JUNEAU, Alaska — The Democratic campaign for Alaska’s U.S. Senate seat was involved in efforts to place on the ballot a candidate with the same name as Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan in a bid to confuse voters in a race that could determine which party controls the chamber, the New York Times reported Wednesday.
The newspaper obtained text messages between members of Democrat Mary Peltola’s campaign discussing recruiting other people with the same name as the two-term Republican their candidate was running against. They eventually landed on a retired schoolteacher in the small fishing community of Petersburg named Dan J. Sullivan. He made it through the state’s August open primary and is one of four candidates on the ranked vote ballot for Tuesday’s general election.
Dan J. Sullivan has long denied he was running at Democrats’ behest and said he had no contact with Peltola’s campaign: “Zero, none, zilch,” he said in June after announcing his run.
He did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment from the Associated Press.
A top state elections official ruled Dan J. Sullivan ineligible for the ballot after he declared his candidacy, claiming it was “filed with a purpose to confuse or mislead and to thereby compromise the ballot’s fairness or neutrality.”
The case went to the Alaska Supreme Court, which ruled he was qualified to run. The U.S. Constitution sets out only age, citizenship and residency requirements to run for the Senate.
“Alaskans deserve the truth,” said Nate Adams, a spokesperson for Sen. Sullivan’s campaign. “Mary Peltola, her campaign and her senior advisers colluded with the DSCC, national Democrat lawyers and Alaska Democrat operatives to recruit candidates to deliberately confuse and deceive voters.”
The campaign for Peltola, a former congresswoman, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Democrats, including the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, repeatedly have denied they were involved in any campaign trick.
“The DSCC is not involved with Dan J. Sullivan,” the organization said in a statement Wednesday. The Times report said DSCC staffers were on texts with the Peltola campaign discussing the second Sullivan.
Legal experts said the report about Democrats appearing to recruit Dan J. Sullivan as a way to potentially confuse voters will have no impact on a lawsuit filed recently by the U.S. Department of Justice. President Trump directed the department to file a lawsuit seeking to halt certification of a possible Peltola win, citing the presence of the second Dan Sullivan on the ballot.
“It’s a dirty campaign trick, and it’s good reason the Alaska Supreme Court should have permitted the candidate to have been removed from the ballot,” said Derek Muller, a Notre Dame law professor. “But now it’s in the hands of the voters, not litigation.”
It’s not the first time a candidate’s appearance on the Alaska ballot has been questioned. In 2024, the state Democratic Party sued to keep off the U.S. House ballot a man with no apparent ties to the state who is serving time in a federal prison in New York. A divided state Supreme Court allowed him to remain on the ballot. The man is running again, also in the House race, and is on the Nov. 3 ranked vote general election ballot.
The Times story about the recruitment of Dan J. Sullivan is based partly on interviews with Peltola’s former campaign manager, Elisa Rios, who was fired in August amid a campaign shake-up. The newspaper said she tried to retract her comments last week.
As of Monday, 46,204 ballots had been cast in Alaska, according to AP data. Sen. Sullivan is marked on the ballot as the Republican incumbent. The other Sullivan is listed as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., with no party affiliation.
Bohrher and Riccardi write for the Associated Press. Riccardi reported from Denver.
To stage the largest Olympics in history, LA28 is looking toward the cosmos for inspiration.
The committee in charge of bringing the Games back to L.A. for the first time in 44 years announced its slogan for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games on Wednesday, hoping to rally athletes, volunteers and fans behind a simple call: “Stars align.”
“‘Stars align’ is when preparation meets opportunity,” LA28 chief marketing officer Alex Merchán said. “So together that creates something extraordinary, and that’s what we seek to do here.”
The slogan that will set the stage for the next 21 months developed organically within the organizing committee over several years, Merchán said. Only during the past 12 or 13 months did the team really start imagining ways to bring the phrase to life.
“Stars align” is a nod to the “stars in motion” emblem for the 1984 Olympics. It takes inspiration from the 50 stars on the U.S. flag. It speaks to L.A.’s Hollywood reputation.
But it also captures how the largest sporting event in history came to L.A. By the time the Olympics open on July 14, 2028, it will have been 11 years since the city won the original bid. More than a decade of planning and a lifetime of training for competitors align during the once-in-a-generation sporting event.
“Athletes commit so much and dedicate so much and sacrifice so much to get [to the Games] that we ground the idea in that effort, in that alignment,” Merchán said. “Alignment is teamwork, coordination, hard work and commitment.”
Along with the International Olympic Committee’s official motto of “Faster, Higher, Stronger — Together,” each organizing committee uses a slogan to share its vision for the Games. The 1984 Games in L.A. pioneered the marketing tactic with “Play a Part in History.” Those Games then turned into the most financially successful in history, relying largely on private sponsorship to produce a $235 million profit that has sponsored youth sports in L.A. for decades. Now official slogans are as ubiquitous as the Olympic rings when walking around the Games.
LA28 looked at translations of the slogan in the next 14 most-popular languages within the Olympic and Paralympic movement, finding equivalent messages. Some were exact translations. Others needed a different collection of words. The message always stayed the same.
“The simple idea of stars and constellations have, in recorded history, been a part of every group around the world,” Merchán said. “Every country, every tribe if you will, have looked upon stars as something filled with optimism.”
The Games return to L.A. at a high point. The popular Paris Games, which used the motto “Games wide open” to set the tone for a resurgent post-pandemic movement, reinvigorated the Olympics with international broadcast records and 12 million tickets sold across the Olympics and Paralympics.
LA28 is on pace to exceed some of those marks. With more than 6 million Olympic tickets already sold, the private organizing committee will open first-come, first-served Olympic ticket sales next year. Tickets for the first Paralympics in L.A. will go on sale in 2027. The Olympic torch relay will begin in spring 2028, uniting all 50 states en route to the opening ceremony. Wednesday’s slogan is only the starting point of LA28’s constellation of events, Merchán said.
“If we get this right,” Merchán said, “we like to think that we can bring the world together and connect people under this banner.”
Dundee United are emerging as one of the stories of the season as Jim Goodwin’s side continue to thrive following a radical change in style from their manager.
As a coach, and certainly as a player, expansive, continental-inspired football was never really something associated with Goodwin, a Scottish football veteran who has been part of the furniture for more than 16 years.
But the former Aberdeen and St Mirren boss has said he has taken inspiration from Jens Berthel Askou’s work at Motherwell last season to reshape himself, and his side are lighting up the league after overcoming a difficult start.
An exhilarating 3-2 victory over Aberdeen in chaotic weather at Tannadice extended United’s unbeaten run to five matches, moving them up to fourth.
Now they face the Premiership’s acid test: a trip to Celtic Park.
Goodwin has got the better of the champions in two of his past three encounters with them, but both of those victories came at Tannadice last season.
Staggeringly, Celtic are unbeaten in 51 home games against United in all competitions since a 1-0 league defeat in December 1992.
Goodwin will be wary of the way Martin O’Neill’s men dismantled a bold Hearts side at Parkhead last time out, but the reinvented Irishman is urging his players to embrace a trip to the venue where his life in the Scottish game began.
“Night Watch” has an easy hook, starting with its setting. The immersive monster show is staged inside an ominous white van.
Yes, a real van. It’s creepy, and pulls equal inspiration from immersive theater, video games, escape rooms and environmental design. At a little over 30 minutes or so, it’s refreshingly approachable, a bite-sized slice of interactive, participatory theater that lingered with me long after I saw it. And not just because there were moments that startled me. “Night Watch,” like any good monster story, has metaphors on its mind.
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“Night Watch” is the creation of Sara Biel and KJ Knies, a husband-and-wife creative team with day jobs working for a themed entertainment design firm. On their own, however, they go by Bee’s Knees. There’s buzz around “Night Watch.” Its initial October dates sold out nearly instantly, but the couple is extending the run at least into mid-November. Additional tickets will go on sale Wednesday at 9 p.m., and those interested are advised to join the waitlist.
The couple’s experience in theme park design is evident in “Night Watch,” as its small cargo van is ripe for exploration, with TVs, monitors, filing cabinets and more outfitted with vintage tech and lore-building corporate paraphernalia. Before the show properly began, I started frantically combing through folders and flipping through notebooks.
KJ Knies and Sara Biel are the creators of “Night Watch,” an immersive horror story set in a van.
(Bee’s Knees)
Yet I soon learned my goal here was not so much to find clues, like in a typical escape room, but to build a personality profile. Participants are assigned the role of an overnight security guard to monitor a mysterious tech firm. You’re unaware, at least at the start, of what kind of business the company is in, but “Night Watch” wants you to get to know the person who held the job before you. The van is outfitted with posters of national parks, hinting at someone who was longing for a life with more freedom and travel than a working-class career provides.
“Night Watch,” off the bat, wants us to grapple with how personal dreams can clash — or become lost — with the corporate world. It feels personal, and that’s no accident, says Biel, as the show was informed by the couple’s own talks about their future.
Throughout “Night Watch,” attendees are tasked with examining security footage.
(Bee’s Knees)
“I moved to L.A. to become a writer. KJ moved to L.A. to become a filmmaker,” Biel says. “Now we’re on this different corporate path. Is this the path that we should be on or should we have listened to our gut and went a more artistic direction? I feel like all of our friends are going through this. You move to this city to do one thing, and you fall into a different path. That’s not bad. I’m of the opinion that you follow the doors that open as you go, but that’s what we were grappling with and what we wanted to bring into this show.”
With monsters, of course.
I completed “Night Watch” solo, but the show can accommodate up to four people (tickets for two start at $90). You’ll interact with an actor who plays your co-worker during the production, primarily via a two-way radio. At times, you’ll monitor the action outside of the van. Other moments have you digging into the digital files of the previous security guard, who is said to have mysteriously left his job. But mostly you’ll just talk with your unseen co-worker, who might push you into philosophical discussions about your hopes for a better life. This creates an inherent tension in “Night Watch.” You might know on one level that this is a monster story, and yet like me, find yourself opening up about personal details, trying to manifest a better day for yourself.
Details inside the van.
(Bee’s Knees)
With “Night Watch’s” emphasis on security footage and old computer logs, Knies says he was influenced by full-motion video games, citing the work of Sam Barlow and his voyeuristic crime game “Her Story.” It isn’t hard to see the show as a thinly veiled statement about our current tech-obsessed era, with each day bringing with it seemingly fresh announcements about some new site, social media add-on, gadget or AI tool that promises to improve our lives (but rarely, if ever, does). There’s a moment when you start to wonder if the business you’re providing security for is actually one of the “good guys.”
The project’s story, says Knies, began with a simple sketch from Biel: “The first idea that Sara pitched me was a monster sucking souls and pooping gold.” It spiraled from there, and the last half of “Night Watch” comes quick as we unravel its multiple mysteries. And that’s where the frights, heightened by the intimacy of the van, come in.
“We really wanted to play with having a confined space that we could manipulate to our advantage,” Biel says. “We wanted to play with the effects of moving the van and shaking the van and closing off your viewpoint.”
The confined venue — a dimly lit storage van — helps participants narrow in on the mission.
(Bee’s Knees)
The van has other benefits, too, especially in L.A. where it’s hard to find a unique venue for a limited-run show. “The cheapest and easiest places you can get are white walls with tile floor, but then you’re going to spend so much money decking that out to make it feel like a lived-in space,” Knies says.
“Night Watch” is currently staged outside of Hatch Escapes, home to some of the city’s finest escape rooms, in Arlington Heights. Biel says the two are talking to Hatch about hosting the show there long-term, but there is one hitch. The van is a rental, and at some point it will need to be returned.
“Don’t tell Enterprise that we painted on their walls,” Knies says.
This week in SoCal theme parks
An audio-animatronic Indiana Jones figure hangs above guests on Disneyland’s Indiana Jones Adventure.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Indiana Jones is adventuring again. Disneyland’s popular Indiana Jones Adventure reopened after a six-week refurbishment on Friday with a number of changes. Most of them will be invisible to guests, but Disneyland engineers worked behind-the-scenes to make the attraction more reliable and found ways to increase its capacity. They also added some spiders. Read all the details here from my walk-through of the attraction last week.
A bookstore for us immersive, theme park geeks. Coming next year to Los Angeles, near the corner of Melrose and Fairfax avenues, is Genres Book Society, boasting a design led by former Walt Disney Imagineer Ann Morrow Johnson. Genres is part bookshop, part speakeasy and part immersive venue. There’s a dragon, a secret bar and a tree with glowing books. Read more about this bookshop dreamed up by Clare Grant and Karissa Marston here.
Nikki, meet Nikki. One of my highlights of this year’s Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood was interacting with a scare actor playing the role of Nikki from the film “Obsession.” The other week, the actor who initiated the role in the movie, Inde Navarrette, visited the horror event and had her own dalliance with one of the park’s Nikki performers.
Still need Halloween plans? The doors of downtown’s Clifton’s, a venue some say inspired Walt Disney (although this isn’t really confirmed by any official sources), will be open for an immersive theater dinner show. Expect roving actors, multiple storylines to follow and an otherworldly wedding that may or may not involve monsters. The current operators of the historic space have big plans for programming similar such events throughout the holiday season. “The Dark Wedding” runs Friday through Sunday, and tickets start at $65.
A farewell to Halloween season (but mostly just to Cars Land’s zombie car)
A mostly deceased “zombie car” struggles to come to life at Cars Land in Disney California Adventure.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
The first Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney California Adventure was held this year on Aug. 18, which means Halloween season is coming to a close after a 2½-month celebration. Our local theme parks will be wrapping up Halloween festivities this weekend, and it was a good one. Universal Studios Hollywood shined with a “Sinners”-inspired maze, but the star of the event was its dedication to Ozzy Osbourne. And Knott’s Berry Farm was wise to partner with the Magic Castle.
But in terms of pure decor, the Disneyland Resort has everyone beat, and I wanted to take a moment to salute my favorite Halloween adornment. I was initially nervous, as when the resort debuted its Halloween look in August the zombie automobile in Cars Land was missing. I make a beeline to it each season because it’s such a demented tale that I want to make sure it hasn’t left the park. This mostly dead skeleton car sits outside Radiator Springs Curios, owned by the character of Lizzie. Lizzie is a widow, lovesick at the loss of her husband Stanley.
The shop was under refurbishment earlier in the season, hence the reason for the zombie car’s late arrival, but I was relieved when it finally materialized a couple weeks ago, its body trying to emerge from the ground from under a tree. It’s a morbid story. Lizzie, see, has created a “ghoul-ant” (coolant, get it?) in the hopes of bringing dead cars back to life. She wants to use it on Stanley, but not until its perfected. It’s not. This mostly lifeless car struggles every few seconds to get its engine going. Occasionally, it musters enough strength to get the radio powered on. But it’s mostly just trapped in a near-dead state.
This zombie car is nothing more than the result of a failed experiment, and the implication is there will be more, as Lizzie will not stop until she’s reunited with Stanley. It’s more than a little sick, but also a statement about the way a lost love can forever haunt us. In that sense, it’s perfect, and I adore it. See you, hopefully, next year, zombie car.
The best thing I ate at the parks this week
The short rib lasagna from the Hearthstone Lounge.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
With the heat briefly lifting a little bit ago, it was time to revisit my favorite dish at the Disneyland Resort. It’s heavy, hence the reason I was eager to tackle it when things cooled down. I’ve ordered the short rib lasagna from the Grand Californian’s Hearthstone Lounge three or four times over the past year, and I’m now convinced it’s among the best items on the menu at any restaurant at the resort, including the high-end fine dining establishment Napa Rose. It’s that good. And yes, it’s pricey at $42, but it’s a large portion and could easily be split. In fact, I wish I had done the latter, but I was at the park solo and had to immediately end my night after feasting on this decadent dish because I was simply too full to continue exploring. The tender short rib easily peels apart with a fork, and it’s plentiful. A trio of cheeses, and a heavily creamy Bechamel sauce, coupled with a buttery Mascarpone, make this the perfect winter dish. I’ll be at Disneyland on Thanksgiving, and am half thinking of making this my holiday meal rather than turkey.
Tell us your stories. Ask us your questions.
Have a theme park tale to share? Whether it was a good day or less-than-perfect day, I would love to hear about it. Have a question? A tip? A fun photo from the parks to share? Email me at todd.martens@latimes.com. I may feature your note in an upcoming newsletter.
Ride on,
Todd Martens
P.S.
Morning crowds at Disneyland just after park opening, known as “rope drop.”
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Late breaking theme park news arrived Tuesday morning courtesy of trade group the Themed Entertainment Assn., which released its 2025 global attendance report. The news for the theme park sector is … mixed? Here in SoCal, attendance at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure increased ever-so-slightly, at 0.4% each. Disneyland drew 17.4 million in 2025, making it once again the second most-visited park in the world, behind only Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Just over 10 million visitors took in California Adventure.
Universal Studios Hollywood fared less great, suffering an attendance dip of 8%. The report attributes the downtown to our devastating wildfires early in the year, as well as a decline in international tourism to the region. It’s worth noting that the park in 2023 opened Super Nintendo World, and it’s newness may have worn off a bit for local visits last year. Overall, the park drew 8 million guests.
Also suffering declines in attendance were Knott’s Berry Farm and Six Flags’ Magic Mountain, each dipping about 4%. Knott’s drew 4.3 million attendees while the Valencia park brought in 3.2 million visitors.
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Matthew Stafford does not typically stray much from comments about sticking with his process.
But in the wake of a rash of injuries suffered by several of the Rams’ key players, the veteran quarterback and reigning NFL most valuable player on Wednesday sounded as if he intended to be a calming presence.
“Been a part of these times before,” said Stafford, an 18th-year pro. “That’s when my role becomes even more important as a leader, as somebody that can try and help steady the ship for us and make sure that I’m doing my part to do everything I can to help us win football games becomes even more important.”
Stafford has passed for 11 touchdowns with six interceptions for a team that has lost two games in a row to fall to 2-4.
Coach Sean McVay has said Adams would be out six to 10 weeks because of a hamstring injury. The Rams on Wednesday placed Turner on injured reserve because of a groin strain, and Ford is out for the season because of a ruptured triceps.
On Monday, McVay said linebacker Nate Landman was in concussion protocol. And All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie, who sat out against the Cardinals because of a groin injury, did not practice Wednesday.
Edge rusher Myles Garrett and tight end Terrance Ferguson remain on injured reserve.
“Everybody sees these and they’re on their fantasy team or whatever and they’re like, ‘Aww. I’ve got to trade a guy in and out now,’” Stafford said. “And we’re like, well that guy’s worked … for the last eight months to get this opportunity and it’s unfortunate he doesn’t get to do what he loves to do. … I know the work that they put into it to be out here doing what they love.
“I just feel even more responsibility to try and be as good as I can be.”
The Rams have four more games — against the Raiders, Chargers, Washington Commanders and the Cardinals — before a bye.
Stafford indicated he would lead by example — and more.
“I’m not going to go outside of the framework of what I feel comfortable with when it comes to leadership,” Stafford said, “but at the same time, just how steady can I be? How good can I be?
“Sometimes that’s having a conversation with a guy. Other times that’s checking the ball down and not forcing one…
“I just want to lead the way for those guys and let them know that, ‘Listen, I’ve been in instances like this before and I’ve been on teams that have turned things around in that regard.’ So hopefully they can look to me and feel comfortable that I’m leading the way and doing what I can to help us be where we want to be.”
Theme parks attractions are never really finished, especially those intended to be built to last. And so it is with Disneyland’s Indiana Jones Adventure, which officially reopens Friday after a six-week refurbishment. The ride is looking as fresh as it has in years. There were minor changes — more large spiders and other creepy critters were added to one foreboding tunnel — but also some substantial ones designed to increase the attraction’s capacity and reliability.
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Todd Martens’ newsletter delivers news and commentary on the past, present and future of theme parks, right from the theme park capital of the world — Southern California.
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While some ride refurbishment closures result in very noticeable changes to the guest — for instance, the recent addition of a face-shifting buccaneer on Pirates of the Caribbean, or the temple-shattering projections that were added to Indiana Jones Adventure back in 2023 — other updates are less visible yet enhance the experience, such as helping to eliminate downtime.
That is the case for Indiana Jones Adventure. Behind-the-scenes engineering modifications over the last year have boosted not only the attraction’s reliability, but allowed its capacity to increase by about 125 people per hour. Ultimately, that allows for about 1,000 more guests per day, says Nicholas DiBernardo, an area manager for Attractions Engineering Services and eight-year veteran of the resort.
A yearly rehab of the ride is required, says DiBernardo, in part because it is one of the resort’s most complex, with many moving show elements. To ensure that it continues to meet the theatrical and safety standards required, it may appear to Disneyland regulars that Indiana Jones Adventure receives tune-ups with more regularity than other rides at the resort.
Nicholas DiBernardo surveys the guest load-in area of Indiana Jones Adventure. DiBernardo, an area manager for Attractions Engineering Services, helped oversee the recent refurb.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
When asked whether that’s the reality, DiBernardo answers: “Yes and no.”
“Every attraction is different,” he says. “Indiana Jones typically has a refurbishment every year just because of the size of the attraction and the amount of work that goes into keeping this attraction up. It all depends on the needs for improving show quality or maintenance reliability.”
An audio-animatronic figure of Indiana Jones, which was disassembled and rebuilt during the recent refurbishment of the attraction.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Two key changes were made to the attraction in 2026. The most recent — and the reason for the ride’s downtime this fall — was something of a wishlist item, and that was changing the machinations that drive its first major show scene, the doors that lead guests face-to-face with Mara, the deity within the Temple of the Forbidden Eye that drives the ride’s action. Prior to the refurbishment, the doors were controlled by hydraulic actuators. Now they’re fully electric. In simple terms, DiBernardo says the doors are now easier to maintain, there’s no longer a risk of a hydraulic spill, and they should properly open and close with significantly more dependability.
That may not sound like a sexy ride enhancement, but it’s one that DiBernardo says will ensure Indiana Jones Adventure runs more efficiently. “In the past, when the old actuators would fail, the doors would have to remain open, ruining the guest’s show experience,” he explains. Not just that, but it slowed down the ride, as fewer cars could be dispatched so riders weren’t seeing the vehicle in front of them.
Nicholas DiBernardo gives a tour of Disneyland’s Indiana Jones Adventure, which just completed a six-week tune-up.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Elsewhere, DiBernardo says capacity was able to be increased by improving the loading and unloading process, again a change that will be invisible to guests. Essentially, the vehicles park more accurately.
DiBernardo, who works Disneyland’s third shift from 2 a.m. to 11 a.m., says this adjustment, a mix of hardware and software changes, was made over the course of the past year. The problem, oversimplified: Vehicles did not always park in their precise loading and unloading position. Because a theme park attraction needs to operate with extreme exactness to ensure guest safety, DiBernardo says that before this fix, operators would have to send vehicles through the temple sans guests to reset them.
“That was a major win for us,” says the lifelong San Pedro resident. The parking issue was completed in May, and it’s changed the ride’s capacity.
Skulls on Indiana Jones Adventure. The area received a cleaning and a lighting refresh.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Of course, a huge cause of downtime for a Disneyland attraction is often largely out of the park’s control. It’s us, the guests, who are the problem.
“Our No. 1 downtime driver is guest items,” DiBernardo says. “Guests will be on the attraction, and they’ll have a large water bottle or a backpack. All the vehicles have a pouch for them to store everything, but if they don’t do that, there’s many twists and turns throughout the ride, and those articles can fly out. We’ll have to stop the ride. Not only are we working on ways we can improve maintenance reliability, we’re also working with our operations to help notify guests to store their items.”
Nicholas DiBernardo, who helped lead the recent refurbishment of Indiana Jones Adventure, walks toward Mara, the deity within the Temple of the Forbidden Eye.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
To that end, each Indiana Jones Adventure vehicle has been outfitted with new, bigger pouches that should make it easier for riders to dump in their items. All of that should ensure more guests throughout the day can enjoy the attraction, and right now they’ll want to, as all the figures have been dusted, blacklight paint has been reapplied, and the Indiana Jones audio-animatronics have been disassembled and rebuilt.
Walking through the attraction on Thursday, DiBernardo pointed out how all the figures are currently moving with full mobility. The first time we see Indy he’s attempting to force shut a door, one that moves with the figure in front of vibrant animations. Later, he’s hanging over a guest in one of the ride’s grandest illusions, one designed to trick guests into believing the vehicle is reversing (it doesn’t move backward, but rather the walls shift) as a crater of a ball closes in on us.
Walking the track, I noticed many a detail I hadn’t seen on my hundreds of rides on the attraction over the decades. As Indy hovers above us, for instance, his legs and hips subtly shift. Elsewhere in the ride, when a vehicle dips down a hill, it’s actually going down steps. The latter are painted on the track, but DiBernardo notes that over time the cars eventually strip away the paint. I had never seen the stairs. Of course, it’s easy to be distracted by the skull in front of us hovering over a pit of lava, where many of the lights have now been refreshed.
Flames amid a decaying skull on Disneyland’s Indiana Jones Adventure.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Indiana Jones Adventure has changed over the years. Some opening day effects are long gone, such as the illusion created by actual shifting doors at the start of the attraction, or visions of tumbling rubble near its beginning. But Indiana Jones Adventure remains one of the park’s most detailed attractions, one in which I’m still discovering artistic minutiae more than 30 years after it opened in 1995. And as the recent refurbishment proves, it’s an attraction that remains an ever-evolving work of art.
“The sky is the limit on what we can also add to this attraction,” DiBernardo teases. But for now, it looks good as new.
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After six weeks of filling in as lead NFL game analyst for CBS Sports, Watt has reached a multi-year agreement to continue alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz in the network’s top broadcast booth. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
The move assures that Watt will call his first Super Bowl on Feb. 13, 2028, in Atlanta. In a video posted Wednesday on his X account, Watt said it is “humbling” to be in such a position.
From the first meeting in Arizona with David Berson & Ross Molloy, to the brotherhood of the NFL Today desk, an unforgettable year with Ian, Evan, Ken & crew and now alongside legendary Jim Nantz, Tracy Wolfson, Rikhoff and the whole crew.
“It is a true honor and a privilege, and I do not take that responsibility lightly at all,” Watt said. “I appreciate their trust in me, and I have an absolute blast doing it every single week. And I cannot wait to continue to do it.”
The former three-time defensive player of the year wasn’t so sure the news would be that good Monday morning when he saw he had missed a call from parent company Skydance global sports group chairman David Berson.
“I’m thinking to myself, ‘Oh man, missed call from the boss. Am I in trouble for potentially breaking Jim Nance’s hand on the broadcast on Sunday with our with our ball drill?’” Watt joked. “It turns out that it was significantly better news than being called into the principal’s office.”
After a 12-season NFL career (10 with the Houston Texans, two with the Arizona Cardinals) that included five Pro Bowl selections, Watt joined CBS Sports as a studio analyst in 2023, then moved to the broadcast booth to call games with play-by-play announcer Ian Eagle last season.
Watt got bumped up to the top booth this season after Tony Romo, who had been the network’s lead game analyst since 2017, was placed on indefinite leave following his July arrest on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Earlier this month, CBS announced it had “mutually agreed to part ways” with Romo.
“I’ve had a front-row seat to JJ’s growth as a top-tier broadcaster, watching him tackle this role just like he did his hall-of-fame playing career,” Berson said in a statement. “He’s insightful, entertaining, passionate, meticulous in his preparation, and the ultimate teammate. He has a unique ability to see things and communicate to fans of all levels. We are thrilled to have him leading our NFL coverage.”
Not with superstars or championship aspirations. But with the promise of free parking, a jersey trade-in and a basketball team that is, at least, better than the Sacramento Kings, who they beat 121-96 in both teams’ season opener. Coach Tyronn Lue dedicated the win to suspended team owner Steve Ballmer: “Just want to say thank you for everything. We’re still fighting for him.”
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue directs his players during a win over the Sacramento Kings Wednesday at Intuit Dome.
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Associated Press)
Wednesday’s fan appreciation stuff was a swell gesture, as a start. But it wasn’t nearly far-reaching enough.
Not for embattled Clippers supporters who have stuck with the team through thick and thin, sickness and health, in spite of Donald Sterling, the former cheap, racist owner and now Ballmer, the wealthy, over-invested one whose salary cap circumvention cost his team its first-round picks in the 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032, and 2033 NBA drafts.
To fans, that was the most consequential part of the historic punishment dealt by the NBA, which commissioned a year-long investigation that determined the Clippers committed audacious levels of salary cap circumvention.
The league also fined the team $30 million, suspended team owner Ballmer and president of business operations Gillian Zucker for a year and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank for six months.
And Leonard? He got a $700,000 slap on the wrist and got traded back to Toronto, where he signed a two-year, $115 million contract extension and on Wednesday, had Raptors coach Darko Rajaković saying he was “super excited for the chance to bring a Hall of Famer back home.”
“That’s one of the most insulting parts of it all, the way [Leonard] was able to walk away scot-free and the fans are left sort of holding the bag,” said Torrance’s Justin Ratterree, while he tried to dodge raindrops as he waited in line, four hours before tipoff, to trade in his No. 2 Leonard jersey.
Young Clippers fans watch the team play the the Sacramento Kings Wednesday at the Intuit Dome.
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Associated Press)
“It’s rough right now. Defending the team this past couple months has been really rough … and I’ve kind of just given up defending. How can you defend it?”
Even Ballmer stopped doing that, releasing a statement on Sept. 13 that read, in part: “This has been a very difficult time for everybody associated with the Clippers, and for that, I have sincere regrets.
“I want to apologize to our fans, employees, and my fellow NBA team owners for the distraction and distress this matter has caused, for which I accept responsibility as principal owner.
“We are,” he added, “committing to put this chapter behind us.”
Yes, let them try to scrub the memory of Leonard, the intensely skilled and private player who demanded so much of the Clippers when he signed with them as a free agent in 2019. Who made no efforts to popularize the team, missed almost as much time as he worked, and who failed to lead the Clippers to their first championship or anywhere close to it in his seven seasons.
After his trade to Toronto went through on Sept. 23, the Clippers resisted posting the “Thank You, Kawhi” graphic that pro sports teams do when they part ways with a player.
Let them also forget to play a tribute video when Leonard’s Raptors visit Intuit Dome for the only time this season on Nov. 2.
And let the Clippers expand the jersey swap beyond the first 4,000 paying customers at Game 1; there was no official figure available Wednesday night for exactly how many jerseys were traded and how many of them belonged to he-who-must-not-be-named.
The Clippers should keep it going, offer the option all season. Set it up at the Intuit Dome’s Lost and Found — invite fans to exchange the No. 2 jersey of the player whom they lost all respect for a guy they’ve found themselves newly enamored with, likely rookie Keaton Wagler if Wednesday’s exchange was any indication.
Clippers fans also deserve more than having their parking picked up until an hour before gametime, on one rainy workday, on late notice.
They should have their parking at games covered all season — or at least substantially reduced from the typical $70 price that’s already too steep. (The Dodgers didn’t start charging $65 until the National League Division Series!)
They should do more if they want to continue to draw a crowd to watch a team whose best player is now Darius Garland, whose future is compromised, whose current best-cast scenario — the play-in! — only Clippers fans could love.
Clippers forward Rui Hachimura drives past Kings guard De’andre Hunter and center Domantas Sabonis Wednesday at the Intuit Dome.
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Associated Press)
Several fans Wednesday also said they would appreciate improved transparency, including in terms of player injury and availability news.
It’s the least the team can do for these patient people, who will have the type of team that they usually fall hard for, actually — a group of gamers, devoid of divas, punching above their weight.
“All this stuff that’s going on,” Lue said, “you can’t take that out on our players … that’s not their fault, you know?”
It’s not fans’ fault, either. Let’s see the Clippers go above and beyond for them.
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — Russia on Wednesday released a retired American teacher who had been imprisoned on charges of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said Wednesday at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg.
The release of Stephen Hubbard had been foreshadowed a day earlier in Washington, when President Trump told reporters at the White House that he had talked with Putin “at length” about the issue and had asked him to free the Michigan man.
Hubbard is the second American detainee in just over two months to be freed by Russia, and his exit from custody occurred not only during a visit by Witkoff but also at a time when Trump has taken a series of actions meant to benefit Russia as Washington’s alliance with Ukraine shows signs of fraying.
Hubbard was sentenced after a closed trial in 2024 to nearly seven years in prison. Prosecutors said he had signed a contract with the Ukrainian military after Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, and that he fought alongside them until being captured two months later. The U.S. government under the Biden administration designated Hubbard as wrongfully detained.
Witkoff, a key Trump administration envoy who has tried without success to steer Russia and Ukraine toward a settlement to end a war that will hit the five-year mark in February, thanked Putin for releasing Hubbard, telling him, “Because of you, he’s going home to his family.” The Russian leader responded that Hubbard was at the St. Petersburg airport, Pulkovo, after the release.
The release occurred at a dynamic moment in relations between the United States, Ukraine and Russia, with the Washington-Kyiv alliance being stretched by tensions over drone support as the Trump administration advances policies that aid Putin.
Trump decided Friday, for instance, to waive sanctions on Russia in a bill that Congress overwhelmingly passed to support Ukraine. Named after late South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, the legislation targeted the flow of financial resources fueling Russia’s war.
That reversal followed Trump’s announcement of a deal to import Russian diesel fuel in a long-shot effort to curb high gas prices ahead of the U.S. midterm elections next month.
Witkoff met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Norway on Tuesday. He was expected to exchange ideas from that meeting, as well as proposals from European and American colleagues, in his talks with Russian leaders in St. Petersburg on Wednesday.
Hubbard is the second American freed by Russia in about the last two months, following the release in August of Marine veteran Robert Gilman, who had been gravely ill and was imprisoned on disputed charges of assaulting a police officer.
Some two dozen Americans remain imprisoned in Russia for various reasons, according to the Foley Foundation, a hostage advocacy organization.
Hubbard had been imprisoned since 2022 on charges that Hostage Aid Worldwide, a hostage advocacy group, has called bogus.
The organization in August posted an open letter to Trump that it said was written by Patricia Hubbard Fox, Hubbard’s sister, in which she offered praise for Trump but also said brother had been subjected to “constant beatings, torture and starvation” while in custody.
“Even so, everything that you’re doing isn’t going to matter to my kidnapped, American Veteran brother, Stephen James Hubbard (soon to be 74) if Putin won’t cave and let him come home and he dies up there in a Nazi prison (crying),” the letter said.
Litvinova and Tucker write for the Associated Press. Tucker reported from Washington.
Accidents on roller coasters are rare. But that is precisely why when they happen, they are so disarming and affecting. Places such as theme and amusement parks are where we go to momentarily escape the stressors of daily life, often with friends or loved ones.
Last week, Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, of Atlanta, was ejected from a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia and struck other riders as he fell, the Cobb County Police Department said in a statement. It’s tragic and heartbreaking, and the type of event that can make all fans of these spaces begin to question their safety, and whether theme parks can be a third space where we can go for a respite.
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It’s been a particularly rough year for Six Flags, a company still in transition after merging with Cedar Fair just a couple of years ago. Last month, Six Flags Magic Mountain closed its X2 coaster permanently after a history of injuries. While it’s important to note that there is no connection or similarities between the two incidents, their combination creates an overall public perception that the brand is compromised. The industry will be closely watching how Six Flags responds in the weeks and months that it may take to complete an investigation.
In the days since the Georgia accident, I have been asked repeatedly, by friends and even members of the media, if I have been scared on a roller coaster or would hesitate to get on one.
They’re not easy questions to answer. For one, roller coasters are safe, and yes, I have been scared on them, but they are designed to frighten, to thrill and provide airtime in our seats that makes us wonder just how secure they are. To be sure, this is not a flaw. This is their intent.
I was also reminded of a 2003 accident at the Disneyland Resort, when a guest died after a derailment on Big Thunder Mountain. The ride was shuttered for about six months before it was reopened, and when it did so it was immediately met with long lines and cheers. Such is the pull and trust of Disneyland, but the company at the time was relatively transparent about the cause of the accident — two bolts on the locomotive’s left guide wheel assembly fell off — and measures taken to retrain workers.
It took officials from the state of California three months to investigate the incident, and Disney detailed to the media the changes it made to park maintenance procedures. Big Thunder has operated without any headline-generating incidents since.
We don’t yet know what happened in Georgia, and it may be some time before we do, but I only hope Six Flags is similarly direct, especially if this accident was the result of mechanical or human error. There’s too often little reporting on roller-coaster incidents, in part because rules and regulations can vary by state, and also because most infractions are deemed relatively minor and quickly handled in-house by the various parks. Journalists, including myself, should do better when it comes to requesting public records and educating ourselves on coaster engineering.
And when the unthinkable happens, such as what occurred last week, the public should be made aware of exactly what caused it. We’re owed that. To be sure, this is less about assigning blame for an accident, and more about ensuring measures are taken to guarantee it doesn’t happen again. Park operators would be wise to realize the issue just won’t be forgotten or disappear.
Of course, nothing is 100% fail-proof. Daily life is full of risk-taking endeavors such as getting behind the wheel of a car, and riding a roller coaster is strictly optional. But theme and amusement parks — despite the warnings that accompany most any attraction — enter an unspoken contract with their guests. And that is that here, you are safe. I don’t know when or if Six Flags will regain the trust of those who may be rightfully coaster-timid at the moment. But I know that the way they respond can determine whether they’ll lose it for good.
This week in SoCal theme parks
The dinosaurs on the Disneyland Railroad.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
A dinosaur spotlight. The other week, I noted a recent ride around the park on the Disneyland Railroad was looking particularly spiffy, thanks to a refurbishment of the Grand Canyon diorama and dinosaur-heavy Primeval World section of the attraction. No changes to the dinos, but the lighting overall felt more lively and theatrical. Later Walt Disney Imagineering posted a behind-the-scenes look at the updates on Instagram, noting there had been a full lighting overhaul. A switch to an LED-based system gave the team greater control and flexibility in the tone of the lighting.
A Magic Mountain coaster reopens. Six Flags closed a number of rides around the country, including Goliath at its Valencia park, after a man fell to his death from a roller coaster at one of its parks in Georgia. After a two-day shutdown and review last week, Goliath reopened by the end of the week.
A can’t–miss Disneyland double feature. We’ve highlighted the current Walt Disney Studies film program at Santa Ana’s Frida Cinema before, but this Sunday will have a showing that’s particularly notable to park fans. The movie theater will be screening “Disneyland Handcrafted” and “Disney Worldbuilders,” two films that I’ve praised. The screening, hosted by author/historian Jeff Kurtti, will feature a discussion with former Imagineer-turned-historian Tom Morris as well as Roland Betancourt, who wrote the fascinating “Disneyland and the Rise of Automation: How Technology Created the Happiest Place on Earth.” Tickets are $16 for the 5:30 p.m. event on Sunday.
Get ready for candy cane season. Disneyland has unveiled the dates in which guests can attempt to snag one if its handmade, oversize 18-inch candy canes. They are available select dates at Candy Palace in Disneyland and Trolley Treats in Disney California Adventure beginning Nov. 27. Prepare to rope drop the park if you want one, as guests will need to head straight to the candy shop to score a wristband to purchase one. I bought one back in 2018 or so, and used it primarily as a holiday decoration. Since then, they’ve become a coveted item thanks to social media hype, and I’ve struck out in attempts to snag another one. @FoodatDisneyland has all the dates.
Attention, Haunted Mansion fans. Disneyland Magic Key holders can starting this week pick up one of four lenticular cards celebrating 25 years of Haunted Mansion holiday. They’re free, and released on Mondays at Disneyana in Disneyland, Kingswell Shop in Disney California Adventure and WonderGround Gallery in Downtown Disney. Limit one per guest, and the cards come with a display frame. More information is available on the Disneyland Magic Key site.
Meow Wolf noodles! The opening of Meow Wolf’s L.A. locale is now just a couple months away, and the Santa Fe, N.M.-based art collective is in the midst of a promotion with Tsujita Artisan Noodles. The latter, with local locations in the downtown Arts District as well as in Sawtelle, is currently serving up what it’s calling the Meow Wolf Anti-Gravity Noodles. The noodles on the latter appear in a frozen, midair state, and Meow Wolf fans may also want to go for the branded chopsticks.
Tell us your stories. Ask us your questions.
Have a theme park tale to share? Whether it was a good day or less-than-perfect day, I would love to hear about it. Have a question? A tip? A fun photo from the parks to share? Email me at todd.martens@latimes.com. I may feature your note in an upcoming newsletter.
Ride on,
Todd Martens
P.S.
The Ghost of Halloween Future (Samantha Aotaki) in “A Halloween Carol.”
(Lawrence Meyers)
On a lighter note, it’s spooky season, and that means the L.A. immersive scene is at its best. I’ve long maintained that there is a big overlap between the the theme park community and those who appreciate interactive, immersive entertainment, and that is why I would heartily recommend “A Halloween Carol,” which has a few more dates open before its run concludes next week.
The show, as the name implies, is a twist on the Charles Dickens classic, only here we are visited by the ghosts of Halloween past, present and future. It’s an insightful look at how, from a young age, we are asked to don metaphorical masks of sorts. The show asks us to grapple with what aspects of our personality we are hiding, or putting forth, and does so via intimate, one-on-one conversations, many of which take on a philosophical bent.
If you come ready to play, you may find yourself being disarmed to the point of vulnerability. I wouldn’t call it scary — some may even find some moments near the end a bit sexy — but it does ask us to thoughtfully confront how honest and performative we are being to get through the day.
Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel didn’t shy away from discussing his job security Thursday amid a frustrating 0-5 start to the season.
“I feel like it’s core to my job to always feel that way,” McDaniel said when asked if he’s coaching for his job. “I need to do the very best I possibly can, all the time, because [of] the players, the organization, the fans.
“So, that’s second nature. … I think it’s disrespectful to all those that choose to invest in our game and our team to not look at things that way. The second you get comfortable in this league, it’s a wrap; it’s too good. I will be doing my very best, because from an integrity standpoint, I think it’s really insulting to do anything else. And that won’t change.”
McDaniel says his determination is unwavering. His place in the Chargers’ organization, however, might not be if things don’t change soon.
The Chargers, who rank 10th in total yards allowed per game on defense (311.6), enter Sunday’s road game against the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs averaging just 16.8 points per game, the third-lowest mark in the NFL above just the also-winless Miami Dolphins (14.0) and Tennessee Titans (11.6). Quarterback Justin Herbert ranks 22nd in passing (937 passing yards) and is last in the NFL in total quarterback rating (26.6).
Injuries have played a significant role in the Chargers’ offensive struggles. Eight offensive players either didn’t practice or were limited in practice because of injuries on Wednesday. Four rookies started on the offensive line in Sunday’s loss to the Denver Broncos and wide receivers Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston and Brenen Thompson, didn’t play.
McDaniel insists that he’s been giving the franchise all he has.
“I would be so embarrassed if I told you, ‘Well, now I’m going to try harder,’” McDaniel said. “Like, what? What have you been doing? I’m confident in the players that we have. The improvement that I see before the results generally lead to good things. But talk is cheap. We got to do.”
Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, celebrated the 20-year anniversary of landmark climate legislation he signed while in office alongside Democrats including Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday.
“California is the perfect example of what can be done when people work together and when we don’t look at this as a Republican or as a Democratic issue,” Schwarzenegger said at an economic conference in Long Beach, noting that Assembly Bill 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act had significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions while creating more than a half a million clean-energy jobs.
“This is the message that is so important for the world,” he said, because the state’s policies have become a model for other states and nations.
Newsom noted that the state had met “audacious” goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, touting 39,000 megawatts of clean energy that have been installed in the last seven years, 23,000 megawatts of battery storage created, and that no flex alert has been issued in the state in four years.
“So we’re not in the goal-setting business; we’re in the how business,” he said.
He added that the clean energy transition is “the most critical national security issue in the United States of America,” with economic and supply chain leadership at stake as China surpasses the U.S. in electric vehicles, clean-energy manufacturing and the deployment of renewables.
The state already met the climate change legislation’s ambitious target — returning emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 — four years ahead of schedule. However, recent analyses indicate California is not on track to meet its future targets of cutting emissions 40% by 2030 and 85% by 2045.
The event as well as a luncheon the prior day in Santa Monica were rare displays of bipartisan unity at a time of heightened political polarization in the United States. Schwarzenegger and Newsom piled praise upon each other during the Wednesday afternoon discussion, hugging at the end.
At the luncheon, former Gov. Gray Davis, whom Schwarzenegger ousted from office in the 2003 recall election, as well as billionaire hedge-fund founder turned environmental warrior Tom Steyer, who unsuccessfully ran for governor this year, were among the Democrats in attendance, as well as former state Assembly Speaker Fabien Nunez and former state Sen. Fran Pavley, who were both pivotal in the passage of the climate-change legislation.
In addition to remarks highlighting the foundation of some of the nation’s bedrock environmental policies, such as former GOP President Richard Nixon creating the Environmental Protection Agency and signing the Endangered Species Act, there were moments of levity.
Schwarzenegger said he told fellow Republicans “f— you” when they balked at him naming Susan Kennedy, a Democrat, as his chief of staff, he said Tuesday.
During a breakout session at the Wednesday conference, he referenced his former wife, Maria Shriver, a scion of the Kennedy family, as he described his desire to hear from people on both sides of the aisle.
“So I had Democrats in my administration, and of course the Republican Party went nuts,” he said. “I didn’t care because, to me, I thought I wanted to hear what the Democrats were thinking. Plus, I was sleeping with one every night anyway.”
R&B icon Stephanie Mills revealed she had an unresolved beef with “Mother Monster” Lady Gaga.
During Wednesday’s episode of “The Jason Lee Show,” the Grammy-winning “Wiz” star didn’t hold back when she explained what went down between her and Gaga and how the experience left a sour taste in her mouth.
“I feel like Lady Gaga is a culture vulture,” Mills said. “Can I tell you something. … I don’t even know if I should say it now.”
But Mills went on and said it anyway.
She said she was approached by her former manager a few years ago and asked to fly to New York, where Lady Gaga was doing a fashion shoot. Mills’ megahit “Home” was Gaga’s favorite song, according to the manager, who asked Mills, “Would you come and surprise her and sing?”
“At first I said no,” Mills continued. “Why would I do that? And I was talked into it. Never let somebody talk you into something.
“I went,” Mills said. “She had a little black dog there, and all the other people, and so I sang for her. She didn’t smile. She didn’t do anything. She looked at me like I had two heads.”
Mills said she finished singing “Home,” and the stars took photos, but before she left, Gaga’s team stopped her at the elevator and insisted she delete the pictures. “And they did not let us leave until they saw every picture being deleted,” she said. “Very disrespectful.”
The Broadway star further explained that she thought Gaga was a culture vulture because she was managed by a Black man, Troy Carter, who also worked with John Legend, Eve, Nelly, Meghan Trainor and Charlie Puth. Carter is widely credited with ushering the “Born This Way” singer into superstardom in the aughts.
“I know who I am. I did it. I sang a song for her. I had admiration for her. I don’t any longer,” Mills said.
“I give everybody grace, and I’ve learned throughout the years to take my temperature down and not react but show them who I am later. … It’s like you don’t have to always react, but sooner or later you’ll get your chance to say, ‘Do you remember?’”
She followed the statement by looking straight into the camera and addressing Gaga, “I hope you watch, and I hope you remember what you did. And I feel like you owe me an apology.”
Reps for Gaga did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment, but the star — as well as many other musicians and actors — has a history of nixing photographs.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace’s former fiance and two of his business associates were charged with sex crimes and voyeurism on Wednesday over an episode the South Carolina congresswoman described in detail during a speech last year on the House floor about how crimes against women are not investigated thoroughly.
John Douglas Osborne committed sex acts on a 23-year-old incapacitated and intoxicated woman while Mace’s ex-fiance Patrick Bryant and Eric Bernard Bowman watched, according to sworn statements by agents from the State Law Enforcement Division, which brought the charges.
The men talked about who would assault the woman beforehand, took photos and recorded the assault, which was also seen on a security system feed at the home in Sullivan’s Island, an affluent suburb of Charleston, state agents said. The woman had fallen into a pool and was passed out on a couch covering herself with a pillow, agents said.
Another woman who happened to be watching the feed saw the assault and took pictures and wrote about it in a journal, police said. Mace and Bryant were not yet engaged at the time of the October 2018 assault.
Osborne, 46, is charged with first-degree assault and battery and two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. Bryant, 53, and Bowman, 46, are each charged with voyeurism.
Along with the voyeurism charge, Bowman was also charged with obstruction of justice after agents said he did a factory reset on a cellphone he knew investigators were seeking in a search warrant, and with publishing the name of a victim of criminal sexual conduct after posting the victim’s name and a video of her on X.
Bryant didn’t return a message seeking comment on Wednesday, and attorneys who have been listed as representing Bowman and Osborne in other cases did not immediately return messages.
Mace, a Republican, described the assault at length in a nearly hourlong speech in February 2025 that named the men and described other photos and videos found when she looked at Bryant’s cellphone when they were still together.
Mace said she “accidentally uncovered some of the most heinous crimes against women imaginable. We’re talking about rape, non-consensual photos, non-consensual videos of women and underage girls, and the premeditated, calculated exploitation of women and girls in my district.”
At the time, Bryant completely denied the allegations. “I take this matter seriously and will cooperate fully with any necessary legal processes to clear my name,” he told the Associated Press.
The State Law Enforcement Division didn’t say if their investigation into any of the men is continuing.
After the arrests, Mace released a statement detailing the 25 bills she says will protect victims of sexual assault, harassment or discrimination, including in retaliatory defamation and libel lawsuits that may result from allegations they bring to light.
The Republican, who is leaving the House this term after losing her bid to be South Carolina governor, introduced a proposal this week to require that anyone who brings such a case and loses must pay attorney fees for the defendant.
“Protecting women and holding predators accountable isn’t a slogan. It’s been one of my top priorities in Congress. For too long, survivors have faced broken systems while predators exploited loopholes and walked free,” Mace said in her statement.
Kinnard and Collins write for the Associated Press.
Steve Tatham always wanted to work in theme parks. And growing up in Anaheim, some sort of career associated with Disneyland seemed readily attainable.
“Disneyland was the local business,” Tatham says. “It’s where everyone ended up when they were students and working part-time, and I was no exception.”
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While in college, he got a job as a Jungle Cruise skipper, and since then, he has never looked back. Over the course of his career, Tatham has spent nearly 30 years with the Walt Disney Co., many of them in theme park design with Imagineering. More recently, Tatham worked at Universal Creative for more than a decade and was the executive creative director of Epic Universe, the company’s impressive new Florida park.
Today, Tatham is turning his focus toward the next generation of theme park designers, having recently been tapped by USC to lead the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Themed Entertainment program, which is offered out of the cinema school. The four-year program is designed to prep students for a myriad of fields — modern theme park design firms work not only on new attractions but readily contribute to museums, zoos, immersive marketing events and more.
And yet theme park designer can feel like an elusive dream job, one based on connections, mentoring or even just luck. Part of that myth was shaped by the initial Disney Imagineers, many of whom were simply making up the job as they went along. As a longtime admirer of Tatham’s work, I recently chatted with the newly crowned academic leader on how one should prep for a career in the field, hoping to demystify it just a little bit.
Steve Tatham, photographed in Florida’s Epic Universe, is leading USC’s undergraduate program in theme park design.
(Steve Tatham)
You don’t need to major in themed entertainment to work in theme parks
There aren’t too many universities that offer a theme park design degree. (Along with USC, Purdue offers a themed entertainment design major and the Savannah College of Art and Design has one of the best-known and longest-running programs in the country.)
But Tatham notes that when he began his career in the industry, it generally wasn’t a field accounted for by universities. And many theme park designers I meet as a reporter, whether relatively new to the industry or veterans, created their own paths into the biz.
Tatham’s own background still provides a solid template for those students looking to enter themed entertainment design, as not everyone will have the means or the ability to attend a program such as USC’s. “I wrote my own major,” he says of his time as an undergrad at UC Berkeley, where he targeted theme parks as his career goal. He majored in film design but took courses that combined theater, architecture, environmental psychology and film studies. After graduating, Tatham went to UCLA for a masters in architecture.
Architecture was a career path pushed to Tatham by longtime scenic designer Henry May, who was his advisor at Berkeley. It was an early recognition that theme park design is an offshoot of urban design, requiring principles necessary in both stagecraft and real-world planning.
Think beyond theme parks
People are hungry for themed experiences. Global theme park attendance topped 246 million in 2024, a 2.5% increase, according to the Themed Entertainment Assn., which also charted a nearly 15% growth in attendance at the world’s top 20 museums, which are often a fertile industry for theme park designers. And that says nothing of the domestic trend of smaller, more locally-focused entertainment centers (think Netflix House or Meow Wolf).
It’s why Tatham tells his USC students to think beyond a Disney or Universal creation.
“If you look in the world out there, there’s marketing firms doing pop-up retail and pop-up dining, and they are doing immersive design in museum spaces,” Tatham says. “In addition to theme parks, there are opportunities within marketing and within architecture. Students who get this interdisciplinary training, which involves coding, architecture, design, exhibition work, landscape architecture and lighting, it’s a growing field.”
Steve Tatham once served as a tour guide on Universal Studios Hollywood’s behind-the-scenes tram tour.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
The best lessons come from observing guests
Long before Tatham was designing Epic Universe, he was working as a tour guide at Universal Studios Hollywood. As a film buff, he enjoyed the early-career job, but says one lesson from those days continues to stick with him.
“I would go on and on, because I love movie history, and I would be like, ‘Right here is where Jimmy Stewart worked, and Edith Head designed costumes,’” Tatham says. “They would politely listen, but then when ducks walked across, they would get excited and take pictures. People love things that are alive and immediate and happening now. People respond to what is immediate.”
The best theme park design is in conversation with guests. I think of Epic’s “How to Train Your Dragon”-inspired land and the bounty of movement found in the space via animatronic dragons (if you promise dragons, guests better see dragons!), or Disneyland’s New Orleans Square, where the curved, winding paths encourage constant discovery.
AI won’t replace great original ideas
Tatham is careful when speaking on the subject of artificial intelligence. He doesn’t want to dismiss its potential to be used as a development tool. And yet Tatham is direct when it comes to AI and creativity.
“I think there are a lot of challenges with AI. I think there are a lot of things that are scary,” he says. “But I think, ultimately, if it’s used as a tool, it can be useful to artists.”
But there are limits.
“AI is never going to come up with a great idea,” he says. “It’s just going to recombine and reconfigure and spit back to you ideas that others have had. So I think this is an opportunity for original thought to stand out even more than it has in the past.”
Jennifer Bascom of Disneyland, gives a telegram to Disneyland guest Keith Kocienski of Fullerton while playing a live-action role-playing game in Frontierland called Legends of Frontierland back in 2014.
(Christina House / For The Times)
But the integration of smartphones remains a challenge
While Disney recently shuttered its Play Disney Parks mobile app, the park is experimenting with connectivity between the video game “Fortnite” and its attraction Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. Tatham cautions that any time a theme park invites someone to use a smartphone during their day at the park, designers are then pulling them away from the curated experience.
“The problem is when you’re in Universal or Disneyland, you’re now competing with all the opportunities that people have to explore their own entertainment,” Tatham says. “Are they going to be on Instagram or playing Solitaire online? So now you’re competing with that.”
And yet Tatham thinks there are lessons to be learned from the interactive world, as long as designers focus on real-world play. Tatham, after all, worked on what was once of my favorite Disneyland projects, the great but short-lived Legends of Frontierland. Some of those who contributed to it brought it to Knott’s Berry Farm, where it has been fine-tuned into the terrific Ghost Town Alive! The latter is a rarity in the theme park space.
Yes, it’s possible to make a decent salary
So how much can one expect to make? This isn’t an easy question to answer, as there’s only so many slots at Walt Disney Imagineering and Universal Creative, and the theme park design industry encompasses so much more.
There are independent themed entertainment firms to marketing outposts to studios to museums to architecture companies to theaters and more. And salaries can vary greatly between the public or private sector, as well as entry level versus senior positions. Even recruiting sites have a broad range, from around $50,000 to above $200,000.
The good news, says Tatham, is there is a high ceiling. Additionally, that there is a breadth of industries to work in should help any potential graduates. “There are many different job descriptions with different salaries in the themed entertainment field,” Tatham says.
And yet he knows it’s a concern of parents.
“I want students and parents to know that it is possible to make a solid steady income in the arts and that they shouldn’t focus on a backup plan but rather on putting together a killer portfolio because there is work for those who have honed their skills,” he says. “I would tell them that they should be prepared to live in Orlando, Fla., or Glendale, Calif., and be open to international assignments. Top directors can make in excess of $250,000 a year, but they should be prepared for starting salaries similar to architecture, graphic design or similar creative fields.”
A Disneyland cast member playing the role of Alice in Wonderland interacts with guests.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
Remember why theme parks still matter
Anytime I have an opportunity to chat with someone with Tatham’s experience I want to hear their take on one question in particular, and that’s why they love theme parks and why they believe the spaces resonate with so many people. As someone charged with creating passion among the next generation of theme park designers, I was especially interested in Tatham’s response.
“If you go to a theme park, there is something for every demographic,” he says. “There are things for kids. There are things for grandparents. There are things for everyone in between. People can enjoy those times together, which was the original intent of Walt Disney. He was looking for a place while in Griffith Park where he could go do things with his daughters. He created it because it did not exist.”
For Tatham, it’s about the memories.
“If you ask people about their experience in theme parks, they will remember in great detail which parks they went to and who they were with,” he continues. “Ask them about going to the movies, they might say, ‘Sure, I went with my family, but can’t tell you what movies and who I was with.’ But they will remember those moments with theme parks. It’s a great bonding experience. That’s the reason they exist and the reason I love to create them.”
This week in SoCal theme parks
Plans are underway to refurbish the Griffith Park merry-go-round.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
The Griffith Park carousel will spin again. Assessments are underway to see what it will cost to once again get the Griffith Park merry-go-round spinning. Theme park fans best know it as the site that is said to have inspired Walt Disney to dream up what would become the Disneyland Resort, and it has been shuttered since 2022. Curiously, there’s also a Disney connection with the carousel today, as some of those who work at Walt Disney Imagineering are volunteering their time and efforts to restore this treasure in Griffith Park. Read my story here.
Six Flags Magic Mountain shuts down second coaster. Six Flags is closing several rides across the U.S. and Canada — including the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia — after a man fell to his death from a roller coaster at one of its parks in Georgia. Park officials said Tuesday that the closures were out of an abundance of caution and were temporary. Times writers Hailey Branson-Potts and Fedor Zarkhin have more on this story.
Merry Minions. Universal Studios Hollywood has unveiled its slate of holiday of programming, and returning this year are its popular “Grinchmas” offerings, including the 65-foot winding, drooping, Dr. Seuss-inspired Christmas tree. There will be meet-and-greets, including a reading of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” as well as holiday carolers and ornament decorating. New this year will be holiday festivities in the park’s kid-focused Minion Land, complete with Minions in holiday attire. Super Nintendo World, Wizarding World of Harry Potter and other areas will also be dressed for the season, beginning Nov. 21 and lasting through Jan. 3.
A heads-up for ‘Cars’ fans. It’s the 20th anniversary of the “Cars” franchise, and those with a special affinity for the series will want to find their way to Disneyland’s Pixar Place Hotel and park themselves on the hotel’s second floor art gallery. That’s where the hotel is hosting an exhibit honoring the film with drawings, paintings, sculptures and behind-the-scenes footage that document how Radiator Springs Racers was brought to life. And before you go, read my story on how Route 66 inspired the film and Cars Land.
Step into the world of ‘Dune.’ Tickets are now on sale for an immersive “Dune” exhibition in downtown L.A. that promises spectacle, as well as a bit of mystery. Step around, and potentially inside, awe-inspiring vehicles from the film, or come face-to-face with the Bene Gesserit, a group of priestesses who possess, among other things, the ability to bend the will of others. “Dune: The Experience” opens Nov. 20 and and is currently set to run through Dec. 20, although an extension is likely. Standard tickets start at $42 but there are various ticket packages available.
Ride Report
The dinosaurs on the Disneyland Railroad.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
It’s always a good idea to hop on a Disneyland attraction that has been recently refurbished. It’s generally a chance to see the ride in tip-top shape. And so I was eager to get on the Disneyland Railroad on a recent trip to the park, as the dinos in the Primeval World world section of the attraction had recently been hidden behind illustrated tarps. Good news, as the dinosaurs are looking as sharp as they ever have. No real changes were made to the figures, but they’re all moving as they should, be it munching on grass, rattling out of an egg or getting ready for battle.
The theatrical lighting overall feels a little brighter, and the few digital effects — a volcano erupting in the background, for instance — are all in working order and bring an added sense of dimension to the diorama scenes. Be sure to add it to your day. The Disneyland Railroad is also a fine reminder to slow down during your Disneyland visit.
Tell us your stories. Ask us your questions.
Have a theme park tale to share? Whether it was a good day or less-than-perfect day, I would love to hear about it. Have a question? A tip? A fun photo from the parks to share? Email me at todd.martens@latimes.com. I may feature your note in an upcoming newsletter.
Ride on,
Todd Martens
P.S.
What is “Eggs in Space”?
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
A cinematic mystery is brewing, one that seemingly has connections to the local immersive entertainment community. What, for instance, is “Eggs in Space”? A recent sci-fi event at indie nonprofit movie theater and store Vidiots ended with the beginnings of a puzzle.
The screening appeared to be interrupted by a film that was taking control of the projectors. The film? “Eggs in Space.” As an abstract image of an egg appeared on screen, performers began walking toward the front of the theater in a transfixed, cult-like fashion.
There is, of course, no record of a film titled “Eggs in Space,” although there is a website dedicated to its disappearance. So dig in. A new alternate reality game just dropped. I have a hunch you’ll want to know where it leads.
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His October track record suggested he was an unlikely hero. He entered Wednesday with a .123 playoff batting average. He was benched in Game 5 of the World Series last year. He’d even started this postseason hitless in the first two games of the National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, and was given the red light on ABS challenges.
He didn’t carry any of that up to the plate with him in the seventh inning, with the score tied, the bases loaded and hard-throwing Braves reliever Robert Suarez entering the game to face him.
“I like being in those at-bats,” Pages said in Spanish after the Dodgers’ 4-1 win in Game 4 of the NLDS. “There are times the result comes, sometimes not, but I prepare to be in those spots. And today I was able to get the result.”
He was patient, working a full count as he fouled off and then foul-tipped a pair of fastballs in the zone.
The next one, he sent through the middle of the infield for a two-run single to finally give the Dodgers the lead in the deciding moment of the series.
The Dodgers are headed to the NL Championship Series for the ninth time in 14 seasons. They will play the Milwaukee Brewers, who finished off the San Diego Padres in four games, starting Sunday. And they came one step closer to their goal of winning a third straight World Series.
Pages has contributed to the last two titles with his regular-season play and his glove. The game-saving catch he made in Game 7 of the World Series last year, trampling Kiké Hernández in the process, has been immortalized in bobblehead form. But now, he has a big moment with his bat.
“There’s never been a doubt about him, his talent,” Hernández said. “You can’t carry previous postseasons into this postseason. Everything is a new chapter. Every time you take the field in October, you get an opportunity to rewrite your story. So the fact that he struggled in the previous couple postseasons doesn’t mean that was going to happen again this year.
“I mean, during the regular season, you have two bad games and nobody freaks out about it, but because people are adding up previous postseasons, they’re going to freak out. But nobody doubted him. That’s why he stayed in the lineup. And I’m really happy that he was the one that won us a series.”
The signs of a potential breakout were there. When Pages came back from a fractured left hand for the final week of the season, he didn’t miss a beat.
Then he went 0 for 7 in the first two games of the NLDS, and manager Dave Roberts said he wanted to see him “slow down a little bit.”
“I’m going to continue to give Andy leash,” Roberts said. “I believe in him. I feel that for us to win the World Series this year, we’re gonna need him to be an active part of our team.”
Pages recorded two hits in Game 3 and logged another single in his first at-bat Wednesday.
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“Everybody really forgets how young Andy Pages is, you know?” veteran infielder Miguel Rojas said of the 25-year-old. “He’s just starting his career. He’s still like a rookie in this clubhouse for us, because he’s one of the youngest. But at the same time, we see his potential, we see what he can do on the field and we feel so proud of him because … whenever he has the opportunity to contribute to this team, he does it in different ways. Defensively, offensively and on the bases.”
On Wednesday, Pages already had showed off his range in center field when he tracked down a fly ball off Matt Olson’s bat in the left-field gap. But the Dodgers desperately needed someone to contribute with runners in scoring position.
The game had been tied at one run apiece since the second inning.
The lone run Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow gave up was made possible by Braves leadoff hitter Michael Harris II’s speed. He got on top of Glasnow’s first pitch, a fastball up and out of the strike zone, to shoot a single through the right side.
Harris then stole second and advanced on a groundout. Then, in an 0-and-2 count to Ozzie Albies, Glasnow spiked a curveball in front of the plate. Catcher Will Smith managed to block the ball, despite the high bounce, but it rolled back toward the mound, giving Harris time to dash home.
Glasnow limited the Braves to one hit in 4-2/3 innings. But five walks prevented him from pitching deeper into the game.
The Dodgers couldn’t get anything going against Braves starter Tyler Mahle, either.
They hadn’t faced Mahle since April, when he was with the San Francisco Giants and racking up a 5.13 ERA. But he’d been lights out since the Braves acquired him, authoring a 1.99 ERA. In his postseason debut, he limited the Philadelphia Phillies to one run in seven innings.
The Dodgers saw that new and improved version of him on Wednesday.
The one run the Dodgers scored against him was something of a fluke.
In the second inning, Shohei Ohtani, who moved up to the cleanup spot after hitting fifth the day before, drew a five-pitch walk without taking a swing. He then stole second base, drawing an errant throw that allowed him to advance to third. So, he was in position to score the tying run when Braves shortstop Mauricio Dubón, who robbed Freddie Freeman of a home run as the left fielder the day before, dropped a popup in shallow left.
The Dodgers recorded only three hits against Mahle in 6⅓ innings. So, the game would come down to the bullpens.
In the seventh, the Dodgers loaded the bases with a single from Teoscar Hernández, a walk from pinch-hitting rookie Josue De Paula, and a five-pitch walk from Kyle Tucker.
The Dodgers had gone 0 for 15 with runners in scoring position for the series when Pages stepped to the plate.
“It’s been incredible, especially the way he’s working, just to be ready for these big moments,” Teoscar Hernández said. “I think he was a little bit off his timing at the beginning of the series. Now that he understands he doesn’t have to do too much to help this team win games, I think everything is coming back to the way it was before he got hurt.
“He’s one of the best on the team. We get to this point because of him, the regular season he had. This is not a surprise for me that he’s having this kind of moment in the playoffs.”
Pages didn’t seem surprised, either.
“What happened last year, happened,” he said. “It’s in the past now. All I can do now is be in the moment. And being in the moment today, I was able to get the result.”
PHOENIX — An Arizona congressional candidate says she was knocked unconscious and sexually assaulted this summer when repairing campaign signs overnight.
Bernadette Greene-Placentia told investigators that two men raped her, and she kicked her feet up at one point to try to fight back. She said she felt the weight of one of her attackers on her body, and had bruises on her arms from being held down, a bump on her head and other injuries, according to police reports.
“I knew that I had been knocked out,” Greene-Placentia told the Associated Press on Wednesday.
Greene-Placentia, 52, is a Democrat who is challenging incumbent Republican Rep. Abe Hamadeh for the 8th Congressional District seat representing parts of metro Phoenix that are reliably red. She said she told her husband and campaign staff about the mid-August attack in Sun City days after it happened. The Phoenix New Times first reported on it Wednesday.
Greene-Placentia told the AP she was disgusted that two men took control of her body and she had no say in it. She said she decided to speak out publicly when she realized she was telling voters she would advocate for them when she was not advocating for herself.
“My takeaway is that I have a lot more empathy and understanding of why so many women don’t come forward,” she said. “And, and I’m hoping that I can encourage them.”
Greene-Placentia said she couldn’t recall many details of the Aug. 14 assault, including the exact location or a description of the men, though she said one wore black boots and had small feet. She told investigators one of the men used an expletive to describe her, and she believes he referenced her political party.
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office declined to comment on its investigation of the attack.
Greene-Placentia is a former long-haul trucker and later ran a small transportation company, according to her campaign.
In a social media post supporting Democrat Pete Buttigieg’s 2020 run for the presidency, Greene-Placentia called herself a former Republican and a “never Trumper,” and said she voted Libertarian in 2016. Greene-Placentia later became more engaged in Arizona Democratic politics.
She said she often put up and repaired campaign signs overnight because it was cooler than the blistering summer days and there was less traffic.
Arizona Democratic Party treasurer Greg Freeman said he got a call from Greene-Placentia, a friend who ran his 2024 campaign for a county assessor, the morning of Aug. 17. She told him she had been sexually assaulted by two men, Freeman said, and he could tell she wasn’t ready to go to the police or share it publicly.
“Obviously she was processing it on the phone,” Freeman said. “She was just in shock. She was just horrified by what happened.”
Greene-Placentia said she wishes she had called police immediately and gone to the hospital. After the attack, she took multiple showers and washed the clothes she was wearing, police reports state.
The embarrassment and anger made it hard for her to come forward, she said. She reported the attack to police in late August.
