access to bands of wireless spectrum, triggering fierce opposition from other users of the same frequencies who warn that the space industry's plans risk disrupting flight tests, hospital equipment and TV broadcasts.

Spectrum is a critical resource in Elon Musk's vision for his space behemoth: He aims to dramatically increase SpaceX rocket launches by the end of the decade, and each sendoff requires spectrum to navigate rockets into orbit.

Among other changes, SpaceX and commercial space firms are asking the Federal Communications Commission to do away with a third-party entity that controls how businesses and government agencies share certain bands of wireless spectrum — swaths that companies such as Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. need for tests of commercial and military aircraft.

Each side is making its case in comments to the FCC as the regulator considers whether to grant the space launch industry's petition.

The spectrum showdown is a test of SpaceX's clout in Trump-era Washington. And it shows how the growth projections of the wider commercial space industry — largely endorsed by a national space policy President Trump issued this summer — are on a collision course with incumbent aerospace giants and a diversity of other companies.

The \$2-trillion valuation of SpaceX is riding in part on Musk's promises to develop data centers in orbit, effectively using the underlying rocket business to support its efforts to dominate the artificial intelligence industry. To make that a reality, the company aims to launch 10,000 rockets a year.

---

'Significant impact'

Allowing commercial space companies to scrap the existing system for sharing spectrum could mean that those more frequent launches come at the cost of disrupting the testing of everything from commercial jet engines to missiles. | 1. Publication TitleLos Angeles Times | 2. Publication Number | 3. Filing DateOctober 1, 2026 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 8 | - | 3 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 4. Issue FrequencyDaily including Sundays | 5. Number of Issues Published Annually365 | 6. Annual Subscription Price$2,184.00 | 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication (Not printer)(Street, city, county, state, and ZIP +4®)2300 E. Imperial Highway, El Segundo, California 90245 | Contact PersonBenjamin Hui | Telephone213-237-5000 | 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher (Not printer)2300 E. Imperial Highway, El Segundo, California 90245 | 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor (Do not leave blank) | Publisher (Name and complete mailing address)Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong – Executive Chairman2300 E. Imperial Highway, El Segundo, California 90245 | Editor (Name and complete mailing address)Terry Tang – Executive Editor, 2300 E. Imperial Highway, El Segundo, California 90245 | Managing Editor (Name and complete mailing address)Hector Becerra - Managing Editor, 2300 E. Imperial Highway, El Segundo, California 90245 | 10. Owner (Do not leave blank. If the publication is owned by a corporation, give the name and address of the corporation immediately followed by the names and addresses of all stockholders owning or holding 1 percent or more of the total amount of stock. If not owned by a corporation, give the names and addresses of the individual owners. If owned by a partnership or other unincorporated firm, give its name and address as well as those of each individual owner. If the publication is published by a nonprofit organization, give its name and address.) | Full Name | Complete Mailing Address | Nantmedia Holdings, LLC | 2300 E. Imperial Highway, El Segundo, California 90245 | | | 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities. If none, check box → □ None | Full Name | Complete Mailing Address | | | 12. Tax Status (For completion by nonprofit organizations authorized to mail at nonprofit rates) (Check one)The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes:Has Not Changed During Preceding 12 MonthsHas Changed During Preceding 12 Months (Publisher must submit explanation of change with this statement) | 13. Publication TitleLos Angeles Times | 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data BelowSeptember 20, 2026 | 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation | Average No. Copies Each IssueDuring Preceding 12 Months | No. Copies of SingleIssue PublishedNearest to Filing Date | a. Total Number of Copies (Net press run) | | | b. PaidCirculation(By Mail andOutside theMail) | (1) | Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated onForm 3541. (Include paid distribution above nominal rate,advertiser's proof copies, and exchange copies) | 63 | 109 | (2) | Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541(Include paid distribution above nominal rate, advertiser'sproof copies, and exchange copies) | 0 | 0 | (3) | Paid Distribution Outside the Mails Including SalesThrough Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, CounterSales and Other Paid Distribution Outside USPS® | 62,597 | 84,796 | (4) | Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Throughthe USPS (e.g. First-Class Mail®) | 0 | 0 | c. Total Paid Distribution [Sum of 15b. (1), (2), (3), and (4)] | 62,660 | 84,905 | d. Free orNominal RateDistribution(By Mail andOutside theMail) | (1) | Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County Copies included on PS From 3541 | 0 | 0 | (2) | Free or Nominal Rate In-County Copies included on PS From 3541 | 0 | 0 | (3) | FreeorNominalRateCopiesMailedatOtherClassesThroughtheUSPS(e.g. First-Class Mail) | 0 | 0 | (4) | Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail(Carriers or other means) | 4,312 | 6,382 | e. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (Sum of 15d (1), (2), (3) and (4)) | 4,312 | 6,382 | f. Total Distribution (Sum of 15c and 15e) | 66,972 | 91,287 | g. Copies Not Distributed (See Instructions to Publishers #4 (page #3)) | 2,959 | 3,386 | h. Total (Sum of 15f and g) | 69,931 | 94,673 | i. Percent Paid (15c divided by 15f times 100) | 93.6% | 93.0% | 16. Electronic Copy Circulation | Average No. Copies Each IssueDuring Preceding 12 Months | No. Copies of SingleIssue PublishedNearest to Filing Date | a. Paid Electronic Copies | 249,618 | 229,957 | b. Total Paid Print Copies (Line 15c) + Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16a) | 312,278 | 314,862 | c. Total Print Distribution (Line 15f) + Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16a) | 316,590 | 321,244 | d. Percent Paid (Both Print & Electronic Copies) (16b divided by 16c times 100) | 98.6% | 98.0% | I certify that 50% of all my distributed copies (electronic and print) are paid above a nominal price. | 17. Publication of Statement of OwnershipIf the publication is a general publication, publication of this statement is required. □ Publication not required.Will be printed in the October 11, 2026 issue of this publication. | 18. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or OwnerChristopher Argentieri,President & Chief Operations Officer | Date10/1/26 | I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties). |

ELON Musk aims to increase SpaceX rocket launches, which require spectrum.

“That would be a pretty significant impact for research and development,” said Tim White, vice president of engineering and technology at the Aerospace Industries Assn., which is opposed to the proposed changes. “To not be able to do flight testing at the time you need it in the program, it really shuts us down.”

Commercial space operators say the existing process is too slow and cumbersome to allow for the increase in launches that are called for in the U.S. government's policies for developing the space industry — and that they will need if their splashy promises to investors are to be realized.

The existing regulator, the Aerospace and Flight Test Radio Coordinating Council Inc., is an anachronism, SpaceX and industry trade groups say in FCC filings.

---

'Legacy contractors'

SpaceX shows scorn in its filings for the incumbents of the aviation and defense industries, which support keeping the system in place, dismissing them as “legacy contractors attempting to maintain a veto over more advanced competitors.”

The process, in which companies have to schedule launches weeks in advance to avoid interference with other users of the spectrum bands, is “very time intensive and very manual,” said Isaiah Wonnenberg, the vice president of regulatory affairs at the Commercial Space Federation, the trade group whose petition the FCC is considering. "It's creating a lot of drag."

The petition would scrap the third-party regulator, AFTRCC, and calls for users of the wireless bands to develop an as-yet-unidentified system for “self-coordination.”

But other users of the wireless spectrum — including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, RTX Corp., GE Healthcare, and the Aerospace Industries Assn. — say that would lead to chaos.

The FCC didn't respond to requests for comment.

In some instances, the dispute over the spectrum regulation reflects pre-existing conflicts between incumbents and SpaceX, which has staked out the most aggressive plan for increasing launches.

---

Butting heads

In a comment in the FCC docket, GE Healthcare warned that the FCC “should ensure that new or expanded space launch access does not degrade the efficacy and reliability of safety-of-life, hospital-based” systems it makes, known as MBANs, which consist of wireless sensors monitoring the vital signs of hospitalized patients.

The company said it has already butted heads with SpaceX over the rocket company's "rigidity" when the two tried to negotiate an agreement to make sure rocket launches don't disrupt hospital sensors.

“GEHC’s experience engaging with SpaceX to develop an effective coexistence proposal confirms the need for such protections,” it said in a filing. “The Commission should not elevate space launch operator convenience over the reliability of critical safety-of-life operations.”

For defense industry heavyweights, the issue is testing.

Major contractors like Boeing noted that interference from SpaceX's rockets could disrupt one of the core functions of its tests, by spoiling data as they are transmitted from airborne technologies back to Earth. The space federation's suggestion that the companies could coordinate among each other won't work either, Boeing said in a filing, since much of what is being tested by Pentagon contractors is technology that can't be disclosed in detail to the public.

A separate trade group, the Wireless Microphone Spectrum Alliance, warned against changing the existing system in ways that could disrupt live broadcasts of major sporting events.

Observers say the FCC appears to be moving quickly as it decides whether to grant the space launch industry's petition. That has opponents worried that the newcomers will win out.

Mann writes for Bloomberg.

MONEY TALK

When a daughter blames her financial problems on her mom

By Liz Weston

Dear Liz: My daughter (51) blames me (74) almost daily for her financial problems. She says I didn't teach her about money matters. I say she didn't pay attention and made her own bad choices. She moved out more than 30 years ago and has had ample opportunities to learn.

Answer: You didn't ask a question, but here's one that might be appropriate. "Isn't there a statute of limitations on blaming parents for your own money woes?"

Yes, there is, and it expired long ago. As long as she can blame you, though, your daughter can avoid the hard work of changing her behavior.

Childhood experiences can have a powerful impact on how we engage with money. Financial psychologist Brad Klontz uses the term “money scripts” to describe the ingrained beliefs we have about finances that were often learned from our parents. Understanding these scripts can be the key to challenging the ones that no longer serve us and choosing new ways of relating to money.

Instead, your daughter is choosing to challenge you, over and over. You respond defensively, and the argument just keeps going.

It may help to concede that you weren't a perfect parent, because no one is. Perhaps you could have done a better job of teaching her, or set a better example. If your daughter has specific complaints about her upbringing, you can try listening to her and acknowledging her feelings, without accepting responsibility for the financial choices she's made. If she's open to accepting help, you could direct her to resources such as the Assn. for Financial Counseling & Planning Education at www.afcpe.org or the National Foundation for Credit Counseling at www.nfcc.org.

Otherwise, it's time to end the debate. Continuing to argue about who's to blame isn't good for either of you. Let your daughter know that you love her and support her efforts to fix her finances, but you're done talking about this. If she ignores your boundary, you can end the conversation.

You may find that she's not the only one who has trouble changing her behavior. If that's the case, consider talking to a therapist or joining a group such as Co-Dependents Anonymous. You can learn more at www.coda.org.

Dear Liz: I have a will, properly done by an attorney, in my home state of Texas. I'm thinking of moving to California. Will the state of California recognize and accept my will?

Answer: The short answer is yes, but you should consult a California attorney anyway.

California generally recognizes a will that was valid under the laws of the state where it was executed. But moving to another state can affect other aspects of your estate plan.

Probate in California — which is the court process that typically follows death

— can be expensive and protracted. A will doesn't avoid probate, but a living trust can. The two states also differ in how marital property is treated, even though both are community property states.

Two other documents you should have — a power of attorney for finances and an advanced healthcare directive — also would benefit from updating. These documents allow you to name trusted people to make decisions for you if you're incapacitated. Having California-specific versions could make it easier for financial institutions and medical providers to accept them. Plus, it's generally a good idea for the person making healthcare decisions to be physically nearby. That makes it easier for them to get to the hospital in an emergency, consult with doctors and see how you're doing.

While you're at it, take a look at your beneficiary designations for retirement plans, life insurance and other financial accounts. These designations typically override what your will or living trust says, so you'll want to make sure to update those regularly.

As you may have read here before, estate planning is not a “one and done” chore. You should have an attorney review your documents every three to five years and after any major life event, including a move to a new state.

Liz Weston, Certified Financial Planner, is a personal finance columnist. Questions may be sent to her at 3940 Laurel Canyon, No. 238, Studio City, CA 91604, or by using the "Contact" form at asklizweston.com.

BUSINESS

'Now, the real work begins' for Skydance team

DAVID and Sandra Ellison, Ynon Kreiz and Gerry Cardinale at stock exchange.

MICHAEL NAGLE Bloomberg

[Mergers, from A1] day the deal closed — when Ellison held a town hall meeting at Warner Bros., which drew nearly 500 employees.

During the session, CNN's Anderson Cooper quizzed his new bosses, including about anticipated layoffs and news independence.

"Do you stand with CNN and our effort to completely restore access to covering President Trump?" Cooper asked, referring to CNN's legal fight alongside MS Now and Politico to reverse the president's ban on the three organizations.

"Of course," Ellison replied.

Hours later, Ellison parried with reporters in Paramount's darkened Stage 3, recently revamped with laser projection capabilities to simulate fantastical and far-flung settings for TV shows, such as the streets of New York.

“This was a turbulent process, and, at times, a really ugly process, to actually get this deal over the finish line,” Ellison acknowledged to reporters. “What I want to be able to do now is turn the page, and actually make sure that we are in the business of rebuilding trust.”

To do that, Ellison intends to make more movies and TV shows than rivals. He wants to ensure the Warner Bros. and Paramount studios, which will be kept separate for now, remain talent-friendly destinations.

Ellison has taken an opposing view from his predecessors who confronted crumbling industry economics by cutting expenditures to boost their corporate bottom lines.

The 43-year-old executive, son of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, proudly views his family as “owner-operators,” unshackled by quarterly earnings expectations or the need to dole out dividends to keep investors happy. The Ellison family controls the company’s voting stock, allowing David Ellison to take a long-term view as he charts Skydance’s course.

The goal is to “win in storytelling,” Skydance said in an investor presentation. It intends to build the media industry’s most “technologically capable” firm, which uses artificial intelligence to speed work flows. Skydance plans to spend at least \$30 billion a year on film, television and video game con-

PERSONAL FINANCE

tent.

The realities of Ellison's big swing will soon sink in as he and his team turn their focus to integrating the myriad operations and about 55,000 employees.

In some ways, Ellison is behind the curve.

Most major mergers are consummated after executives have dedicated months to quietly drafting detailed operational plans and organizational hierarchies. Ellison, in contrast, has spent the last nine months in a pitched battle for Warner Bros. — ultimately vanquishing Netflix, hundreds of vocal merger opponents, and California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta and his coalition of 11 other state attorneys general who filed an antitrust lawsuit in July in an attempt to derail the deal.

Ellison and Bonta resolved their legal fight Sept. 21. A week later, a federal judge cleared the way for the merger to close.

The lawsuit settlement with Bonta requires that the combined company produce at least 30 movies a year for five years. It also must maintain the studio facilities in Los Angeles, making “reasonable efforts to operate the lots in a manner consistent with past practices,” according to the agreement.

Ynon Kreiz, former chief executive of Mattel toys in El Segundo, has been tasked with leading the integration. The 61-year-old executive joined Ellison at Skydance as his co-CEO last week. Day One of the combined company marked Kreiz's second day on the job.

“They have a whole new management team that will be expected to immediately lead this massive integration,” said Fubini, a former partner at consulting firm McKinsey. “The clouds have cleared, and they are at the base camp of Mt. Everest facing this enormous undertaking.”

In a report last week, TD Cowen Global Research maintained its “hold” rating on the newly constituted Skydance, expressing some doubts about Ellison and his team’s ability to “avoid integration and execution problems that have bedeviled other major media mergers.”

Hollywood has had a history of failed mergers, including Discovery's 2022 takeover of WarnerMedia from AT&T, which led to years of cost cuts that ultimately seeded the ground for Ellison's takeover. AT&T's purchase of the same assets in 2018 also quickly unraveled, some 20 years after the epic failure of AOL Time Warner.

Ellison now must grapple with the hefty acquisition costs for Warner Bros., which climbed as the deal was delayed. The company emerged from the transaction with \$86.8 billion in total debt; with most of that going toward buying out Warner Bros. Discovery's stockholders at \$31.17 a share.

The debt burden also includes more than \$18 billion

---

‘They have a whole new management team that will be expected to immediately lead this massive integration.’

—DAVID G. FUBINI, Harvard Business School senior lecturer, on Skydance

in obligations leftover from past mergers. Skydance has nearly \$7 billion in cash on hand.

The Ellison family brought in foreign investors, including royal families of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi as passive owners, to contribute equity to the deal. Gerald Cardinale's RedBird Capital Partners, a longtime Skydance stakeholder, added \$4 billion, bringing its total investment in Skydance deals to \$6 billion.

The deal's financial terms pose deep challenges, analysts said. Fitch Ratings on Tuesday downgraded Skydance credit, citing “materially higher leverage after the acquisition and significant execution and integration risks,” according to its report.

“Interest rate increases made financing this transaction far more expensive than anyone anticipated,” said Eric Talley, a professor at Columbia Law School. “Those lenders are going to start expecting their interest payments — Skydance executives won’t have the luxury of time.”

The company could struggle, Talley said, to “generate the cash flow needed to easily service that debt unless they can significantly cut costs.”

Skydance has promised investors that it will make \$6 billion in cost cuts over three years. It anticipates \$2 billion in reductions within a year, with the bulk of the rest occurring in the second year of the merger.

“They are going to be firing a lot of people,” TD Cowen Global Research media analyst Doug Creutz said.

During the news briefing, Kreiz sought to downplay the expected workforce toll, saying Skydance would achieve savings by combining technologies that support streaming services and marketing expenditures. It plans to save costs on real estate by locating employees at Skydance-owned properties in Santa Monica, Hollywood and Burbank.

HBO could move from Ivy Station in Culver City, its home for the last five years, to one of the studio lots.

Ellison and Kreiz said they would jointly manage the new colossus.

“Where David will focus on creative, technology, long-term strategy, including especially as it relates to the creative part of the business, I will focus more on the operations and the day-to-day management of the business,” Kreiz said.

Kreiz was named to Skydance's expanded board last week along with Laurene Powell Jobs, the founder and president of Emerson Collective; and Bobby Kotick, former CEO of Activision.

The new leaders expressed confidence they could expand and integrate their two major streaming services to drive growth. HBO Max and Paramount+ combined will reach more than 200 million subscribers.

The plan, they said, is to combine the two streamers within a couple of years, but the company may offer subscribers a bundle with the two offerings sooner.

Skydance, according to sources, also expects to bolster its free, ad-supported service Pluto TV, which offers more than 200 channels. The service hasn't had much corporate attention in recent years amid the cuts and deal-making.

The executives have not disclosed which teams would soon be affected or how they will structure overlapping business units.

For example, the company's three TV studios each have their own leader: Channing Dungey runs the largest, Warner Bros. Television; David Stapf has long managed CBS Studios; and Skydance executive Matt

Thunell has been president of Paramount Television Studios since last year.

Integrating CNN and CBS

Anxiety over whether CNN and CBS News would be mashed together was quelled, at least for now.

Skydance announced that it was retaining CNN Worldwide Chairman Mark Thompson as head of the larger news organization. CNN journalists had worried that CBS News Editor in Chief Bari Weiss, who has presided over a year of turmoil at the network, would be put in charge of both.

Any news consolidation could take years, in part, because CBS News is largely unionized while CNN is a non-union shop.

“We are going to spend the next several months basically getting under the hood,” Ellison said.

Another challenge will be stabilizing the Warner Bros. film unit, which has had a rough year at the box office. This month, the top two Warner Bros. film executives, Mike DeLuca and Pam Abdy, exited abruptly, clearing the way for longtime Ellison lieutenants Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein to oversee both film studios. The co-heads of DC Comics, James Gunn and Peter Safran, segued to the new Skydance.

Skydance also will have to deal with the NFL, which could demand substantially higher fees for CBS to keep its Sunday games.

The current contract allows the league to reopen negotiations because of the ownership change. Skydance is hoping it can wait three years until the contracts of other broadcasters also are up for discussion.

Skydance will be a major player in sports. Last year, Paramount agreed to spend \$7.7 billion for UFC fights. The combined company also has rights to professional golf, including the Masters tournament; National Hockey League; Major League Baseball; and NCAA basketball, including March Madness; as well as European rights to televise the Olympics.

“Until you actually get inside the company, there are things you won’t know,” Creutz said. “But they are going to have to come up with answers pretty quick.”

RETIRED COUPLE

Has \$\$\$\$ to lend on California Real Estate\*

What to know about extension for student loans and auto-pay

borrowers have enrolled in auto pay.

BY ADRIANA MORGAL

Student loan borrowers now have until the end of 2026 to enroll in auto pay and have their interest rate reduced by 1%.

The original deadline was Sept. 30, but the U.S. Department of Education extended it to give borrowers more time to enroll. The rate reduction will last through June 2028.

Borrowers who currently use auto pay already receive an interest-rate discount of 0.25%, so the new reduction takes off just 0.75%.

This temporary benefit is meant to support borrowers, along with those who are returning to repayment, and ensure they can stay on top of the new Repayment Assistance Plan that requires on-time payments, according to the Education Department.

The interest reduction can benefit borrowers who have large balances and are on fixed payments, said Lesley J. Turner, associate professor of public policy at the University of Chicago.

"For a limited time, borrowers are now able to get a full percentage-point reduction in their interest rate if they sign up for auto debit," Turner said. "So this is a quadrupling of the earlier benefit. It's a pretty big benefit, especially for borrowers who have large balances."

Since the interest reduction was announced this summer, nearly 2 million

1%, according to the Education Department.

Around 9 million Americans are in default on their federal student loans as of June, according to the Education Department. Hundreds of thousands more are behind on loan payments and at risk of default this year.

If you're looking to enroll your student loans in auto pay, here's what you need to know:

If you're new to auto pay, enroll by the end of the year

In order to get the 1% interest reduction, you must enroll in auto pay by Dec. 31.

First, log in to your student loan servicer account and select auto pay. You'll need to enter your bank information to automatically withdraw the monthly payment from your checking or savings account.

Even without the rate reduction, auto pay is a good way to stay on top of your student loans, Turner said.

“We all know life gets busy and if you have to log in every month and manually make your payment there may be a chance that you forget and then you end up having your loans go delinquent,” she said.

If you're enrolled, you already have the reduction

Borrowers who were enrolled in auto pay before the announcement in July have had their interest rate automatically reduced by

If you're in default, consolidate your loans

If your student loans are in default, you must log in to studentaid.gov and consolidate your eligible loans in order to sign up for auto pay.

Involuntary collections on federal student loans remain on hold. The Trump administration announced earlier this year that it is delaying plans to withhold pay from student loan borrowers who default on their payments. Borrowers are considered in default when they are at least 270 days behind on payments.

The online application for loan consolidation is available at studentaid.gov/loan-consolidation.

If you have multiple federal student loans, you can combine them into a single loan with a fixed interest rate and a single monthly payment. The consolidation process typically takes around 60 days to complete. Borrowers may consolidate their student loans only once.

If your student loans are in default, you can also contact your loan holder to apply for a loan rehabilitation program.

Through this program, borrowers are enrolled in a reduced payment plan and, after five successful payments, wage garnishment ends.

Morga writes for the Associated Press.

Residential, Commercial,

Industrial, Land

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS

OF FAST FUNDING

Principal - Broker

EARN 9%-12% REAL ESTATE SECURED 1ST & 2ND TRUST DEEDS CALL: 949-349-1322 Alliance Portfolio • 120 Vantis Dr., Ste. 585 • Aliso Viejo, CA 92656 www.AlliancePortfolio.com • RE Broker • CA DRE • 02066955 Broker License ID Investments in trust deeds secured by one or more interests in real property are subject to risk of loss.

(818) 248-0000

ADVERTISEMENT

rateSeeker.com

www.viploan.com

\*Sufficient equity required-

no consumer loans

CA-DRE #01041073, NMLS#339217

Private Party loans generally have higher interest rates, points & fees than conventional documented loans.

LA Times

Deposit & Loan Guide

Institution

Check rates daily at www.rateseeker.com/savings-rates

Int Chking Money 3 mo 6 mo 12 mo 18 mo 24 mo 36 mo 60 mo

Acct Mkt Acct CD CD CD CD CD CD

Min Min Min Min Min Min Min Min Min Min

COMMUNITY COMMERCE BANK

Community Commerce Bank

Tustin Community Bank

Tustin Community Bank

Phone / Website

NA NA 2.94 2.94 4.07 4.07 3.97 3.87 3.87

NA NA 100,000 100,000 100,000 100,000 100,000 100,000 100,000

Equal Housing Lender - Member FDIC

0.05 1.26 1.26 1.51 3.55 2.02 2.02 2.02 2.02

100 50,000 2,500 2,500 100,000 2,500 2,500 2,500 2,500

12 Month CD Available For New Money Only

909-450-2050

www.ccombank.com

TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS FEATURE, CALL SALES DEPARTMENT @ 773-320-8492

Check rates at www.rateseeker.com/savings-rates

714-730-5662 www.tustincmtybank.com

Rate Criteria: Rates effective as of 10/7/2026 and may change without notice. RateSeeker, LLC. does not guarantee the accuracy of the information appearing above or the availability of rates in this table. Banks, Thrifts and credit unions pay to advertise in this guide. NA means rates are not available or not offered at the time rates were surveyed. All institutions are FDIC or NCUA insured. Yields represent annual percentage yield (APY) paid by participating institutions. Rates may change after the account is opened. Fees may reduce the earnings on the account. A penalty may be imposed for early withdrawal. To appear in this table, call 773-320-8492.

Voices JOHN KENNEY GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

My brother's last joke changed how I understand grief

In small, gorgeous ways, life dares us to live again and to laugh at the absurdity. Trust Keaton, Freud and Chaplin.

H ERE's something funny. My brother Tom died seven years ago. (That's not the funny part.)

Tom was a firefighter, like our father and both grandfathers. He was also on the Massachusetts FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force that worked at the World Trade Center during 9/11. He had run into burning buildings. He had saved lives. He had seen things most of us never will and could perform under extreme pressure. He was the man. A tall, handsome, stoic Irishman with a handlebar mustache. A man best photographed in sepia. A man who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2019.

My other four brothers and I would visit Tom every few weeks or so, spending time recalling our childhood and mostly making fun of him, our way of showing love. When his condition worsened, Tom's wife called to say we should visit as soon as possible. I arrived before my other brothers, who were driving together in one car. It was a cool May day, dogwoods and forsythia blooming in his well-manicured yard.

Tom was sitting in a recliner, a blanket over his thinning frame. But still himself, still in there somewhere, still sharp, still darkly funny. We talked and after a time I heard a car pull into the driveway and looked out the window.

"The others are here," I said.

Buster Keaton quick, Tom dropped an arm off the side of the chair. Let his head fall to one side. And trying to suppress a grin he said, "Tell them they're too late."

I laughed. Out loud. Mouth open, shocked, laughing. It was gorgeous. A feeling so life-affirming in a moment of such pain and fear. It would be the last time I ever saw him alive.

Is it possible that laughter isn't the opposite of grief, but maybe its most honest expression?

Sigmund Freud was fascinated with laughter's relationship to grief. In the January 1928 edition of the International Journal of Psychoanalysis, Freud published an essay in which he wrote that "Humour is not resigned; it is rebellious. It signifies not only the triumph of the ego but also of the pleasure principle, which is able here to assert itself against the unkindness of the real circumstances."

More than 20 years earlier, Freud had published “Jokes and Their Relationship to the Unconscious.” It is one of Freud’s favorites. “A rogue is being led out to the gallows to be hanged on a Monday morning. As they escort him out, he looks up at the sky, sighs, and cracks: ‘Well, this week is beginning nicely!’” (I’m sure it killed in Vienna.)

Like most of us walking the planet, I've been to my share of wakes and funerals, and perhaps more. Two brothers, a dear friend, two nephews, my father.

And my mother.

I remember the day of her funeral. I was 12. We sat, my father and five brothers, in the back of a black stretch Cadillac limousine, following the hearse on the short drive to the cemetery. We drove past people heading to the supermarket, the post office, the dry cleaners, the playground, pushing a stroller, going about their lives. The world did not stop. We passed Anna's Donuts. Was I wrong for wanting a donut?

We pulled into the cemetery and stopped briefly in front of the small stone office. A U.S. Postal truck was blocking the way. Others had arrived earlier, parked on the edge of the grass and had begun filing to the grave site.

It was my brother Tom who broke the silence. Tom, who was

OPINION VOICES

Jim Cooke Los Angeles Times

just 21 then, fully alive, so much ahead of him, unaware that in 45 years his brothers and his wife and daughters would stand at this very gravesite, where he would join his mother.

Now, though, waiting for the postal truck to move so we could bury our mother, one of my other brothers said, "Who would get mail at a cemetery?"

Tom replied, "Must be the dead letter office."

Say you are a mourner who's parked their car by the side of the road, half on the grass so the hearse and limo can get by. The limo rolls by slowly. You look over at the vehicle, at the poor family inside about to bury their mother, their wife, their world. And what you see is seven people laughing.

The world moved on, and almost immediately. I remember standing there that Monday afternoon, after the funeral mass and the burial and the reception at our house, after everyone had gone, the late afternoon ahead of me, the evening, tomorrow, the next day. Oh, I remember thinking. We have to live with this.

I needed something to help me make sense of the world then. Because it didn't make sense.

And then one Sunday evening on WGBH, the Boston public TV station, I saw a show that began with a man sitting naked on a piano bench at the water's edge, head turned to the camera, smiling like a lunatic as John Cleese's voice rang out, "And now for something completely different." Whatever the hell that was, I wanted it.

Monty Python and Bob Newhart records and Nichols & May and Steve Martin and National Lampoon. Funny seemed to me a language, one I wanted to learn. It wasn't an escape for me. It was a way of being in the world. It was an outlook and a philosophy that filtered absurdity and pain and church and school and loneliness and confusion and said, make fun of it all. Go along with it, do it, try hard, but maybe take yourself a little less seriously. Maybe learn to play gracefully with your pain.

The first rule of Buddhism is that life is suffering. The second should be to make fun of suffering. Charlie Chaplin said, “To truly laugh, you must take your pain and play with it.”

Only the uninitiated would underestimate grief. The experience is ineffable — a kind of alternate universe. It suspends consciousness, alters reality with raw, sharp edges. Our senses are both heightened and numbed. Time moves differently, glacially. Sleep and peace aren't really possible. As with all intense pain, it is impossible to believe it will end.

The world — in its awful pain, in its relentless beauty — dares us to look up at the sky, the birds, out across the ocean waves, to the hot cup of coffee on the table and the smiling friend sitting across from us, who knew we were having a bad day, who called and said let's meet, the tears rolling down our cheeks while we laugh because they just said, "But other than your husband's death, how was your day?"

Daily, in small, gorgeous ways, life dares us to live again, to laugh at the absurdity. It says: Everything is waiting for you. Bring your grief. We'll all go forward together.

JOHN KENNEY, a contributor to the New Yorker, is the author of "I See You've Called in Dead."

BRIAN VAN DER BRUG Los Angeles Times

A NEW REPORT identifies government shortcomings in the 2025 L.A. fires.

Enough with the finger-pointing

Re "Long-awaited report details failures in fires," Oct. 3

READING this article brings back more memories of Jan. 7, 2025. Every day I see more articles and opinions online. Sometimes you just want a break.

Bottom line, I cannot put blame on our Sheriff's Department or the Los Angeles Fire Department. No one knew what would happen that night or could be prepared for it. Our local Sheriff's Department in Altadena did an incredible job. We have a limited number of officers in Altadena. How could they have been prepared for this?

I live in east Altadena. On Jan. 7, my power flickered at 6:45 p.m. At 7:30 p.m., my neighbors were pounding on my door, telling me to get out. We saw the fire coming. I did not receive an evacuation notice until 10 p.m.; by that time, I was at the Hilton in Pasadena.

I was displaced for eight months. My home was damaged. Every day we live with this, as most of my immediate neighborhood is gone. We are dealing with burnt lots, messed-up streets and the constant noise and dust from the rebuilds.

Out of the ashes, a garden will grow again. Let's stop all the blaming and learn from the past.

I get that the laser focus of the Los Angeles Times' outstanding piece on the new report about local agency failures related to

last year's deadly L.A. fires is exactly that. But I'm dismayed that this long and detailed explanation lacked a single reference to how

Los Angeles Times

FOUNDED DECEMBER 4, 1881

A California Times Publication

Mike Bowling

Altadena

climate change worsened these fires — a fact the paper itself has reported. As more journalists and others understand, every

LETTERS

reporter is a climate reporter. There is no isolated “climate beat” as we face down this civilizational crisis. And I’m a giant and vocal fan of the paper’s climate and environment coverage — it’s part of why I continue to subscribe in print. But as renowned climate and atmospheric scientist Katharine Hayhoe urges, we must talk about climate change. We must act too, of course. So please don’t ever, ever leave it out of the conversation.

ZAN DUBIN

Santa Monica

This writer is a former Los Angeles Times reporter and does media relations for Third Act, a nonprofit for climate and democracy advocates over 60.

---

Upside logic in excusing Big Oil

Re “High court to weigh oil firms’ climate liability,” Oct. 4

Suncor Energy Inc. vs. County Commissioners of Boulder County may never see justice. When the fossil-fuel schoolyard bully gets the support of the teachers and the principal, you can bet the bully will continue to get away with murder.

For Justice Brett Kavanaugh to claim potential bankruptcy as a reason to let perpetrators off the hook is upside-down logic that threatens our very future. A lack of imagination and profound greed demonstrate our leadership's support of Big Oil. Americans want reality-based solutions, but Washington is too busy spinning tales and accepting dirty donations.

A recent U.N. report found that global temperature is soon to cross the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C threshold, raising the possibility of crossing irreversible climate tipping points. Since we cannot flip the switch to clean energy overnight, what does a resolution look like?

Decisions and policies to curb bad behavior do exist, but we need swift action. Good ideas to encourage clean energy, such as permitting reform, can pass on a bipartisan vote. Fees to make polluters pay are possible. We are not powerless. This November, vote for the climate.

AMY BENNETT

Encinitas

:

---

Re “Justices question states’ oil litigation,” Oct. 6

This litigation is being compared to the landmark suits against Big Tobacco, but are there not fundamental distinctions in the two cases? Tobacco companies were not honest in reporting results of research on the use of their product in adversely affecting the health of their consumers. Oil companies have likewise been accused of deception in the role of the use of their products in worsening climate change.

But the use of tobacco “benefits” no one but the user, whereas our economy highly depends on oil — and what have been the alternatives? The effects of atmospheric carbon dioxide on the climate is not new science and one questions the scale of the effect of Big Oil’s deception. Even today, when oil’s role in climate change is universally settled, the use of alternatives to oil is determined more by economics than by global climate health.

Given the state of knowledge, and the increasing availability of reasonable alternatives, perhaps it will fall to those of us still driving petroleum-based vehicles, not Big Oil, to be legally liable for our warming climate.

JOHN C. NELSON

Los Angeles

---

Solidarity in the digital world

Re “Accuser joined by an army of ‘Jane Does,’” Oct. 5

The wave of people declaring “I am Jane Doe” in support of the woman at the center of the Cornell University case immediately brought to mind one of the most memorable scenes in the film “Spartacus.”

When the Roman authorities demand that Spartacus identify himself, his fellow prisoners rise one after another and declare, “I am Spartacus.” By claiming the same identity, the many protect the one.

Sixty-six years after the film's release, we are witnessing a remarkably similar act of solidarity, only adapted to the digital age. By declaring "I am Jane Doe," thousands are not only standing with one woman, but also deliberately making it more difficult for internet searches, social media and algorithms to distinguish the real Jane Doe from everyone else.

In “Spartacus,” the crowd created anonymity through solidarity. Today, that same idea is being used to create anonymity in the digital world. Sometimes an old gesture of courage finds a very modern purpose.

STEVE GEARY

Corona del Mar

---

HOW TO WRITE TO US

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

OPINION VOICES

INTEREST CAPS on credit cards hurt vulnerable people, who turn to less reputable lenders.

ELISE AMENDOLA Associated Press

Voices VERONIQUE DE RUGY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The real problem with populist price controls

If you create laws to cap prices, scarcity doesn't go away. It just shows up as empty shelves.

Most Americans apparently agree on at least one thing. Unfortunately, it's something dangerous: price controls.

A new Wall Street Journal poll finds remarkable bipartisan support for government limits on prices, with 93% of Democrats and 83% of Republicans supporting capping prescription-drug prices. Nearly 4 in 5 voters support capping credit-card interest rates at 10%. And large majorities favor capping child-care charges for working families.

The Journal describes these policies as “populist.” That’s fair, although populism means something more specific than just being supported by the people (or the consumer). Political scientists generally define populism as a political approach that pits ordinary people against an elite group that’s seen as serving its own interests. Populism can therefore come from the left or the right, which helps explain today’s strange alliances.

Democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders and Republican Sen. Josh Hawley agree on a 10% credit-card interest-rate cap. Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren can champion limits on child-care costs while President Trump creates a government website directing consumers toward discounted prescription drugs. Different political tribes are embracing the idea that if something costs more than most people think it should cost, the government should make it less expensive.

But if the idea is to advocate for ordinary people against powerful interests, an irony lurks.

First, few people are as powerful or more self-interested than those in government. As President Reagan famously observed, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help.” It’s not just because the government has the power to coerce — to take resources as glibly as it hands them out. It’s that government officials have an incentive to promise voters things for free, and those promises are impossible to fulfill. Reagan knew how easily government intervention and bureaucracy can complicate economic issues and hurt those it set out to help.

The price controls that so many Americans now clamor for are perhaps the best example. Behind their support is an assumption that prices are just the product of the desires of powerful and heartless sellers. The reality is quite different.

Prices are the manifestations of countless decisions by buyers and sellers, each acting on individual knowledge no one else has. No buyer's budget and needs, and no seller's costs and offerings, are identical. Only a free market can account for this and decide whether a price sticks. Create laws to cap prices and scarcity doesn't go away. It just shows up as empty shelves instead of a market-determined price.

Consider credit cards. A 10% interest-rate cap sounds lovely. Many Americans pay twice that. Why not simply tell banks that's the limit? Because an interest rate isn't an arbitrary number. It is the price of credit that reflects funding costs, administrative expenses and, not least, expected default risks.

Congress can cap the rate, but it can't cap the risk. When the price a lender can charge falls below what the risk costs, lending stops. Lenders turn down applicants, cut credit limits and close accounts. The borrowers the cap was supposed to protect still need the money. They end up at the payday lender or the pawn shop instead. In other words, interest-rate caps hurt the economically vulnerable people they are supposed to help.

The same problem is even more stark with child care. The service is expensive because caring for small children requires a lot of labor and demand is high, especially when governments subsidize it through vouchers and tax credits. Meanwhile, state and local authorities restrict child-care supply through staff-to-child ratios, credential mandates, zoning bans on home-based providers, costly building codes and more. No wonder prices are so high.

Capping those prices won't help. If providers cannot cover their expenses at the mandated price, some will reduce capacity. Others will close. The parents lucky enough to secure a remaining slot might pay less. Others will find no available care. The government cannot decree the additional workers and facilities necessary to fill the gap it created.

Prescription drugs are more complicated, but the basic trade-off remains. Reducing drug prices can benefit patients today, at least on the surface.

However, developing new drugs is extraordinarily expensive and risky. Expected future revenues help determine how much companies invest in research. Thus, capping prices eventually reduces the number of new drugs that reach the market. Over time, fewer lives are saved.

That example also illustrates why price controls are such seductive politics. Their benefits are highly and immediately visible, while their costs are often harder to spot.

Politicians can legislate lower prices; they cannot legislate away scarcity, other costs or risks. If populism really means standing up for ordinary people, then its policies should be judged not by popularity, but by how they affect ordinary people. And for the average American, price controls hurt.

EVERY OCTOBER, the same argument resurfaces, and every October it ends the same way: nowhere. Rename it Indigenous Peoples' Day, say some cities and other organizations. Many have. Keep it Columbus Day, say Italian American organizations, and some cities quietly leave the holiday unchanged. Both sides call upon historians to back their arguments. Both sides produce statistics. Neither side moves the other an inch, and by November everyone has simply agreed to disagree until next October, when the whole thing starts over.

This argument never resolves because it was never really about Christopher Columbus. It's a theological dispute that both sides insist on conducting as a historical one, and history is the wrong tool for the job.

IN 2020, San Francisco removed a statue of Christopher Columbus, seen as a symbol of genocide, from beneath Coit Tower.

Start with why the holiday exists at all. Columbus Day — this year being observed on Monday, Oct. 12 — was established in 1892, and not because America suddenly discovered new facts about a 15th century Genoese navigator. It was established, in significant part, in the wake of the 1891 lynching of 11 Italian immigrants in New Orleans — a moment when Italian Americans were widely regarded, legally and socially, as something less than fully white, fully American, fully safe. Columbus became the answer to a specific and urgent question: Is there an Italian who belongs at the center of the American story, rather than at its margins? The holiday was never primarily a monument to Columbus' lifetime achievements. It was a claim staked on American belonging, using the earliest Italian-ish face from North American history that Italian Americans could plausibly assert.

Indigenous communities, meanwhile, experience Columbus as the opening chapter of a genocide — the man who inaugurated a process of disease, displacement and violence that eliminated the overwhelming majority of the pre-contact population of the Americas. From that perspective, the holiday isn't a heritage celebration that happens to have some rough edges. It's a national holiday honoring the start of their catastrophe.

Here is the uncomfortable part: Both descriptions are accurate, and neither community is wrong about what the symbol means to them. The dispute isn't a disagree-

Voices JASON SCHLOSBERG GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

The unwinnable Columbus debate

ment about facts that better research could settle. It's two communities who have invested the same object with two incompatible sacred meanings, and neither community can give up its meaning without giving up part of how it understands its own belonging and its own suffering. You cannot out-argue a sacred attachment with a footnote.

This is not unique to Columbus. It's the pattern behind nearly every intractable American symbol fight. Confederate monuments were mostly erected decades after the Civil War, during Jim Crow, as assertions of a particular racial and regional order. Defenders now describe them as heritage, which they are — heritage of the political statement they were built to make, while the people those monuments were built to intimidate experience them as exactly as intended. The flag and the anthem carry a similar split: for some, an object of unconditional reverence; for others, a symbol inseparable from the spe cific country that has treated them specifically badly. Even the Statue of Liberty holds two readings at once — golden door and, for some, a promise the country has never fully honored. In each case, the fight isn't over what happened. It's over which sacred story the object is now required to tell.

The clearest illustration I've seen of what's actually being defended came, unexpectedly, from a subway platform. On the internet talk show "SubwayTakes," host Kareem Rahma and a guest arguing to keep Columbus Day conceded, without much resistance, that Columbus himself was — their word — a scumbag. Then they proposed a fix: Keep the holiday, just rename it after someone better. Frank Sinatra. Joe DiMaggio. Anyone Italian American and considered decent would do.

If the holiday were really about celebrating Italian American heritage in the abstract, Sinatra's name would satisfy the need as well as Columbus' — arguably better, given the scumbag problem. But the swap doesn't feel like a solution to those who cherish Columbus Day, because the attachment was never to the general function of "a day that celebrates us." It was to that specific day, that specific name, the specific vessel that has carried the claim to belonging since 1892. Idols aren't interchangeable. That's what makes them idols instead of tools.

The artist Sonya Clark spent several years unraveling a Confederate battle flag, thread by thread, with the help of roughly 250 participants working in museums across the country — pulling it apart until what was left was simply three piles of thread: red, white and blue, no longer arranged into anything. The Branch Museum of Design, where the project showed, put it plainly in the wall text: Those three colors can be woven into a symbol of oppression or a symbol of freedom. What story they tell is up to us.

That work of art doesn't pre-

Once homeless, they turned their lives around

MYUNG J. CHUN Los Angeles Times

GABRIEL GONZALEZ, top, works with the nonprofit Chrysalis' road cleanup program Friday. Elyse Moya, above, is now a case manager for a Venice nonprofit.

ERIC THAYER Los Angeles Times

[Lopez, from A1] [Lopez, from A1] were hot and sweaty from a day of picking up litter on roads and highways, working with Caltrans in the Glendale area.

For the last several months, Mata has been living in his own apartment.

The mayoral election will be held in three weeks, with Mayor Karen Bass and challenger Councilmember Nithya Raman touting their records on homelessness and each insisting she can do better than her opponent.

I had reached out to Chrysalis Chief Executive Mark Loranger with a pitch:

Although one person's recovery is not necessarily a road map for others, let's hear from some formerly homeless people willing to share stories about how they managed to break the cycle.

Loranger and his staff suggested I meet with Mata, 43; Marshall May, 58; Elyse Moya, 41; and Nicole Bastiany, 52.

People end up homeless for any number of reasons. A lost job. Domestic abuse. A mental illness. An addiction. A financial setback. A criminal record. The cost of housing. All of the above.

"People come into the program voluntarily," Loranger said. "They've been in and out of systems and a lot of people have offered them help and it hasn't worked out. Something in them ... says, 'I gotta get my act together. I gotta get a job.'

Mata had spent time in prison, he'd lived in an RV, he'd worked a number of jobs that didn't pay enough to dig him out.

“You know how hard it is to get a job in Los Angeles?” Mata said. “Everybody has some issues in their life, right? But it’s about getting that interview or even getting noticed, you know?”

He has a daughter he couldn't provide for. That's part of what motivated him.

"I'd applied for even McDonald's," Mata said. "I didn't care where I had to work. I just wanted a job."

Chrysalis hooks its clients up with social services and teaches them how to write a resume, navigate online job listings and handle an interview. The nonprofit, with six locations, is on track to have 2,200 clients find jobs this year in security, hospitality and other fields.

About 600 clients work for Chrysalis in one of four divisions, including street cleanups, which has always made sense to me. You put homeless people to work, with a chance of getting housing, and you address a big city problem at the same time.

Mata opted for work in the roads division “because I kind of thought I was overweight,” said Mata, and he wanted the exercise. He connected right away with his supervisor and was promoted to team leader and later to supervisor.

Mata said it seems to him that homeless people are being offered housing without the means to hold onto their keys.

"I don't understand why you would house somebody that can't provide income," he said.

He moved into a small studio apartment in Skid Row several months ago and pays \$520 a month. It's not much. No kitchen. Just a bed and a bathroom. But it

works for him.

“You have your own four walls,” Mata said. “It’s about having your own peace.”

---

: :

Marshall May had a father in the military and a mother who was a psychiatrist. Smart and well-spoken, he might have found his own success, but he found drugs instead.

“I smoked crack from Ronald Reagan ... to Obama leaving office,” said May, who stole to support his habit and spent time in prison. When he was out, he lived “in motels, programs, and on the street, and in cars, abandoned houses.”

In 2016, after another stint behind bars, he said, “I cannot go back.” He joined a 12-step program with a spiritual component that “restored ... hope and faith in the idea that you can change, but you have to want to do it."

While living in Skid Row, May saw cleanup crews working the streets.

"I walked up to one of them and said, 'I can do this,' " and he did. "It's not pleasant at all. Cleaning up feces, dead rats, vomit, needles."

He moved on to other jobs at Chrysalis, and now is supervisor of the Chrysalis safekeeping division — a storage facility where homeless people keep their things.

Sober and working, May moved in with and took care of his ailing mother for a while, and now lives with and cares for an elderly aunt.

He's been clean for 10 years.

"I don't believe in excuses, justifications, rationalizations. Every opportunity that you're given, take advantage," May said.

Without a purpose, he said, “you don’t have anything to focus on. And I desperately needed that.”

---

: :

Elyse Moya said she was abused by family members, ran away at 14 and kept running for years. She was homeless off and on, got taken in by gang members, sold drugs, used drugs, had four children. The birth of a daughter, while she was homeless, was an awakening.

"I think the worst place I've ever had to sleep with her is, I broke into a laundromat at an apartment building and I made a bed for her on top of the washers, and she slept there," Moya said.

When the county took her child, Moya knew she had to go to drug rehab to have a chance of getting her back. She was in a program for seven months and thinks it worked because therapists treated both her addiction and the bipolar disorder she'd been diagnosed with as a teen.

"There was a nurse on-site 24 hours a day, so she made sure we took our medications on time," Moya said.

After rehab, she was referred to Chrysalis, where her first job was evacuating people from homeless encampments during the pandemic and placing them in temporary housing. A supervisor thought she'd do well at a Venice nonprofit that works to prevent and end homelessness for teenagers and young adults.

Moya thinks she was good at that job because she could relate.

"It basically made all that bad stuff that I went through useful. It wasn't for nothing," she said.

Homelessness has much to do with low wages and high rent, but Moya thinks it's also a symptom of failed systems. In her Venice job, the majority of people had been in foster care, juvenile hall or prison.

Moya went from doubting her ability to handle full-time work to thriving on it. After a number of promotions, she moved on to a job in the Santa Clarita area, where she's now a case manager for newly housed clients.

"It's hard to come inside," Moya said, explaining that it's difficult to leave a community of fellow survivalists behind as you face doubts about whether you can handle the responsibility.

ity of a normal life.

“It’s really hard to care about yourself to want to do all the hard work that there is. Thankfully, I had something that I was working for,” she said.

Moya now has her own apartment and just bought a car to commute to work. She said two of her children live with her.

---

: :

An epiphany. A push. A purpose. An opportunity. It can take all of those things to help break the cycle of homelessness, and for those who make it to Chrysalis, Nicole Bastiany, an employment specialist, is there to help.

Bastiany has been homeless and addicted, went through transition surgery and tried to take her own life more than once. She used to clean up at the outdoor showers near the Santa Monica Pier, and she was homeless while holding down a temporary job selling appliances at Sears.

Always industrious, she worked in tech, sold cars, got her own apartment near MacArthur Park. She fell back into drugs and for a time was hospitalized for major depressive disorder with psychotic episodes. But early in 2024, she was job hunting again and saw a listing for a client services coordinator at Chrysalis. She started in April that year and later moved up to her current job.

In her office, Bastiany glanced at a wall plastered with resources for housing, rehab, job training. A lot of her clients don't know what's available, she said. For those who are ready to make a change, she helps them find the right path, and she thinks back on a woman she met at a mental health agency.

“She was an employment specialist, like myself, who would not quit on me,” Bastiany said. “When [I was] climbing out of it, I was just like, no, I’m getting too old. Nobody wants to hire, you know, Black trans, and with mental health and substance abuse. She would just not give up. ... Let’s try this kind of thing. Let’s do this kind of thing. And so that’s what I try to channel when I do my stuff.”

Some will find that they aren't ready. Some will give it a try and stumble. Some will make it.

And each year, thousands more will walk through the front door and take their shot at a better life.

steve.lopez@latimes.com

8 dead after shooting in Pennsylvania

Police say the victims include two children, in addition to a pregnant woman.

BY JACQUELINE GANUN

A shooting in a residential area of Erie, Pa., left eight people dead including two children and a pregnant woman, police said Saturday. The gunman was also found dead.

Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said the assailant, a 45-year-old man, was related to seven of the victims in Friday's shooting, and the eighth was a friend of the pregnant woman.

Video and audio evidence recovered by investigators

MATT BARNUM WJET

PEOPLE gather near the scene of a shooting in a residential area of Erie, Pa., on Friday evening.

were fired after that.

showed two “distressed” women arriving at the home shortly before 5 p.m. and pounding on the door, he said. The gunman then came out and shot them before returning inside.

two women dead outside. Inside they found the bodies of a 5-year-old boy, a 1-year-old girl, two more women, two young men and the shooter.

Police arrived to find the

Lorah declined to discuss motive but said investigators would talk to other relatives and examine the cellphones of the women who were killed outside the home.

“They knew something was going on at that house,” he said. “We have to figure out what that is.”

Officers are said to have arrived within minutes of receiving an alert via ShotSpotter, a controversial gunshot detection system that relies on artificial intelligence and a network of microphones to identify gunshots. The city said in a statement that no shots

“Sounds heard during the police response that may have been mistaken for gunfire were flash bangs associated with law enforcement's tactical response,” the city said.

"I have not seen anything like this in my 28-plus years," Lorah told a local news station earlier in the day. "I'm not sure that the city of Erie has ever seen the loss of life and the devastation that we just witnessed."

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said he offered his administration's "full support" to Erie Mayor Daria Devlin.

Erie is about 128 miles north of Pittsburgh.

Anthropic's Claude AI submits false tip to police

BY MAE ANDERSON

NEW YORK — An Anthropic artificial intelligence model submitted a false tip to a Philadelphia police website about an unsolved homicide case, authorities and Anthropic said.

It's the latest example of AI models acting in unintended ways and manipulating government and other websites during tests. In a report Friday, Anthropic also disclosed a separate incident in which its AI model submitted forms to an undisclosed government website instead of stopping before submission.

The Philadelphia incident occurred July 18 when the AI model Claude Haiku 4.5 was tasked with generating and performing example tasks on randomly selected web pages, Anthropic said.

Claude filled out a form on police site PhillyUnsolvedMurders.com indicating it might have information regarding an unsolved case listed on the site.

Philadelphia police said in a statement they were unaware of the incident until Anthropic notified them Wednesday. They found the submission in the website's tip records and confirmed it was marked spam and never forwarded to police.

There are rising concerns about AI companies' unchecked AI agents meddling with U.S. government websites, healthcare data and other sensitive areas. Critics have been calling for more regulation.

In September, another AI company, OpenAI, disclosed six reports of “unexpected or concerning” behavior in artificial intelligence models.

“Unsolved cases involve real victims, grieving families and investigators working to secure answers,” the Philadelphia Police Department said in a statement. “Technology companies must take all appropriate steps necessary to prevent their systems from submitting false information to law

Puerto Vallarta shops board up as Simon reaches Category 4

ASSOCIATED PRESS

PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico — As Tropical Storm Rachel headed for Baja's northern coast, bringing rain and coastal flooding to Southern California and beyond, Hurricane Simon strengthened into a powerful Category 4 storm as it barreled toward Mexico farther south.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said early Saturday that Simon's maximum sustained winds increased to 150 mph. A storm of that strength or greater is considered a major hurricane.

The center said it expected Simon “to be near or just inland” of Mexico’s west-central coast on Sunday. The hurricane could bring as much as 10 to 20 inches of rain over parts of southwestern Mexico, with some areas in the states of Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco receiving up to 30 inches.

"This rainfall will produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain," the hurricane center warned in a bulletin that also urged residents to take immediate action to prepare as tropical storm conditions were expected to arrive Saturday afternoon.

Jalisco state suspended classes Friday and Monday in 22 coastal municipalities and began evacuating dozens of people from at-risk areas. It also asked the tourism sector in Puerto Vallarta, a popular destination for U.S. tourists, to ensure that workers and visitors were fully accommodated in shelters or safe zones by Friday afternoon.

Convenience stores, hotels and other businesses in Puerto Vallarta were boarding up their windows Saturday morning, when few were walking the streets under overcast skies.

“Let’s hope it doesn’t hit us, right? That it doesn’t affect us,” Jesús Gómez said as he stood outside a shop and handed out free samples of candied peanuts to passersby. “We’ll be working as usual throughout the day, but when Civil Protection officials come and tell us we need to close, then we’ll close and take shelter until the storm passes.”

The hurricane center expected a dangerous storm surge “along the immediate coast near and to the east of where the center makes landfall.” The agency warned that near the coast, large and destructive waves will accompany the surge.

Meanwhile, Canadian tourist Ed Currie, who along with his wife still has five more days to enjoy Puerto Vallarta, said the hurricane had not yet affected his plans.

"Just stay in the hotel and look out the window hopefully," he said of what the couple would do Saturday. "I just don't know what to expect."

CALIFORNIA

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2026 :: LATIMES.COM/CALIFORNIA

MYUNG J. CHUN Los Angeles Times

WAVES crash into the barrier and into homes on the Long Beach Peninsula on Saturday. The city issued an evacuation order for some.

Southland coast braces for Rachel

Long Beach orders residents to evacuate; Newport temporarily shuts its beaches.

BY JASMINE MENDEZ,

JAWEED KALEEM

AND RONG-GONG LIN II

A coastal flood warning covered beaches from Malibu to San Diego on Saturday as Tropical Storm Rachel moved toward Southern California, while Long Beach kept some oceanfront residents under an evacuation order, and Newport Beach closed piers and temporarily shuttered beaches before a reopening.

"There is growing confidence that the expected coastal flooding impacts on Sunday morning for vulnerable south-facing beaches of

LA County could be the most significant we have seen so far this season, including those seen with Marie," the National Weather Service's Oxnard office said Saturday.

Its San Diego office said Sunday morning would carry the highest flooding risks along the Orange and San Diego coasts as swells, onshore winds and high tides combined.

The center of Rachel was expected to move onshore in northern Baja California on Saturday night, the National Hurricane Center said.

Those warnings remained in effect even as Rachel's forecast track shifted farther south, leaving most of San Diego County outside its projected path, said Adam Roser, lead meteorologist at the National Weather Service in [See Rachel, B5]

CAMERON LESTER walks along Newport Beach as a sandbar is being built.

ALLEN J. SCHABEN Los Angeles Times

Storm could bring danger

ALLEN J. SCHABEN Los Angeles Times

BY HANNAH FRY

AND RONG-GONG LIN II

Tropical Storm Rachel brings with it a slew of potential hazards, including damaging coastal flooding.

The National Hurricane Center warned that Rachel could pick up some strength before arriving on the West Coast — an unusual occurrence for storms in the tropical eastern Pacific.

YOUNG YU, of Fullerton, is reflected in the high tide that inundated Laguna Beach on Friday.

Typically, storms weaken significantly once they enter those cooler waters. But El Niño conditions and an ongoing marine heat wave have pushed ocean temperatures 10 to 13 degrees higher than normal, providing a far-more-conducive environment for Rachel.

off the coast of California and the record warm — and I do mean record warm — ocean temperatures off the coast of California right now," UC Agriculture and Natural Resources climate scientist Daniel Swain said during a briefing Friday.

"It's notable that this is an unusual event that's being made possible by both coincidence of this early arriving low-pressure trough

Rachel is expected to make landfall either in northern Baja California or San Diego County as early as Saturday night.

[See Danger, B5]

L.A. ON THE RECORD A final face-off between city's two mayoral hopefuls

BY NOAH GOLDBERG

AND DAVID ZAHNISER

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and challenger Nithya Raman will be on the same stage Tuesday night for their final debate before the Nov. 3 election, but the two mayoral candidates are expected to come in with starkly different game plans.

With recent polls showing Raman in the lead, the council member will probably try to avoid making any kind of flub during the instudio debate hosted by NBC4 and Telemundo52 in Universal City.

"A successful debate for

Raman is one in which not very much happens," said Dan Schnur, a professor of politics at USC, UC Berkeley and Pepperdine.

Raman floundered at the last NBC4/Telemundo debate during the mayoral primary, when Spencer Pratt was also onstage. She got better marks after a debate with Bass before the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Assn. in August.

Along with avoiding mistakes, Raman will need to paint a positive view of the city she hopes to lead, said Sara Sadhwani, a professor of politics at Pomona College. "She needs to able to spell out a vision for the city of Los Angeles and inspire confidence that she would be able to deliver on such a vision," she said.

For Bass, it's a different task entirely. The mayor was the top vote-getter in the June 2 primary, but numerous several polls now show her trailing. The Berkeley

[See Face-off, B2]

Ghost gun lawsuit takes aim at 3-D printing filament maker

By Sonja Sharp

San Diego County jumped into California's sprawling ghost gun fight last week, suing a 3-D printing filament manufacturer it says hocks material for homespun firearms in violation of state law.

Working with the Giffords Law Center, the county counsel sued manufacturer Polymer, alleging the company made a “strategic business choice” to market and sell 3-D printer filament to Californians for the express purpose of building illegal weapons. The polymer filament is sold in spools that feed into 3-D printers, allowing the devices to form designs created by their owners.

“Unlike ghost guns assembled from commercially sold unfinished parts, 3D printed ghost guns can be produced from plastic filament using consumer-grade equipment,” the suit said.

“Upon acquiring a 3-D printer, a fully functional, untraceable firearm can be printed and assembled by anyone in less than nine hours.”

This spring, the San Diego Police Department's Ghost Gun Team recovered spools of the material from the home workshop of a 16- year-old would-be school shooter, along with printed guns and firearm parts they believe he intended to sell — evidence, the suit said, of the manufacturer's harm to the state.

Polymaker did not respond to requests for comment.

[See Guns, B7]

A family's grueling battle to bring one man home

Roughly \$40,000 and five months later, he is among thousands who still sit in ICE custody.

By Itzel Luna

Blanca Ortiz has cycled through bouts of sadness, anxiety and anger since her husband was detained by federal immigration agents five months ago.

The anger was always the hardest to shake, and it took hold again after yet another fruitless meeting with an immigration lawyer in Riverside this summer. Like nearly a dozen other attorneys, Ortiz said, he had said there was nothing he could do for her.

Ortiz, 45, of Adelanto, said her family has worked relentlessly to release her husband, Carlos Ortiz Jara, from federal detention since he was taken into custody May 12 at a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Pomona, where he had gone to be fingerprinted for his visa application.

The explosion of arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents has crowded detention centers nationwide, leaving tens of thousands of families to navigate a complex immigration landscape. More than 65,000 immigrants were detained nationwide as of July, according to TRAC, a data gathering and research organization.

The Ortiz family didn't initially anticipate trouble in getting an immigrant visa for Ortiz Jara, a first step toward eventual citizenship. Ortiz Jara, a 49-year-old Mexican national, married Blanca Ortiz in 1999. The couple have four U.S.-born children together, and their eldest son, Carlos Ortiz Jr., is a sergeant in the Marine Corps.

But there were complications. Ortiz Jara had been detained and deported when he first tried to cross the U.S. border in 1998 in an effort to escape drug cartel violence, Ortiz said.

Undocumented immigrants who reenter the U.S. after being deported must typically spend a decade outside the country before they can apply for permission to reenter.

But the couple were determined. Ortiz said she has spent roughly \$40,000 of her savings in recent months hiring three different lawyers and on a dozen legal consultations. Despite that, her husband remains confined at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center. An average of 1,686 immigrants were detained at the center daily as of July, according to TRAC.

"I'm not gonna sit in a corner and cry for him when I have so much to do," Ortiz said. "I need to figure out how to pay the mortgage, how to pay the bills, how to keep the shop running. There's too much going on."

Families often struggle to find their detained loved one, secure qualified representation and figure out how to pay the hefty legal fees, said Lindsay Toczylowski, co-founder and president of the Immigrant Defenders Law Center, a nonprofit deportation defense law firm.

"There are so many rip-[See Detention, B2]

ALLEN J. SCHABEN L.A. Times

BLANCA Ortiz is fighting to free her husband.

Family's breadwinner remains in ICE detention

[Detention, from B1] [Detention, from 31] ple effects once somebody is detained, and we're really feeling it in L.A.,” Toczy- lowski said.

DAUGHTER-IN-LAW Alanah, from left, grandson Carlos, daughter Alondra, granddaughter Viviana, daughter Yuridia, and wife, Blanca.

Photographs by ALLEN J. SCHABEN Los Angeles Times

CARLOS Ortiz Jara is currently detained at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center.

ORTIZ Jara's daughters have been without their dad.

---

Lives upside down

The Ortiz family's life has been flipped upside down since the head of the household was detained.

After living in Riverside for decades, the family moved to the Mojave Desert town of Adelanto in 2022. Two years later, they assumed co-ownership of the auto mechanic shop in Jurupa Valley that Ortiz Jara had worked at for 20 years. The couple's decades of work in the country was finally paying off, Ortiz said.

Their eldest son, 26-year-old Ortiz Jr., is near the end of his enlistment and was planning to buy a house in Riverside for his wife and two young children to start their next chapter. Instead, his young family scrambled to move into Ortiz's Adelanto home in June, to help with the mortgage.

“It was, initially, to stop the bleeding at least a little bit,” Ortiz Jr. said. “I’m kind of stopped right now. I can’t make a move because if I make the wrong move, that could be devastating.”

---

A day like any other

The day Ortiz Jara was detained began like most others. He prepared the couple's morning coffee while Ortiz coaxed him into finishing a smoothie she'd made for him.

But instead of going right to work, Ortiz Jara had an appointment to be fingerprinted at the Citizenship and Immigration Services office for his visa application.

“Take a good look, because you’re not going to see me after this,” Ortiz Jara said in jest as he stood in the doorway of their Adelanto home.

It turned out to be no joke. As he arrived in Pomona, two ICE agents were waiting for Ortiz Jara in the parking lot. Around 8 a.m. that morning, Ortiz got the call that her husband was in federal custody.

Immigration rights advocates say federal authorities are increasingly targeting immigrants when they show up at courthouses, at airports and for appointments scheduled by Citizenship and Immigration Services. A representative for the agency declined to comment on the practice.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed to The Times that Ortiz Jara was detained “during an enforcement operation” on May 12.

"A pending application or work authorization does NOT confer legal status in the United States," the spokesperson said.

The next time Ortiz saw her husband was through a glass pane at a federal holding center in downtown Los Angeles. The man who stared back at her wasn't the strong and jovial husband she once knew. Ortiz Jara was beaten down, nearly all hope lost, she said.

Her own life took a turn as well.

“Everything all of a sudden just changed,” Ortiz said. “It was no more eight to five. We were trying to rush and find ways to get him out. ... It's been devastating."

---

Legal hurdles

Ortiz was brought to the country at 9 months old without legal status. She met and married Ortiz Jara in 1999. They divorced about a decade later, and Ortiz married a U.S. citizen and gained legal status.

The couple rekindled around 2014 and remarried.

They assumed Ortiz Jara's path to legal status would be simple, given his U.S. citizen children and wife, but most lawyers they consulted said his deportation years ago created a nearly insurmountable hurdle.

Attorneys with the Lisinski Law Firm were an exception, Ortiz said, telling the couple in September 2025 that Ortiz Jara's deportation could be wiped from his record if he applied for a visa petition through the Violence Against Women Act.

The VAWA category offers a legal pathway for undocumented immigrants who have been abused physically or psychologically by a citizen spouse, child or parent to obtain an immigrant visa. Applications for visas under VAWA soared by 360% from 2020 to 2024, according to Citizenship and Immigration Services, which has said many of these applications were found to be fraudulent.

Ortiz said her husband pursued that avenue, signing an application a year ago that claimed he suffered psychologically during the couple's split. Documents reviewed by The Times show Ortiz Jara paid the law firm \$9,000.

The application was submitted, and Ortiz Jara was completing a fingerprinting appointment for the application when he was detained in May. Ortiz said she phoned Lisinski Law for help to fight the removal proceedings. The firm declined, and then terminated the contract in July, according to a document reviewed by The Times.

A Lisinski Law spokesperson said the firm couldn't discuss the details of Ortiz

Jara's case, saying it would be a breach of attorney-client privilege. The Lisinski firm typically doesn't handle removal proceedings, the spokesperson noted, focusing instead on visa petitions.

The spokesperson said that the firm terminates contracts for a variety of reasons, including “a change in the client’s circumstances, a breakdown in communication, by decision of the client, and/or conclusion of the legal services contracted to be provided” and that there is “nothing inherently suspect or wrong” in a termination.

With no one to turn to and Ortiz Jara's first court date quickly approaching, Ortiz hired attorney Kenneth Byrd of the Center for Immigrant Assistance in Los Angeles, paying him \$5,000, she said. Ortiz said Byrd showed up late and unprepared for Ortiz Jara's June 5 court date, which Byrd disputed.

"We answer our phones all day long and return client calls usually the same day. We are always calling our cli-"

ents back as much as possible," Byrd said.

Her husband was denied release at the initial court date and given 30 days to appeal, Ortiz said.

It would take about a dozen more consultations with attorneys across Southern California before the family retained Andy Miri, an L.A.-based lawyer, in mid-June. Miri said he filed a habeas corpus petition on June 19, a legal action that challenges the lawfulness of a person's detention, but declined to be interviewed on the case. The petition is still pending review.

A shortage of lawyers, coupled with the complexity of immigration law, has driven up the price for legal representation, said Toczylowski of the Immigrant Defenders Law Center.

“In detention, cases move much faster. It’s hard to contact your client. It’s hard to visit your client,” Toczylowski said. “Part of the design of their facilities is to make sure that people are isolated from lawyers and ... their families.”

As the months since her husband's arrest drag on, Ortiz has scrambled to maintain a sense of normalcy in her family.

Yuridia Ortiz, the youngest at age 10, started a new softball season, with her dad noticeably missing from the stands. The auto mechanic shop has fallen behind on jobs without Ortiz Jara at the helm, his wife said. He's missed out on birthday celebrations for nearly all the family in the last five months, including his own.

Carlos Ortiz Jr. has worked as a recruiter for the Marines in recent months. He speaks to young kids from low-income neighborhoods across the Central Valley, some of whom have undocumented parents. He's struggled with the role since his dad's arrest.

"It's kind of ironic to sell a product that you don't really believe in anymore," Ortiz Jr. said. "It's like a sense of betrayal, you know, that happening to my dad ... like what was the point in all this?"

On the same stage but with starkly different game plans

[Face-off, from B1]

JASON ARMOND and RONALDO BOLAÑOS Los Angeles Times

COUNCILWOMAN Nithya Raman, left, and Mayor

Karen Bass will have their final debate on Tuesday.

IGS / L.A. Times poll, conducted Sept. 15-20, showed Raman with an 11-point lead over the incumbent. To gain ground, Bass needs to go on the attack and convince voters that Raman isn't fit to lead, Schnur said.

“Bass needs to explain to voters why voting for a relatively unproven candidate would be a dangerous risk to take,” he said. “I’m curious if it will go down the road of the nasty,” Sadhwani said.

The debate, being conducted in partnership with Loyola Marymount University, will run from 7 to 8 p.m. and will be moderated by NBC4 news anchor Colleen Williams, NBC4 chief political reporter Conan Nolan and Telemundo 52 news anchor Alejandra Ortiz. The Times will have live coverage.

---

An influencer digs in on Bass

Social media creator Ed Choi made headlines last week, posting and then removing an Instagram video showing him and Raman declaring in unison: "Only you can stop fascist liars."

The pair used that phrase as an image of Bass appeared on the video. Raman, facing criticism for her words, said she was referring to Trump and Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, not the mayor or Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell, and had asked for the video to be taken down.

Choi defended his messaging, saying in a subsequent Instagram video that Bass is in fact a fascist, pointing to the mayor's decision to appoint McDonnell, a former L.A. County sheriff. He also cited the Los Angeles Police Department's treatment of anti-ICE demonstrators as evidence that the city is "descending into fascism."

Raman voted in 2024 to support Bass' selection of McDonnell, even as her fellow Democratic Socialists of America colleagues on the council opposed his appointment. On the campaign trail, she has repeatedly criticized McDonnell, saying the LAPD should not have used tear gas on anti-ICE protesters exercising their 1st Amendment rights.

Choi also claims in his video that Raman is committed to defunding the police. But Raman no longer supports that idea, saying in February that LAPD staffing should not get any smaller.

---

Banned word lawsuit

When the Los Angeles City Council considered banning the use of the N-word and C-word at its meetings last year, Stacey Segarra-Bohlinger was in attendance to give the politicians a piece of her mind.

“This is going to bring lawsuits,” said Segarra-Bohlinger, who often sings parody songs at council meetings and has been a member of the Sherman

Oaks Neighborhood Council.

Segarra-Bohlinger filed suit Tuesday, represented by lawyers with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. The group contends that word bans — which can lead to people who use those words getting kicked out of meetings and potentially barred from future ones — violate 1st Amendment protections of free speech.

"The Council has weaponized the Word Ban and Meeting Ban to silence, remove, and prospectively exclude its critics," asserts Segarra-Bohlinger's lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

Segarra-Bohlinger filed the suit after her repeated use of the C-word at two council meetings last year, once while singing a parody of the “Ghostbusters” theme song in which she repeated the line “Council is afraid of the word c—” four times.

Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson is standing by the ban.

"In a moment of very serious attacks on our basic rights in this country, it's especially absurd that some individuals would waste the court's time defending the right of racists and misogynists to hurl invectives at the public simply to hear their own profanity," he said in a statement to The Times.

This article originally appeared in The Times' L.A. on the Record newsletter. To subscribe, visit latimes.com/newsletters.

CITY & STATE

Blackface post rocks San Marcos High

BY TERRY CASTLEMAN

A viral TikTok post showing four students at a Santa Barbara-area high school in blackface sparked outrage and calls for increased punishment as a community reckoned with allegations of racism on campus.

The four female students were identified and disciplined, according to officials at San Marcos High School and the Santa Barbara Unified School District, who did not release the students' names or detail the discipline.

Several weeks before the post went viral, it was reported to school officials through their Safe to Speak Up Program, according to a statement from Principal Dare Holdren. The image, which showed four female students with artificially darkened skin imitating the pose of four young Black boys as part of a popular Tik-Tok trend, continued to circulate, drawing condemnation online.

The post, archived by the Santa Barbara Independent, was captioned "meet the gc," or group chat, and included a caption with several ninja emojis. The ninja emoji often is used in online shorthand as the N-word.

The picture of the boys was a viral TikTok prompt that encouraged users to show images of their group chats. Many users posted images of themselves and their friends in response.

"We contacted the offending students' families and instituted consequences, and are working to educate the students about the impact of their actions," Holdren said. "Additionally, we continue to work with those impacted by the posting."

Much of the online chatter focused on speculation about what punishment the students received.

“This incident was handled through established student discipline processes,” Santa Barbara Unified School District Supt. Dr. Hilda Maldonado wrote. “We will not discuss individual student consequences publicly because students deserve privacy.”

Connie Alexander, the head of the Santa Barbara chapter of the civil rights group NAACP, condemned the incident in an opinion essay for the Independent.

"The same leaders and systems keep failing," Alexander wrote. "It is time for new leadership and systemic change."

In June, students spoke up at a district board meeting, claiming that racial slurs had become more commonplace on campus, the Independent reported.

In August, a former teacher at San Marcos High wrote in the Independent that she faced discrimination as a Black woman.

“I am no longer surprised when Black students say they don’t feel safe in our schools,” former teacher Ariel Phoenix wrote. “But I refuse to become comfortable with that reality.”

Suspect in kidnapping and rape is found dead

The Times reported.

By Iris Kwok

The Santa Monica man who was charged in April with raping a woman near Culver City and kidnapping a female UCLA student has died by suicide shortly before he was due in court, authorities said.

Alexander Schecter, 26, was reported by a family member as unconscious and not breathing at his family's residence in the 800 block of San Vicente Boulevard on Monday evening, according to the Santa Monica Police Department.

Schecter was out on bail, with a preliminary court hearing set for Tuesday at the Airport Courthouse, according to court records.

He was arrested in March after he allegedly prevented a female student from exiting his vehicle, then threatened violence, according to the L.A. County district attorney's office. During the investigation, authorities identified him as the suspect in a sexual assault case near Culver City from last October.

In April, he was charged with one count of kidnapping to commit another crime, one count of first degree residential robbery, two counts of forcible oral copulation and one count of rape,

The Los Angeles County medical examiner's office released Schecter's name and manner of death Tuesday, police said. He died by suicide, according to the office's online records.

Santa Monica Police Lt. Lewis Gilmour said there was no indication of foul play.

Schecter's attorney, Debra S. White, said in a statement: "This case raises a broader question about the Me Too movement. It brought necessary attention to sexual misconduct, but the pendulum has swung too far. An accusation can do enormous damage before the full story is known, particularly when prosecutors overcharge and speak publicly as though guilt has already been decided. Taking allegations seriously does not relieve prosecutors of the responsibility to exercise restraint, fairness, and respect for due process."

In a statement, Schecter's family criticized L.A. County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman's handling of the case, objecting to the statements his office released this year. They also said Schecter had autism spectrum disorder and anxiety and said the evidence was "more complicated than the headlines suggested."

HOOFING IT

A donkey walks in the bicycle lane along Watkins Drive near the UC Riverside campus on Thursday.

GINA FERAZZI Los Angeles Times

ICE agent shot after assaulting man

ther, who came outside the house to remove Gonzalez.

By Iris Kwok

AND BRITTNY MEJIA

An off-duty ICE agent was shot in Fresno after he was found sleeping on a lawn, then allegedly assaulted a 72-year-old man, authorities said.

The Fresno Police Department said it received several reports at 3:19 a.m. Friday of a gunshot being fired near East Dudley Avenue and North Broadway Street.

When officers arrived, they found David Gonzalez, 32, in handcuffs, with a gun-shot wound to his midsection, according to a Fresno Police statement.

Fresno Police declined an interview request from The Times.

not facing criminal charges.

According to their statement, an unnamed woman arrived home to find Gonzalez — an agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — sleeping on her front lawn. The woman contacted her 72-year-old fa

Gonzalez woke up and appeared “intoxicated and agitated,” according to the statement. He allegedly attacked the man, causing several visible injuries.

When the woman tried to intervene, Gonzalez also allegedly attacked her, authorities said. Her father, fearing for the safety of himself and his daughter, took out a gun and fired one shot at Gonzalez, according to the statement.

The woman's boyfriend, an off-duty police officer, then placed Gonzalez in handcuffs, according to the statement.

Gonzalez is from Texas, authorities said, and it was not immediately clear why he was in Fresno. At the time of the incident, he was off-duty and alone.

Police did not provide further information about the 72-year-old's identity. He was described as a “victim” who was in legal possession of the firearm he used, and is

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security declined to comment Friday evening, and directed questions to Fresno Police.

Fresno officials and residents had last week raised concerns about a reported surge in ICE arrests in the area. About 70 people were detained in Fresno and Madera last week, the local news site Fresnoland reported.

In a Facebook post Friday after the shooting, Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias said “communities deserve safety, dignity, and respect not intimidation, fear, and reckless behavior from federal ICE agents.”

"As many of us have warned, the terrorizing tactics of [President] Trump's ICE were bound to lead to someone getting hurt. The danger these aggressive enforcement tactics pose to our communities should come as no surprise," he said. “There are serious questions about the screening, qualifications, psychological fitness, and accountability of the out-of-state ICE officers being deployed into our neighborhoods.”

On Thursday, Arias said at a City Council meeting that the timing of the arrests was “not a coincidence” because it is harvest season in Fresno, a major agricultural hub.

He went on to refer to the ICE activity as “basic voter suppression and intimidation of the Latino voter base.”

“This is trying to convince those of us in our community to stay home and not participate and engage in a civic responsibility and constitutional right,” Arias said.

Gonzalez, who is receiving treatment, is in custody on suspicion of felony assault, according to the police statement.

It was not immediately clear from Fresno law enforcement databases whether he has an attorney.

Authorities: Crash that killed 6 intentional

BY HAILEY

BRANSON-POTTS

A fiery head-on collision between a pickup truck and a rural transit bus in Northern California that left six people dead earlier this year was intentionally caused and has been classified as a murder-suicide, authorities said.

On Jan. 14, a woman driving a Toyota Tacoma was high on methamphetamine when she purposefully crossed the center line into oncoming traffic on Highway 99 near Corning and slammed into a Tehama Rural Area eXpress bus, the Tehama County Sheriff's Office announced last week.

The bus driver and four passengers were killed, as was the driver of the Toyota.

The pickup truck driver, Christina Whittmore, 41, of Corning, had tried to kill herself on the same highway a day before the crash, the Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

The collision on the narrow two-lane highway ignited a fire that engulfed the 17-passenger mid-sized commercial shuttle bus, which had a 50-year-old driver and five passengers onboard, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. One surviving passenger was seriously injured.

An investigation by the California Highway Patrol showed that Whittmore made no effort to slow or stop her 2021 black Tacoma, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Investigators obtained dash camera footage that showed Whittmore crossing into the opposite lane of traffic in the same area a day earlier in an apparent attempt to crash head-on into a garbage truck, the Sheriff's Office statement said.

The garbage truck driver took evasive action and avoided a collision.

Investigators found writings associated with Whittmore that “included references to suicidal ideation, financial difficulties, and illicit substance abuse,” according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The Tehama County coroner's office will amend the death certificates of the bus driver and passengers to say their cause of death was homicide, authorities said.

Whittmore's will be changed to say she died by suicide.

The Sheriff's Office has identified the deceased as bus driver Kelly Margaret Langstaff and passengers Cassandra Moreno, John Perry, Oscar Carrillo and Trena Cain.

"The Tehama County Sheriff's Office recognizes the profound impact this tragedy has had on the families of those who lost their lives, the survivors, and the community," the Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

"While these findings are deeply troubling, the Sheriff's Office believes it is important to provide transparency regarding the circumstances of this collision and the findings of the investigation."

Delta plane at LAX bumps Air Canada jet on taxiway

By Summer Lin

A Delta Air Lines plane collided with an Air Canada aircraft Tuesday morning while rolling on a taxiway at Los Angeles International Airport, according to authorities.

No injuries to crew or passengers were reported.

Delta Air Lines Flight 7 was taxiing for departure around 10:30 a.m. when its left wing clipped the horizontal stabilizer of Air Canada Flight 785, according to a Federal Aviation Administration statement.

The Air Canada flight was being towed to its gate when the other plane made contact with its tail, an Air Canada spokesperson told NBC4. The FAA is investigating the incident.

A Delta spokesperson confirmed that the Delta flight was en route to Haneda, Japan, at the time of the collision. The plane had 275 customers and 15 crew members on board.

“While taxiing at Los Angeles International Airport, a Delta aircraft made contact with an Air Canada aircraft,” the Delta statement said. “Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and people, and we apologize to our customers for the experience and delay in their travels.”

Jayson Lowe, chief executive of Ascendant Financial Inc., was on another flight at LAX when he witnessed the collision.

“I was looking out the window as we were taxiing to our arrival gate and a Delta A350 managed to hit a parked Air Canada plane. A parked plane. I cannot stress this enough,” Lowe wrote in a social media post.

1 killed when deputy crash sets off collision

By SUMMER LIN

A person was killed Thursday morning when a car crash involving a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy set off a chain-reaction collision in Commerce, according to authorities.

Deputies were responding around 1:20 a.m. to a call about an unconscious person in the road not breathing when one responding deputy drove into the intersection of Atlantic Boulevard and Sheila Avenue and hit a car, which then collided with another vehicle, according to a statement from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Deputies rendered aid to the person injured and requested that the Los Angeles County Fire Department respond to the scene, according to the statement.

The driver of the first car hit by the deputy was pronounced dead at the scene while the driver of the second vehicle was uninjured, according to the statement.

Los Angeles Times

MARKETPLACE

To advertise

in this directory, go to

www.latimes.com/placebpsdad,

or call 1.800.528.4637, ext.72769

The deputy was hospitalized with minor injuries. An investigation into the crash is ongoing. The deputy and the person killed haven't been publicly identified.

According to KTLA video footage, the area was cordoned off with yellow caution tape during the investigation. The sheriff's vehicle also appeared to have damage to the front of the car.

Los Angeles Times

OPEN SAT 10/10 @12PM-3PM

23813 Harbor Vista Dr 3/2 \$3,950,000

Brian Merrick | Coldwell Banker Realty Cell |

310.383.4336

OPEN SUN 10/11 @2-5PM

5461 Horizon Dr 5/3 \$3,995,000

Brian Merrick | Coldwell Banker Realty Cell |

310.383.4336

Obituaries

Place a paid notice latimes.com/placeobituary | Search obituary notice archives: legacy.com/obituaries/latimes

Emma Delaney Steiner

July 17, 1941 - September 27, 2026

Beloved wife, mother, grandmother and friend, Emma died peacefully at home surrounded by family. Emma had a passion for life, family, friends, sports, puzzles, history, and travel.

Born in Fort Smith, Arkansas on July 17, 1941, she was six years old when she moved with her mother, grandmother, brother and sister to Los Angeles, California. The family drove on Route 66 and Emma said she always sat close to her mother on the trip. Once in L.A., they settled in a house that many family and friends have known on Calumet Ave in the Angelino Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. Emma would live there for most of the next 50 years.

Emma attended Belmont High School, then on to Los Angeles Community College and later to Cal State LA where she received her BA in History. She continued her graduate studies in Early Childhood Education, receiving her Master of Arts degree.

In 1959, Emma was introduced to John by mutual friends. John and Emma soon married and began their family. Mary was born in 1961 followed a few years later by their son, Jeff. Living first in the family home on Calumet for a time, John and Emma bought their own house in Rosemead in 1967 where they lived until 1975. Then, they moved back with their children to the home on Calumet to care for Emma's mother, Helen.

In 1974, Emma began a thirty-year career at Trade Technical Community College. She was the founding director of the Child Development Center on campus. Along with the other 8 Los Angeles Community College District Child Development Center directors, Emma fought for equal pay for the 9 directors and all their teachers who held Masters degrees. Several Years later, Emma became the first full-time faculty in Child Development as she and LA Trade Tech launched the Child Development Major and Associate of Arts Program. Emma taught Child Development courses and served as the Department Chair as the academic program grew. Emma also headed Trade Tech's International Education program, Emma was an active union member and leader. She retired from Trade Tech and this illustrious career in 2004.

Throughout her life, Emma loved to travel. She visited a number of European countries including England, France, Spain, Sweden, and Germany. In 1994, Emma went on sabbatical for six months in London, England. Later, she and John made a yearly visit to Jeff and his family every summer in France.

After retirement, Emma and John moved to the Sacramento area to be closer to their daughter Mary. They later moved back to Southern California, living in Camarillo for 13 years, the last two years with their grandson, Samuel, as he entered college in the area.

Emma is survived by her husband John, their daughter Mary and son Jeff, and their grandsons, Severiano (Mary and George) and Samuel (Jeff and Marie France).

A Celebration of Life will be held

Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 11:30 AM

Valley Funeral Home

2121 West Burbank Blvd, Burbank, CA 91506

---

The year that was 1958

First transatlantic jet passenger service started by BOAC, with a New York to London route.

---

Robert Allen Blank June 28, 1946 - September 15, 2026

---

Scott Cameron August 1946 - September 2026

ROBERT ALLEN BLANK fell in love with So. Calif. when he first arrived here having graduated from the Philadelphia School of Fine Arts following his four-year Tour of Duty with the Air Force. As a highly skilled artist and consummate craftsman, he found his talents welcome at ABC Studios for close to thirty years. During his lifetime Bob created numerous sculptures and other artworks. His artistic journey came to a close Sept. 15, 2026. He chose to succumb under the California End of Life Option Act as he was suffering from a terminal illness. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 46 years, his sister, a stepson and stepdaughter, their spouses and four devoted granddaughters.

Dougal Scott Cameron, beloved husband, father, teacher, coach and friend, died just after his 80th birthday. For 36 years at San Marino High School, Scott shared his love of physics and math and coached basketball and volleyball teams to numerous league titles. A man of faith, science and service, he was a longtime member of San Marino Congregational UCC Church. Celebration of life to be held, Sat. 11/7/26, 10:30 a.m. at SMHS Big Gym, 2701 Huntington Dr. followed by a reception at the Boat.

latimes.com/archives

Judy Freeman

September 17, 1940 - September 9, 2026

Judith "Judy" Freeman, beloved wife of 65 years to Larry Freeman, devoted mother to Jill Bucksbaum, Mark Freeman, and daughter-in-law Jill Roberts Freeman, and proud grandmother of six grandchildren—Drew, Davis, and Jasper Freeman, and Leo, Will, and Ivy Bucksbaum—passed away peacefully on September 9, 2026.

Judy was a ray of sunshine: warm, positive, and deeply involved in the lives of her family. When Larry was unable to attend a Little League game, she stepped in to manage the team, earning the respect and affection of all the boys. She was also a constant presence in her daughter's life, from school activities and Girl Scouts to everything in between.

Her daughter often said, "If I ever had an issue, I talked to my mom." Judy was always there to listen and help.

Judy worked as a legal secretary before joining TWA and later becoming a prominent and highly respected travel agent. She and Larry believed deeply in giving back, supporting organizations including the Norris Cancer Center at USC, National Jewish Health in Denver, Cedars-Sinai's geriatric medicine program, the Jewish Foundation, LA Family Housing, UCSF Neuralgic Research, and Rutgers Neuralgic Research. Judy also volunteered at the Home for the Blind and Cedars-Sinai.

She had a wonderful zest for life, enjoying games, puzzles, bridge, and golf, which she played like a champ. She also painted beautiful watercolors. Despite facing various illnesses over the last 40 years, Judy lived with remarkable strength and determination.

She will be deeply missed by her family and all who knew her. Her warmth, generosity, and love will live on in the family she cherished so deeply.

Michael Eric Robinson

Michael Eric Robinson died unexpectedly on June 29, 2026, in Los Angeles, CA, with his loving partner, Gabrielle Longhi, by his side. A prolific American composer, pianist, and musicologist, Michael was born in New York City on March 11, 1956, and raised on Long Island, earning the Louis Armstrong Award in 1974.

March 11, 1956 - June 29, 2026

Michael studied composition at SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music and CalArts, developing his unique voice while working with legends Lee Konitz, Harihar Rao, Pandit Jasraj, John Cage, and Leonard Bernstein to expand his musical landscape. Michael's work was championed by his composition mentor, avant-garde patron Leonard Altman. These early influences inspired the gifts he shared throughout his life, including a love of teaching as a lecturer at UCLA, Bard College, and California State Universities.

Michael formed Azure Miles Records in 1991 to present the changing seasons of his music and bring to life new musical vistas of previously unimagined beauty and enchantment. He composed more than 400 works and released 200 albums. Michael composed music for close, meditative listening on both intellectual and spiritual planes, making use of alternative tunings and blending tradition with technology. His work integrates elements of jazz, Indian classical music, computer technology, and European traditions. He sought to liberate the expressive quality of computer-performed music so that it would “emanate from the computer in the same way sounds emanate in nature, like wind and water.”

Michael's musical ideas were ever unfolding. Composition was his primary life's work, a lifelong expression of his musical imagination. He was also a gifted pianist, recording improvisations and reimagined standards that reflected his deep love of music. Listening to Michael play piano through the afternoons and evenings in Los Angeles or by the ocean in Lahaina uplifted the listener with the beauty of his sound. Michael brought immense peace through his music and his protective care for those he loved. He had a quick wit, playful spirit, and a thoughtful, gracious presence. Most of all, Michael loved music, daily walks in nature, his family, good food, basketball, innumerable friendships, and Gabrielle, whom he protected until the day he died.

Michael is survived by his love, Gabrielle Longhi; mother, Lila; sisters, Amy and Julie; in-laws, Carol and Mark O'Leary; nieces, Isabelle, Olivia, Lily; and nephews, Julian, Luke, Wade, Owen. He was predeceased by his father, Eli, and in-laws, Sally and Bob Longhi. A celebration of Michael's life will be held in Maui on December 6, 2026. A Los Angeles memorial will follow at a later date.

---

Mario Saltarelli PhD

Michael's recordings are held in the music libraries of New York University, Princeton University, and UCLA, while a comprehensive collection of his scores, archived website, and music is preserved for study and teaching at the Fales Library & Special Collections at NYU.

---

Michael Patrick

Los Angeles native Michael Patrick Regan passed away August 25, 2026 at Cedars Sinai Medical Center. A lifelong LA county resident, Michael worked in education and also appeared in motion pictures and television. Most important to Michael was his work chronicling the history of residential architecture of Southern California, writing several books that are held in libraries both foreign and domestic. Michael is remembered fondly by his brothers Philip and John, friend Patrick Lannon, and companion Kent Wilson. Whom we have lost we grieve but rejoice that we ever had.

Mario Donato Saltarelli, PhD, an influential Romance language scholar who was the first to see rules in the beautiful chaos of Italian phonology, died October 5, 2026 in Los Angeles. Born in Cisterna di Latina (Italy) in 1934, Dr. Saltarelli survived World War II in his ancestral mountain village of Pescasseroli (Abruzzo), before immigrating to the United States in 1952. On the boat ride over, he met his first love, Madeline. Together they settled in Urbana, Illinois, and had two sons -- Mario and Marc. After finding his first work as a dance instructor, Mr. Saltarelli completed his doctoral studies at the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) and eventually became a professor at the University's fledgling linguistics department. It was there, in 1970, where he published his seminal work, "A Phonology of Italian in a Generative Grammar," the first book to propose a formal, unifying system of Italian pronunciation. In 1986, he moved west to chair the Department of Spanish at the University of Southern California, where he also taught Spanish, Italian, and Linguistics until his retirement at age 80. During his time at USC, he published more than 30 works, including Basque (1989), the first grammar to describe the Basque language in English. A curious academic, teacher, and constant traveler, his adventures took him to Ethiopia, Spain, and the Amazon rainforest, but his heart never strayed far from Italy, and in particular, his beloved Pescasseroli. A day was never complete without several espressos and a long walk. He is survived by his wife Sarah, his sons Mario and Marc, son-in-law Steve, daughter-in-law Mary, and his grandchildren Stephen and Jai. They are planning a celebration of life in the future. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Disease Research.

Don't let the story go untold.

Share your loved one's story.

placeanad.latimes.com/obituaries

Los Angeles Times

In partnership with

Legacy.com®

Inglewood is facing budget deficit — and a financial reckoning

tax.

Officials downplay the projected gap, saying reserves will cover it this year.

BY ISAIAH

MURTAUGH BARISH

Inglewood is staring down the barrel of a \$30.8-million budget deficit next year, the city's largest in at least two decades, but officials said residents don't need to be worried.

Inglewood's budget ballooned after SoFi Stadium opened in 2020. City officials roughly doubled their spending from the general fund — the pot of money that pays for basic services from police to parks.

Revenue also boomed in the first few years after the stadium's opening, but since then hasn't quite kept up with what's been spent.

City officials downplayed the projected deficit last week, saying in reports and presentations that reserves of more than \$150 million will cover the gap this year and that they expect increased tax and other revenues to help take care of the problem in the future. Mayor James Butts said locals have no reason to worry, and that the city's reserves have enabled officials to be ambitious in their planning.

Whether they have to dip into those savings at all depends on how residents vote for a ballot measure on Nov. 3. Officials predict Measure AT could wipe out the deficit entirely by bringing in as much as \$45 million to \$50 million extra in taxes on tickets to major events.

But if Inglewood continues to spend more than it takes in over the coming years and pulls too much out of its reserves, city officials could be pushed to lay off staff and cut funding for services, as they did during a fiscal crisis 15 years ago.

The City Council approved the budget proposal in a 4-0 vote at a recent meeting. Councilmember Eloy Morales Jr. was absent.

Inglewood's annual general fund revenue has grown by about \$100 million over the last 10 years, driven in large part by increased property taxes and admissions tax.

But that growth has plateaued over the last five years, while expenditures continued to grow. The city plans to spend \$279 million out of its general fund this year, more than double its annual spending prior to 2020.

The city's total budget is \$675 million. It includes the general fund as well as special funds that pay for things like major construction projects and affordable housing.

Police take the largest bite out of Inglewood's general fund, followed by the public works and parks departments.

Outside the general fund, the city has also budgeted \$239 million for capital projects.

Some of Inglewood's largest sources of general fund revenue are property tax, sales tax and admissions

Property tax revenue has grown by leaps and bounds over the last five years, according to budget documents, but admissions tax and sales tax haven't matched the growth.

Inglewood has had budget issues before. The deficit approached \$18 million in 2010, just before Butts was elected, while reserves fell to around \$11 million.

This time around, officials say Inglewood has more than \$150 million in reserves.

Butts said those reserves have allowed the city to take an aggressive approach to improving streets, traffic lights and other city infrastructure.

Pulling from reserves, though, isn't something a city can do indefinitely. City Manager Louis Atwell wrote in a budget report that staff expect tax revenue to keep increasing and new developments to give the city an additional boost. With staff keeping an eye on operating costs, Atwell wrote, those revenues would narrow the city's budget gap down the line.

This year's election could also come into play. The two city ballot measures voters will see — AT and BB — are the product of a larger battle between the city and its stadiums over billboard advertisements and the development deal that brought SoFi Stadium to Inglewood.

Either measure could have a substantial effect on the city's books.

Inglewood currently pulls in a 10% tax on SoFi Stadium tickets, but with an annual ceiling on how much the city can get. Measure AT, backed by billboard company WOW Media, would remove the cap and add a new 2.5% tax for the Intuit Dome.

Officials estimated it would bring in between \$45 million and \$50 million extra annually, more than enough to cover the city's current deficit. Atwell cautioned, though, that the figures aren't guaranteed and could depend on economic conditions, the timing of the measure's rollout and other factors.

On the flip side, officials said Measure BB could cur-tail billboard fees and ratchet the deficit up to al-most \$39 million.

The initiative would ban most commercial advertising on the large video billboards that have cropped up along the city's main roads. Measure BB would cut off a revenue stream that, according to past budget documents, has brought the city between \$3 million and \$7.5 million.

City officials itemized how much Inglewood made from billboards in each of the last 10 years, but did not do so in this year's budget.

The ballot measures are just a few of the items on a packed Inglewood ballot that includes elections for mayor, two City Council members and three Board of Education trustees.

Murtaugh Barish writes for The L.A. Local, a local nonprofit website covering local communities.

Fresno contractor dies hiking on Mt. Whitney

BY SUMMER LIN

A contractor who has appeared on HGTV died last week while hiking in Sequoia National Park, according to officials.

Kalem Peter Kazarian, 52, died Monday while hiking on Mt. Whitney at the park, the Tulare County coroner's office confirmed to The Times. His cause of death hasn't been determined.

Kazarian appeared alongside hosts Koko and Nick Chandler in the 2019 HGTV pilot of “Go Big or Go Home,” KSEE reported.

Kazarian worked on a project for Yerevan for Habitat for Humanity Armenia and helped build homes for charity, according to the local outlet. He owned Kazarian Custom Homes in Fresno, according to social media posts.

A 2022 post on the business' Instagram page described Kazarian as "a natural teacher, leader, visionary, and one of the hardest workers."

Kazarian marks at least the second person who died this year while trying to summit the highest peak in the contiguous U.S. at 14,505 feet.

In January, a hiker was found dead during an aerial search of the north face of Mt. Whitney after they failed to descend the mountain and reunite with a hiking companion. The hiker was found below the notorious "final 400" stretch, a dangerously steep chute along the route that is particularly challenging to navigate in the winter months.

Last December, the body of a 21-year-old hiker was found on Mt. Whitney after weeks of searching. Another hiker fell to their death last October, after some of Mt. Whitney's earliest snows of the season. Both were found on a difficult portion known as the 99 Switchbacks.

Tropical Storm Rachel could deliver hazards

SOME coastal cities have seen significant flooding and beach erosion. Joy Chaconas walks with Olive at Long Beach Peninsula on Saturday.

MYUNG J. CHUN Los Angeles Times

[Danger, from B1]

BEACHGOER DOMENIC HIX looks back Friday as a large wave crashes on the shoreline in Laguna Beach.

In the modern record, only two storms have passed through the state at tropical-storm strength.

The first — nicknamed El Cordonazo, or the Lash of St. Francis — hit Long Beach and San Pedro in September 1939. It dumped 5.62 inches of rain on L.A. over three days, spawned wind gusts of up to 65 mph and resulted in 45 deaths from flooding, with an additional 48 deaths at sea.

There was also Nora in September 1997, which was briefly at tropical storm strength as its center passed along the California-Arizona border, but California was spared the kind of damage it delivered to Baja California. Street flooding was reported in Imperial County, the Coachella Valley and San Diego, while big waves boosted by Nora and another storm sent breakers crashing into beachfront properties in Seal Beach, seriously damaging three homes and resulting in minor damage to 45 others.

---

Where is flooding most likely?

The National Weather Service office in San Diego on Friday issued a rare tropical storm watch for most of San Diego County, including San Diego, Chula Vista, Carlsbad and Oceanside, meaning that tropical storm-force winds are possible over the next 48 hours. It's only the second time a tropical storm watch has been issued in California.

Coastal flooding will remain the biggest concern for the region in the coming days, particularly for south-facing shores, given the combination of high tides, a higher-than-typical water level and the arriving tropical storm. Swells will not only bring the potential for water intrusion, but also hazardous surf — ranging from 3 to 6 feet in some areas — and rip currents, according to the weather service.

Officials had predicted that tides in Southern California would be 1 foot to 1.5 feet above normal what would ordinarily be expected without the abnormally warm ocean temperatures wrought by El Niño.

---

'All these things stacking up'

Around 9 a.m. Friday, the high tide in San Diego and La Jolla was coming in 17 inches higher than the official prediction, which doesn't account for hotter-than-normal ocean waters or swells from tropical storms, according to NOAA's tide forecasts. Tides were coming in 16 inches higher than the official prediction in Santa Monica and 14 inches higher in San Francisco as of Friday morning.

“We've got water that's already high and then we're going to have periods of high tides each morning and evening and then on top of that we have high surf,” said Miguel Miller, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego.

"We have all these things stacking up on each other and we've already seen in re-"

cent weeks how just the high tides, even without the large surf, is putting water into places where it doesn't usually go," Miller added.

A coastal flood advisory for Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties — warning of the potential for flooding in beach parking lots, boardwalks and roads, with isolated road closures expected, along with minor coastal erosion — is expected to remain in effect through Tuesday afternoon.

Coastal cities including Laguna Beach, Newport Beach and Long Beach have already seen significant flooding. Long Beach issued a mandatory evacuation order for residents of Seaside

Walk between 64th and 66th Place.

---

How much rain is expected?

While tropical moisture from the remnants of Rachel is expected to deliver only light rain to much of Southern California between Sunday morning and Monday night, the Mojave Desert, the Inland Empire and portions of San Diego County could see more significant precipitation.

The weather service is warning that there is a moderate, or 40% chance, of excessive rainfall that could lead to flash flooding in places like San Diego, El Cajon, Chula Vista, Escondido,

Palm Springs and Twenty-nine Palms. A moderate risk means that numerous flash floods are likely, and that many streams may flood. There is a chance that the San Diego River near Fashion Valley could reach minor flood stage.

There's also a $15\%$ chance of that occurring in Ocean-side, San Clemente, Laguna Niguel, Riverside, San Bernardino, Las Vegas and the California-Arizona border; and a $5\%$ chance in places like Huntington Beach, Santa Ana, Long Beach, Anaheim, Pomona, Victorville, Barstow, and most of Arizona and southern Utah.

In Los Angeles County, rain is expected to be light to moderate, ranging from about a quarter of an inch to an inch across much of the region.

A bit more rain is expected in the San Gabriel Mountains, according to the weather service office in Oxnard. Rain rates are probably going to be a quarter of an inch per hour or less, making debris flow and landslides unlikely.

A bit more rain is expected in Orange County with coastal areas receiving from half an inch to an inch over the weekend and into early this week.

Coastal sections of San Diego County could see between an inch and an inch and a half of precipitation with higher rain levels predicted farther inland.

Impact of El Niño

Nora arrived during a “very strong” El Niño season. That pattern is linked to above-average hurricane activity in the eastern Pacific, and also is usually tied to above-average rainfall for Southern California in the winter.

That climate pattern sees the heating of ocean waters in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, which spur changes in the atmosphere that can affect weather around the world.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center said Thursday that there is virtually a 100% chance that the El Niño this season will be categorized as "very strong." There's also an 83% chance that this El Niño will be the strongest on record, which goes back to 1950, up from a 75% probability forecast last month.

"With an event of this magnitude, the chances of experiencing impacts consistent with El Niño are larger, though not guaranteed," the Climate Prediction Center said Thursday.

There have been only four “very strong” El Niños in the modern record — 1982-83, 1991-92, 1997-98 and 2015-16. Two of them — in 1982-83 and 1997-98 — deluged downtown Los Angeles with more than 30 inches of rain, more than double the area’s average annual rainfall.

The “very strong” El Niño of 2015-16 was a dry one for Southern California, with downtown L.A. getting only half its annual rainfall. But it did coincide with record coastal erosion along many California beaches, according to the state Coastal Commission.

‘We will get through this’: Evacuations, warnings issued

[Rachel, from B1] [2018] San Diego. "Even though the track has shifted a little farther to the south, we're still expecting wind impacts," Roser said during a briefing.

A tropical storm watch remained in effect for all of San Diego County, the weather service said.

Long Beach's mandatory order covers homes on Seaside Walk between 64th and 66th places. It took effect at 7 p.m. Friday and runs through noon Tuesday, city officials said. A commercial crane is scheduled to drop sandbags on 65th Place and westward in front of addresses between 65th and 64th, city officials said.

"The return date is subject to change based on evolving conditions," a city announcement said.

Waves topped the bulk-head and sent water into homes and streets, according to city officials. Inspectors red-tagged eight buildings across 13 addresses, including apartments, and yellow-tagged at least one, Mayor Rex Richardson said Saturday. A red tag marks a building as unsafe to enter, and a yellow tag restricts its

use.

The city closed the Peninsula to nonresident traffic, with more street closures starting at 62nd Place.

Richardson urged residents to “take this seriously and be prepared,” saying “our infrastructure was not built for this.” Todd Leland, a manager in the Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine Department, said the city’s bulkhead and pedestrian boardwalk had already sustained significant structural damage.

Workers are bracing damaged sections with timber and thousands of sandbags to stabilize the compromised areas and prevent collapse.

“Prepare right now for the impacts,” Richardson said. “Our infrastructure was not built for this.”

Long Beach City Manager Tom Modica said that he expected a lengthy recovery. “We will be asking for assistance from the governor, and potentially also from the federal government,” Modica said. “We don’t think this is just going to be this weekend. This is going to be the entire next couple of

months."

Water at the Los Angeles Harbor tide gauge peaked at 7.7 feet Saturday morning, about 1.6 feet above the predicted tide, the National Weather Service said. "The projected high tides of around 8 feet for Sunday morning would approach or exceed recent record tide levels for L.A. County," it said.

In Newport Beach, police posted an alert online Saturday morning saying flooding closed all city beaches and piers until further notice.

“Stay away from these areas,” police said. The announcement followed Newport Beach declaring a local emergency Friday after overnight flooding on the Balboa Peninsula.

By early afternoon, police said the beaches were open, but Newport Pier, Balboa Pier and the Wedge, from the rock jetty to M Street, remained closed.

In a video uploaded to the city's Instagram account, an official asked people to stay off the berms. The man said the flooding would continue over the next couple of days.

"We want the public to be safe during this time. We will get through this," his post said.

The weather service expects more coastal flooding Sunday, when high tide at Newport Beach is forecast to reach 7.6 feet at 9:48 a.m. "Low-lying property including homes, businesses, and some critical infrastructure may flood," the agency's San Diego office said. Surf could reach 6 to 9 feet, highest at south-facing beaches, especially in Orange County, Roser said.

Joe Angelo has lived in the Newport Beach area for 60 years and bought his beachfront home 27 years ago. He said the flooding left him in “shock and disbelief.”

"I haven't seen one drop of water on that sand in 27 years. All the sand, not one drop of water," Angelo said. "We all love living on this oceanfront. But, boy, it makes you think twice."

Sandbags lined dozens of homes and businesses near Balboa Boulevard on Saturday morning. Beachgoers strolled with coffee in hand, went for morning runs and walked their dogs. Despite the warnings, many climbed sand berms to watch the waves. Some did backflips off the sand.

Chris Perkins of Orange County brought his son Connor to see the surf. "I grew up around the ocean, and [I'm] just trying to expose my kid to the gnarly waves, and show him how to be safe and how to do it the right way," Perkins said.

In Long Beach, cars lined up Saturday at a Peninsula parking lot as fire department workers loaded sandbags into trunks. Light rain began falling shortly before noon.

Monica Shephard, who lives in a beachfront apartment complex, said she was worried, noting that ocean water reached her doorstep three years ago. She planned to pick up sandbags for her complex Saturday night and praised the city's precautions. "They're doing a great job," she said.

Huntington Beach also activated its emergency operations center Friday, the city said. Many spectators watched pounding waves there at high tide Saturday morning. Cyclists, walkers and runners packed the white concrete trail along Bolsa Chica State Beach. A section that flooded Friday appeared to escape more trouble Saturday, despite signs that said “flooded.”

The heaviest rain is expected late Saturday night into Sunday morning, Roser said. Most coastal areas could get about an inch or a little less. Some mountain areas could get more than four inches.

Many areas west of the mountains will stay in the 60s on Monday, and Big Bear may only reach the 40s, Roser said. Temperatures should warm by the end of the week, he said.

Inland, southern San Bernardino County faces at least a 40% chance of excessive rain that could result in flash flooding through Saturday night, said Julie Phillipson, lead meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Las Vegas. "Our primary concern is still the heavy rains and the flooding that can occur."

Deputy Managing Editor Shelby Grad contributed to this report.

Nature will remind us of why we live here

By Jack Dolan

After weeks of relentlessly dire news — rising interest rates, escalating wars in the Middle East, a prediction that AI could kill us all in 10 years — this feels like a good time to remember one simple, essential truth: California is drop-dead gorgeous.

A recent road trip with my wife took us to the Central Coast, where the beaches are still pristine (compared with those in Los Angeles); to Yosemite National Park, where the summer crowds have thinned; and to the Eastern Sierra, where the leaves at higher elevations are starting to flash their fall colors.

The highlight was a hike to a chain of lakes fed by one of the state's last remaining glaciers. Called the Big Pine Lakes and unimaginatively numbered one through seven, they sit beneath the Palisade Glacier. The ancient, heavy ice sheet expands and contracts with the seasons, grinding the granite beneath it into an incredibly fine silt called “glacial flour.”

That flour flows into the lakes below and turns the water a dazzling turquoise. Second Lake is the most stunning of them all — filling a broad, natural bowl and backed by a towering granite formation called Temple Crag that rises 2,000 feet into a brilliant blue sky and holds some of the most storied rock climbs in the American West.

Even in early September, after a brutally hot summer, pockets of snow remained in the shadows around its base, at about 10,000 feet.

---

It was supposed to be an easy hike

The hike to get there is tame by Eastern Sierra standards: about 10 miles round trip with 2,500 feet of elevation gain. But that relative accessibility — and the jaw-dropping scenery — makes it an Instagram darling.

As if to prove the point, my wife and I arrived at the lake to find a very fit, very bronzed, nearly naked couple performing complicated yoga poses in front of an iPhone on a tripod, using the lake as their backdrop.

A few years ago, I got to Second Lake just as a terrifying thunderstorm was arriving from the west. At that altitude, storms aren't above you, they surround you. Thunder and lightning go off like artillery shells in every direction and the temperature can drop 30 degrees in seconds.

Having experienced this before, my hiking buddy and I ran to the treeline and pulled Gore-Tex jackets, pants, hats and gloves from our packs. An influencer who'd been posing in a sports bra and very short shorts sprinted past us in a panic, trailed by some poor guy juggling way too much camera gear and a frantically barking Chihuahua.

Did we feel prepared and smug? Yes, we did.

---

If the shoe fits, take a hike

Which is why a recent Sunday hike was a little out of character for a journalist who's spent a good chunk of his career dispensing advice on staying safe outdoors.

JACK DOLAN Los Angeles Times

THE AUTHOR'S wife admires Second Lake and Temple Crag during the couple's recent road trip.

Raring to go at the trailhead, I shoved my right foot into a hiking boot I'd tossed into the car days earlier only to discover it was not mine. I'd packed my wife's much smaller boots, not my own.

I've long used the Second Lake hike as a gentle warm-up for more ambitious outings such as climbing Mt. Langley or Mt. Whitney, telling skeptical friends it's so easy you could do it in flip-flops.

Suddenly, I had to put that boast to the test.

Long, flat stretches of the trail covered by that glacial flour were no problem. But on the steeper, boulder-strewn sections, I had to place each step as carefully as you would climbing the crag. Any clumsy move could have blown out the little cloth strap between my toes, and I'd have been returning to the trailhead barefoot.

Which would have been slow, painful and disgusting.

I say disgusting because the trail is also used by horses and mules that show no respect for the “leave no trace” rules. But even tiptoeing through mule poop, I could occasionally look up, soak in the scenery and remember why I’m lucky to live in California.

This article originally appeared in The Times' Essential California newsletter. To subscribe, visit latimes.com/newsletters.

MARKETPLACE

latimes.com/placead To place an ad call 1.800.234.4444

Estate Sales

---

ART AUCTION

AIR AUCTION

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18

STARTING 12 PM Noon (PDT)

PREVIEW UP NOW

Live, Phone, Absentee, and

Online Bidding

2525 Michigan Ave, Ste A5,

Santa Monica, CA 90404 |

www.smauctions.com

LOST & FOUND 400

Lost

RUBY SLIPPERS 708-710-2990

HOMES FOR SALE

— 1100 —

Out of State

MOVE TO EAST TEXAS

FAMILY HOME IN KILGORE,

TEXAS 4 BR, 3 BATHS WITH A

1 BR, 1 BATH APARTMENT. 1.5

ACRE LOT. 1.5 HOURS FROM

DALLAS, 3 HOURS FROM

HOUSTON, 1 HOUR FROM

SHREVEPORT LA. PRICED TO

SELL @ \$419,900.

RANDY RENSHAW

903-983-9314 brk

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

1400

Vocational Schools

PHLEBOTOMY

CLASS

Allied Professional

Institute

562-808-2152

www.apiedu.net

EMPLOYMENT

1500

---

Employment

Internal Control Specialist. Job location El Monte, CA. Telecommuting is available. Domestic travel required to San Diego, Seattle, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Houston, Dallas, Honolulu, Chicago, and New York 15% of the time. Send resume w/this ad to Job Code 2688-ITCO, J. Ho, Mutual Trading Co., Inc., 4200 Shirley Ave., El Monte, CA 91731. Sal \$79,830.00 to \$85,100.00/yr

AdmAsst w/assoc deg&atlst 24mos exp in Adm,Bus rel Lgl wk auth CV to Mo-barCare 8107DeSoto Ave CanogaPark,CA91304

AdmAsst w/AssocDeg&atlst 12mos exp Adm,Bus,CSR or rel Lgl wk auth CV to Rahimi&Comp1551 15th St Sta Monica CA 90404

AdmAsst w/Assoc Deg&atlst 24mos exp Adm,Bus,CSR or rel Lgl wk auth CV to S.Bay CtrlTaxSvcs LLC 2720Sepulveda Blvd Torrance CA90505

Brand Strategy Analyst: f/t; marketing; Resume: Ark with Global Inc. 4832 Azusa Canyon Rd. #D Irwindale, CA 91706

---

Employment

Business and Management Analyst - American Silk Inc. - Los Angeles, CA. Master's in Biz Admin or closely related field; Knowl of supply chain ops, inventory mgmt, & process improvement methodologies; Proficiency in analytical tools, such as MS Excel & SQL; Ability to analyze data & translate insights into actionable biz recommendations; Strong comm, interpersonal, & multitasking skills. \$94,973/yr. Apply to American Silk Inc., 340-342 E 4th St, Los Angeles, CA, 90013. americansilkinc@gmail.com.

Investment Group Business Operations Senior Analyst sought by Capital Research and Management Company in Los Angeles, CA. Hybrid work permitted, when not WFH must report to Los Angeles, CA office: Drive periodic initiatives incl annual planning, unit prgms, & investment rltd product dvlpmt. Req'd: Bachelor's & 7yrs/Int. & Dom. Travel to London & NY for 1-2 weeks once/yr. Salary: \$141,648 - \$226,637/yr, plus std co. benefits. Must have unrestricted right to work in U.S. To apply email resume: cgapplications@capgroup.com. MUST REF. JOB CODE: LA0715HM

---

ANALYST

Legal Research Analyst

Legal Research, support, IP & Document Management., BS in Law. Sal based on exp. CV to Law offices of Scott WARMUTH

ANALYSTS AND

MARKETING SPECIALISTS

Belkin International Inc. has

an oppty in El Segundo, CA

for a Global Digital Marketing

Specialist. \$72,883.00/

yr to \$77,250.00/yr. Partner

with global cross-functional

teams to support the launch

of new products and cam-

paigns. Position based in El

Segundo, CA. Hybrid posi-

tion requiring work in the

office with the ability to tele-

commute on days when not

in the office. Email resume

w/Ref# 10211961 to

talent@belkin.com. Must be

legally auth to work in the

U.S. w/o spnsrshp. EOE

Fencing Coach, Arcadia CA: Instr indiv&group fence sport rules, strategy, perf principal. Cond pract session. Prov training direct&encourag, prep student f/competits. Anlz strength&weakn oppos athlet dev strategy. \$72130/yr BS Physical Education Fax res West Coast Fencing Center Inc 626-226-4181

CAREGIVERS Elwood Home Care LLC, Palmdale, CA. Full Time, no experience, HS or equivalent. Asst w/prsl care. Mail: 4099 Elwood Ave, Palmdale, CA 93552

Associate Pastor: Req BA in Divinity or rel. Wage: \$61,443/YR Mail resume: Choong Hyun Mission Church 5005 Edenhurst Ave, LA, CA 90039

Edge Americas Sports Inc. seeks Head Coach in Los Angeles, CA. Develop and oversee soccer coaching programs, training sessions, athlete development strategies, performance analysis, and daily coaching operations. Occasional domestic travel required. Requires Bachelor's in Sports and Exercise Science, Kinesiology, Physical Education, or related field, plus 24 months of experience as Soccer Coach. Salary: \$36,000/year. Send resume to Edge Americas Sports Inc., Attn: Carlo Peyron, 10801 National Blvd, Suite 605, Los Angeles, CA 90064

Employment

IT ERP Mgr: Job in Carson, CA (remote work anywhere in US permitted). Supervise & oversee SAP API & EDI integrations. Salary: \$136,885-221,500/yr. See benefits & apply to Lakeshore Learning Materials, LLC at https://cmrtr.io/BWfnc

Deloitte Consulting LLP seeks a Senior Consultant in Los Angeles, California to drive digital and service UX/UI (User Experience and User Interface) design, practicing a rigorous design process that includes ethnographic research, synthesis, insight generation, ideation, design, prototyping and testing, and utilize these designs to drive innovative and transformative technology solutions that address clients' next generational needs. 50% travel required nationally. Telecommuting permitted. Annual Salary: \$131,000 - \$218,300. To apply visit apply.deloitte.com. Enter XB27C110181 in "Search jobs" field.

Rest Spclty Cook w/assoc deg&atlst 24mos exp Hotel&Rest Cook or rel Lgl wk auth CV to Mnl Inasal 240 Virgil Ave,LA,CA90004

Cost Estmtr w/Bach Deg & atlst 12mos exp Eng, Arch, Estmtr or rel Lgl wk auth CV to ABS Shoring15321Saticoy St, VanNuys, CA 91436

Pray, Inc. dba Pray.com in Westlake Village, CA is seek'g a Manager of Data Analytics to create & organize systems to store & secure data. No trvl req. WFH bnft avail. Employer offers standard Medical, dental, vision, 401k, life insurance & stock options. Salary \$203,000/yr. Send resumes to support@pray.com with the role in the subject line.

Optum Services, Inc. Principal Data Scientist, Irvine, CA, Initiate and drive novel method development in machine learning from first principles to deployed solutions. Position reports to Irvine, CA office and allows for partial telecommuting. Wage Range: \$226,500.00-\$315,054.00/per year. Please email your resume to GlobalRecruitment@uhg.com and reference job #2388090.

Visual Designer (5) sought by Specs Inc. (Santa Monica, CA) \*Hybrid work permitted - Specs practices a "default together" approach & expects team members to work in Santa Monica ofc at least 80% of time (avg 4 days/wk). Define & Champion visual & art direction of Snap OS. Base salary: \$190,000-\$284,000/yr. Eligible for equity in form of RSUs. Our Benefits: https://careers.snap.com/benefits. Apply through this website link: https://tinyurl.com/43zf6udr.EOE

VISUAL DESIGNER:

Req. BFA or rel. Wage: \$49,000/YR Mail resume: Woody Clothing Inc 702 Traction Ave LA, CA 90013

Fluor Enterprises, Inc. seeks Process Engineering Manager in Aliso Viejo, CA & unanticipated CA office locations: Lead teams to develop drawings & specifications. Salary: \$223,870-\$270,500/YR. Dom. & int.' travel req'd. Must have unrestricted right to work in U.S. Email Resume: US.recruiter@fluor.com. Must ref job code CA1114SS

Los Angeles Times Classified

Los Angeles Times

Employment

Amgen Inc.; Finance Manager – R-248050; Thousand Oaks, CA; Support business organizations by providing key financial support and analysis to help drive and improve business performance; May Telecommute. Interested candidates email resume to Talent-Acquisition@amgen.com. Must reference Job # R-248050. The annual salary range for this position in the U.S. is \$103,195.00-\$139,321.00 per year. Also, this position offers stock, retirement, medical, life and disability insurance and eligibility for an annual bonus or for sales roles, other incentive compensation. For more details visit https://careers.amgen.com/life-at-amgen/benefits/.

Deloitte Consulting LLP seeks a Manager in Los Angeles, California to manage the end-to-end journey for information technology projects from On-Premise to Cloud within the following focus areas: Cloud messaging, ground-to-Cloud connectivity, Cloud Strategy, Operating Model Transformation, Cloud Development, Cloud Integration and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), Cloud Migration, Cloud Infrastructure and Engineering, and Cloud Managed Services. 50% travel required nationally. Telecommuting permitted. Annual Salary: \$243,464.00 - \$252,010.00. To apply visit apply.deloitte.com. Enter XB27C120952 in "Search jobs" field.

Amgen Inc.; Process Development Principal Scientist-R243910; Thousand Oaks, CA; Lead analytical method development, validation and trouble-shooting for drug substances and drug products and in-process testing for synthetic small molecules and/or synthetic peptide testing and characterization. Supervises direct reports. Interested candidates email resume to Talent-Acquisition@amgen.com. Must reference Job # R-243910. The annual salary range for this position in the U.S. is \$148,363.00-\$171,657.00 per year. Also, this position offers stock, retirement, medical, life and disability insurance and eligibility for an annual bonus or for sales roles, other incentive compensation. For more details visit https://careers.amgen.com/life-at-amgen/benefits/.

Amgen Inc.; Senior Manager Value & Access Insights R-243912; Thousand Oaks, CA; Partner with account Marketing, Market access and Pricing/Contracting to provide insights around various therapeutic areas like Migraine, Cardiovascular diseases, and Oncology within US healthcare system. May telecommute. Supervisory duties. Interested candidates email resume to Talent-Acquisition@amgen.com. Must reference Job # R-243912. The annual salary for this position in the U.S. is \$185,806.00-\$204,764.00 per year. Also, this position offers stock, retirement, medical, life and disability insurance and eligibility for an annual bonus or for sales roles, other incentive compensation. For more details visit https://careers.amgen.com/life-at-amgen/benefits/.

---

Employment

Amgen Inc.; Specialist IS Architect - R-248051; Thousand Oaks, CA; Lead the design and architecture efforts for workforce planning and scenario modeling systems to support Amgen's Workforce Strategy and Planning processes. May telecommute. Interested candidates email resume to TalentAcquisition@amgen.com. Must reference Job # R-248051. The annual salary for this position in the U.S. is \$144,278.00–\$178,436.00 per year. Also, this position offers stock, retirement, medical, life and disability insurance and eligibility for an annual bonus or for sales roles, other incentive compensation. For more details visit https://careers.amgen.com/life-at-amgen/benefits/.

COMPUTER/IT: Senior Software Engineer - positions offered by Ford Motor Company (Long Beach, California). Note, this is a hybrid position whereby the employee will work both from home and from the aforementioned worksite. Hence, the employee must live within a reasonable commuting distance from the worksite. Coordinate software development efforts to ensure alignment with defined requirements and seamless integration with other system components (EVSE, Inverter etc.). \$189,051.00 - \$207,288.84/yr. EOE. Apply online: careers.ford.com

Amgen Inc.; Sr Associate Lab II - R-248048; Thousand Oaks, CA; Design or plan protocols for equipment or processes to produce products meeting internal and external purity, safety, and quality requirements. May telecommute. Interested candidates email resume to Talent-Acquisition@amgen.com. Must reference Job # R-248048. The annual salary for this position in the U.S. is \$88,650.00--\$109,082.47 per year. Also, this position offers stock, retirement, medical, life and disability insurance and eligibility for an annual bonus or for sales roles, other incentive compensation. For more details visit https://careers.amgen.com/life-at-amgen/benefits/.

Data Engineer - Tolead Logistics US Inc. - Vernon, CA. Master's in Data Sci, Stats, or related; 6 mos exp in a data engrg-related role; Proficiency in Python, SQL, PostgreSQL, Java, & JavaScript; Proficiency in machine learning, statistical modelling, data analysis, & data visualization. Email: ranger.xiang@tolead.com; \$106,995/yr.

Energy Storage Systems (ESS) Engineer, Req'd: BS in EE or related \$77,813/yr. Res: Electri-Tech Services, Inc. 19481 San Jose Ave., City of Industry, CA 91748

AECOM Technical Services, Inc., Senior Communications Systems Design Engineer, Los Angeles, CA: Develop and review detailed communications sub-system designs specific to transportation systems. Up to 5% domestic travel required. Telecommuting permitted up to 2 days per week. Salary range: \$173,909 - \$190,000. Full Time. Equal Opportunity Employer. To apply, visit https://aecom.com/careers/ & search Job Title

Lead Data Engineer – positions offered by Mercury Insurance Services, LLC (d/b/a Mercury Insurance Group) (Los Angeles, CA). Design, build, & launch collections of high-quality big data &/or data lake solutions on Cloud platforms that support multiple use cases across all departments, all products, & all states. Offering salary of \$171,392 - \$185,856 /year. Employee reports to Los Angeles, CA but may telecommute from any location in the U.S. Please submit resume to: recruiting@mercuryinsurance.com. Reference Job ID: 9282630.

---

Employment

ALE USA Inc. in Thousand Oaks, CA seeks A) Network Solutions Engineer to dsgn, implmnt & optimize secure, hi-prfrmnc ntwrk infrstrctrs (LAN/WAN/Cloud). Slyr: \$119,413/yr. B) Automation Test Software Engineer to collab w/ Product Line Mngmnt team to define SW reqmnts, identify & implmnt dsgn methodlgs. No trvl. No telecomm. Slyr: \$141,960/yr. Both postn benefits incl: med., dent., & vis., paid vacation, 401(k), STD, LTD, life ins., EAP. Resumes to: resumes-usa@al-enterprise.com.

Farmers Group (Woodland Hills, CA) seeks Sr. Solution Engineer to provide expertise in design & functionality of bus. apps. to support Bus. Ins. processes. Remote work option from anywhere in the U.S. w/occ. travel to HQ. Salary: \$189,051/yr. Apply at Farmers.com/Careers, Job ID: 36267

Lead Software Engineer (Santa Monica, CA): Salary: \$200,000/yr. Reqmts: Associate's in S/share Engg or similar & 6 yrs exp as Web or Python Dvlpfer. Knowl of: PostgreSQL internals, autovacuum, & transaction isolation; Python, data type implmnt for memory & performance. Exp in: optimizing d/base queries w/advanced PostgreSQL features; CTEs & Window; containerized apps w/ Docker, (multi-stage Dockerfiles, cross-platform images), & multi-container orchestration; Kubernetes & AWS/EKS; GitLab CI/CD; SQLAlchemy; RESTful web services w/FastAPI & Flask; JavaScript w/modern frameworks & RESTful APIs; C# & .NET Framework; Celery Canvas ETL workflows; async Python. Send resumes to: Collectly, Inc., 2261 Market St, Ste 4965, San Francisco, CA 94114. Shamil Ismaiov.

Senior Software Engineer sought by StubHub, Inc. in Los Angeles, CA to design & maintain core engineering infrastructure, including shared frameworks, internal platforms, & foundational system components used across development teams. Telecommuting may be permitted up to 2 days /week. When not telecommuting, must report to StubHub Inc. at 1901 Avenue of the Stars, Century City, Los Angeles, CA 90067. Salary: \$94,973-\$250k /year. Apply online at: https://jobs.lever.co/StubHub.

Software Engineer (Whatnot Inc.; Culver City, CA): Build new software features for users in live-streams. Telecommuting permitted from within the U.S. Salary: \$170,000.00 to \$210,000.00 per year. To Apply, please send resume to: emilypullen@whatnot.com and reference Job Requisition Number 00090655 in the subject line. For more information, please visit: https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/whatnot/b0ec682e-45bb-4a6e-87f2-92cb3f9f4444. An EOE.

Farmers Group (Woodland Hills, CA) seeks Solution Engineer to design/develop & deliver scalable/enterprise-level tech. solutions aligned w/bus. objectives. Must have Specialization Cert. covering GCP Machine Learning & Data Engineering. Pos. reqs. 10% travel w/in the U.S. Remote work option from anywhere in the U.S. Salary: \$189,051/yr. Apply at Farmers.com/Careers, Job ID: 36266

Amazon Advertising LLC seeks candidates for the following (multiple positions available) in Santa Monica, CA. Apply at: https://www.amazon.jobs/en/, referencing job ID AMZ17961.6: Acct Exec II 100, AdLrgSales (Job ID: AMZ17961.6). Prospect, penetrate and create new relationships with clients and partner teams in China. Retain and grow revenue from existing advertisers. Domestic and international travel up to 15% to perform role responsibilities may be required. The pay range for this position in Santa Monica, CA is \$113101 - \$155900 (yr); however, base pay offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. A sign-on bonus and restricted stock units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position offered. This information is provided by California Equal Pay Act. Base pay information is based on market location. Applicants should apply via Amazon's internal or external careers site.

Fashion Designer sought by Miss 8 Inc. to develop original and innovative design concepts, seasonal design concepts, and select fabrics, trims, and materials, etc. Job site: Los Angeles, CA. Salary: \$43,950.00 per year. Resume to: 772 Ceres Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90021.

Attn: Wenhao Guo.

---

Employment

Experienced Senior Assurance Associate @ BDO USA, P.C., (Los Angeles, CA) F/T. Crdnte dy-to-dy "in-charge" duts of pinning, fdwrk & "wrp-up" to incld th prarpatn of audit rprts & fnalc stnatmnts with disclrs. Reqr Bchlr's (or frgn eqvint) in Accntng, Tx, Fnanc, Bsns Admin or rltd plus 3 yrs of exp in the job offrd, or as an Audtr, or rltd. Mst hve exp in: Applying GAAS & GAAP rgulatns or intl eqvint; Rslvng cmplx acctng issus; Audtng public & prvtre cmpns; Rwng fnalc stnatmnts with disclrs; Microsoft Office prdcts, including Wndws, Wrd, Excl & PPT, & USng vars amssnce ap- plictns & resrch its. Dmstc trvl reqrd up to 20% of th time to van unamricipct clnt stes & BDO office lctns ntally. Rte of pay: \$100,589-\$115,000/yr. Send resume to BDOJobApplications@BDO.com. Indicate "KR-CA" EOE.

Fin'l Planning & Analyst Sr. Associate – Irvine, CA. Analyze fin'l data that flows into operational reporting. Job reqs MS (or forgn equiv) in Biz Admin & 3yrs exp. Need expertise in MRI & acctg. Salary: \$135K/yr. Email cvr ltr & CV to Panattoni Development Co, Inc at humanresources@

---

panattoni.com

Finance: Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. seeks Vice President w/ Bachelor's degree in Finan, Econ, Acctg, Bus Admin or rel. fld. + 5 yrs exp in investment banking or closely related occupation. Worksite: Los Angeles, CA. 25% domestic/internat'l travel req'd. Salary: \$150,000/yr. Send resume to rkort@leonardgreen.com (Ref. No: 1625).

Vice President, Investments (CIM Group, LP - Los Angeles, CA). Duties: Sourcing and executing transactions meeting investment criteria of CIM's Infrastructure and Impact investment vehicles. Lead transactions from sourcing through disposition: investment sourcing, underwriting, transaction negotiation, coordination of diligence, and execution, asset management and oversight of business plan. 5-10% North American travel. Required: BS in Economics, Finance, International Economics and Finance, or related. 7 years' experience: investment banking or private equity, including infrastructure investing; business and investments; financial modeling (debt and project finance modeling). 5 years' experience with: written communication and presentations in the banking or private equity sector; management of multiple stakeholders and deadlines. Send resume (referencing "Vice President, Investments"): Andrew Nguyen at anguyen@cimgroup.com or 4700 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90010.

Cargo and Freight Agent (Gardena, CA) Expedite and route cargo and freight shipments. High school diploma req'd. \$43,763/yr. Resume to: All Satisfied Logistics Inc., 14900 S Avalon Blvd, Gardena, CA 90248

JOB Video Editor (El Monte, CA) edit video footage. \$50,565/year Req 24 mon exp. as video editor, multimedia editor or similar jobs. Send resume to employer: The Epoch Times Los

Law Clerk for Law Offices of Melanie M Yang, Master of Law (LLM), 6 mos exp. required. Salary \$79, 435/Yr. Rsm to H.R. at 404 E. Las Tunas Drive, Suite 203, San Gabriel, CA 91776.

Assistant Property Manager (LA, CA) Assist in daily management of commercial retail property. Associate degree in any field. \$65,478/yr. Resumes to: INI Investment Corp., 928 S Western Ave #300, LA, CA 90006

CS Mgr w/bach deg&atlst 12mos exp in Bus, CS rel Lgl wk auth CV to Amazing Companion Care 3435 Wilshire Blvd#300 LA, CA90010

---

Employment

Deloitte Consulting LLP seeks a Manager in Costa Mesa, California to participate in SAP software advisory and implementation services to help companies unlock the value of technology investments as discrete services or comprehensive solutions. 50% travel required nationally. Telecommuting permitted. Annual Salary: \$159,100 - \$265,100. To apply visit apply.deloitte.com. Enter XB27C105001 in "Search jobs" field.

Deloitte Consulting LLP seeks a Senior Manager in Los Angeles, California to lead software development and implementation services of SAP products. 50% travel required nationally. Telecommuting permitted. Annual Salary: \$243,464.00 - \$322,100.00. To apply visit apply.deloitte.com. Enter XB27C97403 in "Search jobs" field.

Los Angeles Times

Senior Manager, Engineering at Skyworks Solutions, Inc., Newbury Park, CA: Lead, coach & mentor a high-performing IE team. Salary: \$221,042 - \$247,800 / yr. Email resumes: Angela.Ho@skyworksinc.com. Ref: CA0726ST

Hearts & Science LLC (Los Angeles, CA) seeks Associate Director, Marketing Science. Reqs Bach or US equiv in Mathmatics, Economics, Finance, Mrktng, Communcatn Mgmt or rltd fld +5yrs exp as Mrktng Anlyst, Media Anlyst or any occptn, job title, pos invlng mrktng anlytcs or media anlytcs & data sci or MS or US equiv in Mathmatics, Economics, Finance, Mrktng, Communcatn Mgmt or rltd fld +3yrs exp as Mrktng Anlyst, Media Anlyst or any occptn, title, pos invlng mrktng anlytcs or media anlytcs & data sci. Must have 3yrs prof exp anlyzng campgn prfmmc using quantv tchnqs; dvlpng dashbds & rpts usng data visualzn tools incl Datorama & Looker; applying advncd anlytcs sftwr pkgs (incl SQL, R or Python); & w/ ad-srvng & web anlytcs tools (incl DCM, DV360 & Google Anlytcs). Mustv 2yrs prof exp wrkng w/ bhvril data srces (incl Acxiom & Liveramp) & syndctd rsrch tools (incl Nielsen & comScore); & suprvsg or mngng jr team mmbrs. Prtl telcommutg permittd; on-site at LA office when not telcommutg. Reqs up to 15% trvl for cInt vsts & mtngs. #LI-DNI. Salary: \$165,818/yr. E-mail rés to: lorrie.lord@omc.com.

Market Development Specialist: Collect & summarize logistics market info. \$55,370/yr. Resume to: Sky Express World Courier Inc, 1620 E 22nd St, LA CA 90011

Marketing Specialist - WJB Bearings Inc. - City of Industry, CA. Master's in Mrktg, Comm, or a related; Proficiency in Excel, Tableau, & PowerPoint; Proficiency in Canva or similar tools for campaign visuals; Proficiency in mrkt research, competitor analysis, & social media mgmt. Email: sarahmi@wjbgroup.com; \$75,546/yr.

Dreier's Nursing Care Center, Glendale, CA, seeks LVN. Duties: Provide direct resident nursing care & supervise daily activities of nursing assistants per federal/state regulations. Requires CA-approved LPN/LVN Certificate. Salary: \$65,395/yr. Resume to: dsd@nursing-care.com.

---

Employment

OfcSup/AdmSup w/bach deg & atlst 12mos exp in Adm,Bus rel Lgl wk auth CV to Call Jacob 714 W.Olympic Blvd #300 LA,CA90015

LABRADOR RETRIEVER

Champagne Pups M/F Guarant

Infosilveroselabs@gmail.com

Payrl&Timekpg Speclst w/ Bach Deg & atlst 12mos exp Eng,Bus,Fin or rel Lgl wk auth CV to FramoConstr15321Saticoy St,Van Nuys, CA91436

Producer (Culver City, CA) Coordinate vertical short drama prod incl scheduling, budgeting & team comm; oversee casting, locations & prod logistics; participate in script dev & creative review; monitor quality & deadlines. Req.: Master's in Film/Film Productions + 6 mos exp. \$115378/year. Email resume to Reelshort LLC, at: br@crazymanlostudio.com

Project Designer: Master's in Landscape Architecture, Architecture, or a related major req'd. Wage: \$85,176/Yr. Send resume to MLA Green, Inc., 251 S. Mission Rd., LA, CA 90033, Attn: H. Kuwayama.

Psychiatrist. Bakersfield, CA: Send CV to Bakersfield Recovery Services, Inc.: Anand Manohara: amanohara@genesismm.com

---

TECHNOLOGY

Apple Inc. has multiple positions available in Culver City, California. Submit resume at the below web address: Channel Marcom (https://jobs.apple.com/en-us/details/200685184) Develop and execute multi-quarter channel marketing roadmaps, including quarterly planning and prioritization frameworks. \$177,000 - \$266,000/yr. May be eligible for disc bonus/comm/shareholder opp and other benefits. Learn more about Apple benefits: https://www.apple.com/jobs/us/benefits.html. Apple is an EOE. AA-Disability/Vets.

---

Your

exclusive

guide to

SoCal

real estate

listings.

Advertise

Today

JUMBLE. THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME By David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek

LA Times

Classified

(800) 234-4444

Unscramble these Jumbles, one letter to each square, to form six ordinary words.

MUCH APPRECEATED

Get the free JUST JUMBLE app · Follow us on Facebook

©2026 Tribune Conte

All Rights Reserved.

AKC Striking Silver/Charcoal/

ntee \$1200 SilveroseLabs.com

559-246-0676

PRINT YOUR ANSWER IN THE CINGLES BELOW

PRINT YOUR ANSWER IN THE CIRCLES BELOW

Now arrange the circled letters to form the surprise answer, as suggested by the above cartoon.

Dogs

Birds

MACAW We have a beautiful pair of domestic hyacinth Macaws for sale, they comes with DNA paperwork. She has layed prior to being set up with this male and with a nest box. Now that they are together they are actively working the best box. He is 1 years old and she is 15 months old both domestic 818-821-0542

MARKETPLACE

To advertise your pets, log on to

placeanad.latimes.com/pets-for-sale

Los Angeles Times

ALPACA

BRANDY

When her grandfather gave them such a valuable painting, it was —

STITCH HAMPER

Answer: QUENCH REDEEM

JUMBLT

---

HOW TO PLACE AN AD

Self-service 24/7: latimes.com/placead

Contact us by phone 24/7:

800-234-4444

ADVERTISING POLICIES

For Los Angeles Times advertising terms and conditions go to:

www.latimes.com/about/la-ads-terms-20181105-htmlstory.html

---

THE WEATHER

---

Today in Southern California

Rachel affecting Southern California: Rachel will bring wet weather at times Sunday along with a thunderstorm in spots. The heaviest of the rain and areas of flooding will be primarily south and east of downtown Los Angeles and during the morning, though spotty showers and rain in the mountains will continue in the afternoon. A deepening trough will keep a few showers across the area Sunday night and Monday.

---

5-day forecasts

High/low temperatures are average forecasts for entire zone. | L.A. Basin | Valleys | Beaches | Mountains | Deserts | Today | 72|60 | 71|57 | 71|61 | 53|35 | 76|61 | Some rain | Some rain | Some rain | Stormy | Rain and wind | Monday | A few showers | 68/56 | A few showers | 67/53 | A few showers | 69/56 | A few showers | 49/29 | Showers | 75/58 | Tuesday | Partly sunny | 73/58 | Warmer | 75/54 | Mostly sunny | 72/57 | Cold | 50/31 | Partly sunny | 78/61 | Wednesday | Sunny | 81/60 | Sunny | 82/59 | Sunny | 76/60 | Sunny | 59/30 | Warmer | 84/63 | Thursday | Sunny | 88/67 | Sunny; warm | 88/65 | Sunny | 82/66 | Sunny | 66/39 | Sunny | 88/68 | ---

Surf and sea

POINT CONCEPTION TO MEXICO

Inner waters: Wind becoming west 15-30 knots. Seas 6-9 feet. Swell west 5-6 feet at 6-9 seconds and south 5 feet at about 12 seconds. | County | Height | Period | Direction | Temp | Santa Barbara | 3-5' | 9 sec | W | 68 | Ventura | 5-8' | 9 sec | W | 70 | Los Angeles | 5-8' | 8 sec | W | 73 | Orange | 5-9' | 7 sec | W | 73 | San Diego | 5-8' | 6 sec | W | 74 | L.A. Outer Harbor, in feet. | Today | 9:49a | 6.2 Hi | 3:36a | 1.3 Lo | 10:44p | 4.4 Hi | 4:33p | 0.0 Lo | Mon. | 10:13a | 6.1 Hi | 3:59a | 1.7 Lo | 11:29p | 4.0 Hi | 5:12p | 0.0 Lo | UV index

---

Sun and moon

Minutes to burn for sensitive people

Las Vegas, 60 Phoenix, 60

Los Angeles, 60 San Francisco, 45

---

Almanac

California cities\* | Temperature | Los Angeles | Fullerton | Ventura* | High/low | 81/67 | 78/69 | 70/61 | Normal high/low | 79/61 | 81/60 | 75/54 | High/low a year ago | 88/62 | 87/64 | 72/53 | Record high/date | 107/1991 | 103/2015 | 96/2015 | Record low/date | 46/1890 | 50/2013 | 41/1949 | City | Sat.* | Today | Mon. | Hi | Lo | Prcp. | Hi | Lo | Hi | Lo | Anaheim | 82 | 67 | .12 | 73 | 61 | 70 | 57 | Avalon/Catalina | 74 | 62 | Tr | 64 | 53 | 61 | 54 | Bakersfield | 86 | 62 | -- | 77 | 56 | 69 | 54 | Barstow | 89 | 63 | .04 | 73 | 54 | 68 | 51 | Big Bear Lake | 64 | 40 | -- | 53 | 35 | 49 | 29 | Bishop | 82 | 48 | -- | 70 | 41 | 62 | 35 | Burbank | 82 | 66 | -- | 71 | 58 | 67 | 53 | Camarillo | 73 | 65 | -- | 72 | 57 | 67 | 52 | Chatsworth | 81 | 65 | .03 | 72 | 57 | 66 | 52 | Chino | 82 | 64 | -- | 71 | 59 | 68 | 53 | Compton | 81 | 69 | .10 | 74 | 62 | 72 | 57 | Dana Point | 76 | 66 | .14 | 72 | 62 | 68 | 57 | Death Valley | 96 | 70 | .01 | 83 | 69 | 82 | 63 | Del Mar | 76 | 68 | .14 | 72 | 64 | 69 | 58 | Escondido | 82 | 65 | .12 | 71 | 60 | 67 | 52 | Eureka | 60 | 43 | -- | 62 | 39 | 62 | 42 | Fallbrook | 86 | 63 | .08 | 69 | 59 | 67 | 50 | Fresno | 87 | 55 | -- | 77 | 57 | 71 | 53 | Fullerton | 80 | 68 | Tr | 73 | 61 | 70 | 57 | Hemet | 88 | 59 | .06 | 65 | 56 | 63 | 49 | Hesperia | 81 | 55 | -- | 65 | 50 | 60 | 44 | Huntington Beach | 77 | 68 | .16 | 73 | 63 | 72 | 59 | Idyllwild | 71 | 49 | .09 | 57 | 44 | 53 | 41 | Irvine | 82 | 67 | .17 | 74 | 63 | 73 | 57 | City | Sat.* | Today | Mon. | Hi | Lo | Prcp. | Hi | Lo | Hi | Lo | L.A. D'ntown/USC | 81 | 67 | .10 | 72 | 60 | 68 | 56 | L.A. Int'l. Airport | 77 | 69 | Tr | 72 | 62 | 68 | 58 | Laguna Beach | 74 | 66 | .10 | 71 | 62 | 68 | 58 | Lancaster | 82 | 60 | -- | 71 | 52 | 62 | 44 | Long Beach | 78 | 69 | Tr | 73 | 62 | 70 | 58 | Mammoth Lakes | 61 | 34 | -- | 57 | 30 | 44 | 29 | Mission Viejo | 79 | 64 | .07 | 71 | 59 | 69 | 55 | Monrovia | 81 | 65 | .04 | 72 | 57 | 67 | 53 | Monterey | 64 | 56 | -- | 65 | 50 | 69 | 52 | Mt. Wilson | 64 | 47 | .04 | 54 | 37 | 46 | 37 | Needles | 98 | 70 | -- | 78 | 66 | 79 | 62 | Newport Beach | 75 | 67 | .16 | 74 | 64 | 72 | 59 | Northridge | 82 | 64 | .09 | 74 | 57 | 69 | 53 | Oakland | 65 | 50 | -- | 67 | 52 | 70 | 52 | Oceanside | 80 | 64 | Tr | 72 | 59 | 69 | 49 | Ojai | 79 | 63 | -- | 75 | 53 | 67 | 48 | Ontario | 83 | 64 | -- | 69 | 58 | 65 | 54 | Palm Springs | 92 | 66 | -- | 76 | 61 | 75 | 58 | Pasadena | 81 | 67 | .05 | 71 | 58 | 65 | 54 | Paso Robles | 78 | 47 | -- | 70 | 47 | 69 | 42 | Redding | 79 | 57 | -- | 76 | 51 | 71 | 45 | Riverside | 84 | 61 | .01 | 68 | 56 | 66 | 51 | Sacramento | 74 | 46 | -- | 75 | 50 | 73 | 49 | San Bernardino | 86 | 61 | -- | 71 | 57 | 65 | 53 | 24-hour total (as of 2 p.m.) | 0.00 | Trace | 0.00 | Season total (since Oct. 1) | 0.00 | Trace | 0.00 | Last season (Oct. 1 to date) | 0.00 | 0.01 | Trace | Season norm (Oct. 1 to date) | 0.14 | 0.11 | 0.13 | Humidity (high/low) | 89/59 | 86/55 | 96/65 | City | Sat.* | Today | Mon. | Hi | Lo | Prcp. | Hi | Lo | Hi | Lo | San Diego | 78 | 69 | .07 | 72 | 65 | 71 | 60 | San Francisco | 64 | 51 | -- | 68 | 53 | 71 | 53 | San Gabriel | 81 | 66 | .06 | 73 | 59 | 68 | 55 | San Jose | 71 | 50 | -- | 72 | 53 | 71 | 51 | San Luis Obispo | 74 | 56 | -- | 67 | 53 | 67 | 48 | Santa Ana | 81 | 67 | Tr | 73 | 63 | 69 | 61 | Santa Barbara | 76 | 62 | -- | 75 | 56 | 68 | 52 | Santa Clarita | 84 | 61 | .02 | 72 | 53 | 68 | 48 | Santa Monica Pier | 79 | 68 | -- | 71 | 61 | 69 | 56 | Santa Paula | 75 | 62 | .02 | 72 | 55 | 67 | 49 | Santa Rosa | 75 | 42 | -- | 75 | 44 | 73 | 42 | Simi Valley | 82 | 64 | .01 | 71 | 57 | 67 | 48 | Tahoe Valley | 66 | 36 | -- | 59 | 33 | 47 | 27 | Temecula | 83 | 62 | .11 | 68 | 57 | 66 | 51 | Thousand Oaks | 79 | 64 | .03 | 72 | 57 | 67 | 49 | Torrance | 77 | 69 | -- | 73 | 63 | 72 | 60 | UCLA | 79 | 68 | .06 | 72 | 61 | 69 | 56 | Van Nuys | 84 | 65 | -- | 70 | 58 | 66 | 52 | Ventura | 73 | 65 | .01 | 71 | 58 | 68 | 54 | Whittier Hills | 78 | 68 | .07 | 73 | 61 | 71 | 57 | Woodland Hills | 81 | 65 | .03 | 74 | 57 | 70 | 52 | Wrightwood | 67 | 49 | .01 | 57 | 42 | 51 | 37 | Yorba Linda | 83 | 65 | .08 | 71 | 60 | 68 | 55 | Yosemite Valley | 72 | 49 | -- | 69 | 43 | 57 | 38 | ---

Today in North America | City | Saturday* | Today | Hi | Lo | Prcp. | Hi | Lo | Sky | Albany | 59 | 39 | -- | 59 | 52 | R | Albuquerque | 79 | 56 | .04 | 80 | 56 | Ts | Anchorage | 48 | 44 | .11 | 49 | 38 | Sh | Aspen | 63 | 41 | Tr | 68 | 42 | Ts | Atlanta | 68 | 59 | 2.30 | 72 | 60 | Cy | Austin | 92 | 57 | -- | 93 | 71 | Su | Baltimore | 71 | 48 | .01 | 68 | 62 | R | Boise | 62 | 52 | -- | 57 | 39 | Sh | Boston | 63 | 49 | -- | 62 | 55 | R | Buffalo | 69 | 43 | -- | 61 | 55 | R | Burlington, Vt. | 56 | 37 | -- | 65 | 52 | Cy | Charleston, S.C. | 78 | 69 | 2.46 | 83 | 63 | Ts | Charlotte | 67 | 58 | .97 | 75 | 60 | Ts | Chicago | 80 | 62 | -- | 77 | 62 | Pc | Cincinnati | 67 | 59 | .11 | 67 | 56 | R | Cleveland | 71 | 53 | .05 | 65 | 59 | R | Columbia, S.C. | 73 | 64 | 1.02 | 77 | 61 | Ts | Columbus | 68 | 55 | .16 | 66 | 58 | R | Dallas/FLWorth | 91 | 65 | -- | 90 | 70 | Su | Denver | 81 | 59 | -- | 81 | 56 | Cy | Detroit | 71 | 56 | -- | 65 | 55 | R | El Paso | 87 | 62 | -- | 89 | 66 | Su | Eugene | 62 | 37 | .02 | 66 | 32 | Su | Fort Myers | 90 | 79 | .05 | 87 | 75 | Ts | Hartford | 65 | 42 | -- | 60 | 52 | R | Honolulu | 89 | 77 | .01 | 87 | 72 | Su | Houston | 88 | 64 | -- | 92 | 71 | Su | Indianapolis | 73 | 56 | .09 | 73 | 55 | R | Jacksonville, Fla. | 87 | 74 | 1.28 | 86 | 62 | Ts | Kansas City | 86 | 58 | -- | 88 | 69 | Su | Knoxville | 75 | 57 | .75 | 69 | 59 | Ts | Las Vegas | 87 | 78 | .01 | 72 | 62 | Ts | Louisville | 69 | 59 | .20 | 69 | 56 | R | Medford | 64 | 44 | -- | 68 | 32 | Su | Memphis | 76 | 67 | .08 | 88 | 66 | Su | Miami | 91 | 82 | .01 | 92 | 79 | Ts | Milwaukee | 81 | 59 | -- | 73 | 60 | Pc | Minneapolis | 90 | 60 | -- | 87 | 65 | Su | Nashville | 64 | 60 | .61 | 73 | 56 | R | New Orleans | 81 | 67 | Tr | 88 | 65 | Su | New York | 68 | 54 | -- | 63 | 57 | R | Norfolk | 75 | 66 | 1.04 | 78 | 66 | Ts | Oklahoma City | 91 | 57 | -- | 90 | 68 | W | Omaha | 91 | 61 | -- | 88 | 67 | Su | Orlando | 91 | 79 | .10 | 87 | 69 | Ts | Philadelphia | 75 | 52 | -- | 67 | 61 | R | Phoenix | 96 | 81 | .17 | 87 | 70 | Ts | Pittsburgh | 68 | 47 | .09 | 64 | 59 | R | Portland, Ore. | 61 | 49 | .05 | 66 | 42 | Su | Providence | 65 | 47 | -- | 62 | 56 | R | Raleigh/Durham | 71 | 59 | .23 | 79 | 63 | Ts | Reno | 79 | 56 | -- | 59 | 42 | Sh | Richmond | 73 | 55 | .04 | 76 | 64 | Ts | St. Louis | 80 | 56 | -- | 87 | 69 | Su | Salt Lake City | 78 | 68 | .06 | 69 | 54 | Ts | SATURDAY'S EXTREMES AS OF 2 P.M. FOR THE 48 CONTIGUOUS STATES

High 98 in Needles, Calif.

Low 23 in Redmond, Ore.

Isaias a flood risk: Tropical Storm Isaias will spread rain across most of the Northeast with downpours for some, while showers and storms occurring across Virginia can have isolated tornadoes. The first snowstorm of the season will continue in the northern Rockies.

Showers T-storms Rain Flurries Snow Ice Hurricane Tropical Storm Tropical Depression Tropical Rainstorm

Shown are areas of precipitation and high temperatures for the day.

---

U.S. cities | City | Saturday* | Today | Hi | Lo | Prcp. | Hi | Lo | Sky | Seattle | 59 | 48 | .01 | 62 | 41 | Su | Tampa | 88 | 80 | .35 | 86 | 71 | Ts | Tucson | 90 | 75 | .05 | 81 | 65 | Ts | Tulsa | 90 | 59 | -- | 91 | 71 | Su | Washington, D.C. | 72 | 54 | .01 | 70 | 63 | R | Wichita | 88 | 56 | -- | 90 | 69 | W | World | Acapulco | 86 | 74 | .79 | 88 | 77 | Hz | Amsterdam | 57 | 52 | .74 | 58 | 44 | Sh | Athens | 81 | 63 | -- | 77 | 64 | Ts | Bangkok | 90 | 81 | .01 | 88 | 78 | Ts | Barcelona | 75 | 55 | -- | 74 | 61 | Pc | Berlin | 63 | 50 | Tr | 56 | 43 | Sh | Cabo San Lucas | 93 | 78 | -- | 93 | 74 | Pc | Cairo | 86 | 67 | -- | 84 | 67 | Hz | Dubai | 102 | 88 | -- | 100 | 83 | Su | Dublin | 55 | 46 | .03 | 59 | 56 | Pc | Havana | 90 | 77 | .30 | 92 | 74 | Su | Ho Chi Minh City | 88 | 81 | .03 | 92 | 77 | R | Hong Kong | 89 | 78 | -- | 90 | 80 | Su | Istanbul | 75 | 61 | -- | 76 | 64 | Hz | Jerusalem | 81 | 64 | -- | 79 | 66 | Ts | Johannesburg | 83 | 54 | .33 | 80 | 56 | Ts | Kuala Lumpur | 90 | 76 | .17 | 91 | 75 | Ts | Lima | 80 | 70 | -- | 81 | 72 | Su | London | 61 | 50 | -- | 61 | 52 | Pc | Madrid | 77 | 46 | -- | 76 | 51 | Pc | Mecca | 102 | 78 | -- | 102 | 81 | Hz | Mexico City | 71 | 57 | .62 | 75 | 58 | R | Montreal | 55 | 37 | -- | 67 | 51 | Hz | Moscow | 50 | 44 | .02 | 57 | 51 | Cy | Mumbai | 99 | 86 | -- | 98 | 81 | Su | New Delhi | 90 | 73 | -- | 91 | 73 | Pc | Paris | 64 | 52 | -- | 63 | 45 | Cy | Prague | 55 | 50 | .20 | 55 | 40 | Sh | Rome | 70 | 63 | .03 | 76 | 59 | Pc | Seoul | 81 | 52 | -- | 83 | 64 | Su | Singapore | 88 | 82 | .01 | 90 | 80 | Ts | Taipei City | 82 | 72 | -- | 87 | 69 | Ts | Tokyo | 75 | 65 | -- | 80 | 66 | Su | Vancouver | 57 | 43 | .09 | 59 | 40 | Su | Vienna | 66 | 48 | .03 | 65 | 45 | Su | 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. Saturday's readings as of 2 p.m.

---

Forecasts by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2026

AccuWeather. Proven Superior Accuracy™ Visit AccuWeather.com

Lawsuit against printer company aims to limit bootleg gun industry

Escondido Police Department

IN 2023, authorities found polymer filament and other materials for a 3-D gun-printing operation in an RV.

ALEX BRANDON Associated Press

A HANDGUN frame made on a 3-D printer is shown at the ATF's National Services Center in 2023.

[Guns, from B1]

The spool suit is the latest in a coordinated effort by California's municipalities and the state attorney general's office to throttle the bootleg gun industry by stanching the flow of its precursor components.

In February, the San Francisco city attorney's office partnered with the California attorney general to sue the online library Gatalog, whose popular digital firearm manufacturing codes can produce more than 150 different 3-D-printed guns and accessories.

"Widely available consumer-grade 3D printers capable of printing firearm parts, frames, receivers, and accessories now start at about \$200 and are compact enough to fit on a small table," the complaint alleged.

“A single spool of PLA+ polymer filament, for example — the only other material required — costs approximately \$20-30 and may be sufficient to print multiple firearm components,” putting a 3-D-printed handgun at roughly half the price of a Glock, the suit said.

State law enforcement officers now recover about 11,000 ghost guns and homemade manual-to-automatic conversion kits a year, compared with roughly two dozen a decade ago, the San Francisco suit alleged.

According to the San Diego action, more than half of all ghost guns recovered in the U.S. are confiscated in California.

It's unclear how many of those weapons were made from scratch using 3-D printers and how many were built using mail-order kits that contain many of the necessary parts, though law enforcement officials have said the latter is far more common.

The proliferation of untraceable weapons has forced state and local authorities to stretch their regulatory power under California law to try to capture the blueprint books and filament spools that allow novice tinkerers to build backyard arsenals with minimal upfront investment, technical savvy or criminal ingenuity.

Gatalog and Polymaker both market through a network of influencers “specializing in 3D printed ghost gun content, as well as companies and individuals that illegally distribute [digital firearm manufacturing codes],” according to the suits.

Both also directly target state residents: Gatalog advertises a “California Compliant Glock 19-based Carbine kit,” while Polymakers’ website features Proposition 65 warnings and state-specific privacy opt-out features. That puts both afoul of California law, the suits allege.

The men behind Gatalog and its sister site, CtrlPew, went to federal court in Orlando, Fla., to try to block that assertion, saying California's suit interfered with their constitutional rights.

"[The California suit] seeks to impose civil penalties and injunctive relief on Plaintiffs for purely Floridian speech and links published on the open Internet," the complaint said.

The court rejected that claim.

"The Ghost Gun Ban is a classic example of the exercise of state police power and moral judgment," U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron wrote. "As the Supreme Court has recently clarified, 'a State may exclude from its territory . . . any articles which, in its judgment . . . are prejudicial to the interests of its citizens.'"

The recent flurry of ghost gun litigation is part of a broader, increasingly coordinated effort between local governments and the state to advance so-called affirmative litigation under California's Unfair Competition Law.

San Diego's Polymaker suit is one of three launched last week by the county counsel's new affirmative litigation department — a division built to wield its recently expanded authority to investigate and sue businesses on behalf of residents.

Still, whether California can actually enforce its new-est gun-control measures remains largely untested.

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has grown increasingly hostile to gun control since President Trump began his aggressive overhaul of the bench almost a decade ago. In July, Trump's newest appointee, Eric Tung, joined the circuit's top 2nd Amendment acolyte Lawrence VanDyke in scathing dissent over California restrictions on switchblade knives.

Then, in August, the 9th Circuit tossed California's challenge to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives' 2022 ghost gun rule, saying the state lacked standing to challenge its carve-out for pre-manufactured components such as “unformed block of metal, liquid polymer, or other raw material.”

"The terms frame and receiver 'shall not include a forging, casting, printing, extrusion, unmachined body, or similar article that has not yet reached a stage of manufacture where it is clearly identifiable as an unfinished component part of a weapon,' " Judge Consuelo M. Callahan wrote for the panel.

That rule has already been fought over at the Supreme Court, which nodded to a similar conclusion in upholding restrictions on “buy build shoot” kits last year.

In a 7-2 decision, the court sided with a group of Ivy League linguists who argued the disassembled parts should be understood as a gun in the same way an IKEA flat-pack is understood as a table or Vasily Grossman's incomplete opus "Everything Flows" as a novel.

But that logic goes only so far, Justice Neil M. Gorsuch wrote for the court.

“It would be extravagant to speak of a novel when the author has dashed off only a few lines,” Gorsuch wrote. “Few would call a pile of unfinished logs a table.”

Not everyone in the court read its decision so narrowly.

In his dissent, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that under the court's ruling, "whether an unusable, unfinished piece of metal constitutes a regulable 'frame or receiver' can turn on a manufacturer's 'marketing materials'" — much as California's newest ghost gun laws assert.

RENEWAL

by ANDERSEN

FULL-SERVICE WINDOW & DOOR REPLACEMENT

Window and Door Event

INSTALLATION IS ALWAYS INCLUDED!

Buy One, Get One

40% OFF

Windows and Doors $^{1}$

MINIMUM PURCHASE OF 4

PLUS

\$200 OFF

Your Entire Purchase $^{1}$

MINIMUM PURCHASE OF 4

PLUS

NO Money Down, NO Monthly Payments, NO Interest for 12 Months $^{1}$

MINIMUM PURCHASE OF 4 – INTEREST ACCRUES DURING PROMOTIONAL PERIOD BUT IS WAIVED IF PAID IN FULL WITHIN 12 MONTHS

Call 1-833-529-1888 by Dec. 31 to schedule a FREE consultation!

RENEWAL BY ANDERSEN

$^{1}$ DETAILS OF OFFER: Offer expires 12/31/2026. Not valid with other offers or prior purchases. Buy one (1) window or entry/patio door, get one (1) window or entry/patio door 40% off, and 12 months no money down, no monthly payments, no interest when you purchase four (4) or more windows or entry/patio doors between 10/1/2026 and 12/31/2026. 40% off windows and entry/patio doors are less than or equal to lowest cost window or entry/patio door in the order. Additional \$200 off your purchase, minimum purchase of 4 required, taken after initial discount(s), when you purchase by 12/31/2026. Subject to credit approval. 12-month Promotional Period: when no payments are due, interest accrues but is waived if balance is paid in full before Promotional Period expires. Any unpaid balance owed after Promotional Period, plus accrued interest, will be paid in installments based on terms disclosed in the financing agreement. Financing is provided by various financial institutions without regard to age, race, color, religion, national origin, gender, or familial status. Savings comparison based on purchase of a single unit at list price. Available at participating locations and offer applies throughout the service area. See your local Renewal by Andersen location for details. License numbers available at renewalbyandersen.com/license. Some Renewal by Andersen locations are independently owned and operated. ©2026 Andersen Corporation. All rights reserved. RBA14301

NO. 21 UCLA 17, NO. 13 OREGON 15

MAKING A WING STOP

Bruins end losing streak to Ducks with goal-line stand as they improve to 5-0

TYSON FORD holds up a fumble recovery for UCLA, which prevailed in a sloppy game in which Oregon committed seven turnovers.

AL SERMENO Getty Images

BY ELIAS ESQUIVEL

EUGENE, Ore. — Sometimes the sequels are better.

In Bob Chesney's return to Autzen Stadium after Oregon knocked his James Madison squad out of the College Football Playoff, his No. 21 Bruins met the moment and toppled the No. 13 Oregon Ducks 17-15 Saturday.

The victory ended UCLA's five game losing streak against Oregon and was the Bruins' first triumph in Eugene since 2004. Chesney became the first UCLA coach to start his tenure 5-0.

The key play for UCLA was a failed two-point conversion after Oregon's final touchdown with 2:16 left. A UCLA face-mask penalty gave Oregon one more chance to tie the score. But the Ducks failed, with Tyson Ford and Jalen Woods stuffing Jordon Davison on the one-yard line.

“Really proud of our guys the way they finished here,” Chesney told CBS on the field after the win. “It could have gone a lot of different ways. We left a lot of opportunities out here, but in the end, when we needed to make a play, the defense did that.”

Chesney said earlier in the week that UCLA needed [See UCLA, D5]

USC vs.

Penn State

Saturday night's game ended after this edition of The Times was printed. Visit latimes.com/enewspaper for the game result and latimes.com/use for full coverage.

---

NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES DODGERS VS. MILWAUKEE

BEST-OF-SEVEN SERIES | GAME 1: TODAY AT MILWAUKEE, 5 P.M. PDT | TV: FOX

Success in the NLCS starts on the mound

The Dodgers entered the postseason with the best rotation of any team on paper, led by Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who proved to be practically superhuman in the World Series last year.

By not overextending itself in beating the Braves, Dodgers' rotation is primed to pitch deeper against Brewers

However, with Blake Snell tweaking his right groin muscle in his penultimate regular-season start, Tyler Glasnow pitching better after a rough patch in early September, and Tarik Skubal experiencing his first Dodgers playoff run, some questions remained unanswered.

Then the group gave up just four runs, one against each pitcher, during their National League Division Series win over the Atlanta Braves. Their collective 1.69 earned-run average was second in the postseason to only the Tampa Bay Rays (1.65), who swept the New York Yankees in the American League.

“We locked in and did a pretty good job,” Glasnow said Friday. “All of us together are so close. We root each other on, we help each other throughout the week.”

In the Dodgers' quest for a third straight World Series title, the rotation is going to have to serve as the backbone.

"It certainly makes life

By Maddie Lee easier for the team, the bullpen, if the starters are good," manager Dave Roberts said during a conference call. "I think we've got the best rotation top to bottom in baseball, and it's nice to be able to reset the rotation and get these guys going. And obviously, it gives us a chance to also minimize certain looks from our guys out of the 'pen."

Photo illustration by TATE RUDISILL Los Angeles Times; photos by Los Angeles Times and Getty Images

Skubal is set to start Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday. By ending the NLDS in four games, the Dodgers avoided having to pitch Skubal in a Game 5, making it simpler to line up the rotation. Skubal should be available for a potential NLCS Game 5, on regular rest.

The Dodgers were thinking about the NLCS when they decided to pitch Yamamoto in Game 3 against the Braves instead of Game 1. So, he's lined up to pitch in Games 2 and 6 of the NLCS.

“From there, we’re just going to keep talking through it,” Roberts said.

The Dodgers also have shown promising signs in other areas. They hit two home runs off Braves ace Chris Sale and forced him to [See Dodgers, D7]

NFL

Quarterback has been plagued by a rash of interceptions that has the Rams' offense sputtering. D3

PREP FOOTBALL

St. John Bosco avenges playoff loss

Malau'ulu leads 28-14 victory over Orange Lutheran, which upset the Braves last postseason. D4

DODGERS

Milwaukee didn't make it, so instead of starting for Brewers, he opposes them, Bill Shaikin writes. D6

PRO CALENDAR | SUN11 | MON12 | TUE13 | WED14 | THU15 | | atMilwaukee*5Fox | atMilwaukee*2Fox, FS1 | MILW.*5FS1 | MILW.*6FS1 | | BUFFALO5:15ESPN, ABC | CHANGERS | DENVER1CBS | KINGS | EDMONTON7:30ABTV, DAZN | DUCKS | CALGARY6:45KCOP, Prime | GALAXY | at St. Louis4Apple TV | PORTLAND7:30Apple TV | LAFC | AUSTIN7:30Apple TV |

NEXT: SATURDAY AT DENVER, 5:45 P.M., ION

LAKERS: Tuesday vs. Golden State in Las Vegas (preseason), 7 p.m., SpecSN, NBA TV

CLIPPERS: Wednesday vs. Denver (preseason), 7:30 p.m., KTLA, NBA TV

\* NL Championship Series Shade denotes home games. Times Pacific

---

TODAY ON THE AIR | TIME | EVENT | TV; RADIO | AUTO RACING | Noon | NASCAR Cup, Bank of America 400 | USA | 5 p.m. | NASCAR O'Reilly, Blue Cross NC 300 | CW | BASEBALL: MLB PLAYOFFS | 5 p.m. | NLCS, Game 1, Dodgers at Milwaukee | Fox, FS1, FoxD; 570, 1020 | BASKETBALL: NBA PRESEASON | 3:30 p.m. | Orlando at Cleveland | ESPN, ESPND | 6 p.m. | Chicago at Denver | ESPN, ESPND | COLLEGE GOLF | 6 a.m. (Mon.) | St. Andrews Links Collegiate, first round | Golf | COLLEGE SOCCER: WOMEN | 11 a.m. | Texas Tech at Texas Christian | ESPN2 | 1 p.m. | Illinois at UCLA | Big Ten+ | 1 p.m. | Indiana at USC | Big Ten+ | COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL: WOMEN | 9 a.m. | Washington at Penn State | Big Ten | 10 a.m. | Stanford at Louisville | ESPN | 10 a.m. | Texas A&M at Arkansas | SEC | 10 a.m. | North Carolina at Virginia | ACC | 11 a.m. | USC at Indiana | Big Ten | Noon | Pittsburgh at Southern Methodist | ESPN | Noon | South Carolina at Mississippi State | SEC | 1 p.m. | Minnesota at Ohio State | Big Ten | 2 p.m. | Texas Christian at Arizona State | ESPN2 | 3 p.m. | Illinois at Purdue | Big Ten | GOLF | 10 a.m. | PGA Korn Ferry Tour Championship, final round | Golf | 1 p.m. | PGA Tour Champions, Furyk & Friends, final round | Golf | 4 p.m. | Carolina at Philadelphia | NHL | HORSE RACING | 10 a.m. | America's Day at the Races | FS1 | PICKLEBALL | 3 p.m. | PPA, Chicago Cup, finals (delay) | FS1 | 6 p.m. | APP, Columbus Open (delay) | ESPN2 | 6:30 a.m. | Philadelphia vs. Jacksonville | NFLN, ESPND | 10 a.m. | Chicago at Green Bay | Fox | 1 p.m. | Denver at Chargers | CBS, Paramount+; 640, 103.9 | 1:25 p.m. | San Francisco at Seattle | Fox | 5 p.m. | Baltimore at Atlanta | NBC, Peacock, Universo | 7:15 a.m. | Spain, Real Sociedad vs. La Coruña | ESPN+, ESPND | 8:15 a.m. | France, Rennes vs. Auxerre | belN | 8:30 a.m. | England, Liverpool vs. Manchester City | NBC, Telemundo | 8:30 a.m. | Germany, Freiburg vs. Schalke 04 | Fandango | 9 a.m. | Italy, Sassuolo vs. AC Milan | Paramount+ | 9:30 a.m. | Spain, Real Betis vs. Osasuna | ESPN+, ESPND | 11:45 a.m. | France, Troyes vs. Olympique Marseille | belN | 11:45 a.m. | Italy, Cagliari vs. Juventus | Paramount+ | Noon | Spain, Racing Santander vs. Valencia | ESPN+, ESPND | 4 p.m. | MLS, St. Louis vs. Galaxy | Apple TV | 4 p.m. | Mexico, Pachuca vs. Necaxa | TUDN | 4 p.m. | Canada, Pacific vs. Ottawa | FS2 | 6:15 p.m. | Mexico, Pumas UNAM vs. Cruz Azul | TUDN | TENNIS | 8 p.m. | ATP, Shanghai, early rounds; WTA, Wuhan, early rounds | Tennis |

ANTONIO CALANNI Associated Press

CHRISTIAN PULISIC and AC Milan will take on Sassuolo in a Serie A match at 9 a.m. on Paramount+.

---

SPORTS EXTRA

For coverage of late Kings, Ducks, LAFC and Clippers games and more, see our daily digital eNewspaper. Subscribers get free access to an exclusive “Sports Extra.” View it on your phone, tablet or computer at latimes.com/enewspaper.

THE DAY IN SPORTS

Portuguese soccer federation suspends Ronaldo for walkout

CRISTIANO RONALDO (7) left Portugal's camp because of lack of playing time.

WIRE REPORTS

The Portuguese Football Federation suspended Cristiano Ronaldo for walking out on the team and initiated disciplinary proceedings.

The case has been referred to its disciplinary investigation committee and its findings will remain confidential until its conclusions are reached, the federation said in a statement Saturday.

The 41-year-old Ronaldo left the Portugal camp during the international window in a dispute with new coach Jorge Jesus over his lack of playing time in the Nations League.

In the three games Ronaldo was either an unused substitute or absent, Portugal won, and his replacement Gonçalo Ramos seized his chance by scoring three goals.

In Washington, Patri Guijarro and Eva Navarro scored in the first 14 minutes, and Adriana Nanclares stopped a second-half penalty kick to lift Spain to a 2-0 victory over the United States in a clash between the two top-ranked teams in women's international soccer. It was the first of two meetings between reigning World Cup champion Spain and the reigning Olympic champion U.S. The teams have also combined to win the last three World Cups.

---

ETC. Shesterkin out for the season

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin is out for the season after injuring his right knee Friday night in a game at Washington, the team announced.

Shesterkin did not put any weight on his right leg as he was helped off the ice by teammates after an awkward fall into his own net against the Capitals.

Cam Talbot became the first NHL goaltender to win a game with nine teams by making 20 saves in the Columbus Blue Jackets' 3-2 shootout victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night. The 13-year veteran has also won games with the New York Rangers, Edmonton, Philadelphia, Calgary, Minnesota, Ottawa, Detroit and the Kings.

Rams safety Quentin Lake was listed as questionable to play Monday against the Bills after being limited in practice with a hip injury. Defensive tackle Aaron Donald (back) is set to play Monday after sitting out last week. Also, Rams coach Sean McVay doesn't expect defensive end Myles Garrett to practice this week even though the two-time Defensive Player of the Year is eligible to return from injured reserve.

France's rising cycling talent Paul Seixas made history at the Tour de Lombardy after becoming its youngest winner ever at 20. Seixas broke away with around 12 miles left to win the one-day race in northern

Italy that had been dominated by the currently injured Tadej Pogacar for the previous five years.

Rain washed out practice and qualifying for Sunday's Cup series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, meaning Kyle Larson will start on the pole based off the metrics now used by NASCAR. Chase Briscoe will start alongside Larson, followed by Tyler Reddick and Ryan Blaney on the second row. Also, the O'Reilly's series race was postponed to Sunday at 5 p.m. PDT, after the main race. ... Max Verstappen won the sprint race and followed up with pole position at the Singapore Grand Prix. Verstappen qualified on pole by 0.054 of a second ahead of Charles Leclerc.

Mirra Andreeva will face home favorite Zheng Qinwen in the final of the China Open after both players won their semifinal matches. Zheng beat Elise Mertens 7-5, 6-2 and delighted the home supporters by becoming the first Chinese finalist in the tournament, which dates to 2004. Earlier, Andreeva earned her 50th match win of the season by beating Nikola Bartunkova 6-2, 6-2.

... Daniil Medvedev won his first match since being disqualified at the China Open for hitting a spectator in the eye with a ball he hit into the stands. Medvedev beat Jan-Lennard Struff 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a second-round match at the Shanghai Masters. Second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz recorded an opening 6-3, 6-3 win over Juan Manuel Cerundolo and fourth-seeded Felix Auger-Aliasime beat Camilo Ugo Carabelli 4-6, 7-6 (1), 7-5.

Adam Scott and Justin Thomas moved into contention at the Baycurrent Classic in Japan, one stroke off the lead after three rounds at the Yokohama Country Club. Scott, looking for his first PGA Tour win in six years, shot a six-under 65 which included two eagles and Thomas a 67. ... In Madrid, Joe Dean made eight birdies in 15 holes for a six-under 65 and a share of the lead with Grant Forbes in the Spanish Open. ... Mathew Goggin posted the low round of the day (62) to take a one-stroke lead over Rod Pampling heading into the final round of the Champions' Constellation Furyk and Friends in Palm Coast, Fla.

Common thread to Bolts' unraveling

LETTERS

DAVID BECKER Associated Press

JUSTIN HERBERT has come under scrutiny from readers as the Chargers stumbled to an 0-4 start.

I've been a Justin Herbert fan since his days in Oregon. I kept believing he was going to lead the Chargers to new heights, even after all the leadership changes he's been through. He's talented, tough and all-in. I gave him every benefit of the doubt. But now, I can conclude only that Justin Herbert is the problem. Inconsistent, often slow to react, but mostly he's unable to finish. He's lost more games in the fourth quarter than he's won.

So far this season the Chargers have the greatest negative point differential in the fourth quarter in the NFL. The pattern is consistent regardless of the coach. Is it all on Herbert? No. But he is the common denominator through all of this.

CHARLIE PANKOW

Moorpark

---

: :

The fumbling, bumbling Chargers keep stumbling in their unprecedented 0-4 start in the Jim Harbaugh era.

First, the fumbling. Thank you, Derius Davis. Your inability to simply complete a fair catch led directly to a Seahawks touchdown. How many points did your team lose by?

Next, the bumbling. Call it a banged up offensive line, (AGAIN!), a moderately skilled and depleted receiving core, or a lost, interception prone Justin Herbert, the Charger offense remains sketchy, inconsistent, and self-destructive.

Finally, the stumbling continues ... as they cannot beat teams they should or pull out potential victories over the more challenging ones.

Good luck turning this around!

Rick Solomon

Lake Balboa

---

: :

I don't care much about the Chargers. I rarely read stories about them and

would be elated if they'd return to San Diego where they belong.

But, much like a car accident on the 405 that you instinctively know you shouldn't stare, I just can't seem to avert my eyes from the wreck the Chargers have become.

Ron Yukelson

San Luis Obispo

Here is a modest proposal: Lincoln Riley and Jim Harbaugh waive their buy-out clauses and swap jobs. It might be the rare trade that improves both organizations. It is difficult to see how it could make things worse.

---

:

PAUL HUNT

Sierra Madre

---

Lincoln's log

Lincoln Riley is a classic trust fund kid who inherited a billion-dollar program from Bob Stoops and a perennial power at USC. Bob Chesney inherited a teardown from DeShaun Foster at UCLA and has turned it into a Malibu Mansion.

MARK S. Roth

Playa Vista

---

The commandments

Since when has The Times become a religious newspaper? That's what came to mind as I read Eric Sondheimer's "Bible" dealing with the ethical dilemmas and tough calls in high school sports. His article should be required reading for all high school athletes, their parents, coaches, and athletic directors. The answers are not always easy, but until we start thinking about these matters we will not move forward towards a better high school sports experience for the many participants.

MARK KAISERMAN

Santa Monica

Recent history

Dodgers' dinosaurs: Still roaming.

Padres: Extinct.

History class dismissed.

STEVE ROSS

Carmel

---

: :

Bill Plaschke wrote that the Dodgers are “now just eight wins away but, given how mediocre the American League playoff teams appear, they could realistically be just four wins away.” Is he serious? Hey Bill, have you not watched the Tampa Bay Rays at all this year? They just swept the Yankees. Their pitching staff is deep and talented, they play exceptional defense, and they have an offensive attack that does all the little things well.

The Dodgers will have to beat two excellent teams to three-peat. I'm sure the Dodgers know this, even if Plaschke doesn't.

STEVE KEHELA

Studio City

STEVE SHAEVEL

Woodland Hills

Wrong answer The MLB's proposed reduction of games for the season from 162 to 154 to allow them to expand the divisional playoffs from a five-game series to a seven-game series is not the right solution. Baseball teams have 30 spring training exhibition games. This is way too many. No other sport has that many exhibition games before the season. All MLB needs to do [is] cut 10 days off of spring training to bring the number of spring training games down to a little more than 20 games and this will allow them the time to extend the divisional playoffs.

---

Guiding hand

It was October 1988 and Orel Hershiser pitched well in the World Series. Kirk Gibson was limping but homered. Tommy Lasorda was making the on-the-field decisions, but it was GM Fred Claire who put the Dodgers in position to win their sixth World Series.

We lost Fred this week on his 91st birthday. We will always remember him for 1988 and even more for his kindness.

FRED WALLIN

Westlake Village

---

Dollars and sense

Regarding the Buss siblings' fighting over the potential sale of their shares in the Lakers, I honestly hope that they can resolve this. Frankly, I lose a lot of sleep at night worrying that the family will be doing OK financially!

Jack Wolf

Westwood

---

: :

The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used.

Email: sports@la-times.com

Ailing Chargers turn to rookies

Offensive line injuries force team to make tweaks to protect Herbert

CHARGERS rookie Jake Slaughter (66) should play a big role in a retooled line.

KATIE CHIN Associated Press

By Joaquin Ruiz

The rash of offensive line injuries that were a scourge for the Chargers last season have returned, complicating an already dismal situation for a team seeking its first win of the season Sunday against the Denver Broncos at SoFi Stadium.

Left guard Kayode Awosika (fibula) and his replacement, Trey Pipkins III (knee), are out. Right tackle Joe Alt is out with a neck injury and left tackle Rashawn Slater was placed on injured reserve after undergoing surgery for a high-ankle sprain. Reserve guard Trevor Penning also won't play because of a concussion.

That leaves right guard Cole Strange, a fifth-year veteran, likely starting alongside four rookies: left tackle Logan Taylor, left guard Jake Slaughter, center Jacob Spomer and right tackle Travis Burke. This unit finished the Chargers' final 11 offensive snaps in their loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Oct. 4.

“They acquitted themselves well,” coach Jim Harbaugh said. “I saw a confident demeanor, one that was ready to accept the challenge.... A ‘bring it on’ kind of mentality. I love that. And I see that with our entire team.”

The Chargers addressed their need for depth by signing eighth-year offensive lineman Daniel Brunskill to the practice squad before elevating him to the active roster Saturday. And Branson Taylor (neck), listed as questionable for Sunday, was activated off injured reserve. What they can contribute moving forward remains to be seen.

Regardless, offensive co-

ordinator Mike McDaniel

has been busy addressing

the offensive unit's woes.

The Chargers enter Week 5 averaging the fourth-fewest points per game (16.8) and rank 31st in the league offensive efficiency (22.90). Quarterback Justin Herbert, who has the second-worst passer rating (28.0) and has thrown six interceptions, has been sacked 12 times, the NFL's third-worst mark.

McDaniel is not only trying to rally his troops, but he's also working to maximize his makeshift offensive line's strengths.

"With the guys that we have, to their credit, they're warriors, and they love playing," McDaniel said. "The diligence with which [offensive line] coach [Butch] Barry has attacked those rookies ... he's been full steam ahead with those guys. They're meeting extra

---

Chargers-Broncos prediction

The Chargers are still looking for their first win. To find it, they need to locate an offense that for the first month of the NFL season has been missing in action.

That won't be easy against the Denver Broncos on Sunday at SoFi Stadium. The Broncos held San Francisco to three points in the first seven drives last week, although the 49ers got traction in the second half, thanks in part to injuries to Denver cornerbacks Pat Surtain II and Riley Moss.

A banged-up Broncos secondary is more inviting to Chargers quarterback

Justin Herbert, who has struggled to find his rhythm in the scheme of new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.

The Chargers scored 14, 14 and 16 points in the first three games, and though they reached 23 at Seattle last Sunday, Herbert absorbed his most physical beating of the season. Not only that, but his team lost both starting tackles and No. 1 receiver Ladd McConkey.

Key injuries: DENVER: CB Riley Moss (ribs) out; CB Pat Surtain II (ankle) out. CHARGERS: OT Joe Alt (neck) out; G Kayode Awosika (fibula) out; CB Donte Jackson (hamstring) out; S Derwin James Jr. (hamstring) out; WR Quentin Johnston (chest) out; TE Charlie Kolar (forearm) questionable; QB Trey Lance (groin) out; FB Scott Matlock (foot) questionable; G Trevor Penning (concussion) out; CB Rodney Shelley (hamstring) questionable; G Branson Taylor (neck) questionable; WR Brenen Thompson (quadricep) out.

The last time these teams met was Week 18 of last season in Denver, when the Broncos won, 19-3.

Sam Farmer's pick: Injuries in Denver's secondary could make this more interesting, and you never know when the Chargers' offense is going to click. But Denver is coming off a loss and won't be caught flat-footed. Chargers too banged up. Broncos 24, Chargers 17

Line: Broncos by $3^{1}/_{2}$ . O/U: $42^{1}/_{2}$ .

to make sure they're prepared for the fact that they have to play. And then, you're trying to have a plan of action that can play to the strengths of any individual you have in there.

"It adds variables to the game-planning process, but that's definitely part of the job ... So, in that process, you're just trying to make sure everybody's prepared and locked in to a game plan that they can digest."

SAM FARMER

What ultimately matters, though, is protecting Herbert.

Despite being pressured nearly 70 times in four games, the seventh-year signal-caller remains supportive of his offensive line, especially the younger players. Herbert's excited for his teammates' opportunities.

"I think they're built for it [and] prepared for it," Herbert said. "That's your dream, of being drafted or

---

NFL WEEK 5 Chargers vs. Denver

AT SOFI STADIUM

Today, 1:05 p.m.

TV: CBS

being signed, is to have an opportunity like this. They've done an incredible job so far ... Love what I'm seeing from them so far."

Slaughter is one of those rookies with a lot of responsibility. The Florida product has started every game this season filling in for Tyler Biadasz.

Slaughter relayed what Barry's group had harped on all week.

“Next man up,” Slaughter said. “Get ready to do your job as best as you can; that’s the message. It’s always been the message. And it’ll always be the message. Be at your best when you’re needed.”

With the Chargers' play-off hopes in a dire state, the team knows it needs to stay in win-now mode for the rest of the season as criticism of the players and coaching staff grows. McDaniel is aware of the potential ramifications despite Harbaugh publicly supporting him, saying calls for his firing come "with the territory."

“I would be foolish, or I would feel entitled, if I didn’t expect there to be disappointment,” McDaniel said. “If you want things to change and you want narratives to change, you have to change them through action collectively. If our results are better, that’s the only thing that matters.”

Tune in, Bradshaw's got more to say

Why?

BY SAM FARMER

Terry Bradshaw isn't done yet. Not with TV, not with talking and not with telling his life story.

The Fox NFL Sunday co-host and Hall of Fame quarterback met with The Times to discuss his new book, "Looking for Terry," which delves into divorce and his struggle with depression. He discusses the coach who was never in his corner, and the generation that seemingly doesn't know he even played football. The book comes out this week.

Why write the book now?

I had been willing to do a book for five years, but I couldn't really get published. It was hard to get a publisher. Jimmy Johnson did a book, "Swagger." I'm a football player. I'm a football person. But I dealt with depression, divorce. There's a lot of personal stuff in here I haven't talked about. I just wanted to get it out there. I think it would be helpful, or beneficial, however you want to phrase it.

You've written five previous books. How does this compare with the earlier ones?

The first book is a stupid sports book. Sorry. I think the second one was just as dumb as the first one. The fourth and the fifth books were good. I sat down [this time] and put a lot of time into it... I'm not doing it for money. The people that get money are the writers and the publisher. I got some stuff to get off my chest. It's soul cleansing.

You recorded the audio-book yourself. How was that experience?

That was 11 hours of reading. The first four chapters set the story up like a novel, building the characters. I was reading it and more stuff would come to me, so I was adding. Or it made me laugh, and I'd say, "Oh my God, I can't believe I'm saying this in this book."

What do you hope to accomplish by writing about depression?

It's a two-headed monster. When it first came out, I was totally fine with it. I had no problem talking about depression. I didn't realize that people were laughing at me. And that was shocking.

How did people make fun of it?

I did [HBO's "Real Sports"]. It was so fresh, and I broke down. Trying hard not to, but I did. There were other times I broke down that I didn't bring up, like when I was playing, when I got hit, sitting down at halftime. Some of my friends made fun of me.

How have fans reacted to it?

Men come up to me in the grocery store. They say, "Hey, Terry, I really appreciate you talking about depression. I'm dealing with depression, and you really helped me a lot." I say, "Hey man, my pleasure."

You've said before that you had real issues playing for legendary Pittsburgh Steelers coach Chuck Noll.

He wouldn't build you up. I built up a wall. You won't get the best out of me if you're nasty to me. My coach in college knew that. He built me up, and I flourished.

Did you and Chuck Noll ever share a human moment?

No. I'd get to the stadium at 6 o'clock in the morning. I'd go down to the coach's office to make coffee. Make it strong, because I like strong coffee. And he'd walk in, and it would just start snowing.

Why do you think he was that way?

I guess he was shy. His social skills were shy. Maybe he was insecure. I don't know.

Where do things stand with you and the Steelers now?

Good. I have never, since I retired, said anything negative about the Steelers. My only problem was with [Noll].

You never had an agent. How did you negotiate your contracts?

I asked for \$500,000 [from the Steelers] after being MVP of the league. They told me right to my face, "You're not worth \$500,000 for us." So what am I worth? "Three hundred [thousand]." I said, "Sounds good to me."

Do you have an agent now? No, still not. Don't need one.

What's the strangest story you have about someone recognizing you on the street?

This is the best one. A guy says, “Are you Terry Bradshaw?” I say, “Yeah, I am.” He says, “No, you’re not.” I pulled out my wallet and showed him my driver’s license. He looked at it and he went, “That’s not you.” Never convinced him.

Do people forget you played?

Generations of young people have no idea I even played football. They know me as the TV guy.

When the NFL draft was in Pittsburgh this year, you got to hold the Immaculate Reception football for the first time in 53 years. What was that like?

I'm telling you, it was spiritual. That's the last time I touched it, when I threw it. It looked darker. Definitely. All the people were there. It was truly [sentimental].

You signed a new deal with Fox. Why keep going?

I love my job. This year was the first year that I got nervous. I wanted to extend my contract. So I signed through the Super Bowl. Two more years. I'll be 80.

Do you feel it's time to make room for someone younger?

Everybody in any business has to go. The young guys are coming. But I want to be relevant. I want to be good. I want to continue on. I want America to [tune in] and watch me. I want them to [like] me. I can't wait to do the show.

Slow start has Stafford seeking improved play

Quarterback has been plagued by a rash of interceptions that has the Rams sputtering.

BY GARY KLEIN

Matthew Stafford knows how to finish.

The Rams quarterback gave another masterclass last Sunday when he led the Rams to victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. It was Stafford's 40th fourth-quarter comeback victory, leaving the 18th-year pro one shy of tying Ben Roethlisberger for third on the all-time list behind Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

But through four games, this has not otherwise been a prodigious start for the reigning NFL most valuable player and future Hall of Famer.

Stafford, 38, has passed for six touchdowns, with six interceptions, for a team that is 2-2 going into its game on Monday night against the Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium.

Stafford is tied with the Chargers' Justin Herbert for second-most interceptions in the NFL, trailing only the New England Patriots' Drake Maye, who has seven.

And while Stafford's numbers are more middling than fall-off-a-cliff poor, they rank among his slowest statistical starts.

Only twice in his career has Stafford had six passes intercepted in the first four games.

As a rookie in 2009, the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft had three passes intercepted in his first game, two in the second, none in the third and one in the fourth.

The same pattern repeated in 2022 during the Rams' infamous Super Bowl hangover that ended with a 5-12 record, and Stafford on injured reserve.

Last season, in the Rams' first four games, Stafford passed for eight touchdowns, with two interceptions, en route to a 3-1 start and what eventually became his run to a first MVP award.

So Stafford acknowledged that he personally has "room for improvement."

"Some really bright moments, and some stuff I'm really proud of," Stafford said, "and stuff that I definitely wish I could take back and help us be in a better position to win games. That comes with the position."

The Rams' — and Stafford's — season began poorly after the team's misguided decision to arrive in Australia the day before they played the San Francisco 49ers in the season opener. Stafford passed for only 155 yards, with an interception, in a 27-7 defeat.

In the next game at Denver, Stafford completed 30 of 55 passes for 390 yards and two touchdowns. But Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga intercepted two passes, one he returned for a touchdown and another in the end zone in the final seconds of a 30-26 Rams defeat.

Against the Eagles, Stafford completed 32 of 51 passes for 317 yards, with two interceptions.

“He was at his best in the most important moments,” coach Sean McVay said. “That’s the competitive greatness — to find a way in spite of some different things that maybe didn’t go our way.”

NFL WEEK 5

Rams vs. Buffalo

AT SOFI STADIUM

Monday, 5:15 p.m.

TV: ESPN, ABC

Stafford was asked this week how he managed to stay calm, not feel rattled and still take shots at clutch plays after committing turnovers in a hostile environment.

His answer: Trust his preparation and live with the results.

"The world's going to have an opinion on how I played every single play of every single day — that's something I'm used to," he said. "Are there areas I want to be better that [reporters] don't even pick up and talk about? Absolutely. Are there the obvious ones? For sure."

Last season, starting in Week 4, Stafford put together a personal-best streak of eight games without an interception. He passed for 25 touchdowns during that stretch. In 17 games, he passed for a career-best 46 touchdowns, with eight interceptions.

Stafford has endured throughout his career by never getting too high or too low. So that won't change.

“I want to do everything I can to put our team in the best position to succeed,” he said. “I’ve done that sometimes this year and other times I have not.

"I want to make sure that I do that at a more consistent clip moving forward."

---

NFL STANDINGS

Stafford rebounded by passing for four touchdowns, with an interception, in a 28-6 victory over the New York Giants at SoFi Stadium.

NATIONAL CONFERENCE | NATIONAL COMPLIANCE | West | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | San Francisco | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 122 | 64 | Seattle | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 105 | 73 | RAMS | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 85 | 83 | Arizona | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 87 | 117 | North | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | Minnesota | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 86 | 51 | Chicago | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 112 | 65 | Detroit | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 119 | 127 | Green Bay | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 73 | 105 | South | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | Carolina | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 121 | 109 | Atlanta | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 96 | 92 | New Orleans | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 105 | 128 | Tampa Bay | 1 | 4 | 0 | .200 | 100 | 112 | East | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | N.Y. Giants | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 82 | 79 | Philadelphia | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 75 | 93 | Dallas | 2 | 3 | 0 | .400 | 138 | 136 | Washington | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 88 | 122 | AMERICAN CONFERENCE | West | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | Kansas City | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 118 | 77 | Las Vegas | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 115 | 84 | Denver | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 74 | 94 | CHARGERS | 0 | 4 | 0 | .000 | 67 | 106 | North | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | Cleveland | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 81 | 95 | Baltimore | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 116 | 96 | Pittsburgh | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 77 | 87 | Cincinnati | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 97 | 85 | South | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | Jacksonville | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 104 | 53 | Indianapolis | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 102 | 104 | Tennessee | 0 | 4 | 0 | .000 | 55 | 83 | Houston | 0 | 4 | 0 | .000 | 84 | 109 | East | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | Buffalo | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 127 | 107 | New England | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 65 | 77 | N.Y. Jets | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 76 | 84 | Miami | 0 | 4 | 0 | .000 | 46 | 101 | TODAY'S GAMES | Denver at CHARGERS | 1:05 p.m. | Philadelphia vs. Jacksonville at London | 6:30 a.m. | Chicago at Green Bay | 10 a.m. | Cincinnati at Miami | 10 a.m. | Cleveland at N.Y. Jets | 10 a.m. | Houston at Tennessee | 10 a.m. | Indianapolis at Pittsburgh | 10 a.m. | Las Vegas at New England | 10 a.m. | Minnesota at New Orleans | 10 a.m. | N.Y. Giants at Washington | 10 a.m. | Detroit at Arizona | 1:25 p.m. | San Francisco at Seattle | 1:25 p.m. | Baltimore at Atlanta | 5:20 p.m. | MONDAY'S GAME | Buffalo at PAMS | 5:15 p.m. | Buffalo at RAMS....5:15 p.m.

BYE WEEK: Kansas City, Carolina

MATT SLOCUM Associated Press

MATTHEW STAFFORD already has thrown six interceptions after throwing eight all of last season.

St. John Bosco gets its playoff revenge

Malau'ulu leads 28-14 victory over Orange Lutheran, which upset Braves last season.

BY ERIC SONDHEIMER

On a cloudless Friday night in Bellflower, with no rain in the forecast, St. John Bosco wanted to finally vanquish a nightmare from last season, when the top-seeded Braves lost to Orange Lutheran in the opening game of the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs in the rain.

"It was still deep down somewhere," St. John Bosco quarterback Koa Malau'ulu said.

Chris Ward, the offensive line coach for Orange Lutheran, quipped before the game about rain forecast for Saturday night: “We came close.”

St. John Bosco players were so fired up to avenge the loss that there was some pushing and shoving when they entered their own field just before the start of the game and decided to get into the faces of Orange Lutheran players.

In the end, Malau'ulu passed for two touchdowns, ran for one touchdown and combined with his cousin, 6-foot-5 sophomore receiver Kuika Moaalii, for several big plays to take down Orange Lutheran 28-14, setting up the Braves (6-1, 2-0) for a Friday showdown next week against No. 1-ranked Santa Margarita (7-0, 2-0).

"The defending state champs are coming here," coach Jason Negro told his players afterward. "If that doesn't motivate you, I don't know what does."

Malau'ulu and Moaalii have been playing catch since they were 10.

"He's a big target," Malau'ulu said. "He knows how to get open."

Said Moaalii: "We've both developed."

Malau'ulu ended up running with the football a lot more than normal out of respect for Orange Lutheran's secondary.

"They're a great team," he said.

It was his 55-yard run to the one-yard line in the final two minutes that allowed the Braves to run out the clock.

St. John Bosco also received another strong game from safety Kingston Fatu, who had to sit out the first part of the season after transferring from Tustin. He had his second interception of the season and contributed a sack.

Orange Lutheran (4-3, 1-1) came out with a perfectly executed 80-yard drive on its opening possession, with Ryan Christianson scoring on a one-yard run. The Braves scored the next three touchdowns for a 21-7 half-time lead, with Maliq Allen getting a one-yard touchdown run, DJ Tubbs catching a six-yard touchdown pass, and Moaalii making a 21-yard touchdown catch. Christianson broke off a 78-yard touchdown run in the second half.

St. John Bosco was substituting en masse on defense at times, and players were fresh and tackling well. The second half was your typical Trinity League game, with both teams being physical.

"There's no easy ones," Negro said. "They're a well-coached team. They play hard. They had a lot of momentum. They played one of the toughest schedules in the country. So we knew they were a really good football team. I'm proud of my team."

Malau'ulu passed for 193 yards and ran for 84 yards. Moaalii caught passes of 40, 21, 18 and 40 yards.

Reagan Toki of Orange Lutheran came up with some tough running of his own at quarterback, gaining 59 yards. Christianson had 140 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

Malau'ulu can't wait to face Santa Margarita.

“A lot of those kids are my friends, cousins or former teammates,” he said. “It’s all love.”

Jahn, Inglewood rally for a victory

CRAIG WESTON For The Times

KUIKA MOAALII makes one of his four receptions for St. John Bosco on Friday.

Jahn had touchdown passes of 13 yards to Trent Bellamy and 80 yards to Andre Williams after the Sentinels (7-1, 2-0 in league) were down 16-6 through three quarters. He finished with three touchdown passes.

Quarterback Lincoln Jahn rallied visiting Inglewood from a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit to hand Palos Verdes its first defeat 26-23 on Friday in a likely Bay League title decider.

The decisive, 19-yard touchdown was delivered by running back Semaj Welch with 1:10 left to give Inglewood the lead for good.

Inglewood's defense, led by linemen Myels Smith and Elija Harmon, was able to to slow down Palos Verdes' high-powered offense. But no lead is safe with Palos Verdes quarterback Ryan Rakowski on the field. He connected with Jalen Flowers on a late fourth-down play to put the ball on Inglewood's 34-yard line with 13 seconds left.

Palos Verdes players thought the ball was dead after stoppage for an Inglewood injury, but the officials started running the clock when play resumed, and Palos Verdes finally called a timeout.

With one second left and the game almost being called by darkness, Palos Verdes kicker Niko Dragin attempted a 51-yard field goal that could have tied the score. It came up short.

BY ERIC SONDHEIMER

Rakowski finished with three touchdown passes. Palos Verdes dropped to 6-1 and 1-1 in league.

---

THURSDAY'S RESULTS

---

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCORES

---

CITY SECTION Marine League Narbonne 47, Gardena 32

SOUTHERN SECTION

Alpha League

Mission Viejo 27, Yorba Linda 26

Baseline League

Etiwanda 35, Damien 25

Rancho Cucamonga 21, Chino Hills 9

Boulder League

San Marino d. Pasadena, forfeit

Delta League

El Modena 21, Laguna Beach 14

Desert Sky League

Silverado 49, Adelanto 28

Victor Valley 41, Granite Hills 17

Golden League

Highland 37, Eastside 0

Hacienda League

Baldwin Park 34, Covina 0

Los Altos 56, South Hills 14

Iota League

Cypress 38, La Palma Kennedy 0

Kappa League

Fullerton 28, Anaheim Canyon 27

Lambda League

Fountain Valley 45, Woodbridge 21

Manzanita League

Silver Valley 42, Nuview Bridge 16

Mid-Cities League

Bellflower 47, California 10

Mojave River League

Apple Valley 21, Oak Hills 7

Hesperia 38, Ridgecrest Burroughs 19

Serrano 48, Sultana 12

Rio Vista League

Artesia 42, Firebaugh 0

River Valley League

Patriot 48, Miller 0

Skyline League

Arroyo Valley 30, Bloomington 8

Carter 40, Indian Springs 0

Fontana 45, San Gorgonio 21

Tango League

Bolsa Grande 37, Garden Grove Santiago 6

Santa Ana Valley 10, Westminster La Quinta 7

Nonleague

Eisenhower 29, Rim of the World 28

Jurupa Hills 60, Kaiser 40

Rialto 21, Grand Terrace 15

Summit 28, Colton 7

8-MAN

CITY SECTION

City League

Stella 44, USC Hybrid 22

SOUTHERN SECTION

Nonleague

United Christian Academy 56, Milken 52

---

FRIDAY'S RESULTS

CITY SECTION

Central League

Hollywood 40, Bernstein 20

Roybal 34, Mendez 0

Coliseum League

Dorsey 41, Marquez 21

King/Drew 35, Washington Prep 0

Eastern League

Bell 31, South Gate 26

Garfield 54, South East 34

Los Angeles Roosevelt 47, Huntington Park 6

East Valley League

Arieta 21, Monroe 20

San Fernando Arroyo 47, Grant 6

Verdugo Hills 56, Fulton 0

Exposition League

Jefferson 50, Santee 21

Marine League

Carson 41, Wilmington Banning 3

Metro League

Rancho Dominguez 34, Hawkins 0

Northern League

Lincoln 21, Los Angeles Wilson 6

Southern League

Diego Rivera 36, Los Angeles 8

Valley Mission League

Granada Hills Kennedy 56, Sylmar 22

San Fernando 38, Panorama 21

Van Nuys 21, Canoga Park 7

Western League

L.A. Hamilton 49, Westchester 8

Palisades 14, Los Angeles University 13

Venice 35, Fairfax 28

West Valley League

Birmingham 56, Taft 19

Chatsworth 27, Granada Hills 24

Cleveland 37, El Camino Real 20

Nonleague

Locke 18, Dymally 8

Manual Arts 24, Angelou 19

Maywood CES 7, Contreras 6

West Adams 46, Torres 6

SOUTHERN SECTION

Almont League

Bell Gardens 20, Montebello 3

Alpha League

San Clemente 40, Los Alamitos 0

San Juan Hills 28, Edison 20

Angelus League

Cathedral 41, St. Paul 18

Paraclete 58, Bishop Montgomery 0

St. Francis 30, St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 12

Arroyo League

Burbank 35, Monrovia 6

La Cañada 7, Muir 0

Bay League

Inglewood 26, Palos Verdes 23

Mira Costa 56, Leuzinger 0

Big West League

Chaparral 42, Norco 16

Corona Centennial 42, Murrieta Valley 20

Eastvale Roosevelt 49, Corona 67

Great Oak 35, Corona Santiago 27

Murrieta Mesa 26, Vista Murrieta 21

Riverside King 17, Temecula Valley 7

Boulder League

Burbank Burroughs 35, Gabrielino 7

South Pasadena 49, Crescenta Valley 21

Bravo League

Corona del Mar 28, Tustin 14

Crean Lutheran 30, Capistrano Valley 22

Villa Park 36, La Habra 33

Camino Real League

Mary Star of the Sea 63, Bosco Tech 6

St. Bernard 47, Cantwell-Sacred Heart 14

Channel League

Moorpark 38, Rio Mesa 20

Ventura 24, Santa Barbara 21

Westlake 42, Thousand Oaks 10

Citrus Belt League

Beaumont 45, Redlands 20

Citrus Valley 35, Redlands East Valley 0

Cajon 48, Yucaipa 0 (corrected score)

Citrus Coast League

Carpinteria 35, Santa Clara 7

Grace 56, Del Sol 49

Nordhoff 30, Channel Islands 10

Coastal 101 League

Agora 29, Oak Park 21

Calabasas 44, Camarillo 42

Oxnard 27, Buena 24

Cottonwood League

Riverside Notre Dame 49, Arrowhead Christian 6

Vasquez 66, Whittier Christian 44

Del Rey League

Salesian 17, Bishop Alemany 0

St. Anthony 17, La Salle 14

Delta League

Huntington Beach 21, Dana Hills 16

Troy 36, Western 7

Desert Empire League

La Quinta 37, Rancho Mirage 34

Palm Springs 21, Shadow Hills 14

Xavier Prep 14, Palm Desert 3

Epsilon League

Brea Olinda 28, Aliso Niguel 17

Newport Harbor 44, Tesoro 19

Trabuco Hills 49, Santa Ana Foothill 42

Foothill League

Golden Valley 30, Castaic 9

Hart 42, West Ranch 7

Saugus 52, Canyon Country Canyon 21

Foxtrot League

Irvine 28, Beckman 27

El Dorado 40, El Toro 14

Orange 53, Segestrom 7

Gano League

Don Lugo 42, Walnut 8

Montclair 21, Rowland 20

Nogales 21, Chaffey 14

Gateway League

Downey 46, Warren 18

La Serna 56, La Mirada 19

Mayfair 16, Cerritos 7

Golden League

Lancaster 42, Knight 0

Quartz Hill 51, Littlerock 0

Palmdale 51, Antelope Valley 7

Hacienda League

West Covina 35, Diamond Bar 21

Hub City League

Compton 56, Compton Early College 0

Long Beach Cabrillo 33, Compton Centennial 28

Inland Valley League

Canyon Springs 31, Lakeside 7

Hemet 41, Citrus Hill 16

Arlington 27, Heritage 20

Iota League

Garden Grove Pacifica 31, Northwood 24

Laguna Hills 28, Marina 24

Ironwood League

Aquinas 56, Heritage Christian 0

Cerritos Valley Christian 35, Village Christian 7

Western Christian 69, Capistrano Valley Christian 34

Ivy League

Liberty 41, Orange Vista 14

Paloma Valley 48, Riverside North 34

Vista del Lago 28, Rancho Verde 14

Kappa League

St. Margaret's 24, Portola 15

Sunny Hills 17, Esperanza 14

Lambda League

Sonora 17, Westminster 14

Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 14, Placentia Valencia 12

Manzanita League

Temecula Prep 28, Anza Hamilton 14

Marmonte League

Newbury Park 21, Oxnard Pacifica 16

Oaks Christian 42, Simi Valley 35

Mesquite League

Desert Christian Academy 19, Linfield Christian 12

Ontario Christian 50, Maranatha 0

Mid-Cities League

Gahr 16, Norwalk 14

Paramount 55, Santa Fe 28

Miramonte League

Bassett 63, Workman 14

Pomona 55, Ganesha 97

Mission League

Bishop Amat 28, Chaminade 7

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 49, Loyola 21

Sierra Canyon 58, Gardena Serra 0

Mission Valley League

Arroyo 48, El Monte 14

South El Monte 44, Mountain View 0

Montview League

Duarte 25, Azusa 15

Hacienda Heights Wilson 34, La Puente 7

Ontario 45, Sierra Vista 21

Moore League

Milikian 32, Lakewood 28

Mountain Pass League

Elsinore 40, Temescal Canyon 21

San Jacinto 48, Tahquitz 7

Mountain Valley League

Jurupa Valley 19, San Bernardino 8

Rubidoux 52, La Sierra 36

Ocean League

Lawndale 45, Peninsula 6

South Torrance 49, Beverly Hills 0

Omicron League

Garden Grove 20, Santa Ana 13

Irvine University 22, Estancia 21

Los Amigos 21, Buena Park 0

Pioneer League

Culver City 51, West Torrance 12

North Torrance 12, Santa Monica 0

Torrance 46, El Segundo 13

Rio Vista League

Pioneer 21, Lynwood 13

Whittier 55, Glenn 0

River Valley League

Rubidoux 52, La Sierra 36

Ramona 38, Pacific 14

Sierra League

Bonita 45, Northview 16

Charter Oak 15, Colony 10

Glendora 42, Ayala 0

Sigma League

Costa Mesa 32, Anaheim 29

Ocean View 47, Saddleback 0

Rancho Alamitos 41, Katella 14

Sunbelt League

Hillcrest 42, Perris 0

Moreno Valley 31, Valley View 21

Paloma Valley 48, Riverside North 34

Tango League

Godinez 35, Century 0

Savanna 84, Magnolia 52

Tri-County League

Filmore 55, Hueneme 6

Royal 21, Dos Pueblos 17

San Marcos 30, Santa Paula 13

Trinity League

Mater Dei 41, Iserra 7

Santa Margarita 27, Servite 3

St. John Bosco 28, Orange Lutheran 14

Valle Vista League

Claremont 28, Chino 25

San Dimas 33, Diamond Ranch 8

Nonleague

Banning 49, Twentynine Palms 20

Coachella Valley 49, Desert Mirage 18

Santa Rosa Academy 31, Alhambra 26

Temple City 42, Keppel 12

---

INTERSECTIONAL Hoover 43, Belmont 7

8-MAN

CITY SECTION

City League

New Designs University Park 40, New

Designs Watts 8

Valley League

East Valley 56, TEACH Tech 12

Valley Oaks CES 46, SOCES 0

---

SOUTHERN SECTION

Downey Calvary Chapel 31, Legacy College Prep 0

Summit League

California School for the Deaf Riverside 70, Entrepreneur 6

Cuyama Valley 36, Frazier Mountain 12

Malibu 44, Desert Christian 30

Trinity Classical Academy 56, Lancaster Baptist 0

INTERSECTIONAL

Kings Christian d. Maricopa, forfeit

Mammoth d. ACE, forfeit

PAL Academy 54, Tehillah Christian

Academy 44

---

HOW THE TIMES' TOP 25 FARED

How the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland fared this week (losses are shaded): | Rk. | School | Result | Next game | 1 | SANTA MARGARITA (7-0) | def. Servite, 27-3 | at St. John Bosco, Friday | 2 | ST. JOHN BOSCO (6-1) | def. Orange Lutheran, 28-14 | vs. Santa Margarita, Friday | 3 | SIERRA CANYON (7-0) | def. Gardena Serra, 58-0 | at Chaminade, Friday | 4 | CORONA CENTENNIAL (4-3) | def. Murrieta Valley, 42-20 | vs. Norco, Thursday | 5 | MATER DEI (5-2) | def. JSerra, 41-7 | at Servite, Thursday | 6 | MISSION VIEJO (6-1) | def. Yorba Linda, 27-26 | at San Clemente, Friday | 7 | ORANGE LUTHERAN (4-3) | lost to St. John Bosco, 28-14 | vs. JSerra, Friday | 8 | SAN CLEMENTE (7-0) | def. Los Alamitos, 40-0 | vs. Mission Viejo, Friday | 9 | PALOS VERDES (6-1) | lost to Inglewood, 26-23 | at Mira Costa, Thursday | 10 | JSERRA (4-3) | lost to Mater Dei, 41-7 | at Orange Lutheran, Friday | 11 | SERVITE (3-4) | lost to Santa Margarita, 27-3 | vs. Mater Dei, Thursday | 12 | CORONA DEL MAR (7-0) | def. Tustin, 28-14 | at Capistrano Valley, Friday | 13 | BISHOP AMAT (6-1) | def. Chaminade, 28-7 | at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Friday | 14 | LA SERNA (6-1) | def. La Mirada, 56-19 | vs. Cerritos, Friday | 15 | CREAN LUTHERAN (5-2) | def. Capistrano Valley, 30-22 | vs. La Habra, Friday | 16 | CARSON (6-1) | def. Banning, 41-3 | at Narbonne, Friday | 17 | OXNARD PACIFICA (5-2) | lost to Newbury Park, 21-16 | at Bishop Diego, Friday | 18 | CHAMINADE (5-2) | lost to Bishop Amat, 21-0 | vs. Sierra Canyon, Friday | 19 | GARDENA SERRA (3-4) | lost to Sierra Canyon, 58-0 | at Loyola, Friday | 20 | HUNTINGTON BEACH (7-0) | def Dana Hills, 21-16 | at Western, Thursday | 21 | SAN JACINTO (7-0) | def. Tahquitz, 48-7 | at Elsinore, Thursday | 22 | ORANGE (7-0) | def. Segerstrom, 53-7 | at Beckman, Friday | 23 | SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (7-0) | def Loyola, 49-21 | vs. Bishop Amat, Friday | 24 | CAPISTRANO VALLEY (6-1) | lost to Crean Lutheran, 30-22 | vs. Corona del Mar, Friday | 25 | YORBA LINDA (0-7)* | lost to Mission Viejo, 27-26 | vs. San Juan Hills, Thursday | \* forfeited four wins

---

Top prep performers

A look at the top performers from high school football games across the Southland this week.

---

RUSHING

■ Nathaniel Sanchez, Los Altos: Rushed for 158 yards and three

touchdowns in a win over South Hills.

■ Jack Junker, Mission Viejo: Rushed for 187 yards, including touchdowns of 73 and 77 yards, in a win over Yorba Linda.

■ Ryan Christianson, Orange Lutheran: Rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to St. John Bosco.

■ Darius Selway, El Dorado: Rushed for 150 yards and two touchdowns in a win over El Toro.

■ Eden Gamiz, Crean

Lutheran: Rushed for 149 yards and one touchdown in a win over Capistrano Valley.

■ Jaidyn Shepherd, Etiwanda: Ran for three touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass in a win over Damien.

■ Enzo Gallo, Dana Hills: Rushed for 173 yards and one touchdown in a loss to Huntington Beach.

■ Matix Frithsmith, Hart: Rushed for 283 yards and four touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass in a win over West Ranch. ■ Noel Washington,

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame: Rushed for 152 yards and four

touchdowns in a win over Loyola.

■ Ceasar Reyes, Garfield: Rushed for 163 yards in nine carries and scored two touchdowns in a win over South East.

■ Tru Warrior Casas, Fairfax: Rushed for 313 yards and three

touchdowns in a loss to Venice.

■ Joshua Green, Rubidoux: Rushed for 294 yards and four touchdowns in a win over La Sierra.

---

PASSING

■ E Lacion Saxton,

Bellflower: Passed for 300 yards and four

touchdowns in a win over California.

■ Koa Malau'ulu, St. John Bosco: Passed for 193 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 84 yards and one touchdown in a win over Orange Lutheran.

■ Lincoln Jahn, Inglewood: Passed for three touchdowns in a win over Palos Verdes.

■ Edmond Dalton, St. Bernard: Passed for 176 yards and four

touchdowns in a win over Cantwell-Sacred Heart.

■ Jacob Titchenal, Villa Park: Passed for 338 yards and one touchdown in a win over La Habra.

■ Chris Fields III, Carson: Passed for 160 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 208 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Banning.

■ DJ Mitchell, La Habra: Passed for 312 yards and one touchdown in a loss to Villa Park.

■ Star Thomas III, Orange: Passed for four

touchdowns and ran for one in a win over Segerstrom.

■ Paytyn Guess, Mater Dei: Passed for 203 yards and two touchdowns in a win over JSerra.

■ Cody Bird, Oaks

Christian: Passed for 243 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two more scores in a

double-overtime win over Simi Valley.

■Hendrix Tucker, Westlake: Passed for five touchdowns in a win over Thousand Oaks.

one in a win over Dana Hills.

Hills.

■ Donovan Shirley,

Salesian: Passed for 204 yards and one touchdown in a win over Bishop Alemany.

■ Bryce Johnson, South East: Passed for 186 yards and rushed for 192 yards in a loss to Garfield.

■ Thaddeus Breaux, Hamilton: Passed for 416 yards and five touchdowns in a win over Westchester.

---

RECEIVING

■ Kuika Moaalii, St. John Bosco: Caught four passes for 117 yards and one touchdown in a win over Orange Lutheran.

■ Ben Hannah, Villa Park: Caught 12 passes for 141 yards and one touchdown in a win over La Habra.

■ KJ Woodbury, Orange: Caught seven passes for 114 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Segerstrom.

■ Dylin Bruce, Huntington Beach: Caught six passes for 115 yards in a win over Dana Hills.

■ Jack Norman, Dana Hills: Had 10 receptions for 150 yards in a loss to Huntington Beach.

■ Aidan Crecion, Oaks Christian: Caught seven passes for 197 yards in a loss to Simi Valley.

■ Paul Turner,

Birmingham: Caught three touchdown passes in a win over Taft.

■ Tegan Ogas, Norco: Caught 16 passes for 129 yards in a loss to Chaparral.

Cleveland: Caught six passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns in a win over El Camino Real.

■ Landon Armenta, La Serna: Caught 11 passes for 270 yards and four touchdowns in a win over La Mirada.

---

DEFENSE

■ Mason Romo, El Modena: Recorded four sacks in a win over Laguna Beach.

■ Kingston Fatu, St. John Bosco: Had an interception and a sack in a win over Orange Lutheran.

■ Vaughn Reiffert,

Torrance: Had a 95-yard

interception return for a

touchdown and ran for two

more scores in a win over

El Segundo.

■ Dailon Clanton, Mater Dei: Contributed three sacks and blocked a field goal in a win over JSerra.

■ Eric Wright, South East: Had 11 tackles in a loss to Garfield.

■ Ashlee Palmer, Salesian: Had eight solo tackles including a sack in a win over Bishop Alemany.

■ Judge Monroe, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame: Had four tackles for losses in a win over Loyola.

■ Caleb Joy, Chaparral: Had two sacks in a win over Norco.

■ Darrien Johnson, Newbury Park: Had a sack, 75 yards rushing, 70 yards receiving and two pass breakups in a win over Oxnard Pacifica.

---

SPECIAL TEAMS

■ Gavin Williams, Damien: Returned one kickoff for a touchdown and caught one touchdown pass in a loss to Etiwanda.

■ Robert Torres, Santa Ana Valley: Kicked a 27-yard field goal as time expired to beat La Quinta.

■ Caleb Sylvia, Mission Viejo: Had field goals from 40 and 24 yards in a win over Yorba Linda.

■ Devin Dotinga, Sunny Hills: The freshman made a 34-yard field goal to beat Esperanza.

Eric SONDHEIMER

Bruins prevail over Ducks to stay unbeaten

[UCLA, from D1]

WAYNE KNIGHT takes off for a 35-yard scoring run in the first half. He had 103 yards in 22 carrires and also caught a touchdown pass.

Tom Hauck Getty Images

AL SERMENO Getty Images

JORDON DAVISON of the Ducks is tackled by a throng of Bruins defenders.

a “near-perfect” game to beat the Ducks. He was wrong. In a defining game that many thought would expose problems masked by UCLA’s early-season success, the Bruins — though imperfect — vociferously announced their arrival to the college football world as legitimate playoff contenders.

Oregon turned the ball over seven times. With starter Dante Moore still recovering from a head injury he sustained against USC, Ducks backup quarterback Dylan Raiola completed six of 19 passes for 43 yards and two interceptions before he was replaced by third-string quarterback Brock Thomas, who went 11-of-15 passing for 156 yards, one touchdown and no turnovers.

Although the halftime score wasn't lopsided, UCLA dominated through two quarters. The Bruins piled up 241 yards against Oregon's 58. UCLA held a 162-36 advantage in passing yards and a 79-22 edge in rushing yards.

On third downs, the Ducks were far from the 50% conversion rate they held entering the contest, going 0 for 7 in the first half. Though UCLA wasn't much better, sitting at one for eight, its 10 first downs against Oregon's three meant the Bruins possessed the ball 10 minutes more than the Ducks.

Averaging three forced turnovers entering Saturday, UCLA reached that number in the first half, recovering two fumbles and intercepting Raiola once. Numbers apparently never lie, so how were the Bruins up only four?

Because they couldn't take care of the ball, either. Specifically, Nico Iamaleava struggled, fumbling once and throwing interceptions to Oregon's Koi Perich and Jerry Mixon.

His fumble in the first quarter on UCLA's one-yard line immediately led to a Davison touchdown, and his two interceptions in the final two minutes of the half were egregious, his second occurring while the Bruins were in field-goal range.

Unfortunately for Iamaleava, a chance at some redemption in the second half did not materialize, as he appeared to suffer a right lower-leg injury toward the end of the second quarter. He stayed in the locker room for most of the third quarter, returning to the sideline in street clothes. CBS reported he shrugged when asked by the network's sideline reporter if he was OK.

It didn't help that the Bruins couldn't capitalize on every opportunity, either. They scored on just one Oregon turnover.

A scoreless third quarter ensued. Not entirely uneventful, however, as UCLA forced another fumble and picked off Raiola again, ultimately leading coach Dan Lanning to go with Thomas to begin the fourth quarter.

Starting the fourth with beautiful field position, the Bruins needed three plays to score. Ty Dieffenbach found Wayne Knight for a nine-yard score, giving UCLA a 17-6 lead with just over 13 minutes left.

On Oregon's next possession, facing a fourth and one, UCLA stuffed Thomas, once again punching out a fumble. A little over 11 minutes remained as a noticeable number of Oregon fans began heading toward the exits. But the Ducks showed some life. During a drive bolstered by a 36-yard pass from Thomas to Dakorien Moore, Oregon nailed a field goal, cutting the lead to a possession.

The tide turned. Opening the next possession on its 43-yard line, Oregon needed just four plays to find the end zone, with Thomas tossing a 44-yard touchdown pass to Evan Stewart. The failed two-point conversion followed and the Bruins stopped the Ducks again after the penalty.

UCLA eventually punted with 48 seconds remaining, pinning Oregon on its own 10-yard line. The Bruins' defense withstood the Ducks' final push and celebrated a signature victory during a turnaround season.

Iamaleava finished with 10-of-17 passing for 162 passing yards and two interceptions. Dieffenbach was three for six for 43 passing yards, one touchdown and no turnovers.

---

NO. 21 UCLA 17, | UCLA | 3 | 7 | 0 | 7–17 | OREGON | 6 | 0 | 0 | 9–15 | First Quarter | UCLA—Knight 9 pass from Dieffenbach (Bhaghani kick), 13:31.

ORE-TU Haryon 26, 0:11.

ORE-Stewart 44 pass from Broc.Thomas (run failed), 2:16. | TEAM | UCLA | ORE | First downs | 16 | 12 | Total Net Yards | 345 | 265 | Rushes-yards | 47-140 | 27-73 | Passing | 205 | 192 | Punt Returns | 2-3 | 5-52 | Kickoff Returns | 1-15 | 0-0 | Interceptions Ret. | 2-6 | 2-2 | Comp-Att-Int. | 13-23-2 | 17-35-2 | Sacked-Yards Lost | 2-20 | 1-6 | Punts | 8-42.375 | 6-48.167 | Fumbles-Lost | 1-1 | 5-5 | Penalties-Yards | 9-78 | 5-45 | Time of Possession | 39:01 | 19:58 | RUSHING: UCLA, Knight 22-103, A.Woods 9-39, Thomas 4-8, Morgan 1-4, N.lamaleava 7-1, Dieffenbach 4-(minus 15). Oregon, Hill 10-44, Davison 13-41, Broc-.Thomas 2-(minus 5), Dy.Raiola 2-(minus 7).

PASSING: UCLA, N. lamaleava 10-17-2-162, Dieffenbach 3-6-0-43. Oregon, Broc. Thomas 11-15-0-149, Dy. Raiola 6-19-2-43, (Team) 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING: UCLA, Morgan 5-55, Knight 3-12, Mizell 1-62, Ellis 1-26, Rowe 1-22, L.Smith 1-20, Loftin 1-8. Oregon, Dak.Moore 5-82, Stewart 5-74, Hampton 2-9, Hill 1-15, J.Johnson 1-6, Lott 1-6, Harrison 1-2, Davison 1-(minus 2).

MISSED FIELD GOALS—UCLA, Bhaghani 26.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL ROUNDUP

Oklahoma stuns No.1 Texas; Indiana avoids upset

JEFFREY MCWHORTER Associated Press

OKLAHOMA'S Danny Okoye blocks a punt by Mac Chiumento in the end zone.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tate Sandell kicked a 47-yard field goal on the final play, and Oklahoma overcame its continued offensive ineptness with touchdowns on special teams and defense in a 27-24 win over No. 1 Texas in the Red River rivalry game on Saturday in Dallas.

The Sooners (3-2, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) beat a No. 1 team for the first time since a 38-17 win over Missouri in 2007. They had been 0-4-1 when facing a top-ranked Texas team.

Arch Manning threw for three touchdowns for the Longhorns (4-1, 1-1), but both of his interceptions were costly.

Texas had two late chances, but Gianni Spetic was wide right on a 53-yard field goal attempt with 1:55 left. After the Sooners went three-and-out for the seventh time in the game, Manning's last pass was intercepted by Omarion Robinson with 19 seconds left.

No. 7 Indiana 20, at Nebraska 17: Josh Hoover surprised a Nebraska defense stacked to stop the run on fourth and one, flipping the ball to a wide-open Nick Marsh for a 44-yard touchdown to give the Hoosiers their first lead.

The Hoosiers (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten Conference) were pushed to the limit by a Cornhuskers team looking for a program-turning victory under fourth-year coach Matt Rhule. Instead, the defending national champion Hoosiers won their 22nd straight game, and Nebraska lost its 31st in a row against a Top 25 opponent.

Nebraska (5-1, 2-1) looked to be on the verge of putting away the Hoosiers when quarterback Anthony Colandrea broke a 39-yard touchdown run for a 17-6 lead early in the fourth quarter.

at No. 3 Notre Dame 58, Stanford 7: Freshman Jonaz Walton scored on a 97-yard run — the third-longest offensive play in Notre Dame Stadium history — and finished with 181 yards, the most by a Notre Dame running back this season. Walton also scored on a 40-yard run.

Notre Dame (6-0) extended its winning streak to 16 games — all by double digits. The Fighting Irish edged closer to the record of 21 consecutive double-digit wins set by Army (1944-46). Miami is second with 17 consecutive double-digit victories from 2000 to 2001. Stanford falls to 4-2.

at No. 5 Ohio State 45, Maryland 16: Jeremiah Smith scored touchdowns on his first two touches to enhance his Heisman Trophy profile, and Julian Sayin had four touchdown passes as the Buckeyes warmed up for a brutal stretch of games.

Smith turned two short catches into dazzling scores, and Sayin connected with tight ends Nate Roberts and Mason Williams for touchdowns as the Buckeyes (5-1, 3-0 Big Ten) opened a 31-10 halftime lead despite some sloppy moments.

No. 9 Mississippi 52, at Vanderbilt 17: Trinidad Chambliss threw for 213 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score as the Rebels routed the Commodores.

The Rebels (4-1, 2-1 SEC) notched their sixth straight win and 10th in their last 12 against Vanderbilt (3-3, 0-3). Ole Miss scored four touchdowns after Vanderbilt turnovers.

No. 15 Tennessee 24, at Arkansas 17: George MacIntyre threw for 247 yards and a touchdown in his first start, and DeSean Bishop ran for 138 yards as the Volunteers (5-2, 2-1 SEC) won.

With the score tied at 17 with 4:07 left and Tennessee pinned inside its own 10 after an Arkansas punt, Bishop ran for 59 yards to help set up the go-ahead score.

South Carolina 38, at No. 16 Florida 19: LaNorris Sellers accounted for five touchdowns, including four passing in his best performance in nearly two years, as the Gamecocks pulled off the upset to end an eight-game skid in SEC play.

Sellers completed 23 of 35 passes for 279 yards, finding Nyck Harbor, Mazeo Bennett Jr., Donovan Murph and Lex Cyrus for scores against the Gators (4-2, 2-2 SEC), who have the league's worst passing defense. Sellers' most impressive play was a three-yard run in the third quarter in which he tossed aside a defender and nearly scored. He plunged in on the next play, essentially sealing a long-awaited victory for the Gamecocks (3-3, 1-3).

at No. 18 Oklahoma State 42, Central Florida 28: Drew Mestemaker threw for 304 yards and two touchdowns, and Evan Jackson returned a fumble 28 yards for the clinching score.

Mestemaker added a rushing touchdown and two-point conversion for the Cowboys (4-1, 2-0 Big 12 Conference), who outscored the Knights 21-7 after halftime.

Keyone Jenkins threw for 265 yards and four touchdowns and was driving the Knights (3-3, 1-2) toward a possible go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

But his backward pass was knocked down by Oklahoma State's Christian Bodnar and returned for a touchdown by Jackson.

Mestemaker's conversion run gave the Cowboys a 35-21 cushion with 10:32 left.

North Carolina 21, at No. 25 Pittsburgh 17: Billy Edwards Jr. threw a 75-yard touchdown pass in the second half, and the Tar Heels (3-2, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) knocked off the Panthers (5-1, 2-1).

Pitt had just taken a 17-14 lead when the Tar Heels immediately responded. Edwards hit Shamar Easter on a 75-yard pass down the seam for the go-ahead touchdown, giving coach Bill Belichick his first win against a ranked opponent at North Carolina.

at No. 14 Missouri 27, Texas A&M 6: Jamal Roberts had 34 carries for a career-best 222 yards and two touchdowns, and Cayden Lee caught seven passes for 94 yards and a touchdown to life the Tigers (5-1, 2-1 SEC). The Tigers also got a pair of 50-plus-yard field goals from

Blake Craig, while Austin Simmons completed 14 of 28 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown. Marcel Reed led the Aggies (3-3, 1-3) by completing 19 of 39 passes for 189 yards but was intercepted twice and lost 18 yards on seven carries.

No. 22 Houston 35, at Kansas State 16: Conner Weigman and tight end Patrick Overmyer connected for four touchdown passes to lift the Cougars. Weigman was 19 for 30 for 242 yards for Houston (5-1, 2-1 Big 12). Avery Johnson was 16 for 30 for 182 yards and two touchdowns with an interception for Kansas State (3-2, 0-2).

---

In other games

Murrieta Valley High product Bear Bachmeier threw for a season-high 329 yards and two touchdowns to lead No. 8 Brigham Young (5-0, 3-0 Big 12) to a 24-10 victory over Iowa State on Friday night. Iowa State fell to 3-3, 1-2. ... Kamari Moulton ran for a career-high 208 yards in 26 carries, and the Iowa defense held Washington to minus-three yards rushing as the 20th-ranked Hawkeyes (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) rolled to a 41-24 victory on Friday night. The Huskies (3-3, 0-3) were held to 95 yards of total offense in the first half. ... Gio Lopez threw for three touchdowns and ran for another as Wake Forest (5-1, 3-1 ACC) won 38-14 at North Carolina State (3-3, 1-2) on Saturday. ... Cale Hellums rushed for a career-high 223 yards, Dawson Jones kicked the winning field goal on the final play, and Army (3-2, 2-1 American Conference) edged Tulane 20-17. ... Jackson Gutierrez ran for a career-high 232 yards and three touchdowns and threw for another score to lead Navy (2-3, 1-2 American) to a 34-26 victory.

Note: Overtime or shootout losses are worth one point.

TARIK SKUBAL was a trade target for Milwaukee, and now it could face him twice in the NLCS.

ERIC THAYER Los Angeles Times

Voices BILL SHAIKIN COLUMNIST

Standing pat on Skubal may be Brewers' big whiff

MILWAUKEE

The National League Championship Series starts Sunday. The series could have been decided on Aug. 1.

That was the day the Dodgers traded for Tarik Skubal. The Milwaukee Brewers wanted him badly, but they declined to include a promising young pitcher in the deal.

So, on Sunday, the scenario the Brewers most hoped to avoid comes true: Instead of starting for them in Game 1 of the NLCS, Skubal starts against them.

If the Dodgers win the series, the Milwaukee winter could be cold and long, with fans tortured by visions of Skubal and presumptive Cy Young winner Jacob Misiorowski starting four games in the series.

Instead, the Dodgers could get four starts out of Skubal and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

“Every night when you play these guys, you know you’re going to face a Cy Young-caliber pitcher,” Brewers captain Christian Yelich said. “It’s the reason why they’ve been so good as a team.”

In the alternate reality, the Dodgers start Yamamoto — perhaps the world's best big-game pitcher — followed by Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and maybe Emmet Sheehan. Snell and Glasnow each starred last October, but each walked five in his division series start while failing to complete five innings.

In actual reality, the Brewers are expected to follow Misiorowski with rookie Logan Henderson, with whom they would not part in the Skubal trade. That's no easy assignment for the Dodgers: Henderson posted a 2.47 earned-run average in 18 games this season, better than Yamamoto (2.53) and Skubal (2.72).

If Henderson can outshine the bigger names, the Brewers could be OK. But, if the Brewers fall behind in the series, they could be faced with coming back behind the likes of ex-Dodger Dustin May and rookie Robert Gasser.

Not surprisingly, Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold had little to say about his team facing Skubal in Game 1 rather than trading for him — and keeping him away from the Dodgers.

“Every team was looking to acquire good players at the deadline,” Arnold said, “and, ultimately, they landed a really good one there in Tarik Skubal.”

Said Misiorowski: "The dude's insane. I'm just hoping that these guys can do their job and handle business with him and let me do my thing and try to get that side taken care of."

It is entirely rational that the Brewers decided six years of Henderson would be more successful and certainly more cost-effective than two months of Skubal, who is eligible for free agency and is likely to receive the largest contract ever awarded to a pitcher (the current record: Yamamoto's \$325-million deal with the Dodgers).

It is unfortunate, too, in the sense that the Brewers are not some plucky underdog but the team that won the most games in the NL this year and last year.

“We’ve been expecting having to play them in this round since spring training,” Yelich said.

Flags fly forever. The Brewers, founded in 1969, never have won the World Series. If you're not going all-in during a season in

which you won a franchise-record 103 games, when are you?

"I'm grateful for the opportunity to compete against the Dodgers, because they obviously have proven to be a dominant baseball organization," Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. "You can complain or explain or say it's this or it's that, but the opportunity to get in the ring and do that is pretty special.

“That’s the way you’d want this storybook ending — when you’re writing the last words of the Milwaukee Brewers championship, you’d want it to go through the Los Angeles Dodgers. It’s the way it has to be if it’s an incredible story, for lack of a better adjective.”

The Brewers should be offended at the premise behind the owners' push for a salary cap. The owners claim small-market teams cannot compete effectively or consistently without one. The Brewers — the team that plays in baseball's smallest market — have won a division championship for four consecutive years, and five out of six.

“Nobody here is worried about that right now,” Arnold said. “We’re focused on trying to win, and I think we have for awhile. Regardless of what the economics look like, the guys in there believe, and so do I.”

The owners have argued the system needs reform because a small-market team has not won a World Series in 11 years. Do the Brewers consider their run of success as a failure?

"I wouldn't," Arnold said. "I would consider it an opportunity to go win it this year."

In the big picture — what this all means to Major League Baseball — this series makes no difference. The owners are hell-bent on their demand for a salary cap whether the underdog Brewers win, or the big, bad Dodgers do.

In the local picture here, the Brewers have to ask what every manager or coach does: Did we put our players in the best position to win?

If the Brewers win this series, good for them. If they don't, they got their answer on Aug. 1.

Lakers still waiting for Kessler, Sexton

By Thuc Nhi Nguyen

Entering the final week of preseason games, Lakers coach JJ Redick still is unsure when he'll get a full look at his new-look team.

Lingering injuries to center Walker Kessler (finger) and guard Collin Sexton (lower leg) are casting doubt on their availability for the Lakers' fourth preseason game Tuesday in Las Vegas against the Golden State Warriors.

Both offseason additions have yet to make their preseason debuts. While Kessler participated in practice Saturday after hitting his finger on the backboard, he was not in live drills. Redick said he was “not committed” to having Kessler available Tuesday against the Warriors.

The Lakers invested four first-round picks and a four-year, \$130-million contract to get the star center from the Utah Jazz. They're relying on him to anchor their defense and add a much-desired lob threat for guard Luka Doncic. For now, the Lakers are getting a preview of what their team would look like in the minutes without Kessler.

"It's important to have two of the bigger wings out there for rebounding purposes," said Redick, who said Kessler's finger injury is minor enough for him to play through if this was the regular season. "That was a concern, I think, coming into the year ... trying to be a good defensive rebounding team. What does that look like with Walker not on the court? And I think in film, it's pretty apparent that we need to do a better job of boxing out. Just like simple stuff and gang rebounding."

The Lakers are 28th in the preseason with 37.7 rebounds per game and gave up 20 offensive rebounds to the Sacramento Kings on Thursday in their third game of the preseason.

Second-year forward Adou Thiero started instead and has a team-high 11 defensive rebounds in three games. The high-flying wing's growth this offseason caught the attention of his teammates, who are eager to throw him lobs for dunks and see him sky for rebounds.

Wings Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams started the preseason opener and the defensive-minded players flashed their potential by hounding opponents the full length of the court. After starring in the opener with 13 points and a steal against the Warriors, Williams missed the last two games because of a foot contusion.

Doncic has been high on him since the star hosted a five-day minicamp for the team in his home country of Slovenia in August.

ERIC THAYER Los Angeles Times

"I told him that the second pickup game in Slovenia, what I saw from him, just understanding the game better, reading the game, I think he improved a

COLLIN SEXTON, speaking at media day, has yet to make his preseason debut because of a leg injury.

lot in the summer," he said.

With Kessler sidelined, the Lakers have alternated Kevon Looney and Sandro Mamukelashvili at center. Looney leads the team with 17 rebounds in the preseason. Mamukelashvili, who plays both power forward and center, has 11 assists in the preseason, showing the type of versatility that has Redick excited to install the team's "Mamu package" of plays and after-timeout sets.

The lack of depth at center could be a concern later, but they're confident in their perimeter players to set the tone on defense.

"It makes my job a lot easier," Looney said of the Lakers' rotation of wings. "As long as I talk early, they're going to get over the screen. I don't have to be caught playing two. Those guys are able to recover, they're able to block shots, they're able to pop back and get rebounds. As a big, when your guards and wings are hustling like that, it makes your job a lot easier."

Sexton is "probably a little bit further behind" compared to Kessler, Redick said. The Lakers signed the 27-year-old guard for extra scoring and have missed him as a third ballhandling option to supplement Doncic and Austin Reaves. With the way teams pressure, Redick said he is aiming to have multiple ballhandlers on the court at all times.

With coaches still tinkering with lineups in the preseason, turnovers became a problem when the ballhandling options dwindled. The Lakers average the fourth-most turnovers per game (23.7) in the preseason.

Although the Lakers have yet to have all their players available, they aren't lacking confidence. Doncic said he knew the team, which welcomed nine new players during a busy offseason, had championship potential well before training camp started.

“Since the first day,” Doncic said. “That simple. Since the first day everybody came together in Slovenia ... I believed that we can win a championship.”

Rookie's first NHL goal ignites Ducks

ASSOCIATED PRESS

WINNIPEG, Canada

Rookie Judd Caulfield scored his first NHL goal and added an assist to help the Ducks beat Winnipeg 5-1 on Friday night for the Jets' first regulation loss of the season.

Tim Washe and Mikael Granlund each had a goal and an assist, and Sam Colangelo and Nikita Nesterenko also scored to help the Ducks improve to 3-1-0.

Lukas Dostal stopped 15 shots for the Ducks, giving up only Kyle Connor's goal.

Connor, who was playing in his 700th NHL game, pulled the Jets to 3-1 when he scored his sixth goal of the season midway through the third period.

Granlund sunk Winnipeg's hopes on a goal with 5:54 remaining, the 200th of his career, to make it 4-1. Nesterenko added an

---

FRIDAY'S LATE SUMMARY

---

DUCKS 5, JETS 1 | DUCKS | 1 | 1 | 3 | - | 5 | WINNIPEG | 0 | 0 | 1 | - | 1 | FIRST PERIOD: 1. DUCKS, Caulfield 1 (Washe, Malott), 14:41. Penalties—DUCKS bench, served by Gauthier (Unsportsmanlike Conduct), 19:46. Mitchell, ANA (Fighting), 19:46. Lowry, WPG (Fighting), 19:46.

SECOND PERIOD: 2. DUCKS, Washe 1 (Malott, Caulfield), 5:20. Penalties—Sennecke, ANA (Tripping), 5:54. Poehling, ANA (Holding), 13:09. Poehling, ANA (Tripping), 17:18.

THIRD PERIOD: 3. DUCKS, Colangelo 1 (Sennecke), 4:25. 4. Winnipeg, Connor 6 (DeMelo, Scheifele), 10:36. 5. DUCKS, Granlund 2 (Warren, LaCombe), 14:06. 6. DUCKS, Nesterenko 1 (Sennecke, Granlund), 19:19 (en). Penalties—Lambert, WPG (Holding), 7:02. SHOTS ON GOAL: DUCKS 4-5-8–17. Winnipeg 7-6-3–16. Power-play Conversions—DUCKS 0 of 1. Winnipeg 0 of 4.

GOALIES: DUCKS, Dostal 3-1-0 (16 shots-15 saves). Winnipeg, Stevenson 1-1-0 (16-12). Att–13,693 (15,321). T–2:21. R–Jake Brenk, Wes McCauley. L–Trent Knorr, Jesse Marquis.

WNBA ROUNDUP

Sweeping entrances into Finals for Valkyries, Dream

WNBA Finals for the first time since 2013.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Kayla Thornton scored 18 points, and second-year Golden State became the quickest expansion team to reach the WNBA Finals, sweeping defending champion Las Vegas with an 87-77 overtime win Friday night.

The second-seeded Valkyries will have home-court advantage in the Finals, which begin Saturday. The Atlanta Dream also swept New York, and now teams are 22-0 in playoff history when leading a series 2-0.

The host Aces, who were seeded third, had won three of the last four WNBA championships.

Gabby Williams added 16 points for the Valkyries, including eight in overtime. Former Aces Kiah Stokes and Tiffany Hayes each had 11 points, and Stokes also grabbed 10 rebounds.

A'ja Wilson, honored before Game 3 for winning an unprecedented fifth MVP, scored 21 points but on six-for-19 shooting for the Aces. She also had 10 rebounds, joining DeWanna Bonner as the only players with 1,300 points and 600 rebounds in the postseason.

Atlanta 85, at New York 83: Angel Reese scored 22 points, Rhyne Howard added 21, and the Dream beat the Liberty to advance to the

The fourth-seeded Dream completed the three-game sweep of the Liberty and haven't lost in this postseason.

The Dream hadn't reached the semifinals since 2018. Now, they'll try to win the franchise's first championship with four more victories.

Atlanta led 83-81 with 17.7 seconds left after turning the ball over, giving New York one last chance.

But, Breanna Stewart missed a contested layup with nine seconds left, and Bonner hit two free throws with 6.2 seconds left to seal the win.

IAN MAULE Associated Press

THE ACES' Chelsea Gray (12) tangles with the Valkyries' Kayla Thornton, who scored 18 points Friday.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

empty-net goal in the final minute.

Clay Stevenson made 12 saves for Winnipeg. The Jets are 3-1-1.

---

NHL STANDINGS Through Friday | Pacific | W | L | OL | Pts | GF | GA | Vegas | 4 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 21 | 13 | Edmonton | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 22 | 16 | DUCKS | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 11 | San Jose | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 14 | Seattle | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 21 | 14 | Vancouver | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 21 | 25 | KINGS | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 15 | Calgary | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 23 | Central | W | L | OL | Pts | GF | GA | Winnipeg | 3 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 13 | 15 | Colorado | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 23 | 11 | Utah | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 18 | 14 | Minnesota | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 8 | Nashville | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 11 | Dallas | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 6 | St. Louis | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 13 | Chicago | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 21 | EASTERN CONFERENCE | Metropolitan | W | L | OL | Pts | GF | GA | N.Y. Rangers | 4 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 17 | 11 | Carolina | 3 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 18 | 14 | Washington | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 9 | Pittsburgh | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 20 | 16 | Columbus | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 9 | N.Y. Islanders | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 8 | New Jersey | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 13 | Philadelphia | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 19 | Atlantic | W | L | OL | Pts | GF | GA | Ottawa | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 9 | Tampa Bay | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 9 | Florida | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 8 | Boston | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 15 | 12 | Toronto | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 15 | Buffalo | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 15 | Montreal | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 19 | Detroit | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 14 | Today's games

Seattle at Washington .... 2 p.m.

Vancouver at N.Y. Rangers .... 3 p.m.

Carolina at Philadelphia .... 4 p.m.

---

WNBA PLAYOFFS

---

SEMIFINALS

4 Atlanta vs. 8 New York

Dream win, 3-0

Gm 1 Atlanta 92, New York 82

Gm 2 Atlanta 101, New York 98 (OT)

Gm 3 Atlanta 85, New York 83

2 Golden State vs. 3 Las Vegas Valkyries win, 3-0

Gm 1 Golden State 71, Las Vegas 60

Gm 2 Golden State 83, Las Vegas 81

Gm 3 Gold. St. 87, Las Vegas 77 (OT)

---

FINALS

2 Golden State vs. 4 Atlanta

Best-of-seven series

Gm 1 Sat. at Golden St., 12:30, NBC

Gm 2 Oct. 19 at Golden State, 5, USA

Gm 3 Oct. 22 at Atlanta, 5, USA

Gm 4 Oct. 24 at Atlanta, 12:30, NBC

Gm 5 Oct. 26 at Golden St., 5, USA\*

Gm 6 Oct. 29 at Atlanta, 5, USA\*

Gm 7 Oct. 31 at Golden St., 5, USA\*

\* if necessary | All times PDT, p.m.

Voices BILL SHAIKIN COLUMNIST

A lasting lesson in how to meet the moment

WHEN Rick Monday rescued a flag from being burned at a Dodgers game in 1976, Fred Claire was ready with a stadium salute.

Herald Examiner

VINCE COMPAGNONE Los Angeles Times

A TOP Dodgers executive for decades, Claire helped craft a winner with manager Tommy Lasorda. Claire died last week at 91.

Fred Claire was calling. In April, when we celebrated the 50th anniversary of Rick Monday rescuing an American flag from pro-

testers about to set it aflame, Claire wanted to share more of the story.

Claire, then the Dodgers' publicist and later their general manager, had directed that "RICK MONDAY ... YOU MADE A GREAT PLAY" appear on the Dodger Stadium message board.

As we talked, Claire made sure to drop the name of the college student earning \$15 per game to operate the message board on game nights.

"I'm still in awe of how he met the moment," Jeff Fellenzer told me after Claire died Monday.

"He just calmly turned to me. He was sitting two or three seats away. He said, 'Jeff, just type these words.' None of us really knew what was going on. It happened so fast."

As extraordinary as it might sound for an executive to remember and elevate the work of a young assistant half a century earlier, the anecdote reflected three of Claire's very best qualities: treat everyone with respect, share the credit and help whoever you could.

Claire and Fellenzer stayed in touch over the years. In 1999, when Fellenzer launched a sports business and media class at USC, Claire co-taught the class for the first three years, and since then he always made sure Fellenzer told his students they always could reach out for advice on pursuing careers in baseball or sports business.

“His door was always open to helping people realize their dreams,” Fellenzer said.

Two weeks ago, Fellenzer's students took a midterm examination. Among the topics: Claire's keys to building a winning sports franchise.

The bullet points included starting with strong, committed ownership; delivering a good product; establishing credibility and trust with fans and media; and hiring good people and letting them do their jobs.

Claire consistently took ownership of one of the worst trades in Dodgers history, when he swapped future Hall of Famer Pedro Martínez for infielder Delino DeShields. Coaches and scouts suggested the young and wiry Martínez might never develop into a pitcher as successful as his brother Ramon, but Claire did not fault them.

"The facts are the facts," he said, "and those facts are, I traded Pedro."

Compare that to whatever this is that New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns is trying to say in the wake of their apocalyptic season: “We and I made a number of decisions that created the potential for an uncapped downside scenario.”

I'm not picking on Stearns. He is far from alone in a new generation of executives comfortable deploying the verbiage of “trust the process” and “sustainable success” as defenses when the process has not resulted in success.

Claire spoke plain English, and he would go on “Dodger Talk” on Sunday mornings to speak directly with fans. When the Dodgers traded future Hall of Famer Mike Piazza in 1998, Claire led with integrity at the risk of losing his job: The Fox ownership had made the trade, he announced, not him. Sure enough, he was fired.

Fox treated the Dodgers more as television content than as a

community treasure. This is not a misprint: Under Fox, the Dodgers never appeared in the playoffs.

Under the O'Malley family, for whom Claire worked for three decades, the Dodgers did not win every year, as they do now. They fielded a competitive team at a fair price.

Parking was no more than \$5 — that would be \$10 today, after inflation — and the Dodgers nurtured the next generation of fans by offering free tickets to A students and a kids' fan club that included six tickets for \$2.

Fan loyalty? The Dodgers haven't lost 100 games in 118 years. They just raised prices on season tickets, again. The Colorado Rockies lost 100 games for the fourth consecutive year — and they raised season ticket prices $12\%$ .

In 1996, when Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan asked owner Peter O'Malley to abandon his plan to build an NFL stadium in the Dodger Stadium parking lot, O'Malley stood down. He then put the Dodgers up for sale, because he believed a family business would lack the resources of wealthier corporate ownerships, and the team might not remain competitive.

Compare that to today, when owners want players to help subsidize teams with fewer resources via a salary cap, and when analysts openly wonder how much the involvement of private equity in ownership might prolong the looming lockout, because trading short-term pain for long-term gain is a straightforward financial principle.

I'd love to discuss all of this with Claire. Fellenzer would too.

On the day before Claire died, as word spread of his imminent passing, Fellenzer sent him an email, thanking him for 50 years of friendship, for impacting him and so many of his students, and for living his life as “such a stellar role model and human being.”

Claire wrote back. His reply, shared with permission:

"Jeff. Thank you.

"A young student typed words that will live, RICK MONDAY ... YOU MADE A GREAT PLAY

"Make an impact ...

“Respond with honesty, compassion, transparency, and [time-liness] ... and a lack of fear.

"Love. Fred."

Last words for Fellenzer to cherish forever. His reply:

"FRED CLAIRE ... YOU LIVED A GREAT LIFE."

Dodgers' rotation primed for success in the NLCS

MIKE STEWART Associated Press

YOSHINOBU Yamamoto pitched Game 3 in Atlanta, putting him in line for Game 2 of the NLCS.

[Dodgers, from D1]

hand the ball over after five innings in Game 3. The back end of the bullpen settled into a rhythm with Tanner Scott serving as the setup man and Edwin Díaz reestablishing himself as the closer.

The success, however, started with the rotation.

“They did what they had to do,” Kiké Hernández said. “They kept us in games when we weren’t scoring. Not surprised.”

The Dodgers lost Game 2 after Snell exited with two outs in the fourth inning. It was the Dodgers' shortest start in the series, but he still held the Braves to one run.

Snell, however, was coming off a disjointed pitching schedule because of the injury. With his post-season experience, he could settle into a better rhythm as the playoffs continue.

Glasnow didn't quite make it through the fifth inning in Game 4, exiting with two outs.

But with runs at a premium, and more days off built into the postseason, shorter starts are common. Glasnow's five walks drove up his pitch count, but he gave up only one hit.

In Game 1, Skubal gave the Dodgers exactly what they hoped for when they acquired him at the trade deadline. He limited the Braves to two hits over six innings.

"I've executed every pitch that I throw thousands of times," Skubal said after his start. "So just trust that, trust the work that you put in. It sounds simple to try and live one pitch at a time, but I think it's pretty difficult given [the] circumstances."

Yamamoto raised the bar even higher: seven innings of one-run ball. His 10 strikeouts were a playoff career high.

Yamamoto also made it clear that like last year, he would be willing to pitch out of the bullpen or on short rest if needed.

“I’m going to get myself ready for any situation,” he said through interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda last week. “If they want me to go out, then I go out. But for me, just those are key things for me. Postseason is just focusing on the game right in front of me."

The Dodgers, planning on a deep run, didn't tax their starting pitchers heavily in their first round. That gives them the option to lean on the rotation even more against the Brewers.

“We’re all kind of in the prime of our careers, and we’re all evolving and continuing to get better and grow,” Snell said last weekend. “I think the coolest part about the whole group that no one gets to see is really how much we talk about pitching. It's very unique. It doesn't happen everywhere. For all of us to kind of be pushing for each other to be great, it's a really cool starting staff to be a part of."

---

Roster decision

The Dodgers plan to carry a roster of 13 pitchers and 13 position players in the NLCS, Roberts said, one more pitcher and one fewer position player than last round.

In the NLDS, left-handed relievers Justin Wrobleski and Jack Dreyer were left off the roster. The Dodgers carried rookie pinch-hitter Josue De Paula and pinch-runner/utility player Hyeseong Kim.

It remains to be seen whether Miguel Rojas will be part of the roster, though Roberts said Saturday that he expects him to be on it.

Rojas tweaked his back in Game 3 when his feet slid out from under him in the slick grass in shallow right field as he made an on-target throw to first base. He left

---

MLB PLAYOFFS

DIVISION SERIES

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Best-of-five series

Chicago White Sox vs. Cleveland

Series tied, 2-2

Game 1: Chicago 3, Cleveland 0

Game 2: Chicago 4, Cleveland 3

Game 3: Cleveland 9, Chicago 3

Game 4: Cleveland 9, Chicago 5

Game 5: Saturday at Cleveland, late

TV: TBS/HBO Max

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Best-of-seven series

Dodgers vs. Milwaukee

Game 1: Today at Milwaukee, 5

Game 2: Monday at Milwaukee, 2

Game 3: Wednesday at Dodgers, 5

Game 4: Thursday at Dodgers, 6

Game 5: Friday at Dodgers, 6\*

Game 6: Oct. 18 at Milwaukee, 5\*

Game 7: Oct. 19 Milwaukee, 5\*

TV: Game 1 on Fox, Games 2 and 7 on Fox or FS1, Games 3-6 on FS1

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Best-of-seven series

Tampa Bay vs. Chicago/Cleveland

Game 1: Monday at Tampa Bay, 5

Game 2: Tuesday at Tampa Bay, 5

Game 3: Thurs. at Chicago/Cleveland, 3

Game 4: Friday at Chicago/Cleveland, 3

Game 5: Sat. at Chicago/Cleveland, 5\*

Game 6: Oct. 19 at Tampa Bay, 2\*

Game 7: Oct. 20 Tampa Bay, 5\*

TV: TBS, HBO Max

\* if necessary

Times p.m. PDT unless noted

the game in the middle of his next at-bat, aggravating the injury on a swing. He did not play in Game 4.

“Today was encouraging,” Roberts said Friday. “He had imaging, and a lot of it was kind of stuff that he has had prior history. So, we’ve still got a flight to get on. See how he comes in tomorrow for the workout there. So there’s nothing definitive. But I will say today was a step in the right direction. He took ground balls and took a couple rounds of BP. So that was good.”

Live From SOFI STADIUM

LA VS

OCT 12 | 5:15 PM PT

MATTHEW STAFFORD

MVP RALLY TOWEL GATE GIVEAWAY

THERAMS.COM/BUF

Los Angeles Times SPORTS EXTRA

A TIMES E-NEWSPAPER EXCLUSIVE :: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2026

ISAIAH VAZQUEZ Getty Images

USC SAFETY Christian Pierce (6) forces a fumble by Brett Eskildsen that the Trojans recovered in their 31-23 win in front of a record crowd at Beaver Stadium.

Riley and Trojans hold off Nittany Lions

STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

USC coach Lincoln Riley kept his offense on the field on fourth and four at the USC 13.

The decision was so confounding, Penn State coach Matt Campbell burned the Nittany Lions' final timeout with 4:15 remaining. Riley grinned with his team protecting an eight-point lead in front of a rowdy, record crowd of 114,419 fans decked in all white at Beaver Stadium on Saturday night.

USC punted after the timeout, and Riley watched his maligned defense recover Penn State receiver Brett Eskildsen's fumble on the Nittany Lions' first snap of the ensuing drive.

With no timeouts remaining, Penn State had no room for error while trying to stop USC. The Trojans burned as much clock as they could and were again prepared to snap the ball on fourth down when the Penn State defense jumped off-side, effectively sealing the No. 19 Trojans' 31-23 win.

Riley has long been scrutinized for his clock management and late-game decision-making, but in one of the most hostile environments in the country, he helped the Trojans work their way to a win.

USC (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) had the better record and national ranking, but Penn State (3-3, 0-3) was favored to win by $1^{1/2}$ points in a sign of the previously plunging confidence in Riley and his Trojans.

"We came in here against the odds," Riley said during his on-field postgame interview with NBC. "Everybody in the country counted us out and said we weren't going to win a tough road game.

“Trojans came [to] play. Great environment here. Tonight the white-out game went cardinal and gold.”

Quarterback Jayden Maiava, who had struggled at times in the last few weeks, completed 21 of 33 passes for 301 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He was sacked once.

Trent Mosley, who returned after missing the last two games because of an injury, and Tanook Hines delivered a series of highlight catches to support Maiava. Mosley hauled in nine passes for 111 yards and a touchdown, while Hines added four catches for 82 yards and another touchdown.

King Miller ran for 102 yards in 19 carries and scored off a Maiava option pitch.

The teams traded touchdowns and field goals early, entering half-time tied 17-17.

Riley made the curious decision to open the third quarter with an onside kick that Penn State recovered, but his defense limited the Nittany Lions to a field goal.

Miller ran for a 13-yard touchdown on USC's next drive.

Penn State mounted a long drive, but the Trojans' defense again yielded only a field goal, USC holding a 24-23 lead with 14:52 left in the fourth quarter.

Maiava then led a 10-play, 71-yard scoring drive. On the final snap, Maiava had time to sit in the pocket, scan the field and connect with Kayden Dixon-Wyatt for a 10-yard touchdown. USC hit the extra point and led 31-23 with 11:11 left in the fourth quarter.

USC's defense forced a Penn State punt, and Riley worked the clock to protect the win.

Desman Stephens II returned from his one-game suspension for his hit on Oregon quarterback Dante Moore and led the Trojans with nine tackles. Freshman Luke Wafle delivered five tackles and one massively important sack of Penn State quarterback Rocco Becht for a loss of 10 yards with six minutes left in regulation.

It was raining in State College late in the fourth quarter. The Trojans' defense danced on the sideline as the song "Umbrella" played in the stadium, and the Trojans lingered on the field to soak up a big road victory.

—JORDAN PUENTE

No. 2 Georgia 20, at No. 6 Alabama 17: Dwight Phillips Jr. ran for 120 yards, and the Bulldogs (6-0, 4-0 Southeastern Conference) staked their claim to a No. 1 ranking.

at Kentucky 35, No. 10 Louisiana State 34 (OT): Quarterback Kenneth Minchey ran untouched for a two-point conversion after C.J. Baxter scored on a one-yard run to lift the Wildcats (5-1, 3-1 SEC) in overtime.

at No. 12 Utah 41, Kansas 24: Wayshawn Parker ran for 171 yards and two touchdowns to help the Utes (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) stay undefeated.