When it comes to fear of heights, Maddi Haferling was born with the opposite gene — loving heights.
The Woodbridge High senior started climbing a door at home at age 4 trying to reach a pull-up bar. By 10, she was signed up for a climbing academy. At 17, she won a gold medal in speed climbing last week at the USU19 National Championship in Salt Lake City.
On Thursday, she leaves for Arco, Italy, to compete at the Youth World Championships.
“It’s pretty cool,” she said.
At 5 feet tall, her challenge is climbing a standardized 15-meter wall course and finishing with the fastest time going against an opponent climbing an identical course. She’s attached to a safety rope in case there’s a fall.
Maddi Haferling of Woodbridge won a gold medal in speed climbing.
(Haferling family)
Being a climber, I have a lot of strength that oust don’t have,” Haferling said. “I can do 25 pull-ups that can impress you.”
So what happens if a Woodbridge football player challenges her to a pull-up contest?
“I think they know they’d lose,” she said.
She trains five days a week, three hours a day at a Santa Ana climbing facility lifting weights and practicing speed climbing techniques with other team members.
“It’s nice I can push myself in a sport and commit to something,” she said. “Being on a team is amazing.”
California officials cheered a U.S. Supreme Court ruling Monday that allows states to continue counting mail ballots postmarked by election day but received in the days after — calling it a win for voter participation and access, including in the upcoming November midterm.
They also acknowledged delays in recent vote counting have spurred frustration, and promised to speed the process through other solutions — including by investing millions into new election infrastructure and vote processing capabilities.
Gov. Gavin Newsom — who called the court ruling a “win for voters, plain and simple” — has previously said the state should be able to count ballots faster, and his latest budget includes $29 million for “increased staffing, technology and equipment upgrades and purchases for counties,” $10 million for voter education and outreach at the state and county levels and $750,000 for combating election misinformation.
The court decision, a loss for President Trump and other critics who contend such policies contribute to unacceptable delays in vote counting, specifically upheld a Mississippi policy to accept mail ballots received within five business days of an election.
But it also lets stand similar policies in other states — including California, which counts ballots postmarked by and received within seven days of an election.
California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, who has long prioritized voter participation over a speedy count, called the high court’s ruling a “win for voters, for the rule of law, and for the future of our democracy.”
She said that she will “keep working to ensure every eligible Californian has the opportunity to be heard, because our democracy is strongest when every voice and vote count.”
Dean Logan, head of the Los Angeles County registrar-recorder/county clerk’s office, said in a statement to The Times that the ruling “affirms what Los Angeles County voters deserve: the assurance that a ballot cast by Election Day will be counted if received within the legal timeframe established in State Law.”
“Our office will continue to provide voter education, multilingual outreach, and leverage available resources to ensure voting access for our 5.8 million registered voters,” Logan said.
Many voting rights experts agree California’s vote counting should and could be faster, but disagree with the Trump administration’s efforts to step in with policies such as election day deadlines.
In 2024, California counted more than 406,000 late-arriving mail ballots, but they represented only about 2.5% of the statewide total. Experts say California’s delayed results have far more to do with the massive influx of mail ballots that are placed in ballot drop boxes or arrive at processing facilities on or just before election day.
Rick Hasen, an election law expert and director of the Safeguarding Democracy Project at UCLA Law, said the court’s decision was a “symbolic loss” for Trump, in that the court rejected his preferred policy on mail ballots, but “doesn’t appreciably change how long it takes to count ballots” because late-arriving ballots were never the problem.
In a report published Thursday, the California Voter Foundation recommended statewide adoption of “sign, scan, and go” programs that allow elections officials to immediately process mail ballots that voters submit in person at polling centers or drop boxes.
The foundation recommended ballot curing programs that speed up the process by utilizing a secure text platform when double checking whether a ballot is legitimate when a voter’s signature doesn’t match state records.
It also urged the state to invest $35 million in a voter education campaign to encourage early ballot returns, and more than $55 million in improving counting capacity and efficiency in county elections facilities.
Trump and other conservatives had called for an end to state policies allowing late-arriving mail ballots to be counted as an overdue fix to a voting system that often can’t produce election results in close races for days after polls close, as was the case in California’s recent primary races for governor and L.A. mayor.
Trump has pointed to California’s time-consuming count as proof of widespread fraud to undermine Republican candidates, though he has never produced evidence to support that claim and Democrats have fiercely denied it.
On Monday, Trump called the high court’s decision to uphold such state policies a “tremendous loss,” and more reason to pass the Save America Act — a bill he has backed that would enforce new voter ID and proof of citizenship requirements and ban mail ballots except for military personnel, individuals suffering from illness, disability, and in other rare circumstances.
He said politicians have “no excuse” other than “CHEATING!” to oppose such measures, especially at “a time when there is a powerful Communist Movement taking place in our Country, one more dangerous than World War I, World War II, Pearl Harbor, or September 11th.”
But California leaders rejected that — saying the criticisms of mail ballots are baseless and an attempt by Trump and his allies to undermine elections in which they are poised to lose, particularly in big blue states such as California, by attempting to wrest control over voting processes that have always been the purview of states, not the federal government.
California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta said Monday that states have been “primarily responsible for regulating elections” since the nation’s founding, and his office was “pleased that the U.S. Supreme Court has respected that authority.”
“Today’s decision recognizes a basic reality: Mail delays happen. When people vote by election day, their ballots should not be discarded because of those delays,” he said.
Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, which has oversight over federal elections, praised the high court Monday for acknowledging that nothing in federal law precludes states from counting mail ballots in the days after an election.
“Today’s decision is a victory for voting rights and a rejection of Trump’s attacks on mail and absentee voters,” Padilla said.
Liberal groups and many voting rights experts also hailed the ruling as a win for voters.
Moving up deadlines for mail ballots is just one effort in a much broader political war over voting and the rules that govern it. The U.S. Constitution generally gives states the authority to run their own elections, but the Trump administration has been trying to assert greater federal control — especially around mail ballots.
Earlier this year, Trump signed an executive order directing the U.S. Postal Service to assert control over mail balloting by designing new envelopes with special bar codes that would allow the federal government to ensure ballots only go to and get returned by eligible voters. The order prompted the Postal Service to propose new rules requiring states to hand over their voter mailing lists so it could implement Trump’s directive.
In a letter to U.S. Postmaster General David Steiner on Wednesday, Democratic senators denounced the proposed rule as an “unconstitutional and illegal attempt to transform [USPS] into an election administration agency controlled by the White House and President Trump.”
In a Senate hearing the same day, Steiner said that under the new rule, the USPS would not mail the ballots of a state that refused to turn over its voter lists, but also that his agency would adhere to any court orders curtailing its implementation.
On Thursday, just such an order came down in a federal case in which California and other Democrat-led states challenged Trump’s executive order. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani ruled that the Constitution does not grant the president “any specific powers over elections,” and blocked his order as unlawful.
Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar, who is chair of the Democratic Assn. of Secretaries of State, said states such as California were right to focus on increasing investment in their own election infrastructure rather than accepting the Trump administration’s “bad policy ideas” for speeding things up.
Newsom’s office on Monday said that is exactly what California has been doing. It pointed to laws passed by the state Legislature last year that allow election officials to begin processing mail ballots earlier and require them to finish counting ballots sooner.
A Swedish transport authority is recommending a vote against the Europe-wide rollout of Tesla’s (TSLA) supervised self-driving software, unless the U.S. EV maker disables its ability to exceed legal speed limits, Reuters reported, citing a regulatory letter.
In a previously unreported
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Private Credit Suntera’s Von Bevern on the ‘Speed’ Advantage of Private Credit
Michael Von Bevern of Suntera breaks down how private credit lenders are faster and act more like business partners than banks in a tightening global market.
As traditional banks continue to retreat from risk, private credit is stepping in to provide the speed and execution that entrepreneurs desire. Global Finance spoke with Michael Von Bevern, Global Head of Funds at Suntera Global, about why this “unregulated” sector has become a permanent fixture in the funding landscape.
Global Finance: What are the benefits of being a private credit borrower?
Michael Von Bevern: The big benefit is speed. It can be relatively simplistic, depending on what type of borrowing you’re going for. In a direct-lending situation, like a senior term loan, it is usually simple because your risk profile is clear. For anything less senior, such as mezzanine or subordinated debt, the advantage is that it provides capital without diluting ownership. That’s important for entrepreneurs. They just need cash flow to grow and don’t necessarily want to give up equity. And they don’t want to be taken to the cleaners for raising equity. In those cases, mezzanine or subordinated debt can be a really effective solution.
In our business, we see a lot of NAV (Net Asset Value) lending, where a fund’s assets serve as collateral. This helps borrowers boost returns and navigate tricky markets, especially when raising equity is difficult. I also see a lot of action in specialty finance, or the asset-based lending space. The borrower is unlocking liquidity at usually more favorable rates than going to banks.
GF: Are banks really that cumbersome?
Von Bevern: Well, they don’t take risks. That’s not what they do. They bet on sure things, whereas in our industry, we fill the gap for high-growth companies seeking custom, quick solutions. We have a lender at Suntera — Carlyle Group. They’re extremely helpful. It’s like having a business partner.
GF: You wouldn’t get extra assistance with, say, JPMorgan Chase or Morgan Stanley?
Von Bevern: We bank with JPMorgan here in the U.S. Don’t get me wrong — I love JPMorgan. But, they’re not the risk-takers. If you need speed, if you need execution quickly, banks aren’t known for that. Specialty lenders — whether focused on a particular sector or type of credit — can move much faster than a bank. That speed can make the difference in whether a deal gets done. There’s a lot of competition out there, especially with the IPO market drying up. Finding ways to create liquidity and still grow your company is critical. At the end of the day, banks are regulated. These lenders aren’t, so they just view credit differently than your average fund lender.
GF: Is the unregulated party going to end soon?
Von Bevern: I don’t think so.
GF: Why not?
Von Bevern: I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and people have been talking about regulating private credit the whole time. I just don’t see it happening. If you did regulate it, you’d basically be regulating private equity and venture capital, too. What makes it work is that there are highly skilled, disciplined people in this industry who can lend responsibly while helping companies achieve their goals — whether it’s M&A, expansion, or growth. I can’t see regulation coming in and dampening that.
GF: How do you pay back a private credit lender like Ares, Blackstone, KKR, or Carlyle?
Von Bevern: I can’t speak to the Carlyle loan specifically, but in general, we see lots of different loan agreements as a fund admin and loan agent. The key thing is flexibility—these agreements are designed for repayment, but they give you options: payment-in-kind (PIK) interest option, rollovers, and adjustable-to-fixed contracts. They’re structured to support your growth while giving you room to navigate the business.
GF: So, with Suntera and Carlyle, is there someone on the ground at Suntera who can offer expertise or perspective, given how sector-specific it is?
Von Bevern: I can’t speak to Suntera and Carlyle, but large private credit lenders work across multiple industries and verticals. That means when you’re in a specific sector and need liquidity, they bring a wealth of experience from similar companies. They can act almost like a business partner — advising on how you use the proceeds, what your expected returns might be, and even on covenants in loan agreements.
Over the years, I’ve seen lenders in areas like recycling, renewables, and reusability not only provide capital but also offer extensive guidance about the business itself. It’s similar to what private equity would provide — but without the dilution.
GF: Wouldn’t these companies get money from a traditional bank if they could? And are these companies already a credit risk?
Von Bevern: There’s some risk in every loan. The less risky borrowers are usually the ones banks handle. Banks set strict guardrails and count on repayment. Private credit, on the other hand, often funds the next level down or borrowers that need speed of execution that banks can’t offer. The risk depends on the loan structure — whether it’s collateralized or uncollateralized, senior or mezzanine — and is managed through interest rates, covenants, and other terms.
Looking ahead, we’re approaching a refinancing cycle that will make the embedded risk in today’s market clearer — probably by the end of 2027. Even so, defaults remain rare, and most borrowers are likely to refinance without issue. Of course, there will always be cases, like Blue Owl, that attract attention, but those don’t indicate a broad crisis.
GF: U.S. small business insolvency filings jumped 67% year over year. Many point to inflation, geopolitical instability, and tightening credit as key factors.
Von Bevern: A few years ago, when interest rates were historically low, it was easier to match lenders with portfolio companies in a way that worked for both sides. Today, with interest rates much higher, we’re entering a cyclical period that naturally creates stress for these businesses. Your stat isn’t surprising, but structurally, the market remains sound. It’s also hard to know how many of these insolvencies were directly due to loans or credit constraints.
GF: The European Central Bank’s fourth-quarter data shows euro-area banks are tightening credit standards. Are you seeing private credit growth globally as a result?
Von Bevern: The expansion of private credit is definitely a global trend. We operate in the U.K., the Channel Islands, the U.S., Singapore, Hong Kong, the Bahamas, and other markets, and the trends are similar across regions — interest rates have risen everywhere. Even with higher rates, defaults haven’t spiked as some might have expected. Lending today is often collateralized, not just unsecured, and large funds, like BlackRock’s $20 billion credit fund, are expanding the pool of borrowers, which naturally introduces a wider spectrum of risk — but that’s manageable. Competition among private lenders has increased significantly, thanks to abundant dry powder and a mature, experienced market. Looking ahead, the refinancing cycle over the next year or two will be interesting to watch, but I don’t see it as a systemic problem.
GF: Should ETFs, retirement accounts, and pension funds incorporate private credit companies?
Von Bevern: They already are. Private credit exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are definitely among the fastest-growing segments of the business. And they can be either directly with the lender or the stock of a company that does a lot of private credit lending. So it’s a sort of direct and indirect way to get into the ETF part of it.
GF: So you’re clearly bullish about private credit. Is there anything you’re bearish about?
Von Bevern: Going into 2026, I expected it to be a strong fundraising year. There’s a lot of dry powder, and many managers still have to fully invest the funds they raised in prior years before starting new ones. Overall, that made me bullish.
What concerns me is emerging managers. With so much dry powder flowing to established names, it’s harder for new managers to raise funds. It’s going to the sort of household names. Intense selectivity and abundant opportunities are making it harder for emerging managers in our space to gain attention. It’s not that they can’t be successful; there just won’t be that many of them. I’ve worked with hundreds of emerging managers over my career, and many struggle to get off the ground even with strong pedigrees.
Emerging managers often provide more specialized attention to portfolio companies, which can translate into better returns. If this segment struggles, it could constrain that part of the alternatives market. But hopefully this too will pass.
Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
00:57, 03 May 2026Updated 07:29, 03 May 2026
Weight is the deciding factor(Image: David Pardoe via Getty Images)
Drivers heading out across the UK in the weeks and months to come have been alerted to a lesser-known DVLA rule.
With numerous Britons choosing road trips and staycations, campervans and motorhomes have become the preferred option for many people’s summer travels. However, not all vehicles receive equal treatment and how your campervan is registered could impact how fast you are legally permitted to drive.
If a campervan remains classified as a commercial vehicle, it may be subject to reduced speed limits compared to a standard car. This can surprise drivers, particularly as limits differ depending on weight, road type and whether a trailer is being towed.
The Highway Code establishes clear regulations for different vehicle categories and failing to adhere to them could lead to fines or penalty points. Grasping the distinction before departing could help drivers sidestep unexpected penalties and keep journeys running smoothly.
Paul Gorry, vehicle expert at luxury motorhome manufacturer Auto-Trail, explained: “Many drivers assume their campervan follows the same speed limits as a car, but that is not always the case, especially if the vehicle is still registered as a commercial van. If a campervan is classed as a light goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes, the national speed limit is typically 50mph on single carriageways and 60mph on dual carriageways, which is 10mph lower than a car. This difference often comes down to how the vehicle is registered rather than how it is being used, which can lead to confusion for owners who have converted a van into a camper.
“Vehicles still classified as vans must follow lower speed limits on certain roads, particularly single carriageways, which can catch drivers out if they assume they are treated the same as a motorhome. This misunderstanding can lead to speeding fines, especially for those new to campervan ownership.”
Paul added: “Exceeding the correct speed limit for your vehicle can lead to penalties including fines of up to £1,000 and points on your licence. With modern speed cameras using number plate recognition to identify vehicle type, drivers are far more likely to be caught if they are travelling at car speeds in a vehicle classed as a van.”
He said: “Speed limits for campervans and motorhomes are largely based on weight, with 3.05 tonnes being a key threshold that determines whether car or van limits apply. For vehicles under 3.05 tonnes, drivers can follow standard car limits, including 60mph on single carriageways and 70mph on dual carriageways and motorways.
“Once a campervan exceeds that weight, the limits drop to 50mph on single carriageways and 60mph on dual carriageways, even though motorway speeds can remain at 70mph.”
Paul said: “Drivers also need to be aware that towing a trailer reduces speed limits further, with motorway speeds dropping to 60mph and similar reductions across other road types.
“For larger motorhomes or caravans over 3.05 tonnes or longer than 12 metres, the lower limits of 50mph on single carriageways and 60mph on dual carriageways and motorways apply more consistently.
“Many people only realise these differences when they are already on the road, which can increase the risk of speeding without intending to.”
Paul concluded: “Before heading off on a trip, drivers should check both the weight of their campervan and how it is registered with the DVLA. A campervan that looks like a leisure vehicle may still be legally treated as a commercial van, which changes the speed limits that apply. Taking a few minutes to confirm this can help drivers avoid fines and keep their journey running smoothly.”
Maybe Tom Cruise will make a visit to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame on Thursday for the Mission League track and field finals since he’s the one who said in his 1986 movie, “Top Gun,” that he feels “the need for speed.”
There will be no lacking in speed for the 100 meters, where there are so many runners who have run under 11 seconds this season that a second 100 final could be run if needed. Zion Phelps of Loyola has the fastest time at 10.39. Quincy Hearn of Notre Dame is at 10.52. Jayden Davis of Loyola has run 10.57. And there’s a freshman at Harvard-Westlake, Calvin Portley, who ran 10.69 at Monday’s prelims.
The 4×100 relay also should be outstanding, matching Notre Dame and Loyola. The Notre Dame quartet of Nikko Petronicolos, Quincy Hearn, Beckham Borquez and Emmanuel Pullins has run 40.76. Loyola has a time of 40.73.
Borquez is also a top hurdler and defending state champion JJ Harel of Notre Dame will be in the high jump. Ejam Yohannes of Loyola is one of the favorites to win a state title in the 400.
League finals are scheduled all week, with the Trinity League finals on Friday at 6 p.m. at JSerra.
Southern Section prelims will be held next weekend, followed by the finals on May 16 at Moorpark High.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com
Brenen Thompson is from Spearman, Texas, at the top of the panhandle, where the gusts are constant and the only tourist attraction is a collection of old windmills.
Have you checked out Thompson’s speed numbers?
Prepare to be blown away.
Thompson, newest receiver for the Chargers, ran the 40-yard dash in a forehead-slapping 4.26 seconds — a mere .04 off the NFL combine record. What the former Mississippi State star lacks in size — he’s a shade under 5 feet 10 and 164 pounds — he makes up for in an ability to almost teleport from one spot to another.
Not the biggest position of need for the Chargers, who took him in the fourth round, but a nifty weapon for new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, who in the past has drawn up schemes for such scorchers as Jaylen Waddle, Travis Benjamin and Tyreek Hill.
Now, for the plodding part. OK, the Chargers didn’t race to the podium to select offensive linemen — their undoing last season — but they have remade their offensive line anyway.
First, they’re getting back Pro Bowl tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, who missed all or most of last season with leg injuries; signed center Tyler Biadasz and guard Cole Strange in free agency; and drafted Florida center Jake Slaughter in the second round, with the idea of him playing guard.
So if the plan works out, the Chargers will start five linemen who weren’t even in uniform for them for the January playoff loss to New England. Good thing, because that injury-ravaged line was a fire-drill mess last season.
In years before the Jim Harbaugh regime, the Chargers didn’t embrace the notion of trading down for more picks. But general manager Joe Hortiz likes doing that, and turned what would have been a quiet weekend — two selections on Day 3 — into a six-pick bonanza.
The club took Memphis tackle Travis Burke in the fourth round, presumably adding depth at the position because he’s not the type of player who is going to move inside to guard (and he’s almost certainly not going to unseat Slater or Alt). Depth is good at that spot, because as the Chargers were reminded last season, you’ll sooner find a stray $100 bill on the street than a capable NFL tackle.
The Chargers rounded out the draft by selecting a pair of guards in the sixth round, Logan Taylor of Boston College and Alex Harkey of Oregon. Whereas Taylor was a four-year starter, Harkey started one season at right tackle for the Ducks — he bounced from Colorado to Texas State to Oregon — and projects as an interior lineman in the pros.
Oregon’s Alex Harkey is among the four offensive linemen the Chargers selected in the 2026 NFL draft.
(Mark Ylen / Associated Press)
With the third of their four fourth-rounders, the Chargers took Arizona safety Genesis Smith. He has the cover skills and range to play the deep part of the field, and he’ll be learning from the best in All-Pro Derwin James Jr. Harbaugh is constantly saying, “Competitors welcome,” and Smith figures to be just that. If there’s trust on the back end, James can move up closer to the line of scrimmage to make plays and wreak havoc.
If a player is especially tough and violent on the field, the Chargers will affix a magnetic hammer sticker next to his name on the draft board. That’s what they did with South Carolina defensive tackle Nick Barrett, their final pick of the fourth round. The team typically carries five or six defensive linemen, and Barrett joins a group that includes Teair Tart, Jamaree Caldwell and Dalvin Tomlinson.
The Chargers already ramped up their pass rush by selecting Miami’s Akheem Mesidor at No. 22, a player widely projected to be off the board by then. Doesn’t matter the division, a strong pass rush is always essential. But having that in the AFC West, with Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, Denver’s Bo Nix and No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza heading to Las Vegas, turning up the heat on quarterbacks is especially important.
Mesidor, who began his career at West Virginia and finished at Miami, was among the oldest players in the draft at 25. Some saw his age as a negative.
“I’ve been doubted my whole life. I’m ready to come in and earn the respect of my teammates and my coaches and compete,” he told reporters. “The age stuff, any of the negativity that people push into the media about me, is all out the window. It does not faze me, I’m here to play football.”
In the NFL, you can never have enough good pass rushers, and the team that winds up winning the Super Bowl is often the one at or near the top in getting to the quarterback. But first things first. The Chargers have to win a playoff game, something they haven’t done in two seasons under Harbaugh and six with Justin Herbert at quarterback.
Thompson could help in that regard. The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss., told this story last year: When the future Chargers wideoout was 6, his mother signed him up for flag football in Texas.
She told her young son that she would reward him with $1 for every flag he grabbed, and $5 for every touchdown he scored. After the first game, the two had to make a trip to the ATM.
After all, who has $65 at the ready?