Thanksgiving

Animated movie “Zootopia 2” hopped to the top of the box office in a big weekend for family-friendly films.

The sequel to the 2016 film from Walt Disney Co. brought in $156 million in the U.S. and Canada over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend, according to studio estimates. The film’s production budget was estimated at $175 million to $200 million.

In total, “Zootopia 2” collected $556 million in global box office revenue, including $272 million in China, a once-massive market for Hollywood films that has cooled in recent years. The haul for “Zootopia 2” in China marked that country’s highest opening ever for a non-local, animated movie.

The movie likely benefited from its strong franchise recognition in China — Disney opened a “Zootopia”-themed land at Shanghai Disneyland in 2023 and embarked on an extensive marketing campaign before the film’s release. The original film had a total box office haul in China of $236 million.

Universal Pictures’ “Wicked: For Good” came in second at the domestic box office with a five-day total of $93 million.

The period between Thanksgiving and Christmas has traditionally been an important time for studios and theaters to attract moviegoers with family-friendly fare or big blockbusters, which can provide a big bulk of the year’s box office revenue.

“Zootopia 2” and “Wicked: For Good” were seen as two of the major films released toward the end of the year that could drive massive ticket sales. The third — Disney’s 20th Century Studios’ “Avatar: Fire and Ash” — will be released in theaters next month.

The reception for “Zootopia 2” and “Wicked: For Good” also points to the demand for family films. Though the overall box office has been uneven this year, films geared toward children and families have largely performed.

Disney’s live-action adaptation “Lilo & Stitch” brought in more than $1 billion in global box office revenue and Warner Bros.’ “A Minecraft Movie” wasn’t far behind, with nearly $958 million.

A winter storm blanketed much of the central Midwest with snow on Sunday at the end of the Thanksgiving weekend, bringing blizzard-like conditions that grounded hundreds of flights and forced the closure of major highways on one of the busiest travel days of the year.

“It’s going to be messy,” said Todd Kluber, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service who is based in suburban Chicago.

With much of the central Plains and Great Lakes region under blizzard or winter storm warnings, about 1,200 flights headed to or from the U.S. had been canceled as of Sunday evening, according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware.

Most were supposed to be routed through Chicago or Kansas City, Mo. — areas forecast to be hit hard by the storm.

Strong winds and snow created blizzard conditions across much of Nebraska and parts of Kansas, Iowa and Missouri. The National Weather Service was warning that those conditions would make travel difficult in places.

By midday, the blizzard warning was extended to parts of eastern Illinois near Chicago, where snow is forecast to fall at a rate of about 2 inches an hour.

Other parts of the central Plains and Great Lakes region were under a winter storm warning that could see a foot or more of snow dumped in some places by the end of the day.

In eastern Nebraska, part of Interstate 80 between Lincoln and Omaha was closed Sunday morning because of multiple accidents after snow blanketed that area. That included semitrailer trucks jackknifed across the highway. It was reopened by Sunday afternoon.

In Kansas, Gov. Jeff Colyer issued a state of emergency declaration. The action came as a large stretch of Interstate 70, spanning much of the state, was closed between Junction City and WaKeeney.

in Missouri, a portion of Interstate 29 was shut down near the Iowa border.

As much as a foot was expected in Chicago. Four to 6 inches of snow was expected in the Kansas City area. Forecasters predict more than a foot of snow is likely in southeastern Nebraska, northeastern Kansas, northwestern Missouri and southwestern Iowa.

By Monday morning, the storm was expected to hit parts of northern Indiana and southern Michigan.

Kluber said that the storm was expected to hit the Chicago region Sunday night and that rain will give way to heavy snowfall and “near whiteout conditions” that will make for dangerous travel.

CONCORD, N.H. — A college freshman trying to fly from Boston to Texas to surprise her family for Thanksgiving was instead deported to Honduras in violation of a court order, according to her attorney.

Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, 19, had already passed through security at Boston Logan International Airport on Nov. 20 when she was told there was an issue with her boarding pass, said attorney Todd Pomerleau. The Babson College student was then detained by immigration officials and within two days, sent to Texas and then Honduras, the country she left at age 7.

“She’s absolutely heartbroken,” Pomerleau said. “Her college dream has just been shattered.”

According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an immigration judge ordered Lopez Belloza to be deported in 2015. Pomerleau said she wasn’t aware of any removal order, however, and the only record he’s found indicates her case was closed in 2017.

“They’re holding her responsible for something they claim happened a decade ago that she’s completely unaware of and not showing any of the proof,” the lawyer said.

The day after Lopez Belloza was arrested, a federal judge issued an emergency order prohibiting the government from moving her out of Massachusetts or the United States for at least 72 hours. ICE did not respond to an email Friday from the Associated Press seeking comment about violating that order. Babson College also did not respond to an email seeking comment.

Lopez Belloza, who is staying with her grandparents in Honduras, told the Boston Globe she had been looking forward to telling her parents and younger sisters about her first semester studying business.

“That was my dream,” she said. “I’m losing everything.”

Ramer writes for the Associated Press.

R&B singer Ray J was arrested early Thanksgiving morning, according to jail records and a police spokesman.

The 44-year-old artist — whose legal name is Willie Norwood — was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats, according to Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Mike Bland.

Jail records show Norwood was arrested around 4 a.m. by officers from LAPD’s Devonshire Division, which patrols parts of the San Fernando Valley including Chatsworth and Northridge.

Bland could not provide details on the incident or say exactly where Norwood was arrested. He was released on $50,000 bond a few hours after his arrest, according to jail records.

The younger brother of actress and singer Brandy, Norwood is best known for the tracks “One Wish” and “Sexy Can I.” He was sued for defamation in October by his ex-girlfriend, Kim Kardashian, over comments he made in a TMZ documentary.

Ray J is married to actor and producer Princess Love Norwood, whom he co-starred with on the reality show “Love & Hip Hop,” which showcased an often contentious relationship. The two, who share two children, are in the process of a divorce, as People reported last year.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ play-off hopes are hanging by a thread after losing 31-28 at the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving.

The Cowboys have traditionally hosted games on the American holiday since 1966 and ‘America’s Team’ produced a superb performance to overcome the Chiefs despite Patrick Mahomes throwing four touchdown passes as he returned to his native Texas.

Mahomes has led the Chiefs to five of the past six Super Bowls, winning three, but they now have a 6-6 record and are in danger of missing out on the play-offs for the first time since the 2014 season.

The Cowboys came from behind to lead 17-14 at half-time, but a tense finish began with the Chiefs taking a 21-20 lead at the start of the fourth quarter.

Quarterback Dak Prescott then held his nerve as Dallas scored 11 points on their next two possessions to keep them clear, despite a late Chiefs reply.

The Cowboys have now claimed back-to-back wins over both of last season’s Super Bowl teams in just five days after beating the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

After a stirring 21-point comeback against the Eagles – who denied the Chiefs a three-peat in February – the win over Kansas City is a third in a row for Dallas, to improve to 6-5-1 and keep alive their own hopes of sneaking into the post-season.

With five games left, Dallas are second to the Eagles (8-3) in the NFC East while the Chiefs trail both the Denver Broncos (9-2) and Los Angeles Chargers (7-4) in the AFC West.

For as long as most of us can remember, the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions have played games on Thanksgiving Day. But why?

Let’s start with the Lions. They have played every Thanksgiving since 1934, with the exception of 1939-44, despite the fact they haven’t been a good team most of those years. The Lions played their first season in Detroit in 1934 (before that, they were the Portsmouth Spartans). They struggled their first year in Detroit, as most sports fans there loved baseball’s Detroit Tigers and didn’t come out in droves to watch the Lions. So Lions owner George A. Richards had an idea: Why not play on Thanksgiving?

Richards also owned radio station WJR, which was one of the biggest stations in the country at that time. Richards had a lot of clout in the broadcasting world, and convinced NBC to air the game nationwide. The NFL champion Chicago Bears came to town, and the Lions sold out the 26,000-seat University of Detroit field for the first time. Richards kept the tradition going the next two years, and the NFL kept scheduling them on Thanksgiving when they resumed playing on that date after World War II ended. Richards sold the team in 1940 and died in 1951, but the tradition he started continues today when the Lions play the Green Bay Packers.

The Cowboys first played on Thanksgiving in 1966. They came into the league in 1960 and, as hard as it is to believe now, struggled to draw fans because they were pretty bad those first few years. General manager Tex Schramm basically begged the NFL to schedule them for a Thanksgiving game in 1966, thinking it might get them a popularity boost in Dallas and also nationwide since the game would be televised.

It worked. A Dallas-record 80,259 tickets were sold as the Cowboys defeated the Cleveland Browns 26-14. Some Cowboys fans point to that game as the beginning of Dallas becoming “America’s team.” They have missed playing on Thanksgiving only in 1975 and 1977, when NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle opted for the St. Louis Cardinals instead.

The games with the Cardinals proved to be losers in the ratings, so Rozelle asked the Cowboys if they would play again in 1978.

“It was a dud in St. Louis,” Schramm told the Chicago Tribune in 1998. “Pete asked if we’d take it back. I said only if we get it permanently. It’s something you have to build as a tradition. He said, ‘It’s yours forever.’ ”

Dallas takes on the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday.

They came on electric bikes, skateboards, walked or were dropped off by car early Thanksgiving morning at Cleveland High in Reseda.

It’s championship week in high school football, and practicing on Thursday means teams are still alive and one win away from trophy time.

“Turkey day,” starting lineman Adam Garbisch shouted as he joined teammates for stretching.

In coach Mario Guzman’s football office, his wife, Elizabeth, volunteered to be the breakfast cook and worker. On Wednesday, Guzman purchased 15 dozen eggs, 25 pounds of pancake mix, 15 pounds of bacon.

“It comes out of my huge stipend at the end of the season,” Guzman said.

Elizabeth Guzman, wife of Cleveland football coach Mario Guzman, cracks one of 180 eggs Thursday morning to serve to players on Thanksgiving morning.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

His wife had already basted the family turkey the night before and now she was cracking 180 eggs with a smile and wearing plastic gloves. When she finished, she decided to take a brief break. “I need coffee first,” she said.

Cleveland is set to play San Fernando for the City Section Division II championship on Friday at 6 p.m. at Birmingham.

You can tell the Cavaliers have created the culture of a championship team because players were running onto the field when they were late with no coaches around to tell them to hustle.

Across the Southland, similar scenes were happening in the Southern Section and City Section as teams prepare for their championship games on Friday and Saturday.

Elizabeth, who teaches pre-kindergarten children, was thrilled to be volunteering on Thanksgiving for her husband’s team.

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than here,” she said.

After breakfast following practice, she was set to rush home and put the family turkey in the oven.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email [email protected].

Nov. 26 (UPI) — The annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade gets underway at 8:30 a.m. EST on Thursday, marking the event’s 99th celebration of the national holiday.

This year’s holiday event includes 34 balloons, 28 floats and several live performances.

Live performers who are scheduled to appear include BustaRhymes, Lainey Wilson, HUNTR/X from KPop Demons Hunters, Ciara, Cynthia Enrivo and others, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Four new balloons are scheduled to participate, including Mario by Nintendo, Pac-Man by Bandai Namco Entertainment America, Buzz Lightyear by Pixar Animation Studios and Shrek’s Onion Carriage by DreamWorks Animation.

Among new floats will be The Land of Ice & Wonder by HollandAmerica Line, Brick-tastic Winter Mountain by the Lego Group and Master Chocolatier Ballroom by Lindt.

Also new for the parade are the floats Upside Down Invasion: Stranger Things by Netflix, Friends-giving in Pop City by Pop Mart and Serta’s Counting Sheep’s Dream.

Santa’s sleigh brings up the rear and marks the end of the parade when it passes by spectators.

Balloon preparations began at 1 p.m. EST on Wednesday and continued until 6, with each balloon taking about 90 minutes to fill with helium, Macy’s spokesperson Orlanda Veras told CBS News.

The colorful parade starts at 77th Street and Central Park West and will follow a 2.5-mile route running from the Upper West Side of Midtown Manhattan, down 8th Avenue to Columbus Circle, where it turns left onto 59th Street and then right onto 6th Avenue.

Once on 6th Avenue, the parade continues to 34th Street, where it turns right and ends at Macy’s flagship store on Herald Square.

Macy’s says the best viewing locations for those planning to attend are on Central Park West, at the intersection of 7th Avenue and 59th Street, and at the intersection of 6th Avenue and 42nd Street.

Others can watch the parade live on local NBC channels or by livestreaming it on Peacock.

The live broadcast starts at 8:30 a.m. EST and ends at noon, but NBC will air it again starting at 2 p.m.

Viewers also can watch the parade on Telemundo.

Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who needs zone-out time while spending the holiday with family.

Whether you’re planning to get lazy on the couch together to alleviate your food coma, need to escape the latest round of anxiety-inducing conversation at the dinner table, or just want a streaming companion while feasting on leftovers in the days that follow the holiday, this special Thanksgiving edition of The Times’ weekly guide to at-home viewing has you covered. Just be warned: You must provide your own stretchy waistbands.

Below, find 12ish films and TV shows released this year that our pop culture experts at The Times are looking forward to catching up on this weekend. Gobble, gobble.

“Being Eddie” (Netflix)

A still of Eddie Murphy with his brothers, Vernon Lynch Jr. and Charlie Murphy, in Netflix’s “Being Eddie.”

(Eddie Murphy / Netflix)

For anyone who came of age in the ’80s inhaling comedy, Netflix’s new Eddie Murphy documentary hits a very particular nostalgia vein. Murphy wasn’t just another comedian; he was part of the glue that held Gen X together, the soundtrack to sleepovers, school hallways, summer camps and every half-rewound tape in the house. You passed around VHS copies of “Delirious” and “Raw,” their very pre-PC bits the kind of thing you quoted under your breath in class. You watched “48 Hrs.,” “Trading Places,” “Beverly Hills Cop” and “Coming to America” on a loop, and you mimicked his “Saturday Night Live” creations — Gumby, Mr. Robinson, Buckwheat — on playgrounds, at bus stops, anywhere kids gathered long enough to goof off. Murphy’s magnetism, timing and swagger helped turn him into a new kind of Black Hollywood superstar, and even with the inevitable peaks (“Shrek,” “The Nutty Professor,” “Bowfinger,” “Dreamgirls”) and valleys (“The Adventures of Pluto Nash,” “Norbit”), he carried that stardom across decades. This is more of a victory-lap retrospective than a warts-and-all documentary, and now 64, the famously private Murphy has never been one to reveal much anyway. But when I spoke with him nearly a decade ago while he was promoting the drama “Mr. Church” — candid, funny and strikingly self-aware about fame and longevity — it was a reminder that when he does open the door a bit, he can be as compelling offstage as on. If even a bit of that Murphy turns up here, “Being Eddie” might give us something we rarely get: Eddie talking like Eddie. — Josh Rottenberg

“Eddington” (HBO Max)

Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal in a scene from “Eddington.”

(A24)

Few films are as purpose-built to start arguments within a family as Ari Aster’s “Eddington.” (And even if you already saw the movie when it was released earlier in the year, it bears repeat viewing, especially in the context of the holidays.) Part contemporary Western, part social satire, the film will bring out PTSD vibes for its heightened, tense reenactment of the very specific mania of the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The mayor (Pedro Pascal) and sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) of a small New Mexico town find themselves at odds over a variety of issues, as a tech company’s push to build a data center in the area looms over everything. If you think your weird relative has some strange ideas about the way the world works, fire up “Eddington” to really put them through their paces, as the film’s “everybody’s wrong” mindset is designed to expose the madness within us all. — Mark Olsen

“Nouvelle Vague” (Netflix), Directed by Jacques Rozier collection (The Criterion Channel)

Zoey Deutch as actress Jean Seberg in “Nouvelle Vague.”

(Photo from Netflix)

I’m not one for biopics, but as a person who owns “Slacker” on Blu-ray and has worn out a 1998 special issue of Cahiers du Cinéma focusing on the French New Wave, I was excited by the notion of Richard Linklater, the most European of American directors, re-creating the creation of Jean-Luc Godard’s 1960 breakthrough film “Breathless.” Appropriately presented in French, in period black-and-white and in the 4:3 aspect ratio, with look-alike stand-ins for Godard (Guillaume Marbeck) and stars Jean Seberg (Zoey Deutch) and Jean-Paul Belmondo (Aubry Dullin), “Nouvelle Vague” looks like a cinephile’s dream. I’ll watch it as a curtain raiser for my continuing exploration of the Criterion Channel’s celebration of director Jacques Rozier, whose long-form fictional films feel like cinéma vérité and whose 1963 “Paparazzi” documents the making of Godard’s “Contempt” and the news photographers fighting to get a shot of Brigitte Bardot. — Robert Lloyd

“KPop Demon Hunters” (Netflix)

Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation’s hit movie “KPop Demon Hunters” has gained a massive following since it was released in June.

(Netflix)

Is this the weekend I finally watch? That would be smart. I’ve already been berated by several scowling tweens, not to mention a few Oscar prognosticators, serene in their conviction that Netflix’s massive viral hit will leave the ceremony golden. Four of the animated movie’s earworms have cracked the Billboard Top 10 at the same time, a feat that could make a Gibb brother green with envy. In preparation for voting in some critics’ organizations, I’ll stream the movie at home, though I’m already wishing I’d gone to one of the film’s many sing-along screenings, just to feel the phenomenon firsthand. If you no longer recognize me on the other side, call it an occupational hazard. I’m done hiding, now I’m shining, like I’m born to be. — Joshua Rothkopf

“Billy Joel: And So It Goes” (HBO Max)

Billy Joel in concert circa 1977 as seen in “Billy Joel: And So It Goes.”

(HBO)

I have caught a few bits and pieces of this documentary while flipping channels, and always quickly switch it off. I’ve been a huge Billy Joel fan since “The Stranger” album and have seen him in concert a few times, including the show when he ripped up the Los Angeles Times’ review by music critic Robert Hilburn. The documentary is two parts and nearly five hours long, so I was determined to give it my full attention. Billy Joel is one of pop music’s treasures, and the ups and downs of his personal life should make for fascinating viewing. The bonus will be diving into the 155-track (!!!) playlist on Spotify that is a companion to the documentary. (HBO Max) — Greg Braxton

“Pluribus” (Apple TV)

Rhea Seehorn in “Pluribus.”

(Apple TV+)

Rhea Seehorn as a cranky, cynical, misanthropic writer who remains mysteriously immune, and super-angry, when an alien-generated RNA virus turns the world into one huge seemingly calm and helpful collective consciousness? Sign me right up. As Robert Lloyd points out in his excellent review, the hive mind is the most terrifying of all the sci-fi premises. The universal niceness that results here also seems very much at odds with it being a melting pot of all human experience so I can’t wait to see what creator Vince Gilligan (“Breaking Bad”) is going to do with that. But early glimpses of Seehorn’s Carol fighting for her, and humanity’s, right to be prickly and pissed off promises all kinds of insights into the difference between empathy and sedation, not to mention a fabulous chance to watch Seehorn shine as one of many women on TV today who are willing to state the obvious even when it appears no one is listening. — Mary McNamara

“Paradise” (Hulu, Disney +)

James Marsden and Sterling K. Brown in a scene from “Paradise.”

(Brian Roedel / Disney)

This Hulu drama caught my attention when it hit the streamer early this year, but at the time, I was already knee-deep in theories about Lumon as I dove into the second season of “Severance.” I couldn’t handle a political conspiracy thriller on top of that. Created by Dan Fogelman (“This Is Us,” “Crazy, Stupid, Love”), the series stars Sterling K. Brown as Xavier Collins, a secret service agent accused of killing the president, Cal Bradford (James Marsden). The murder and the search for the true killer unfold inside an underground community after a massive catastrophe threatens the extinction of the human race. So, that’s obviously a lot. But I’m never one to turn down a series that keeps you guessing — and my colleague Robert Lloyd confirmed in his review that this one does just that. I’ve also had enough people whose taste I trust recommend “Paradise” to me that I think it’s time to tune in. And it’s getting a second season that’s expected to arrive sometime in 2026. If anything, I’m just curious to see Fogelman’s take on this genre. Plus, I’ll watch anything Marsden or Brown are in. — Kaitlyn Huamani

“Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake” (HBO Max)

A still from Season 2 of “Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake.”

(HBO)

What’s Friendsgiving if not a time to reconnect with longtime pals who you might not get to see as often as you like? That’s why I’ll be spending my long weekend catching up on Season 2 of “Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake.” This spinoff of the acclaimed Cartoon Network series features gender-swapped versions of beloved “Adventure Time” characters — Finn and Jake — who are endearing in their own right. The first season of the show involved Fionna, a young woman with an unfulfilling job living paycheck to paycheck along with her pet cat, Cake, discovering that her world was an unauthorized creation of a cosmic entity. The pair then set off on a magical, multiversal journey to save it. There’s admittedly quite a bit of “Adventure Time” lore involved, but yearning for a fantastic escape from the daily stresses of a fairly mundane life is pretty relatable even if you aren’t personally acquainted with recovering ice wizards. The show is charming and weird and all about friendship — a cozy comfort I am definitely looking forward to getting wrapped up in again. — Tracy Brown

“Companion” (HBO Max, Prime Video)

Sophie Thatcher in the sci-fi thriller “Companion.”

(Warner Bros. Pictures)

The poster for “Companion” put me off due to a personal jinx: I don’t trust horror movies where the heroine has perfect hair. Usually, I dodge some dreck. But all year long, people have elbowed me to catch up with Drew Hancock’s debut about a nervous beauty (“Yellowjackets’” Sophie Thatcher) stuck in a vacation house with her newish boyfriend (Jack Quaid) and his cruel and snobby best pals. Produced by Zach Cregger of “Barbarian” and “Weapons,” it’s apparently an energetic, empathetic thriller packed with twists. If you like watching movies blank (as I do), don’t Google it. Spoilers abound. But “Companion” is streaming, and has been on every in-flight entertainment system I’ve come across since May. Assuming it lives up to the buzz, I may have to rewire my own codes. — Amy Nicholson

“All Her Fault” (Peacock)

In the series, Dakota Fanning and Sarah Snook play working mothers Jenny and Marissa.

(Peacock)

Upper-class mess is my favorite genre of TV. So I’ve been desperate to dig into this series that people in my orbit promise is one of this year’s most addicting shows. Based on a novel by Andrea Mara, the psychological thriller stars Sarah Snook as a mom who goes to pick up her son from a play date, only to be greeted by a stranger who claims there is no one there by that name. Uh, what? Twists and turns ensue from there in this deep dive of what it’s like being a working mother. Spoiler alert: It apparently gives a striking portrayal of male ego and incompetence, and how that shapes the lives of women around them. Gee, wonder what that’s like. The series also stars Dakota Fanning, Jake Lacy and Jay Ellis. — Yvonne Villarreal

“The Chair Company” (HBO Max)

Tim Robinson stars in HBO’s “The Chair Company.”

(Sarah Shatz / HBO)

Have you ever been slighted at work? Did you ever think it was part of a conspiracy to take you down? If the answer is no, you might be a normal person and this show may not be for you. But if you’ve ever wondered if something small could be much bigger, and if you get some sick satisfaction from going down rabbit holes on the internet to find answers to your questions, then this show is for you. “The Chair Company” is the latest series to come from comedic writers Zach Kanin and Tim Robinson, who stars as Ron, a man who becomes obsessed with reaching the manufacturer of the office chair he unexpectedly broke, leading him down a bizarre path involving an empty warehouse, a giant red ball and Jeeps. With the finale airing Sunday, it’s the perfect time to catch up on the show (episodes are only a half hour each). It’s already been renewed for a second season, which makes me wonder if we’ll get to the bottom of Ron’s mystery or if the chair will be pulled out from under us. — Maira Garcia

Make sure to pack some patience in your carry-on.

This Thanksgiving holiday travel period is expected to be the busiest in 15 years, federal officials said, as Americans brush off the recent government shutdown that snarled air travel across the country.

All told, more than 360,000 flights will take to the skies this week through Dec. 1, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Traffic was expected to have peaked Tuesday, with more than 52,000 flights set to ferry flyers to their feasts.

The number of flights was expected to drop to only 25,611 on Thanksgiving Day before ticking back up for post-holiday travel. In a chart posted on X, the U.S. Department of Transportation estimated that 16.9 million people would fly throughout this holiday week.

Los Angeles International Airport officials estimated that 2.5 million travelers would come through the airport from Nov. 20 through Monday. Sunday is expected to be the single busiest travel day, with more than 230,000 people making their way through the terminals.

“Thanksgiving is one of LAX’s most important travel periods with so many of our guests connecting with loved ones or setting out on holiday trips,” said Courtney Moore, deputy executive director of strategy, innovation and experience at Los Angeles World Airports. “We’ve spent the year preparing to welcome our guests with smoother experiences throughout the airport.”

The uptick in travel comes just weeks after the federal government shutdown, which forced the FAA to cut air traffic across the country to relieve air traffic controllers.

While travelers might still feel on edge over possible delays, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in a news conference on Monday that they should “travel with confidence.”

“Thanks to the dedication of our air traffic controllers and every FAA employee, we are ready for the holiday rush and take pride in helping travelers reach their friends and families during this important time of year,” Bedford said in a statement. “I am deeply grateful to our entire FAA team. Even through a period of record-high traffic, their unwavering commitment keeps the system running safely.”

Travelers are encouraged to pack light to get through security and arrive early to the airport to avoid travel stress.

While California will largely be warm and sunny through the holiday, weather delays could still impact airports in certain parts of the country, including the New York area, JFK/LGA/EWR; Philadelphia, PHL; Houston, IAH/HOU; Memphis, Tenn., MEM; and Dallas, DFW/DAL.

President Donald Trump pardoned Thanksgiving turkeys Gobble and Waddle — joking he nearly named them after Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer — while also taking swipes at Joe Biden, stating last year’s turkey pardons were “invalid” because Biden used an autopen to sign them.

United States President Donald Trump has distanced himself from disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, saying the former friends had severed ties more than a decade before his 2019 arrest on federal sex trafficking charges.

But one Democrat is using newly released documents from Epstein’s estate to assert that the two remained friends after Trump first became president in 2016.

Representative Sean Casten, a Democrat from Illinois, highlighted one email exchange and said in a November 12 post on X: “Trump spent his first Thanksgiving after getting elected President with Jeffrey Epstein. 2017.”

Trump spent his first Thanksgiving after getting elected President with Jeffrey Epstein. 2017. pic.twitter.com/1CU51k8yl4

— Sean Casten (@SeanCasten) November 13, 2025

He attached an image of emails dated November 23, 2017 – Thanksgiving Day – between Epstein and NEXT Management Cofounder Faith Kates, which read:

Epstein: hope today is fun for you.

Kates: Fun!!! When are you back in NYC?

Epstein: all next week

Kates: Ok dylan will want to see you I always want to see you. Where are you having thanksgiving?

Epstein: eva

Faith Kates: That means glenn check out his red hair!!!

Epstein: berries color for holiday

Kates: He’s such a snooze who else is down there?

Epstein: david fizel. hanson. trump

Kates: Have fun!!!

Casten has not responded to a request for comment. “Those emails prove literally nothing,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in an email.

News reports, photos, videos and White House releases show Trump spent that 2017 Thanksgiving in Mar-a-Lago. PolitiFact, however, did not find any proof that he met Epstein that day.

There are different accounts of when Trump and Epstein had their falling out, with periods ranging from 2004 to 2007. The Miami Herald reported that Trump barred Epstein from Mar-a-Lago in October 2007, a decade before the Thanksgiving Day in question.

In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to state charges of soliciting prostitution and soliciting prostitution from a minor.

Two of the three people Epstein mentioned in his 2017 email as being “down there” are people who had property in South Florida at the time. It is unclear who he was referring to when he mentioned “Hanson”. It is possible Epstein was not foretelling a specific Thanksgiving Day plan but answering another New Yorker’s question about who among the people in their social circle would also be in the Florida area during that period.

Trump arrived in West Palm Beach, Florida, on November 21, 2017, and stayed there for several days, according to the president’s public schedules documented in Roll Call’s FactBase.

On Thanksgiving morning, he spoke to members of the military via video conference and visited coastguard members at the Lake Worth Inlet Station in Riviera Beach, Florida. The White House published transcripts of Trump’s remarks to both groups. Trump also issued a Thanksgiving message to the country and went to the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.

Photographers for The Associated Press news agency, The Palm Beach Post and Getty Images, among others, captured photos of Trump’s activities.

A CNN report said Trump held an “opulent” dinner at the Mar-a-Lago members-only club. PolitiFact did not find reports listing who was in attendance, but the White House told CNN the first family would be having “a nice Thanksgiving dinner with all the family”.

Trump was also active on social media. In a November 22, 2017, post on X, then known as Twitter, he said he “will be having meetings and working the phones from the Winter White House in Florida [Mar-a-Lago]”. He did not specify whom he would be meeting. On Thanksgiving morning, he said in part: “HAPPY THANKSGIVING, your Country is starting to do really well.”

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, your Country is starting to do really well. Jobs coming back, highest Stock Market EVER, Military getting really strong, we will build the WALL, V.A. taking care of our Vets, great Supreme Court Justice, RECORD CUT IN REGS, lowest unemployment in 17 years….!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 23, 2017

Trump left Mar-a-Lago and returned to the White House on November 26, 2017, the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

Give thanks, NFL fans, the headliners are set for this year’s Thanksgiving Day halftime shows.

Jack White will kick off the Turkey Day performances at the Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers game in Detroit. Later, Post Malone will take the stage as the Dallas Cowboys, playing at home, face off against the Kansas City Chiefs, and Lil Jon will perform at the Baltimore Ravens-Cincinnati Bengals matchup in Baltimore.

White and Malone shared the news in a pair of promo videos shared Sunday on Instagram, while Lil Jon’s appearance at M&T Bank Stadium was confirmed by the Ravens last week.

White’s Instagram reel was filmed at the White Stripes frontman’s Third Man Pressing Plant in Detroit, where an electric blue record “hot off the press” announces his Ford Field appearance.

Meanwhile, in Malone’s teaser, the “Circles” singer drives along a Texas highway as a voice on the radio advertises “the biggest matchup and one of the biggest artists of our time.”

“Bigger is always better. You know what I mean?” Malone asks Cowboys mascot Rowdy, riding shotgun, as the two haul a giant Salvation Army bucket in a big rig to AT&T Stadium. Once they arrive, they crash into a sign in general manager Jerry Jones’ parking spot and have a run-in with Cowboys place kicker Brandon Aubrey. Last year, Aubrey famously signed Malone’s jersey before a game against the New York Giants. The show will kick off the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign.

Malone’s slot is fitting, given that the Grammy-nominated artist came of age in Texas and his father once managed concessions for the Cowboys.

Malone previously had a cameo in “Beyoncé Bowl,” last year’s Emmy-winning NFL Christmas Day Halftime Show, joining Queen Bey for their duet “Levii’s Jeans.”

For Los Angeles, it’s been a year of triumphs, trials and everything in between. From devastating wildfires to ICE raids that shook our immigrant communities, the city has weathered plenty. Still, L.A. found moments to rally (hello, Dodgers World Series win) that gave us all something to cheer for again.

Thanksgiving is a time to hold onto those small victories and give thanks for the bright spots amid the chaos. But if you won’t be brining a turkey or mashing a bowl of potatoes yourself, there are options.

Thankfully, restaurants across the city are stepping up with take-home feasts. Yes, there are the traditional roast turkeys and glazed hams, but also Caribbean jerk turkey legs, Chinese-inspired chicken ballotines, Indian biryanis, lamb Wellingtons and more.

Whether you’re hosting a big family gathering or keeping things intimate, check out these 26 spots designed to bring comfort, flavor and a little local pride to your Thanksgiving table.

Nov. 9 (UPI) — U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned Sunday that Thanksgiving air travel would slow considerably.

Amid the continued federal government shutdown and upcoming travel season, he also said that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth offered military reserves of air traffic controllers to help mitigate the shutdown-linked staffing shortage.

As of early Sunday morning, more than 1,100 flights had been canceled, which follows more than 1,500 that were cancelled and 6,4000 that were delayed, ABC reported.

The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered airlines to cut flights by 10% by Nov. 14 to mitigate air safety concerns amid the shortage of air traffic controllers.

Duffy said in an interview with “Fox News Sunday” that Hegseth texted him Saturday with the offer, but that he did not know if the air traffic controllers could be deployed.

“But he’ll step in and try to provide some relief in the skies,” Duffy said. “We’re trying to minimize the pain for the American people.”

Duffy said that he anticipated “very few” air traffic controllers showing up for work over the holiday, choosing to be with their families as they continue to work unpaid.

The federal government shutdown that began on Oct. 1 has entered its sixth week, becoming the longest in U.S. history, as lawmakers in Washington remain at an impasse over funding for the new fiscal year.

The stalemate is over expiring healthcare tax credits from the Affordable Care Act. Democrats want to extend these subsidies before reopening the government, while Republicans refuse to discuss policy until a funding bill passes.

The funding lapse has led to the furlough of hundreds of thousands of federal employees and is forcing many others, including military personnel and air traffic controllers, to work without pay. But many air traffic controllers have chosen not to appear for work.

Disruptions have deepened nationwide, including slowdowns at airports, closures of national parks and cultural institutions and growing uncertainty over food assistance programs for millions of Americans.

“I think we have to be honest about where this is going,” Duffy said. “It doesn’t get better, it gets worse until these air traffic controllers are going to be paid.”

OVER 1,700 flights have already been canceled across the country this weekend as officials warn Thanksgiving will be hit by travel chaos.

It comes as the US endures its longest government shutdown in history and federal aviation officials order 40 major airports to slash services due to staffing shortages.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has vowed on X to “keep the skies safe” by using every tactic at his disposal, which he said will see travelers increasingly hit with delays and cancelations.

On Friday he warned that even if the government shutdown ended now, Thanksgiving air travel would still be impacted.

“So if the government opens on Day 1, will I see an immediate response from controllers? No, the union is telling me it’s going to take time to get them all back in,” Duffy told CNN.

At the time of writing, the number of canceled flights for today alone already stands at 957, according to FlightAware, and at least 8,442 are delayed.

Sunday already has at least 838 flight cancelations and 213 delays.

Duffy confirmed in a joint statement with the Federal Aviation Administration on Friday that cuts to services will increase across this weekend and into next week.

“We are seeing signs of stress in the system, so we are proactively reducing the number of flights to make sure the American people continue to fly safely,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said.

“The FAA will continue to closely monitor operations, and we will not hesitate to take further action to make sure air travel remains safe.”

The statement noted a 4% cut in operations on Friday, “ramping up to 6% by November 11, 8% by November 13, and 10% by November 14”.

This percentage of cuts could rise to 15% or 20% if the government shutdown does not end “relatively soon,” Duffy warned when speaking to Fox News.

Major airlines have already tried to do damage control by announcing cancelations ahead of time.

On Friday, American Airlines told CNN it would cut 220 flights from its Saturday services.

United Airlines confirmed hundreds of cuts across the weekend through to Tuesday, and Southwest has axed approximately 100 flights on Saturday and 150 on Sunday.

Travelers caught up in the chaos have described the carnage awaiting them at the airports with people lying on floors and sleeping where they can while hoping to hear news of their flights.

Travelers should check with their airline for the latest updates on their flights.

Meanwhile, tourism officials are urging both Republicans and Democrats to end the stalemate that began on October 1 as they fear catastrophic economic blows.

Hawaii in particular is in danger of unique harm, officials have warned Duffy, as the islands are hit with the enforced cuts but with little alternative for health care, commerce, or security.

“We strongly urge federal leaders to reach an immediate resolution,” Hawaiian Airlines said while thanking the air traffic controllers and TSA officers keeping airports running without pay.

And officials in Las Vegas, which is already suffering from a tourism hole, have warned that the shutdown and airport cuts have happened at the worst possible time.

The U.S. Travel Association joined by MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, The Venetian, and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority wrote a letter urging Congress to take action now to end the shutdown.

They warned that the travel industry has already lost $4 billion and that the economic situation will only worsen as Americans and travelers from abroad rethink their trips.

Retailers are also preparing to feel the impact just as holiday season hits as supply chain officials warn that a large amount of cargo is carried on commercial flights.

“Forty percent to 50% of all air freight is shipped in the belly of passenger planes,” Patrick Penfield, a Syracuse University professor of supply chain practice told NBC News.

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“If you eliminate 10% of airline capacity, air freight prices will rise, and we could see delays in getting materials via air.”

The shutdown has entered its 38th day and no end is in sight after Senate Republicans rejected an offer by the Democrats on Friday to reopen with a health care deal.

WASHINGTON — Republican lawmakers and the Trump administration are increasingly anxious that an ongoing standoff with Democrats over reopening the government may drag into Thanksgiving week, one of the country’s busiest travel periods.

Already, hundreds of flights have been canceled since the Federal Aviation Administration issued an unprecedented directive limiting flight operations at the nation’s biggest airports, including in Los Angeles, New York, Miami and Washington, D.C.

Sean Duffy, the secretary of transportation, told Fox News on Thursday that the administration is prepared to mitigate safety concerns if the shutdown continues into the holiday week, leaving air traffic controllers without compensation over multiple payroll cycles. But “will you fly on time? Will your flight actually go? That is yet to be seen,” the secretary said.

While under 3% of flights have currently been grounded, that number could rise to 20% by the holiday week, he added.

“It’s really hard — really hard — to navigate a full month of no pay, missing two pay periods. So I think you’re going to have more significant disruptions in the airspace,” Duffy said. “And as we come into Thanksgiving, if we’re still in a shutdown posture, it’s gonna be rough out there. Really rough.”

Senate Republicans said they are willing to work through the weekend, up through Veterans Day, to come up with an agreement with Democrats that could end the government shutdown, which is already the longest in history.

But congressional Democrats believe their leverage has only grown to extract more concessions from the Trump administration as the shutdown goes on.

A strong showing in races across the country in Tuesday’s elections buoyed optimism among Democrats that the party finally has some momentum, as it focuses its messaging on affordability and a growing cost-of-living crisis for the middle class.

Democrats have withheld the votes needed to reopen the government over Republican refusals to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits. As a result, Americans who get their healthcare through the ACA marketplace have begun seeing dramatic premium hikes since open enrollment began on Nov. 1 — further fueling Democratic confidence that Republicans will face a political backlash for their shutdown stance.

Now, Democratic demands have expanded, insisting Republicans guarantee that federal workers get paid back for their time furloughed or working without pay — and that those who were fired get their jobs back.

A bill introduced by Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, called the “Shutdown Fairness Act,” would ensure that federal workers receive back pay during a government funding lapse. But Democrats have objected to a vote on the measure that’s not tied to their other demands, on ACA tax breaks and the status of fired workers.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, has proposed passing a clean continuing resolution already passed by the House followed by separate votes on three bills that would fund the government through the year. But his Democratic counterpart said Friday he wants to attach a vote on extending the ACA tax credits to an extension of government funding.

Democrats, joined by some Republicans, are also demanding protections built in to any government spending bills that would safeguard federal programs against the Trump administration withholding funds appropriated by Congress, a process known as impoundment.

President Trump, for his part, blamed the ongoing shutdown for Tuesday’s election results earlier this week, telling Republican lawmakers that polling shows the continuing crisis is hurting their party. But he also continues to advocate for Thune to do away with the filibuster, a core Senate rule requiring 60 votes for bills that fall outside the budget reconciliation process, and simply reopen the government with a vote down party lines.

“If the filibuster is terminated, we will have the most productive three years in the history of our country,” Trump told reporters on Friday at a White House event. “If the filibuster is not terminated, then we will be in a slog, with the Democrats.”

So far, Thune has rejected that request. But the majority leader said Thursday that “the pain this shutdown has caused is only getting worse,” warning that 40 million Americans risk food insecurity as funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program lapses.

The Trump administration lost a court case this week arguing that it could withhold SNAP benefits, a program that was significantly defunded in the president’s “one big beautiful bill” act earlier this year.

“Will the far left not be satisfied until federal workers and military families are getting their Thanksgiving dinner from a food bank? Because that’s where we’re headed,” Thune added.

Over 5 million California residents — including 2 million children — rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits that cover essential food such as fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, dairy, bread and snacks. Those funds are on hold as the federal shutdown continues, putting economic strain on the 1 in 8 Americans who rely on SNAP benefits, during a time of year when budgets are already tight as many prepare for holiday gatherings and gift giving.

But Angelenos are stepping up for those in need, from neighborhood nonprofits and community centers to local restaurants and chefs, offering grocery delivery, mobile farmers markets, grab-and-go meals and Thanksgiving spreads.

Here are 40 food initiatives happening across Los Angeles County this November, from free chicken rice porridge on Sundays to a communal Thanksgiving feast. Be sure to read details carefully; some events are open to all with no registration required, while others require advance sign up with proof of income and residency.

Times staff writer Kailyn Brown contributed to this report.