week

Welcome to Bunker Talk. This is a weekend open discussion post for the best commenting crew on the net, in which we can chat about all the stuff that went on this week that we didn’t cover. We can also talk about the stuff we did or whatever else grabs your interest. In other words, it’s an off-topic thread.

This week’s second caption reads:

NANTWICH, ENGLAND – MAY 24: A general view inside the former RAF Hack Green secret nuclear bunker on May 24, 2023 in Nantwich, England. Hack Green played a central role in the defence of Britain for almost sixty years. It was chosen during WW2 to protect the land between Birmingham and Liverpool from hostile attack and as a location for the new RADAR equipment. The bunker went on to be used for shelter and protection during the Cold War. As relations between East and West thawed many of the UK’s nuclear bunkers were sold off. The Secret Bunker is now privately owned by the Siebert family and is run as a museum trust. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s only been four weeks. Three games.

Time does not apparently fly for Rams star receiver Davante Adams.

“It feels like it’s been a year,” he said.

Adams, who has not played since mid-December because of a hamstring injury, will return to the lineup Saturday when the Rams play the Carolina Panthers in an NFC wild-card playoff game at Bank of America Stadium.

Despite playing in only 14 games, Adams finished with 60 catches for 789 yards and an NFL-best 14 touchdown catches, becoming the first player to lead the league in touchdown receptions with three different teams.

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The Rams are looking to avenge their loss in Carolina earlier this season with a win over the Panthers in the NFC wild-card playoffs.

In 2020, with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, Adams caught 18 touchdown passes for the Green Bay Packers. In 2022, with Derek Carr at quarterback, he caught 14 touchdown passes for the Las Vegas Raiders. And this season, Adams achieved the feat by catching nearly a third of quarterback Matthew Stafford’s league-leading 46 touchdown passes.

“He’s in rarefied air,” coach Sean McVay said of Adams.

McVay sensed the possibilities when he aggressively pursued Adams to replace Cooper Kupp, and the Rams signed the three-time All-Pro to a two-year contract that included $26 million in guarantees.

Adams, 33, has been an upgrade, especially when the Rams have the ball close to the goal line. His 117 career touchdown catches are the most among active players, and seventh all time.

With Stafford sitting out all of training camp because of a back issue, it took the two veterans a third of the season to establish a consistent connection. Adams broke out with three touchdowns in a Week 7 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in London.

He remained on a roll until he was injured in a Dec. 14 victory over the Detroit Lions at SoFi Stadium.

“We struggled to hit on a few things early in the season,” Stafford said, “to where he was absolutely dominating people in the red zone.”

Or, as offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur put it: “Once it clicked, it just clicked.”

Adams, 6 feet 1 and 204 pounds, said he has possessed “a nose for the end zone,” since his college days at Fresno State.

Rams wide receiver Davante Adams celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at SoFi Stadium on Nov. 23.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

His ability to separate from defenders becomes especially acute and effective in the tighter space near the goal line. But dominating near and in the end zone goes beyond physical moves.

“It’s understanding how to communicate with the quarterback, and knowing what he sees and being able to react,” Adams said.

Adams’ skills benefit other Rams receivers as well.

“It’s been an advantage for everybody else in our offense, knowing where the defense is trying to land and trying to stop every cut they can from No. 17 and the opportunities are given to everybody else,” said Puka Nacua, who led the league with 129 catches.

Adams played through a hamstring issue for much of the season before he went down while running a route against the Lions. The injury might have been worse, Adams said, if he attempted to “push through” to catch the ball rather than collapsing to the turf.

“Me bailing out of it right there,” he said, “I think I saved it a little bit.”

The first few days after an injury are a mental challenge because “you’re feeling sorry for yourself,” Adams said. But the realization that he remained a role model for younger receivers helped him work through the anguish.

“I still have to be there for them, being strong for the team, being present and finding a way to still include myself in things and be helpful,” he said.

Adams’ presence and personality also has influenced players on the Rams’ defense.

Edge rusher Jared Verse, a third-year pro and noted trash talker, said he initially was wary of teasing Adams.

“I won’t lie,” Verse said, “if you go against Davante, you have to be ready because he’s going to have something crazy to say back.

“You have to be prepared for it.”

Now Adams is preparing for his seventh playoff appearance, his first since the 2021 season. In 11 postseason games, all with the Packers, he caught 72 passes, eight for touchdowns.

Adams has played in four NFC championship games but is still searching for his first Super Bowl victory.

“We have bigger goals in mind than to just survive the first round of the playoffs,” he said.

How quickly Adams and Stafford can establish their connection remains to be seen.

Adams said a few weeks off would not “deteriorate the success and the growth” they experienced during the season.

“We’ve put in the work and we understand each other a lot better than what we did when we first started the season,” he said. “Hopefully that takes care of that.”

Stafford is not concerned.

“I just have to put it in the ballpark,” he said, “and let him go do his thing.”

In some ways, it was just another campaign coffee: Los Angeles mayoral candidate Austin Beutner in a roomful of voters talking about his career and life accomplishments.

But this was no ordinary meet-and-greet. Beutner was standing inside a partially rebuilt house — with no doors, no windows and no drywall — in an area leveled by the Palisades fire. In the living room, about a dozen people spoke about what they had been through, from the frantic evacuation to the sight of smoldering ruins to the battle to get rebuilding permits.

Allison Holdorff Polhill, who owns the home, introduced Beutner — a former L.A. school superintendent — as the civic leader she would turn to first in a crisis.

“We were in the worst disaster that L.A. has ever experienced,” she told the group. “And we needed a leader that has experience with disasters and emergencies.”

The catastrophic Palisades fire, which destroyed thousands of homes and left 12 people dead, has redefined the L.A. mayor’s race, expanding the field of candidates and creating a political minefield for Karen Bass as she seeks a second four-year term.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass speaks at a City Hall ceremony where flags are lowered to half-staff to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Palisades and Eaton fires.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

When the fire broke out on Jan. 7, 2025, Bass drew criticism for being in Ghana on a diplomatic mission. Once she returned, she was at odds with her fire chief and unsteady in her public appearances.

More recently, she has faced scrutiny over her handling of the recovery, as well as fire officials’ watering down of an after-action report that was supposed to identify mistakes in the firefighting effort.

The Times found that LAFD officials failed to fully pre-deploy engines to the Palisades amid forecasts of dangerously high winds and that a battalion chief ordered firefighters to leave the scene of a Jan. 1 blaze, even though it wasn’t fully extinguished. That fire rekindled a week later to become the Palisades fire.

Fernando Guerra, a political science professor at Loyola Marymount University, said he expects the disaster will be the No. 1 issue in the June 2 mayoral primary, resonating with voters well beyond Pacific Palisades.

To wage a competitive campaign, each of Bass’ challengers will need to make the fire and its aftermath “a reflection of what’s wrong with city government,” he said.

“It really does reflect on the readiness of the city, the responsiveness of the city, how is government working at the most basic level,” said Guerra, who also runs the Center for the Study of Los Angeles.

So far, Bass’ major challengers are embracing that strategy.

Beutner, who ran the L.A. Unified School District early in the pandemic, has accused Bass of failing to take responsibility for the city’s failures before and after the fire. On Monday, appearing with fire victims in Pacific Palisades, he called on the mayor to form a citizens commission to examine what went wrong.

Rae Huang, a community organizer who is challenging the mayor from the left, has expressed disappointment in what she called Bass’ “finger-pointing” — a reference to the mayor’s criticism, and ouster, of Fire Chief Kristin Crowley last year.

Then there’s reality TV star Spencer Pratt, an outspoken Bass critic, who launched a campaign rooted in his fury over the city’s handling of the fire — and the loss of his family’s home in the flames.

“I’ve waited a whole year for someone to step up and challenge Karen Bass, but I saw no fighters,” Pratt said in a social media post Wednesday. “Guess I’m gonna have to do this myself.”

Reality TV star Spencer Pratt, second from right, announced on Wedneday that he is running for mayor. He is suing the city over its handling of the Palisades fire, which destroyed his home in Pacific Palisades.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Still unclear is whether two formidable public figures will jump in — L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath and real estate developer Rick Caruso, who lost to Bass in 2022. On Wednesday, Caruso said he will decide in the next couple of weeks whether he will run for mayor or governor.

Asked whether he might stay out of both races, Caruso responded: “I think that option is pretty much off the table now.”

As the city marked the one-year anniversary of the fires this week, Bass mostly kept a low profile, addressing the Pacific Palisades Democratic Club over the weekend and joining a private vigil at the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine.

While Pratt and hundreds of demonstrators were staging a “They Let Us Burn” rally in the Palisades, Bass stood solemnly outside City Hall as police officers lowered flags to half-staff. Bass spoke about grief and loss, but also the fact that more than 400 homes are being rebuilt.

“You see signs of hope everywhere,” she told the crowd.

Bass’ political team has taken a tougher approach, accusing her most outspoken critics — including Pratt, who is releasing a book later this month — of exploiting the disaster for political or even financial gain.

“For the first time ever we saw a major wildfire politicized by MAGA leaders and monetized by social influencers making tens of thousands of dollars per month and hawking books on the backs of a devastated community,” Bass campaign strategist Doug Herman said in a statement.

For much of the past year, Bass has faced criticism over the Fire Department’s deployment decisions and its failure to put out the Jan. 1 fire. She also has taken hits over the recovery, with residents saying she has not delivered on promises to waive permit fees for rebuilding homes lost in the fire.

Now, the focus has turned to a new and unsettling question: Did the city undermine its own effort to assess the Fire Department’s mistakes?

The Times reported last month that LAFD officials made changes to the after-action report that were so significant that its author, Battalion Chief Kenneth Cook, declined to endorse it.

“The fact that [Cook] is not willing to sponsor, or support, or endorse the report says a hell of a lot about the fact that there is no trust and clear leadership,” Huang said.

Bass told The Times on Wednesday that she did not work with the Fire Department on changes to the report, nor did the agency consult her about any changes.

L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath speaks at a rally in support of the county’s emergency rent relief program to help households who have lost income because of federal immigration enforcement.

(Al Seib / For The Times)

Horvath, who is running for a second four-year term as county supervisor, has also ripped the city over the report, saying wildfire victims feel “gaslit” — and deserve answers.

The supervisor, whose sprawling district includes the Palisades burn area, said she has been hearing from people asking her to run for mayor. She said she would prefer to continue in county office. But she voiced concern about the city’s future — not just its handling of the wildfire, but also the budget, the homelessness crisis and the delivery of basic services.

“I think people are hungry for a different kind of leadership,” she told The Times.

Pacific Palisades has not been a political stronghold for Bass. Although she won her 2022 race against Caruso by a 10-point margin, she trailed him by double digits in the Palisades.

Like many people across the region, the major mayoral candidates were directly impacted by the January fires or have family who lost homes — or both.

Beutner’s home was severely damaged in the Palisades fire, forcing him to live elsewhere for the past year. His mother-in-law’s home, also in the Palisades, was completely destroyed.

Bass has spoken repeatedly about her brother, whose Malibu home was destroyed in the Palisades fire. Huang’s 53-year-old cousin lost her Altadena home in the Eaton fire. Pratt, who is suing the city over the Palisades fire, said on social media that the flames consumed not just his home but also one owned by his parents.

Caruso, still a candidate-in-waiting, managed to save Palisades Village, the shopping center he opened in 2018, in part by securing his own private firefighting crew. But the inferno nevertheless destroyed the homes of his son and daughter, who are 26 and 29.

Real estate developer Rick Caruso on Wednesday unveils an installation in Pacific Palisades with three beams of light to mark the one-year anniversary of the fires.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

On the night the fire broke out, Caruso voiced his fury on live television about empty fire hydrants and the overall lack of water to douse the flames. Since then, he has offered a steady stream of criticism about the rebuilding process, including the mayor’s decision not to select a replacement for Steve Soboroff, who served 90 days as her recovery czar.

Caruso has spoken favorably in recent weeks about a few aspects of the recovery, including the reopening of classrooms and the quick removal of fire debris. He credited L.A. Unified and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, respectively, for those accomplishments — not the city.

“Frankly, the bright spots are under the leadership of other people,” he told The Times.

Beutner has been equally blunt. At last month’s campaign coffee, he said the city needs to convene a citizen panel similar to the Christopher Commission, which was formed weeks after the 1991 police beating of Rodney King. The panel assessed the LAPD’s handling of discipline, misconduct complaints, excessive force by officers and other issues.

“If you have a tragedy, you have public hearings, you have leaders who are empaneled with the money they need to ask tough questions of everybody — the mayor, her staff, the acting mayor, police, fire” and the Department of Water and Power, Beutner told the group. “What did you do, and what would you have done differently?”

Clara Karger, a spokesperson for Bass, said the city is already participating in a state investigation, which is being overseen by the Fire Safety Research Institute, into the Palisades and Eaton fires.

On top of that, she said, the fire department is commissioning an independent investigation into its response to the Jan. 1 fire that reignited into the Palisades fire. That blaze, known as the Lachman fire, was mentioned only briefly in the department’s after-action report.

“Mayor Bass wants all the information to ensure accountability and to continue implementing needed reforms, many of which are already underway from LAFD,” Karger said.

CBS News named veteran anchor and correspondent Adriana Diaz and business journalist Kelly O’Grady as the new co-hosts for “CBS Saturday Morning.”

The duo will officially start this week, the division announced Friday. The previous long-time co-hosts, Michelle Miller and Dana Jacobson, were let go in a wave of company-wide staff reductions in October.

The cuts and changes at the weekend program were in the works before Bari Weiss arrived to begin her role as editor-in-chief of CBS News earlier that month.

Weiss has generated controversy and bad publicity for the network with her last-minute decision to pull a “60 Minutes” story on the Trump administration’s treatment of hundreds of Venezuelan migrants who were deported to El Salvador. Critics have also been less than impressed with the revamp of “CBS Evening News” which began this week with new anchor Tony Dokoupil.

Diaz and O’Grady will also alternate as co-hosts of “CBS Mornings 24/7,” the daily program on the CBS News streaming platform, working alongside featured host Vladimir Duthiers.

Diaz has been with CBS News since 2012. She has served as a China-based correspondent covering Asia, and later reported from Chicago. Her last anchor role was on “CBS Mornings Plus,” a short-lived one-hour program that followed “CBS Mornings” in several markets, including Los Angeles.

Diaz, 42, also had a stint as anchor of “CBS Weekend News.” She is a frequent fill-in for “CBS Mornings” co-host Gayle King. Internally, Diaz is considered a possible successor to King who is in the final year of her contract with CBS News.

O’Grady, 34, is a recent addition to CBS joined the network in 2024 as a correspondent for its MoneyWatch unit where she reported on the economy. She had been a correspondent and fill-in anchor at Fox Business.

In addition to her co-host role, O’Grady will continue to cover business, technology and the economy for the network.

WHEN YOU think of the Canary Islands, you probably imagine Tenerife or Lanzarote – but one smaller island that’s a hidden gem is the ideal winter sun spot.

La Gomera, Spain, is known for its natural beauty thanks to being home to the Garajonay National Park, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

In addition to the National Park, the island is defined by volcanic landscapes that are a treat for keen hikers.

And next week, the island is set to hit a high of 21C.

If you prefer a beach day, there are plenty of pretty spots including black-sand beaches.

When it comes to life on the island, visitors can explore a number of traditional villages.

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In San Sebastian, the capital of the island, you will find several Columbus-linked spots, as La Gomera was the famous explorer’s final stop to resupply and depart from Europe for his 1492 journey to the Americas.

For example, you could visit Torre del Conde, a 15th-century fortress.

There is also Casa Colon, which was Christopher Columbus‘ home and boasts pieces of pre-Columbian art and information about his voyages.

Playa de San Sebastian is one of the beaches on the island that features black sand, and can be found in the capital.

A recent visitor said: “A pretty promenade with plenty of seating runs along the beach.”

“The beach itself makes a positive impression. The water is calm and clean as it is protected from the port by a large breakwater wall.

“The nature of the beach varies between fine black sand and larger pebbles.”

If you want to spot a bit of local wildlife, you can hop on a boat tour from the harbour to see whales and dolphins.

Once back on dry land, there are plenty of spots to grab a bite to eat.

For example, you could head to El Roquillo Las Galanas where you can pick up empanadas for just €2.70 (£2.35) each and Heineken beer for just €1.20 (£1.04).

In fact, food and drink across the whole island is affordable, with the average beer price being around €2.00 (£1.55) and the average meal costing around €12.00 (£9.32).

There are plenty more things outside of San Sebastian to see and do as well.

One must-see spot is the Abrante Viewpoint, which sits high up on the ravine in the north of the island.

Instead of being a normal viewpoint, visitors ‘float’ in the air thanks to a seven-metre glass floor that overhangs the edge of the ravine.

The viewpoint offers great views of the island, as well as the Canary Islands more widely.

Los Órganos is another breathtaking spot on the island.

The unique rock formation has vertical pillars that look somewhat like the pipes of a traditional church organ.

In total, it measures 87 metres tall and 191 metres wide, with each pillar thought to be over one metre thick.

The formation was formed by a volcano and to see it, you have to head out on a boat trip where you will most likely see whales and dolphins as well.

To get to La Gomera, you will need to fly to Tenerife before getting a ferry to the island.

If you wanted to catch the warm weather next week, then you could catch a flight from London Stansted on January 14 for just £16.

Or head off on January 11 and return on January 15 for £38 return from London Stansted.

For the ferry, the more in advance you book it the cheaper it is, with tickets costing as low as £8 per way.

However, fares usually cost on average £33 per way, per foot passenger.

There are a number of places to stay on the island and you can expect to pay between £80 and £120 per night.

For more inspiration on Spanish holidays, one of the country’s most underrated cities is in the ‘Garden of Europe’ – with £17 flights.

Plus, from sea pools to hidden caves: Spain’s cheapest beach destinations this summer.

In a State of the State speech that largely ignored any talk of the big, fat budget black hole that threatens to swallow the California dream, Gov. Gavin Newsom instead laid out a vision of the Golden State that centers on inclusivity and kindness to combat Trump’s reign of darkness and expulsion.

In a week dominated by news of immigration authorities killing a Minnesota mother; acknowledgment that “American First” really means running Venezuela for years to come; and the U.S. pulling even further out of global alliances, Newsom offered a soothing and unifying vision of what a Democratic America could look like.

Because, of course, far more than a tally of where we are as a state, the speech served as a likely road map of what a run for president would sound like if (or when) Newsom officially enters the race. In that vein, he drove home a commitment to both continuing to fight against the current administration, but also a promise to go beyond opposition with values and goals for a post-Trump world, if voters choose to manifest such a thing.

It was a clear volley against Republicans’ love of using California as the ultimate example of failed Democratic policies, and instead positioning it as a model.

“This state, this people, this experiment in democracy, belongs not to the past, but to the future,” Newsom told the packed Legislative chamber Thursday. “Expanding civil rights for all, opening doors for more people to pursue their dreams. A dream that’s not exclusive, not to any one race, not to any one religion, or class. Standing up for traditional virtues — compassion, courage, and commitment to something larger than our own self-interest — and asserting that no one, particularly the president of the United States, stands above the law.”

Perhaps the most interesting part of Thursday’s address was the beginning — when Newsom went entirely off script for the first few minutes, ribbing the Republican contingent for being forced to listen to nearly an hourlong speech, then seeming to sincerely thank even his detractors for their part in making California the state it is.

“I just want to express gratitude every single person in this chamber, every single person that shaped who we are today and what the state represents,” Newsom said, even calling out Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, one of his most vociferous foes, who released a questionable AI-generated “parody” video of Newsom in response to the speech.

It was in his off-the-cuff remarks where Newsom gave the clearest glimpse of what he might look like as a candidate — confident, at ease, speaking to both parties in a respectful way that the current president, who has labeled Democrats as enemies, refuses to do. Of course, he’d likely do all that during a campaign while continuing his lowbrow online jabbing, since the online world remains a parallel reality where anything goes.

But in person, at least, he was clearly going for classy over coarse. And gone is the jargon-heavy Newsom of past campaigns, or the guarded Newsom who tried to keep his personal life personal. His years of podcasts seem to have paid off, giving him a warmer, conversational persona that was noticeably absent in earlier years, and which is well-suited to a moment of national turmoil.

Don’t get me wrong — Newsom may or may not be the best pick for Democrats and voters in general. That’s up to you. I just showed up to this dog-and-pony show to get a close-up look at the horse’s teeth before he hits the track. And I’ve got to say, whether Newsom ends up successful or not in an Oval Office run, he’s a ready contender.

Beyond lofty sentiments, there was a sprinkling of actual facts and policies. Around AI, he hinted at greater regulation, especially around protecting children.

“Are we doing enough?” he asked, to a few shouts of “No,” from the crowd. This should be no surprise since his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, has made oversight of artificial intelligence a priority in her own work.

Other concrete policy callouts included California’s commitment to increasing the number of people covered by health insurance, even as the federal government seeks to shove folks off Medicaid. In that same wellness bucket, he touted a commitment to getting processed foods out of school cafeterias and launching more medications under the state’s own generic drug label, including an $11 insulin pen launched last week.

On affordability, he found common ground with a proposal Trump put out this week as well — banning big investors from buying up single family homes. Although in California this is less of a problem than in some major housing markets, every house owned by a big investor is one not owned by a first-time buyer. Newsom called on the Legislature to work on a way to curtail those big buyers.

He also hit on our high minimum wage, especially for certain industries such as fast food ($20 an hour) and healthcare ($25 an hour), compared with states where the federal minimum wage still holds sway at just more than $7 an hour.

And on one of his most vulnerable points, homelessness, where Republicans and Trump in particular have attacked California, he announced that unsheltered homelessness decreased by 9% across the state in 2025 — though the data backing that was not immediately available. He also said that thousands of new mental health beds, through billions in funding from Proposition 1 in 2024, are beginning to come online and have the potential to fundamentally change access to mental health care in the state in coming years. This July, a second phase of Proposition 1 will bring in $1 billion annually to fund county mental health care.

Newsom will release his budget proposal on Friday, with much less fanfare. That’s because the state is facing a huge deficit, which will require tough conversations and likely cuts. Those are conversations about the hard work of governing, ones that Newsom likely doesn’t want to publicize. But Thursday was about positioning, not governing.

“In California, we are not silent,” Newsom said. “We are not hunkering down. We are not retreating. We are a beacon.”

It may not be a groundbreaking stand to have a candidate that understands politics isn’t always a battle of good and evil, but instead a negotiation of viewpoints. It’s surely a message other Democrats will embrace, one as basic as it is inspiring in these days of rage and pain.

But Newsom is staking that territory early, and did it with an assurance that he explained in a recent Atlantic profile.

He’d rather be strong and wrong than weak and right — but strong and righteous is as American as it gets.

The decision by Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. to enter the transfer portal shocked and angered the Huskies because only days earlier the sophomore breakout star had signed a lucrative name, image and likeness deal to remain in Seattle.

Legal action by Washington would be no surprise two weeks after similar events prompted an exchange of lawsuits involving Damon Wilson II, an edge rusher who transferred from Georgia to Missouri in January 2025, days after signing an NIL contract.

With recruiting strategy reduced to shoveling stacks of NIL dollars at players who jump through the transfer portal seemingly at will, it’s no wonder loyalty and etiquette have given way to opportunity and greed.

And it should surprise no one that the implementation of rules might be done by judges, not NCAA officials or conference commissioners.

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Washington is “prepared to pursue all legal avenues to enforce Williams’ signed contract,” and the quarterback’s situation has also “drawn the attention of the Big Ten.” Already, Washington has declined to enter Williams’ name into the portal, citing language in the NIL contract that states the school is not obligated to do so.

It appears Washington wants to play hardball, much the way Georgia is attempting to do with Wilson, whose countersuit against the Bulldogs claims he was one of several players pressured into signing his NIL contract on Dec. 21, 2024. Georgia is seeking $390,000 in damages, pointing to a liquidated damage fee clause in the NIL contract that may or may not hold up in court.

Washington officials suspect that another school contacted Williams after he had signed his Huskies deal, and submitted evidence of tampering to the Big Ten. Tony Petitti, the conference commissioner, happened to be in Seattle on Tuesday for a Celebration of Life service for Washington goalkeeper Mia Hamant, who died on Nov. 6 from an rare form of kidney cancer.

Many Huskies football players and coaches also were in attendance when Williams posted his official announcement about entering the transfer portal on Instagram.

“To post his decision to enter the portal during the service was, at best, the result of horrible advice from his PR team, and at worst, a stunning lack of self-awareness,” wrote Matt Calkins in the Seattle Times.

Williams’ NIL deal with Washington for 2026 was estimated at $4 million, a reasonable number for a quarterback who was among the top 15 nationally in passing efficiency, passing yards and yards per attempt. He attempted to enter the portal with a “do not contact” tag, an indication he has a destination in mind.

A chronology of top quarterback movement in recent days provides circumstantial evidence that Louisiana State and Williams have mutual interest. LSU, of course, has a new coach in Lane Kiffin, and a need at quarterback. Turns out Williams and Kiffin aren’t strangers.

Kiffin’s first target was Brendan Sorsby, who had left Cincinnati, but he committed to Texas Tech. Sam Leavitt of Arizona State is considered the best quarterback left in the portal, and he visited Baton Rouge this week before heading to Tennessee for another visit.

However, Kiffin easily could shift his attention to Williams, a dual-threat signal-caller who while in high school committed to Ole Miss when Kiffin was coach. He eventually signed with Arizona, and when coach Jedd Fisch took the job at Washington, Williams followed him.

Williams blossomed as a sophomore in 2025, passing for 3,065 yards and 25 touchdowns with eight interceptions while adding 611 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.

In his lengthy Instagram post, Williams thanked everyone associated with Washington before revealing the news: “I have to do what is best for me and my future. After much thought and prayer, I will be entering the transfer portal.”

He’s not there yet.

A broadcast TV show about a middle-aged guy who becomes an LAPD cop wouldn’t seem like your typical teen magnet.

Yet, the “The Rookie” was the most-streamed show among young people under 18 across all broadcast series in the 2024-2025 broadcast TV season, according to Nielsen data.

Odd as that may seem, the numbers match showrunner Alexi Hawley’s own experience. He says he is often approached by parents telling him how much their kids gravitate to the ABC police procedural.

Recently, he said, actor Dwayne Johnson visited the Los Angeles set with his preteen daughter, who loves the Nathan Fillion-led series, now in its eighth season.

“You’re always surprised in this business at success,” Hawley said in an interview.

He offers multiple explanations: “A lot of it has to do with the comfort food of the show. Bad things happen on our show a lot, but I think the mix of humor and action and heavy stuff resonates with people.”

Part of it, too, he says, is that the show is very “clippable.”

“The Rookie,” which is produced by Lionsgate Television and 20th Television and shot in Los Angeles, has 2.8 million followers on TikTok. In the last 12 months, its biggest audience on the platform were people aged 18 to 24, according to TikTok Studio.

At a time when the broadcast TV business faces steep challenges — including continued cord-cutting and declining ad dollars — the ability of “The Rookie” to captivate young viewers is noteworthy. And its stars’ embrace of social media, particularly TikTok, might have lessons for other broadcast shows looking to draw new and younger eyeballs in the streaming era.

Eric Winter, who plays the serious Sgt. Tim Bradford on “The Rookie,” is especially active on the platform, despite some initial resistance.

“I was anti-TikTok,” he said. “I was like, ‘I’m never doing it. I’m never gonna have an account. I won’t be seen doing a post or a dance, acting like a fool.’ And my wife was like, ‘You’re launching a premium rum brand. You’ve got to be out there. You’ve got to be public with it.’”

And he’s seen teen fandom up close — at publicity events kids will line up to get his autograph.

After launching his TikTik about two years ago, Winter now has about 6.6 million followers, and he’ll post pranks with his co-stars from the set or group TikToks.

Even Fillion has gotten in on the action and has asked Winter for advice. Many other cast members are active on the platform as well.

“We’re all trying to outdo each other with TikTok, and it’s grown into its own little beast that drives the eyeballs,” Winter said. “I just started doing a lot of goofy ones that worked.”

Beyond jokes from the set, clips from the show itself have driven people to the series who may not have otherwise found it. Scenes involving the will-they-won’t-they romance between Winter’s character Bradford and co-star Melissa O’Neil’s Sgt. Lucy Chen (collectively known to fans as “Chenford”) also drive major views, as do shorts with Fillion.

“We have these funny moments, and these little stories that we can do because we’re a patrol show where anything can happen anytime they get out of their car,” Hawley said. “And I think those translate really well to 30-second, one-minute clips that just bring people to want to watch more.”

It’s kind of like movie trailers for the new generation. While young viewers can’t watch an entire show via social media, the shorter clips are clearly one way of introducing them to the series — and getting them hooked. Collaborations with YouTube stars also help.

Last season, YouTube personalities Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej guest starred in an episode of “The Rookie” in which the pair investigates a haunted psychiatric facility. Hawley learned of Bergara and Madej’s “Ghost Files” paranormal show through his kids.

This year, he’s planning a similar crossover with comedy streamer Dropout.TV.

“Rather than doing crossovers with traditional shows, like other ABC shows, given our growing young fan base, I’m like, ‘Well, what can I pull into our show that younger people relate to more,’” Hawley said.

The predictable format offers something else: a reprieve from the chaos of the world, similar to older network shows like “Golden Girls” and “Modern Family” that are also popular with younger audiences.

“The world is hard right now,” Hawley said. “It’s very stressful. There’s something that’s just comforting about putting us on and the number of episodes we have. Our show is an escape for people.”

Stuff we wrote

Film shoots

Number of the week

Disney-owned 20th Century Studios’ “Avatar: Fire and Ash” cracked the $1-billion mark at the global box office on Sunday. The film is the third Disney film released in 2025 that has crossed $1 billion worldwide, following the animated “Zootopia 2” and the live-action adaptation of “Lilo & Stitch.”

Topping it off, “Avatar: Fire and Ash” is the third of three “Avatar” films to reach $1 billion globally. The James Cameron-directed franchise has now grossed more than $6.35 billion so far.

Finally …

My colleague, Andrew J. Campa, has a fascinating story about how thieves are hacking off the leaves of agave plants — and the theories about why it’s happening.

Welcome back to The Times’ Lakers newsletter, where we’re trying to star in our role.

With one of their major stars still sidelined, the Lakers have gotten headlining performances from the usual suspects. LeBron James and Luka Doncic each scored 30 or more points in the same game for just the third time as Lakers teammates against Memphis last Friday. Doncic followed up on Sunday with a near triple-double and James had 11 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter to help the Lakers hold off the Grizzlies for a second consecutive game.

But the most significant performances last week came from the supporting cast.

Don’t forget No. 12

The way Rob Pelinka commemorated Jake LaRavia’s 27-point outburst against Minnesota in October warmed this print journalist’s heart.

After LaRavia made 10 of 11 shots to introduce himself to fans and Minnesota star Anthony Edwards, the Lakers’ general manager splashed a photo of LaRavia gazing out of a window on the front page of a faux newspaper and printed it on a black T-shirt.

The bold headline over the image read: “Who is Number 12?”

Two months after his breakout Lakers moment, LaRavia authored a long-awaited follow-up story. Starting in place of the injured Rui Hachimura, he scored 20 and 26 points in back-to-back games against Memphis.

LaRavia’s scoring punch against his first NBA team was the obvious headline grabber, but it shouldn’t overshadow the 24-year-old’s consistent contribution all season.

“It’s just the way he plays,” James said. “He plays hard, he defends, he rebounds. The scoring can go up, it can go down. But his consistency of how he plays keeps him on the floor.”

LaRavia has been the Lakers’ most consistent defender this season, coach JJ Redick said after Sunday’s game in which LaRavia was a game-high plus-15 in his 34 minutes and 30 seconds on the court. His defensive influence, averaging career-highs in rebounds (4.3), steals (1.3) and blocks (0.5), has exceeded expectations for the Lakers.

Redick knew he wanted to target the rangy 6-foot-7 forward because the Lakers were bottom-third in blocks (22nd, 4.5 per game), steals (22nd, 7.7 per game) and deflections (24th, 15.2) last year. Top wing defender Dorian Finney-Smith signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Houston Rockets.

Now LaRavia and fellow offseason addition Marcus Smart are tied for the team lead in deflections with 3.1 each per game.

LaRavia started his college career at Indiana State before transferring to Wake Forest, where he averaged 14.6 points per game as a junior. He was drafted 19th overall in 2022 and averaged 10.8 points in his second year. Looking back, LaRavia realizes that, at the time, he only wanted to be on the court for his offense. He admitted he wasn’t a very strong defender.

It wasn’t until last year that things “clicked,” LaRavia said. If he wanted to stay in the NBA, he would have to do more than score.

“There’s a lot of offensive talent in this league,” said LaRavia, who was shipped to Sacramento in a midseason trade last year. “I would say there’s not as much people that are willing to go out there every night and just play as hard as they can and provide energy and effort on the defensive side.”

The energy has transferred to offensive production, where LaRavia is thriving on what the Lakers call “effort offense.” He crashes for rebounds. He cuts to the basket. He runs the floor in transition. Those little things easily make up for LaRavia’s 32.7% shooting from three, the lowest percentage of his career.

The three-point shot is starting to click as well; LaRavia made seven of 16 threes in two games against the Grizzlies. He credited his work with assistant coach Beau Levesque for helping him get back to basics with his shot while maintaining confidence and focus.

“He has the words for me every time we come in here and shoot, but it’s more so just the consistent work that we put in,” LaRavia said. “He always says control the input … and the output is going to show for itself. And he also says stuff like, ‘Don’t be reactionary.’ I had a good game, but we don’t react off that. We continue to put in the same kind of work and just continue to play.”

LaRavia knows his front-page moment can be fleeting. Just when it looked as if he had arrived in early November with 20-point performances in two out of three games, LaRavia didn’t reach the mark again until last Friday.

More than two months after he first announced who No. 12 was, LaRavia is still introducing the league to parts of his game. A soaring one-handed dunk against Memphis last Friday got teammates jumping to their feet on the bench. After the game, James described LaRavia as “sneaky athletic.”

When asked about the description, LaRavia smiled.

“I’m a fan of ‘sneaky athletic,’” he said.

Next men up

Lakers guard Nick Smith Jr.

(Amanda Loman / Associated Press)

The Lakers have had all 14 of their standard contract players available for only two games this season. The revolving door of injuries has forced the Lakers to live out the “next man up” mantra.

Next up are Dalton Knecht and Nick Smith Jr., who are seeing more consistent playing time while Austin Reaves (calf) and Gabe Vincent (back) are sidelined.

Smith, who is playing on a two-way contract, delivered with 21 points in the Lakers’ win over the Sacramento Kings on Dec. 28, their first game without Reaves. The third-year guard’s instant offense was why the Lakers picked him up on the eve of training camp.

Conversely, Knecht is not being judged solely on whether he makes shots, Redick said. The Lakers simply need the sharp-shooting second-year forward to “play hard.”

“If you make a mistake, just get it on the next position,” Knecht said of what coaches are asking of him, “and just don’t repeat that mistake.”

Knecht flashed his potential in a hot start to his rookie season when he shot 46% from three in November 2024. But Knecht found himself on the trading block months later. He was briefly sent to Charlotte, only to U-turn when the trade was rescinded because of a failed physical.

This season, coaches told Knecht his opportunities on the floor would come down to his defense. He was playing regularly when the Lakers were still without James earlier this season, but he was largely relegated to garbage time after the superstar forward returned.

Jarred Vanderbilt’s standing on the team also changed drastically when James returned. The forward was out of the rotation completely for 10 games after James made his season debut on Nov. 18.

But the Lakers, in need of a defensive reset, turned to Vanderbilt again on Dec. 14. He has played in nine consecutive games, averaging 6.6 points and 5.8 rebounds with seven total steals. After his three-point shooting was a major liability on offense, Vanderbilt is shooting 11 for 25 (44%) from three since rejoining the rotation.

Vanderbilt’s resurgence has given Knecht an example to follow as he tries to solidify his standing in the league.

“Me and him had long talks about that,” Knecht said. “Making sure that both of us are ready for the rotation when the guys go down or just throw one of us in.”

On tap

Jan. 6 at Pelicans (8-29), 5 p.m. PST

The Pelicans have lost seven in a row. Zion Williamson (18.3 points, 5.9 rebounds) is back after missing both games against the Lakers earlier this season.

Jan. 7 at Spurs (25-10), 6:30 p.m. PST

After dominating the Lakers to end L.A.’s NBA Cup hopes in December, San Antonio announced itself as a title contender by beating Oklahoma City three consecutive times. Center Victor Wembanyama hyperextended his knee on Dec. 31 and missed two games, but could return in time to play the Lakers on Wednesday.

Jan. 9 vs. Bucks (16-20), 7:30 p.m. PST

Milwaukee has won five of its last seven. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s status with the team has been the biggest story line for the underwhelming Bucks, who are 11th in the Eastern Conference.

Status report

Gabe Vincent: lumbar back strain

Vincent is questionable for Tuesday’s game after missing eight games. He participated in a stay-ready game after practice last Saturday in his first on-court action since suffering the back injury.

Rui Hachimura: right calf strain

Hachimura will remain sidelined for at least the upcoming trip. He will stay in L.A. and could work with the G League affiliate South Bay Lakers. Hachimura has been out since Dec. 30.

Austin Reaves: left calf strain

Reaves won’t be reevaluated until at least Jan. 23.

Adou Thiero: right MCL sprain

The rookie forward will be sidelined for four weeks and won’t be reevaluated until the end of January.

Favorite thing I ate this week

Naan pizza with sausage, peppers and caramelized onions.

(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)

Don’t cancel me for this. But sometimes for a home cooking hack, I use Trader Joe’s frozen naan for the crust on a personal pizza. I spent a year or two trying to perfect my own pizza dough technique, and I made good progress, but during a busy season, I don’t have the patience — or foresight — to be fiddling around with any fresh dough for a pizza night.

I topped a piece of garlic naan with homemade tomato sauce, cheese, Italian sausage, red peppers and caramelized onions. Then I finished it with a drizzle of hot honey.

I can only hope I will still be allowed to enter Italy next month for the Winter Olympics despite this culinary transgression. Take this as the only thing I have to declare at customs.

In case you missed it

Why the Lakers locked back in on Deandre Ayton in their comeback win against Grizzlies

Lakers takeaways: Jake LaRavia sets the tone in starting lineup during win over Grizzlies

Lakers takeaways: Pistons dominate paint as Lakers close out a sub-.500 December

Lakers takeaways: Nick Smith Jr. shines in win over Kings with Austin Reaves sidelined

Until next time…

As always, pass along your thoughts to me at thucnhi.nguyen@latimes.com, and please consider subscribing if you like our work!

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. 2026 has arrived, which means league play starts getting serious in high school basketball with a number of huge games scheduled for Friday night.

The matchups

Christian Collins is all smiles after leading St. John Bosco to its own tournament championship.

(Nick Koza)

The Trinity League starts this week, and no game is bigger than Santa Margarita (19-2) hosting St. John Bosco (11-4) on Friday night in a game matching the preseason league title favorites.

Santa Margarita has been doing what everyone expected — taking advantage of its experience with four returning starters. The Eagles already own two wins over Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, a Mission League power. St. John Bosco has relied on Christian Collins but suffered defeats to some very good teams in recent weeks.

The Mission League begins with a key Friday matchup of defending champion Harvard-Westlake (17-2) playing at Crespi (13-5). Both schools need a win to challenge league favorite Sierra Canyon, which plays host to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame on Friday night at 8:30 p.m. Former Sierra Canyon women’s star JuJu Watkins will have her jersey retired at halftime.

In the Gold Coast League, Brentwood (18-1) is playing at Crossroads on Friday in the first meeting since Shalen Sheppard transferred from Brentwood to Crossroads.

In the Marmonte League, unbeaten Thousand Oaks (16-0) plays host to Oaks Christian (15-3) on Friday.

In the Del Rey League, St. Bernard is playing at St. Anthony in an early league match that could establish a league favorite.

In the Gateway League, the top two teams face off on Friday, with La Mirada hosting Mayfair. In the Baseline League, 17-1 Etiwanda plays host to 15-4 Damien on Thursday in a matchup of the league’s top two teams. On Tuesday in the Sunset League, the two favorites, Los Alamitos and Corona del Mar, meet at Los Alamitos.

Here’s this week’s top 25 rankings by The Times.

City Section

Tajh Ariza (right) and Malachi Harris of Westchester celebrate after winning the City Section Open Division title last season. Westchester is 2-8 this season.

(Nick Koza)

City Section basketball is in a precarious place. The talent level has diminished. The history of great teams and great players is in decline.

Here’s a look at the troubles facing the City Section and what can be done to change the trend.

Girls basketball

Etiwanda coach Stan Delus.

(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)

Ontario Christian (18-0) and Etiwanda (13-2) continue their march to the Southern Southern Open Division playoffs. Sierra Canyon (13-1) is right behind.

Mater Dei (12-4) is still adjusting to season-ending injury to Kaeli Wynn, but received a 28-point performance from Harmony Golightly in a win over Nevada Democracy Prep.

Sage Hill, with a new coach, is 14-4. Kamdyn Klamberg had a 31-point performance last week.

Villa Park is 15-3. Olivia Sturdivant and Lauren Wolfe are both averaging 13 points a game. JSerra is 14-2 and ranked No. 2 in the first Southern Section power rankings. JSerra faces Corona Centennial in a big nonleague game Monday.

In the City Section, Westchester, King/Drew, Birmingham and Granada Hills are emerging as the top teams. Junior Savannah Myles has been leading Westchester, which is 13-0 overall and 3-0 in the Western League.

Transfer tracker

Quarterback Jaden Jefferson of Cathedral is leaving for Corona Centennial.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

It’s time. The high school football transfer tracker for 2026 is up and running. Here’s the link.

The big transfers confirmed last week were Cathedral quarterback Jaden Jefferson and Cathedral receiver Quentin Hale announcing they would be transferring to Corona Centennial.

January is a big month for football transfers because it’s the start of the spring semester. As usual, quarterbacks are leading the way in switching schools.

Looking ahead to 2026

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame’s JJ Harel is ready for a big 2026.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Predictions for 2026 include lots of unique NIL deals, some baseball standouts and football stars. Here’s my crystal ball forecast.

Soccer

Anderson Carranza has 10 goals for Cleveland’s soccer team.

(Cleveland HS)

City Section boys soccer gets serious this week with the start of West Valley League play. El Camino Real, the defending champion, faces tough games against Cleveland on Wednesday and Birmingham on Friday. Here’s a report.

Rivals Mira Costa (6-2-1) and Palos Verdes (13-2) face off Tuesday at Mira Costa. Mira Costa won the Nike SoCal Holiday Classic last week in Oceanside. Former Palisades player Noah Szeder had two goals in the championship game.

In girls soccer, Santa Margarita has won its first 10 games, including a 3-0 win over Bishop Amat on Saturday. The Eagles have recorded six shutouts and given up just two goals.

Mater Dei is 9-1-3 but suffered its first defeat Saturday, losing to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 1-0.

Harvard-Westlake is 5-1-3 with its only loss to Mater Dei.

Notes . . .

Lance Mitchell is the new football coach at St. Francis. He was head coach at Muir. . . .

Johnathan Coutee is the new football coach at Murrieta Mesa. . . .

Nick Torres, 32, a Lakewood High graduate, was named 2025 MVP of the Mexican League in baseball and signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees. . . .

Former Long Beach Poly football coach Justin Utupo said he has won an appeal and will be able to coach again in the district in three years. Previously he was banned lifetime. . . .

Westlake football coach Rick Clausen, who took over an 0-10 team and led them to a 10-1 record, has been selected the Rams’ Don Shula award coach of the year. Also honored was Mike Moon of Oxnard Pacifica. . . .

In a big girls water polo match, Mater Dei suffered its first defeat when defending Southern Section champion Oaks Christian beat the Monarchs 11-7. The Santa Barbara tournament is this weekend.

From the archives: Amon-Ra St. Brown

Amon-Ra St. Brown during his Mater Dei days in 2015.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

After 17 NFL games this season, former Mater Dei and USC receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Detroit Lions ranks among the top receivers. He finished with 106 receptions for 1,262 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Remember he’s one of three football-playing brothers and is multilingual being fluent in German.

Here’s a look at two St. Brown brothers from their Mater Dei days in 2015.

Here’s a story from 2014 explaining that you better learn how to spell the first names of the St. Brown brothers.

Here’s a story from 2016 giving a sneak peek at what Amon-Ra might be capable of.

Recommendations

From the Daily Pilot, a story on Bailey Turner of Huntington Beach becoming a world junior champion in surfing.

From NBCPalmSprings, a story on the death of a teenager golfer who fought to the end dealing with cancer.

From MaxPreps, a story on the 100 most influential people in the history of high school football.

Tweets you might have missed

Until next time….

Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.

Did you get this newsletter forwarded to you? To sign up and get it in your inbox, click here.

CHRISTMAS has been and gone and now our pockets feel empty of cash – so it’s a good thing there are some great free things to do across the UK this week.

As the kids go back to school and you feel like you’ve spent way too much money, it can be hard to know what to do in January to make sure the month isn’t entirely miserable.

The good news is that thanks to the New Year, there are a host of new exhibitions and activities taking place where you don’t need to spend a penny.

Inns and Alehouses, St Albans Museum + Gallery

Launching this week at St Albans Museum + Gallery is a new exhibition called ‘Inns and Alehouses’.

The exhibition allows visitors to step back in time and discover the history of nearly 100 drinking spots that used to exist in St Albans.

The exhibition explores the city’s drinking culture as well as showcases photos, objects, stories and Victorian memorabilia.

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CHEAP BREAKS

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

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The Sussex Baby Lab, Brighton

Have a newborn? Well, this event might be useful for you.

At the Sussex Baby Lab, a new study has explored whether babies are drawn to patterns in nature.

And between January 4 and February 1, you can head to the lab with you baby (aged between zero and 12 months) to see whether they too are drawn to natural patterns.

You will leave with a sensory baby book, T-shirt and a certificate celebrating your ‘baby scientist’.

Harold Offeh: Creating Patterns, London

Until Sunday you can head to Somerset House to see a piece of art created using six roller skaters.

Created by Harold Offeh, the piece of art documents the movements of the skaters in response to different moods and prompts.

Visitors can see their tracks which were captured on a large scale print.

Gymshark66: The Kick Off, Solihull

Does one of your New Year’s resolutions involve fitness? Well, head to Gymsharks Lift Club in Solihull near Birmingham.

On January 10 from 10am to 2pm, visitors can head to the club or free for the start of a global fitness challenge known as GS66 2026.

Across the day there will be free training sessions, challenges and discounts.

Winter Wassail at Highbury Orchard, Birmingham

We are still in winter, which means wassails are still happening.

On Sunday January 11, between 1:30pm and 3:30pm, heading to Highbury Orchard in Birmingham to ‘bless’ the trees for the year ahead.

There will be singing and poetry, bird feed making, hot spiced apple juice and homemade treats.

Joan Miró: Painting and Poetry, Burton at Bideford, Devon

Located in north Devon, until January 18 you can head to the Joan Miro: Painting and Poetry exhibition at the Burton.

The exhibition showcases 26 lithographic prints which were created to celebrate the French surrealist poet Robert Desnos.

The Magic of Middle Earth, Gosport Museum and Art Gallery

At the Gosport Museum and Art Gallery in Portsmouth until January 24 you can explore The Magic of Middle Earth exhibition.

The exhibition explores the fantasy world created by author J.R.R Tolkien which is set to be both mythical and familiar.

Visitors wills get to explore the legacy the world has created including the painting, sculptures and even Lego sets the world has inspired.

European Figure Skating Championships Fan Zone, Sheffield

The European Figure Skating Championships officially starts in Sheffield next week and from January 10 there will be a fan zone in Sheffield.

Located in the city centre there will be a Fan Zone complete with an ice rink for the public to use for free.

There will also be a big screen broadcasting the competition coverage, food stalls, entertainment and activities for families.

Mediated Realities, New Adelphi Exhibition Gallery, University of Salford

At the University of Salford, you can head to the New Adelphi Exhibition Gallery until January 30 to see Mediated Realities.

The exhibition includes images of war, disaster and protest, question how humans understand what is real.

Some works in the exhibition even include reworked newspapers and how media shapes and sometimes warps the public’s perspective of events.

Novel Ideas, Edinburgh Old Town

In Scotland, head to Edinburgh Old Town to the Scottish Storytelling Centre to hear from students currently working on novels.

During the gathering, visitors can hear authors read extracts from their novels ans speak about their writing processes.

The event is ‘pay what you can’ which means you don’t necessarily have to spend a penny if you don’t want to.

It will take place on January 10 from 3pm.

No trousers tube ride, London

It’s not everyday you can leave the house without your trousers, but on Sunday January 11, you can.

Those participating simply don’t wear trousers and meet in Chinatown in the afternoon before splitting off into groups to head to nearby tube stations.

They then head down to ride the rube trouser-less (but still with pants!) at 3pm.

Whilst it is free to participate, you will need to of course pay for your tube ride.

For more things to do in the UK, a historical theme park with no rides reveals opening plans for UK site with four ‘villages’, live shows and three hotels.

Plus, a new experience launching in the UK where you can learn to be a train driver for the day.

THE tinsel is back in its box and there’s not a mince pie in sight as for most Brits, it’s back to the grind.

But for lots of places across the world, the celebrations are continuing with festivities like The Twelfth Night and Orthodox Christmas.

While most countries celebrate Christmas in December, usually on the 24 or 25 day of the month, some continue into January.

The celebration of the Twelfth Night generally marks the end of the Christmas festivities and is celebrated with various customs around the world.

France

In France, the Twelfth Night is celebrated with a Galette des Rois, otherwise known as a king cake.

Inside the cake is a hidden bean and whoever finds it is crowned as king or queen for the day – and gets to wear a paper crown.

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In the Provence region, Christmas is celebrated from early December all the way to February 2.

The celebration of Epiphany is held on January 6 to commemorate the visit of the Three Wise Men to baby Jesus.

Celebrations conclude on Candlemas, which is exactly 40 days after Christmas.

Spain

In Spain, January 5 is known as El Día de los Reyes, which in English means ‘Three Kings’ Day’.

During this time, the streets are filled with colourful parades with mechanical floats and sweets are thrown into the crowds.

Children will leave their shoes outside their doors in the hope of gifts, and there’s a tradition to write letters to the three kings too.

The following day on January 6, is a public holiday and families will gather together to share a Roscon de Reyes.

It’s a circular sweet bread topped with sugar and dried fruits.

Just like in France, a bean is hidden inside and whoever finds it has to buy the cake for the following year.

Greece

For those who are Orthodox, especially Greek Orthodox, there’s a tradition of a strict fast with no meat, dairy or oil on January, 5.

The following day on January 6, is called Theophaneia or Fota which means ‘lights’ and marks the end of the Christmas period.

On this day is a huge feast called Theophany which commemorates the baptism of Jesus.

One popular event on January 6 takes places near water, locals will go to the beach, lakes or rivers, and Orthodox Priests throw a cross into the water.

Swimmers will then dive in to catch it as the cross brings good luck for the year.

In certain destinations there are different traditions, like in Lefkada, where instead of a cross, a priest will throw a batch of oranges.

In Kastoria, there’s a carnival. And in Halkidiki, a group of men will protect a sausage from locals trying to ‘steal’ it.

Italy

Italy also holds Twelfth Night on January 5, 2026 – and it’s celebrated alongside the legend of La Befana.

Depicted as a kind-hearted old woman, she plays a central role in the festivities as on the Twelfth Night, she flies on her broomstick to fill children’s stockings by the fireplace.

In Venice locals will race along the Grand Canal – other places hold costume parades, and even burn puppets.

America

New Orleans classically celebrates the Twelfth Night as it’s also the beginning of carnival season, Mardi Gras.

There’s a king cake party and plenty of parades along the French Quarter.

Ireland

There’s no Twelfth Night celebrations in Ireland, but there is Nollaig na mBan, otherwise known as Women’s Christmas.

This day is held on January 6, 2026 and is traditionally a day celebrating women and their hard work during the festive season.

Communities will put a call out for nominations to celebrate local women who are honoured at an awards ceremony.

Georgia

In some countries, Christmas falls on January 7, 2026.

This is because they follow the Julian calendar, which means their festivities take place 13 days after December 25.

On a Georgian Christmas Eve, which is held on January 6, church services can stretch on until 4AM the following morning.

Then during Georgia’s Christmas Day on January 7, lots will take to the streets for an ‘Alilo’ parade.

Some will even dress up as those depicted in the Christmas story, and will hold Georgian flags – children taking part are often given sweets.

Another key aspect of the Georgian Christmas is its ‘Chichilaki’ Christmas tree, which are made with curly strands of hazelnut or walnut wood.

These are meant to create a bushy ‘beard’ which resemble the beard of St Basil.

Despite the later celebration, children typically open presents on December 31, which are brought to them by by their own Santa called Tovlis Papa (which means Grandfather Snow).

Ethiopia

Ethiopians celebrate on January 7 as they also follow the Julian calendar.

Festivities include a feast which they have after a 43 day fast where they avoid meat, dairy, eggs and alcohol.

To celebrate they’ll eat spicy chicken strew, bread, beer and honey wine.

There’s an all-night church service and attendees will traditionally wear all white.

Men and boys will take part in games like Ganna (which is similar to hockey) and Yeferas Guks – which is spear throwing while riding a horse.

Kazakhstan

In Kazakhstan, those who are Orthodox Christian would have fasted for 40 days until the first star on January 6.

They will then feast on the January 7 alongside extended family usually eating traditional meat pies and sweet treats.

Like in Georgia, children will generally receive and open presents on New Year’s Eve rather than Christmas.

The day is a public holiday and usually at this time of year, it snows in Kazakhstan, so locals will have a white Christmas.

Plus, here’s Sun Travel’s top 7 picks for January holidays from cheap flights to hot breaks to beat the winter blues.

And discover the 7 short-haul destinations perfect for a January holiday with flights from £14.99.

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers are returning to Washington this week confronting the fallout from the stunning capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro — and familiar complaints about the Trump administration deciding to bypass Congress on military operations that have led to this moment.

Democratic leaders are demanding the administration immediately brief Congress. Republican leaders indicated over the weekend those plans are being scheduled, but some lawmakers expressed frustration Sunday that the details have been slow to arrive.

President Trump told the nation Saturday that the United States intends to “run” Venezuela and take control over the country’s oil operations now that Maduro has been captured and brought to New York to stand trial in a criminal case centered on narco-terrorism charges.

The administration did not brief Congress ahead of the actions, leaving Democrats and some Republicans expressing public frustration with the decision to sideline Congress.

“Congress should have been informed about the operation earlier and needs to be involved as this situation evolves,” Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said in a social media post Saturday.

Appearing on the Sunday news shows, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both of New York, ticked through a growing list of unknowns — and laid out plans for their party to try and reassert Congress’ authority over acts of war.

“The problem here is that there are so many unanswered questions,” Schumer said on ABC’s “This Week.” “How long do they intend to be there? How many troops do we need after one day? After one week? After one year? How much is it going to cost and what are the boundaries?”

Jeffries told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he was worried about Trump running Venezuela, saying he has “done a terrible job running the United States of America” and should be focused on the job at home.

In the coming days, Jeffries said Democrats will prioritize legislative action to try and put a check on the administration, “to ensure that no further military steps occur absent explicit congressional approval.”

As discussions over Venezuela loom, lawmakers also face major decisions on how to address rising costs of healthcare, prevent another government shutdown and deal with the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein files.

Much of the unfinished business reflects a Congress that opted to punt some of its toughest and most politically divisive decisions into the new year, a move that could slow negotiations as lawmakers may be reluctant to give the other side high-profile policy wins in the lead-up to the 2026 midterm elections.

First and foremost, Congress faces the monumental task of averting yet another government shutdown — just two months after the longest shutdown in U.S. history ended. Lawmakers have until Jan. 30 to pass spending bills needed to keep the federal government open. Both chambers are scheduled to be in session for three weeks before the shutdown deadline — with the House slated to be out of session the week immediately before.

Lawmakers were able to resolve key funding disputes late last year, including funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, also known as food stamps, and other government programs. But disagreements over healthcare spending remain a major sticking point in budget negotiations, intensified now that millions of Americans are facing higher healthcare costs after lawmakers allowed Affordable Care Act tax credits to expire on Thursday.

“We can still find a solution to this,” said Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin), who has proposed legislation to extend the tax credits for two years. “We need to come up with ways to make people whole. That needs to be a top priority as soon as we get back.”

Despite that urgency, Republican efforts to be the author of broad healthcare reforms have gotten little traction.

Underscoring the political pressure over the issue, four moderate House Republicans late last year defied party leadership and joined House Democrats to force a floor vote on a three-year extension of the subsidies. That vote is expected to take place in the coming weeks. Even if the House effort succeeds, its prospects remain dim in the Senate, where Republicans last month blocked a three-year extension.

Meanwhile, President Trump is proposing giving more money directly to people for their healthcare, rather than to insurance companies. A White House official said the administration is also pursuing reforms to lower the cost of prescription drugs.

Trump said last month that he plans to summon a group of healthcare executives to Washington early in the year to pressure them to lower costs.

“I’m going to call in the insurance companies that are making so much money, and they have to make less, a lot less,” Trump said during an Oval Office announcement. “I’m going to see if they get their price down, to put it very bluntly. And I think that is a very big statement.”

There is an expectation that Trump’s increasing hostility to insurance companies will play a role in any Republican healthcare reform proposal. If Congress does not act, the president is expected to leverage the “bully pulpit” to pressure drug and insurance companies to lower healthcare prices for consumers through executive action, said Nick Iarossi, a Trump fundraiser.

“The president is locked in on the affordability message and I believe anything he can accomplish unilaterally without Congress he will do to provide relief to consumers,” Iarossi said.

While lawmakers negotiate government funding and healthcare policy, the continuing Epstein saga is expected to take up significant bandwidth.

Democrats and a few Republicans have been unhappy with the Department of Justice’s decision to heavily redact or withhold documents from a legally mandated release of files related to its investigation of Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died in a Manhattan jail awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Some are weighing options for holding Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi accountable.

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Fremont), who co-sponsored the law that mandated the release with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), said he and Massie will bring contempt charges against Bondi in an attempt to force her to comply with the law.

“The survivors and the public demand transparency and justice,” Khanna said in a statement.

Under a law passed by Congress and signed by Trump, the Justice Department was required to release all Epstein files by Dec. 19, and released about 100,000 pages on that day. In the days that followed, the Justice Department said more than 5.2 million documents have been discovered and need to be reviewed.

“We have lawyers working around the clock to review and make the legally required redactions to protect victims, and we will release the documents as soon as possible,” the Justice Department said in a social media post on Dec. 24. “Due to the mass volume of material, this process may take a few more weeks.”

Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, told MS NOW last week that pressure to address the matter will come to a head in the new year when lawmakers are back at work.

“When we get back to Congress here in this next week, we’re going to find out really quick if Republicans are serious about actually putting away and taking on pedophiles and some of the worst people and traffickers in modern history, or if they’re going to bend the knee to Donald Trump,” said Garcia, of Long Beach.

Oronde Gadsden II had the ball in his hands.

He could feel it against his gloves — and the sensation of the ball bouncing out of his grasp before it fell into the arms of Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair.

Gadsden’s goal-line gaffe was one of several mistakes that played a role in ending the Chargers’ four-game win streak last weekend.

Quarterback Justin Herbert, however, continued to target the rookie tight end after the missed catch, providing a much-needed morale boost, Gadsden said.

Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair intercepts a pass that deflected off the hands of Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden II, bottom, during the Chargers’ loss on Dec. 27.

(Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)

“It means a lot that he’s able to keep looking at me and keep throwing me the ball even after what happened,” said Gadsden, who has caught 47 passes for 641 yards and three touchdowns. “But it’d be better if we just make the plays. I know it can’t always go like that — can’t always go your way.”

Against the AFC West champion Denver Broncos (13-3) on Sunday, Gadsden will have a final chance to fine-tune his game ahead of the wild-card playoffs. But for some of the Chargers’ other starters, the game will offer something different.

Herbert will not play, giving him a chance to rest his surgically repaired left hand ahead of the playoffs. Trey Lance will start in Herbert’s place. Coach Jim Harbaugh said Friday that other starters would play only in a backup or emergency capacity.

Lance, who spoke to reporters Wednesday, said he’s “very thankful” and ready for his first start with the Chargers and fifth overall for the 25-year-old.

“Going through everything my first five years in the league, I’ve just learned to take everything one day at a time, one hour at a time,” said Lance, selected third overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2021 draft. “If I’m in a meeting, that’s where I’m at. If I’m at home, it’s where I’m at.”

Along with Herbert, running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) also will not play — a move that could be precautionary since the rookie spent roughly half of the season on injured reserve after fracturing his left ankle.

Offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer (hamstring), who had slotted in at left tackle after Joe Alt’s season-ending injury, hasn’t practiced in two weeks and is listed doubtful.

Rookie offensive lineman Branson Taylor took reps at left guard in practice last week, which could be a sign that Zion Johnson, who has started every game at the position, may take a breather against Denver.

“I’m going to take full advantage of the opportunity,” said Taylor, who was elevated from the practice squad to the active roster Saturday.

Veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen told reporters he plans to play in order to achieve incentives that could add $1.75 million to his one-year contract. He has 74 catches for 741 yards.

Meanwhile, Denver is expected to play its starters as it tries to clinch the AFC’s top playoff seed and a first-round bye. The Chargers would be more than happy to play spoiler against their divisional foe, Gadsden said, as they go for an AFC West sweep on the season.

“I don’t think that us having dudes sit down lessens any chances that we have — any motivation or confidence — to win the game,” Gadsden said.

DENVER — Third time’s the charm?

Twice in club history, the Chargers lost playoff games at New England. It was the AFC championship game in the 2007 season and a divisional game in 2018.

That’s little more than a trivia answer, though, as the two teams are entirely different now. This matchup features two outstanding coaches in Jim Harbaugh and New England’s Mike Vrabel, and two elite quarterbacks in Justin Herbert and Drake Maye.

The Patriots haven’t seen many elite quarterbacks this season, instead beating a ho-hum collection of passers that includes Cam Ward, Spencer Rattler, Dillon Gabriel and 40-year-old Joe Flacco. New England did beat Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, and Buffalo star and reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen, knocking off the Bills in Week 5 before blowing a 21-0 lead to them in Week 15.

Of course, you play who’s on your schedule in the NFL, so you don’t pick the quarterbacks you face. And the Patriots have routinely gotten the job done. It’s just that Herbert could present a significant challenge.

That said, Herbert has yet to win a playoff game in six seasons, and he has been hit more than any quarterback in the league (witness his broken left hand).

The Patriots figure to lean heavily on their solid running attack to play ball-control in the frigid cold and make it three-for-three against their AFC foes from the opposite corner of the country.

DENVER — Sometimes, the punching bag punches back.

That was the case Sunday as the Chargers, playing their backups, put up an impressive fight against the division-rival Denver Broncos, vying for the top seed in the AFC.

The Broncos won, 19-3, but both teams were smothering on defense while failing to establish anything close to an offensive rhythm.

The seventh-seeded Chargers (11-6) will play a wild-card game at second-seeded New England (14-3), which rolled over Miami, 38-10, in Sunday’s finale.

Denver (14-3) gets a week off and home-field advantage throughout the postseason. The other AFC playoff matchups feature No. 6 Buffalo (12-5) at No. 3 Jacksonville (13-4) and No. 5 Houston (12-5) at the winner of Sunday night’s game between Pittsburgh and Baltimore.

Sunday’s game was far more competitive than the rollicking crowd at Empower Field might have suspected, with the second-string Chargers defense battling them at every turn.

On an unseasonably warm afternoon, the Broncos were disturbingly cold.

The Chargers rested 14 of their starters, including quarterback Justin Herbert, who has played his way into the Most Valuable Player conversation. But they couldn’t generate much offense with backup Trey Lance at the helm.

Lance completed 20 of 44 passes for 136 yards with an interception. He led all rushers with 69 yards, however, and in the waning moments had his team in position to score the game’s only offensive touchdown.

The outcome was never really in doubt because Denver’s defense didn’t budge. But the Broncos offense never got in sync.

Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden II catches a pass against Denver Broncos safety P.J. Locke during the first half Sunday.

(David Zalubowski / Associated Press)

Denver failed to score a touchdown on offense — their lone such score came on a pick-six — and got four field goals from Wil Lutz.

It was the lowest-scoring game for the Broncos since a 10-7 win over Las Vegas in Week 11.

The matchup was the Chargers’ Next Man Up versus a down Bo Nix, who threw for 141 yards with a lackluster 78.4 passer rating.

Each quarterback was sacked four times.

Denver came into the game with the NFL’s second-ranked defense, behind Houston, with a club-record 64 sacks already in the books. The Broncos wore throwback uniforms from 1977 — blue helmets, orange jerseys, white pants — and their defense swarmed like those “Orange Crush” days of yesteryear.

Granted, it’s now a 17-game season, but the Broncos got to 14 victories for the first time since 1998, the final season of Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway.

But these Chargers are no pushovers. They were looking to go undefeated in AFC West games, and got to 5-0 with an array of understudies, particularly along the offensive line.

This game was only huge for one Chargers regular: receiver Keenan Allen, who needed six receptions and nine yards to hit contract bonuses totaling $1 million. He achieved both.

Besides Herbert, members of the Chargers offense who didn’t play included receivers Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston, and the entire starting line.

On defense, the Chargers sat starters Derwin James, Khalil Mack, Daiyan Henley and Elijah Molden.

Denver running back RJ Harvey is tackled by Chargers defenders during the second half Sunday.

(C. Morgan Engel / Getty Images)

Basically, they had no business being in this game, and the score was 10-3 at halftime. The Broncos rolled up 81 yards on their opening drive… and a total of 32 yards the rest of the half.

With so much at stake for his team, Broncos coach Sean Payton was determined to keep precision football the focus. That included an extra padded practice in the week leading up to the game, and no crowd-distracting games on the videoboard. He wanted the crowd to be as loud and zeroed-in as possible.

At once, the Broncos were uncompromising — they were determined to win — and unconvincing.

SANTA CLARA — Zach Charbonnet scored on a 27-yard run in the first quarter and Seattle shut down the high-powered San Francisco offense in a 13-3 victory over the 49ers on Saturday night that secured the No. 1 seed for the Seahawks in the NFC playoffs.

Seattle (14-3) won its first division title since 2020 and is two home wins away from returning to Levi’s Stadium for the Super Bowl next month after besting San Francisco (12-5) in just the fourth season-ending game ever where the winner was guaranteed the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.

The loss sends the 49ers on the road for the wild-card round next weekend against an opponent that will be determined after Sunday’s games.

Coach Mike Macdonald’s defensive unit flummoxed a 49ers offense that had been the NFL’s most potent since Brock Purdy returned from an injury in Week 11.

The Seahawks didn’t allow a first down in the opening quarter, generated three sacks and made the biggest defensive play early in the fourth quarter when Drake Thomas got an interception at the Seattle three on a pass that went off the hands of Christian McCaffrey.

Sam Darnold did just enough for the Seahawks as he won a Week 18 showdown this season after falling flat a year ago for Minnesota against Detroit in a loss that cost the Vikings a chance at the No. 1 seed. Darnold went 20 of 26 for 198 yards and didn’t turn the ball over once as Seattle relied heavily on the running game.

Kenneth Walker III ran for 97 yards, Charbonnet had the long touchdown and the Seahawks finished with 180 yards on the ground, their second most in a game this season.

Purdy went 19 of 27 for 127 yards and the interception and McCaffrey was held to 23 yards in eight carries as the 49ers had their lowest-scoring game since losing 23-3 to Carolina in coach Kyle Shanahan’s debut in 2017.

The 173 yards gained by the 49ers were their fewest in any regular-season game under Shanahan.

The Seahawks controlled the first half, outgaining the 49ers by 127 yards and allowing only three first downs, but led only 10-3 at the break after two long drives ended with no punts.

Seattle got stopped on fourth and goal from the four on the on the opening drive but managed to force a three-and-out that set up a short field and Charbonnet’s touchdown run.

Jason Myers also missed a 47-yard field goal attempt. He went two of four on the night, missing from 26 yards late in the fourth quarter.

A look at The Times’ top 25 boys’ basketball rankings for the Southland after Week 7.

Rk. School (Rec.); Comment; ranking last week

1. SIERRA CANYON (13-1): Brannon Martinsen starting to contribute after injury; 1

2. REDONDO UNION (16-3): Mira Costa will be the challenge in league play; 2

3. SANTA MARGARITA (19-2): Showdown with St. John Bosco on Friday at home; 3

4. ST. JOHN BOSCO (11-4): Braves need to give Christian Collins some help; 4

5. HARVARD-WESTLAKE (17-2): Mission League showdown with Crespi on Friday; 6

6. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (13-4): Knights face Sierra Canyon on Friday; 7

7. LA MIRADA (11-6): Big win over Crespi; 17

8. CRESPI (13-6): Celts start Mission League vs. Bishop Alemany on Wednesday; 10

9. CREAN LUTHERAN (14-5): Begin league play on Tuesday vs. Anaheim Canyon; 5

10. ETIWANDA (17-1): Open league play vs. Los Osos; 12

11. CORONA DEL MAR (15-1): Big league game vs. Los Alamitos on Monday; 9

12. DAMIEN (15-4): Faces Etiwanda on Thursday; 14

13. CORONA CENTENNIAL (15-5): Lost in OT to Coronado; 11

14. SAN GABRIEL ACADEMY (7-6): Close loss to Etiwanda; 13

15. VILLAGE CHRISTIAN (13-5): League showdown with Heritage Christian on Tuesday; 15

16. THOUSAND OAKS (16-0): Lancers face Oaks Christian in league game on Friday; 18

17. BRENTWOOD (18-1): Sophomore Ethan Hill keeps leading Eagles to victory; 19

18. JSERRA (13-8): Lions need to get healthy for Trinity League play; 16

19. MIRA COSTA (16-2): Mustangs quietly looking good for Bay League play; 21

20. ELSINORE (18-0): Kamrynn Nathan is averaging 24.6 points; 22

21. MATER DEI (12-7): Transfer students have given Monarchs a lift; NR

22. LOS ALAMITOS (8-6): Faces Corona del Mar on Monday; NR

23. INGLEWOOD (14-5): Jason Crowe Jr. had games of 50 and 51 points; 24

24. ST. FRANCIS (16-2): 7-foot-4 center Cherif Millogo is living up to expectations; NR

25. WINDWARD (12-6): Open Gold Coast League vs. Campbell Hall on Tuesday; NR

Good morning, and welcome to L.A. on the Record — our City Hall newsletter. It’s David Zahniser, dishing up the latest on city and county government.

It’s not hyperbole to say that 2025 was a terrible year for Los Angeles.

Wildfires ravaged huge stretches of Pacific Palisades, Altadena, Malibu and other communities. Federal immigration raids tore families apart and disrupted the economy, prompting furious protests in downtown and elsewhere. L.A.’s political leaders, facing a brutal budget year, signed off on cuts while working to stave off layoffs of public employees.

Now, we’re heading into a year of uncertainty — one with the potential to bring fresh faces both to City Hall and the county’s Hall of Administration, while also ushering in bigger, structural changes.

Here are a few of the political issues we’ll be tracking over the next twelve months, in this newsletter and elsewhere:

1) WILL HE OR WON’T HE? It’s January, and we still don’t know if real estate developer Rick Caruso will seek a rematch against Mayor Karen Bass in the June 2 primary election. A second Caruso run would deliver a jolt to the campaign, complicating Bass’ attempt to win a second four-year term in a single shot. He’s got to decide soon!

Per Mike Murphy, a political strategist and longtime Caruso friend: “He is close to a decision.”

Caruso, a fierce critic of the city’s handling of the Palisades fire, lost to Bass by 10 percentage points in 2022. If he jumps in, he would join a long list of challengers that includes former L.A. schools superintendent Austin Beutner, community organizer Rae Huang and an assortment of unknowns.

The larger the field, the tougher the road Bass will have in trying to avoid a November runoff — and winning her election overall.

2) WILL THE COUNCIL GET BIGGER? The Charter Reform Commission, which is made up of a dozen or so citizen volunteers, is heading into the home stretch as it works on a plan to update the City Charter, the governing document for L.A.

The commission’s report, due in April, is expected to say whether voters should expand the number of City Council members, scale back the duties of the elected city attorney and grant the city controller additional authority. There are also some smaller proposals, including a move to a two-year budget process.

The council will then decide which of those proposals will go on the November ballot. Raymond Meza, who chairs the commission, sounded optimistic about the prospects.

“There’s been a lot of serious public input and energy behind this process, and we think the council is going to thoroughly consider our recommendations,” Meza said.

3) WILL CITY HALL KEEP MOVING LEFT? Eight council seats are up for grabs this year, with bruising campaigns looming on the Eastside, on the Westside, in the west San Fernando Valley and in South L.A.

Councilmembers Eunisses Hernandez and Traci Park are among those battling for a second term. Voters also must find replacements for Curren Price and Bob Blumenfield, each of whom is facing term limits after a dozen years on the council.

Ground Game LA, Democratic Socialists of America and other groups inspired by the victory of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani are looking to keep pulling the Overton window in their direction on public safety, tenant protections and other issues.

The ballot will also feature two other citywide contests, with City Atty. Hydee Feldstein Soto and City Controller Kenneth Mejia both seeking reelection.

4) CAN L.A. AFFORD MORE COPS? Bass has been pressuring the council to free up the money to hire more officers in the new year. She’s not likely to let up, even as she begins preparing her newest citywide budget.

Still, a fight over LAPD hiring could spur the council to take a fresh look at Bass’ other major policy initiative — Inside Safe, which has been moving homeless people indoors since she took office.

Amid growing concerns about the city’s financial stability, some council members have begun exploring the idea of paying the county to deliver homeless services — an idea that Bass panned in a Daily News opinion piece last month.

That op-ed drew some icy rebuttals from County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, who called the city’s track record on homelessness “indefensible.”

5) WHITHER THE COUNTY? Speaking of the county, officials inside the Hall of Administration will likely spend the coming year trying to figure out how to prevent Measure J — which requires public spending on alternatives to incarceration — from being struck down by Measure G, the reform measure approved by voters in 2024.

(Measure G, which was largely about expanding the number of county supervisors and establishing an elected CEO, inadvertently set the stage for a pending repeal of Measure J, in what has been billed as an enormous bureaucratic snafu.)

We’ll also be watching as the county’s new homelessness department gets up and running. And we’ll monitor Sheriff Robert Luna’s bid for reelection, as well as the campaign for two supervisorial seats.

6) COULD WE SEE A BUILDING FRENZY? L.A. County’s fire-scarred communities are hoping to see a ramp up in the pace of rebuilding in 2026. But will fire victims stay put? Or will they sell their burned-out sites to developers? The stakes are high, not just for those communities but for the elected officials who represent them.

Of course, there are plenty of other issues to track in the new year beyond the big six. For example, there’s the proposed sales tax hike to fund Fire Department operations; the push for higher taxes to pay for park facilities; the gambit to slow down wage hikes for hotel and airport workers; and the movement to hike the city or county minimum wage.

Then there are the preparations, and behind-the-scenes negotiations, over the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which have huge cost implications for the city.

Are you exhausted yet? If not, we’ll see you next week.

State of play

— ‘HIGHLY UNPROFESSIONAL’: The author of the Fire Department’s after-action report on the Palisades fire declined to endorse it because of changes that altered his findings, according to an email obtained by The Times. “Having reviewed the revised version submitted by your office, I must respectfully decline to endorse it in its current form,” wrote Battalion Chief Kenneth Cook, about an hour after the report was made public. Cook also called the final version of the report “highly unprofessional.”

— PLAYING WITH FIRE: Two groups have sued the city of L.A., alleging that agencies ignored state wildfire safety regulations while signing off on development in areas with severe fire hazards. The State Alliance for Firesafe Road Regulations and the Federation of Hillside and Canyon Assns. offered what they described as 75 examples of building permits and other plans that violate the state’s “minimum firesafe regulations.”

— DIGGING INTO DTLA: It’s been a tumultuous year for DTLA Law Group, which grew from a small firm focused on car crash victims into a litigation powerhouse with thousands of sexual abuse claims against government agencies. The firm’s activities are now the subject of an investigation by the DA’s office, amid lingering questions about how DTLA amassed so many plaintiffs so quickly. The Times spoke with dozens of former clients and employees who described aggressive tactics to bring in new clients.

— RADIO SILENCE: L.A.’s parking enforcement officers were removed from the field last weekend after copper wire thieves damaged a key communications tower in Elysian Park, leaving some workers with inoperable radios.

— LUCKY NUMBER 13: The Charter Reform Commission might finally get its 13th member, just a few months before it wraps up its work. Councilmember Bob Blumenfield recently nominated Jason Levin, a onetime spokesperson for his office, to fill the seat after his previous pick, former Councilmember Dennis Zine, flamed out. Levin is an executive vice president at the firm Edelman, focusing on crisis and risk.

— NEW YORK STATE OF MIND: City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson and Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez flew to New York City this week for Mamdani’s inauguration. Hernandez, on Instagram, called the event “a reminder that the movement for dignity, justice, and humanity is bigger than any one city.”

— READY FOR SIGNATURES: The City Clerk’s office recently cleared the way for the firefighters’ union to begin gathering signatures for a sales tax hike to pay for fire stations, fire equipment and other emergency resources. The proposal comes amid complaints that department brass sought to cover up findings about the Palisades fire.

— YET ANOTHER WAGE HIKE: The fire tax proposal comes a few weeks after the city clerk cleared the way for another ballot petition — this one hiking the city’s minimum wage to $25 per hour. The proposal includes provisions to ensure that hotel employees are “paid fairly for burdensome workloads” and prohibit “the exploitative practice of subcontracting housekeeping work.”

— BIG DAY FOR THE VA: The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court order requiring the federal Department of Veterans Affairs to build more than 2,500 units of housing on its West L.A. campus. “Rather than use the West Los Angeles VA Grounds as President Lincoln intended, the VA has leased the land to third party commercial interests that do little to benefit the veterans,” wrote Circuit Judge Ana de Alba.

— CHANGING CHAIRS: One of Harris-Dawson’s top aides, senior advisor Rachel Brashier, is switching offices at City Hall. Brashier, who frequently sits next to the council president as he presides over meetings, has taken a job with the mayor, according to Harris-Dawson spokesperson Cerrina Tayag-Rivera. Brashier will serve as a deputy chief of staff, per Bass’ team.

QUICK HITS

• Where is Inside Safe? The mayor’s signature program to combat homelessness did not launch any new operations over the holiday.
• On the docket next week: L.A. marks the one-year anniversary of the Palisades and Eaton fires with a number of events. Among them is “They Let Us Burn,” a demonstration in Pacific Palisades where community leaders plan to highlight their demands to city, county and state leaders.

Stay in touch

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

TRAVELERS visiting America’s famed national parks are going to face an extra $100 entry fee this week.

It comes as the National Park Service announced a new initiative, called the “America-first entry fee policy”.

Under the policy from January 1 2026, citizens of the US will be prioritized for free entry, while international visitors will now face higher entry fees overall.

This will bring the cost of annual passes for non-residents to $250, while US residents will continue to pay $80.

The parks will no longer offer free admission at all on select days of celebration including Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which falls on the third Monday of January, or Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19.

Though Flag Day (June 14), the anniversary of the NPS (August 25), Constitution Day (September 17), and President Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday (October 27), will be acknowledged as fee-free days.

So if you’re planning a trip as a US citizen, these are the best days to aim for.

Eleven national parks will be affected, including the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Yosemite, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior.

In total, there will be eight free-entry days in 2026, up from six in 2025, but only for American citizens and residents. 

Fees and increases will continue to vary by park, so it’s always best to check online before you book or travel.

The changes will make sure US taxpayers “continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum posted on X.

The increased fees come months after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to increase entry fees for foreign tourists.

Hello! I’m Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies.

One of the bummer parts of any awards season is how it leads to a narrowing down of what movies are getting talked about and subsequently remembered from any given year. There are always way more than five or 10 titles from any given year that deserve the spotlight.

Which is why it was so exciting this week when Envelope editor Matt Brennan chose Mona Fastvold’s “The Testament of Ann Lee” and Angus MacLachlan’s “A Little Prayer” as his favorite movies of the year. “A Little Prayer” first premiered at Sundance in 2023, but didn’t get a theatrical release until this past summer. The delicate jewel of a film features warm, tender performances by David Strathairn and Jane Levy as a man and his daughter-in-law both reconciling themselves to the fallout of problems in her marriage. The movie is available now on digital platforms and is well worth seeking out.

David Straithairn and Jane Levy in the movie “A Little Prayer.”

(Music Box Films)

And we talked about “Ann Lee” here last week and will likely have more to say about it as awards season moves on. Matt’s list also included films such as “Sinners,” “One Battle After Another,” “Sentimental Value” and “Sirāt” along with “Sorry, Baby,” “Nouvelle Vague,” “Hedda,” and “The Alabama Solution.”

Meanwhile, with 2026 so fresh and new, it’s almost sacrilegious to start thinking about a future best-of-year list. But we’ve got one anyway: Here are the 14 movies we’re most excited to see in 2026. Christopher Nolan, Greta Gerwig, Steven Spielberg doing aliens again — at least on paper, there’s a lot of promise here.

4K premiere of Friedkin’s ‘Sorcerer’

An image from William Friedkin’s 1977 movie “Sorcerer.”

(Criterion Collection)

On Friday night, the American Cinematheque at the Egyptian Theatre will host the West Coast premiere of a new 4K restoration of William Friedkin’s 1977 thriller “Sorcerer” scanned from the original camera negative.

The film was a notorious flop when first released, in part because it had the misfortune of opening a week after the first “Star Wars.” An adaptation of the same novel that spawned Henri-George Clouzot’s 1953 adventure “Wages of Fear,” “Sorcerer” follows four desperate men tasked with transporting a truckload of volatile nitroglycerine through a South American jungle.

Friedkin, who died in 2023, spoke to The Times’ Kenneth Turan in 2013 before receiving a lifetime achievement award from the Venice Film Festival. The only movie shown as part of the tribute was “Sorcerer.” As Friedkin said at the time, “Every one of the films that I made, even the ones that haven’t worked, are films that I had to envision, that I had to see in my mind’s eye. And ‘Sorcerer’ is the film that came closest to my vision of what I wanted to make.”

In a January 1977 interview conducted when he had just completed filming, star Roy Scheider said that working with Friedkin “was not always to my liking as an actor. He is organized and meticulous but difficult, opiniated and tough. He can even be cruel at times. When Friedkin works on a film, nothing gets in his way, including the actors.”

Roy Scheider in the movie “Sorcerer.”

(Criterion Collection)

The film’s initial reception is perhaps well summarized by Charles Champlin’s originalLos Angeles Times review, in which he writes, “William Friedkin’s ‘Sorcerer’ is one of those movies that must make executives, no less than critics, shake their heads in stunned glum wonder. What the hell went wrong?

“A first-rate and proven piece of material. Executed with loving and meticulous care on a damn-the-cost basis by a prize-winning director with two large commercial successes behind him. But it all ends up a swollen, leaden and almost totally uninvolving disappointment that seems fairly unlikely to be saved commercially by its detonations, special effects and strenuous physical sequences.”

Champlin did seem to enjoy one element: the synthesizer score by Tangerine Dream (later of “Thief” and “Risky Business”), music that he calls “a new flavor, Latin Anxious, that works well.”

‘The Godfather Part II’

Al Pacino in the 1974 sequel “The Godfather Part II.”

(Paramount Pictures)

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, an original I.B. Technicolor 35mm print of Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather Part II” will screen at the New Beverly. It’s a rare and unusual way to see a great movie that can sometimes be flattened by overfamiliarity but remains as fresh and revealing as ever. The movie would go on to win six Oscars including best picture (the first sequel to ever do so).

The story cross-cuts between Al Pacino as Michael Corleone in the 1950s and Robert De Niro playing his father Vito Corleone in the early 1900s. The film shows the growth of the Corleone family empire and what it takes to keep it running.

In a January 1975 interview, Coppola talked about his motivations in approaching the sequel, saying, “The finished film makes what I consider a tough statement for a $13 million mass-audience picture. It says that this country is in danger of losing its soul, like Michael did. That power without humanity is destructive. … I didn’t want Michael to be destroyed by another gang or by a Senate investigation of organized crime. I wanted him to destroy himself. And to juxtapose his fall with flashbacks of his father’s rise a half-century earlier.”

Coppola, candid as ever, continued, “And, to be completely honest, there was the possibility of my making so much money I could bankroll some of my other projects.”

In his original Dec. 1974 review of the film, our Charles Champlin wrote, “In its way, ‘Godfather II’ is more daring than the original … The risks were worth taking, and the reward is that a single monumental segment of the American experience is neither glorified nor patronized, but made comprehensible and real, transmuted into drama of both scope and depth.”

Points of interest

‘The Birds’ in 35mm

Tippi Hedren and children are attacked by crows in a scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds.”

(Screen Archives / Getty Images)

On Monday the Academy Museum will show Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 “The Birds” in 35mm. The film is showing as part of a series about nature’s revenge on humans — a fun group of titles that also includes “Jaws” and “Orca” (both playing in 35mm), “Creature from the Black Lagoon” in 3D, “Alligator” with director Lewis Teague in person and “The Revenant” in 4K.

Transporting Daphne du Maurier’s original story to the setting of Bodega Bay in Northern California, “The Birds” presents a classic, apocalyptic what-if scenario when humans are suddenly attacked from above.

Star Tippi Hedren, who turns 96 later this month, made her movie debut in the film and over the years she has been open about how difficult the process of shooting was for her. In an April 1963 interview with Hedda Hopper, she said, “The Humane Society was there to protect the birds but there was no one to protect me.”

In a March 1963 review, The Times’ Philip K. Scheuer wrote, “Are actors people? No matter. Alfed Hitchcock, who filmed ‘The Birds’ at Universal, was once widely quoted as saying he hated actors. After his 1960 ‘Psycho’ and now ‘The Birds,’ it must be fairly obvious that he has extended his abhorrence to the whole human race.”

Oliver Lax’s ‘Fire Will Come’

Amador Arias, left, and Benedicta Sánchez in ‘Fire Will Come’

(KimStim)

Spanish filmmaker Oliver Laxe’s “Sirāt” has become one of the most celebrated films of the year, popping up on critics list and making a strong showing on the recent Oscars shortlists. On Tuesday, Acropolis Cinema will present the Los Angeles premiere of Laxe’s 2019 film “Fire Will Come” at 2220 Arts + Archives (its original release was curtailed by the pandemic). Laxe is scheduled to attend in person.

In the film, Amador (Amador Arias) has just been released from prison for arson, after having started a wildfire that ravaged the local mountains. Living with his mother, he has to overcome the suspicions and distrust of everyone in the community.

Reviewing the film in 2020 for a digital release, Carlos Aguilar called the film “quietly phenomenal,” adding, “Its discourse on forgiveness simmers in one’s mind inextinguishably.”

Joachim Trier tribute

Director Joachim Trier, photographed at the Los Angeles Times Studios at RGB House during the Toronto International Film Festival in September.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

The American Cinematheque is launching a tribute to Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier this week. He will be appearing person with co-writer Eskil Vogt following screenings of “The Worst Person in the World” and his current movie “Sentimental Value.”

These are also rare opportunities to see two of Trier’s earlier films — his 2006 debut “Reprise” and 2011’s devastating “Oslo, August 31st” — in a theater.

“Sentimental Value” directly engages with the legacy of Scandinavian cinema, with Stellan Skarsgård playing an arthouse filmmaker trying to get a new project off the ground with his daughter (“Worst Person” star Renate Reinsve).

Going all the way back to “Reprise.” Trier has been making a case for a new kind of Scandinavian cinema: “I would hope young people would see this not as the old, dreary, dandruff-on-the-shoulders, slow European film,” he said in 2008. “I wanted to make something more sexy and relevant to people.”

It’s the second day of a brand new year, and I’d like to take a moment to look back at some of the towering talent we lost in 2025 through the appreciations and obituaries written by the arts staff.

A caveat: The Times strives to acknowledge significant figures in arts and culture when they die, but due to the fast-paced nature of daily news, we often miss people we wish we hadn’t, so this list is far from inclusive.

“Appreciation: Frank Gehry was the architect who changed music,” Times classical music critic Mark Swed on the unique way that Gehry’s designs interacted with — and elevated — sound.

“Diane Keaton, film legend, fashion trendsetter and champion of L.A.’s past, dead at 79,” Keaton, who appeared on Broadway in “Hair” and “Play It Again, Sam” before becoming a movie star, didn’t consider herself an artist, but she was a patron and published several books that captured her longtime interest in photography and collage-making.

“Appreciation: Richard Foreman, an auteur of consciousness, did things his way,” writes Times theater critic Charles McNulty of the experimental playwright.

“Playwright Richard Greenberg, the Mozart of verbal arias, brought an exquisite fluency to the American stage,” an appreciation by McNulty.

“Appreciation: Tom Stoppard reinvigorated the comedy of ideas,” McNulty on the genius of the playwright.

“Elizabeth Franz, Tony-winning ‘Death of a Salesman’ actor, dies at 84,” an obituary of the prolific stage actor whose career spanned more than five decades.

“Appreciation: Playwright Athol Fugard proved the pen could be mightier than the sword,” McNulty on the 92-year-old dramatist’s career and its deep impact on South Africa.

“Appreciation: Joe Goode beautifully blurred the lines of the art world,” Times art critic Christopher Knight on how the artist helped establish the vibrant Los Angeles art scene of the 1960s.

“Appreciation: Robert Wilson, who changed everything he touched, was the most influential theater artist of our time,” Swed on the lasting importance of the avante-garde theater maker who collaborated closely with Philip Glass.

“The lasting legacy of L.A.-born ceramicist Michael Frimkess,” a look at the legacy of the Boyle Heights-born artist who died at 88.

I’m arts and culture writer Jessica Gelt inviting you to join me on a journey of remembrance. Here’s your arts and culture news for the week.

The year in pictures

Cynthia Erivo, April 14, 2025, in Los Angeles.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

We recently shared The Times’ best entertainment photos of 2025 and the year in news photography. Here are some of the most interesting images we’ve captured this year in the arts world.

A preview of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s Geffen Galleries, June 26, 2025.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Singer Angelique Kidjo performs with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Aug. 28, 2025, at the Hollywood Bowl.

(Hon Wing Chiu / For The Times)

The cast of “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding”: Bisserat Tseggai, left, Jordan Rice, Victoire Charles and Claudia Logan, Oct. 1, 2025, in Los Angeles.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Edward V. Valentine’s “Jefferson Davis,” at the “MONUMENTS” exhibit at MOCA, Oct. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles.

(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)

Gustavo Dudamel conducts Youth Orchestra Los Angeles, Oct. 11, 2025, in Inglewood.

(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)

June Squibb, Nov. 4, 2025, in New York City.

(Evelyn Freja / For The Times)

Ben Platt, Dec. 4, 2025, in Los Angeles.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

The SoCal scene

The exhibition floor at the LA Art Show in 2022.

(LA Art Show)

Art for 2026
The first big art event of the new year kicks off Wednesday when the 31st edition of the LA Art Show opens downtown. Galleries and institutions from around the world will exhibit art across the vast spaces of the Los Angeles Convention Center. This year’s program includes the debut of an invitation-only Latin American Pavilion, curated by Marisa Caichiolo, who also curates the DIVERSEartLA program. Among the other featured presentations are works by Israeli artist Yigal Ozeri and South African artist Esther Mahlangu, plus a solo exhibition of abstract paintings by Sylvester Stallone. The show continues through Jan. 11.

Culture news

Idris Elba arriving at the 2004 Primetime Emmy Awards at the Peacock Theater.

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

That’s Sir Idris to you

Actors Idris Elba and Cynthia Erivo were among the more than 1,100 people on King Charles III’s annual New Year Honours List released this week. The British tradition recognizes people who have “made achievements in public life” and “committed themselves to serving and helping the UK.” Elba, known for television roles in “The Wire” and “Luther” and movies including “Beasts of No Nation” and “Thor,” was knighted for services to young people. “Wicked” star Erivo, a Tony and Grammy winner and three-time Oscar nominee, received a Member of the Order of the British Empire, or MBE, for services to music and drama.

Freedom from fascism
On a recent fall day, Catherine Rampell of the Bulwark was given a guided tour of the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Mass., by the artist’s granddaughter Daisy Rockwell. In an article published this week, “The MAGAfication of Norman Rockwell,” Daisy expressed her displeasure with the Trump administration’s misappropriation of her grandfather’s work to promote the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s anti-immigrant operations. “Norman Rockwell was antifa,” Daisy told Rampell. “They used [the paintings] … as though his work aligned with their values, i.e., promoting this segregationist vision of America. And so of course we were upset by this, because Norman Rockwell was really very clearly anti-segregationist.” Through most of Rockwell’s career, he depicted American life largely through a white lens, but eventually came to a reckoning with some of his own views, chronicling some of the most significant moments of the civil rights movement. In November, the Rockwell family published a letter in USA Today detailing how the artist’s “efforts to eradicate prejudices both within himself and others led him to explore issues of racism, violence and segregation well into his 70s.”

Russia reopens Mariupol theater where hundreds died
In March 2022, a Russian air strike killed more than 600 civilians sheltering inside a historic theater in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol. This week, the Associated Press reported that Moscow-installed authorities in the now occupied region reopened the Donetsk Academic Regional Drama Theater with a gala concert on the building’s newly rebuilt main stage. Russian state media outlets shared images of the building’s marbled pillars and staircases as dancers, wearing kokoshniks, traditional Russian headdresses, performed. Mariupol’s Ukrainian city council, which left the city when it became occupied, denounced the “restoration,” calling it “a cynical attempt to conceal the traces of a war crime” in a statement on Telegram.

— Kevin Crust

And last but not least

“Twelfth Night,” with Moses Sumney, left, Kapil Talwalkar, Junior Nyong’o and Lupita Nyong’o at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, which was broadcast on PBS’ “Great Performances” in November and is available to stream via PBS Passport.

(Joseph Sinnott)

Times television critic Robert Lloyd wrapped his year with an essay, “6 ways public broadcasting will improve your life. And that’s a promise.” One suggestion is to make a tax-deductible $5-a-month donation to PBS. That gifts gets you “PBS Passport,” public television’s all-access streaming platform, which offers an endless bounty of quality programming. Key among the offerings of interest to readers of this newsletter are programs such as “Great Performances,” “Austin City Limits” and “Artbound,” plus a rabbit hole of regional arts programming with something for every taste. As Lloyd wrote, “If you can’t find something to watch or listen to here, you are simply an incurious person.”