Letters to Sports: Cori Close and UCLA women delivering basketball excellence
Readers of the Los Angeles Times Sports section give their thoughts on UCLA and USC basketball teams as well as the Lakers, Dodgers and Angels.
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The fashion and art at Frieze L.A., captured in photos
Erica Mahinay, showing with Make Room Gallery at Frieze L.A.
Some art shows are not just about the art. At Frieze L.A., it’s also about seeing — and being seen.
On Thursday morning, over 100 artists, gallerists and collectors representing 24 countries wafted into the maze that is Frieze at the Santa Monica Airport and transformed the space into a winding runway. The dress code was eclectic and appropriately L.A.: hyper-curated and nonchalant. Archival Mugler was paired with reconstructed relaxed denim. Silk pajama pants slouched over Wales Bonner loafers. And much like the works on display, attendees dared to be visually undefinable.
This year, the four-day frenzy is expected to draw about 30,000 attendees to exhibitions both in and outside the tent, including public installations from Frieze Projects’ “Body & Soul,” and the Focus section curated by Essence Harden, which spotlights young and lesser-known artists.
Storm Ascher, left, founder of Superstition Gallery and Greg Ito pictured with his solo booth, “A Cautionary Tale,” in the Focus Section curated by Essence Harden.
Undeniably, the art this year is a product of now. Outside, Patrick Martinez welcomes guests with neon quotes supporting immigrant rights. Across the tent, in a display of performance art, Amanda Ross-Ho continuously pushes a giant, inflatable Earth around a soccer field, symbolic of “the labor it takes to just keep things going all the time.” Walking around the fair, a shared sentiment of post-fire rejuvenation, cultural collaboration and a pride for the Los Angeles community was deeply felt.
Angeleno and artist Sharif Farrag said he’s “excited to show in the city [he] grew up in.” His ceramic collection “Hybrid Moments” with Jeffrey Deitch is a cultural analogy for his childhood. “I hope my work can reflect the times we’re in through a lens of color,” he said, “and the flora and fauna of L.A.”
Nicole Reber, an L.A.-based real estate agent, was giving “’90s sparkle princess,” coupling a pair of Chanel loafers with a vintage Escada jacket that’s “highly underrated.” She came to Frieze to scope out the next addition to her home. “There’s something valuable about living and collecting art,” she said. “It’s a chance to live with somebody else’s energy.”
Dr. Joy Simmons wore a calf-length button-down by South African designer Thebe Magugu. Collecting art, like clothes, is her way of exploring the diaspora. “I just want to find something that’s different,” she said. “[African American artists] bring a different kind of color palette and excitement to the art world.”
Sharon Coplan Hurowitz came to Frieze with her “support animal, ‘Hector.’” The pebble grain Thom Browne shoulder bag, though, was no size comparison to the 10-foot John Baldessari sculpture she stood in front of. Coplan, who recently authored a catalog of Baldessari’s notable art, is excited to see support for his archival works.
Nevine Mahmoud sculpture at Sebastian Gladstone Gallery
Sebastian Gladstone, owner of namesake New York and L.A. galleries, said he loves the L.A. art community because it brings together “people that would never mix otherwise.” If he could describe “good” art in a sentence, it would be: “an alchemy where there’s a mystery of its creation, and how it makes you feel.”
Kibum Kim, partner at the Commonwealth and Council gallery
rafa esparza at Commonwealth and Council booth
Kibum Kim, a partner at the Commonwealth and Council gallery, said sifting through Frieze is like making “Sophie’s choice.” He wore a jacket from Jakarta-based brand Tanah le Saé, adorned with mixed-matched buttons. In a similar spirit of upcycling, his exhibition shows Rose Salane’s newest project from Pompeii featuring rocks and other ephemera taken from the historic site.
William Escalera, left, and Francisco George
Francisco George, a longtime art collector and docent at LACMA, is a Frieze regular. To him, good art “grabs your attention and keeps it. It communicates.” He visits the fair with his husband, William Escalera, who this year is looking for art that incorporates textiles. “It’s different,” he said.
Gallerist Susanne Vielmetter
Gallerist Susanne Vielmetter layered an Issey Miyake Pleats Please dress with a skirt from J.Crew underneath. At Frieze, she never knows whether it’s going to be cold or hot in the tent. “It’s an onion look,” she said. Although she is particularly excited to display paintings by Alec Egan, depicting the trauma of the Palisades fire, she is glad that the fair is bustling and joyous. “People are just done with doom and gloom,” she said. “They’re positive, they’re energetic, they want to go back to collecting.”
Shio Kusaka, left, and Jonah Wood
An artwork by Jade Guanaro Kuriki-Olivo, aka Puppies Puppies
Conny Maier wears a Healthy Boy Band tee and MISBHV biker shorts.
Jwan Yosef and Steven Galloway
Davida Nemeroff of Night Gallery
Soshiro Matsubara, showing with Bel Ami
Soshiro Matsubara, Bel Ami
Kelly Wall with her installation
The newest trend in L.A. office space: In-house studios for traveling influencers
For the trendiest tenants in Hollywood office buildings, it’s the latest fad that goes way beyond designer furniture and art: mini studios
To capitalize on the never-ending flow of stars and influencers who come through Los Angeles, a growing number of companies are building bright little corners for content creators to try products and shoot short videos. Athletic apparel maker Puma, Kim Kardashian’s Skims and cheeky cosmetics retailer e.l.f. have spaces specifically designed to give people a place to experience and broadcast about their brands.
Hollywood, which hasn’t historically been home to apparel companies, is now attracting the offices of fashion retailers, says CIM Group, one of the neighborhood’s largest commercial property landlords.
“When we’re touring a space, one of the first items they bring up is, ‘Where can I build a studio?’” said Blake Eckert, who leases CIM offices in L.A.
Their studio offices also serve as marketing centers, with showrooms and meeting spaces where brands can host proprietary events not open to the public.
“For companies where brand visibility is really important, there is a trend of creating spaces that don’t just function as offices,” said real estate broker Nicole Mahalka of CBRE, who puts together entertainment property leases and sales.
Puma’s global entertainment marketing team is based in its new Hollywood offices, which works with such musical celebrity partners as Rihanna, ASAP Rocky, Dua Lipa, Skepta and Rosé, said Allyssa Rapp, head of Puma Studio L.A.
Allyssa Rapp, director of entertainment marketing at Puma, is shown in the Puma Studio L.A. The company keeps a closet full of Puma products on hand to give VIP guests. Visits to the studio sanctum are by invitation only, though.
(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)
Hollywood is a central location, she said, for meeting with celebrities, stylists and outside designers, most of whom are based in Los Angeles.
The office is a “creation hub,” she said, where influencers can record Puma’s design prototyping lab supported by libraries of materials and equipment used to create Puma apparel. The company, founded in 1948, is known for its emblematic sneakers such as the Speedcat and its lunging feline logo, and makes athletic wear, accessories and equipment.
Puma’s entertainment marketing team also occupies the office and sometimes uses it for exclusive events.
“We use the space as a showroom, as a social space that transforms from a traditional workplace into more of an experiential space,” Rapp said.
Nontraditional uses include content creation, sit-down dinners, product launches, album listening parties and workshops.
“Inviting people into our space and being able to give them high-touch brand experiences is something tangible and important for them,” she said. “The cultural layer is really important for us.”
The company keeps a closet full of Puma products on hand to give VIP guests. Visits to the studio sanctum are by invitation only, though. There’s no retail portal to the exclusive Hollywood offices.
Puma shoes are on display in the Puma Studio L.A.
(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)
Puma is also positioning its L.A studio as a connection point for major upcoming sporting events coming to Los Angeles, including the World Cup this summer, the 2027 Super Bowl and 2028 Olympics.
In-office studios don’t need to be big to be impactful, Mahalka said. “These are smaller stages, closer to green screen than a massive soundstage.”
Social media is the key driver of content created by most businesses, which may set up small booth-like stages where influencers can hawk hot products while offering discounts to people watching them perform.
Bigger, elevated stages can accommodate multiple performers for extended discussions in front of small audiences, with towering screens behind them to set the mood or illustrate products.
Among the tricked-out offices, she said, is Skims. The company, which is valued at $5 billion, is based in a glass-and-steel office building near the fabled intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street.
The fashion retailer declined to comment on the studio uses in its headquarters, but according to architecture firm Odaa, it has open and private offices, meeting rooms, collaboration zones, photo studios, sample libraries, prototype showrooms, an executive lounge and a commissary for 400 people.
Pieces of a shoe sit on a workbench in the Puma Studio L.A.
(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)
The brands building studios typically want to find the darkest spot on the premises to put their content creation or podcast spaces, Eckert said, where they can limit outside light and sound. That’s commonly near the center of the office floor, far from windows and close to permanent shear walls that limit sound intrusion.
They also need space for green rooms and restrooms dedicated to the talent.
Spotify recently built a fancy podcast studio in a CIM office building on trendy Sycamore Avenue that is open by invitation-only to video creators in Spotify’s partner program.
“Ambitious shows need spaces that support big ideas,” Bill Simmons, head of talk strategy at Spotify, said in a statement. “These studios give teams room to experiment and keep pushing what’s possible.”
Lakers used to be good in late, critical moments. What happened?
From Broderick Turner: The losses are mounting for the Lakers in the most excruciating of ways. They’ve lost their last two games in the final second, and it’s eating at them because they used to be so good in late, critical moments.
The Lakers fell to the Phoenix Suns 113-110 on Thursday after Austin Reaves missed a three-point shot as time expired. The injury-depleted Suns earned the win on a three-pointer by Royce O’Neale with ninth-tenths of a second left.
The Lakers have lost three consecutive games for the third time this season. They were blown out by the Boston Celtics on Sunday before losing by one at home to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday when Luka Doncic passed up a three and threw the ball to LeBron James, who missed a hurried, last-second three.
Against the Suns, the Lakers rallied from 12 points down in the fourth quarter after Doncic went to work. He hit back-to-back threes during the comeback and finished with 41 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
The Lakers made it a clutch game, the kind in which they’ve been an NBA-best 16-5. Still, they lost.
“Our losses are louder than other teams’ because we’re the Lakers and because of the way we lose,” coach JJ Redick said. “Tonight was a one-possession clutch game, which, now we’ve lost a few of those. But we’ve been great for the most part in the clutch all year.”
The Lakers (34-24) tied the score twice in the final minute, first on a three by Reaves and then on a tip-in by James, who had 15 points, six rebounds and five assists, with 22.7 seconds left.
Tyler Glasnow has a ‘positive’ debut
Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow made his first start of spring training a good one, pitching two perfect innings and striking out four against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday at Camelback Ranch.
(Norm Hall / Getty Images)
From Jack Vita: Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow is an admitted overthinker. But you wouldn’t know it based on his efficient first spring training start Thursday against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch.
Glasnow pitched two-plus innings, retiring the first six batters before coming out after giving up a single to start the third inning. Using a pitch mix that included a fastball that sat at 97 mph, Glasnow struck out the side in the first inning before recording another strikeout to close out the second. Having thrown just 28 pitches, Glasnow started the third inning and threw three more pitches before coming out of the Dodgers’ 7-6 win.
“Very in rhythm,” manager Dave Roberts said after the game. “Very efficient, used his entire pitch mix, it was really good. Good to see him get into the third inning. Positive day.”
The 32-year-old entering his third season with the Dodgers credits his coaches for keeping his mechanics on point.
“It allows me to just go out and pitch and be athletic,” Glasnow said after his outing. “I’m able to just go out and play baseball as opposed to trying to tinker and fix certain stuff.”
UCLA gymnastics preps for postseason
UCLA gymnast Sydney Barros performs her floor exercise routine at Pauley Pavilion on Jan. 17.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
From Anthony Solorzano: With the Big Ten title on the line during the Big Four Meet on Friday at Pauley Pavilion, the UCLA gymnastics team is focused on what it can control.
“Our goal is to go out there and just do what we’ve been doing all season long,” coach Janelle McDonald said. “Hitting great gymnastics and continuing to just build the confidence on the competition floor before we head into [the] postseason.”
Entering the season, the Bruins had a few elite veterans and an otherwise young team. The steady growth of underclassmen has helped UCLA earn its No. 5 national ranking and move a victory away from claiming its second consecutive Big Ten title.
“Last year, when we came into the Big Ten, we really wanted to make a statement and I think we did just that,” McDonald said. “Coming in this year with a younger team, hungry to just continue that, has just been really special.”
Alysa Liu gets the mural treatment
Artist Gustavo Zermeño Jr. paints a mural dedicated to Olympic gold medalist skater Alysa Liu on Wednesday at the corner of W. 156th and Crenshaw Boulevard in Gardena. “I like that it’s a little rough around the edges, but beautiful at the same time,” he said of the portrait.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
From Chuck Schilken: U.S. figure skater Alysa Liu made quite an impression at the Milan-Cortina Olympics with her unique style, her compelling backstory and, of course, her gold medals in the women’s singles competition — the first for an American woman since 2002 — and in the team event.
Her feats captured the attention of local artist Gustavo Zermeño Jr. He wanted to be sure to capture all of it in his new mural paying tribute to the 20-year-old athlete in Gardena.
“Obviously her winning gold was the main factor” in his choosing to paint Liu, Zermeño said.
But once the Mexican American artist learned more about the Chinese American skater, he found inspiration in other aspects of her life as well. That includes the Oakland native’s two-year retirement from the sport starting at age 16, her enrollment at UCLA and her decision to express herself in her own way.
Hilary Knight won’t ‘distasteful joke’ bother her
United States’ Hilary Knight (21) celebrates after scoring during the women’s ice hockey gold medal game between the United States and Canada at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Feb. 19.
(Petr David Josek / Associated Press)
From Chuck Schilken: U.S. women’s hockey star Hilary Knight wasn’t a fan of a comment that President Trump made about her team days after it claimed Olympic gold at the Milan-Cortina Games.
“I thought it was sort of a distasteful joke, and unfortunately, that is overshadowing a lot of the success of just women at the Olympics carrying for Team USA and having amazing gold medal feats,” Knight said Wednesday during an appearance on ESPN’s “SportsCenter.”
On Feb. 19, the U.S. defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime for a third gold medal in women’s hockey; the team won gold in 1998 and 2018. Three days later, the U.S. men’s hockey team also won gold by defeating Canada 2-1 in overtime.
Kings lose in blowout to Oilers
Edmonton Oiles captain Connor McDavid, center, battles Kings forward Trevor Moore, left, and defenseman Mikey Anderson for the puck during the first period of the Kings’ 8-1 loss Thursday at Crypto.com Arena.
(Ric Tapia / Getty Images)
From the Associated Press: Connor McDavid secured his ninth 100-point season with a goal and an assist, Leon Draisaitl had a goal and three assists, and the Edmonton Oilers snapped their four-game skid with an 8-1 victory over the Kings on Thursday night.
McDavid scored his 35th goal and Draisaitl got his 30th during his fourth four-point game of the season as the Oilers again routed the opponent they’ve knocked out of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs in each of the past four seasons.
The game marked the biggest margin of defeat against the Kings this season.
Clippers fall to Timberwolves
Clippers guard Kris Dunn drives to the basket in front of Minnesota’s Donte DiVincenzo during the Clippers’ 94-88 loss Thursday at Intuit Dome.
(Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)
From the Associated Press: Anthony Edwards scored 31 points, Donte DiVincenzo added 18 and the surging Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Clippers 94-88 on Thursday night.
Jaden McDaniels and Ayo Dosunmu each scored 12 points and Rudy Gobert had 13 rebounds to help the Timberwolves improve to 5-1 since Feb. 9 and 3-1 since the All-Star break.
Edwards, returning to the site of the All-Star Game, where he was the MVP, was 12 for 24 from the floor and sealed the victory with a step-back three-pointer over two defenders for a 92-88 lead with 42.9 seconds left.
Clippers-Timberwolves box score
Manny Pacquiao delivers counterpunch
Manny Pacquiao at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas in July 2025.
(Ethan Miller / Getty Images)
From Steve Henson: The case can be made that those who conceived and arranged the 2015 boxing match between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao deserve to be compensated.
After all, the “Fight of the Century” at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas — won by Mayweather — set records with 4.6 million pay-per-view buys and $72 million in ticket sales.
So it’s no surprise that long after both boxers slipped comfortably into (temporary) retirement, legal fights endured over even slim slices of that cash-stuffed pie.
For 10 years — and counting — lawyers and judges have attempted to determine what claimants are due and whether Pacquiao in particular suffered reputational damage along the way.
CHRB dashes hopes of Northern California
From John Cherwa: The hopes of Northern California racing and breeding interests were once again dashed when the California Horse Racing Board refused to license short racing dates to the Tehama District Fair and the Humboldt County Fair on Thursday.
Rather than a discussion about how to grow the sport, the 2-hour 45-minute meeting was mostly about how bad the state of racing is in the state and a determination that the future of Southern California racing is in jeopardy if it isn’t given every advantage available.
That advantage is the amount of money that goes to the host track from advance deposit wagering (ADW) and computer assisted wagering (CAW). If Tehama and Humboldt were racing, then money bet by any means in Northern California would stay there, the way it was since the start of ADW until shortly after the closing of Golden Gate Fields in Berkeley.
This day in sports history
1918 — The first neutral site game in NHL history is held in Quebec City. Frank Nighbor scores twice in the first period to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 3-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens.
1955 — Boston beats Milwaukee 62-57 at Providence, R.I. in a game which set records for fewest points scored by one team, and by both teams, since the introduction of the 24-second clock.
1959 — The Boston Celtics beat the Minneapolis Lakers 173-139 as seven NBA records fall. The Celtics set records for most points (179), most points in a half (90), most points in a quarter (52) and most field goals (72). Boston’s Tom Heinsohn leads all scorers with 43 points and Bob Cousy adds 31 while setting an NBA record with 28 assists.
1966 — Richard Petty wins the rain-shortened Daytona 500 by more than a lap at a speed of 160.927 mph. Petty holds the lead for the last 212 miles of the scheduled 500-mile event, which is called five miles from the finish. Cale Yarborough finishes second.
1977 — Stan Mikita of the Chicago Black Hawks scores his 500th goal in a 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks.
1982 — Florida apprentice Mary Russ becomes the first female jockey to win a Grade I stakes in North America when she captures the Widener Handicap aboard Lord Darnley at Hialeah (Fla.) Park.
1992 — Prairie View sets an NCAA Division I record for most defeats in a season with a 112-79 loss to Mississippi Valley State in the first round of the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament. Prairie View’s 0-28 mark breaks the record of 27 losses shared by four teams.
1994 — Sweden wins its first hockey gold medal, defeating Canada 3-2 in the first shootout for a championship at the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. Canada is 1:49 away from its first championship in 42 years when Magnus Svensson’s power-play goal ties it at 2. Paul Kariya’s shot is stopped by Sweden’s Tommy Salo after Peter Forsberg puts Sweden ahead on his team’s seventh shot.
1998 — Indiana’s 124-59 victory over Portland marks the first time in the NBA’s 51-year history that one team scores more than twice as many points as the other.
2005 — David Toms delivers the most dominant performance in the seven-year history of the Match Play Championship, winning eight out of nine holes to put away Chris DiMarco with the largest margin of victory in the 36-hole final. The score 6 and 5, could have been much worse as Toms was 9 up at one point.
2006 — Effa Manley is the first woman elected to the baseball Hall of Fame. The former Newark Eagles co-owner is among 17 people from the Negro Leagues and pre-Negro Leagues chosen by a special committee.
2010 — Steven Holcomb drives USA-1 to the Olympic gold medal in four-man bobsledding, ending a 62-year drought for the Americans in the event. Holcomb’s four-run time was 3:24.46, with Justin Olsen, Steve Mesler and Curt Tomasevicz pushing for him.
2015 — Travis Kvapil’s NASCAR Sprint Cup car is stolen early in the day from a hotel parking lot, forcing him to withdraw from a race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The team didn’t have a backup car in Atlanta, so it’s forced to drop out when the stolen machine couldn’t be located in time for NASCAR’s mandatory inspection.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
The Mt. Wilson Trail in Sierra Madre reopens after Eaton fire closure
Editor’s note: Although there will be references to the Eaton fire in this newsletter, there won’t be any images of active fire or burned buildings.
The Mt. Wilson Trail in Sierra Madre recently reopened after being damaged last January by the Eaton fire and subsequent flooding.
When the city of Sierra Madre announced the trail was fully open again, I was initially eager to return to this stunning trek in the San Gabriel Mountains.
But part of me felt anxious. What if the fire had killed everything I remembered so fondly from time spent on the trail?
Shortly after the Eaton fire, I scoured maps to discern which trails likely burned in the blaze. I remember my heart sinking when I saw the fire had scorched the entire Mt. Wilson Trail. It’s an area of Angeles National Forest with a significant amount of local history.
The first known trail to Mt. Wilson was established by Indigenous people, a trail they used to carry wood down the mountains when Spanish missionaries forced them to build the San Gabriel Mission in 1771, according to the Mt. Wilson Trail Race.
Then, in 1864, Benjamin D. Wilson built the first version of the current Mt. Wilson Trail. He was “following an ancient Tongva footpath,” according to a sign near the trailhead. It is the oldest trail in the San Gabriel Mountains, according to former Times hiking columnist John McKinney.
Water rushes through Little Santa Anita Canyon near the Mt. Wilson Trail north of Sierra Madre.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
The hike from Sierra Madre to Mt. Wilson is a suffer fest: It is a 14½-mile out-and-back journey where you climb just over 4,800 feet in elevation. It’s thrilling, though, once you’ve completed it, because you can look up at the towers at Mt. Wilson from L.A. and know you climbed that whole mountain.
It’s a hike that every L.A. hiker interested in upping their game should try at least once. Pro tip: I don’t consider it cheating if you hike from the trailhead in Sierra Madre to the top — and then get your nonhiker friend to pick you up where the trail ends in the Mt. Wilson Observatory parking lot. If it’s open, you could even treat them to a meal at the Cosmic Cafe!
On Saturday, I had planned to hike to Orchard Camp, a 7.2(ish)-mile journey that gains about 2,200 feet. It is one of my favorite places in the San Gabriel Mountains, and I was eager and anxious to see how it was doing.
Plants with blooms along the Mt. Wilson Trail, including, from clockwise, Menzies’ baby blue eyes, a poppy, longleaf bush lupine, streambank spring beauty and western wallflower.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
The site has a lengthy history. It was first home to Half-Way House, a repair station and rest stop built by the trail’s builder Don Benito Wilson in 1864. He named his establishment as such because Orchard Camp was the halfway point between Sierra Madre and Mt. Wilson.
The site was converted in the 1890s to Orchard Camp, “a resort named after the groves of apples, plums, cherries and chestnuts whose harvest was sold to travelers using the camp and trail,” according to a sign at the site.
In an advertisement published in The Times in 1908, Orchard Camp Resort told prospective guests it offered furnished tents and a “fine stream of water runs through camp.” By 1920, the accommodations had improved mightily, with the camp advertising “tennis, dancing, croquet and hiking,” and groceries, baked goods and meats at the camp store. (I can confirm the stream, hiking and, should you choose, dancing are all still available.)
To begin your hike, you’ll drive north through Sierra Madre. You’ll find the trailhead near the aptly named Mt. Wilson Trail Park, a small stretch of grass with a playground and, a rare luxury for hikers, a flush toilet. You will park on the street, close to the park if you arrive with the early birds.
Next to the park, you’ll find Lizzie’s Trail Inn and Richardson House, which the Sierra Madre Historical Preservation Society operates as living museums. Inside, you can learn more about the trail and other local history. They’re open most Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon.
Two hikers head up the first mile of the Mt. Wilson Trail near Sierra Madre.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
Head north onto Mt. Wilson Trail, a paved road, which will take you behind homes before reaching the large Mt. Wilson Trail entrance sign. It’s only up from here!
The first part of the trail is in direct sunlight until late afternoon and has minimal to no shade. The upside is that it offers incredible views of the San Gabriel Valley and beyond. I quickly spotted Santiago Peak, the highest point in Orange County, which was about 43 miles southeast from where I stood. The snow-covered Mt. San Jacinto, which was 82 miles away, came into clearer view as I gained elevation.
In the first two miles of the trail, I was delighted to discover several blue, purple and pink wildflowers blooming, including wild Canterbury bells, stinging lupine (don’t touch it!) and chia. These plants are known as “fire followers,” as they quickly sprout after an area burns. Later in my hike, I also noticed baby blue eyes, cardinal catchfly, lots of coast morning glory and exactly two poppies.
Two hikers consider the best path across a water crossing along the Mt. Wilson Trail.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
I was also surprised by just how many waterfalls I could see from the trail, including one just under a mile in that was gushing down the rocky canyon.
My first stop was First Water, which you’ll reach at just over 1½ miles in. You’ll find a short path at First Water that will take you off the main trail and next to the Little Santa Anita Creek.
If you’ve hiked this trail before, you will notice substantial differences in the trail to reach First Water. It is steeper and a bit more technical, but still an easy enough jaunt down to the creek.
The Little Santa Anita Creek at First Water.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
One of the starkest differences, though, comes about half a mile north when Mt. Harvard comes into view. I was expecting more healthy green slopes, and instead, I spotted rows and rows of burnt, dried-out trees. As I neared Orchard Camp, I passed burned manzanita and other trees with blackened bark, but the majority of what I observed was nature in recovery.
One hiker had told me there wasn’t any shade at Orchard Camp, and while I was skeptical, I was prepared for the worst. Instead, I arrived just before 2 p.m. and found several oaks and other trees, still healthy and growing, and thick green grass and other plants. I laid down on a boulder near a wooden bench and basked in the sun like the happiest fence lizard in all of the forest — although there were plenty of shady spots where I could have laid down.
Orchard Camp, a shady stop along the Mt. Wilson Trail.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
I didn’t go past Orchard Camp because I knew I’d hit snow. I don’t own crampons, which are needed to hike safely in the snow on any sort of incline. (That said, Luis De La Cruz, the Vamos Hiking Crew leader, whose group hiked to the top Saturday, told me that the trail is in good condition from Orchard Camp although there is some erosion.)
Leaving the trail just before 5 p.m., I felt immense gratitude for the hundreds of hours that volunteers with the Mt. Wilson Trail Race put into restoring the Mt. Wilson Trail to its current glory. I spoke to several folks along the path who felt similarly.
A trail recovering.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
It’s a feeling this trail elicits. As a Times story noted in 1915 about this hike, “Once this trip is taken, a desire for a repetition clings to the lover of the outdoor life.” May we all be so lucky!
3 things to do
Attendees of a full moon hike at Elysian Park hosted by We Explore Earth.
(Chiara Alexa / For The Times)
1. Marvel at the moon in Elysian Park
Outdoors nonprofit We Explore Earth will host a free sunset hike Tuesday from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in Elysian Park. After the hike, guests are invited to participate in yoga, a sound bath and music, all as the full moon rises over L.A. Register at eventbrite.com.
2. Connect with fellow humans in Ascot Hills Park
Intermission, a community-focused wellness company, will host a free sound bath at 11 a.m. Sunday in Ascot Hills Park. Guests will need to take a short hike to reach the hilltop where the sound bath will be offered. Learn more at Intermission’s Instagram page.
3. Crunch along the trail in Orange
Save Orange Hills, a local advocacy group, will host a bilingual 3-mile hike from 10 a.m. to noon Sunday through Irvine Regional Park in Orange. Barefoot Joel and Scott Keltic Knot will guide hikers along the Horseshoe Loop Trail, observing wildflowers and wildlife along the way. Guests might spot the locally rare Catalina mariposa lily. Tickets for participants 12 and older are $12.51 while children younger than 12 are free. Park entry is $5. Register at eventbrite.com.
The must-read
Ed LaRue, a longtime desert tortoise advocate and surveyor, looks for tortoise burrows in Johnson Valley.
(Ethan Swope / For The Times)
Desert tortoises are what scientists categorize as a “keystone species,” meaning other animals depend on them for their survival. In this case, it’s for the burrows that tortoises dig. Times staff writer Alex Wigglesworth wrote that that’s a key reason why U.S. District Judge Susan Illston recently ordered the federal Bureau of Land Management to shut down 2,000 miles of off-roading trails, saying the vehicles are “a significant ongoing cause of harm” to the tortoise population. And although climate change-supercharged droughts and large-scale solar development across the Mojave also threatened the tortoises and their habitat, off-roading trail use is different, biologist Ed LaRue said, because it’s “one of the threats that we could ostensibly control.”
I am not an off-roader, but I do want to acknowledge the outcome of this ruling: It is heartbreaking whenever you lose access to an outdoors space you love. “The vastness and the quiet and the peace you get here is unlike anywhere else you can find in California,” said Lorene Frankel, an off-roader who’d planned to launch an off-roading business with her husband. “It is devastating to realize a massive amount of land will be completely inaccessible.”
Even if you agree with the closure order’s purpose — protecting precious habitat for a critical species — it is important that we remain sympathetic to each other’s reasons for loving the outdoors.
Happy adventuring,
P.S.
Have you ever tried to reach Griffith Park without driving there? You probably discovered it wasn’t a straight-forward journey. Metro, our local transportation agency, is developing a plan to make it safer and easier to reach Griffith Park and the L.A. Zoo by transit, on foot and by bike. And you can give feedback on how to make that happen. Streets Are For Everyone will lead a workshop from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Autry Museum of the American West where the organization will gather feedback on these proposed improvements for reaching Griffith Park. Participants will discuss a proposed transit route to Griffith Park as well as pedestrian and biking connections between the Hollywood Bowl and the Ford. As a bonus, attendees will get free museum admission after the workshop. Register using this Google Form.
For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.
Group spends $4.8 million on TV ads for Matt Mahan’s gubernatorial bid
An independent expenditure committee backed by Silicon Valley executives spent $4.8 million on television ads supporting San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan’s gubernatorial bid that will begin airing Thursday.
The two 30-second ads highlight the Democrat’s life story — being raised in a working-class family and working on a grounds crew and as a middle school teacher — and his accomplishments leading the state’s third-largest city.
Mahan’s parents “taught him the difference between nice to have and need to have,” a narrator says in one of the ads. “So as mayor of San Jose, Matt focused on the basics and delivered results on the things that matter most. The safest big city in America, a sharp drop in street homelessness and thousands of homes built. As governor, Matt Mahan will focus on results Californians need to have, like affordable homes, safe neighborhoods and good schools.”
The ads, which will air statewide on broadcast and cable TV, were paid for by an independent-expenditure committee called California Back to Basics Supporting Matt Mahan for Governor 2026.
The group has not yet filed any fundraising reports with the secretary of state’s office, but the ads’ disclosure says the top donors are billionaire venture capitalist Michael Moritz, luxury sleepwear company founder Ashley Merrill and Silicon Valley entrepreneur Michael Seibel.
Billionaire Los Angeles developer Rick Caruso, who considered running for governor or mayor of Los Angeles but ultimately decided against seeking either post, is involved in the effort, according to a strategist working for the committee who requested anonymity to speak about it.
The committee legally cannot coordinate with Mahan’s campaign, which he launched four weeks ago. Although Mahan lacks the name recognition of several other candidates in the crowded field running to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom, his fundraising prowess, notably among tech industry leaders, is notable. He has raised nearly $9.2 million in large donations since entering the gubernatorial race.
Concerns are raised about World Cup matches in Mexico
Fears about the World Cup
From Eduard Cauich: Gerardo Tavárez has been counting down the days for months.
The 25-year-old Los Angeles resident planned the perfect summer for his family.
He will get married on June 6, five days before the start of the World Cup. His honeymoon will be in Mexico, where he will watch the Mexican national team’s debut at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City and a second match between Mexico and South Korea in Guadalajara, alongside his father, brother, future wife and young son.
The plan seemed set in stone. Until this week.
After the Mexican army killed Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel known as “El Mencho,” violence erupted in the state of Jalisco on Sunday, including roadblocks and vehicle fires. Images of smoke rising over Guadalajara quickly circulated on social media, sowing doubts among some planning to travel to Mexico for the World Cup.
According to Mexican authorities, more than 60 people, including 25 soldiers, died during the operation to capture the criminal leader.
“I’m more than worried. I’m nervous. I’m scared,” said Tavárez, born in Los Angeles to parents from Jalisco and a diehard fan of the Mexican national team.
Roki Sasaki struggles
From Jack Vita: Roki Sasaki took the mound Wednesday, looking to build off the success he enjoyed late last season, as he enters his second year with the Dodgers.
It did not go smoothly, with Sasaki struggling to find the strike zone and getting hit hard by the Arizona Diamondbacks when he did. The 24-year-old right-hander gave up three runs on three hits and two walks. He did record three strikeouts, with his fastball topping out at 98.6 miles per hour, but only 17 of his 36 pitches landed for strikes.
“There were some positive things, but also things I need to work on,” Sasaki said via an interpreter after he was lifted from the Dodgers’ 10-7 win.
Sasaki gave up a hard-hit single to leadoff hitter Geraldo Perdomo, and Tim Tawa walked. With one out, Nolan Arenado hit a line-drive double to left that scored Perdomo. Ildemaro Vargas followed with another double, scoring Tawa and Arenado for a 3-0 lead.
Banana Ball gets ‘biggest partnership to date’ with ESPN and Disney, including a trip to Disneyland
USC women lose to Penn State
Kara Dunn had 24 points and Jazzy Davidson had 22, but Penn State rallied to defeat the USC women, 85-82 on Wednesday night.
The Trojans led 62-58, early in the fourth quarter and 70-68 with 5:35 to play before Kiyomi McMiller and Moriah Murray made key shots to give Penn State the lead.
Dunn made a season-high six three-pointers and had six rebounds and three assists. Davidson had her 25th consecutive double-figure scoring performance and sixth straight 20-point game. Kennedy Smith had 19 points along with six rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block.
With the loss, USC drops to 17-11 overall and 9-8 in Big Ten play. Wednesday was Penn State’s second win all-time and first win against USC since Jan. 6, 1980.
Vegas scores five goals in third period to defeat Kings
Pavel Dorofeyev had two goals and the Vegas Golden Knights spoiled Artemi Panarin’s Kings debut by scoring five third-period goals to rally for a 6-4 win Wednesday night.
Colton Sissons, Brandon Saad and Reilly Smith scored three goals in a span of 4:14 midway through the third and the short-handed Golden Knights overcame the absence of five players who participated in the gold medal game at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Sunday. Ivan Barbashev added a late empty-netter, and Adin Hill made 15 saves.
Quinton Byfield had two goals, Adrian Kempe and Brandt Clarke scored, while Panarin had two assists in his team debut, but the Kings dropped their fourth straight game.
Joel Quenneville gets 1,000th win
Joel Quenneville became the second coach in NHL history to win 1,000 games with the Ducks’ 6-5 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night.
Quenneville joined Scotty Bowman in an exclusive hockey club with a milestone win in the Ducks’ first game back from the Olympic break.
Cutter Gauthier scored the tiebreaking goal with 1:14 to play for the Ducks, who erased a pair of two-goal deficits. Leo Carlsson had a goal and two assists in his first appearance since Jan. 10 for the Ducks, who have won six straight home games and 10 of 12 overall to leapfrog the Oilers into second place in the Pacific Division.
This day in sports history
1935 — Babe Ruth is released by the New York Yankees and signed by the Boston Braves.
1938 — Glenn Cunningham sets a world indoor records in 1,500-meter race at the AAU nationals at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Cunningham finishes in 3:48.4.
1947 — Brothers Doug and Max Bentley lead the Chicago Blackhawks to a 9-7 win over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Doug Bentley scores four goals and sets up two more goals. Max Bentley scores three goals and assists on another goal.
1960 — Dave Jenkins of the United States wins the figure skating gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, Calif.
1967 — Mario Andretti, better known for his accomplishments in open-wheel and USAC competition, wins the Daytona 500 pulling away from 1965 champion Fred Lorenzen in the closing laps. It’s Andretti’s his first and only NASCAR Grand National event. He is the only person born outside the United States to win the Daytona 500.
1968 — Thirty-two African nations agree to boycott the Olympics because of the presence of South Africa.
1981 — The Boston Bruins beat the Minnesota North Stars 5-1 in a game marred by fights. The teams set an NHL record with 84 penalties worth 392 minutes, and 12 players are ejected.
1987 — Michael Jordan scores 58 points, the most by a Chicago player in a regular-season game, to lead the Bulls over the New Jersey Nets 128-113. Jordan scores almost half his points from the free-throw line, hitting 26 of 27.
1989 — The Dallas Cowboys fire coach Tom Landry after a 29-year career.
1989 — Pittsburgh’s Mario Lemieux becomes the third NHL player to have 100 assists in a season, joining Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky. Lemieux gets three assists and a goal in the Penguins’ 8-6 loss to the Hartford Whalers.
1994 — In Lillehammer, Norway, Vreni Schneider of Switzerland wins the slalom for the fifth medal of her career, the most of any woman in Alpine Olympic history.
2006 — Sweden beats Finland 3-2 to win the Olympic men’s hockey gold. Germany leaves Turin with the most overall medals with 29, 11 of them gold, while the Americans win 25 medals overall, including nine gold.
2007 — Roger Federer reaches a new milestone breaking Jimmy Connors’ 30-year-old mark with his 161st week at the top of the ATP rankings. Connors set his record from July 1974 to August 1977. The ATP rankings began on Aug. 23, 1973. Federer took the No. 1 spot on Feb. 2, 2004.
2012 — Pete Weber wins a record fifth U.S. Open bowling championship, throwing a strike on his final ball to beat Mike Fagan 215-214. Weber surpasses his father, Dick Weber, who won the tournament’s predecessor four times, as did Don Carter.
2012 — In Bansko, Bulgaria, Lindsey Vonn captures her fourth World Cup super-G race of the year and becomes the career leader in the discipline. By winning her 18th super G the American overtakes Austria’s Renate Goetschl for the record.
2017 — 59th Daytona 500: Kurt Busch wins after Kyle Larson runs out of gas on last lap; Jeffrey Earnhardt makes NASCAR history, 1st ever 4th generation driver to compete in Daytona 500.
2018 — The U.S. Open changes to a two-hole aggregate playoff, the last of the four majors to do away with an 18-hole playoff.
2018 — The top-ranked UConn women’s team completes an undefeated regular season for the 10th time in program history with an 82-53 win over No. 20 South Florida. The Huskies (29-0, 16-0 American) are 98-0 in games against American Athletic Conference opponents. They are 86-0 in the regular season and have won all four conference tournaments.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
High school basketball: City and Southern Section championship game schedules
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
CITY SECTION
FRIDAY
BOYS
At Southwest College
OPEN DIVISION
#2 Cleveland (20-9) vs. #1 Palisades (19-11), 8 p.m.
DIVISION II
#4 King/Drew (12-19) vs. #3 Sylmar (19-12), 6 p.m.
At Pasadena City College
DIVISION I
#2 Chatsworth (14-17 vs. #1 Granada Hills (19-11), 2 p.m.
DIVISION III
#10 Verdugo Hills (15-16) vs. #1 RFK Community (14-6), 12 p.m.
DIVISION IV
#5 San Fernando (19-11) vs. #2 Franklin (10-21), 10 a.m.
GIRLS
At Birmingham High
DIVISION II
#2 North Hollywood (12-7) vs. #1 Harbor Teacher (16-0), 6 p.m.
At Southwest College
DIVISION III
#2 Gardena (13-14) vs. #1 Washington Prep (13-2), 4 p.m.
At Garfield High
DIVISION IV
#12 Wilmington Banning (7-13) vs. #11 Bravo (11-17), 8 p.m.
DIVISION V
#9 Los Angeles (9-10) vs. #2 Legacy (5-14), 6 p.m.
SATURDAY
BOYS
At Birmingham High
DIVISION V
#2 Canoga Park (11-18) at #1 Van Nuys (10-21), 8 p.m.
GIRLS
At Pasadena City College
OPEN DIVISION
#2 Birmingham (27-3) vs. #1 Westchester (25-3), 6 p.m.
DIVISION I
#2 Granada Hills Kennedy (20-8) at #1 El Camino Real (13-13), 4 p.m.
SOUTHERN SECTION
FRIDAY
BOYS
At Azusa Pacific
DIVISION 4
Colony (19-12) vs. Trabuco Hills (20-12), 6 p.m.
DIVISION 5
Gardena Serra (20-13) vs. Pilibos (17-15), 2 p.m.
GIRLS
At Toyota Arena
DIVISION 1
La Salle (28-4) vs. Valencia (28-4), 8 p.m.
DIVISION 2
Crescenta Valley (27-4) vs. Saugus (24-8), 6 p.m.
DIVISION 3
Murrieta Valley (20-11) vs. St. Margaret’s (25-7), 4 p.m.
At Azusa Pacific
DIVISION 4
La Canada (19-12) at El Dorado (18-14), 8 p.m.
DIVISION 6
Savanna (17-13) vs. Warren (21-10), 4 p.m.
SATURDAY
BOYS
At Toyota Arena
OPEN DIVISION
Harvard-Westlake (26-5) vs. Sierra Canyon (26-1), 6 p.m.
DIVISION 1
Crean Lutheran (25-7) vs. JSerra (23-12), 4 p.m.
DIVISION 2
Bishop Amat (27-5) vs. Hesperia (24-8), 11:15 a.m.
DIVISION 3
Murrieta Mesa (22-10) vs. Aliso Niguel (24-8), 1 p.m.
DIVISION 9
Colton (18-11) vs. Pacific (10-11), 9:30 a.m.
At Azusa Pacific
DIVISION 6
Laguna Hills (17-11) vs. Ramona (27-5), 8 p.m.
DIVISION 7
Salesian (19-12) vs. Rialto (16-14), 12 p.m.
GIRLS
At Toyota Arena
OPEN DIVISION
Sierra Canyon (29-2) vs. Ontario Christian (31-1), 8 p.m.
DIVISION 8
Orange (15-11) vs. Schurr (15-14), 2 p.m.
At Azusa Pacific
DIVISION 5
Burbank Burroughs (22-10) vs. Bishop Diego (26-4), 2 p.m.
DIVISION 7
Laguna Hills (17-10) vs. La Palma Kennedy (19-12), 6 p.m.
DIVISION 9
Desert Hot Springs (13-9) vs. Sierra Vista (16-13), 10 a.m.
Robert Carradine death: ‘Revenge of the Nerds’ actor dies at 71
To prepare for his role on the 1984 comedy “Revenge of the Nerds,” Robert Carradine spent two weeks wearing “nerd clothes,” a wig and glasses everywhere he went.
This included heading to fraternity row at the University of Arizona during rush week while in character with a fellow actor. They asked the head of a fraternity if they could join.
“The guy took one look at us and said, ‘No way,’ ” Carradine recalled in 1990. “By the time the first day of shooting rolled around, I was in full flight as a nerd.”
Carradine, who played Lewis Skolnick, the king of the college nerds with a signature laugh, in the “Revenge of the Nerds” movie franchise, has died. He was 71.
In a Monday statement to Deadline, Carradine’s family said he struggled with bipolar disorder and died by suicide.
Suicide prevention and crisis counseling resources
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, seek help from a professional and call 9-8-8. The United States’ first nationwide three-digit mental health crisis hotline 988 will connect callers with trained mental health counselors. Text “HOME” to 741741 in the U.S. and Canada to reach the Crisis Text Line.
“It is with profound sadness that we must share that our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and brother Robert Carradine has passed away. In a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon [of] light to everyone around him,” the statement said. “We are bereft at the loss of this beautiful soul and want to acknowledge Bobby’s valiant struggle against his nearly two-decade battle with Bipolar Disorder.
“We hope his journey can shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness. At this time we ask for the privacy to grieve this unfathomable loss. With gratitude for your understanding and compassion.”
The youngest of a prolific Hollywood family, Carradine’s siblings include actors David and Keith and architect Christopher, of Walt Disney Imagineering. David Carradine died in 2009 at age 72. Their brother Bruce, who died in 2016, was also an actor.
Keith Carradine told Deadline that his family wanted everyone to know about Robert’s struggle with bipolar disorder.
“We want people to know it, and there is no shame in it,” he told the outlet. “It is an illness that got the best of him, and I want to celebrate him for his struggle with it, and celebrate his beautiful soul. He was profoundly gifted, and we will miss him every day. We will take solace in how funny he could be, how wise and utterly accepting and tolerant he was. That’s who my baby brother was.”
The youngest son of prolific character actor John Carradine, Robert Carradine was born on March 24, 1954, in Los Angeles. Known for both his film and television work, Carradine made his debut in a 1971 episode of the long-running western “Bonanza.” His first film appearance was in the 1972 John Wayne western “The Cowboys.”
During his 50-year Hollywood career, he appeared alongside his brother David in a 1972 episode of “Kung Fu” and the 1973 Martin Scorsese film “Mean Streets.” David, Keith and Robert joined other sets of acting siblings to portray sets of real-life siblings in the 1980 Western “The Long Riders.” Carradine also landed roles in Hal Ashby’s 1978 Vietman War drama “Coming Home” and Samuel Fuller’s 1980 World War II epic “The Big Red One.”
While Carradine found success in the family business, he also had a love for racing.
“There are certain people who are supposed to be race car drivers,” Carradine told The Times in 1991. “And I’ve got that. I’ve got that thing that makes me have to race. I have to do it.”
At the time he was balancing both careers, racing at the Grand Prix level in a Lotus Esprit Turbo SE. But it was clear he would have chosen racing over acting if he could.
“The thing about racing that appeals to me is your destiny is in your own hands at that moment,” Carradine said. “I won a race in the Lotus at Road America, and I won it. And that’s it. You can’t do better.”
In the 2000s, Carradine charmed a new generation of fans as lovable TV dad Sam in “Lizzie McGuire.”
“There was so much warmth in the McGuire family and I always felt so cared for by my on-screen parents,” the show’s star Hilary Duff wrote in her Instagram tribute to her on-screen dad. “I’ll be forever grateful for that. I’m deeply sad to learn Bobby was suffering. My heart aches for him, his family, and everyone who loved him.”
Jake Thomas, who portrayed Lizzie’s brother Matt on the show, said he “looked up” to Carradine, who he’s known for most of his life.
“My heart hurts today,” Thomas wrote in his Instagram tribute. “[H]e was one of the coolest guys you could ever meet. Funny, pragmatic, sometimes cranky, always a little eccentric. He was a talented actor, musician, and director. But more than anything, he was family.”
Carradine is survived by his three children — actor Ever Carradine, Marika Reed Carradine and Ian Alexander Carradine — as well as his brothers, nieces (including actor Martha Plimpton), nephews and grandchildren, according to Deadline.
In her tribute to her father, Ever Carradine described him as a “sweet, funny dad” and “the guy that’s always there.”
“Growing up in the 70s and 80 with a single dad in Laurel Canyon is not exactly the recipe for a grounded childhood, but somehow mine was,” Carradine wrote on Instagram. “Whenever anyone asks me how I turned out so normal, I always tell them it’s because of my dad. I knew my dad loved me, I knew it deep in my bones, and I always knew he had my back.”
“My dad was a lover, not a fighter. He was all heart, and in a world so full of conflict and division, I think we can all take a page out of his book today, open our hearts and feel and share the love,” she added.
‘He lied, he scapegoated, he distracted.’ Democrats responds to Trump
The United States, President Trump said Tuesday night, is “bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever.”
“We are the hottest country anywhere in the world,” Trump said in his State of the Union address. “The economy is roaring like never before. America is respected again like never before. We’re winning so much we can’t take it.”
Not so, countered U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.).
“We just heard Donald Trump do what he does best: lie,” Padilla said.
In a Spanish-language rebuttal delivered on behalf of the Democratic Party, Padilla rebuked the president’s claim that he has brought about the “golden age of America,” accusing Trump of spurring economic uncertainty and plunging U.S. cities into violence.
President Trump gives his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington.
(J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press)
“The truth is that the State of our Union does not feel strong for everyone,” Padilla said. “Not when the costs of rent, food and electricity keep rising. Not when Republicans raise our medical costs to fund tax cuts for billionaires. And definitely not when federal agents — armed and masked — terrorize our communities by targeting people because of the color of their skin or for speaking Spanish — including immigrants with legal status and citizens.”
Padilla and Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, who delivered the Democratic rebuttal in English, countered Trump’s upbeat pronouncements by painting a starkly different picture of a country that is deeply divided months before critical midterm congressional elections.
Trump, whose approval ratings have slumped amid concerns about the economy and the harsh tactics deployed in his mass-deportation campaign, touted what he described as victories on foreign policy, including the U.S. ouster of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, and a slowing of inflation.
Padilla sought to counter those claims and rally support for Democrats, who have struggled to formulate an effective response to Trump as he has dominated national discourse in recent years.
Spanberger, speaking from Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia, questioned whether Trump is working on behalf of Americans — or in his own self-interest.
Trump, she said, repeatedly has sought to deflect attention away from accusations that he is using the Oval Office to enrich himself and his family and the scandal involving Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and sex offender.
“We did not hear the truth from our president,” Spanberger said. “He lied, he scapegoated and he distracted.”
Spanberger, who beat her Republican opponent in the purple state of Virginia last fall by 15 points, said voters are struggling under Trump’s policies and beginning to turn on him. Political winds, she said, are shifting in favor of the Democrats.
Padilla focused heavily on the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in cities such as Los Angeles and Minneapolis, where agents this year killed two U.S. citizens who were protesting deportations.
“We see ICE agents using excessive force: entering homes without judicial warrants and shooting at cars with families still inside,” Padilla said. “We are living a nightmare that divides and destroys our communities.”
He was, he said, partly speaking from experience.
Last year, federal agents tackled Padilla to the floor and handcuffed him after he sought to question Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at a news conference in Los Angeles.
Padilla referenced the incident in his speech and encouraged others to defy Trump.
“I am still here standing. Still fighting,” he said. “And I know you are still standing and still fighting too.”
“Trump does not want us to recognize our power,” he said.
Padilla also slipped in a reference to Puerto Rican pop star Bad Bunny, who was criticized by Trump for performing in Spanish during the halftime of the Super Bowl.
“As Bad Bunny reminded us a few weeks ago: ‘Together, we are America.’” Padilla said. “Together, we rise, because our faith is stronger than any disappointment or any obstacle — including Trump. And together, we will build the future our children deserve.”
How the Warner Bros. deal has divided Hollywood
The pitched battle for Warner Bros. took yet another turn Monday night as Paramount Skydance enhanced its bid for the storied studio.
The decision by Warner Bros. Discovery to leave the door slightly ajar for Paramount came after weeks of pressure from its leader, tech scion David Ellison, and his billionaire father, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison.
The media company has been vying to acquire Warner since late last year, and that fight only increased after the “Casablanca” and “Harry Potter” studio chose Netflix as the winning bidder back in December.
The bidding war has divided Hollywood’s creative community, with filmmakers, producers and unions all staking positions on the deal.
The latest to weigh in was “Avatar” and “Titanic” director James Cameron, who reportedly described Warner’s sale to Netflix as “disastrous for the theatrical motion picture business” in a Feb. 10 letter to Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), chair of the Senate subcommittee on antitrust, competition policy and consumer rights.
“I am very familiar not only with ships that sail, but also those that sink,” he wrote. “And the theatrical experience of movies could become a sinking ship.”
Actor Mark Ruffalo shot back at Cameron: “Are you also against the monopolization that a Paramount acquisition would create? Or is it just that of Netflix?” he posted on Threads over the weekend, adding that he was “speaking on behalf of hundreds of thousands of filmmakers worldwide.”
Regardless of which bidder prevails, consolidation in the industry is a major fear, particularly after waves of job cuts due to the pandemic and pullbacks in production spending amid streaming losses. And for the theatrical exhibition business, any merger revives concerns about an even greater decrease in films headed to theaters — particularly if the winning bidder is Netflix.
The health and future of cinemas is an especially sensitive topic in Hollywood. Box office revenue still has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, and some fear it never will, leaving theaters scrambling for alternative ways to fill their auditoriums.
Paramount has positioned itself as a champion for theatrical films, and David Ellison has said a combined Paramount and Warner Bros. would release 30 films a year.
But theater owner trade group Cinema United and the Writers Guild of America have warned that further consolidation would further concentrate the entertainment business, bringing more layoffs and theater closures.
Netflix co-Chief Executive Ted Sarandos has since tried to temper these concerns.
In a recent Senate subcommittee hearing, he pledged to maintain a 45-day theatrical window for Warner Bros. films, while also saying the deal would increase production investments going forward. In a recent letter to Lee responding to Cameron’s missive, Sarandos said he had previously spoken with the director in December about Netflix’s plans for Warner Bros., and that he had been “very supportive.”
Then there’s the politics of it all.
My colleague Meg James has written about Paramount’s efforts to use its political influence with the Trump administration to push its deal — and undermine Netflix’s. Paramount has declined to comment on the matter.
To put it mildly, Trump is a deeply unpopular figure in liberal-leaning Hollywood.
Creatives have feared a chilling effect on speech, particularly after Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr has aggressively tried to enforce long-dormant rules that require broadcast TV stations to give equal time to opposing candidates. The free-speech matter came to a head last year, when Carr warned that ABC could lose its TV station licenses after late-night host Jimmy Kimmel made a remark about slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
More recently, the equal-time rules resurfaced when CBS late-night host Stephen Colbert blasted his own network over its handling of his interview with Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico. Colbert said that CBS told him he could not air the interview because it would require giving equal time to Talarico’s opponents in the Senate primary and that he was instructed not to talk about the issue on the air, which he refused. CBS has disputed Colbert’s comments, saying he was not prohibited from airing the interview.
News industry insiders also raised concerns after the installation of Bari Weiss as editor in chief of CBS News. Two months into her tenure, she made the decision to pull a “60 Minutes” episode that investigated the alleged abuse of detainees sent from the U.S. to an El Salvador prison, a highly unusual step that critics interpreted as a decision to placate the Trump administration.
CBS News, which aired the episode in January, denied the claim, saying the piece had only been held for additional reporting.
On the film side, Paramount continues to make deals with creatives, including the irreverent South Park creators, who have churned out parodies of the Trump administration, “Wicked” director Jon M. Chu and writer, producer and actor Issa Rae, who in a statement earlier this year vowed to “tell stories for and by the diverse communities that have supported my work over the years.”
As the Warner Bros. deal drama unfolds, we’ll see how the lines continue to form in Hollywood’s creative class.
Stuff We Wrote
Film shoots
Number of the week
Sony Pictures Animation’s “Goat” led the domestic box office this weekend with an estimated three-day total of $17 million, beating out the Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi-led “Wuthering Heights.”
The film, which was also produced by Warriors star Stephen Curry’s production company, has bucked the trend for original animated movies, which have largely faltered at theaters in recent years.
What I’m watching
Last week, I watched more Olympic figure skating (who didn’t watch Alysa Liu’s joyful, gold medal-winning performance?), but I’m also now re-watching 2000s teen detective drama “Veronica Mars.” I’m not Gen Z, but my newfound zeal for comfort TV is not unlike the story my colleague Stephen Battaglio wrote last year about young people’s interest in nostalgic shows.
Lakers are trying to unlock the greatness in Deandre Ayton
Welcome back to the Lakers newsletter, where we dive into how to get the best out of big man Deandre Ayton and hear iconic Lakers coach Pat Riley praise current Lakers coach JJ Redick and his team.
The conundrum that is Deandre Ayton is now living with the Lakers.
They see the talent and skills. But they still are searching for the right ways to maximize what Ayton can offer.
They see the passion and love for the game. They want to get that out of Ayton on a consistent basis.
They see his sensitivity. They know that to bring out the best in Ayton takes patience and constant encouragement.
When the Lakers watched film of their loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday, Redick used lines like “there’s positive trends” with Ayton and lines like “he could be better” in certain instances.
That is the paradox of Ayton.
As the Lakers enter the stretch run of the season with 26 games remaining, they need Ayton to play at a higher level more frequently if they are to be successful.
Against the Celtics, Ayton had just four points on two-for-six shooting. He had seven rebounds, one assist and one blocked shot.
“There’s positive trends,” Redick said after practice Monday. “We did watch some film today. There was some real positive trends defensively. I think his spirit and engagement and stuff has been really good. I think for all the guys, if he has a smaller player on him, that’s an advantage for us. Let’s just get him the ball. I think it’s just thematically across the team, we have to pass it to each other more and trust each other more. …
“There was a clip last night or a play last night, Jaylen Brown goes to the floor. We’ve got a five-on-four and he [Ayton] goes at about 20% speed where it’s clearly a man-down situation. So in terms of him running and putting pressure on the rim and offensive rebounding, particularly against switches and smaller players, he could be better there.”
However, Redick, his staff and Ayton’s teammates want to be clear that they support him at all times.
Earlier this season, Redick gave his 7-foot center a T-shirt featuring Ayton’s face combined with the likeness of a lion.
“We want him to be the lion,” Redick said then.
“I have his back,” Redick said Monday. “These guys, we try to make them understand my job is to help the Lakers try to win basketball games. And so nothing is ever personal. If he doesn’t close a game, it’s not personal. It’s because I think there’s a better option. And that’s not just true for him personally. There’s essentially three guys on our team that if they’re on the lineup, they’re going to close games and everybody else [will rotate]. We talked about that today.”
Ayton is producing the lowest averages of his NBA career in points (13.0), rebounds (8.4) and minutes (28.1). His field-goal attempts (8.9) and makes (5.9) are lows too, but he’s shooting a career-high 66.6%.
“He’s done OK,” said Marcus Smart, who sits next to Ayton in the ’ locker room. “You know, he definitely could be better; we all could. But the thing I love about it is he understands it and he’s working. We all are trying to figure it out; this is new to everybody. He’s doing his best, but he understands it’s another notch that we need him to go to, and we’re going to try to get him there and help with that. But he knows he’s got to do his part as well.”
Ayton plays on a team with three dominant ballhandlers in Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves, and it is their job to feed the 7-footer. Getting Ayton activated has been a positive for the Lakers. When he doesn’t get the touches, Ayton hasn’t been as productive.
Still, NBA scouts say Ayton can do a little more himself. He can run harder on the fast break, seal his man down low and play with force, roll to the basket with a purpose, use his athleticism to his advantage and play defense and rebound at a higher level.
Ayton came into the NBA with high expectations, the first overall pick in the 2018 draft, even going ahead of Doncic. Over five seasons with the Phoenix Suns, Ayton was a double-double machine, averaging 16.7 points and 10.4 rebounds. He shot the ball more, averaging 12.5 field goal attempts per game. He averaged 12.8 in two seasons in Portland.
With the Lakers, he’s had to adjust his game.
“I’m sure it’s a big adjustment,” Smart said. “It was an adjustment for me when I came in … The type of player I was in college and coming in and the way I played both offensively and defensively, [now I’m] taking a more defensive approach more than offensive. So it definitely can be frustrating and it’s definitely a challenge because you still value and look at the opportunity that you have to be that person. But unfortunately, sometimes the circumstances don’t call for it. That’s the hard part, understanding that early. Like I said, we all could do better at that because we all want to win. Deandre is doing the best he can, and we appreciate that. We love it too because he also uses that to motivate himself, which can be a good thing.”
Riley praises Redick, Lakers
A statue of former Lakers coach Pat Riley is unveiled outside Crypto.com Arena.
(Greg Beacham / Associated Press)
After Pat Riley had his statue unveiled Sunday on Star Plaza outside of Crypto.com Arena, he took time to praise Redick.
Riley led the Lakers to four NBA championships in the ‘80s, his coaching style a big part of the Showtime era. He likes what he sees out of Redick and the Lakers.
“I love JJ. I really do,” Riley said. “I competed against him. My teams competed against him, you know, in various teams that he played with. He’s a fiery guy. He could shoot the hell out of the ball. He was tough as nails, you know. I don’t know. Sometimes I look back and I remember myself at that time and I looked at JJ and I think they picked the right person [for the Lakers job]. There’s just a quality about him, I think, that goes above and beyond.
“And they have a hell of a team for him right here, right now with Doncic and Reaves and obviously with LeBron. And so I think Rob [Pelinka, president of basketball operations] will continue with the new ownership to build that team and to complement those players. But they have a great opportunity and I think JJ will be a great coach for it.”
On tap
Tuesday vs. Orlando (30-26), 7:30 p.m.
The Magic are a deep and versatile team, with six players who score in double figures. Paolo Banchero leads them in scoring (21.5) and rebounds (8.4) and is second in assists (5.0). He’s shooting 45% from the field. Desmond Bane is one of three Orlando players averaging more than 20 points at 20.1, making 48.3% of his shots and 38.8% of his threes. He just dropped 36 in a win over the Clippers on the second night of a back-to-back.
Thursday at Phoenix (33-25), 7 p.m. PST
Injuries are starting to take a toll on the Suns. Dillon Brooks has a broken left hand and reportedly is out four to six weeks. This comes on the heels of All-Star Devin Booker missing at least one week because of a right hip strain and fellow guards Grayson Allen (ankle/knee) and Jordan Goodwin (calf) also dealing with injuries.
Saturday at Golden State (30-27), 5:30 p.m.
The Warriors don’t have All-Star guard Stephen Curry (knee) and forward Jimmy Butler (torn ACL), leaving them without a lot of offensive firepower. The Warriors have been leaning on guard Brandin Podziemski to keep them afloat. He is averaging 12.1 points per game.
Sunday vs. Sacramento (12-46), 6:30 p.m.
The Kings have the worst record in the NBA. They have three players with season-ending surgeries — De’Andre Hunter (eye), Domantas Sabonis (knee) and Zach LaVine (hand).
Status report
Jaxson Hayes: right ankle injury
Redick said Hayes, who left Sunday’s game, got an MRI on Monday that showed his ankle had “a little bruise.” Hayes, the backup center, is day to day, Redick said. The Lakers listed Hayes as doubtful for Tuesday night’s game against the Magic at Crypto.com Arena.
“We’ll see how he feels tomorrow morning,” Redick said..
Favorite thing I ate this week
Risotto col codeghin e la peara from Tre Risotti Trattoria.
(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)
Ciao! It’s Thuc Nhi checking in a final time from the Olympics. My final dinner of the Games had to honor northern Italy, so instead of just pizza or pasta, I went searching specifically for risotto. In Verona, before the closing ceremony, I asked the server at Tre Risotti Trattoria what the most popular risotto was and she suggested the risotto col codeghin e la peara (risotto with sausage and pepper sauce). She didn’t miss. The salty, creamy bite with the crunchy crouton around the plate was the ideal way to end my third Olympics Games. Arrivederci!
In case you missed it
With Pat Riley watching, Lakers routed by Celtics in rivalry game
Plaschke: During statue unveiling, Pat Riley reminds the disjointed Lakers of keys to winning
Statue outside Lakers’ arena is another first for Pat Riley, the consummate coach
Luka Doncic and Lakers hold off Clippers after Kawhi Leonard exits late
Lon Rosen to take over business operations for the Lakers
Until next time…
As always, pass along your thoughts to me at thucnhi.nguyen@latimes.com, and please consider subscribing if you like our work!
Lindsey Vonn almost lost her leg after Winter Olympics crash
From Chuck Schilken: Lindsey Vonn says her left leg almost needed to be amputated following her horrific crash while competing at the Milan-Cortina Olympics this month.
In a video posted to Instagram on Monday, the U.S. ski racing legend said she has been released from the hospital more than two weeks after suffering a complex tibia fracture and other damage that led to compartment syndrome in the leg.
Vonn credited Dr. Tom Hackett, an orthopedic surgeon who works for Vonn and Team USA, for saving the leg. She also gave indirect credit to the complete rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee that occurred during another crash on Jan. 30, just a week before the start of the Winter Olympics.
“I always talk about everything happens for a reason,” Vonn said. “If I hadn’t torn my ACL … Tom wouldn’t have been there. He wouldn’t have been able to save my leg.”
Vonn has won 84 World Cup races and three Olympic medals, including gold in the downhill at the 2010 Vancouver Games. She returned to competitive skiing last year after a six-year hiatus. Vonn did not allow the torn ACL to prevent her from competing in what she has called her “fifth and final Olympics.”
Despite completing multiple test runs, Vonn lasted 13 seconds in the Feb. 8 downhill race before she crashed. She was airlifted from the Olimpia delle Tofane course in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
U.S. Olympics hockey hero Jack Hughes’ immediate future includes dental implants
Kyle Tucker is ready to contribute
From Jack Vita: There are expectations surrounding new Dodgers right fielder Kyle Tucker — not surprising for someone with a four-year, $240-million contract.
But first things first.
“Last year I got one hit in spring, so hopefully I get more than that,” Tucker said, sharing a laugh with reporters after grounding out and walking in two plate appearances in his Cactus League debut Sunday. “So, that’s the goal. But I mean, just feeling comfortable.”
In a clubhouse full of superstar players, the feeling seems mutual with his teammates.
“I’m glad he’s with us,” Dodgers catcher Will Smith said, adding: “There might be other superstars on this team, but it’s not really anyone’s focus here. It’s all about getting in every day, working hard, helping us win a ballgame that day and working toward the ultimate goal of winning the World Series.”
Mayweather-Pacquiao II
From Chuck Schilken: Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao made boxing history in 2015. More than a decade later, the two legends are hoping to do it again.
The aging greats will have their rematch Sept. 19 live on Netflix in the first boxing match held at the Las Vegas Sphere.
Mayweather defeated Pacquiao by unanimous decision on May 2, 2015 in the “Fight of the Century” at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. That fight generated 4.6 million pay-per-view buys and a live gate of $72 million, both of which are records.
It was a long-awaited matchup between two of the biggest names in the boxing world that ultimately earned Mayweather the World Boxing Council, World Boxing Assn. and World Boxing Organization welterweight titles.
“I already fought and beat Manny once,” Mayweather said in a statement released by Netflix. “This time will be the same result.”
This day in sports history
1960 — Bill Cleary’s four goals lead the United States to a 9-1 victory over West Germany in the hockey championship round of the Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, Calif.
1967 — Wilt Chamberlain of Philadelphia shoots 18-for-18 from the field against the Baltimore Bullets, an NBA record for field goals in a game without a miss.
1978 — Kevin Porter of the New Jersey Nets sets an NBA record with 29 assists in a 126-112 victory over the Houston Rockets.
1980 — The United States hockey team wins the gold medal with a 4-2 victory over Finland at the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y.
1982 — Wayne Gretzky scores NHL-record 78th goal of season en route to 92.
1985 — Jim Kelly of the Houston Gamblers passes for a USFL-record 574 yards and five touchdowns in a 34-33 comeback-win over the Los Angeles Express. Kelly completes 35 of 54 passes, including three for touchdowns in the final 10 minutes.
1988 — An unprecedented winner of the 90-and 70-meter individual events, Matti Nykanen becomes the Winter Olympics’ first triple gold medalist in Nordic skiing when Finland wins the new 90-meter team ski jumping event.
1993 — Steve Yzerman of the Detroit Red Wings scores his career point with two goals and two assists in a 10-7 loss to Buffalo Sabres.
1994 — Lipscomb’s John Pierce becomes college basketball’s career scoring leader with 33 points in his regular-season finale, a 119-102 win over Cumberland. Pierce’s 4,110 points break former roommate Phil Hutcheson’s record of 4,106.
2002 — Svetlana Feofanova breaks the pole vault indoor world record for the fourth time this month, clearing 15 feet, 6 1/2 inches at the Gaz de France meet.
2002 — Canada beats the United States 5-2 for the gold medal in men’s hockey at the Winter Olympics. It’s the seventh time Canada has won the gold in its national sport, but the first since 1952.
2006 — Julia Mancuso earns a stunning victory in the giant slalom to salvage a disappointing Olympics for the U.S. women in their final Alpine event of the Turin Games. Mancuso gives the American women their first Olympic Alpine medal since Picabo Street’s gold in the super-G at the 1998 Nagano Games.
2012 — Missy Parkin becomes the first woman to reach the match play finals in the 69th U.S Open at Brunswick Zone-Carolier. Shafer, a 25-year Professional Bowlers Assn. Tour veteran, completes the 26-game qualifying portion of the U.S. Open with a total of 5,825 pins, averaging at a 224.04 pace.
2018 — Ester Ledecka wins the second leg of an unheard-of Olympic double, taking the gold medal in snowboarding’s parallel giant slalom to go with her surprise skiing victory in the Alpine super-G earlier in the games. The Czech star is the first to win gold medals in both sports.
2018 — The United States wins the Olympic gold medal in men’s curling in a decisive upset of Sweden. John Shuster skips the United States to a 10-7 victory for only the second curling medal in U.S. history.
2020 — Memorial service for NBA star Kobe Byrant held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Frieze Projects’ ‘Body & Soul’ stages site-specific work across L.A.
“If I love you, I have to make you conscious of the things you don’t see.”
James Baldwin’s quote about the artist’s role in society is emblazoned on billboards across Los Angeles this winter. Created by artist Patrick Martinez, the purpose of the signage is two-fold: to promote Frieze Los Angeles and, in the case of neon signs at the art fair’s entrance, to stand as a discrete work of art on its own.
Martinez, an East Los Angeles-based artist, has long translated protest language into storefront-style neon, a strategy he now extends into a broader campaign tied to Frieze, which runs Feb. 26 through March 1 at the Santa Monica Airport and features more than 100 galleries.
This year, however, some of the fair’s most compelling work may be happening outside the tent. Frieze Projects’ “Body & Soul” features eight installations staged across Santa Monica’s Airport Park and beyond. The initiative is intended, organizers say, to broaden the fair’s reach beyond its art world audience — positioning Frieze as a civic platform rather than a purely commercial event.
In addition to Martinez’s creations, “Body & Soul” brings together site-specific works including Amanda Ross-Ho’s durational performance rolling a 16-foot inflatable Earth around the perimeter of a nearby soccer field; Cosmas & Damian Brown’s interactive fountain installation incorporating ceramic heads, incense and water; and Shana Hoehn’s first large-scale public sculpture, fabricated from a fallen tree sourced through Santa Monica’s Urban Forest program. Off campus, Kelly Wall extends the program to a former Westwood Village newsstand, where glass “magazines” will be displayed — 136 in all, priced at $300, with 15 given away.
Martinez’s billboards bearing 2024’s “If I Love You (James Baldwin)” serve as the most highly visible part of the fair’s public outreach. His neon installations respond to ICE raids and immigrant rights, placing protest at the literal threshold of one of Los Angeles’ most visible art events.
L.A. artist Patrick Martinez’s work is featured on billboards around the city, as well as at the entrance to Frieze Los Angeles.
(David Butow / For The Times)
The public art program acts as “a way that we can bring in people who may not be just the ticket goers or the VIP,” said Christine Messineo, Frieze’s director of Americas.
It also serves to amplify the city’s cultural temperature.
“Our job is to represent what’s happening in our community,” Messineo said, adding that immigration and social impact are not anomalies at the fair but part of its foundation.
Some of Martinez’s neon entrance signs — including “Abolish ICE” (2018), “No Body Is Illegal” (2021) and “Then They Came for Me 2” (2025) — predate the current political moment. Instead, they emerge from years of observation and protest.
The artist credits Messineo with approaching him last summer to utilize what he calls his “urgent warning signs” as the face of the fair. Demonstrators also carried signs bearing Martinez’s imagery last June during protests against ongoing federal immigration crackdowns in downtown Los Angeles.
Those events, Martinez says, are not experienced evenly across the city — particularly by the well-heeled audience that attends Frieze and spends $85 to $106 for weekend general admission tickets.
Patrick Martinez, “If I Love You (James Baldwin),” 2024.
(artwork Patrick Martinez / photo Paul Salveson)
Martinez wants his signs to unsettle viewers who are insulated from the city’s unrest.
“The Westside people aren’t even going to see any of that, right? So it’s bringing that kind of mindfulness to that space.”
“It felt prescient then,” Messineo said of engaging Martinez last year, “and I think even more so now.”
Frieze has integrated public art into its Los Angeles fair since its 2019 debut. But the works in “Body & Soul,” produced with the nonprofit Art Production Fund, lean into the particular conditions of public space.
The exhibition brings together Los Angeles artists exploring ideas of memory, community and collective experience — often in quieter ways than Martinez’s overt messaging.
Additional participants include Dan John Anderson, Polly Borland and Kohshin Finley.
Casey Fremont, Art Production Fund’s executive director, said most of the works are newly commissioned.
The program is designed to prioritize innovation over sales. “It isn’t transactional. It’s really just about experimenting and giving the public the opportunity to experience art like they’ve never experienced before.”
Artists scale up — and slow down
“Body & Soul” marks several participants’ first ventures into public work, including Hollywood artist Finley, whose “The Piano Player” will be installed near the corner of Airport Avenue and Donald Douglas Loop. Finley’s piece arranges ceramic vessels inside shadow-box shelving that the artist describes as containers for memory — some “you love to take out and peek into,” others that “should just stay shut forever.”
Kohshin Finley’s “The Piano Player” arranges ceramic vessels inside shadow-box shelving that the artist describes as containers for memory.
(Micaiah Carter)
The title references the film “Casablanca,” and its piano player, Sam, whose music stirs up memories of the central love story.
Finley said the public setting creates an unusually direct encounter as he, like many of his fellow artists, will be standing with his work.
“A lot of people have never seen a living artist,” he said.
Ross-Ho takes visibility even further with her inflatable soccer ball Earth, which weighs 78 pounds. The familiar “blue marble” image will no doubt draw spectators at the Airport Park Soccer Field outside the Frieze tent.
Amanda Ross-Ho is creating a durational performance on a soccer field by Frieze Los Angeles.
(Jennelle Fong for ILY2)
Ross-Ho’s performance, “Untitled Orbit (MANUAL MODE),” functions as an endurance test that is a response to what she calls “the temporal container of the art fair” — and to the pressures of contemporary life.
“Gesture and duration are the ways that I could achieve scale rather than something that was materially constrained like a giant sculpture,” she said.
Designing for gathering
Brown’s installation, “Fountain: Sources of Light,” invites guests to congregate. Positioned between the Airport Park playground and dog park, it combines running water, ceramic vessels, incense and sound.
“I really wanted to make a fountain because I thought that [it’s] something that … people tend to gravitate to,” he said.
The work will incorporate metal plates and bowls created by participants in the youth workshop Art Sundae, taking place Feb. 28 at Airport Park.
Near Brown’s fountain, Echo Park artist Hoehn will present “Deadfall,” a massive fallen fig tree embedded with carved cheerleader legs and skirts — imagery drawn from her Texas upbringing.
Shana Hoehn with one of her carved wooden sculptures.
(Josh Cohen)
“I’ve been working with cheerleading iconography for the past few years,” she said, linking the imagery to what she calls an omnipresent football culture layered with “American patriotism and militaristic qualities.”
Hoehn acknowledged that the fair’s four-day window and limited nearby parking may keep the audience closer to fair-goers than the broader public the program aims to reach.
Beyond the airport fence
A few miles away in Westwood Village, Mar Vista artist Wall will extend the program beyond the airport campus with “Everything Must Go,” installed at a defunct newsstand and on view from 5:48 p.m. (sunset) to 8 p.m. during the fair.
Where magazines and newspapers once were, glass stand-ins bearing skyline imagery will occupy illuminated lightbox shelves. As the glass “magazines” are removed, glowing silhouettes mark their absence.
Kelly Wall, ‘Everything Must Go’.
(Kelly Wall)
Wall’s related project will appear on the Frieze campus with found newspaper boxes transformed into lightbox displays for her glass publication.
“In things coming to an end, there is no real end … there’s transformation,” she said. “How you might see [the piece] may differ depending on different times — or where you’re personally at in your life.”
A guide to Studio City: Best things to do, see and eat
The San Fernando Valley is back in the spotlight, thanks in part to Bravo’s reality franchise “The Valley,” where viewers may recognize a slew of Ventura Boulevard staples (we see you, Rocco’s Tavern).
Much of the show is filmed in and around Studio City, a neighborhood just west of the Cahuenga Pass, about 10 miles from downtown L.A. and within the city of Los Angeles.
That last fact is what usually throws people off guard.
“Isn’t Studio City a separate city from L.A.?” they ask.
Get to know Los Angeles through the places that bring it to life. From restaurants to shops to outdoor spaces, here’s what to discover now.
This is when I must reply no and launch into an explanation on the expansiveness of the 818, the identity crisis it never asked for and how its lore has endured for decades on the silver screen, from “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” to “The Karate Kid” and “Licorice Pizza,” to name a few.
See, long before Kendall Jenner bottled our area code with her tequila brand or “The Valley’s” Golnesa “GG” Gharachedaghi created her Valley Girl jewelry line (a response to a castmate’s constant gripe that the area had no vibe), Studio City was already a vibrant L.A. hub. It claimed a roster of power players — “The Brady Bunch” soundstage, Laurel Canyon News and the iconic Studio City Hand Car Wash — all of which still transcend ratings or storyline.
The neighborhood was originally formed around film producer Mack Sennett’s studio, which later became Republic Studios and then CBS Studio Center. With the studio as the focal point, the U.S. Postal Service designated its branch in that area as the Studio City Post Office, formalizing the name Studio City. Not exactly poetic, but it stuck. By the 1940s, Studio City developed into a “just over the hill” refuge for Hollywood’s working families, with new restaurants and bars abuzz.
My first memories of Studio City were hanging out with a childhood friend whose parents worked at CBS, and back then, it felt like the ultimate suburban dream. Fast forward to the mid-aughts and I got to live it myself, renting an apartment a few blocks from Tujunga Village, the neighborhood’s own “small-town U.S.A.” I spent countless weekends perusing food stands and trendy coffeehouses, the flaky bread and baked goods reviving me after hours of line dancing at Oil Can Harry’s or a booze-soaked late night at Page 71.
As one of the Valley’s most social enclaves, where nature is within reach, strip mall sushi is world-class and shaded residential streets feel worlds away from the Sunset Strip, Studio City still feels like the perfect remedy. Sure, finding parking after 6 p.m. can feel like something out of “The Hunger Games,” but on any given weekend you’ll still find me channeling my inner Katniss, circling blocks and deciphering cryptic signage all to revisit one of the L.A. neighborhoods that raised me.
Studio City must be the place. Then again, it always was.
What’s included in this guide
Anyone who’s lived in a major metropolis can tell you that neighborhoods are a tricky thing. They’re eternally malleable and evoke sociological questions around how we place our homes, our neighbors and our communities within a wider tapestry. In the name of neighborly generosity, we may include gems that linger outside of technical parameters. Instead of leaning into stark definitions, we hope to celebrate all of the places that make us love where we live.
Our journalists independently visited every spot recommended in this guide. We do not accept free meals or experiences. What L.A. neighborhood should we check out next? Send ideas to guides@latimes.com.
Pat Riley is looking positively statuesque
From Bill Plaschke: The fans never got an opportunity to give a grateful goodbye, Pat Riley resigning on an early summer afternoon 36 years ago after the end of a lost season.
Everyone will have that chance now.
When Riley left town at the wrong end of grumblings from players and fans, he was the greatest coach not only in Lakers history but also in basketball history, his .730 winning percentage and 102 playoff victories both NBA records at the time.
Everyone will understand now.
He has been Showtime’s forgotten kingpin, its lost leader, its missing warrior, a stylishly distant legend who had been overshadowed by the seven Lakers whose statues stand watch over the plaza outside Crypto.com Arena.
Make that eight Lakers.
Riley finally is coming home, returning Sunday with the unveiling of a long overdue statue in whose bronze reflection a couple of wistful realizations can be found.
Riles has been terribly, terribly missed.
The Showtime era seems terribly, terribly distant.
Riley hasn’t been with the Lakers in 36 years. The Lakers haven’t won an asterisk-free NBA title in 16 years. Maybe because Shaquille O’Neal spoke only via video Sunday, the greatness of this organization never felt further away.
Mark Walter, were you watching?
Statue outside Lakers’ arena is another first for Pat Riley, the consummate coach
————
From Broderick Turner: All of the current Lakers realized that playing against the Boston Celtics on national television really was more than just one of 82 games on the schedule.
It was crystallized even more because iconic former Lakers coach Pat Riley sat courtside after a celebration for the unveiling of his statue on the Star Plaza outside Crypto.com Arena. He was the first Lakers coach to beat the hated Celtics for an NBA championship after eight failed attempts.
So, yes, on this Sunday afternoon, this game meant more if only because it was another game in the long rivalry, a game the Lakers lost, 111-89.
Luka Doncic had 25 points for the Lakers but he was just nine for 22 from the field. LeBron James had 20 points but was just nine for 21 from the field.
Clippers lose to Magic
Desmond Bane scored 36 points and Paolo Banchero added 16 points and eight assists as the Orlando Magic held on for a 111-109 victory over the Clippers on Sunday night.
Wendell Carter Jr. had 15 points and 14 rebounds and Tristan da Silva scored 13 for the Magic, who improved to 5-2 since Feb. 5.
Kawhi Leonard shrugged off an ankle injury to score 37 points and Bennedict Mathurin added 21 points and nine rebounds off the bench for the Clippers, who are 4-5 since Feb. 2. Mathurin missed a three-point attempt to win the game at the buzzer.
Jordan Miller had 14 points for the Clippers (27-30).
UCLA women win 21st in a row
From Felicia Keller: The No. 2 UCLA women’s basketball team beat Wisconsin 80-60 on Sunday afternoon at Pauley Pavilion and became outright regular season conference champions for the first time in their history.
“I’m so fortunate to coach incredible young women as people and that we’re willing to believe in a vision that we could create together and to be the first team in UCLA history to win a conference championship outright in the regular season,” coach Cori Close said. “It’s just humbling to be a part of.”
Lauren Betts recorded a double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds — including three in quick succession in the fourth quarter — as the Bruins celebrated their six graduates on Senior Day by winning their 21st game in a row. Five Bruins — all seniors — scored in double digits.
“That’s the reason we all came here is to do things UCLA has never done before and to win a lot of games and win championships, and so super proud of everyone on this team for really putting in the work,” Gabriela Jaquez said.
Jazzy Davidson scores 32, but USC loses
Jaloni Cambridge scored 33 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter, and No. 10 Ohio State used a 15-0 run to rally for an 88-83 victory over USC on Sunday.
It was Cambridge’s fifth 30-point game this season. The sophomore was 12 for 21 from the field and eight for nine from the line as the Buckeyes (23-5, 11-4) snapped a two-game losing streak.
Cambridge also had three steals and helped force USC to commit a season-high 25 turnovers as the Trojans (17-10, 9-7 Big Ten) had their six-game winning streak come to a close.
USC’s Jazzy Davidson scored a season-high 32 points, including six three-pointers, before fouling out with 1.1 seconds left. The freshman also had six rebounds and four assists.
Galaxy plays to draw in opener
Nicolás Fernández scored on a penalty kick in the second half and New York City FC tied the Galaxy 1-1 in a season opener on Sunday before a sellout crowd of 30,510 at Dignity Health Sports Park.
Newcomer João Klauss needed 90 seconds to win the hearts of Galaxy fans, scoring with assists from Marco Reus and Joseph Paintsil for a 1-0 lead. L.A. worked a cash-for-player trade with St. Louis City to acquire Klauss on a one-year deal, hoping he’ll ease the loss of superstar Riqui Puig for a second straight season after complications from a torn ACL.
Los Angeles maintained the lead until Emiro Garces was sent off the field for a second yellow card, setting up a successful PK for Fernández that tied it in the 66th minute and left the Galaxy a man short. Fernández scored five goals in 19 appearances with L.A. last season.
Jacob Bridgeman wins Genesis Invitational
From Steve Galluzzo: On one of the most historic golf courses in the world, Jacob Bridgeman made some history of his own Sunday afternoon at Riviera Country Club.
Two months and three days after getting married, the 26-year-old from South Carolina has another memory to last a lifetime after winning for the first time on the PGA Tour and threatening the tournament scoring record at the Genesis Invitational.
“To do it against this field is way, way better than I’ve ever dreamt,” said Bridgeman, who prevailed by a single shot over Kurt Kitayama and Rory McIlroy. “Fans were super supportive all day and winning at this course is a dream come true. I grew up watching this on TV.”
Beginning the final round with a six-stroke lead, Bridgeman birdied the first and third holes to take a seven-shot lead and send an early message to the other 50 players that he would be tough to catch. He carded a one-over-par 72 to finish at 18 under for a four-day total of 266 — two off the 72-hole standard achieved at the 1985 Los Angeles Open by Lanny Wadkins, who won by seven shots with rounds of 63, 70, 67 and 64.
Genesis Invitational leaderboard
Dalton Rushing looks for redemption
From Jack Vita: Dalton Rushing’s first year in the big leagues with the Dodgers didn’t go quite as planned.
Over 53 games after his May call-up, the highly regarded prospect batted .204 with a .258 on-base percentage, .582 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, four home runs and 24 RBIs. It was the only time in his baseball life — aside from his freshman year at the University of Louisville — that Rushing was not a regular fixture in his team’s lineup.
“It was very, very up and down,” Rushing said. “It was some good, some bad, some ugly. A lot of things were new to me; the scattering [of] playing time was tough. It was a little tough being able to stay on top of compete mode, keep the swing in a good spot.”
But it still yielded a satisfying end result.
”I got to win a World Series with this team,” Rushing said. “And it’s hard to look back and think, ‘I’d take this back or I’d take that back.’ It went exactly how it was planned.”
With three-time All-Star catcher Will Smith in front of him, Rushing’s role is clear: He is the Dodgers’ backup catcher. Manager Dave Roberts feels good about Rushing’s progression.
This day in sports history
1935 — George “The Iceman” Woolf makes history, riding Azucar to victory in the inaugural Santa Anita Handicap. Azucar beats such greats as Equipoise and Twenty Grand in the first $100,000 horse race.
1938 — Joe Louis knocks out Nathan Mann in the third round to defend his world heavyweight title at Madison Square Garden in New York.
1960 — Carol Heiss captures the first gold medal for the United States in the Winter Olympics at Squaw Valley, Calif., winning the figure skating event.
1968 — Wilt Chamberlain becomes first player to score 25,000 points in the NBA.
1980 — Eric Heiden wins his fifth gold medal and shatters the world record by six seconds in 10,000-meter speed skating at the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y. His time is 14:28.13.
1985 — Indiana coach Bob Knight is ejected five minutes into the Hoosiers’ 72-63 loss to Purdue when he throws a chair across the court. Knight, after two fouls called on his team, is hit with his first technical. While Purdue was shooting the technical, Knight picks up a chair from the bench area and throws it across the court, earning his second technical.
1987 — Seattle’s Nate McMillan sets an NBA rookie record with 25 assists to lead the SuperSonics over the Clippers 124-112.
1991 — North Carolina becomes the first team in NCAA basketball history to win 1,500 games with a 73-57 victory over Clemson.
2002 — The Americans end nearly a half-century of Olympic frustration for the U.S. men’s bobsled team, driving to the silver and bronze medals in the four-man race at the Salt Lake Olympic Games.
2007 — Tiger Woods’ winning streak on the PGA Tour, which began in July, comes to a shocking end. Woods fails to notice a ball mark in the line of his 4-foot birdie putt that would have won his third-round match against Nick O’Hern. Woods misses, then loses in 20 holes when O’Hern saves par with a 12-foot putt at the Accenture Match Play Championship.
2013 — Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche makes history just by stepping into the UFC cage. Rousey wins the UFC’s first women’s bout, beating Carmouche on an armbar, her signature move, with 11 seconds left in the first round of their bantamweight title fight at UFC 157.
2014 — Canada defends its Olympic men’s hockey title with a 3-0 victory over Sweden. Canada becomes the only repeat Olympic champ in the NHL era and the first team to go unbeaten through the Olympic tournament since the Soviet Union in Sarajevo in 1984.
2014 — Russia, the host country of the Winter Olympics, finishes with 33 medals overall and 13 gold. It’s the first time Russia topped both medals tables since the breakup of the Soviet Union. The U.S. wins 28 total, including nine gold.
2014 — Jason Collins becomes the first openly gay athlete in the United States four major pro leagues, playing 10 scoreless minutes with two rebounds and five fouls in the New Jersey’s 108-102 victory of the Lakers.
2014 — Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins a rain-delayed Daytona 500, a decade after his first victory in the “Great American Race.” Earnhardt snaps a 55-race winless stretch that dated to 2012. It also ends a frustrating sequence at Daytona International Speedway that had seen him finish second in three of the previous four 500s.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Monday Southern California high school baseball and softball scores
HIGH SCHOOL SCORES
Monday’s Results
BASEBALL
CITY SECTION
Fairfax 14, VAAS 4
Fremont 16, Los Angeles 0
Grant 4, Canoga Park 1
Huntington Park 21, Collins Family 0
Marquez 10, Gardena 4
North Hollywood 7, Taft 6
San Pedro 4, South East 3
SOCES 10, King/Drew 7
South Gate 8, Port of LA 1
SOUTHERN SECTION
Adelanto 13, Riverside Notre Dame 1
Agoura 4, Mira Costa 3
Alemany 1, Culver City 0
Alhambra 1, Bosco Tech 0
Alta Loma 16, Baldwin Park 2
Anaheim 7, Godinez 2
Apple Valley 5, Knight 4
Arcadia 6, San Dimas 2
Bellflower 10, Eastvale Roosevelt 3
Bishop Amat 5, Redlands East Valley 2
Bonita 4, Damien 4
Burbank Providence 11, YULA 1
Cajon 5, Arlington 4
Calabasas 5, Rio Mesa 4
California 10, Don Lugo 4
Calvary Baptist 15, Rio Hondo Prep 2
Canyon Country Canyon 8, Glendale 0
Capistrano Valley Christian 7, Colony 5
Cerritos 13, Cerritos Valley Christian 4
Chaparral 11, Chino 5
Corona Santiago 1, San Juan Hills 0
El Modena 11, Patriot 2
El Monte 4, San Gabriel 0
El Segundo 5, West Torrance 1
Esperanza 5, Century 3
Gladstone 8, Immanuel Christian 4
Glendora 14, Littlerock 0
Golden Valley 3, Santa Clarita Christian 0
Hesperia 16, Eisenhower 4
HMSA 6, Lynwood 2
Hoover 11, Salesian 1
Indio 8, Nuview Bridge 4
La Quinta 7, Oak Hills 0
La Salle 13, West Covina 2
Los Amigos 8, Bolsa Grande 7
Magnolia 12, Whitney 7
Mark Keppel 2, Pomona 2
Millikan 6, Citrus Valley 5
Monrovia 19, Burbank 4
Moreno Valley 12, San Jacinto Valley Academy 2
Newport Harbor 8, Woodcrest Christian 7
Ontario Christian 10, Paloma Valley 5
Paraclete 4, Buena 0
Riverside King 10, Rancho Christian 3
Riverside Prep 25, Carter 1
Rosamond 15, Antelope Valley 0
Rosemead 6, Whittier 5
Rubidoux 4, Big Bear 2
Sage Hill 6, Pasadena Poly 3
San Bernardino 9, Vista del Lago 8
Santa Ana 12, Santa Ana Valley 3
Santa Ana Foothill 7, Crean Lutheran 3
Santa Monica Pacifica Christian 6, Shalhevet 3
Segerstrom 6, Portola 3
Silverado 25, CIMSA 0
Sonora 9, Orange 1
South Hills 2, Northview 0
Temple City 13, South El Monte 3
Thousand Oaks 11, Saugus 5
Torrance 12, Brea Olinda 0
Valencia 2, Oxnard Pacifica
Valley View 5, Shadow Hills 4
Villa Park 12, Downey 3
Walnut 2, South Pasadena 2
Western Christian 8, Los Alto 6
Westminster 10, Western 6
West Valley 14, Perris 1
Wiseburn Da Vinci 17, Animo leadership 0
INTERSECTIONAL
Bellflower 10, LA Roosevelt 3
Birmingham 7, Ventura 4
Buckley 17, Sun Valley Magnet 1
Castaic 4, Hueneme 0
Chaminade 9, Santa Paula 1
Cleveland 6, Camarillo 4
Compton 2, Rancho Dominguez 0
Dos Pueblos 9, Granada Hills 3
Gardena Serra 12, LA Hamilton 4
Inglewood 19, Locke 3
Newbury Park 2, El Camino Real 1
Riverside Poly 3, Upland 2
Simi Valley 6, Highland 4
South Torrance 4, Carson 1
Sun Valley Poly 2, Quartz Hill 0
Viewpoint 14, Northridge Academy 0
Westlake 9, Chatsworth 1
Yorba Linda 5, Yucaipa 4
SOFTBALL
CITY SECTION
Carson 12, Wiseburn Da Vinci 0
Chatsworth 4, Sylmar 0
Marquez 10, LA Marshall 4
Narbonne 20, Maywood Academy 9
Orthopaedic 26, Contreras 3
Rancho Dominguez 16, Santee 5
Verdugo Hills 19, LA Hamilton 0
Wilmington Banning 9, Garfield 7
SOUTHERN SECTION
ACE 11, Barstow 5
Ayala 14, Cajon 1
Baldwin Park 17, Pomona 5
Burbank Providence 10, St. Pius X-St. Matthias 0
Castaic 10, Arleta 0
Corona 10, Heritage 1
Crean Lutheran 6, Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 3
Eastvale Roosevelt 5, Alta Loma 4
Eisenhower 23, Loma Linda Academy 5
Esperanza 15, Sonora 14
Etiwanda 17, Ramona 0
Faith Baptist 9, Golden Valley 5
Glendora 10, Villa Park 4
Hesperia 5, Hesperia Christian 1
Jurupa Valley 15, San Jacinto 12
Jurupa Valley 6, Miller 1
La Canada 9, Burbank 0
Lancaster 12, Serrano 6
Linfield Christian 16, Santa Rosa Academy 0
Los Amigos 11, Samueli Academy 1
Los Osos 8, Victor Valley 2
Newport Harbor 19, Laguna Hills 5
Oak Hills 16, Summit 4
Rancho Cucamonga 9, Kaiser 1
Redlands 5, San Bernardino 4
Redondo Union 12, Bishop Montgomery 0
Riverside North 10, Citrus Hill 0
Riverside Prep 5, Sultana 0
Rosamond 13, Antelope Valley 3
Santa Ana 14, Westminster La Quinta 1
Santa Ana Valley 24, Estancia 4
Santa Fe 1, Paramount 1
Santa Margarita 1, El Toro 0
Shadow Hills 15, Palm Springs 0
Silverado 7, Ridgecrest Burroughs 4
St. Bonaventure 5, Simi Valley 4
St. Paul 6, Whittier 1
Upland 7, Northview 2
Valley View 7, Chino 1
Ventura 5, Grace 4
Westlake 7, Oak Park 1
Whittier Christian 12, La Serna 5
Yucaipa 13, Rancho Verde 0
INTERSECTIONAL
Burbank Burroughs 13, Cleveland 0
Carson 12, Wiseburn Da-Vinci 0
Castaic 10, Arleta 0
Heritage Christian 13, Monroe 0
Pasadena Marshall 18, Canoga Park 5
Port of Los Angeles 16, Mary Star of the Sea 4
San Pedro 5, South Torrance 4
Venice 12, Culver City 1
UCLA’s super selfless seniors are key to women’s basketball success
Welcome to UCLA Unlocked, our weekly newsletter featuring all things Bruins athletics. To sign up to get this newsletter delivered every Monday to your inbox, click here.
The UCLA women’s basketball team is closing in on an undefeated Big Ten season, clinched the outright regular season league title for the first time in school history, is riding a 21-win streak and is ranked No. 2 nationally.
Perhaps most remarkable, the Bruins firmly believe they can be better and have yet to peak as they push to win a national title.
How did UCLA go from being a team that got pushed around by UConn, LSU and South Carolina in the NCAA tournament the last three seasons to a loaded squad no one wants to face in March?
Bruins coach Cori Close solved the riddle by recruiting six senior leaders who accepted they had to continuously sacrifice and push to improve to achieve their goals. They echo their coach’s values, putting each other first in order to succeed.
“Me and Kiki [Rice] came here in our freshman year and it’s just been amazing to see the program grow since then,” UCLA senior Gabriela Jaquez said. “And I think that’s also a big credit to our coaches and to all the staff at UCLA to really get the fans out there and support us because we really couldn’t do it without them.”
UCLA honored Lauren Betts, Angela Dugalić, Jaquez, Gianna Kneepkens, Charlisse Leger-Walker and Rice during their final regular-season home game Sunday. The group will be back soon to host first- and second-round NCAA tournament games at Pauley Pavilion, but Close wanted them to take the time to celebrate all they had accomplished together.
Betts is in the national player of the year conversation, but the big award is likely to go to another player who carries a heavier workload for their team. Close said the seniors are all projected to be WNBA draft picks, but they have sacrificed better individual statistics and potentially some awards in exchange for a better shot at winning a national championship. She said the selfless approach is rare and should be cherished.
“One of them said the other day, like, ‘I might not ever play on a team like this again,’” Close said of her senior class. “I think the combination of the depth of the relationship, excellence on the court, their love of the work — they love to work and get better together — and their connection off the court.
”… I think these seniors actually do really understand that this is really special. They’ve set a bar for the culture of our program that we will be forever measuring it against.”
Baseball makes a statement
No. 1 UCLA baseball team turned heads with a weekend sweep of No. 7 TCU. The Bruins beat the Horned Frogs 10-2 on Friday, 5-1 on Saturday and 15-5 on Sunday. Roch Cholowsky and Will Gasparino have racked up six home runs apiece during UCLA’s first seven games this season.
Softball keeps rolling
The No. 9 UCLA softball team beat No. 11 Texas A&M 15-7 in five innings on Sunday to cap a 6-0 weekend at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. The Bruins also beat No. 20 Duke and No. 13 South Carolina. Senior Megan Grant delivered a .545 batting average during the weekend with two home runs and nine walks.
Gymnastics knocks out Illini
No. 5 UCLA gymnastics defeated Illinois 197.675-195.475 Sunday in Champaign, Ill.
Jordan Chiles won the all-around (39.650), vault (9.950) and floor exercise (9.975), while Ciena Alipio won balance beam (9.950).
The Bruins host three top 25 programs — Iowa, Ohio State and Maryland — during the Big Fours meet Friday at Pauley Pavilion.
In case you missed it
UCLA women blitz Wisconsin on Senior Day, win 21st in a row
Donovan Dent channels Tyus Edney, lifts UCLA to stunning OT win over No. 10 Illinois
UCLA to play 2026 football season at Rose Bowl as lawsuit continues
UCLA’s Mick Cronin apologizes for ejecting player, says he’s still ‘a good fit’ as coach
No. 2 UCLA’s 20th win in a row clinches share of first conference crown in 27 years
Plaschke: UCLA must eject Mick Cronin if he can’t respect his players
UCLA men are no match for Michigan State
No. 2 UCLA wins its 19th straight game with thrashing of Indiana
Have something Bruin?
Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email newsletters editor Houston Mitchell at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Prep Rally: A preview of championship week in high school basketball
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. It’s championship week in high school basketball with some big-time semifinal matchups Tuesday in the Southern Section playoffs.
Championship week
Brandon McCoy of Sierra Canyon soars for a tomahawk dunk.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
The toughest divisions in high school basketball in the state have their semifinals Tuesday for boys and girls. Get ready for intense, crowd-pleasing matchups.
For boys in the Southern Section Open Division, it’s Sierra Canyon hosting Sherman Oaks Notre Dame and Harvard-Westlake hosting La Mirada.
Both games are rematches, so there will be no surprises for the coaches. Sierra Canyon and Harvard-Westlake won the first meetings, so they deserve the favorite’s role to reach Saturday’s championship game at Ontario Arena. But that doesn’t mean the favorites will win.
Notre Dame has athleticism to play with Sierra Canyon, especially if Zach White is rebounding and NaVorro Bowman is hitting threes. Sierra Canyon, though, is 25-1 and surging with its depth. Harvard-Westlake looked done after losing three of its last four regular season games, but has come on to beat Damien, Santa Margarita and Crespi in the Open Division playoffs.
La Mirada is the surprise team, seeded No. 12 and winning every game on the road. The Matadores eliminated Redondo Union in the quarterfinals behind Gene Roebuck. You have to admire La Mirada. Last season they desperately wanted to be in the Open Division, giving up a chance to be in the state playoffs. Now the Matadores are one win away from playing for a section title.
The girls’ competition should draw even bigger crowds than the boys Tuesday, with the featured matchup Etiwanda hosting Sierra Canyon. The two powerhouses have been preparing for this game all season. Jerzy Robinson of Sierra Canyon will try to make sure Etiwanda doesn’t serve as a roadblock to winning the Open Division or state championship. The other semifinal has top-seeded Ontario Christian hosting Sage Hill. If Etiwanda and Ontario Christian win, they’ll get to play in front of lots of fans Saturday night in Ontario.
Boys basketball
Freshman Phillip Reed was in dominant form for Palisades in the City Section Open Division semifinals.
(Steve Galluzzo)
It comes as no surprise that No. 1-seeded Palisades will play No. 2 Cleveland in Friday’s 8 p.m. City Section Open Division final at L.A. Southwest College. They’ve been the top two teams all season. Palisades is the heavy favorite. Here’s a report from the semifinals.
Jack Levey celebrates a big win in the Dolphins’ return to their home court against Western League rival Fairfax.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
One of the unsung standouts for Palisades is junior guard Jack Levey, who has made 103 threes this season. Here’s a look at his journey to become a three-point specialist.
Sylmar coach Bort Escoto has his team in the City Division II finals. Two of his ex-players at Sylmar, Jeff Bryant and Sam Harris, have their teams in finals. Bryant for Palisades and Harris for Chatsworth in the Division I final.
The Southern Section Division 1 championship game has two surging Orange County schools meeting: JSerra vs. Crean Lutheran.
Division 2 has two surprise finalists in Hesperia taking on Bishop Amat. Hesperia eliminated Mater Dei and Bishop Amat took out defending Open Division and state champion Eastvale Roosevelt.
Here’s the scores from last week’s Southern Section semifinals.
Girls basketball
Etiwanda is ready to take on Sierra Canyon at home on Tuesday night in an Open Division semifinal.
(Nick Koza)
Etiwanda continues to rely on a balanced attack, which should help the Eagles in their showdown semifinal game against Sierra Canyon. Here’s a report from the quarterfinals.
Valencia’s girls basketball team has reached the Southern Section Division 1 semifinals under coach Jared Honig.
(John Duncan)
Valencia has reached the Division 1 final behind coach Jared Honig, who had previous success at Granada Hills. Here’s the report.
In the City Section, top-seeded Westchester and No. 2 Birmingham will play Saturday night at Pasadena City College in the Open Division final. Westchester has the top player in the City in Savannah Myles. Birmingham has used a young team to get better and better.
Baseball
The approaching storm from last week caused South Hills to come up with the novel idea of playing its season opener against Covina early Monday morning before rain came. So the teams began at 12:40 a.m. and finished at 3:34 a.m. in a new way to pull off Midnight Madness. Here’s the report.
Harvard-Westlake unveiled freshman Louis Lappe of El Segundo Little League fame. Here’s the report.
With darkness coming, Huntington Beach took a 7-5 lead over Loyola in the top of the ninth inning. Coach Benji Medure confirmed that he tried to have his players on base get into a triple play to end the inning immediately to try to win the game before the umpires called the game. Two players were tagged out at home plate, but the home-plate umpire stopped everything before a third runner one could be tagged out. It ended up as a 5-5 tie because of darkness.
The first runner tagged out at home was Jared Grindlinger, who responded to Medure’s instructions to get tagged out by saying, “What?” The creativity wasn’t approved by the umpires.
No. 1 St. John Bosco and No. 2 Orange Lutheran begin their seasons this week.
Here’s a look at The Times’ top 25 baseball rankings after the opening week of the season.
Softball
Norco pitcher Coral Williams was the Southern Section Division 1 player of the year last season.
(Steve Galluzzo)
If you want to win a softball championship, you have to beat Norco and its top pitcher, Coral Williams, a UCLA commit.
Here’s a preview of the season ahead.
Volleyball
Mike Boehle is entering his 28th season as volleyball coach at Loyola.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
The boys volleyball season has begun, and Loyola figures to be one of the title contenders in Division 1 after a rough season last year in which players lost homes to the Palisades fire, their coach had prostate cancer and a classmate was tragically killed.
Here’s a look at how the Cubs intend to come back this season.
Soccer
It’s championship week in high school soccer. Once again, the top two boys teams in the City Section all season face off. El Camino Real will take on South East. Both teams won their semifinal games by scores of 1-0.
In girls, No. 1 Cleveland will face No. 7 Granada Hills in a rematch from their West Valley League battles.
Trinity League rivals Orange Lutheran and Mater Dei have advanced to Saturday’s Southern Section Open Division boys final after beating Placentia Valencia and JSerra, respectively.
The girls final will have Santa Margarita taking on Mater Dei in another Trinity League rematch.
Wrestling
The state wrestling championships are set for Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Dignity Health Arena in Bakersfield.
The Southern Section held its Masters Meet last weekend, and here’s the results of players headed to Bakersfield.
Notes . . .
Oaks Christian won its second consecutive Southern Section Open Division girls’ water polo championship with an 11-8 victory over Mater Dei. . . .
Senior Jaslene Massey of Aliso Niguel, one of the top girls discus and shotputters in the nation, began her outdoor season with a discus mark of 179-6 to set an Orange County record. . . .
Aaron Riekenberg has resigned after nine years as boys basketball coach at La Habra. . . .
Junior defensive lineman Isaia Vandermade from Division 1 champion Santa Margarita has committed to USC, where his father, Lenny, was a lineman. . . .
Pat Harlow, a former head football coach at JSerra, is returning to serve as an assistant coach under new coach Hardy Nickerson. Harlow is well known for his ability to coach the offensive line. This is the second time he’s come out of retirement. “I really believe in the school,” he said. Also added to the staff is former Servite, Notre Dame and NFL quarterback Steve Beuerlein. . .
Former Gardena Serra and USC star Robert Woods has retired from football. . . .
Former Garfield football coach Lorenzo Hernandez has come out of retirement to become football coach at Whittier. Here’s the report. . . .
Former St. Margaret’s and Long Beach Poly coach Stephen Barbee is the new football coach at Irvine Northwood. . . .
Standout pitcher Jared Grindlinger of Huntington Beach has reclassified from junior to class of 2026, making him eligible for this year’s amateur draft. Here’s the report . . .
Chad Rolison from Oaks Christian baseball has committed to Loyola Marymount. . . .
Twins James and Miles Clark from St. John Bosco baseball have committed to Duke. . . .
For the fifth straight year, NFL receiver Trenton Irwin is holding a camp on March 8 at his alma mater, Hart, for grades four through eight. . . . .
Quentin Hale, a junior receiver who transferred from Cathedral to Corona Centennial, has committed to USC. . . .
Patrick Goodpaster is the new football coach at Narbonne. He’s a Narbonne grad, member of the Gardena Police Department and former football player at Colorado State. He’s been a youth football coach in the area. . . .
From the archives: Russell White
Former Crespi, Cal and Rams running back Russell White, who led Crespi to the 1986 Division 1 football championship.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Russell White was one of the greatest running backs in Southern California history, leading Crespi to the 1986 Big Five Conference championship as a sophomore when the Celts routed St. John Bosco in the final.
He’d go on to star at Cal and get drafted by the Rams. He has been at Flintridge Prep the last 10 years coaching eight-man football but is stepping down to perhaps coach 11-man football. His son, Zach, is a standout basketball player at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.
Here’s a story from 2008 when he was coaching in Northern California
Here’s a story from 1993 detailing White’s emotion obtaining his college degree.
Recommendations
From USA Today, a story on South Carolina legislators moving to replace its high school athletic association over transfers and other disagreements.
From CBS, a story on a Florida proposal to allow high school coaches to spend up to $15,000 on player needs known as the Teddy Bridgewater Act.
From KTLA, a story on how AI cameras are helping youth sports parents capture videos.
From the Los Angeles Times, a story on the controversy surrounding trans high school athletes in California.
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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Newcomer João Klauss scores, but Galaxy’s season opener ends in a draw
Nicolás Fernández scored on a penalty kick in the second half and New York City FC tied the Galaxy 1-1 in a season opener on Sunday before a sellout crowd of 30,510 at Dignity Health Sports Park.
Newcomer João Klauss needed 90 seconds to win the hearts of Galaxy fans, scoring with assists from Marco Reus and Joseph Paintsil for a 1-0 lead. L.A. worked a cash-for-player trade with St. Louis City to acquire Klauss on a one-year deal, hoping he’ll ease the loss of superstar Riqui Puig for a second straight season after complications from a torn ACL.
Los Angeles maintained the lead until Emiro Garces was sent off the field for a second yellow card, setting up a successful PK for Fernández that tied it in the 66th minute and left the Galaxy a man short. Fernández scored five goals in 19 appearances with L.A. last season.
Novak Micovic did not have a save in his 25th career start for the Galaxy — 20 of them coming last season when the 24-year-old allowed 37 goals.
Matt Freese, the reigning goalkeeper of the year, saved six shots for NYCFC — four in the first half. Freese had eight clean sheets in 31 starts last season on his way to the award.
NYCFC is coming off a loss to eventual MLS Cup champion Inter Miami in the Eastern Conference Final last season.
The Galaxy are hoping to rebound from a disastrous season that saw them endure a league-record 16-match winless streak — one year after beating the New York Red Bulls to win the MLS Cup.
‘Baywatch’ casting call brings back ’90s with in-person auditions
Despite the string of storms that have hit the Los Angeles region in recent days, the skies cleared up long enough on Wednesday for thousands of aspiring actors to swarm a beachfront in Marina del Rey and take their shot at landing a role in the upcoming “Baywatch” reboot.
The open casting call brought old Hollywood magic to Los Angeles, as the show intensified its search for raw and local talent, reminiscent of how original “Baywatch” stars were discovered, said Brittainy Roberts, the vice president of casting at Fox.
The soapy drama series, which premiered in 1989 and ran for 11 seasons, followed the lives and relationships of lifeguards who patrolled L.A. County beaches (and later Hawaii). It was not only a hit stateside — internationally it was a success, becoming the most-watched show in the world at the time. A film adaptation starring Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron was released in 2017, and despite negative reviews, it was considered a commercial success, signaling an appetite for more.
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The casting team has “big bathing suits to fill,” Roberts said. The show famously created a slew of stars, including Pamela Anderson and Carmen Electra, who got their start on the show, and catapulted David Hasselhoff to new heights of fame.
Uncommon in a post-pandemic era of self-tape auditions, the open and in-person auditions attracted actors hungry for their big break and locals hoping to leave with a fun story to tell. Many donned “Baywatch” visors and sweaters while others sported bright red bathing suits, popularized by the original show. It was “an opportunity to really get people in the room in a large-scale way,” and allow “people an opportunity that maybe they aren’t getting in this new landscape of auditioning,” Roberts said.
The casting team saw live auditions from about 2,000 “Baywatch” hopefuls, and about 14,000 applications were submitted, said Joseph McGinty Nichol, known as McG, the reboot’s executive producer who will direct the first episode. His past projects include the “Charlie’s Angels” movie and “The O.C.”
Pat “The Jaguar” Uland, 31, of San Francisco, on the red carpet at the “Baywatch” open casting call.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Beach-ready candidates filed in and out of a Marriott hotel in Marina del Rey for the in-person auditions. The casting call, which ran late into the night, embodied the joy of Hollywood, McG said.
Bri Ana Wagner, a 29-year-old living in Los Angeles, has been pursuing acting for around a decade. The open casting call was a reminder that the Hollywood “dream is alive,” she said.
“It’s like the way it used to be and the way it should be,” McG said. “You can come to a Marriott in Marina del Rey and change your life and blow it wide open.”
Hopefuls try to catch a break
David Chokachi hadn’t acted much before auditioning for “Baywatch” in the 1990s. Douglas Schwartz, one of the show’s original creators, and his wife, Deborah, had seen just about a thousand auditions for the role of Cody Madison. None of the actors matched the couple’s vision for the character, until Chokachi strolled in.
“It’s one of the most surreal things that’s ever happened in my life,” said Chokachi, the only actor from the original series confirmed for the reboot.
David Chokachi, who was on the original “Baywatch,” is reprising his role as Cody Madison.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
The aspiring actors who auditioned Wednesday hoped to get their chance at a big break similar to the one Chokachi got decades ago. Casting for the reboot began late last year, Roberts said, and people “have come out of the woodwork” since, with some messaging her directly on social media.
“The fact that we’re shooting in L.A., it’s certainly ignited a flame for a lot of agents and managers in town hoping to get their clients working here,” Roberts said.
The casting executive was hopeful that Wednesday’s auditions would bring together a talented pool of actors that the show can continue to pull from.
Massiel Taveras was among the many in attendance at the casting call: “I belong to this group. I belong to the show. I just feel it.”
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Massiel Taveras was crowned Miss Dominican Republic in 2007 and has pursued acting since, finding success in the Latino market. She arrived to the Marriott hotel sporting a bright red sports bra and leggings, paired with a large fur coat to shield her from the beach chill.
“I just love the show so much … It’s iconic. It’s something that everybody loves,” Taveras said. “I belong to this group. I belong to the show. I just feel it.”
Meanwhile, Dominique Lopez, a broadcast student from Monrovia, had never been to an audition before her boyfriend Colin Bolick, an actor, convinced her to attend the casting call together. The experience was “super easygoing” and intimate, she said as she walked out of the audition room.
“It’s making the industry exciting again. It’s putting people in the mind space of … ‘Let me put myself out there,’” said Lopez, 25. “Just for that, I feel like a better person, that I went and did something new.”
Could ‘Baywatch’ could help revive Hollywood?
Marko Dobrasinovic, 24, who made the trek from Chicago to audition, bumped into an old high school classmate, Alyssa Frey, while in line to check in. The pair attended the same high school as Hasselhoff, who played Mitch Buchannon on “Baywatch,” one of the actor’s best-known roles.
The impromptu reunion felt like a full-circle moment, said Frey, who moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting about two years ago. She landed in the city just as the actors’ and writers’ strikes froze Hollywood. Wednesday’s casting call was “one of the few opportunities to get in front of someone,” she said.
It was one that almost slipped away from the city. Showrunners were eyeing Australia as an alternative to filming in L.A., until Gov. Gavin Newsom and state legislators granted the production, along with 16 others, California’s film and TV tax incentive in November. Hollywood has struggled to return to its former status as a production mecca after the COVID-19 pandemic and 2023’s dual strikes. The wildfires early last year, coupled with studio spending cuts, added another blow to L.A.‘s waning film and TV industry.
The open casting call was a rare event in Los Angeles, as the TV and film industry struggles to recover.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Chantal Groves left a stable job in international relations around two years ago, setting her sights set on Los Angeles. The 25-year-old, originally from the Dominican Republic, said acting was always her true passion. The career change has been fulfilling, but navigating such a fraught industry is difficult, she said.
“It’s basic laws of supply and demand,” Groves said. “There’s not a lot out there. There’s not a lot casting, and so just in general, it’s a really hard time to start in the industry.”
The “Baywatch” reboot received a $21-million credit, aimed at revamping the state’s entertainment industry.
“This was about keeping an iconic, world-famous brand right here in L.A.,” said Traci Park, a councilmember for District 11 who helped lead efforts to secure the tax incentive and attended the event. “We have the talent, we have the resources, we have the sets … it is exactly why we are fighting so hard to keep these productions in Los Angeles.”
A love letter to Los Angeles
“Baywatch” showrunner Matt Nix was in the middle of fighting off the wildfire that ravaged his Altadena neighborhood and got dangerously close to his home when he first got the call to lead the reboot. His house survived the fires, and he says a show like “Baywatch” felt like exactly what the city needed after such tragedy.
“This is a show about paradise and the people who keep it that way,” Nix said. “There’s something fundamentally earnest and positive about ‘Baywatch,’ the idea of heroes on the beach taking care of each other and the people that they protect.”
Others can relate to that sentiment. “Baywatch” was “right up my alley,” said Ava Cherlyn, a 19-year-old from Newport Beach. The aspiring actor, who moved to Hollywood six months ago, was a lifeguard growing up and played water polo competitively.
“I’m surprised that I haven’t been nervous,” Cherlyn said as she posed for photos in a red bathing suit.
Aspiring actor Ava Cherlyn, 19, in a red swimsuit made iconic in “Baywatch.”
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
The original show attracted a worldwide audience because of its focus on “heroic people with complicated and interesting lives” while still feeling like an easygoing “hour-long vacation,” Nix said.
That nostalgic magic won’t be lost in the upcoming season, which Nix said is more of a continuation rather than a reboot. It will follow Hobie Buchannon, Mitch’s son, a character featured in the original series, played by “Arrow” protagonist Stephen Amell.
Hobie’s life will be derailed when he meets Charlie, a 21-year-old daughter he never knew he had who’s eager to continue the family’s legacy by becoming a Baywatch lifeguard. Hobie, now a Baywatch captain, will navigate the familial troubles throughout the season, Nix said.
“I don’t want to imply that ‘Baywatch’ is going to save the world or save America,” Nix said. “But, at the same time, I think it’s a good time for an unapologetically heroic show about people who care about each other and the people that they’re trying to save.”
Armed man shot and killed after entering secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, Secret Service says
An armed man drove into the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Trump’s resort in Florida, as another vehicle was exiting before being shot and killed early Sunday morning, according to a spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service.
The man, who was in his early 20s and from North Carolina, had a gas can and a shotgun, according to Anthony Guglielmi, the Secret Service spokesman. The man had been reported missing by his family a few days ago, and investigators believe he headed south and picked up the shotgun along the way.
Guglielmi said a box for the weapon was discovered in the man’s vehicle after the incident, which took place around 1:30 a.m.
The man killed was identified by investigators as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin, according to a person familiar with the matter. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation.
Trump has faced threats to his life before, including two assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign. Although the president often spends weekends at his resort, he and First Lady Melania Trump were at the White House when the breach at Mar-a-Lago occurred.
After entering near the north gate of the property, the man was confronted by two Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy, according to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.
“He was ordered to drop those two pieces of equipment that he had with them. At which time he put down the gas can, raised the shotgun to a shooting position,” Bradshaw said at a news conference. The two agents and the deputy “fired their weapons to neutralize the threat.”
The FBI asked residents who live near Mar-a-Lago to check any security cameras they may have for video that could help investigators.
Investigators are working to compile a psychological profile, and a motive is still under investigation. Asked whether the individual was known to law enforcement, Bradshaw said, “Not right now.”
The incident comes as the country has been rocked by spasms political violence.
Trump survived an assassination attempt during a 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pa. The gunman fired eight shots, one grazing Trump’s ear, before being killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper.
A few months later, a man tried to assassinate Trump while he played golf at his West Palm Beach club, a few miles from Mar-a-Lago. A Secret Service agent spotted that man, Ryan Routh, aiming a rifle through the shrubbery before Trump came into view. Officials said Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire and caused Routh to drop his weapon.
Routh was found guilty last year and sentenced this month to life in prison.
The White House referred all questions to the Secret Service and FBI.
There have been other recent incidents of political violence as well.
In the last year, there was the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk; the assassination of the Democratic leader in the Minnesota state House and her husband and the shooting of another lawmaker and his wife; and an arson attack at the official residence of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
Five days ago, a Georgia man armed with a shotgun was arrested as he sprinted towards the west side of the U.S. Capitol.
And on Jan. 6, 2021, a violent pro-Trump mob attacked the Capitol and tried to stop Congress’ certification of Joe Biden’s presidential election victory.
Price writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Alanna Durkin Richer contributed to this report.