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After two turbulent years with Eamonn Holmes at GMTV, Anthea Turner walked away from the show on Christmas Eve 1996 – she still believes his envy of her National Lottery show was the problem

A popular television presenter who worked with Eamonn Holmes says there was almost instant friction when she joined him on an iconic daytime TV show.

Eamonn has been one of the most recognisable stars on British television for decades and has worked with a long line of famous faces, including his ex-wife, Ruth Langsford.

But he hasn’t jelled with every colleague he has ever worked with. According to Anthea Turner, Eamonn took exception to her background when she joined him on the GMTV sofa in 1994.

“Eamonn is a trained journalist and I’m not,” she told The Times. “That caused tension from the start… The other thing was I didn’t have my ass on that sofa for very long before I was asked to present the National Lottery too, and I think that also annoyed him.”

Anthea’s first lottery show appearance attracted a huge TV audience of around 22million. Eamonn reportedly lobbied GMTV bosses to get her sacked, accusing her of being “too ambitious” and giving her the disparaging nickname ‘Princess Tippy Toes.’

She told The Sun: “I was always asked if I was ambitious and, if I said yes, I was made out to be a ruthless person who would walk over anybody to get where I wanted. It would be said that I was hormonal, or I was stamping my feet.’

She added: “And yet ask that question to a man, and if he’s ambitious, we think: ‘What a guy’. You’d never hear anyone say that about Eamonn or Phillip Schofield. No, they’re just doing their job.”

Anthea walked away from the “toxic” situation at GMTV on Christmas Eve 1996. Over a decade later, the former Blue Peter presenter said she was still “hurt” by the way she was perceived.

Speaking on the Miranda Holder Weekly Fashion Podcast, she said: “I haven’t weighed myself down with anything from the past, or any of that negativity.

“Nobody likes injustice, nobody wants to be misrepresented. It hurts, it really hurts.”

In a televised reunion in 2018, Anthea said that she had mixed feelings about Eamonn, saying: “There is a fine line between hate and love isn’t there? We were chatting in the break, Eamonn and I are a bit lazy and it’s easier to stay friends.”

Her remarks sparked a somewhat tense atmosphere in the This Morning studio, with Eamonn’s then-wife Ruth Langsford visibly taking exception to Anthea calling him her “ex.”

Ruth stressed that she and Eamonn were “properly married,” before Anthea interrupted her, saying: “Ah but we were telly husband and wife.”

While Anthea and Eamonn were said to have put an end to their bitter feud with her This Morning appearance, she later said that any talk of a friendship was exaggerated, telling the Express:”I don’t think Eamonn and I speak lots. “Those are just headlines saying that we reunited.”

She added: “Obviously, there was the hullabaloo. In fact, I went to Belfast where he was doing a show, and I remember going up there, it must have been about 15 years ago, and we signed a Good Friday Agreement.”

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new Everything Gossip website.

Christmas was only a few days away and the Finnish capital of Helsinki was ringing with festive cheer as we explored the Tuomaan Markkinat in Senate Square, sipping from mugs of hot, spicy glögi (mulled wine), and biting into joulutorttu (jam-filled puff pastries shaped like catherine wheels). A cold front had brought abundant snow and inhaling was rather painful at -8C, but nothing could still the tremble of excitement.

Along with my husband and two young daughters, I was here to take the Santa Claus Express to the northern city of Rovaniemi, the heart of Finnish Lapland – and the “official” home of Father Christmas. A regular commuter train for the rest of the year, come late November the Santa Claus Express is Finnish Railways’ flagship service, offering the ultimate sleeper-train adventure. As I checked my watch and announced it was finally time to make our way to Helsinki central station, the girls were pink in the cheeks, eyes sparkling from all the surrounding golden lights.

The Visalia Unified School District’s public board meeting in March was a festive and upbeat affair with a performance by a student chamber music group and a commendation for a high school cheer squad.

When the seven-member board went into closed session, the agenda was decidedly grimmer: Six former students were suing the district over sexual abuse they said they suffered decades earlier at the hands of a kindergarten teacher.

Out of public view, the board unanimously approved a $3-million settlement with provisions intended to keep the community in the dark forever.

Under the terms of the agreement, the women, their lawyers and families were prohibited from disclosing any aspect of the deal, including the amount they were paid.

“The Parties agree that they will respond to any inquiries they may receive from any third parties regarding the lawsuit by stating only that ‘the matter has been resolved’ without any further elaboration, discussion or disclosure,” the settlement instructed.

It was Visalia’s fifth secret settlement in the last three years, one of a flurry that districts are quietly approving statewide.

A Times investigation found that California’s public schools, faced with a historic surge of sex abuse lawsuits, are increasingly using nondisclosure agreements and other tactics that celebrities and big corporations rely upon to protect their reputation.

At least 25 districts have resolved suits or other claims in ways that hinder taxpayers from learning about the allegations, the cost of settling them or both, The Times found. These hidden settlements total more than $53 million. Legal experts say that these settlements may be in violation of state law, and that some should be investigated by the state attorney general.

While shielding the names and identifying details of sex abuse victims is widely accepted, courts have repeatedly said the public has a right to know allegations leveled against government employees and the money spent to compensate accusers.

Lawmakers in California have also largely banned the use of confidentiality provisions for settlements involving sexual assault and harassment, on the belief that transparency helps victims heal and leads to public accountability.

“There’s very significant problems with government agencies acting like private companies and requesting or insisting on these kinds of nondisclosure or non-disparagement clauses in settlement agreements,” said David Loy, legal director of the First Amendment Coalition, based in San Rafael. “Because at the end of the day, the government works for the people and the people have a very compelling interest in knowing about claims and allegations of misconduct.”

California’s school districts are now grappling with a deluge of sex abuse cases resulting from a 2019 law that changed the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse and created a new window — from 2020 to 2022 — in which anyone could file a lawsuit for past alleged abuse.

The Times identified more than 1,000 lawsuits against school districts filed since 2020, with more than 750 filed due to the new law. Some lawsuits allege abuse as far back as the 1950s. Most cases are still making their way through the courts, but more than 330 have settled for roughly $700 million, with $435 million paid out for claims related to the new law. The state projects that local education agencies will ultimately pay out between $2 billion and $3 billion once cases work through the court system. Much of this is taking place outside the public eye.

In Visalia, confidentiality clauses negotiated by district lawyers acknowledged the public’s right to obtain the information — and then attempted to make sure they never would. Four agreements specifically barred former students receiving secret payouts from “directly or indirectly” encouraging others to file a request under the state Public Records Act — the method The Times used to review copies of agreements referenced in this story.

A spokesperson for Visalia Unified declined an interview request, and the school district did not answer written questions.

Anaheim Union High School District paid three men, who said they had been abused by a junior high teacher, $3.3 million in 2023.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Several districts attempted to prevent allegations from becoming public by paying off accusers before they filed lawsuits that would have detailed the claims of sex abuse for anyone to see.

Anaheim Union High School District paid a trio of men who said they had been abused by a junior high teacher $3.3 million in 2023 after their attorney sent the district a draft of a lawsuit he said he was prepared to file in Superior Court.

The terms of the payout two years ago required that the men and their lawyers “not seek publicity relating to the facts and circumstances giving rise” to their claims, and indeed, the settlements have not been previously reported.

John Bautista, a spokesperson for Anaheim Union, said in a statement that the district and its insurer settled the draft lawsuits after going through discovery in a related case and “did not want to incur additional expenses of filing a lawsuit.”

“Nothing in the agreement would prevent the claimant/plaintiff from speaking with the press concerning the facts of the case if the press contacted [them],” Bautista said.

At least one district paid an accuser before anything was put in writing, records show. Victor Elementary School District in the High Desert negotiated a $350,000 settlement with one former student after his lawyer relayed abuse allegations in a phone call. Asked by The Times for a document describing the claimed misconduct, a district official said no such records existed.

Some districts suggest the confidentiality restrictions are needed to avoid a “snowball effect” of further litigation.

San Diego Unified, hit by more than a dozen lawsuits over alleged sex abuse since 2020, has settled four for a total of $2.44 million, each with a confidentiality clause that, at a minimum, prevents the accuser or her lawyer from disclosing the settlement amount. One of the settlements blocks the accuser from discussing the matter with anyone except her lawyer or financial advisor or in response to a subpoena.

San Diego officials acknowledged that confidentiality is ultimately limited — the documents can be disclosed via public records requests — but the district proceeded with pursuing restrictions on the accusers and their representatives.

“The purpose is to keep plaintiffs’ lawyers from using these settlements as marketing tools,” said James Canning, a spokesman for San Diego Unified.

Former state Sen. Connie Leyva, seen here while in the Legislature in 2019, said she was taken aback by school districts using confidentiality provisions. “That sounds illegal,” Leyva said.

(Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)

Efforts to curb the use of secret settlements gained momentum in the 1980s, with growing public awareness of how confidentiality agreements had kept the public in the dark about environmental or health hazards, such as asbestos.

In 2016, California prohibited settlement agreements that block the disclosure of factual information about sexual abuse or any sex offense that could be prosecuted as a felony.

In the wake of the #MeToo movement, lawmakers in 2018 passed the STAND Act, which prohibits nondisclosure agreements in sexual harassment, discrimination and other sexual assault cases that don’t rise to felony prosecution. Three years later, the Silenced No More Act widened the prohibition on nondisclosure agreements to include any harassment case. The law still gives victims the option to protect their identity.

The lead sponsor of both bills, former state Sen. Connie Leyva, said she was taken aback by school districts using confidentiality provisions.

“That sounds illegal,” said Leyva, now the executive director of public radio and TV station KVCR. “We did not speak specifically about children or about schools, but it shouldn’t be happening.” She added, “Our bill was meant to apply to everyone everywhere.”

Several settlement agreements obtained by The Times included caveats by stating they were “confidential to the extent allowed by law,” or contained similar carve-outs. Experts said such provisos still have the effect of muzzling a victim’s speech and hindering public accountability.

“While it’s possible that these work-arounds don’t violate the letter of the STAND Act, they certainly violate its spirit,” said Nora Freeman Engstrom, a professor at Stanford Law School, who co-authored a study on the effect of the STAND Act in L.A. courts.

Southern Kern Unified School District agreed to pay $600,000 to a former student who alleged sex abuse and included an acknowledgment of the STAND Act in the agreement. Still, the settlement bars the former student, Corey Neufer, from “actively” publicizing the deal.

Reached by phone, Neufer said that although he deliberately chose to sue under his own name, rather than as John Doe, he was told that the confidentiality provision was standard and necessary for the final settlement.

“That was one of the stipulations — that I don’t speak about it or give any details,” said Neufer, who indicated the confidentiality was far broader than the text of his settlement suggests. “My lawyer instructed me to not talk about the case.”

The STAND Act allows for plaintiffs or claimants to put language in a settlement agreement that shields their identity and disclosure of any facts that could lead to their identity. However, if a public official or government agency — such as a school district — is part of the settlement, that language cannot be included.

Of the dozens of settlements reviewed by The Times, two specifically noted that the accuser wanted confidentiality to shield their identity.

Several had restrictions that appeared to exceed the STAND Act, such as a 2024 settlement for $787,500 paid by Ceres Unified to a custodian who said she was sexually harassed by a colleague. The signed agreement states that the settlement, its terms and any belief that the district or its employees engaged in unlawful behavior were all confidential. If asked, the custodian could only say, “The matter has been resolved.”

David Viss, an assistant superintendent at Ceres Unified, said in an email that the agreement complied with the law: “We believe the settlement agreement is consistent with the STAND Act.”

The overwhelming majority of sex abuse cases filed against school districts reach a settlement. For districts, a settlement can be more cost-effective than mounting a legal defense through a jury trial, and unlike a panel of jurors, a settlement provides a level of fiscal certainty. At times, the decision to settle is driven less by school board members than an insurance company or liability coverage provider.

John Manly, whose law firm specializes in childhood sex abuse, said school districts and their insurance providers frequently ask for confidentiality and non-disparagement clauses when negotiating a payout.

Lawyer John Manly, seen at his law offices in Irvine in 2023, has represented sex abuse survivors for more than 20 years. He says that confidentiality agreements “benefit one person, which is the perpetrator, and those who enable them.”

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

“We get these requests all the time, and we decline,” Manly said. “Confidentiality agreements benefit one person, which is the perpetrator, and those who enable them.”

At Los Angeles Unified School District, scores of people accused former San Fernando High School wrestling coach Terry Gillard of abuse. In 2022, LAUSD agreed to pay 23 accusers a total of $52 million to settle molestation and abuse claims — a settlement negotiated by Manly’s law firm.

A year later, LAUSD agreed to pay three other women who alleged abuse by Gillard a total of $7.5 million.

Although those represented by Manly’s team did not have a confidentiality or non-disparagement agreement in their settlement, LAUSD sought an extensive confidentiality agreement for the payout to the three other women, curtailing discussion of the settlement and underlying abuse claims.

That settlement barred their lawyer from making any sort of statement — or encouraging others to make a statement — about the compensation deal, and barred comments that could “defame, disparage or in any way criticize” LAUSD, its employees and leaders.

Only the women, their lawyer, “immediate family” and “tax professional” could know about the settlement, according to the agreement.

“If asked about the status of this dispute, plaintiffs counsel may only state, ‘they have voluntarily and fully resolved their claims against the Los Angeles Unified School District,’ or words to that effect,” declares the settlement agreement.

The lawyer for the women, Anthony DeMarco, did not respond to messages seeking comment.

Manly said the State Bar of California should investigate lawyers on both sides who agree to language that they know conflicts with state law. And he called on Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta to investigate school districts that continue to lock victims into such restrictive agreements.

“It’s wrong. It’s bad for the community and it’s bad for the victim. The lawyers that do it — defense and plaintiff — should be ashamed of themselves.”

L.A. Unified, which has added confidentiality provisions in at least seven settlements since 2020, defended its practices as a way to amicably resolve litigation, according to a statement from a spokesperson.

“These settlement agreements keep the settlement details, such as the amount, confidential. They do not prohibit the disclosure of the facts behind the claims,” the LAUSD spokesperson said.

Some legal experts want Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta to investigate school districts that continue to lock victims into restrictive nondisclosure agreements.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

While several districts use secrecy provisions in settlement agreements to hide the details of sex abuse cases, others, like Visalia Unified, also are able to keep payouts quiet by approving them in closed session at regular school board meetings.

In 2021, the president of the board of Wasco Union High School District received a letter from a lawyer based in Iowa who represented a former Wasco student. The lawyer said his client had been sexually abused nearly a decade earlier by her former coach and teacher, and accused her then-principal, Kevin Tallon, among others, of not taking appropriate steps when confronted with evidence of abuse.

Tallon, now Wasco’s superintendent, was named as a defendant in the draft lawsuit, and the lawyer included a copy. He gave the district 14 business days to respond.

“If I do not hear back from you, I will proceed with the lawsuit,” wrote the lawyer, Thomas Burke.

The letter touched off a negotiation that culminated at the Wasco school board’s final meeting of 2021. The meeting’s agenda for the closed session was circumspect: “Conference with Legal Counsel — Settlement Agreement.” But behind closed doors, the board voted 5 to 0 to approve a settlement, according to meeting minutes, ensuring that there would probably never be a public airing of the allegations against the teacher or superintendent. The meeting minutes reflect only that a settlement was approved — not the amount or nature of the abuse accusations. The district paid $475,000 in the settlement, a sum that The Times obtained via records request.

Tallon, the superintendent who was named in the draft lawsuit, declined an interview but provided written responses to questions. He said the district and its staff “fulfilled its duties diligently and with integrity,” and said the settlement was approved in a way that adhered to the Brown Act, the state’s open meeting law.

“The settlement was not intended to conceal allegations; it was meant to responsibly limit risk and bring closure to a sensitive situation,” Tallon said in the statement.

Legal experts agreed that Wasco’s school board complied with the Brown Act — thereby exposing that law’s limits and potential loopholes. Since the threat of litigation did not result in a filed case or formal claim, the board could treat it as “anticipated litigation” and discuss it in closed session, away from the public. And since settlement offers — like any contract negotiation — are not final until agreed upon, they too can be approved in closed session, away from the public.

Loy, the legal director of the First Amendment Coalition, said the Brown Act could be amended to proactively require public agencies to ultimately disclose the details and amounts of settlements. School districts, he added, could also opt to be more open, without being compelled to by state lawmakers.

“Agencies owe a duty to the public to be more proactive and more transparent, even than the bare minimum letter of the law might allow them to get away with,” Loy said.

The lack of transparency also coincides with a crisis in local news, which has resulted in far less coverage of city halls, courthouses and school boards from the Imperial Valley to the shores of Eureka.

At one time, newspapers big and small had reporters at school board meetings who probably would have noticed settlements on the agenda and submitted records requests to reveal them.

With local media absent, agencies have quietly approved settlements in closed session, with no watchdog to suss out the underlying facts.

“Diligent people or reporters know to do that: Please give me copies of every settlement approved this week or this month,” said Loy, the First Amendment Coalition’s legal director. “But that requires an extra step.”

MICKEY ROURKE is trying to get his movie career back on track – despite his Celebrity Big Brother disgrace.

The veteran Hollywood star was booted off the ITV reality show earlier this year for his “unacceptable behaviour.”

But luckily for Mickey his name has been linked to two big-screen biopics.

One is about the life of Black Sabbath legend Ozzy Osbourne while another will be on US country legend Johnny Cash.

One of my Hollywood insiders said Mickey’s name had repeatedly come up in meetings about the films when discussions turned to casting the older versions of the music legends.

They told me: “Producers here don’t even know about the Celebrity Big Brother thing, Mickey is golden in the States.

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“This town also loves an underdog, and movie bosses think Mickey still has an Oscar-worthy performance they can wring out of him.

“He was a top actor back in the day — he would have been on a par with James Dean and Marlon Brando if he hadn’t taken wrong turns and gone down a bad path.

If the evil overlords of Hollywood give us the green light we could be filming in the spring

Jack Osbourne

“There are scripts in the pipeline on Ozzy and Johnny, and Mickey’s name has come up in meetings about both projects.

“They want to portray Ozzy’s final days before that amazing show at Villa Park, and they want a performance like Mickey gave in The Wrestler.

“They’re confident he could do it.”

It’s understood streaming giants Amazon MGM and Apple are interested in both projects, with big-name directors in the frame to oversee it — including Martin Scorsese.

Ozzy’s son Jack Osbourne first told me they were working on a film about his dad’s life before Ozzy’s homecoming show back in July.

Jack said: “We do have the film on the way. We have a lot of good forward momentum on the Ozzy biopic.

“We have a director attached now and the script is done and Sony Studios is going to be producing it.

“We are really excited about it so maybe we will do the premiere here in Birmingham.

“If the evil overlords of Hollywood give us the green light we could be filming in the spring so maybe it will be out summer 2027 — fingers crossed.”

I’m sure Mickey will be crossing his toes, as well as his fingers, that he gets the part.

JAMIE LEE: IT’S FREAKIER ONLINE

HER long-awaited sequel to 2003’s Freaky Friday – imaginatively titled Freakier Friday – went down a storm with fans.

And Hollywood legend Jamie Lee Curtis says she knows exactly why we are seeing a resurgence in sequels and prequels.

Speaking to comedian Geoff Norcott on this Times Radio show, Jamie said: “Nostalgia is very hot right now.

“Because people are feeling so freaked out by what’s happening that you cling, you cling to nostalgia to make you feel safe.”

Jamie, whose new film Ella McCay is out now, went on to slam cancel culture and attacks on free speech.

She added: “We’re all trying to figure out, what can we say? What can’t we say?

“The echo chamber is awful. Social media is awful. You say something that you believe in, you get hammered for it. I mean, hardcore.

“It’s hard to hold on to both the frustration you’re feeling but the sense of optimism and hope.

“I feel hope because I believe that the hatred is imploding, and I think we’re seeing it.”

IT’S STAR SHREK

THE life of a Bizarre reporter isn’t all red carpets and bubbly – sometimes you end up in a swamp with an ogre and a talking donkey.

Our Jack was invited backstage at the latest adaptation of Shrek: The Musical at Colchester’s Charter Hall to meet the cast before they kicked off their near sold-out run at the venue.

With Red Dwarf’s Danny John Jules as Donkey and CITV’s Chris Edgerley as Lord Farquaad, the show is based on the hit 2001 film starring Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy.

Shrek and Princess Fiona are played by Joseph Rawlings and Rachel Jerram.

A refreshing change from the annual festive panto, the cast delivered a brilliant version of the big screen hit with a seriously impressive set to match.

Shout out to Ceris Hine as the perfectly executed Gingy, delivering our favourite Gingerbread Man performance of the year.

Chatting backstage about playing the pint-sized villain, Chris explained how spending the show on his knees left him in agony at times.

He said: “I’m a lot taller than Farquaad so I’m knee-padded up to the hilt but it’s worth it.

“Halfway through rehearsals we had to add extra padding as it was hurting too much.

“Hopefully the audience will have as much fun as we do.”

Unlike the fairytale dictator, this musical certainly doesn’t come up short.

JAMIE’S SO FESTIVE

Jamie Cullum: The Pianoman At Christmas @ Royal Albert Hall, London

★★★★★

THERE’S nothing more festive than a trip to London’s Royal Albert Hall at Christmas – although a Jamie Cullum show there beats anything else to get you in the spirit.

Inspired by his criminally underrated 2020 album The Pianoman At Christmas, his two-hour seasonal spectacle, backed by a big band – “this is what expensive musicians sound like,” he half-joked – was an absolute treat.

And soon there will be more. He said of himself and wife Sophie Dahl : “We are trying to write the film of the Pianoman At Christmas.

“I told her I was going to announce it tonight so now we have to finish it.”

His voice is as smooth as a pricey whiskey and sounded just as great doing his original numbers as it did with family favourites Frosty The Snowman and Jingle Bells.

And as for Hang Your Lights, it deserves to be a modern Christmas classic.

Forget the turkey and mistletoe, Jamie Cullum’s annual festive show should be a staple of everyone’s Christmas.

HOWELL DAVIES

LILY’S SKIT ON STRANGER FLINGS

DAVID HARBOUR has another TV show to avoid, after his ex-wife Lily Allen called up Dakota Johnson to bring her infamous “Madeline” to life on Saturday Night Live.

During the show, Lily performed her explosive track Tennis – with Dakoka playing the “other woman” Madeline.

At the end of Lily’s performance, Dakota brought Madeline to life and appeared to reveal for the first time what this other woman may have told Lily about allegedly getting with David behind her back.

Dakota said: “I hate that you’re in so much pain right now.

“I really don’t want to be the cause of any upset.

“He told me that you were aware this was going on and that he had your full consent.

“’If he’s lying about that, then please let me know.

“Because I have my own feelings about dishonesty. Lies are not something that I want to get caught up in.”

Dakota then planted a kiss on Lily’s cheek as she said: “Love and light, Madeline.”

A British company has unveiled plans for a new ‘flying taxi’ service that would whisk passengers to the airport in a matter of minutes, but there are still some regulatory hurdles to overcome

A British firm has revealed bold plans for a ‘flying taxi’ service that will transport passengers to airports, with this cutting-edge travel option expected to cost no more than an Uber.

Vertical Aerospace claims its electric Valo aircraft, engineered to reach speeds of up to 150mph across distances of up to 100 miles, could provide swift and effective city-to-airport links, enabling travellers to bypass airport traffic jams. For instance, a journey from Canary Wharf to Heathrow Airport would take just 12 minutes by aircraft versus an hour by road.

The firm, which recently conducted flight trials at Cotswolds Airport, is now targeting airline-standard safety approval by 2028 before launching commercial operations in early 2029.

Vertical Aerospace has released images of its prototype aircraft, which it claims delivers a luxurious experience for up to six passengers, featuring ample baggage capacity. Pictures of the aircraft reveal a sleek, contemporary design with an interior boasting comfortable seating and big windows, reports the Express.

Despite the aircraft’s high-end appearance, the company intends to provide an affordable and accessible service. A spokesman confirmed: “Ultimately, the potential is for this aircraft to be a similar cost as hiring an Uber.”

Vertical has also announced its proposed route network at launch, which would initially link Cambridge and Oxford -Bicester with the capital as well as Heathrow and Gatwick Airport. Aside from airport transfers, the firm suggests these innovative aircraft could be used for emergency medical services, cargo delivery, and even defence operations.

Vertical confirmed plans to build seven aircraft in the UK for testing with the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

In a statement, Vertical announced approximately 1,500 pre-orders for Valo. The company projected that manufacturing these aircraft could generate 2,000 skilled jobs in the UK by 2035.

Stuart Simpson, CEO of Vertical Aerospace, stated: “Electric flight will transform how cities move, and London is one of the best places in the world to prove it. With Skyports and Bristow, we have the aircraft, infrastructure and operational strength to lead this market. These plans show the commercial potential of services we aim to see operating following regulatory approval in 2028 and we look forward to bringing them to life with our partners.”

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However, gaining CAA approval could pose a challenge for these futuristic vehicles. At present, the CAA is conducting a consultation on vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft to ensure their safe operation within the UK.

The consultation commenced last month and will continue until the end of January 2026, inviting interested parties to share their views. This process will help establish safety standards for pilot licenses, aircraft, and landing sites, ensuring the proper regulation of VTOLs.

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

Hi and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. Looks like the Dodgers found a new closer for Christmas.

The new closer

Well, the Dodgers did what many did not expect: give another long-term, big-money deal to a closer. They have agreed to a deal with former Mets closer Edwin Díaz on a three-year, $69-million deal. There will be $4.5 million deferred each year and the value of the contract as tabulated for luxury tax purposes will be $21 million per year. It’s a record for annual value for a reliever, breaking the record held by….. Díaz.

Díaz was considered by most to be the top reliever on the market. Last season with the Mets, he was 6-3 with a 1.63 ERA and 28 saves. In 66.1 innings, he gave up 37 hits and walked 21 while striking out 98. He turns 32 in March. He had three blown saves and allowed six of 15 inherited runners to score.

If there is a red flag here, it is that his fastball velocity has dropped from an average of 99 mph in 2023 to 97 mph last season. Which is still pretty fast of course.

You’ll forgive me for not doing somersaults over the deal yet. It could turn out to be an amazing signing. However, as we saw last season with Tanner Scott, relievers are like a box of chocolates: You never know what you are going to get. Díaz has a much better record of success than Scott did. But we’ve seen over the last few seasons what can happen with a signing (Scott, Kirby Yates), decline in form (Blake Treinen) or injuries (Evan Phillips, Michael Kopech, Brusdar Graterol).

But the Dodgers did need bullpen help, and they signed the best reliever on the market, so it’s hard to find fault in that.

You can read more on the signing in this story by Jack Harris.

And an analysis, which includes discussion of a possible salary cap, from Bill Shaikin here.

Fernando misses the Hall

The Contemporary Baseball Era Committee for the Baseball Hall of Fame met Sunday. It was a 16-member committee, and there were eight candidates to consider: Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Carlos Delgado, Jeff Kent, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, Gary Sheffield and Fernando Valenzuela.

The only person elected: Kent, wh was named on 14 ballots (you had to be on 12 for election).

The others:

Nine votes
Carlos Delgado

Six
Don Mattingly
Dale Murphy

Fewer than five
Barry Bonds
Roger Clemens
Gary Sheffield
Fernando Valenzuela

The committee made a big mistake in not electing Fernando, and really embarrassed itself by not giving him even five votes.

When you look at the numbers, Fernando is at best a borderline candidate. He won a Cy Young and Rookie of the Year award, but won only 173 games in his career.

However, when you consider what he meant for the sport in addition to his accomplishments as a player, he qualifies. The three players who created more baseball fans than any other are Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson and Fernando. The fact the Dodgers have a massive Latino following can be traced back to Fernando. He created fans in other cities. He opened MLB to an almost entirely untapped market.

But, some people look only at the numbers. Fernando should be in the Hall. So should Maury Wills. Unfortunately, it’s looking increasingly unlikely that either will make it.

And congratulation to Jeff Kent, who played for the Dodgers but will go into the Hall as a Giant. So, not that big of a congratulations. His election enhances the candidacy of another former Dodger: Chase Utley.

New book

Last week I told you about a new book by Ross Porter, the longtime Dodger announcer who used to do the “Ask Ross Porter” feature in this newsletter. The book, “The Ross Porter Chronicles — Volume 1: The Dodger Years,” is a compendium of interviews he has done over the years with Dodgers, including Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell, Ron Cey and Sandy Koufax.

Reaction was overwhelming, and as a result, they sold out of signed books. However, if you still want a signed copy to give to someone as a Christmas present (it would make a great gift for a Dodger fan), you have an alternative. You can order the book at Amazon. Make sure you have it shipped to you before Dec. 21. Ross will be signing books in person on Dec. 21 from 1-3 p.m. at Northridge Sports & Memorabilia, 9514 Reseda Blvd,, Unit 14.

Anyone who buys the book on Amazon can bring it to the signing, and Ross will sign it for free. He’ll also sign any Dodger items you bring.

It’s a great chance for you to meet a Dodger icon. Ross is 87. The icons from our Dodger childhood won’t be there forever. If you have a chance to go out there, I highly recommend it.

In case you missed it

Analysis: Could Dodgers’ Edwin Díaz signing portend more big moves later this offseason?

Starz picks up drama on gambling scandal involving Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter

Shaikin: Dodgers signing of Edwin Díaz shows they aren’t going to worry about a potential salary cap

Dodgers and Edwin Díaz agree to terms in blockbuster move to shore up bullpen

Former Dodgers, Giants slugger and noted curmudgeon Jeff Kent voted into the Hall of Fame

Fernando Valenzuela falls short of induction into National Baseball Hall of Fame

Metro votes to approve Dodger Stadium gondola project despite protests

And finally

Fernando Valenzuela pitches a no-hitter. Watch and listen here.

Until next time…

Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

ORLANDO, Fla. — As the hotel lobby at the Signia by Hilton Orlando filled at MLB’s winter meetings on Tuesday morning, an unexpected prize was falling into the Dodgers’ lap.

Edwin Díaz, the top reliever on this year’s free-agent market, was suddenly slipping away from the incumbent New York Mets, who reportedly made the fan favorite closer only a three-year offer that did little to entice him to re-sign with the team.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, were swooping in late to snatch away the hard-throwing right-hander, submitting a more lucrative three-year bid that would pay Díaz a relief-pitcher-record $23 million per season.

Just like that, the Dodgers had gone from a perfectly content, but unremarkably quiet winter, to one in which they’d once again flexed their financial muscles and stunned the baseball industry.

“There were a lot of scenarios [that could have potentially played out this winter] where we didn’t necessarily end up with a top-end reliever,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Tuesday night, while declining to comment on Díaz directly since the transaction wasn’t finalized. “But we just kind of prepared on a bunch of different fronts. And being aggressive, if something lined up, we’ve known all along [it is something we would do].”

The Díaz signing was an affirmation of the team’s operating procedure on the free-agent market. They always at least target top talent. They always at least stay around the proverbial blackboard, as Friedman calls it, in case a player’s market doesn’t develop as expected. And now, they are armed with the kind of endless resources that can make them a threat to scoop up any rebound.

As they leave Orlando this week and embark on the rest of this offseason, it serves as a reminder:

The Dodgers might not need to make another big move, in the same way they downplayed the need for any big acquisition coming into the winter.

But they’ll certainly be ready to pounce if another opportunity materializes.

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“I would say we definitely can,” Friedman hinted when asked if another big move this offseason could be possible. “Whether that makes the most sense within the timing of our roster — there’s so many factors that go into it, and any decision you make has a future cost. It’s just weighing that. So, yes, we can. How likely it is, is probably another question.”

Start with the top overall available free agent, Kyle Tucker.

The Dodgers are not expected to entertain a long-term contract for the soon-to-be 29-year-old and four-time All-Star. If his bidding war, as projected, results in offers upwards of 8-10 years and $400 million, the club is unlikely to engage; given the glut of long-term contracts already on their books, and the crop of young outfield prospects expected to reach the majors in the next several seasons.

But what if Tucker’s market cools? What if, like Díaz, he is left to consider relatively shorter-term deals with higher annual salaries? Granted, that’s unlikely to happen, considering the wide interest Tucker is reportedly attracting, including from the Toronto Blue Jays and their suddenly big-spending front office. If it does, however, the Dodgers could once again become candidates for a blockbuster, still needing to fill out their outfield as they embark on a quest for a World Series three-peat.

The same dynamic could be in play with other top free agents. The Dodgers have already shown interest in familiar face Cody Bellinger, who could bring both positional versatility and a more refined hitting approach than he had during his first stint with the club. Bo Bichette also presents the kind of balanced offensive profile the Dodgers are believed to seeking, as they try to shore up a lineup that too often was boom-or-bust last year.

Like Tucker, both players are unlikely to fit the Dodgers’ bigger-picture plans if their free agencies develop as expected (with Bellinger pegged for roughly five years and $150 million, and Bichette perhaps eight years and more than $200 million).

But thanks to the team’s flush financial outlook — and the fact that a salary cap could be coming next year, potentially incentivizing extra spending right now — all it could take is a slight cooling in either player’s market to make them more realistic targets for the two-time defending champions.

As long as there isn’t an overburdensome long-term risk, the Dodgers don’t seem afraid of lucrative shorter-term commitments to sustain their newly cemented dynasty.

“We have not only a really talented group of players, but an extremely driven group of players, who want to take care of their legacy and create a dynasty and be part of something really special,” Friedman said. “Because of that mindset, it makes it easier to invest. And do everything we can to help support that and be a part of helping bring that to fruition.”

The Dodgers could alternatively get aggressive on the trade market. Brandon Donovan and Lars Nootbaar of the St. Louis Cardinals are seen internally as fits. Steven Kwan of the Cleveland Guardians would be an even bigger-name addition, albeit is less likely to be dealt this winter.

Then there is the real white whale: Two-time Cy Young Award-winning pitcher Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers.

For now, it’s uncertain at best that Skubal, who will be a free agent after next season and is unlikely to sign a contract extension with the Tigers (or any other team that trades for him) before then, gets moved this winter.

If he does, it figures to come at an extremely steep cost for a starting pitcher with one year remaining of team control.

If there’s any team that has the ammunition to pull it off, however, it’s the Dodgers, with their ample pitching depth and top-ranked farm system. Like with their free-agent pursuits, there is likely to be a limit for how much they’d part with. But if the Tigers seriously consider a trade, it would be no surprise to see the Dodgers be seriously involved.

There are less splashy routes for this offseason to go down, of course. If the Dodgers don’t make another marquee addition, they still feel confident with the roster core they have in place.

Then again, that’s the tone they were striking coming into these Winter Meetings, before swiping away Díaz in the surprise move of the week.

Thus, the baseball world has been put on alert again: The Dodgers won’t be reckless. They want to maintain longer-term flexibility. But if they see value in a top-talent target in the short-term, they won’t be afraid to once again spend big.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that his country has begun using homegrown Sapsan (which means peregrine falcon) ballistic missiles in combat against Russia. While the claim may be disinformation, such a weapon would give Ukraine a highly valuable new standoff strike option, unlike any other in its inventory. It would also not be subject to any foreign restrictions on its use, as it continues to be the case with many longer-ranged weapons supplied by the United States and other Western partners.

“Ukraine is already using the Neptune, the long-range Neptune, the Palyanytsya, the Flamingo. And also, the Sapsan, I’ll be honest — we’ve begun using it,” Zelensky told journalists. The Ukrainian president added that he would not disclose how many of these weapons have been deployed, or what they targeted.

“Because for now we don’t want the enemy to know all the precedents and all the details,” Zelensky added.

As well as the Sapsan, Zelensky referred to four domestically produced weapons that we already knew had been used operationally. These are the land-attack version of the Neptune anti-ship cruise missile, the extended-range version of the same weapon, known as the Long Neptune, the Palyanytsya jet-powered missile/drone hybrid, and the very long-range Flamingo cruise missile.

It’s clear, too, that Zelensky wants to promote confusion among Russian authorities as to which of these weapons are being used in any given strike.

“There are many cases when our enemy believes a strike was carried out with a Neptune… And let them continue thinking that,” he added.

With that in mind, we should also consider the possibility that the Sapsan has not actually been used in combat. So far, there doesn’t seem to be any confirmed evidence of wreckage from impact sites in Russia, although the Russian Ministry of Defense has previously claimed that it successfully shot down examples of Ukrainian ballistic missiles over Crimea.

On the other hand, using the Sapsan in combat would certainly make sense, given Ukraine’s extensive efforts to ramp up domestic arms production, with a particular focus on the ability to hit targets deeper inside Russia.

As well as the aforementioned long-range missiles, Ukraine has also made use of an extensive array of domestically produced long-range kamikaze drones, as well as other munitions that blur the line between those weapons and traditional cruise missiles, like the Peklo ‘missile drone’.

As for Ukraine’s domestic ballistic missile program, the results remain much less clear, but we have been waiting to see a weapon of this kind deployed for a long time now. Perhaps, its development has also been accelerated by help from Western partners.

In August of 2024, Zelensky announced the first successful test of a new domestically developed ballistic missile, now understood to be the Sapsan.

Ukraine conducted the first sucessful test of a domestic-produced ballistic missile, Ukrainian President Zelensky announced on Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/Z4t675mQ27

— Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (@Archer83Able) August 27, 2024

While details of the Sapsan remain scarce, the missile is closely related to the Hrim-2 (also written Grim-2 and which translates as Thunder-2 in English).

In fact, the Hrim-2 was developed as an export version of the original Sapsan, which had been intended for Ukrainian use.

The origins of the Hrim-2 and its immediate predecessors date back to the late 2000s, with development apparently accelerated after Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014. A rocket motor test associated with the design occurred in 2018, and the two-round, 10-wheeled transporter-erector-launcher (TEL) for the missile, or at least a mockup, appeared at a parade that same year.

You can read more about what is known about the Hrim-2 and its development in this past War Zone piece, which followed speculation that Ukraine might have employed some of those missiles in an attack on Russia’s Saki Air Base in 2022.

While we don’t know what the Sapsan missile looks like, it is likely broadly similar to what we’ve seen of the Hrim-2 and preceding related designs, which, in turn, bear a superficial resemblance to Russia’s Iskander-M.

In terms of performance, the Hrim-2 reportedly has a range of at least 174 miles (280 kilometers) and possibly up to 310 miles (500 kilometers), and the same could well hold true for the Sapsan.

On the other hand, in 2023, Ukraine’s then-Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov also said that the country had a new long-range missile in development that could have a range of up to 620 miles (1,000 kilometers). This could also have been a direct reference to the Sapsan.

Regardless, it would seem highly likely that the Sapsan is in the category of short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM), which are traditionally defined as having maximum ranges of no more than 620 miles (1,000 kilometers).

Since the full-scale invasion, Ukraine has had only limited access to ballistic missiles, and none of these have come from domestic production.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have been employing Soviet-era Tochka-U SRBMs, as well as even older Tochka types, both of which have the NATO reporting name SS-21 Scarab. These only have maximum ranges of 43 miles (70 kilometers) and 75 miles (120 kilometers), respectively, a fact that spurred the original development of the Sapsan/Hrim-2.

Точка-У: как ракетные удары ВСУ останавливают армию России в Украине | Донбасс Реалии

Furthermore, Ukraine has been receiving small numbers of ATACMS from the United States, which it has used to good effect.

Details from missile debris shown by Russia confirm Ukraine launched ATACMS at Voronezh region on November 18, marking the first use of U.S.-made missiles on Russian territory during Trump’s presidency. According to the Russian MoD, S-400 and Pantsir-S1 systems helped repel the… pic.twitter.com/8SeQCo9OEO

— NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) November 19, 2025

However, in common with additional types of ground and air-launched standoff munitions supplied to Ukraine by the U.S. government and other foreign partners, there are strict limitations imposed on the use of those weapons on targets deeper inside Russia.

Putting all this together, the utility of a ballistic missile of domestic production becomes very clear, as part of a multi-pronged effort to strike key targets outside of Ukraine’s borders (as well as further beyond the front lines, in Russian-controlled territory).

As we have noted in the past, a new source of ballistic missiles that are more capable and longer ranged than the Tochka family, and that are not subject to any Western restrictions like ATACMS, would be a key breakthrough for Ukraine.

A battery of three Ukrainian Tochka-U SRBMs fly off towards their Russian targets, as a Ukrainian soldier with a Stinger MANPADS keeps watch for enemy drones…🔥🇺🇦 https://t.co/68LnGr0W06

— Jimmy Rushton (@JimmySecUK) June 23, 2022

While long-range drones, cruise missiles, and drone/missile hybrids are valuable, ballistic missiles offer the advantage of very high speeds in the terminal phase of flight. This makes them much harder for enemy air and missile defenses to defeat. Ballistic missiles with unitary high-explosive warheads can also burrow down deeper into hardened targets or impart greater force on reinforced structures above ground, like bridges, thanks to that speed.

While we don’t know how Ukraine has employed Sapsan so far, provided that it has, a likely scenario would see the ballistic missiles combined with other types of missiles and drones in complex attacks to make it even harder for enemy forces to deal with. This would follow the same pattern that Russia routinely uses in large-scale attacks on Ukrainian targets.

If Ukraine is able to produce the Sapsan in meaningful numbers, and provided that it works to its full potential, the results could be significant, if it’s anything like the precedent set by Ukraine’s employment of American ATACMS.

Seems like 🇺🇦did another ATACMS strike near Kuban, Luhansk.

Action starts at 03:50. A dud and 3 hits within a minute. pic.twitter.com/aGP4cWKY07

— JB Schneider (@JohnB_Schneider) May 1, 2024

Even with the restrictions imposed by the U.S. government, Ukrainian ATACMS strikes have led to major changes in Russian operating procedures, especially at airbases within range of those missiles. It has also forced Russia to move additional air and missile defenses to the theater, including the S-500, the most advanced surface-to-air missile system in the country’s inventory today.

At this point, we still need to await independent verification of the Sapsan ballistic missile being used in combat. However, the value of such a weapon for the Ukrainian military is unquestionable, providing a powerful new vector for launching standoff strikes into Russia without any foreign restrictions. Provided it is being used operationally, we likely won’t have to wait too much longer for positive confirmation of this.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

The key now is for Liverpool to push on. After a disastrous run of nine defeats in 12, they are unbeaten in their last four and seemingly out of the toughest phase.

Inevitably, Slot was asked about Salah afterwards, with former Dutch international midfielder Clarence Seedorf suggesting to him players can “make mistakes”.

“Everyone makes mistakes in life but does the player know he’s made a mistake? Should the initiative come from him or me? That’s another question,” said Slot.

Van Dijk, meanwhile, would not be drawn on whether his team-mate had let the side down.

“There is no point me saying if someone has let someone down,” he said. “He didn’t travel based the consequences of what he said. That’s it.

“He trained yesterday perfectly normal. Let’s see when we come back on Friday and see what the situation will be like. My focus is on the team and at this point Mo is still part of the team. We will see what happens.”

But this was a night to praise those who played, particularly Szoboszlai, who has been directly involved in more goals than any other Liverpool player this season (10 – five goals, five assists).

“I have asked a lot of him,” Slot added. “I think what is also special is how much he runs – he is one of the few that played all four games in 10 days.

“It’s special what he is doing physically and also football wise, he stood up in a difficult moment.

“That was his first penalty for Liverpool during a game but he has a great shot and he delivered.”

Winning in Milan is no easy feat, considering Inter had been unbeaten in their last 18 Champions League ties at home

“It should be about what we’ve done over here,” added Slot. “I fully understand that on Friday, in the press conference, all the questions will be about Mo.

“Tonight it should be all about a team, against a team like this who are winning at a stadium like this. The focus should be on that.

“Tonight it should be all about the players that are here. In the rich history Liverpool has had, they have had many of these evenings.”

Proof, if it was ever needed, that with or without Salah, Liverpool will move on.

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. My name is Eric Sondheimer. The state football championship games are this weekend, but there’s also another big moment happening Tuesday. The state basketball record for career scoring may be broken.

State record set to fall

Jason Crowe Jr. (left) and his father coach, Jason Crowe Sr. of Lynwood after winning state Division V championship in 2023.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

This is the week the four-year basketball career of Jason Crowe Jr. from Inglewood gets the respect it deserves. He’s on the verge of becoming California’s all-time career scoring leader. He has a game scheduled Tuesday against Beverly Hills at the old Morningside gym, and if all goes as expected, he’ll pass Tounde Yessoufou of Santa Maria St. Joseph, who scored 3,659 points from 2022-2025, according to the CalHiSports.com record book. Crowe is 29 points away from the record.

Crowe has been on fire in the last week, scoring 51, 50 and 41 points.

With his father, Jason Sr., serving as head coach, Crowe started his career at Lynwood before moving over to Inglewood last season. He averaged 36.0 points as a freshman when Lynwood won a Division V state championship, 37.4 points as a sophomore, 35.3 points last season at Inglewood and is averaging 43 points for 7-1 Inglewood.

He has signed with Missouri, where he and his family plan to move to after this year. His ability to score comes from his relentless ability to attack, draw fouls, make free throws and make shots.

He deserves a standing ovation Tuesday night when the record is his.

It’s championship weekend in Orange County with Saddleback College, Buena Park High and Fullerton High hosting state championship games. Here’s the schedule.

There will be an intriguing tripleheader on Saturday at Saddleback College. One of the best small-school matchups in recent years kicks off the day at 11:30 a.m. in a battle of unbeatens — Rio Hondo Prep vs. Sonora. Then Oxnard Pacifica faces Fresno Central East in the 1-A final at 3:30 p.m. followed by Santa Margarita taking on De La Salle for the Open Division championship at 8 p.m.

Dash Fifita of Santa Margarita is a 5-9, 195-pound All-CIF linebacker.

(Craig Weston)

Santa Margarita has linebacker Dash Fifita, a 5-foot-9, 195-pound senior who has risen up despite lacking the usual size for playing football at that position. The younger brother of Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita explains how he can be successful.

It was not a good week for City Section teams in the regional playoffs, with Carson, South Gate, San Fernando and Santee all falling. Here’s a report from Carson’s 35-33 loss to Delano Kennedy.

Los Alamitos High quarterback Colin Creason tries to evade the flying tackle attempt of San Diego Cathedral linebacker Cade Smith during the CIF Division 1-AA regional playoff game Friday night.

(Craig Weston)

Southern Section Division 2 champion Los Alamitos came up short in a 1-AA loss to Cathedral Catholic, but what a season it was for the Griffins. Here’s a report.

Signing day

Andrew Williams of Fremont is a 6-foot-5, 220-pound senior who committed to USC.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Wednesday was early signing day for high school football players, and it was historic for Fremont defensive end Andrew Williams.

He was a member of USC’s No. 1-ranked recruiting class and the first inner city player to sign with USC since 2017. Here’s a report.

Boys’ basketball

Sierra Canyon and Santa Margarita, ranked No. 1 and No. 2, took a trip to the East Coast and each lost to the same team, Maryland’s Bishop McNamara. Here’s this week’s top 25 rankings by The Times.

San Gabriel Academy, led by freshman Zach Arnold, a had a break-through win over previously unbeaten Redondo Union. Harvard-Westlake’s Joe Sterling, a Texas commit, scored 36 points helped by seven threes in a win over Francis Parker.

Village Christian knocked off Crespi behind freshman Will Conroy, then traveled to Hawaii to finish runner-up to Crean Lutheran. Point guard Hunter Caplan was tournament MVP for Crean Lutheran.

Etiwanda (9-0), Corona del Mar (7-0), Chaminade (9-0) and Brentwood (10-0) are all moving up after impressive starts this season. St. John Bosco (4-0) hosts its tournament this week. A big league game is Wednesday when Arcadia hosts Pasadena in a Pacific League opener. Also Sherman Oaks Notre Dame plays Village Christian on Tuesday.

Jayshawn Kibble has provided a lift for Washington Prep in the City Section. Here’s a report.

Girls basketball

Kaleena Smith of Ontario Christian.

(Craig Weston)

What a start it’s been for defending Southern Section Open Division champion Ontario Christian, which is 9-0 and won the Troy tournament Saturday by routing JSerra. Here’s the report.

Junior guard Kaleena Smith scored 30 points to be tourney MVP and teamed with sophomore Tatianna Griffin to make the Knights pretty much unbeaten in the opening month of the season.

JSerra ruined a match-up of Ontario Christian vs. Sierra Canyon by upsetting the Trailblazers 67-63. Sierra Canyon is still waiting for standout Jerzy Robinson to return from an injury. Vivian Grenald had 19 points and Rosie Santos 18 in JSerra’s win.

Soccer

Peyton Trayer (left) and Cora Fry are Santa Margarita girls soccer players who will leave in January to train with their college programs.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

The opening weeks of the soccer season have been marked by players trying to finish up club seasons and join their high school teams.

Some won’t even play when January comes around because they’ve decided to get an early start in college.

It’s an intriguing story how coaches are trying to maneuver through uncertain times on who’s coming and who’s going.

Here’s a report.

Cathedral and Loyola renew their boys’ soccer rivalry with a nonleague game on Tuesday night at Loyola.

Palos Verdes looks strong in its early matches in boys soccer.

Southern Section history

A 45-minute documentary on the history of the CIF Southern Section will get its first public airing on Saturday after the Santa Margarita-De La Salle football game on Spectrum.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

The late Dr. John Dahlem, the volunteer historian for the CIF Southern Section, worked hard before his passing to put together information that would form a 45-minute documentary on the history of the Southern Section.

It will make its public television debut Saturday night on Spectrum at the conclusion of the Santa Margarita vs. De La Salle football game.

A preview was shown at a movie theater on Sunday in Santa Ana for friends and former workers in the Southern Section, and it looks thorough, interesting and well put together by executive producer Taylor Martinez.

Current statistics in 2025 about the Southern Section.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

One of the more humorous moments is Dahlem discussing the hand grenade throw, which used to be a Southern Section sport. Also a look at how girls were not real sport participants until 1974 when the Southern Section began sponsoring playoffs for girls.

Former commissioner Rob Wigod serves as the film narrator, and he might have a future in that endeavor.

Notes . . .

Erick Morales has resigned as football coach at La Puente. . . .

Standout Mater Dei girls basketball player Kaeli Wynn won’t play this season because of a knee injury that will require surgery. She has committed to South Carolina. . . .

Junior pitcher Charlie Fuller from Mater Dei has committed to Oklahoma State. . . .

Here’s the All-City girls volleyball teams. . . .

Whittier is looking for a new football coach after Jimmy Welker was let go following two seasons as head coach. . . .

In January, Palisades students are expected to return to their campus with sports teams being allowed to use facilities after the Palisades fire damaged the campus. Students will be housed in portable bungalows and have use of 70% of the campus. Here’s the report.

From the archives: Michael Wilson

Michael Wilson with the catch for Chaminade in 2017.

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Former Chaminade receiver Michael Wilson, in his NFL third season with Arizona, has been coming on strong this season. He had consecutive games of at least 10 receptions and more than 100 yards receiving.

The former Stanford receiver caught 70 passes his junior season at Chaminade. He also was an outstanding point guard until giving up basketball. He was a third-round draft pick.

Here’s a story from 2017 describing how Wilson got his offer from Stanford.

Recommendations

From the Washington Post, a story on a high school football program that was best in Maryland, then the coach left, players transferred and now the team can’t win any games.

From the Los Angeles Times, a story on the life of former Morningside High and Lakers center Elden Campbell, who has died.

From the Wall Street Journal, a story on former Mission Viejo and Bishop Alemany receiver Phillip Bell, alleging possible CIF violations during his days in high school.

Tweets you might have missed

Until next time….

Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.

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