friday

Judy Collins has been taking photos of Van Nuys football players and other teams free of charge during the past 28 years.

Collins, a grandmother whose two sons graduated from Van Nuys, enjoyed helping capture key moments for families for decades until she was informed Friday she could no longer take photographs despite completing an extension application that complied with Los Angeles Unified School District volunteer policies.

Football coach Ken Osario played with one of Collins’ sons years ago at Van Nuys and tried to figure out what was wrong when he noticed Collins was instructed to leave her usual post earlier this season. Osario and the school’s athletic director Dion Coley invited her to apply to be a voluntary coach to satisfy any concerns about her presence on the football sidelines.

She paid $80 and passed a CPR class and $20 for a TB screening. She got finger printed and went through a background check. She originally was going to pay several hundred dollars for a vendor’s license even though she gives away her photos for free, the group decided becoming a voluntary coach would be the quicker way to satisfy LAUSD requirements.

After completing all the paper work, she was told assistant principal in charge of athletics, Martin Tate, had to meet her. Collins said she attempted multiple times to reach the assistant principal via phone or in person at a game. She could not find him.

Collins said she went to the team’s game on Friday and started taking photos when Tate confronted her and asked her to leave the field. Asked why, Collins said Tate told her, “I’m just following the principal’s order.”

The principal is on administrative leave, a point Collins noted to Tate, but it did not change his instruction to leave.

Collins proceeded to walk to the visitor’s side and sat by a bench taking photos until Tate approached her at halftime and asked her to leave.

Los Angeles Unified School District’s communication office did not respond to a request for comment.

Collins said she had never had issues taking photos since she started until this year.

Osario said she is a “very sweet lady who has been supporting Van Nuys for years.”

The Van Nuys athletic director confirmed Collins completed the volunteer coach application and has begun taking photos for Panorama High while she waits to learn whether she’ll be allowed to resume her work at Van Nuys.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS

FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE

(Games at 7 p.m. unless noted)

CITY SECTION

Quarterfinals

OPEN DIVISION

#8 Palisades at #1 Carson

#5 King/Drew at #4 Birmingham

#6 Crenshaw at #3 Cleveland

#7 Dorsey at #2 San Pedro

DIVISION I

#9 L.A. University at #1 Granada Hills Kennedy

#12 Sun Valley Poly at #4 Wilmington Banning

#6 Garfield at #3 Venice

#10 El Camino Real at #2 L.A. Hamilton

DIVISION II

#8 Arleta at #1 Jefferson

#12 Marquez at #4 Franklin

#11 Eagle Rock at #3 San Fernando

#10 Panorama at #2 Sylmar

DIVISION III

#8 Contreras at #1 L.A. Roosevelt

#5 San Fernando Arroyo at #4 Lincoln

#6 Westchester at #3 Van Nuys

#7 L.A. Wilson at #2 South East

SOUTHERN SECTION

Quarterfinals

DIVISION 1

San Clemente vs. Santa Margarita at Saddleback College

Orange Lutheran at St. John Bosco

Corona Centennial vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium

Mission Viejo at Sierra Canyon

DIVISION 2

Chaparral at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame

San Juan Hills at Rancho Cucamonga

Inglewood at Palos Verdes

Chaminade at Oxnard Pacifica

DIVISION 3

La Serna at San Jacinto

Villa Park at Newport Harbor

Murrieta Valley at Great Oak

Edison at Long Beach Poly

DIVISION 4

Chino Hills at Dana Hills

Downey at Cajon

Cathedral at La Habra

Quartz Hill at Riverside King

DIVISION 5

Muir at Mary Star of the Sea

Moorpark at Aquinas

Charter Oak at Agoura

Temecula Valley at Simi Valley

DIVISION 6

Calabasas at St. Francis

Laguna Beach at Santa Ana Foothill

Summit at Beaumont

Santa Barbara at Baldwin Park

DIVISION 7

St. Monica at Paramount

Desert Christian Academy at La Mirada

Citrus Valley at Oak Park

Millikan at Barstow

DIVISION 8

Segerstrom at Fillmore

El Rancho at Rio Hondo Prep

Santa Monica at Corona Santiago

Bellflower at Rancho Verde

DIVISION 9

West Covina at Ocean View

Fountain Valley at Riverside North

Moreno Valley at Northwood

Compton at San Marino

DIVISION 10

Nogales at Norte Vista

South Hills at Desert Hot Springs

Ontario Christian at Rancho Mirage

Granite Hills at Dos Pueblos

DIVISION 11

Los Amigos at South Torrance

Schurr at Crescenta Valley

Dominguez at Montclair

Viewpoint at Xavier Prep

DIVISION 12

Ontario at Lakeside

Arroyo Valley at Costa Mesa

Artesia at Loara

Big Bear at Carter

DIVISION 13

Rialto at Hacienda Heights Wilson

Irvine University at Montebello

Whittier Christian at Whittier

Anaheim at Fontana

DIVISION 14

Silver Valley at San Gabriel

Compton Centennial at Knight

Bassett at Anza Hamilton

Hoover at Santa Ana Valley

8-MAN

DIVISION 1

California School for the Deaf Riverside at Faith Baptist

Wildomar Cornerstone Christian at Calvary Baptist

Trinity Classical Academy at Chadwick

Thacher at Sage Hill

DIVISION 2

Southlands Christian at Santa Clarita Christian

Lancaster Baptist at Lighthouse Christian

United Christian Academy at Pasadena Poly

Hesperia Christian vs. Laguna Blanca, site TBA

SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE

CITY SECTION

8-MAN

Semifinals

#8 TEACH Tech at #5 Stella, 7 p.m.

#3 Animo Robinson at #2 Valley Oaks CES, 7 p.m.

JACKSON, Miss. — Democrat Scott Colom hasn’t won Mississippi’s U.S. Senate race, but the local prosecutor was welcomed as a historic figure Friday as he strolled through the Farish Street business district where civil rights leaders once organized.

“It’s so wonderful! It’s so wonderful to have Scott Colom as our representative,” said Maati Jone Primm, who owns Marshall’s Music and Book Store in Jackson.

The state is still tallying ballots that could make Colom the first Black senator from this Deep South state since Reconstruction. The possibility of Colom defeating Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith puts many Black voters somewhere between cautious optimism and outright celebration in a state where nearly 40% of the population is Black but the top representation for generations has been white.

“I’m so glad we are at the point where we are,” said Sorie Tarawally, a 76-year-old attorney who has long known Colom’s father. He called the 43-year-old candidate “the man, our messiah, our savior.”

The contest remains too early for the Associated Press to call, and Colom’s historic bid will hinge on a tedious process playing out in elections offices across Mississippi’s 82 counties. Local officials are receiving and examining absentee and provisional ballots, called affidavit ballots, before deadlines next week. Volunteers and lawyers representing each campaign look on in anticipation of potential litigation.

“We’re going to make sure everything is followed according to the law, and I have confidence in those local officials,” Colom said. “They’re doing their jobs. Got to be patient with them.”

Hyde-Smith has not appeared publicly since election night, when she essentially declared victory despite her razor-thin lead at the time with ballots still uncounted. Ballots tallied since have leaned in Colom’s favor.

Colom chided Hyde-Smith for not explaining her strategy going forward.

“She’s still our senator. Where is she? Why is she not doing any interviews?” he asked. “Why can’t she explain what her pathway to success is?”

In a social media post on Friday, Hyde-Smith wrote, “We are not backing down. This election is not over. Our team is working across Mississippi to monitor the remaining ballots and protect the integrity of the process. We will see this through to the very end!”

Uncertain number of outstanding ballots

The pool of outstanding ballots includes absentee ballots, which can be counted in Mississippi as long as they are received by Tuesday, five business days after the election. The rest are affidavit ballots, which are cast at the polls when there’s a glitch: Perhaps the person’s name was not on the rolls or the person did not have proper identification, or a poll worker determined the person’s identification did not precisely match the name on the list.

Citizens who had identification issues have until Tuesday to address those matters in person at their local elections office. For people who were not on a precinct’s rolls, local officials can verify a person’s status using previous records and information on the affidavit that person filed when filling out a ballot. That person typically has no responsibility to come to a local elections office; ballot status can be found on the Mississippi secretary of state’s office website.

Counties have until Friday to certify complete results to the secretary of state.

Mississippi law has no provision for a statewide recount. Campaigns could seek court orders, usually county by county, seeking to examine ballots.

A potentially seismic effect in state

Democrats already have won control of the Senate, so the result in Mississippi would not change the balance of power in Washington.

But it would mark a seismic shift in the state, where white conservatives have dominated the Statehouse and congressional delegation for nearly 150 years. Through Jim Crow segregation and the civil rights era, those leaders were nearly all Democrats. In the decades since, as the Democratic Party rid itself of white nationalists, Republicans have taken over the leadership. For Black Mississippians, the result was the same: a lack of proportional representation at the top levels of state government and in Washington.

Colom was initially viewed as a long shot, and it wasn’t until late October that Senate Democrats’ top campaign group started spending on advertising to support him. But the midterms revealed a broad backlash against redistricting efforts in the South that were aimed at boosting Republicans and, by extension, reducing Black representation.

Primm’s bookstore, where Colom visited Friday, opened in the 1930s and is recognized as the oldest Black-owned bookstore in the U.S.

She said the Farish Street neighborhood still represents Black Mississippians’ “first migration, from the plantation to the city.” Having Colom there as a potential senator “makes us so proud, and it gives us someone to aspire to. Our youth need to see the possibilities for their lives, and we do when we see our next senator from Mississippi.”

As he campaigned, Colom emphasized that he can represent all Mississippians, and he said President Trump’s policies — the war with Iran and tariffs, especially — cut across all demographic lines. He celebrated the extended ballot counting process as a benefit to the state’s 2.95 million residents.

“I’m so glad the national press is getting to see the beauty of our state,” he said.

But Colom and his Black supporters also have never ignored the significance of his candidacy.

“We are motivated by the gross inequalities we have seen in society and how only one side seems to benefit,” said Tarawally, who was born in Sierra Leone and arrived in the Deep South to attend law school at the University of Mississippi. “So, we want a person who speaks to our benefit.”

Colom ended his campaign with an ad set at the Jackson home of Medgar Evers, the civil rights leader who was gunned down in 1963 in his own driveway, dying in front of his wife and children.

“It’s a powerful reminder of the sacrifice to gain the ballot, and nobody sacrificed more than Medgar Evers and his family,” Colom said Friday.

“What was important to me about that ad is we didn’t ask people to vote for me. We just talked about the sacrifice, talked about the story,” he continued. “We just wanted that to be the closing ad because I wanted that to be the last message that the people of Mississippi heard.”

Barrow and Bates write for the Associated Press.

As a Los Angeles City Council candidate six years ago, Nithya Raman gave a firm “No” when asked if she supported the Olympics coming to Los Angeles.

Responding to a questionnaire from the Democratic Socialists of America, Raman added: “There was no vetting of this process, extremely rushed budgeting outreach, and the residents of our city had no say in any of it.”

Once in office, she joined just one other council member in voting against the prime city contract outlining the city’s partnership with the LA28, the private nonprofit hosting the event. And in August she voted against a deal outlining how LA28 would reimburse the city for the extra trash collection, policing and other services that will be expanded during the 2028 Summer Olympics.

My, how time, fortune and politics can change things.

With her election this week as mayor of Los Angeles, Raman won herself a ticket to sit among the dignitaries for the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics on July 14, 2028. And she will be asked to take center stage at the closing ceremony — handing the Olympic flag to the mayor of Brisbane, Australia, host city for the 2032 Summer Games.

In the little more than 600 days before the Games begin, Raman will oversee the city’s preparations.

Those looking for signs of friction might note that the mayor-elect has closely allied herself with City Controller Kenneth Mejia, who has been locked in a battle with LA28 over its failure to publicly report some of the details of its finances.

It’s unclear what position Raman will stake out in that conflict and another one dear to several members of the City Council — getting LA28 to agree to set aside a certain percentage of as much as $4 billion in contracts to businesses based in the city of L.A.

During her run for mayor, Raman did what she has done on many other issues — project a more moderate, conciliatory stance on the Olympics.

“Nithya supports a successful Olympics that showcases the best of Los Angeles and delivers the economic boost Angelenos deserve: more customers for local businesses, opportunities for workers, and lasting improvements in our neighborhoods,” a spokesperson for the mayor-elect said in a recent statement. “She wants residents to share in the excitement and the benefits long after the closing ceremony, but not left to cover the bill unfairly.”

Raman’s rep said she also will “enforce the city’s agreements with Olympic organizers, put strict financial safeguards in place, and make taxpayer obligations public before commitments are made.”

She also pledged that the security around the Olympics will “respect every Angeleno’s dignity and rights, especially immigrants and our most vulnerable neighbors.”

Raman also signaled over the summer that she is ready to be a fan. In an Instagram video, she touted the opening of a new cricket grounds in Pomona, practiced her bowling (like pitching in baseball) and enthused: “The second most popular sport in the world coming back to the Olympics, and coming back, right here in L.A., is really exciting.”

LA28 Chairman Casey Wasserman congratulated the new mayor.

“We look forward to working closely with the mayor-elect, her team, and leaders at every level of government to deliver a safe, secure and fiscally responsible Olympic Games,” Wasserman said in a statement. “With less than two years until the LA28 Opening Ceremony, there is much work to be done. We’re confident that, together, we’ll be ready to welcome the world to Los Angeles and showcase the magic of our city.”

Harris-Dawson is running

It’s still a month away, but the City Council is going to have to cast a pivotal vote: Who should serve as its president under a Raman administration.

City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, in a quick interview Friday, said he will seek the council’s top leadership job for another two years. Harris-Dawson, who supported Mayor Karen Bass in Tuesday’s election, said he was unaware of anyone else angling for the job.

“I intend to be president,” said Harris-Dawson, who faces term limits in 2028.

Meanwhile, council members are still processing the Raman victory and what that will mean for the city. Harris-Dawson said the election revealed a divided city, with newer arrivals to L.A. backing Raman and “people who have been here for generations” lining up behind Bass.

“This race, I think, exacerbated the divisions of the city,” he said. “That showed up a lot more than I was expecting, and the divisions were a lot deeper than I expected.”

Raman’s young progressives

Gen Zers crisscrossed the dance floor, Modelos and seltzers in hand, as the DJ bumped her head to the beat.

But this was no Friday night at Zebulon. This was election night in L.A., and Nithya Raman’s campaign had taken over the plaza outside the Greek Theatre in Griffith Park for the occasion.

“We’ve had a mayor that’s failed young people,” Rutik Shinglot, a 26-year-old working in public affairs, shouted over the noise. “I think L.A. is ready for a change.”

Many of the young progressives at Raman’s election night party at the Greek Theatre had knocked on doors or made phone calls for the now mayor-elect. Unionized UCLA and USC student workers sported bright-pink United Auto Workers shirts. Others wore a red pin brandishing the Democratic Socialists of America’s logo.

Their excitement seems to have made it to the ballot box: Partial returns showed young people ages 18-34 had increased their share of the vote compared with the same early returns in 2022.

The Berkeley IGS/L.A. Times poll sponsored by the L.A. Times days before the election found Raman led Bass 74% to 16% among voters in their thirties.

Raman struck a chord with young people, many said, by hitting hard on the major issues affecting them: affordability, housing and transit.

The council member took her message directly to them. She frequently campaigned at bars and released ads spoofing popular movies and shows.

She garnered the support of niche progressive celebrities young folks trust, including comedians Brennan Lee Mulligan and Rekha Shankar of Dropout (formerly known as CollegeHumor) who emceed Raman’s election night party.

By clinching the endorsements of both DSA-LA and the regional UAW, she unlocked two major pools of young L.A. progressives — eager to build on national momentum — to campaign on her behalf. Rafael Jaime, president of UAW 4811, said the region’s members had contacted 116,000 voters in support of Raman. DSA-LA knocked on more than 110,000 doors with the help of more than 1,600 volunteers.

At DSA-LA, the endorsement created “a mechanism to build up our canvassing infrastructure citywide,” said Keshav Kundassery, 27, a member of both DSA-LA and UAW 4811. “We need to exercise those muscles right now to be ready for the fight that’s waiting for us in 2028.”

State of play

— THE ROAD TO RAMAN: Bass started election night ahead of Raman but the tide quickly changed. By Thursday, the mayor had conceded and Raman was giving her first press briefing at the Original Farmers Market.

— THE NEW AGENDA: What initiatives will Raman pursue once she’s in office? Bike lanes, housing voucher, new apartments, a new police chief and lots of data crunching. “L.A. has been flying blind when it comes to measuring the impacts of the dollars spent. That is going to change,” said former deputy mayor Rick Cole, a Raman advisor.

— WHERE WERE THE VOTES? We’ve got a preliminary map showing how different parts of the city voted in the mayoral election.

— ROY REIGNS: Deputy Atty. Gen. Marissa Roy romped to victory in her race against Deputy Dist. Atty. John McKinney. Council aide Jose Ugarte had a lead that’s been steadily shrinking over community organizer Estuardo Mazariegos in a South L.A. council race. Meanwhile, political aide Barri Worth Girvan was leading business owner Tim Gaspar in the west San Fernando Valley.

— SIGNS OF THE TIMES: On election day, Ugarte’s camp released video that appeared to show Mazariegos supporters stealing an Ugarte lawn sign and replacing it with one for Mazariegos.

— CH-CH-CH-CHANGES: L.A. voters approved all eight of the ballot measures that were on their ballot, hiking taxes to pay for the fire department, sending more city money to public parks and giving the council the power to cut the number of weekly meetings from three down to one.

— SECOND TIME AROUND: In a case of ballot deja vu, Los Angeles County voters reelected Sheriff Robert Luna, rejecting former Sheriff Alex Villanueva by a wide margin once again.

QUICK HITS

• Where is Inside Safe? The mayor’s signature program to address homelessness went to Venice, a neighborhood represented by Councilmember Traci Park, and to Sylmar, which is represented by Councilmember Monica Rodriguez.
• On the docket next week: The L.A. County Board of Supervisors will take up a motion Tuesday to lay out steps to fix the county’s restraining order system, in response to reporting by The Times on ways the system fails survivors.

Stay in touch

That’s it for this week! Send your questions, comments and gossip to LAontheRecord@latimes.com. Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Saturday morning.

Nov. 6, 2026 2:09 PM PT

WASHINGTON — The top federal prosecutor in Miami who had been tasked with overseeing an investigation into foes of President Trump has resigned, joining other high-profile Justice Department officials departing in the wake of the midterm elections, officials said Friday.

Jason Reding Quiñones’ resignation follows frustrations among Washington officials with his management of the office assigned to lead the so-called grand conspiracy investigation, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss personnel issues.

The Justice Department’s top national security official, John Eisenberg, also resigned Friday, Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche said. On Thursday, Assistant Atty. Gen. Harmeet Dhillon, who led a radical overhaul of the department’s Civil Rights Division, also announced her departure.

Quiñones was confirmed by the Senate last year as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida, where the Justice Department had centered its meandering probe into whether former law enforcement and intelligence officials conspired against the Republican president.

His departure comes as the investigation has shown signs of faltering amid a spate of staff turnovers and delays. Investigators in recent weeks have put off scheduled grand jury testimony of several witnesses, according to multiple people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.

Blanche said in a social media post that the department is grateful for Quiñones’ “leadership in combating violent crime, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and transnational crime, including the indictment of Raúl Castro.”

Castro, the former Cuban president, was indicted by Quiñones’ office in May on charges related to the 1996 downing of civilian planes flown by Miami-based exiles.

Quiñones said Friday that he is leaving with “immense pride in what we accomplished together and profound gratitude for the opportunity to serve our great Nation.”

“I am grateful to President Trump for his trust and to the extraordinary men and women of the great Southern District of Florida for their dedication, friendship, and unwavering commitment to justice and the rule of law,” Quiñones wrote in a social media post.

The “grand conspiracy” investigation has proceeded in fits and starts for over a year with repeated setbacks and departures. Last April, a lead national security prosecutor in the investigation of former CIA Director John Brennan was replaced on the team after raising questions about the strength of the case.

Shortly afterward, Joseph diGenova, a former U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, took over the probe. DiGenova resigned from the Justice Department in September without bringing any criminal charges.

Eisenberg was sworn in as assistant attorney general in charge of the department’s National Security Division in June 2025 and oversaw cases involving espionage, terrorism, export control violations, cyber crimes and other matters.

Among the division’s most high-profile cases under his watch was the prosecution of former national security adviser John Bolton, who pleaded guilty this year to allegations of mishandling classified information and is awaiting sentencing.

“He has served with distinction, strengthening our nation’s ability to address threats, both foreign and domestic,” Blanche said in a statement.

Richer and Tucker write for the Associated Press.

President Trump on Friday announced his appointment of Stephen Miller as his chief of staff, to replace Susie Wiles.

Miller, the current deputy chief of staff, has helped design Trump’s immigration policies and spearhead his mass deportation campaign.

His appointment as chief of staff, a powerful position for driving the president’s policy agenda, managing his staff and twisting the arms of allies and opponents alike to bend to the executive’s will, ends speculation that Trump might ease back from his less popular policies or moderate following devastating losses for his party in the midterms. The losses were driven in part to losing Latino voters and many congressional seats along the southern border.

Miller is widely seen as among Trump’s more extreme advisors. But Trump on Friday called Miller one of his “most trusted advisors,” and said he would take over as chief of staff Monday.

Trump said Wiles “has done an outstanding job,” and will be moving to his political operation.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

IF you’ve been dreaming of a Walt Disney World, Universal or Orlando holiday, now’s the time to book for the best savings.

AttractionTickets.com have just launched their massive Black Friday sale EARLY – and the savings are wild.

Use discount code BLACKFRIDAY at AttractionTickets.com to unlock the Black Friday deals

With the BLACKFRIDAY code, a family of four could save up to £1,092* on Disney and Universal Combos and up to £1,235* on Orlando Freedom Tickets.

This includes admission to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld Parks.

For individual Disney tickets, a family of four could save up to £540 on their 14-Day Disney Magic Tickets.

Last year’s sale saw AttractionTickets.com knock 20 per cent off of attractions, hotels and more.

SAVE BIG

MEGA Black Friday sale to save Brits hundreds on Disney & Universal holidays

HUGE SALE

Save HUNDREDS on dream Disney & Universal holidays in huge Black Friday sale

This year, the savings are even bigger, with prices lowered by up to 40 per cent – plus an extra 20 per cent off at checkout with code BLACKFRIDAY.

This year you can save:

• Up to 25% off Disney 2027 14 Day Magic Tickets (Walt Disney World Orlando)
• 25% off Disney 14 Day Magic Tickets for selected arrival dates: 19th July – 11th September 2027 (in alignment with the school summer holidays)
• 20% off all other 2027 Orlando tickets (including Universal Orlando, Kennedy Space Centre and Discovery Cove)

• 12% off Universal Orlando Resort Hotels
• 12% off Orlando Offsite Hotels
• 12% off Orlando Villas
• 10% off California attractions (Disneyland Resort California, Universal Studios Hollywood, SeaWorld San Diego)

Every little saving helps when it comes to booking a big trip like a Florida holiday.

Thankfully, the average holidaymaker is set to save HUNDREDS on their booking in the sale.

Use discount code BLACKFRIDAY at AttractionTickets.com to unlock the Black Friday deals

AttractionTickets.com are known for housing everything you need for your Orlando holiday in one place: hotel and villa stays, theme park tickets, and even combo tickets which save you spending full price on multiple attractions.

For example, if you wanted to visit both Walt Disney World and Universal Resort on your trip, you could save by buying a combo ticket which includes entry to both parks.

The sale offers savings on 2027 holidays. The biggest savings are for breaks during the school summer holidays.

2027 is an ideal time to visit Universal Orlando Resort, with thrilling new rollercoaster Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift set to open.

Plus Walt Disney World is expecting all kinds of new additions, too, with the Monster’s Inc land Monstropolis beginning to open in phases, and new deluxe resort Lakeshore Lodge set to open.

AttractionTickets.com even have a section of the site listing everything new to expect at these theme parks in 2027.

You’ll also be able to save on accommodation, including on-site villas and hotels.

It’s well worth staying on-site when visiting these parks, as you can get benefits such as early park access, plus avoid the lengthy commutes into the park as well as queuing at the gates every day.

Walt Disney World offer value, moderate and deluxe stays, all of which will bag you an extra hour’s entry in the park before it fully opens.

Universal also offer early park entry, with select hotels also giving you a free Universal Express Unlimited pass to skip the regular queues at top attractions.

But it’s not just Orlando holidays you can save on – there are also discounts on attractions in California.

You could bag discounted tickets to Universal Studios Hollywood and Disneyland Resort California on a dreamy trip to LA.

AttractionTickets.com are a trusted partner for these attractions, and allow you to split up your payments without any fees or interest, so you can avoid a major dent in the wallet.

To make things even easier, you can also secure your holiday with deposits from as little as £50.

Terms and conditions

Use code BLACKFRIDAY at checkout for a 25% discount off Disney 14-Day Magic Tickets with a start date of 19 July to 11 September 2027 and 20% on all other 2027 dates and Walt Disney World tickets.

Click here to see full terms and conditions.

Prices correct at the time of publication.

WITH top deals spanning now across three days – Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Travel Tuesday – it can be hard to cut through it all to find the best offers.

And while you might be tempted to fork out hundreds on the latest gadget, the reality is you could get a holiday for the same price.

Fortunately, Jet2Holidays has revealed the bargain holidays that cost the same as some of the trendiest gadgets around at the moment.

So instead of getting a high-tech face mask to relax, why not book one of these six relaxing holidays instead?

Swap a Ninja CREAMi Scoop & Swirl £273.99 for seven-nights in Portugal

While it might be tempting to get creating your own ice cream and acai bowls with a Ninja CREAMi Scoop and Swirl, this high-tech kitchen accessory will set you back around £273.99 this Black Friday.

Instead, book a trip to the Algarve in Portugal for a few quid more.

Read more on travel inspo

GO ON

All the little-known websites for cheap or FREE tickets to gigs, theatre & festivals

CHEAP BREAKS

UK’s best 100 cheap stays – our pick of the top hotels, holiday parks and pubs

For £279 per person, you could stay at the three-star Parque Mourabel Oasis Village for a week.

The village has around 180 apartments and there are three pools, including a dedicated children’s pool.

You’d depart from Manchester Airport on November 28 and 22kg luggage would also be included.

And instead of making your own ice cream, you can have it made for you… by the sea.

Swap a Shark CryoGlow LED face mask £248.95 for seven-nights in Malta

If you fancy pampering yourself, you might be tempted to buy Shark’s LED face mask for £248.95 this Black Friday – but why don’t you opt for a holiday as a form of self-care?

For £299 per person, you could head to Malta, instead for seven-nights staying at the four-star Maritim Antonine Hotel.

The 280-room hotel sits on the slopes of Mellieha and has panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea.

It has three pools and an exclusive adults-only pool as well.

In Malta itself you can explore honey-coloured Baroque architecture as well as the fortified capital city.

You’d depart from London Stansted Airport on December 7 and 22kg luggage would also be included.

Swap a Sonos Beam soundbar (Gen 2) £335 for seven-nights in Turkey

Instead of listening to the sea through a Sonos Beam Soundbar for £335 you could listen to the real sea in Turkey.

For £319 per person, you could stay at the three-star Twenty Hotel for seven nights in the Antalya Area.

The hotel sits in the heart of the Old Town in Antalya and has an open air roof terrace which looks out to the Taurus Mountains.

Near the hotel you can head to the marina as well as explore Kaleiçi Old Town which is home to several ancient Roman ruins.

Then stop by Mermerli Plajı for a dip in the sea and some local food at one of the waterside restaurants.

You’d depart from Edinburgh Airport on December 11 and 22kg luggage would also be included.

Swap a Dyson Airwrap i.d. multi-styler and dryer £329.99 for seven-nights in Majorca

Instead of waving your hair with a Dyson Airwrap multi-styler for £329.99, opt for the natural beach waves you’d get in Majorca.

For £319 per person, you could spend seven-nights in Majorca, Spain, at the three-star Bellevue Bonita And Club Resort for seven-nights.

The resort is Europe’s largest family hotel complex, spanning 250,000 square metres.

The entire resort acts as a mini town with shops, restaurants and even a theatre.

The apartments all feature a modern interior and have different layouts ideal for families.

You’d depart from Bristol Airport on April 7, 2027 and 22kg luggage would also be included.

Swap a Sony PlayStation 5 console £389.99 for seven-nights in Greece

Instead of playing in a pretend world on a Sony PlayStation 5 console for £389.99 you could play in the real world but in Corfu, Greece.

For £399 per person, you could stay at the three-star Royal Garden Kavos for seven-nights.

The resort features different apartments and studios, as well as an outdoor pool with a deck area.

Nearby you can explore the town of Kavos, where there are a load of restaurants selling local cuisine.

And of course, you won’t be short of beaches.

You’d depart from Glasgow Airport on May 24, 2027 and 22kg luggage would also be included.

Swap a Ninja Luxe Café Pro Series ES701UK £549.99 for seven-nights in Gran Canaria

If you’re a big coffee drinker, a Ninja Luxe Cafe Pro for £549.99 could be tempting but why not drink coffee in the Canary Islands instead?

For £539 per person, you could stay at the three-star Cala Dor Gran Canaria for seven-nights in Gran Canaria.

The hotel features self-catering apartments with private balconies and many have sea or valley views.

In the complex, there is also a sun terrace, pool and children’s pool.

Nearby, head on a 15 minute walk to Puerto Rico Beach and the marina.

You’d depart from Glasgow Airport on May 29, 2027 and 22kg luggage would also be included.

A look at the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland after the final week of the regular season:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game; last week’s ranking

1. SANTA MARGARITA (10-0) def. Orange Lutheran, 43-21; vs. San Clemente, Nov. 13; 1

2. SIERRA CANYON (10-0) def. Bishop Amat, 56-7; vs. Mission Viejo, Nov. 13; 2

3. MATER DEI (8-2) def. St. John Bosco, 36-35; vs. Corona Centennial at Santa Ana Stadium, Nov. 13; 5

4. CORONA CENTENNIAL (7-3) def. Murrieta Mesa, 62-0; vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium, Nov. 13; 4

5. ST. JOHN BOSCO (7-3) lost to Mater Dei, 36-35; vs. Orange Lutheran, Nov. 13; 3

6. ORANGE LUTHERAN (5-5) lost to Santa Margarita, 43-21; at St. John Bosco, Nov. 13; 7

7. MISSION VIEJO (8-1) def. San Juan Hills, 54-44; at Sierra Canyon, Nov. 13; 6

8. CHAPARRAL (6-4) def. Vista Murrieta, 49-14; vs. Orange, Friday; 18

9. SAN CLEMENTE (8-1) def. Huntington Beach Edison, 21-14; at Santa Margarita, Nov. 13; 10

10. BISHOP AMAT (8-2) lost to Sierra Canyon, 56-7; vs. Oxnard Pacifica, Friday; 8

11. SAN JUAN HILLS (8-2) lost to Mission Viejo, 54-44; vs. Tustin, Friday; 9

12. CREAN LUTHERAN (8-2) def. Villa Park, 49-21; vs. Rancho Cucamonga, Friday; 12

13. LA SERNA (9-1) def. Downey, 20-14; vs. Valencia, Friday; 13

14. INGLEWOOD (9-1) did not play; vs. Huntington Beach, Friday 14

15. SERVITE (4-6) def. JSerra, 38-35; no playoffs; 15

16. PALOS VERDES (9-1) def. Leuzinger, 45-0; vs. Gardena Serra, Friday; 16

17. CARSON (9-1) def. Mary Star of the Sea, 45-42; vs. Palisades, Nov. 13; 17

18. JSERRA (4-6) lost to Servite, 38-35; no playoffs; 11

19. CORONA DEL MAR (8-2) def. La Habra, 29-17; vs. Chaminade, Friday; 19

20. CHAMINADE (7-3) def. Loyola, 31-28; at Corona del Mar, Friday; 21

21. GARDENA SERRA (5-5) def. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 20-13; at Palos Verdes, Friday; 25

22. HUNTINGTON BEACH (10-0) def. Laguna Beach, 35-15; at Inglewood, Friday; 23

23. ORANGE (10-0) def. El Toro, 57-31; at Chaparral, Friday; 24

24. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (7-3) lost to Gardena Serra, 20-13; at Capistrano Valley, Friday; 20

25. TUSTIN (6-4) def. Capistrano Valley, 21-7; at San Juan Hills, Friday; NR

Halloween in Los Angeles is not just Gay Christmas — it’s become a pretty exceptional weekend for music, with top touring acts planning blowout stands around the occasion. While the weekend might be a little soggy weather-wise, here are a few of the better shows and club nights to plan your costumes around.

Phoebe Bridgers
You don’t wear a custom Thom Browne crystal skeleton suit to the Grammys unless you have a deep bench of spooky gear. Bridgers’ three shows at the Intuit Dome this weekend, supporting her expansive LP “Lost Weekend,” secure her status as a stadium-caliber star with a subculture all her own. Intuit Dome, Friday through Sunday.

My Chemical Romance
It’s never not Halloween for My Chem lifers, but there’s no band better equipped for the occasion fresh off a full revisit of their 2006 LP “The Black Parade.” They also have a new short film with Bridgers and Billie Eilish and reportedly a comeback album in the works. Hollywood Bowl, Friday and Saturday.

‘Weird Al’ Yankovic
Pop’s finest satirist had his Hollywood star turn with 1989’s “UHF,” where he played an amateur TV station manager going off the rails. Yankovic revisits the cult classic with a screening set to a live-soundtrack performance. Greek Theatre, Saturday.

Origin
The new Arts District electronic music venue, an ambitious bet on DTLA’s eventual revival, formally debuts to the city with this block party featuring French duo the Blaze, Dirtybird don Claude VonStroke and a tribute to the late “Nightcall” producer Kavinsky. (There’s also an Arcade Fire DJ set, pending your interest in their comeback.) Origin, Saturday.

Freakquencies
A chain-smoking electroclash-y DJ in a slim-cut suit playing the Roosevelt Hotel? Close enough — welcome back Teddy’s circa 2006. The Dare’s Freakquencies party has a pretty savvy lineup, with freshly-minted pop star Tinashe, buzzy duo Frost Children, Dorian Electra and Kenny Beats on decks. Roosevelt Hotel, Saturday.

Rave to the Grave
Lights Down Low wrangles a bill right at home on a Berlin bender — Avalon Emerson (who has a great pop project too), Sextile, Ellen Allien, Effy and Johnny from the industrial-noise combo Health. TBA, Saturday.

Escape
The Great Pumpkin of SoCal mega EDM events this season, this Insomniac institution has all the usual heavy hitters (Zedd, Nina Kraviz, Disco Lines, Cloonee). NOS Events Center, Saturday.

Expression
Yamashiro is an old Hollywood dame that should be more of a nightlife destination. Scene vets Dave Aju, Heidi Lawden and Masha Mar are the ones to do it. Yamashiro, Saturday.

Mayan Warrior
One of Burning Man’s A-list art cars and roving dance music institutions rolls it up to Grand Park, with dancing room for the whole postapocalyptic polycule. Grand Park, Saturday.

I can’t tell you exactly what time Phoebe Bridgers started her concert Friday night or exactly what time it ended. I’m reluctant to say which of her band members was dressed as a crocodile since I can’t check my memory against a photo.

Most regretfully, I can’t report the precise words Bridgers used to describe her difficult relationship with her late father as she introduced her song “Still Standing” — though I can say her language so quieted the thousands of people inside Inglewood’s Intuit Dome that it almost felt like you could hear her thinking.

The first of three hometown shows on Bridgers’ Lost Tour, Friday’s gig was a phone-free experience: As you walked into the arena, you surrendered your device to a venue employee, who locked it in a fabric pouch that would put you beyond the reach of the digital world, including your clock and your camera and your voice recorder, until you walked back out.

In her lengthy preamble to “Still Standing” — it’s a chilling highlight from the singer’s latest album, “Lost Weekend,” about how abuse can shape ideas of love — Bridgers thanked her fans for going along with the no-phones policy, which she framed as a necessary condition for performing such intimate material.

Had phones been allowed, she added, this very moment “would have been a TikTok video with someone who doesn’t like my face commenting on it.” (A quote that sharp I could easily remember.)

Widely expected to land multiple nominations for February’s Grammy Awards, “Lost Weekend” — which in addition to Bridgers’ dad’s death addresses the flowering of her romantic relationship with the comedian Bo Burnham — complements all the emotional bloodletting with a biting sense of humor. Friday’s show opened, as the album does, with “The Outside,” which ushers the listener into her dad’s funeral this way: “Crying in a suit and tie / But you should see the other guy / One more time for old time’s sake / I’ll watch him get carried away.”

At Intuit, after she brought out Billie Eilish to join her for her song “Savior Complex” — guaranteed Instagram content in any other circumstance — Bridgers said, “You don’t have your phones,” then added a literal “ha-ha.”

It’s anyone’s guess whether Bridgers would’ve been able to muster the deep feelings she put across Friday if she hadn’t banned the handheld computers whose bluish glow has become a ubiquitous feature of the concert landscape. For all her vulnerability on “Lost Weekend,” she remains a pro who’s been performing since she was a teenager; my suspicion is that she probably would’ve found a way to get there.

What I know is that she did get there: Wearing a Peter Pan costume the night before Halloween, Bridgers sang folky ballads like “Kill Me” and “The Governor’s Waltz” with a tenderness that belied a pretty tough view of her experiences over the last few years; relatively rowdy rock songs like “Bobby” and “Lost Boys,” meanwhile, crackled with an energy bordering on the ecstatic.

The show took place across a pair of stages: one beneath an illuminated dome that resembled either a spaceship or an old-fashioned greenhouse, the other a smaller circle positioned near the middle of the arena floor. Bridgers and her musicians (who’d dressed up as Tinker Bell and John and other Pan-related characters) moved a couple of times between the two, which was about it as elaborate as the production got.

Beyond Eilish, Bridgers welcomed the indie-pop band Muna, which did its song “Silk Chiffon,” and her younger brother, Jackson, who sang a vocal part in “I Can’t Wait” performed on the new album by Geese’s Cameron Winter. At the beginning of “Lost Weekend’s” title track, Bridgers had to futz with her keyboard when it didn’t do what she wanted.

“Of course, this happens at home,” she said.

In the audience, the lack of phones provided for a level of attention you could practically feel, never less so than in “As Above,” which she did after “Still Standing” and for which she centered herself alone at the base of a cone of light.

“I thought about my mom driving herself to the hospital,” she sang, green felt hat perched on her head, daring us not to turn away.

Oct. 31, 2026 2:31 PM PT

A federal immigration officer charged with aggravated assault after he ran over a Mexican man with his car in Houston will turn himself in on Monday, according to his attorney.

Mario Alberto Morales, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, struck Miguel Parra Hernandez, a 48-year-old construction worker, with his unmarked SUV on Oct. 10, as he chased Parra Hernandez through a parking lot. A grand jury indicted Morales on Friday on a felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Morales is planning to turn himself in at a courthouse sometime Monday, his attorney, David Lindenmuth, told the Associated Press. Lindenmuth previously told the AP that the incident was “clearly just an accident” and that local officials had “invented a crime out of thin air.”

Parra Hernandez broke his leg and is recovering at a rehabilitation facility while in federal custody, Harris County Dist. Atty. Sean Teare told reporters Friday.

ICE has said Parra Hernandez ran in front of Morales’ car.

Previously released surveillance camera video shows Morales’ vehicle drive over a median and strike Parra Hernandez as he runs away.

Teare played video from Morales’ body camera on Friday that showed the agent making sharp turns with his steering wheel. He then stops and exits the vehicle and turns toward Parra Hernandez, who is lying on the ground, screaming.

“I was coming in, and I hit him with the car,” Morales can be heard saying after another ICE agent arrives.

Parra Hernandez told deputies that he fled the traffic stop when Morales started pulling on a mask, and Morales “threw the car” at him, according to a Harris County Sheriff’s Office incident report reviewed by the AP. Morales told deputies that he did not brake before he hit Parra Hernandez, but that he did not intentionally strike him, according to the report.

ICE said after the incident that the target of the operation was a man named Jose Mendoza-Cervantes, who the agency said was seen getting into a car with Parra Hernandez. Mendoza-Cervantes’ daughter told the immigrants’ rights group FIEL that her father has been dead for nearly a decade.

Morales is among a small group of federal agents who have been criminally charged for wounding people during the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown. ICE agent Christian Castro pleaded not guilty last month to charges that he lied to the FBI after he shot and wounded a Venezuelan man as immigration agents swept Minneapolis earlier this year.

Many other ICE shootings, including some that were fatal, have not resulted in charges for the agents involved.

Morales, 34, has served as an ICE agent for a little over a year, according to Lindenmuth.

Teare said Friday that authorities have a “significant amount of information” on Morales, and that, in his experience, law enforcement agencies would not hire someone with his background. He did not elaborate.

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

Morales unsuccessfully ran to represent Texas’ 34th Congressional District in this year’s election cycle under the name “Bam Morales,” which Lindenmuth confirmed. Morales served in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and later as a corrections officer and law enforcement officer, he wrote in a Ballotpedia candidate survey. He wrote that his top priorities were veterans’ rights, economic issues and service guided by the Christian principles of “compassion, integrity, service, and accountability.” He listed illegal immigration as one of the country’s greatest challenges.

Morales also wrote in the survey that he was endorsed by an organization called Make America Godlier Again.

Morales appeared at a 2024 Christian conference held by televangelist Johnson Suleman. In video of the conference, Morales appears to act as a Spanish translator as Suleman serves free food and “extends his touch of love to migrants.”

“I want to pray for the immigrants,” Suleman said, as Morales translated those words into Spanish. “I bless you. May the Lord grant your request and open your doors.”

Mayes-Osterman and Brook write for the Associated Press.

Four more days.

Time is rapidly running out for Mayor Karen Bass and City Councilmember Nithya Raman, who are preparing for one last grueling push to reach voters in the mayoral election by Tuesday. With the UC Berkeley IGS/L.A. Times poll showing a dead heat, the two are expected to fan out across the city over the weekend, hoping to generate some free news coverage, a burst of social media posts and face-to-face contact with voters.

Bass is planning another appearance Saturday with real estate developer Rick Caruso, who was a ferocious critic of the mayor in the wake of the Palisades fire but mended fences with her in recent months. She also has a rally that day in Westlake with organized labor and a tour of small businesses in Boyle Heights with state Sen. María Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles).

Raman heads Saturday to a Halloween block party in the San Fernando Valley and an event in downtown L.A. featuring workers from Unite Here Local 11, which has sent canvassers to knock on doors on her behalf. On Sunday, her agenda includes a church service in Boyle Heights and a door-knocking event in Northridge.

“This movement is reaching every corner of Los Angeles, and this weekend, we’re taking that energy all over this city,” Raman said.

Mayor Karen Bass speaks to volunteers who are phone banking at her campaign headquarters on Oct. 25, 2026, in Los Angeles.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Bass and Raman had already ramped up their schedules in recent days. The mayor appeared Thursday evening with Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez, one of her endorsers, at a news conference about streetlight repairs in Hollywood. The following morning she was in Encino, talking to residents frustrated with Raman’s performance in their district.

In an interview with The Times, Bass summed up her packed itinerary using a single word over and over.

“Voters, voters, voters, voters. And that’s what I’ve been doing,” she said. “I’m just exhausted. Voters and media, from early morning until late at night.”

Raman, for her part, tried to develop an overarching theme around her events, standing outside Department of Water and Power headquarters in downtown L.A. on Tuesday to highlight the issue of soaring electrical bills and heading to Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday to ding the mayor over her oversight of SkyLink, the elevated airport people mover that is behind schedule and $1.4 billion over budget.

Those and other news conferences were built around her promise to provide greater oversight as mayor. But over the weekend, Raman is expected to dial back the policy a bit, heading to two Día de los Muertos events and going trick-or-treating with her twins.

The Garcetti gang stumps for Raman

With the battle for L.A. mayor now in the home stretch, one longtime political figure has managed to stay largely out of the public eye: former Mayor Eric Garcetti, who served at City Hall right before Bass.

We can’t say the same for many former members of Garcetti’s political and government teams. Over the last few months, they’ve been popping up at a number of Raman events, and a few have had pivotal roles with her team as she runs for mayor.

Nithya Raman, center, joins supporters including registered nurse Kerry Cavazos, left, with SEIU 121 RNs, at Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles on Oct. 20.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Raman has been relying heavily on campaign strategist Jeff Millman, who was a Garcetti advisor on and off throughout his mayoral tenure. She’s turned to Rick Cole, a former Garcetti deputy mayor now on the Pasadena City Council, for policy guidance. And she has Dae Levine, a onetime Garcetti communications director, staffing her within City Hall.

But there’s more. The city’s former heat officer, Marta Segura, who was pushed out earlier this year, appeared at Raman campaign events focused on her support from environmentalists and Latinos.

Former high-level Garcetti advisor Rick Jacobs has shown up for several Raman news conferences, including a recent one celebrating her endorsement from County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath. In 2020, a member of Garcetti’s security detail accused Jacobs of sexually harassing him. Jacobs denied harassing anyone. The city paid $1.8 million to resolve the officer’s lawsuit.

Jacobs, a consultant, counts the Western States Regional Council of Carpenters as one of his clients. However, he is not working with their independent expenditure committee supporting Raman.

Other onetime members of Team Garcetti have pitched in financially.

Renee Dake Wilson, a former Garcetti planning commissioner, has donated at least $30,000 to independent expenditure committees backing Raman, plus an additional $3,600 directly to her campaign. Former Garcetti aide Leo Daube, now working for Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, has donated $2,800 to Raman since she entered the race.

Finally, Raman has relied on Jamie York for help with research, matching funds and compliance with city and state ethics rules. York was part of Garcetti’s campaign team in the 2017 election, helping with campaign fundraising.

State of play

— CARUSO CRACKS: After months of hedging, billionaire Rick Caruso revealed that he intends to vote for Bass, following nearly two years of sharp criticism of the mayor’s record. “For the love of LA, I must put the past behind me,” he said. Caruso said it’s not an endorsement.

— RATTLED BY ROBO-RAMAN: Raman’s campaign filed a lengthy ethics complaint against Thrive LA, a pro-Bass advocacy group, over its decision to set up an AI chatbot phone line mimicking Raman’s voice and mocking her record on homelessness. Thrive LA responded by saying it played by the rules and that its satirical chatbot is protected free speech.

— BATTLING FOR SMALL BIZ: Bass and Raman have been sparring over their approach to small business, with the mayor accusing her rival of ignoring those constituents. Business owners offered a more complex picture.

— SWITCHING TEAMS: Political operative Solomon Rivera left his high-level post in the mayor’s office earlier this year, resurfacing a few months later as principal officer with Unidos Con Bass, an independent expenditure group. Ethics experts questioned whether his change in jobs runs afoul of a law prohibiting coordination between outside campaigns and their favored candidates. Rivera’s lawyer said no coordination occurred.

— DSA DELAY: The Democratic Socialists of America once again postponed a vote on whether to rescind the L.A. chapter’s endorsement of Raman, over concerns she hadn’t taken a tough enough stand against Israel.

— OIL-DRILLING BAN: The City Council voted Wednesday to phase out oil drilling over the next two decades, making L.A. the largest city in the country to do so. Bass’ office signed the ordinance Thursday.

QUICK HITS

• Where is Inside Safe? The mayor’s signature program to fight homelessness went to South L.A., focusing on two sections within Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson’s district.
• On the docket next week: Duh! Tuesday is the last day to vote in the election.

Stay in touch

That’s it for this week! Send your questions, comments and gossip to LAontheRecord@latimes.com. Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Saturday morning.

Oct. 30, 2026 8:59 PM PT

A federal judge in California on Friday barred the Justice Department from threatening or coercing election workers to stop processing ballots.

The order issued by U.S. District Judge Trina L. Thompson in the Northern District of California was in response to a suit filed earlier Friday by labor unions seeking to bar the Justice Department from intimidating election workers.

Notably, the emergency order was issued without the Department of Justice weighing in on the case.

“Election Day is around the corner,” wrote Thompson, who was nominated by former President Biden. “Ballots have already been issued. Americans have already begun voting. Workers have already begun processing ballots. Given the consequences of inaction, the Court sees no reason to delay its ruling.”

It also bars the Justice Department from demanding local election officials segregate or not count ballots that the federal government deems may have been cast by ineligible voters.

“This ruling is a victory for the workers who make our elections possible and the communities they serve,” April Verrett, president of the Service Employees International Union, said in a statement Friday night.

The top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, Bill Essayli, has warned that “any election official who knowingly processes the ballot of a noncitizen is opening themselves to legal jeopardy.”

On Thursday, the Associated Press obtained subpoenas issued to election officials in Los Angeles County. The subpoenas request any documents and communications related to letters sent in July and October by federal officials to state election officials outlining the allegations about noncitizen voters. They also seek any information about efforts to prevent noncitizen votes from being counted. At least three L.A. County election officials have been asked to appear before a grand jury the day after the election.

It is unclear whether the Justice Department intends to bring criminal charges against anyone. The department does not typically subpoena people whom it regards as targets of a criminal investigation to appear before a grand jury.

Outside groups win access to the disputed list

In another Friday ruling, another federal judge ordered the Trump administration to share the disputed list of names with lawyers for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights and the UCLA Voting Rights Project. They want to examine who is on the list and assess its impact on eligible voters.

It will be the first time that a nongovernmental organization will have the opportunity to evaluate the merits of the list of some 20,000 names. The federal government promptly appealed the decision on Friday evening.

The Democratic candidate for California governor, Xavier Becerra, is an advisor to the UCLA Voting Rights Project.

The two groups sued the Homeland Security Department in early October to prevent it from using federal immigration data to challenge state voter rolls. The lawsuit cited examples in other states where the federal government’s data have been proven to mistakenly include thousands of citizens. It argued that the data-matching methods risk disenfranchising or deterring citizens from voting. On top of that, plaintiffs argued, the lists could disproportionately target naturalized citizens who are legally entitled to vote.

The Justice Department argues that there is just as much to lose if the ballots aren’t separated.

“Every ballot cast by an ineligible voter cancels out the vote of an American citizen,” Kiersten V. Pels, a spokesperson for the department, wrote in an email. “The Department makes no apology for protecting those votes.”

In a separate but related 9th Circuit Court decision on Friday, a panel of judges ruled that federal investigations into illegal voting by noncitizens will remain on hold in nine states until after election day.

The judges, all nominated by Democratic presidents, found that the aggressive and public investigations led some citizens to decide not to engage in election-related activities out of fear of being wrongly targeted.

The judges said the investigations, which are looking into alleged illegal voting in past elections, can resume after the midterms wrap up Tuesday.

Riddle, Mulvihill and Swenson write for the Associated Press. AP writer Swenson reported from New York; Mulvihill reported from Haddonfield, N.J.

A parade of short-priced winners opened the Breeders’ Cup on Friday, with the afternoon’s heaviest favorite capturing the headline race as Hughes won the $2 million Juvenile.

Hughes, named for New Jersey Devils forward and U.S. Olympic hockey hero Jack Hughes, held off American History and Salahudin in the 1 1/16-mile race at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Ky., to remain undefeated in five starts and clinch the 2-year-old championship.

The son of Into Mischief, ridden by Flavien Prat for trainer Bob Baffert, went off at odds of 4-5 and returned $3.64 after covering the distance in 1 minute 42.27 seconds.

The winner of the Juvenile normally is anointed the early favorite for next spring’s Kentucky Derby, but Hughes will have to vie for that label with U.S.S. Valor, who skipped the Juvenile after a very impressive win in the Champagne Stakes last month at Belmont Park.

Friday’s win was the third in a Grade 1 race for Hughes, following victories in the American Pharoah at Santa Anita and the Del Mar Futurity.

Baffert also had the favorite in the Juvenile Fillies, but Miss Monica was runner-up behind second choice Emphatic ($7.92). The other losing favorite was Folsom Blues, who was second in the Juvenile Turf behind third choice Haffner ($9.46).

The other races were won by favorites — Libertango ($5.74) in the Turf Sprint and Sun Goddess ($3.70) in the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Ryan Moore rode Sun Goddess and Haffner for trainer Aidan O’Brien, who broke a tie with Baffert for most Breeders’ Cup wins (23-22).

There are nine more races Saturday beginning at 10:10 a.m. PDT. The final race, the $7 million Classic, is scheduled for 3:16 p.m.

WASHINGTON — A federal judge said Friday she would open a “formal inquiry” to investigate if attorneys for the Trump administration violated ethical boundaries during a legal dispute about a golf course project — one in a pair of plans that are revealing the breadth of the president’s attempts to mold parts of the District of Columbia to his own vision.

The two cases, unfolding at the same time in the same federal courthouse, also showcase the underlying executive authority claims that lie beneath them — a glimpse into the uses of presidential power under Donald Trump.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes’ declaration that the court would appoint a “special master” into whether agency officials, and Justice Department attorneys, had made misrepresentations in the court is a far cry from her relationship with the government until this month. She had rejected numerous motions from the plaintiffs to step in, saying she trusted the government attorneys.

The cases involved are an impending shutdown and reconfiguration of a historic public golf course and the construction of a monumental arch that, at 250 feet, would be 100 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty is from its base to the top of the torch. The two projects are barely three miles apart.

The hearing on the golf course change began as other recent ones have: Reyes questioned Associate Atty. Gen. Stanley Woodward Jr. over how Trump’s desires to turn the golf course, near the National Mall, into a world-class facility have become urgent plans that match his public pronouncements.

Reyes stopped the hearing several times and adjourned to her chambers to check previous transcripts of the trial as she questioned Woodward. Among things she wants examined: Was a National Park Service official told to exclude details in a court declaration? Did witnesses offer misleading testimony about the extent of plans in place for the course’s closure and renovation?

At one point, Reyes read the code of conduct to government attorneys on presenting erroneous or false information during a hearing.

Reyes ordered Friday’s hearing after multiple Truth Social posts by Trump indicated that there were plans for the golf course and construction was expected to begin Nov. 15. Trump said the park would be closed for 15 months while work goes on.

The presidential posts, which began Oct. 18, created a tense dynamic in multiple court hearings afterward when officials from the Interior Department, Justice and Park Service could not confirm the existence of the plans under questioning from Reyes. She eventually asked whom she should trust. The Justice Department filed notice Wednesday night that the plans were real.

“On Friday, October 30, 2026, the National Park Service will submit to the National Capital Planning Commission for review a rendering designed by Tom Fazio for a World Class, championship-level golf course that is capable of hosting major events,” the notice said.

Reyes locked in on the filing and Trump’s multiple Truth Social announcements as she questioned Woodward.

At one point, as they talked about plans that Woodward said came about only this week, he slipped and included tree cutting as part of the preparation for the closure.

Reyes responded immediately: “News flash.” She allowed him to correct himself that the tree cutting, which occurred earlier this month, was not part of the plan to close the East Potomac Park Golf Course.

The golf course lawsuit was one of two cases in court Friday dealing with the Trump administration’s push to expand its executive authority as the president remakes the federal areas of the capital near the National Mall and along the Potomac River.

Three courtrooms away, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan was to hold a hearing on a motion asking that she call a temporary halt to plans to begin construction as early as Nov. 5 on the memorial arch. The arch is opposed by a small group of veterans and an architectural historian who sued in federal court in Washington, saying Congress must endorse the project.

“The public interest leans heavily against allowing defendants to blaze ahead,” the plaintiffs said in seeking the injunction. “This court should enter a preliminary injunction blocking defendants from beginning construction on Memorial Circle in the hope that they can render the arch a fait accompli before this Court has made a final determination.”

Legal experts who have been watching the numerous cases underway say that what might appear at first glance to be vanity projects are in truth cases that test the limits of presidential power.

Past administrations pursued legal theories that were sometimes legally sound, sometimes not, said David Super, law professor at the Georgetown University Law Center.

“But there was always the assumption that you would try to do things that were legal,” he said. “What we’re seeing here now is that if you think the federal courts can’t stop you,” you can break the law.

That’s ”going to do long-term damage to the country,” Super said.

Fields writes for the Associated Press.

Dwyane Wade is looking much more like himself these days.

That is, the statue of Wade outside of Kaseya Center in Miami now looks much more like the retired Heat legend than it did when it was unveiled two years ago. The sculpture’s new look, featuring a redesigned head by original sculptors Omri Amrany and Oscar Léon, was unveiled Friday.

The statue was meant to capture the iconic moment in 2009 when Wade jumped on a scorers’ table and declared, “This is my house!” Much of the public reaction, however, centered around how the piece looked less like the three-time NBA champion and more like Laurence Fishburne, Kelsey Grammer, Ken Norton Jr. and others.

“I heard the jokes. I saw the memes. I read the reactions. Everybody had an opinion about whether it actually looked like me,” Wade wrote in an essay published Friday on Substack. “At first, it was hard not to feel protective of it because I had spent so much time involved in the process. … But eventually, I had to take a step back and understand that the statue doesn’t belong only to me. It also belongs to Miami.”

He added: “I had to ask myself a pretty simple question: If people don’t feel that connection when they look at the face, why wouldn’t we try to make it better? So we listened and had honest conversations with everyone involved, and we all agreed to make adjustments to the head.”

When the statue was originally unveiled in October 2024, Wade had nothing but great things to say about it. He said it was his idea to immortalize that pose and that he had a lot of input on how the final product would look.

The original face on Dwyane Wade’s statue at Kaseya Center didn’t quite seem to capture the Miami Heat legend’s likeness.

(Lynne Sladky / Associated Press)

“I was just like, ‘Dude, that’s beautiful,’” Wade told reporters after the original unveiling. “Personally biased, I think it’s one of the best statues that’s been created because of what it represents for us and for me.”

Amrany also defended the statue at the time.

“We emphasized a two-second moment of his life when he jumped on the table and was in screaming mode,” Amrany told The Times in October 2024. “And that’s what it is, that’s what happens to the face when people are doing this activity, this facial activity.

“We are very dedicated to a very high detailed quality to deliver exactly what the exact photo is giving us. For somebody to say that this does not look like Dwyane Wade in action, they don’t know Dwayne Wade in action. Or they don’t remember that. And it’s OK for them to say whatever they want.”

Both artists explained the decision to revisit the project in a statement released to media outlets this week.

“After seeing the work at full scale and in its permanent environment, we identified opportunities to strengthen the portrait,” Amrany and Léon said. “We decided that the importance of Dwyane warranted making those refinements rather than accepting something we believed could be improved.”

According to Wade, “this isn’t about erasing the work that was already done or disrespecting the artists who put their time and talent into creating it. It’s about being willing to listen. It’s about recognizing when something carries meaning for more people than just yourself and being open enough to revisit it.”

He added: “I hope when people see it now, they see a better likeness of me. But more than that, I hope they see themselves. Because it may be my likeness, but it will always be our house.”

Based on the comments on an X post by the Heat showing off the changes, Heat fans seem to approve. As one person wrote, it’s the “first statue to have a redemption arc.”

A MAJOR UK trainline has launched a huge Black Friday sale – and over 50,000 Brits can travel for half price.

Tickets are available to purchase now with discounted journeys starting from next week.

Passengers looking to journey through Wales, the South West and the West of England can snap up a major deal this month, as Great Western Railway has launched a huge 50 per cent off train fares.

The Black Friday sale covers trips across the South West, Thames Valley, Cotswolds and South Wales with offers on 60,000 tickets.

Discounted tickets will be available on travel from November 6 to December 17, 2026.

Head of marketing at GWR, Helen da Costa, said: “Black Friday is a great opportunity to grab a bargain and give yourself something exciting to look forward to before Christmas.

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“Whether you’re planning a festive day out, visiting friends and family or simply fancy a change of scenery, our sale offers savings of up to 50% on selected Standard and First-Class Advance tickets.

“With 60,000 discounted tickets available, there are plenty of opportunities to make plans without spending a fortune.”

The sale only applies to Advance Single fares and is non-refundable.

Ticket prices are as low as £22 for a standard fare from Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington, or from £32 for journeys to Exeter St Davids.

Travellers will need to act fast if they want to nab cheaper tickets as they must be booked by Monday, November 2.

Customers have also been advised to book early, as discounts are limited and only available on selected routes and services.

Orders can be placed through either the GWR website at gwr.com/blackfriday or via the GWR app.

The Times’ top 10 high school football rankings from the City Section:

1. CARSON (8-1). Colts get to face unbeaten Mary Star at home in test to see if they can beat a team with a large and powerful offensive line.

2. CLEVELAND (9-0). Cavaliers go for rare 10-0 regular season with home game against Chatsworth.

3. KING/DREW (6-3). Coliseum League title can be finalized with win over Dorsey.

4. SAN PEDRO (6-2). Pirates need to regroup after 35-0 loss to Carson.

5. BIRMINGHAM (4-5). Receiver Paul Turner continues to have great season.

6. CRENSHAW (6-3). Cougars get win over rival Dorsey.

7. KENNEDY (9-0). Golden Cougars cruise to Valley Mission League title.

8. GARFIELD (8-1). It’s the East L.A. Classic vs. Roosevelt on Friday at East L.A. College.

9. MARSHALL (9-0). QB Nathaniel Cadet threw for seven touchdowns in win over L.A. Wilson.

10. PALISADES (5-3). QB Robert Holohan has 1,500 yards passing.

YOU might be setting off on that bucket list family trip to Florida sooner than you think…

AttractionTickets.com are about to launch a HUGE Black Friday sale where you can save big on that dream Florida holiday – just make sure to sign up.

Sign up to the AttractionTickets.com Black Friday sale and receive an EXTRA discount

Why? Those signed up to the sale can save EXTRA on top of the discounts that will become available on Black Friday.

The sale will include popular theme park tickets, combo tickets for multiple attractions plus holiday packages with hotel or villa stays.

There will be discounts on popular Orlando attractions like Walt Disney World and Universal Resort, as well as hotels and villas on-site.

After last year’s Black Friday sale knocked 20 per cent off hotels and attractions, holidaymakers are prepared for another round of big savings this year.

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In fact, Attraction Tickets has revealed that the savings this year will be just as big, if not bigger – with the typical customer saving hundreds on their booking.

The deals will be for holidays taken in 2027. The biggest savings are set to be for breaks during the school summer holidays.

If you’ve always dreamed of a Disney holiday, you’ll be able to save on trips to Walt Disney World in Florida as well as Disneyland Resort in California.

2027 is also a great time to visit Universal Orlando Resort, with thrilling new rollercoaster Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift set to open.

Both Disney and Universal resorts in Florida offer on-site accommodation.

At Disney, you can stay in the Hawaii-themed Polynesian resort with its own beach, or wake up to giraffes strolling past your window in an Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Sign up to the AttractionTickets.com Black Friday sale and receive an EXTRA discount

At Universal, Cabana Bay Beach has a retro 1950’s feel with its own bowling alley, pool and lazy river, while Endless Summer offers surf-themed suites sleeping up to six.

Both Disney and Universal resorts have waterparks, too, perfect for cooling off from the Florida heat. The most popular include Typhoon Lagoon and Volcano Bay.

If you fancy an LA trip, you can tick off the world-famous Universal Studios Tour on a discounted visit to Universal Studios Hollywood.

There will even be savings on Spanish attractions like PortAventura World as well as Siam Park and Loro Parque in Tenerife.

So if you’ve been craving that once in a lifetime holiday feeling, now’s the time to get it booked.

AttractionTickets.com even allow you to split up your payments without any fees or interest, so you can avoid a major dent in the wallet.

To make things even easier, you can also secure your holiday with deposits from as little as £50.

The travel website is an official partner of Disney and Universal, and have sold over 15 million tickets to over five million customers worldwide.

Sign up to the AttractionTickets.com Black Friday sale and receive an EXTRA discount

Prices correct at the time of publication.

It’s been 39 years since Hoover High in Glendale last made the Southern Section football playoffs.

The Tornadoes can gain an automatic playoff spot with a win over rival Glendale on Friday.

Leading the way has been senior running back Dveen Aghanian, who has rushed for 1,798 yards and 23 touchdowns.

There should be lots of running against Glendale, which has its own top running back in Arman Papazyan, who has rushed for nearly 1,500 yards.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

The parent company of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders has filed a petition aimed at preventing emo-rock band My Chemical Romance from continuing to use dancers wearing outfits nearly identical to those worn by the iconic cheering squad since the 1970s.

Pro Silver Star filed a document Monday in the District Court of Collin County, Texas, asking for a temporary restraining order and injunction against the band and event promoter Live Nation “to stop them from infringing DCC’s signature cheerleading uniform in a manner that causes confusion, trades off of Silver Star’s decades of goodwill, and degrades the DCC brand.”

A temporary restraining order hearing is scheduled for Tuesday morning.

On Wednesday, My Chemical Romance played the first of five Hollywood Bowl shows scheduled through the end of the month. During the song “Teenagers,” background dancers performed in costumes that the filing states “copied the DCC Uniform’s signature elements: white boots, white shorts, a blue blouse tied above the midriff, and a white vest adorned with blue stars.”

“Defendants left no doubt about who the performers were meant to be,” the filing states. “As the costumed performers cheered across the stage, MCR frontman Gerard Way told the crowd, ‘Thank you, Dallas.’

“Then Defendants handed the performers rifles. The costumed performers armed themselves with semi-automatic rifles and joined a staged firefight, and were then depicted being shot and crawling off the stage.”

Attorneys for Pro Silver Star sent the band a cease-and-desist letter on Thursday, the filing states, and a copy of the petition for the restraining order and injunction on Friday. The causes of action listed in the petition include false designation, false association, false endorsement, trade dress infringement and federal trademark dilution by tarnishment.

“MCR’s performers nevertheless again wore the DCC Uniform” on Friday night during the band’s second Hollywood Bowl performance, the filing states. “Audience members at both shows and online commentators understandably believed that the performers were the real Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and said so in social media posts that continue to circulate.”

Online photos appear to show that the costumes were used again during Saturday night’s show. A representative for My Chemical Romance, which finishes it run at Hollywood Bowl this Friday and Saturday, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“Silver Star is not litigious, and it takes no issue with MCR’s music, its artistic ambitions, or any message Defendants seek to convey,” the filing states. “Silver Star does not ask Defendants to change their setlist, narrative, politics, choreography, or even their decision to put gun-toting performers on stage. Silver Star asks only that those performers not wear the DCC Uniform while doing it. The universe of alternative costume designs is effectively unlimited.”

One of the most recognizable cheer squads in sports, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have appeared on countless calendars and posters and starred in their own movies and TV series, including Netflix’s “America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders,” which is currently in its third season.

Last week, after years of fighting for pay increases, the cheerleaders announced that they have unionized, with the Cowboys recognizing the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleading Assn. as the collective bargaining representative for the cheer squad.