Welcome back to The Times’ Lakers newsletter, where we’re mapping a new route.
Inspired by the Lakers’ stay at Salt Lake City’s Asher Adams hotel, coach JJ Redick took us on an interview tangent Sunday. The luxurious downtown hotel is named after John R. Asher and George H. Adams, cartographers known for their work mapping railroads, and staying in a repurposed railroad station inspired Redick to look for his latest metaphor.
“As the season starts, you’re mapping sort of who you can be,” Redick said Sunday before the Lakers improved to 3-0 with a win over the Utah Jazz. “Every new game early in the season, you’re discovering something different, combinations that work, lineups that work, whatever it may be, and that’s exciting.”
The Lakers welcomed a critical crew member back into the fold this week, and he’s making his presence on this adventure known immediately.
Get all the Lakers news you need in Thuc Nhi Nguyen’s weekly newsletter.
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Collin Sexton’s role looks small in a box score. The guard is averaging just nine points in his first two games as a Laker in 18.1 minutes per game. He’s shooting just 25% from three. He has three steals.
The numbers don’t do Sexton’s brand of ball justice. Teammates report feeling his influence on the court the moment he checks in. The free agent acquisition guards like a pesky summer mosquito. He attacks like, well, the well-earned nickname he’s carried since high school.
“They call me a bull for a reason,” Sexton said. “Whenever I get out on that court, it’s go time. It’s no creeping into the game.”
After missing the whole preseason and the regular-season opener, Sexton is making an immediate impact for the Lakers. His energy off the bench helped shift the team’s 132-123 win over the Utah Jazz on Sunday when the Lakers overcame a lifeless first quarter.
Sexton has shown his relentlessness since he arrived. During a pickup game on the team’s summer trip to Slovenia, Sexton took a Luka Doncic elbow to the mouth that cut both his top and bottom lips. Instead of backing down, Sexton wiped his mouth with a towel and turned back toward the court with a simple “let’s go.”
“There’s a level of insanity with him,” Redick said. “And I think our team responds to insanity.”
The 27-year-old guard has always had that aspect to his game, he said. He was a scrappy young player. He wanted to keep up with older kids, including his brother Jordan. They used to call him “Young Bull.”
“Now,” Sexton said, “it’s just Bull.”
Sexton’s intense playing style has remained as his career has evolved. The eighth pick in the 2018 draft, Sexton earned second-team all-rookie honors with Cleveland. He teamed with Darius Garland to make a dynamic, high-scoring backcourt duo. But Sexton suffered a season-ending knee injury in November 2021 and he was traded to Utah in a sign-and-trade that involved bringing Donovan Mitchell to Cleveland. The former lottery pick is now on his fourth team in six seasons.
Another injury slowed the beginning of his Lakers tenure. Sexton suffered a right calf strain during training camp. He is still finding his offensive rhythm, but even when he wasn’t on the court, he wanted his teammates to feel his presence.
“One thing I was able to do is just stay present, just continue to be a leader, and continue to use my voice as much as I can,” Sexton said, “and just continue to come in with the right attitude and the right approach.”
Matisse Thybulle already knew of Sexton’s endless energy. But Sexton’s vocal leadership surprised the Lakers’ forward this season. When Sexton made his season debut against the Clippers on Oct. 23, Thybulle noticed how active Sexton was in organizing the team offensively and defensively. Already responsible for bringing defensive energy, Thybulle had no choice but to step up his own effort once Sexton arrived.
There’s no hiding this Bull on the court. And he’s inspiring a stampede.
“It gives us even more energy,” Thybulle said of Sexton. “And I think it’s just one of those things that, like, when everyone else is doing it, you don’t want to be the guy to not be.”
Austin Reaves has been Mr. Consistency on the Lakers.
(Luke Hales / Getty Images)
With a flurry of three-pointers and defensive stops, Doncic landed body blow after body blow. Then Austin Reaves hit the knockout shot.
After Doncic hit three late three-pointers in the Lakers’ dramatic win over the Jazz, it was Reaves who hit the dagger shot with 32.3 seconds left to put the Lakers up by seven points. Reaves held a finger to his lips. The Utah fans in the crowd streamed toward the exits.
The Lakers have the highest-scoring offense in the league through (less than) one week of games, yet haven’t had all their stars aligned. Doncic needed Sunday’s 52-point, 10-assist outburst to offset what he called a “terrible” performance against the Clippers in which he had 11 turnovers. He shot 38.5% from the field during the first two games.
Walker Kessler had a perfect offensive Lakers debut then was a six-block, three-steal defensive menace in his second game. But the star center disappeared Sunday while battling an emotional return to Utah.
While his teammates still settle into the season, there’s always Reaves. The Lakers’ “Mr. Consistency,” as Redick called him.
The guard is averaging 26.7 points on just 12 shot attempts per game with 6.3 assists per game during the first three games. He is shooting an eye-popping 63.9% from the field. The efficiency, as Doncic put it in a charming mistranslation, is “off the roof.”
Fresh off a massive four-year, $180-million contract extension that solidified Reaves as a legitimate star player, the humble Arkansas native has elevated his game with the same mindset taught to him from his parents and older brother.
“Play the game the right way, the game’s gonna reward you,” said Reaves, who is trying to earn his first All-Star appearance this season. “We have a team that understands roles and what we ask them to do. … The thing about our team is there’s no ego, there’s no anything, just wanna win basketball games and however that happens is the main thing.”
Redick praised Reaves’ patience this season. Kessler marveled at Reaves’ skill and ability to score while also making plays for others.
Doncic, now the unquestioned No. 1 option since LeBron James’ departure, thrives next to another top ballhandler. In Dallas, he began with Jalen Brunson. He went to his first NBA Finals next to Kyrie Irving. The Lakers hope pairing Doncic and Reaves can go even further.
“To have him next to me, leading this team, it’s awesome,” Doncic said. “So, [if] he keeps going like that, he’s going to be really good for us.”
They passed the baton back and forth during Sunday’s gritty win. Reaves shushed the crowd after his dagger shot. Doncic waved goodbye. The only fans left to make noise were the traveling Laker faithful who showered the road team with cheers at the buzzer.
Last week, we asked: “Where do you think the Lakers will finish in the Western Conference?”
After 1,222 votes:
Top-two seed: 2.4%
First-round home court (3-4): 33.6%
Safely in playoffs (5-6): 43.9%
Play-in (7-10): 17.3%
Cancun by mid-April: 2.8%
Records updated before Monday’s games
Tuesday vs. Trail Blazers (2-0), 8 p.m.
This could be one of the most star-studded backcourt matchups of the season. The Lakers have Doncic and Reaves. The Trail Blazers are starting Damian Lillard and Ja Morant. Lillard, returning from an Achilles injury suffered in the 2025 playoffs, is averaging 22 points.
Wednesday at Clippers (1-2), 7:30 p.m.
The Lakers ran away in the second half against the shorthanded Clippers last week. The Clippers were counting on Brandon Ingram to move on past Kawhi Leonard, but the former Lakers draft pick is still out with an Achilles injury.
Friday at Warriors (0-3), 7 p.m.
Luka vs. Yaxel, NBA Cup’s version. The Warriors’ rookie made a bold choice by trash-talking with Doncic during the season opener. With the Warriors struggling, the only bright spots of this fallen dynasty might be the flashes of brilliance from Stephen Curry and what viral content Lendeborg will provide next.
Sunday vs. Raptors (2-1), 6 p.m.
Sandro Mamukelashvili will host his former team as the Lakers begin a second back-to-back in a week. This stretch is one of the busiest the Lakers will face this season, but at least it’s all contained in California.
Monday vs. Heat (0-3), 7 p.m.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s much-heralded move to Miami has produced big numbers, but no wins. The former Milwaukee star scored 71 points in the first two games combined, but the Heat weren’t even competitive against two playoff hopefuls (Minnesota and Detroit).
Breakfast burrito at Old Cuss Cafe in Salt Lake City.
(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)
There’s a pennant in Downtown Salt Lake City’s Old Cuss Cafe hanging above the cash register that reads “This place sucks.” Don’t let the self-deprecating decor deter you. The breakfast burrito is awesome. It’s got the staples with potatoes, eggs, onions and sausage (or bacon), but it’s the fragrant pesto that takes it over the top. It made me forget to be mad that my hotel room wasn’t ready yet.
Luka Doncic scores 52 points, hits several late clutch shots as Lakers rally to beat Jazz
‘I miss him.’ Lakers reunite with Rui Hachimura in first game against Clippers
Swanson: Luka Doncic’s trash-talking antics sharpen his edge. Lakers fans need to embrace it
Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler lead Lakers past the Clippers
How the Lakers’ Luka Doncic went from ‘Wonder Boy’ to ‘The Man’
Walker Kessler’s Lakers debut couldn’t have gone much better
Lakers’ new Luka Doncic era opens with rout of Warriors
Lakers center Walker Kessler believes his competitive side will overcome pressure
As always, pass along your thoughts to me at thucnhi.nguyen@latimes.com, and please consider subscribing if you like our work!
HUGE walkouts are set to affect both Italy and Spain this week with both flight and train journeys disrupted.
The biggest strike will be held in Italy where staff who work in public and private sectors are staging demonstrations across the whole country.
The nationwide strike is scheduled for October 30 from 12am to 12.59pm.
The 24-hour walkout includes some who work in airports, however it’s unclear how many will take part in this general strike and which airline workers will join.
However, there’s a separate strike set to take place in Tuscany on October 30.
Ground-handling companies at Toscana Aeroporti, which runs Pisa and Florence airports are planning their own 24-hour strike.
These staff are essential to the running of the airport – they load bags, check in passengers and turn planes around between flights.
A walkout here could mean delays and cancellations even if pilots and airline crews are working normally.
However, it’s possible that this will be called off as the day of the strike falls within Italy’s protected period.
Between October 30 and November 5, strikes that affect flights and airports are normally prohibited as it is a busy holiday period in Italy with All Saints’ Day falling on November 1.
Even if airport workers don’t join the strike action, the walkout will have an impact on Metro services, and on motorways, staff and toll services are set to strike.
Dockworkers and port staff are also set to strike and on the day there could be closures at attractions like museums.
The walkout follows widespread protests across the county about the rising costs of living, a new government budget plan and students are protesting over school conditions.
Over in Spain, a rail strike is set to take place on October 29 between 12.01am and 23.39pm.
The train drivers’ union SEMAF is calling for members who work for train operator Renfe to walk out.
This is over an ongoing dispute over safety standards on the country’s rail network.
It could cause major disruption across the country as Renfe operates across the entire network of Spain connecting major cities like Barcelona, Seville, Zaragoza and Alicante.
A look at your rights if a flight is delayed or cancelled, when your entitled to compensation and if your travel insurance can cover the costs.
What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?
Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.
If you’re flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight.
You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven’t used yet.
So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.
But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.
When am I not entitled to compensation?
The airline doesn’t have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather.
Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.
Some airlines may stretch the definition of “extraordinary circumstances” but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?
If you can’t claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you.
Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer.
Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.
If your flight is cancelled entirely, you’re unlikely to be covered by your insurance.
ONE of the UK’s largest indoor waterparks is set to close next week until next year.
Despite usually remaining open year-round, Aqua Park in Stoke-on-Trent will close for renovations next week.
The park is part of Waterworld and will be closed from November 2 until early next year.
The park is hosting a ‘Last Splash’ party on November 1 before the closure with a DJ between 12pm and 4pm.
Few details have been revealed about the renovation, but the park currently has 30 rides and attractions.
The website simply states that it cannot wait to welcome back visitors with “exciting upgrades”.
Read more on travel inspo
Wayne Goodall, Managing Director of Waterworld Leisure Resort, said: “Our closing party is the perfect chance for visitors to make a last splash with us before we close for a short time to make exciting changes across the Aqua Park.
“At its heart, Waterworld offers families a place to spend time together, escape from everyday life and enjoy that holiday feeling, whatever the weather.
“The upgrades we have planned are set to build on that sense of fun and enhance the way we tell our story, creating a more immersive experience for our guests.
“We can’t wait to reveal more about the upcoming investment soon.”
Adventure Mini Golf and Adventure Mini Village will remain open while the Aqua Park undergoes renovation.
Waterworld first opened in 1989 and is heated to a toasty 30C year-round, with numerous different slides such as Cyclone, Hurricane and Stormchaser.
There are racing slides as well and even a water rollercoaster.
If thrill rides aren’t your thing though, you can relax in the wave pool or bubble pools.
There’s also a rapids area, hot tubs and a children’s splash area.
A look at the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland after Week 9:
Rk. School (record) result; Next game; last week’s ranking
1. SANTA MARGARITA (9-0) def. JSerra, 36-12; vs. Orange Lutheran at Orange Coast College, Friday; 1
2. SIERRA CANYON (9-0) def. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 63-6; vs. Bishop Amat, Friday; 2
3. ST. JOHN BOSCO (7-2) def. Servite, 54-7; vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium, Friday; 3
4. CORONA CENTENNIAL (6-3) def. Chaparral, 41-27; at Murrieta Mesa, Thursday; 4
5. MATER DEI (7–2) def. Orange Lutheran, 52-38; vs. St. John Bosco, Friday; 5
6. MISSION VIEJO (7-1) def. Los Alamitos, 58-7; vs. San Juan Hills, Friday; 6
7. ORANGE LUTHERAN (5-4) lost to Mater Dei, 52-38; vs. Santa Margarita, Friday; 7
8. BISHOP AMAT (8-1) def. Loyola, 7-0; at Sierra Canyon, Friday; 10
9. SAN JUAN HILLS (8-1) def. San Clemente, 16-0; at Mission Viejo, Friday; 24
10. SAN CLEMENTE (7-1) lost to San Juan Hills, 16-0; vs. Huntington Beach Edison, Friday; 8
11. JSERRA (4-5) lost to Santa Margarita, 36-12; vs. Servite, Friday; 9
12. CREAN LUTHERAN (6-2) def. Corona del Mar, 31-17; vs. Villa Park, Friday; 13
13. LA SERNA (8-1) def. Mayfair, 42-14; at Downey, Friday; 12
14. INGLEWOOD (9-1) def. Leuzinger, 41-0; Southern Section playoffs; 14
15. SERVITE (3-6) lost to St. John Bosco, 54-7; at JSerra, Friday; 11
16. PALOS VERDES (8-1) def. Redondo Union, 28-7; vs. Leuzinger, Friday; 15
17. CARSON (8-1) def. San Pedro, 35-0; vs. Mary Star of the Sea, Friday; 17
18. CHAPARRAL (5-4) lost to Corona Centennial 41-27; at Vista Murrieta, Friday; NR
19. CORONA DEL MAR (7-2) lost to Crean Lutheran, 31-17; at La Habra, Friday; 16
20. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (7-2) lost to Sierra Canyon, 63-6; vs. Gardena Serra, Friday; 18
21. CHAMINADE (6-3) def. Gardena Serra, 21-7; at Loyola, Friday; 19
22. CAPISTRANO VALLEY (8-1) def. Villa Park, 30-18; at Tustin, Thursday; 25
23. HUNTINGTON BEACH (9-0) def. Troy, 37-22; vs. Laguna Beach, Friday; 20
24. ORANGE (9-0) def. Irvine, 55-17; at El Toro, Friday; 23
25. GARDENA SERRA (4-5) lost to Chaminade, 21-7; at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Friday; 22
On the same week that a court filing showed that construction on President Trump’s hotly contested triumphal arch could begin as soon as Nov. 5, another less reported development pointed to the possibility that the government might be misrepresenting its plans for Trump’s National Garden of American Heroes in West Potomac Park.
On Monday, the National Park Service held a meeting about a proposed redesign to the park, which is part of the National Mall and also where Trump wants to put his Garden of Heroes featuring more than 250 statues ranging from Humphrey Bogart to Kobe Bryant to Benjamin Franklin. Trump first proposed the idea in 2020, but it wasn’t until his second term — when he began a crusade to remake much of Washington, D.C.’s historic core according to his own predilections — that the plan looked as if it might manifest. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act even appropriated $40 million for the project.
The Garden of Heroes has remained largely in the background while preservationists focused on the demolition of the White House East Wing and the construction of a massive ballroom in its place, as well as the botched painting of the Reflecting Pool, and, of course, the gigantic triumphal arch.
But Monday’s NPS meeting about plans for West Potomac Park rang alarm bells for some when Judy Chesser, chair of the nonprofit conservation and preservation group the Committee of 100 on the Federal City, asked, “How does this relate to the Garden of Heroes that is being discussed in West Potomac?” to which the NPS spokesperson replied, “This is just an update to the tidal basin master plan we started before. This is not the Garden of Heroes.”
However, the Washington, D.C.-based education and advocacy organization Cultural Landscape Foundation noted that the rendering in NPS’ presentation and the illustrated “Pledge Agreement” from the National Garden of American Heroes Foundation contain similarities that “go way beyond coincidental.”
“Each includes a great lawn, a giant oval/circle, an amphitheater, a fountain, and a staircase to the Potomac River,” Charles A. Birnbaum, founding president and chief executive of the foundation, wrote in an email.
“In addition, the new design shown Monday amputates part of the FDR Memorial to accommodate the Oval. This is intentional. Clearly the Oval is meant to host something else or it would be re-scaled so as not to interfere with the FDR Memorial,” the email continued.
If this is the case, the strategy of downplaying or downright denying an intention to work on a Trump-backed project is eerily reminiscent of the strategy government lawyers used in a recent, highly publicized court battle over the removal of dozens of trees from a golf course that Trump is trying to transform into a premiere golfing destination.
In that instance lawyers repeatedly said there were no plans to renovate the golf course (thus preventing U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes from issuing an injunction against said renovations), only to chop down hundreds of trees on the course with no notice over a holiday weekend. Reyes was irate and sources familiar with the feud say that the judge expects the case to go all the way to the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, as of 2 p.m. PDT, Thursday, opponents of Trump’s arch have filed a motion for an injunction on the possible Nov. 5 construction, arguing that Congress needs to approve any plan moving forward. This head-snapping whirlwind of motions and counter motions is expected by critics to continue to be the norm as Trump tries to push through as many of his D.C.-based renovations as possible before a new Congress is seated in January.
“What better way to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary than to shut down the legally required review process, ignore some 100,000 negative public comments, and fast track the construction of a bloated and deeply unpopular monument that the president claims is for him,” wrote the Landscape Foundation’s Birnbaum in a statement about the arch.
I’m Arts editor Jessica Gelt pitching preservationists for my personal garden of heroes. This is your arts and culture news for the week.
Our critics and reporters guide you through events and happenings in the SoCal arts scene. In your inbox every Friday.
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American Sound Takes Flight
MUSE/IQUE explores the nation’s music from Aaron Copland to Paul Simon in a concert setting infused with storytelling and cultural context. Featuring Brandon Victor Dixon, Liv Redpath and the MUSE/IQUE Orchestra, led by Artistic and Music Director Rachael Worby.
7:30 p.m. Friday, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. thewallis.org
Bach to Broadway
The 31st annual concert, featuring Pueri Cantores SGV, the St. Andrew School Choir, Los Angeles Children’s Chorus and members of the L.A. Opera and L.A. Master Chorale benefits the restoration of historic St. Andrew Church.
7:30 p.m. St. Andrew Church, 311 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena. saintandrewpasadena.org
Ballet Festival: Jerome Robbins at the Ahmanson Theatre
(Steven Pisano / The Joyce Theater Foundation)
Ballet Festival: Jerome Robbins
Three programs of the choreographer’s masterworks, curated by New York City Ballet principal dancer Tiler Peck, with dancers from New York City Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet and other major companies performing to live chamber music
7:30 p.m. Friday, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. musiccenter.org
Andrew Bird
The acclaimed multi-instrumentalist and songwriter joins with the Los Angeles Philharmonic to mark the 20th anniversary of his album, “The Mysterious Production of Eggs,” with orchestral arrangements, plus popular songs from his catalog.
8 p.m. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
Aymeric Hainaux and François Chaignaud
The musician and choreographer team up for “Mirlitons,” a marathon vocal and dance duet.
8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The Nimoy, 1262 Westwood Blvd. cap.ucla.edu
Museum on Haunted Hill: A Celebration of Vincent Price
The institution pays homage to its original patron, the noted actor, art collector, advocate and historian, with an evening of after-hours access to exhibitions, casual screenings of classic Price films, drinks and snacks, music, a photo booth and haunted decor.
5-8 p.m. Vincent Price Art Museum, East Los Angeles College, 1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez, Monterey Park. vpam.org
PLAY: A Play
EmIly Mast’s unscripted conceptual performance features six players, guided by a coach, working against a clock and an evolving set of rules to examine “the invisible systems that govern power, behavior and care.” With Hugo Armstrong, Gregory Barnett, Chu-Hsuan Chang, Jessica Emmanuel, Jessica Hemingway, Aramazd Stepanian and Maxwell Transue.
7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 4:30 p.m. Sunday. The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, 152 N. Central Ave., Little Tokyo. moca.org
Sinners: Sounds That Summon
This exhibition examines the standout Club Juke scene in Ryan Coogler’s Oscar-winning 2025 film focusing on the guitar played by the character Sammie Moore (Miles Caton), costumes, objects and archival material.
Through March 14, 2027. California African American Museum, 600 State Drive, Exposition Park. caamuseum.org
Grand Ave Arts: All Access
Tenth annual celebration of L.A. downtown cultural corridor with free exhibitions, tours, performances, family-friendly activities and more from participating organizations including the Broad, Center Theatre Group, Colburn School, Classical California, Dataland, Gloria Molina Grand Park, Grand Performances, L.A. Opera, L.A. Phil, Los Angeles Central Library, Metro Art, MOCA, the Music Center and REDCAT.
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Grand Ave., between Temple and 6th Streets, downtown L.A. grandavearts.org
Kabuki in Motion: The Lion Returns
U.S. Kabuki Ken Kyu Kai presents this program of kabuki dance, Nihon buyō (Japanese classical dance), and live koto and shamisen music featuring artists from Japan and California.
4:30 p.m. The Huntington, Rothenberg Hall, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino. huntington.org
Picasso Ceramics From the Rosenbaum Collection
The exhibition presents 63 original prints and limited-edition ceramics, including vessels, plates, pitchers and sculptural forms created by the artist after 1947.
Through Feb. 28, 2027. Bowers Museum, 2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana. bowers.org
Lucile Dollat
The French organist performs music from the 16th century to the present.
7:30 p.m. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
Jason Moran Presents Duke Ellington: My Heart Sings
The pianist and composer performs with members of the Pacific Symphony to engage with Ellington’s work through a contemporary frame.
8 p.m. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. scfta.org
The Music Man
Meredith Willson’s Tony Award-winning musical comedy brings smooth-talking con man Harold Hill to River City, where his schemes are curtailed when he falls for Marian, the local librarian.
Through Nov. 8. Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. centertheatregroup.org
Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal with Rafael Payare
The Canadian ensemble and its charismatic Venezuelan conductor (who also leads the San Diego Symphony) perform Dmitri Shostakovich’s “Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93,” plus Felix Mendelssohn’s “Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64” with Leonidas Kavakos.
8 p.m. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
The 39 Steps
Patrick Barlow’s adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 spy thriller (itself an adaptation of a novel by John Buchan) about an ordinary man entangled in international intrigue. Directed by Hunter Foster.
Through Nov. 22. Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. lagunaplayhouse.com
The Who’s Tommy
The band’s 1969 rock opera featuring “I’m Free,” “See Me, Feel Me,” “Sensation” and, of course, “Pinball Wizard,” is transformed into a Broadway musical by composer Pete Townshend and original director Des McAnuff.
Through Nov. 15. Hollywood Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd. broadwayinhollywood.com
Nedra Ryan Taylor and Sarah Scott Davis in the play “Confederates.”
(Davis Northern)
Confederates
Institutional racism, as experienced in two different eras by Black women, is the subject of Dominique Morisseau’s 2022 dramatic comedy. Best known for her three-play cycle “The Detroit Project” as well as the book for the musical about the Temptations “Ain’t Too Proud,” Morisseau juxtaposes the plight of an enslaved rebel and Union spy during the Civil War with that of a contemporary political science professor facing a threatening work environment. Fountain Artistic Director Raymond O. Caldwell directs this sharp-eyed satire examining an unbroken thread of racial and gender bias in American history. (Charles McNulty)
Previews, 8 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, play runs through Dec. 13. Fountain Theatre, 5060 Fountain Ave. fountaintheatre.com
Seasons of America With Teddy Abrams & Ray Chen
The world premiere of Abrams’ L.A. Phil commission, written especially for violinist Chen, along with Julia Perry’s “A Short Piece for Orchestra.” Charles Ives’ “Three Places in New England, S. 7” and George Gershwin’s “An American in Paris.”
8 p.m. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
Sasha Velour: Travesty
The Season 9 winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” performs a new solo work that spans queer history through lip-sync performances embodying various personas including a witch burned in a field, a clown who builds a theater and patrons of an underground gay bar.
7:30 p.m. Thursday-Oct. 30. The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. thewallis.org
Katie Folger gets ready at her home before her performance of “Getting in Bed With the Pizza Man” at the Elysian Theater.
(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)
ICYMI, the best of this week’s L.A. Times arts coverage:
Katie Folger moved to L.A. hoping to make it for the third time in nine years. She created a one-woman show and sold it out. Will the TV pilot sell next?
Former Times arts columnist Carolina A. Miranda wrote a fantastic profile of Todd Gray as he opens a new solo show at the Brick.
The Broad announced that it’s shipping 164 works to Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris for its most extensive exhibition ever mounted outside Los Angeles, timed to coincide with the most extensive phase of construction on its expansion.
Reggie Burrows Hodges, “Blackness in the Looking Glass and the Images of Currency: Carriage,” 2022.
(Reggie Burrows Hodges / Karma)
Artist Reggie Burrows Hodges has three concurrent shows in L.A. at the Getty, Art + Practice and California African American Museum. He prefers a low profile, but contributor Tara Anne Dalbow penned this lovely profile.
Latino Theater Company’s production of “Yamel Cucuy” is the story of a 13-year-old girl, ICE and Mexican folkloric monsters.
Times theater critic Charles McNulty headed to New York to review Billy Crystal’s “tremendously moving new Broadway show” “860.”
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Ahmanson Theatre.
(Ryan Miller / Capture Imaging)
Center Theatre Group and the YMCA of Los Angeles this week announced a new partnership called “Every Age. Every Stage,” with the aim of making live theater more accessible to a larger swath of city residents. The program includes free ticket offers for Y members as well as theater workshops and career mentorship.
A marble torso sculpted during the early Roman Empire set a new world record for ancient classical sculpture at auction earlier this week when it sold at Sotheby’s New York for $34.3 million. That was almost three times more than its pre-sale estimate of between $8 million and $12 million.
— Jessica Gelt
California has an adults-only train car featuring stiff drinks and great views of the redwoods.
WEEK 10 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
(Games at 7 p.m. unless noted)
MONDAY’S SCHEDULE
SOUTHERN SECTION
Sigma League
Saddleback at Costa Mesa, 3:30 p.m.
THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE
CITY SECTION
Marine League
Wilmington Banning at Gardena
Valley Mission League
Canoga Park at San Fernando
SOUTHERN SECTION
Baseline League
Chino Hills at Upland
Damien at Rancho Cucamonga
Big West League
Chaparral at Vista Murrieta
Corona Centennial at Murrieta Mesa
Norco at Murrieta Valley
Riverside King at Corona Santiago
Bravo League
Capistrano Valley at Tustin
Camino Real League
St. Genevieve at Bosco Tech
Citrus Belt League
Cajon at Redlands
Citrus Valley at Beaumont
Yucaipa at Redlands East Valley
Conference 12 League
El Monte Arroyo at Mountain View
Delta League
Western at El Modena
Desert Sky League
Adelanto at Barstow
Foxtrot League
Irvine at El Dorado
Golden League
Eastside at Antelope Valley
Hacienda League
Baldwin Park at South Hills
Iota League
Laguna Hills at Garden Grove Pacifica
Ivy League
Vista del Lago at Rancho Christian
Kappa League
Esperanza at Portola
Manzanita League
Nuview Bridge at California Military Institute
San Jacinto Valley Academy at Anza Hamilton
Miramonte League
Bassett at Ganesha
Garey at Workman
Mission Valley League
Arroyo at Mountain View
Sierra League
Ayala at Colony
Charter Oak at Northview
Glendora at Bonita
Sunbelt League
Moreno Valley at Paloma Valley
Valley View at Hillcrest
Sun Valley League
Cathedral City at Desert Mirage
Tango League
Century at Santa Ana Valley
Garden Grove Santiago at Loara, 6:30 p.m.
Godinez at Magnolia
Valle Vista League
Diamond Ranch at Chino
Nonleague
Compton Centennial at Dominguez
Hemet at Heritage
Riverside Prep at Riverside Notre Dame
8-MAN
CITY SECTION
City League
Stella at New Designs Watts
Valley League
Valley Oaks CES at South LA College Prep, 3 p.m.
SOUTHERN SECTION
Majestic League
Cornerstone Christian at Calvary Baptist
Public Safety Academy at United Christian Academy
FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE
CITY SECTION
Central League
Maywood CES at Hollywood
Mendez at Contreras
Roybal at Bernstein
Coliseum League
Crenshaw at Washington Prep
King/Drew at Dorsey
Eastern League
Garfield vs. L.A. Roosevelt at East L.A. College, 7:30 p.m.
Legacy at South East
South Gate at Huntington Park
East Valley League
Arleta at Sun Valley Poly
Fulton at North Hollywood
Monroe at Arroyo
Verdugo Hills at Grant
Exposition League
Fremont at Santee
Marine League
Narbonne at San Pedro
Metro League
Dymally at Hawkins
Rancho Dominguez at L.A. Jordan
Northern League
Eagle Rock at L.A. Marshall, 3:30 p.m.
Franklin at L.A. Wilson
Southern League
Diego Rivera at West Adams, 4 p.m.
Valley Mission League
Panorama at Sylmar
Reseda at Granada Hills Kennedy
Western League
L.A. Hamilton at Fairfax
L.A. University at Venice
Westchester at Palisades
West Valley League
Birmingham at El Camino Real
Chatsworth at Cleveland
Taft at Granada Hills
Nonleague
Locke at Lincoln
Los Angeles at Belmont
SOUTHERN SECTION
Alliance League
Alhambra at Montebello
San Gabriel at South El Monte
Alpha League
Edison at San Clemente
San Juan Hills at Mission Viejo
Yorba Linda at Los Alamitos
Angelus League
Bishop Montgomery at St. Paul
Cathedral at St. Pius X-St, Matthias Academy
Paraclete at St. Francis
Arroyo League
Crescenta Valley at La Canada
Bay League
Leuzinger at Palos Verdes, 3 p.m.
Redondo Union at Mira Costa
Big West League
Corona at Great Oak
Boulder League
South Pasadena at San Marino
Bravo League
Corona del Mar at La Habra
Villa Park at Crean Lutheran
Camino Real League
St. Monica at St. Bernard
Channel League
Moorpark at Westlake
Oak Park at Oxnard
Rio Mesa at Ventura
Santa Barbara at Thousand Oaks
Citrus Coast League
Carpinteria at Nordhoff
Channel Islands at Grace
Santa Clara at Del Sol
Coastal 101 League
Agoura at Calabasas
Buena at Camarillo
Oak Park at Oxnard
Conference 12 League
Keppel at Rosemead
Cottonwood League
Arrowhead Christian at Vasquez
Riverside Prep at Riverside Notre Dame
Webb at Whittier Christian
Crest League
Hoover at Glendale
Del Rey League
Alemany at La Salle
Crespi at Salesian
Harvard-Westlake at St. Anthony
Del Rio League
California at Santa Fe
Delta League
Dana Hills at Troy
Laguna Beach at Huntington Beach
Desert Empire League
Palm Desert at La Quinta
Palm Springs at Rancho Mirage
Shadow Hills at Xavier Prep
Desert Sky League
Silverado at Granite Hills
Desert Valley League
Banning at Coachella Valley
Desert Hot Springs at Yucca Valley
Epsilon League
Aliso Niguel at Santa Ana Foothill
Tesoro at Brea Ollinda
Trabuco Hills at Newport Harbor
Foothill League
Saugus at Castaic
Valencia vs. Hart at College of the Canyons
West Ranch vs. Golden valley at Canyon Country Canyon
Foxtrot League
Beckman at Segerstrom
Orange at El Toro
Gano League
Chaffey at Don Lugo
Nogales at Rowland
Walnut at Montclair
Gateway League
La Mirada at Mayfair
La Serna at Downey
Warren at Cerritos
Gold Coast League
Brentwood at Viewpoint
Golden League
Knight at Littlerock
Palmdale at Highland
Quartz Hill at Lancaster
Hacienda League
Covina at West Covina
Diamond Bar at Los Altos
Hub City League
Dominguez at Compton Centennial
Long Beach Cabrillo at Compton Early College
Inland Valley League
Arlington at Canyon Springs
Citrus Hill at Lakeside
Iota League
Cypress at Northwood
Marina at La Palma Kennedy
Ivy League
Liberty at Riverside Poly
Orange Vista at Rancho Verde
Ironwood League
Aquinas at Capistrano Valley Christian
Heritage Christian at Cerritos Valley Christian
Village Christian at Western Christian
Kappa League
Fullerton at St. Margaret’s
Sunny Hills at Anaheim Canyon
Lambda League
Santa Ana Calvary Chapel at Fountain Valley
Sonora at Placentia Valencia
Woodbridge at Westminster
Manzanita League
Desert Chapel at Silver Valley
San Jacinto Valley at Anza Hamilton
Marmonte League
Bishop Diego at Oaks Christian
Newbury Park at St. Bonaventure
Simi Valley at Oxnard Pacifica
Mesquite League
Linfield Christian at Maranatha
Santa Rosa Academy at Ontario Christian
Metro League
El Monte at El Rancho
Schurr at Bell Gardens
Mid-Cities League
Gahr at Bellflower
Paramount at Norwalk
Mission League
Bishop Amat at Sierra Canyon
Chaminade at Loyola
Gardena Serra at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame
Mojave River League
Apple Valley at Sultana
Hesperia at Oak Hills
Serrano at Ridgecrest Burroughs
Montview League
Duarte at La Puente
Ontario at Hacienda Heights Wilson
Sierra Vista at Azusa
Moore League
Millikan at Long Beach Wilson
Mountain Pass League
Tahquitz at Elsinore
West Valley at San Jacinto
Mountain Valley League
Rubidoux at La Sierra
San Bernardino at Jurupa Valley
Ocean League
Lawndale at Hawthorne
South Torrance at Peninsula
Omicron League
Buena Park at Garden Grove
Los Amigos at Irvine University
Santa Ana at Estancia
Pioneer League
El Segundo at West Torrance
Santa Monica at Culver City
Torrance at North Torrance
Rio Vista League
Glenn at Pioneer
Lynwood at Artesia
Whittier at Firebaugh
River Valley League
Miller at Pacific
Norte Vista at Ramona
Patriot at Big Bear
San Andreas League
Colton at Kaiser
Rialto at Rim of the World
Sigma League
Anaheim at Saddleback
Costa Mesa at Katella
Rancho Alamitos at Ocean View
605 League
Glenn at Pioneer
Skyline League
Carter at Fontana
Indian Springs at Bloomington
San Gorgonio at Arroyo Valley
Sunbelt League
Riverside North at Perris
Sunkist League
Eisenhower at Grand Terrace
Jurupa Hills at Summit
Sun Valley League
Cathedral City at Desert Mirage
Indio at Twentynine Palms
Tango league
Bolsa Grande at Westminster La Quinta
Tri-County League
Royal at Hueneme
San Marcos at Dos Pueblos
Santa Paula at Fillmore
Trinity League
Santa Margarita vs. Orange Lutheran at Orange Coast College
Servite at JSerra
St. John Bosco vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium
Valle Vista League
Claremont at Alta Loma
Los Osos at San Dimas
Nonleague
Burbank at Burbank Burroughs
Cantwell-Sacred Heart at Verbum Dei
Crescenta Valley at La Canada
Monrovia at Arcadia
Pasadena at Muir
Rio Hondo Prep at Desert Christian Academy
Temple City at Gabrielino
INTERSECTIONAL
Mary Star of the Sea at Carson, 7:30 p.m.
Victory Christian Academy at St. Jeanne de Lestonnac, 7:30 p.m.
8-MAN
CITY SECTION
Valley League
SOCES at East Valley
City League
USC Hybrid at Animo Robinson
Nonleague
TEACH Tech at Sotomayor
SOUTHERN SECTION
Agape League
Hesperia Christian at PAL Academy, 3:30 p.m.
Lucerne Valley at Academy of Careers & Exploration
Coast Valley league
Cuyama Valley at Maricopa
San Luis Obispo Classical Academy at Coastal Christian, 6 p.m.
Express League
Vista Meridian at Legacy College Prep
Freelance League
Laguna Blanca at Villanova Prep, 4 p.m.
Tri-Valley League
Sage Hill at Flintridge Prep
Nonleague
California Lutheran at California School for the Deaf Riverside
Thousand Oaks Hillcrest Christian at Malibu, 6 p.m.
SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE
8-MAN
SOUTHERN SECTION
Express League
Southlands Christian at Downey Calvary Chapel, 12 p.m.
Heritage League
Faith Baptist at Desert Christian, 6 p.m.
Lancaster Baptist at Santa Clarita Christian
Tri-Valley League
Chadwick at Pasadena Poly, 11 a.m.
Nonleague
Avalon at Trinity Classical Academy, 12 p.m.
Thacher at Cate, 2 p.m.
WASHINGTON — In September, just weeks before Americans were set to vote in this year’s midterm elections, a sudden panic over the dangers posed by artificial intelligence caught the White House off guard. A whistleblower had gained viral attention warning the technology could soon pose an existential threat.
President Trump was quick to dismiss concerns, evoking urgency in the U.S. race to achieve global dominance in superintelligence. He rejected calls to negotiate guardrails on the most advanced AI models with China’s leader, Xi Jinping, weeks later, during a prime opportunity to do so in Washington.
Privately, the president expressed concern that public hysteria over AI could jolt markets that have become excessively concentrated in AI-related stocks. He had already seen fresh polling that showed widespread bipartisan opposition to the boom in construction of AI data centers, a push by Trump that has cannibalized chips and energy from other sectors of the economy, driving up costs.
Now, on the campaign trail in the final days before the vote, Trump is vowing to expand a “golden age” of prosperity through the end of his presidency. But experts say his policies on AI have set the U.S. economy up for a period of tremendous risk over the next two years.
Some of the world’s leading financiers are sounding increasingly alarmed about an AI bubble. Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, has warned that AI stocks have become detached from financial fundamentals, pushing markets to precarious highs. Ken Griffin, the world’s richest hedge fund owner, said last week that AI is “almost certainly” fueling a market bubble that could be on the verge of a burst.
Economists warn that Trump has overseen fiscal policy that would give the federal government fewer tools than it has had in the past to respond to a crisis.
“Trump could easily run into a financial crisis before his term is up,” said Kenneth Rogoff, an economist at Harvard. “It is entirely plausible to have a 30% — or more — drop in the stock market, and in the context of an economy so dependent on AI, this in turn could easily lead to a recession and widespread financial distress.”
Spending on data center infrastructure last winter and spring accounted for nearly all U.S. economic growth, according to independent analyses. Without it, growth would have slowed to a mere fraction of a percentage point, leaving the economy nearly stagnant and flirting with recession.
The Nasdaq 100 has about 70% of its index weight in companies that depend on AI, from semiconductor manufacturers and Big Tech giants to cloud platforms and software providers. Anthropic, one of the top AI industry leaders, plans an initial public offering next month, while its chief rival, OpenAI, expects to go public next year.
From left, Chris Painter, president of the Model Evaluation and Threat Research, Marius Hobbhahn, CEO of Apollo Research, Paul Ohm, professor of law at the Georgetown University Law Center, Kurt Gaudette, senior vice president of Dragos, and Daniel Kokotajlo, executive director of the AI Futures Project, are sworn in to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Disaster Management, District of Columbia, and Census hearing titled “Rogue AI: Securing the Homeland Against AI Agent Attacks,” in Dirksen Senate Office Building on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
“Because government finances are already strained, with the national debt on a patently unsustainable trajectory, there is no guarantee of a sharp drop in long-term borrowing rates for the government,” Rogoff continued. “So the options for bailing out the financial sector, or fighting recession, could be much more constrained than during the global financial crisis.”
While doubling down on the promise of an untested, frontier technology, Trump’s other economic policies may be hobbling its growth. Tariffs have raised the costs of imported chips, servers, networking equipment, metals and electrical components, and visa restrictions have tied the hands of industry leaders trying to secure the world’s best talent. Runaway federal deficits have driven long-term bond interest rates, adding pressure on AI firms already strapped with debt.
Servaas Storm, an economist closely following the AI sector at the Delft University of Technology, said the industry is already facing severe financial headwinds that could precipitate a panic.
Prices for energy, chips and minerals are driving up the cost of doing business, while early AI adopters such as Microsoft, Meta and Walmart are scaling back its use as employees spend too much time correcting errors, cleaning up low-quality output and addressing security lapses.
Slower adoption could further complicate the search for revenue, particularly for companies already struggling to monetize the technology. For now, hyperscalers are shouldering the cost of financing frontier AI labs that, as Storm put it, “do not have a credible path to profitability.”
“There is indeed an AI bubble in the stock market and in data center construction, which could pop rather soon, as rising debt loads and elevated interest rates could prove too much to sustain it,” Storm said. “That moment is not imminent, but it is approaching — and it will very likely happen before the end of Trump’s presidency.”
An economy already under duress from Trump’s other economic policies — from tariffs and tax cuts to the Iran war — could precipitate further pain, said Darrell Duffie, a finance professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Leading AI companies are already running “day-after” drills in anticipation of an AI-related crisis within the next year, according to Axios.
Americans head into election day deeply pessimistic about the economy, with 77% rating it fair or poor, according to a Fox News poll. A separate CNBC survey found that just 34% approve of Trump’s handling of the economy, while 35% of Republicans disapprove — a record high within his own party.
Inflation has fallen sharply from its 9% peak in 2022, during a pandemic-era surge, reaching 2.9% by the end of Biden’s presidency. Under Trump, it has climbed once again to 3.7%, driven by rising energy, transportation and housing costs — among the top concerns for voters entering next month’s vote.
Persistent inflation has forced the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates elevated, squeezing borrowers. And those rates — paired with high government spending and concerns over mounting deficits — have pressured the bond market, pushing 10-year Treasury yields to levels not seen since the early 2000s.
“Financial crises, by their nature, are virtually impossible to predict,” Duffie said, asked whether he shared concerns of a potential AI bubble.
“If we know we are going to be in a crisis soon,” he added, “markets advance the crisis to now.”
With just over a week to go before election day, Nithya Raman’s endorsement for mayor from the Democratic Socialists of America’s Los Angeles chapter is in jeopardy, as members of the local and national branches tussle over the city council member’s bonafides on Palestine.
The local chapter voted to endorse Raman last month, and with that comes teams of eager doorknockers canvassing for her across the city.
The endorsement wasn’t exactly full-throated — the tally was 937 in favor and 484 against — and since then factions within the DSA have argued that she isn’t in compliance with the organization’s stance on Palestine, namely, that she doesn’t support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel.
The DSA’s National Political Committee, or NPC, emailed the local’s leaders saying that they were out of compliance with “R22,” a DSA resolution that requires local chapters to inquire about a politician’s positions on the BDS movement before they are endorsed, DSA-L.A.’s co-chair Leslie Chang told The Times.
Chang acknowledged that the chapter didn’t include a question about BDS on its questionnaire for Raman before it endorsed her.
“This was an oversight,” she and co-chair Sean Wakasa wrote in an email to DSA-LA members. To the group’s national political committee, leadership wrote that Raman “has always supported the right of private citizens to engage in boycotts, including BDS.”
The Raman campaign declined to comment. At a forum last month, Raman called BDS a “legitimate form of peaceful protest” without saying whether she supports the movement.
The DSA’s national political committee, which was originally set to meet on the issue last week, is now expected to meet Monday to mull either suspending the endorsement or asking Raman to clarify her position.
Chang insists the national group has no authority to rescind an endorsement made by the L.A. chapter.
“Our endorsement of Nithya was a democratic decision made by the membership, and the NPC is violating its own bylaws by considering un-endorsement and expulsion without following proper procedure,” she said in a statement to The Times. “So we’re going to continue campaigning for our entire slate and protect our chapter’s vote by all means necessary.”
A spokesperson for the DSA national organization declined to comment.
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‘City of L.A. on steroids’
As voters ready to go to the polls next month, another local race is already looming large in the background: the contest for top dog in Los Angeles County government.
Measure G, approved by a slim margin of voters in November 2024, set in motion the process of creating both a new CEO position with broad executive powers and an independent ethics commission, and it expanded the Board of Supervisors from five members to nine.
But Supervisor Kathryn Barger is now asking her fellow supervisors to take a “pause,” telling the Times in an interview that “haste makes waste” and that she is concerned about that process and the speed of its implementation. She also called into question the ethics of a sitting supervisor running for an office that is expected to pay $558,000 in total compensation.
“This position is going to change the county. We’re going to become the city of L.A. on steroids,” she said Wednesday, a day after the board’s latest meeting devolved into a contentious discussion of the county executive issue and Barger’s intention to slow down the process.
“Once again,” she added, “we are rushing to put something together, I think maybe in the hopes that no one will peel back the curtain and expose what is going on.”
At Tuesday’s board meeting, Barger committed to not run for the CEO position and called on her fellow board members to do the same. Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Hilda Solis have now publicly stated that they too will follow the pledge.
But Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, widely viewed as a potential top contender for the position, has declined to pledge not to run. Instead, she criticized Barger’s approach in an emailed statement to The Times.
“Pressuring others out of an election is political interference, no matter how many times she calls it ethics,” Horvath said, adding that voters “took this power away from politicians like Supervisor Barger because they wanted to make this choice themselves. She doesn’t get to claw it back and dress up a power grab as an ethics crusade.”
Golfing for Gates
Thirty-four years after he left his post, former Police Chief Daryl F. Gates continues to be an unexpected flashpoint in this year’s mayoral contest.
Raman said during an Oct. 13 debate that the LAPD under Gates was “the gold standard” for its noncooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Bass responded by accusing her of romanticizing a chief who presided over the mistreatment of Black and Latino residents.
Raman initially accused Bass of twisting her words. But this week, the council member began issuing apologies, telling CNN she “should not have said it.”
Although Bass has repeatedly denounced Gates’ 14-year tenure on the campaign trail, one of her biggest financial supporters has been keeping his legacy alive.
The Los Angeles Police Protective League, which represents rank and file officers and is backing Bass, has been a long-standing host of a memorial golf tournament named after Gates, who died in 2010. This year’s was billed as one of the union’s “premier fundraising events.” According to the union, proceeds go to its Officer Needs Help Fund, which helps officers and their families in times of need.
Bass’ campaign, asked about the tournament, did not immediately offer a comment. Neither did Raman and the police union.
Times staff writer David Zahniser contributed.
— WILL SHE, WON’T HE: Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath endorsed Raman on Tuesday, giving the City Council member a powerful boost in the battle for votes on the Westside and in the San Fernando Valley.
Former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick Caruso, however, declined once again to endorse either Bass or Raman in the Nov. 3 runoff election, but expressed what he called “extreme concern” about Raman’s plans to remove Police Chief Jim McDonnell.
— VALLEY RAIL: Construction is set to begin this week on a 6.7-mile rail line linking Van Nuys and Pacoima. The nearly $4-billion project, which will run along Van Nuys Boulevard, will include 11 street-level stations and is projected to open in 2032, according to L.A. Metro, the Los Angeles County transit agency.
— TOP COP FLOP: Raman’s police chief woes continued this week when she was asked by CNN anchor Elex Michaelson to name a police chief she respects. “I don’t know. I don’t know,” she said, before Michaelson continued with another question.
— GHOST OF GASCÓN: In the homestretch of the mayor and city attorney contests, George Gascón has been conjured as a boogeyman by opponents of progressive candidates Marissa Roy and Raman.
— LET THE GAMES BEGIN? The next mayor of Los Angeles will be in the global spotlight in 2028, when L.A. plays host to the Summer Olympic Games. And if Raman prevails over Bass, that mayor will be someone who didn’t even want the Olympics here in the first place.
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.
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 caption reads:
The interior of the launch control equipment room in the underground of the Oscar-1 Minuteman Missile Alert Facility on Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, June 18, 2020. The Oscar-01 MAF was constructed at Whiteman AFB in 1963 and determined to be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) by Missouri SHPO in 1998. The facility consists of a one-story surface structure, assembled as a Launch Control Support Building (LCSB), and two sub-surface, re-enforced concrete encapsulated steel pods- a Launch Control Center (LCC) and Launch Control Equipment Building (LCEB). These two sub-surface wings are connected by a Tunnel Junction and accessed by an elevator. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Alexander W. Riedel)
PRIME DIRECTIVES:
Stevie Wonder is taking legal action against a reported ex-fiancée, filing a lawsuit this week to evict her after she allegedly lived rent-free at his property in Studio City for nearly four decades.
The prolific musician, whose legal name is Stevland Morris, filed a legal complaint in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Thursday against Carmen Efferson, whom he says has been living for free at a home on Oak Glen Drive since July 1988, according to the complaint obtained by The Times. Wonder seeks to evict Efferson after she allegedly refused to allow inspectors into the property earlier in the summer and failed to vacate the home in August, despite receiving a 30-day notice in late July.
Efferson, whom TMZ reported was once betrothed to the Grammy-winning “Songs in the Key of Life” musician, did not immediately respond to The Times’ multiple requests for response on Friday. A legal representative for Wonder, 76, did not comment and did not clarify the singer’s reported relationship with Efferson. Wonder has been married Tomeeka Bracy since 2017.
According to the musician’s complaint, Wonder and Efferson reached an oral agreement in 1988 that she can occupy the property without paying monthly rent. Tensions began in July this year when representatives for Wonder attempted to access the property multiple times “for purposes of updating and retaining property insurance,” according to an email between Wonder’s legal representatives and Efferson included in the complaint.
One attorney for Wonder notified Efferson on July 23 of a property inspection the following week. Efferson had choice words for the request, emailing another attorney for Wonder on July 25 to “please refrain from your rascist [sic] coldblooded ‘white male privilege’ tone.”
“I’m feeling harassed,” Efferson said, according to screenshots of her email. “Regarding your ORDERS of entering into the place where I am living, I do not consent.”
She ended her email with an explicit statement. An attorney for Wonder responded two days later, informing Efferson that the lawyer who issued the inspection notice “is neither racist, coldblooded, white or male.”
In an email dated July 27, Efferson also threatened to “immediately contact law enforcement” upon further attempts by Wonder’s representatives to enter the property. The next day, attorneys notified Efferson she had 30 days to vacate the home.
“You were given the opportunity to reconsider your decision to deny access and declined,” the notice said, according to the complaint. Efferson was ordered to vacate the property by Aug. 27
On Oct. 6, Wonder’s lawyers issued Efferson a three-day notice to leave the home due to her alleged violation of her oral agreement with the musician. Wonder’s legal representatives also claimed they gave Efferson “three additional opportunities to permit entry” for an inspection, but she failed to respond.
“Owner has been prejudiced by the cancellation of the property insurance policy and is now at substantial risk of economic loss by virtue of your actions to prevent the protection and preservation of the Premises,” attorneys said in the notice, according to exhibits. The attorneys also notified Efferson that Wonder would file a complaint should she refuse access again.
Wonder — celebrating the 50th anniversary of his seminal “Songs in the Key of Life” this year — is seeking forfeiture of the lease agreement with Efferson, legal fees and statutory damages up to $600.
Raise your hand if your group chat is still talking about “You Can See Everything.”
For anyone who has watched Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim’s documentary about former Theranos CEO (and convicted felon) Elizabeth Holmes and her partner Billy Evans in the past week, every new think piece, funny meme, discussion thread or video parody about the film has been something to revel in. I’ve personally spent several hours messaging or speaking to friends and colleagues over the phone about the documentary, and it seems like a lot of people similarly can’t stop obsessing about it.
The film has sparked renewed interest not only in Holmes, but also in works previously released about her, including “Bad Blood,” written by John Carreyrou, the journalist who exposed Holmes and Theranos’ fraudulent practices, and Alex Gibney’s 2019 documentary “The Inventor,” which senior writer Greg Braxton rewatched and analyzed in the context of the new documentary. Also notable has been the resurgence of Hulu’s “The Dropout,” the 2022 limited series created by Liz Meriwether (“Furious”) that stars Amanda Seyfried — Variety reported this week that the series has seen a jump in viewership over the past month. And of course, there’s been lots of interest in Fielder; we’ve put together a guide to his work if you’re looking to understand him and his style.
But with all the attention on Holmes, Times culture critic Mary McNamara raises an important question: Why are we still so fascinated by Holmes, despite her track record as a con artist and fraudster? There are many answers to the question, but there’s no denying the public’s renewed fascination with Holmes, and now Evans as well.
However, if you prefer to think about lighter relationships that are less perplexing, NBC’s latest sitcom will do the job and remind you of what it’s like to be immediately swept off your feet. “Newlyweds,” starring Téa Leoni, Tim Daly and Jamie Lee Curtis arrives on NBC today. Curtis, who co-created the series, stopped by Guest Spot to talk about what inspired it and the recent changes behind the scenes.
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Also in this week’s Screen Gab, our writers recommend a documentary about a saga surrounding one of the greatest hip-hop groups of all time and a cult-classic horror film that’s perfect for spooky season. — Maira Garcia
Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times
Tarik Azzougarh, left, and the RZA in Netflix’s “The Disciple.”
(Netflix)
“The Disciple: A Wu-Tang Fable” (Netflix)
In 2015, the only copy of the Wu-Tang Clan’s “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin” sold at auction for $2 million. The buyer was revealed to be hedge fund and pharma dirtbag Martin Shkreli, who infamously raised the price of an antiparasitic drug by 5,000% overnight and later went to prison for securities fraud. Joanna Natasegara‘s enchanting documentary “The Disciple” explores the long run-up to this Guinness Book of World Records event, and its aftermath, through the surprising, touching, funny and sometimes sad story of the album’s co-producer, Tarik Azzougarh, a.k.a. Cilvaringz. A Dutch Moroccan superfan whose freestyling and persistence earned him a place in the group’s auxiliary, it was Cilvaringz who first proposed the idea and brought it to fruition with Wu-Tang main man RZA — both a culmination and the beginning of an end. The film raises questions of art and ownership, friendship and business, creativity and capitalism, asking the questions who is music for, and what is it for. — Robert Lloyd
‘Highway to Hell’ (Tubi, Prime Video)
This is the perfect spooky-season flick to pop on when you don’t mind interruptions from trick-or-treaters or your buddy who treats movie night like an audition for “Mystery Science Theater 3000.” Directed by Ate de Jong (“Drop Dead Fred”), this 1992 comedy-horror cult classic stars Chad Lowe and Kristy Swanson as an eloping couple who take the wrong shortcut and wind up in Hades — basically, an even worse version of the drive to Vegas — where a young Ben Stiller works the roadside diner and Gilbert Gottfried plays Hitler. Every shot has a snort-worthy gag: a stop-motion Cerberus, a casino-bar called Hoffa’s, a cop whose handcuffs are literally a pair of severed hands. A flop at the time, “Highway to Hell’s” breakneck mix of smart and stupid was applauded by former L.A. Times film critic Kevin Thomas as “the Greek legend of Orpheus, revved up ‘Mad Max’-style.” Screenwriter Brian Helgeland would eventually win an Oscar for “L.A. Confidential.” Somehow, I never hear him brag about this goofy delight. He should. — Amy Nicholson
A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they’re working on — and what they’re watching
Jamie Lee Curtis as Claudia in “Newlyweds,” a sitcom she co-created and executive produces.
(Nicole Weingart / NBC)
Jaime Lee Curtis has been in showbiz for a very long time. And when she sets her mind to something, like returning to a sitcom, she’s going to make it happen.
“It’ll be 50 years next January that I have been a professional actress,” she says over a video call earlier this week. “It’ll be 50 years that I’ve been driving on the lot at Universal.”
Over the course of her long career, Curtis, 67, has developed a lengthy résumé in film and television, winning numerous accolades along the way, including an Oscar and an Emmy (she’s been nominated for a Grammy too — there’s still time for an EGOT). But she longed to return to a sitcom ever since wrapping her lead role on ABC’s “Anything but Love,” a series that premiered in 1989 and ran for four seasons.
While she’s had guest appearances and some recurring roles on sitcoms over the years, including on shows like “New Girl” and “The Drew Carey Show,” NBC’s “Newlyweds” was an idea she had gestated for years, and now it’s set to arrive as part of the network’s Friday prime-time lineup. The actor, who executive produces “Newlyweds” and has a recurring role, took some time to discuss how she came up with the idea for the show, her co-creator’s firing and the political thriller series she’s watching with her spouse, filmmaker Christopher Guest. — M.G.
Jamie, you co-created this series and it’s loosely based on your relationship with your husband, Christoper Guest. Tell me how it came about and how you wanted to tell that story in this show.
It was April 25, 2019. I was in New York City … I was in a car being driven by a man in his 60s in a suit with gray hair on his temples. We were chatting, as one does in the back of a car, and I asked him if he was married, and he said he was divorced. I said, “Do you have kids?” And he said, “No.” And I said, “Well, that’s the blessing that you know you’re not dealing with divorce and children, which I’ve dealt with a lot.” And he then said, “But my new wife.” In that second, I went, “Oh, my new wife.” That’s a sitcom about people in their 60s hooking up, similar to the way my husband and I met, which was we met and married very quickly. And in fact, we would have gotten married had we gone out on our first date. We have said we would have gone and gotten married that night. So the idea popped in my head: What happens if two people in their 60s get married on a whim, and decide to just throw caution to the wind and go for it? What happens to the families and the friends and their own lives and the very routinized lives that they had led leading up to that moment? I knew it was a sitcom.
It wasn’t until years later I was put together with Gail Lerner, and we — during COVID actually — started working on the idea. But much of what’s in that script was kind of what happened to me and my husband … it’s something that’s been around for a while, and I’m just really excited finally that it has turned into this version, “Newlyweds” starring Tim and Téa.
Let’s talk about Tim and Téa. They’re the newlyweds, but they’re also married in real life. What was it like playing off their dynamic and vice versa?
When the pilot got picked up, … it was what they call “cast-contingent,” which means they like the idea, but they want to make sure that the right person gets in … so they wanted us to find Jeanie first, and it was a very short list of actresses they would bank a show on. Téa, luckily, was one of those actresses and had been looking for something on the lighter side. … and it so happens she’s married to a guy IRL who happens to have a lot of experience in the comedy space on TV shows, and all of a sudden we were like, oh, wouldn’t that make a kind of fantastic bit of pairing.
What do you think we’re going to learn about Claudia? She seems so liberated, but we’ve only seen the surface. She’s got a soft spot for Jeanie and even James.
I think you’re gonna see, in fact, that she becomes not just a foil but a friend. I feel like her acceptance of Jeanie … we’re going to mine it for its comedy. I mean, I think at the end of the day, she will always shake things up because that’s just her nature. We get to meet Claudia’s mother. I can’t tell you because we haven’t announced it yet, who plays my mother. I can tell you that she’s over 90.
You’re going to have me Googling.
We get to see a little bit of the oak tree and the acorn. We definitely get the snarky oak tree and the snarky acorn.
I want to come back to your co-creator Gail Lerner, who was recently dismissed from her role as showrunner, and has been replaced with Bruce Helford. Regardless of the news, she has called it “the most joyous TV experience of her life.” How are you and the cast moving forward after these changes?
Well, you can imagine it was a bummer. You know, network television has a whole series of requirements, way beyond … my little creative ideas. It has to do with management of scripts and the amount of early drafts of things, and it’s required within a network structure. And to run a show on television, and to consistently run a show, is a different animal than just the creativity that it takes to think of a show or to develop a show. That’s why Bruce has stepped in very quickly because Bruce has proven over and over again that he’s a guy who can make 100 episodes of a show with a much bigger worldview.
It was beautiful that Gail said the very things she said because we all felt that way too. It was joyous, fun, but there were a lot of things that were way beyond my understanding. What I’ve come to learn, I’m 67, is that creativity is a continuum. That it is not rigid and binary. That I had an idea that then Gail took and built on that idea, and now Bruce has come in and taken Gail’s idea … and is building out another version of the show.
Bruce Helford was the second in charge at the TV show “Anything but Love” when I did it back in the day, so I’ve known him.
So y’all are back together.
The only other time I was ever on a sitcom was “The Drew Carey Show” when Bruce Helford wrote me a part of this crazy hairdresser who … goes on a date with Drew Carey and ends up doing bungee jumping with him on the date. It’s a funny continuum for me to be back with Bruce, who weirdly enough was the actual first person I called when I had the idea [for “Newlyweds”]. I called Bruce because I knew him as a showrunner for sitcoms. We talked about it very briefly, and then he went off to something else. I went off to something else, and it kind of fell apart. So it’s slightly weird to me, and beautiful in that way that the person I actually called when I had the idea is now the one running the show.
It’s a full–circle moment.
Completely full-circle moment.
Has Christopher seen the show? What does he think?
I will say this: Christopher Guest is not a sitcom fan. You know, my husband is a very specific person and makes very specific, very funny movies and television shows. [Sitcoms are] not the thing that he is drawn to. But he genuinely understands that I’ve wanted to do a sitcom for a long time.
Because it’s spooky season right now, and you’re one of the OG scream queens, I have to ask you: Do you watch anything in that vein?
So I’m boring because the truth is, I don’t like scary things. I don’t like scary movies. I have zero interest in scary movies, and I think if someone ended up doing some analysis of me as a human once I’m dead, they would understand that actually my natural fear of scary things is what, in fact, made me such a good actress in them, and I don’t pretend to like them. I like the fans of [scary movies] because there’s a passionate group of people that love them. But I don’t have to love the movies, I just have to love what I do.
Is there anything else you’re watching right now?
My husband and I just started watching the [fourth] season of “The Diplomat” [Netflix], which the writing is so great. Last night we watched an episode written … by Peter Noah, who was the guy who took over “Anything but Love” … and was the showrunner. This episode last night [Episode 4, “Pagliacci”] was what Chris and I watched, and I wrote to Peter last night to say, “Bravo, bravo! Oh, the writing is so gripping.” Of course the writing leads the performances, which lead the filmmaker. It’s always the writing.
Must-read stories you might have missed
Rams receiver Puka Nacua will not practice Friday because of a calf injury and will be listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders, coach Sean McVay said Friday.
Nacua took part in the majority of practice on Thursday but did not finish it. McVay indicated that tests revealed “a little minor thing in there,” and that Nacua would be a game-time decision Sunday.
“I don’t think he knows exactly when it occurred,” McVay said, adding, “he felt it where he wasn’t able to have some of the power and full explosion … but i don’t think he was aware of any sort of specific play that led to it.”
Nacua played in the season-opening loss to the San Francisco 49ers and then sat out two games because of a hip injury that caused abdominal soreness. He returned and produced more than 100 yards receiving in each of the next two games, and then caught six passes for 80 yards in last Sunday’s 18-16 defeat by the Arizona Cardinals.
Nacua, the NFL receptions leader in 2025, has 37 catches for 417 yards and a touchdown, and he also has rushed for a touchdown this season.
Nacua’s injury is the latest in a series suffered by a Rams team that opened the season as the favorite to win Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium, but has lost its last two games to fall to 2-4.
Receiver Davante Adams is expected to be sidelined six to 10 weeks because of a hamstring injury suffered against the Cardinals.
Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield, Tutu Atwell and rookie CJ Daniels are other Rams receivers.
“It’s our job to figure out, all right, what are some of the spots we can put them in that accentuate their skillsets,” McVay said.
Inside linebacker Nate Landman is out because of a concussion, McVay said. So veteran Eric Kendricks, who was signed to the practice squad a few weeks ago, will be activated to the roster against the Raiders.
Cornerback Trent McDuffie, who sat out against the Cardinals because of a groin injury, did not practice this week and will be listed as questionable against the Raiders.
WASHINGTON — President Trump has alleged that elections, public benefit programs and federal grants to nonprofits are rife with fraud. Now, he is increasingly focusing on fraud in his effort to detain and deport more immigrants.
Recent, high-profile flash points include 28 lawful permanent residents accused this week of illegally voting in California and the federal investigation into Somali-born Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.).
The broader crusade takes many forms, including allegations of fraud in immigration applications, illegal voting by noncitizens and misuse of federal benefits by immigrants who don’t qualify.
“This administration has purposefully mischaracterized immigrants and asylum seekers as fraudsters,” said Royce Murray, a former senior official at the Department of Homeland Security under the Biden administration. That, she said, “serves a narrative that immigrants are not to be trusted and are here to take something rather than contribute, with an end goal of trying to make Americans less welcoming and more comfortable with a mass deportation agenda.”
On Tuesday, Trump and Vice President JD Vance announced a $25-million program under the Justice Department to encourage the public to report suspected fraud in the U.S. government.
This administration has purposefully mischaracterized immigrants and asylum seekers as fraudsters
— Royce Murray, former Department of Homeland Security official
The White House said the first check, for $10,000, will go to right-wing influencer Nick Shirley, who posted a video last year alleging that Somali residents in Minnesota were running fake child-care centers to collect federal subsidies. Dozens of people were convicted in connection with a sprawling, $250-million children’s food assistance scheme that predated this administration, though more charges have been announced in recent months.
Also Tuesday, administration officials launched another nationwide anti-fraud crackdown, this time targeting immigrants who they allege have illegally collected SNAP benefits. Homeland Security highlighted the arrests of five people, calling them “the opening salvo in a sustained, large-scale ICE operation.”
“From day one of my administration, we’ve waged an unprecedented war on corruption and fraud, and will not let our country be looted and plundered by thieves and pirates and foreign fraudsters and basically scum,” Trump said during a news conference announcing the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program.
Earlier this year, the White House created a task force to eliminate fraud and the Department of Justice created a fraud enforcement division, in part, to target immigration-related offenses. Prosecutors have put aside thousands of other cases to zero in on immigration enforcement.
The focus on fraud has noticeably accelerated in the weeks leading up to the election.
In California, some of the green card holders arrested this week over voter fraud said they didn’t remember registering to vote. The daughter of one defendant, Omar Muñoz, 72, of Belize, said she wondered whether her father had been confused with his U.S.-born son of the same name, who is a registered voter.
California officials pounced on the small number of people alleged to have cast illegal ballots. Illegal voting by immigrants “is so rare that the Trump admin is parading around town about .0001% of California voters,” Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office wrote on X.
In the last seven weeks alone, the State Department said, 112 noncitizens across 20 states have been charged with illegal voting and registration offenses. Overall, since Trump returned to the White House, 155 people have been charged with voting fraud-related offenses.
Mullin and Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche said earlier this month that Homeland Security agents had secured 10 convictions and detained 100 others for civil immigration violations since August.
During the Biden administration, voter fraud charges were brought in just 13 cases, Blanche added.
Studies and audits of state voter rolls have repeatedly found that voting by noncitizens is rare and hasn’t swayed any elections.
Ballot machines at the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder in Norwalk this week. Early voting has started for the 2026 midterm election.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Last week, with mail-in voting already underway, the Justice Department sued California, asking a federal court to bar the state from counting the ballots of 20,000 voters who were flagged by federal officials as “likely noncitizens.” Los Angeles County officials reviewed a sample of 200 of those voter registrations and found that nearly 40% indicated they were born in the U.S.
That number of flagged ballots — 20,000 — is a substantial reduction from the 190,000 noncitizens the administration alleged were on state voter rolls earlier this year, though federal authorities this week said they had found a “separate batch of 17,000 voting records potentially tied to noncitizens.”
California leaders pointed to other states, such as Nevada, where similar accusations have proved meritless.
Murray, the former Homeland Security official, said she believes the administration is “trying to sow the seeds of doubt that the midterm outcomes will be trustworthy, so that if the Republican Party loses as badly as they’re predicted to, they can characterize it as due to fraud.”
Murray said the Trump administration has largely misconstrued what it means to commit fraud.
“Fraud is a very specific thing — it’s essentially lying,” she said. “Because you don’t get asylum does not mean you committed fraud, it just means you were ineligible.”
In September, a Homeland Security whistleblower told Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) that hundreds of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services employees had been tasked with quickly reviewing the voter information of thousands of people in search of suspected noncitizen voters, and were given a quota of investigating 40 subjects per day.
On Wednesday, a federal judge restricted Homeland Security agents from carrying out sweeping field operations aimed at rooting out voter fraud in nine states, including California.
It is against federal law for immigrants who are not naturalized citizens to vote or register to do so. Penalties can include fines, jail time and even deportation, though authorities rarely pursued that option.
Eric Balliet, a former special agent with Homeland Security Investigations, the criminal investigative arm of ICE, said he takes no issue with investigating fraud, but the timing of this operation and significant resources dedicated show it is “highly politically charged.”
Balliet worked for various administrations, including Trump’s first, before retiring in 2024. Homeland Security Investigations agents typically focused on transnational criminal investigations such as drug smuggling and human trafficking.
Instead of initiating investigations based on tips or specific information, agents are now taking aggregated data and using algorithms to produce suspect lists, Balliet said. That’s not how law enforcement should operate, he said, calling it a massive privacy overreach against millions of law-abiding citizens.
“It’s the epitome of Big Brother,” he said.
Beyond the allegations of voter fraud, the Trump administration has also increasingly targeted immigrants on suspicion of lying to obtain a visa, green card or citizenship.
Omar’s family fled civil war in Somalia and immigrated to the U.S. in 1995 when she was 12. After agents searched her residence this month looking for evidence that her immigration paperwork contained falsehoods, she called the allegations baseless.
Last month, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Muillin suggested the outcome of the investigation could be deportation. Years ago, the agency declined to move forward with a probe based on similar allegations against Omar, according to the Washington Post.
The congresswoman is not alone.
Emiliano Andrade-Covarrubias, 56, who died of unknown causes last week at an ICE facility in Texas, was arrested because the agency alleged he had fraudulently obtained his green card. ICE sought to deport him, saying he had failed to disclose a 2004 arrest for theft, but his daughter told the Texas Tribune that he did bring up his criminal record during the application process for his permanent residency.
Immigration lawyers say their clients are facing more intense scrutiny and that some have battled false accusations of fraud after applying for a green card or citizenship.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesperson Zach Kahler blamed the Biden administration for lax vetting that allowed bad actors to exploit immigration programs.
“These abuses are not harmless,” he wrote in a statement. “Meritless claims clog the system, drain limited resources, and delay relief for legitimate victims of crime. USCIS is taking aggressive action to identify, expose, and eliminate fraud.”
Erin O’Neil, an attorney based in Connecticut, said some of her clients are now in deportation proceedings triggered by allegations of fraud over minor inconsistencies that have no bearing on the case. In one case that resulted in a denial based on fraud, she said, the allegation was simply that her client failed to disclose a two-week work assignment in another state.
“In the past, the worst that would happen is your citizenship application would be denied,” O’Neil said. “Now we have seen through several of my clients that, not only is the citizenship application denied, but they are placed into removal proceedings.”
The U.S. government seems to be coming for California (again). Big surprise.
But scratch the surface of the recent Department of Justice voter fraud blitz and the ugly truth peeks through — this is an attack on immigrants of color, no different than accusing the Haitians of Ohio of eating cats and dogs or the aggressive escalation of detaining and deporting Black and brown people with no criminal record.
It’s meant to excite and appease the Christian nationalist contingent of MAGA voters — including Trump advisor Stephen Miller — who make no secret of their belief that even some naturalized citizens should be forced out of the country if they aren’t white.
Just a few days ago, the White House posted on social media that “If you import the third world, you become the third world.” Not be be outdone, the fine Americans at the Department of Homeland Security responded with what seems to be a problematic mission statement that may wind up in court documents: “Reject the third world. Export the third world.” So far in President Trump’s second term, only 20% of the nearly 1 million people deported had a criminal record, according to the Migration Policy Institute.
Speaking of court documents, wow, do we have a lot to go through. Turns out not a lot of judges are into voter suppression.
After First Assistant U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli, the son of Lebanese immigrants and the first Muslim to serve in the California Legislature, announced charges against 28 Californians — all immigrants — who allegedly registered or voted illegally, the legal battles went into overdrive.
There’s the U.S. Justice Department case claiming California is somehow stopping the feds from enforcing federal voting laws, despite those 28 cases. There’s a ruling in a different case that prevents the Department of Homeland Security from going door-to-door in California and other places checking on immigration status and voter registration — a terrifying overreach of power meant to intimidate legal voters.
And there’s the ongoing lawsuit from the UCLA Voting Rights Project and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights in a Washington courtroom — a case that could take the lead in protecting the midterms.
Here’s what you need to know about all three, and what comes next.
Starting around August, Homeland Security began knocking on the doors of residents in California and eight other states in what it dubbed a “surge” in investigations on voter fraud.
These in-person checks were based on lists of folks the government thought might not be legally allowed to cast a ballot — and focused on naturalized citizens, according to court documents. They were also, according to the court, unreliable and included “instances where DHS simply did not have data to determine that the individual did not engage in voter fraud,” the California judge in the case wrote, meaning it was a giant fishing expedition.
In addition, Homeland Security was apparently investigating nonprofits and other organizations that help get out the vote, including interrogating the staff and covertly infiltrating their operations, according to court documents.
That’s McCarthyism-level scary. The California Nurses Assn. and its parent union, National Nurses United, filed a lawsuit to stop the Homeland Security surge, arguing in part that one of their core missions is political organizing and turning out voters, and that the operation directly harmed them by scaring their members away from that work.
They also have a lot of members who are naturalized citizens. Four union members told the court that they didn’t want to participate in the union’s election work because they were afraid of being targeted by the government, citizens or not.
The court found that fear “objectively reasonable” and ordered Homeland Security to stop the door-knocking until after the election. The judge then stayed that order until Friday to give the government time to appeal. So far, the government hasn’t filed that objection.
“So many people in the United States are suffering under Trump’s corrupt and cruel policies on behalf of the billionaire class that he knows cannot hold onto power in these upcoming elections without illegally suppressing our vote through outright harassment, intimidation, and even detention,” said Puneet Maharaj, executive director of the two nurses groups.
At the same time, the Department of Justice this week filed a suit against California seeking an emergency order to force the state to segregate 20,000 ballots of folks it claims may not be citizens — an unprecedented ask in furtherance of the long-running conspiracy theory that immigrants who lack legal status are in a scheme with Democrats to vote en masse.
State Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta has asked the court to throw out the case, in part because the federal government can’t prove it’s actually being harmed in any way by state law. The feds have already filed charges in those 28 cases claiming voter fraud, so it’s hard to argue that state law is preventing them from going after illegal voters.
But the feds are arguing that the state is aiding and abetting illegal voting by not segregating those ballots, even though there is no proof they are in the hands of noncitizens. A review by the Los Angeles County registrar’s office found that about 40% of those on the list were born in the United States.
Trump even threatened that election officials could be jailed for not bending to his will.
Attorneys general from other states filed a friend of the court brief siding with California, arguing that the Justice Department is basically trying to create a new law where “the executive branch can invent new election requirements, unmoored from any constitutional or statutory authority, and demand that States enforce them in the middle of an election.”
The court will rule on that next week.
Our final case takes us to Washington, where the UCLA Voting Rights Project and the Coalition for Human Immigrant Rights, or CHIRLA, are asking for their own temporary restraining order — this one stopping the government from carrying out its ballot segregation scheme and from using its flawed, janky methods for supposedly identifying noncitizen voters.
I’ve written about this lawsuit before, and how the Voting Rights Project beat back Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco’s attempt to snatch ballots. The court will probably make a ruling in that one next week as well.
But election day is less than two weeks away, and many have already voted. So what does it all mean?
It means we’re in for a rough ride. The Trump administration is not dumb. Midterms might not go the way Republicans would like, potentially even giving control of both the House and Senate to Democrats. Some experts and legislators are concerned that all these ballot drama is posturing for that midterm loss — creating a reason to potentially question results or even refuse to seat newly elected Democrats when the time comes.
That would be unthinkable, unprecedented, a constitutional crisis. But impossible? Nope.
And almost certainly, no matter what voters decide, Trump will spin it back to that white nationalism — the idea that “true” Americans are being replaced through fraud, violence and vote stealing, a trio of conspiracies glued together by the sticky, tricky manipulations of a man who will do anything for power.
What else you should be reading:
The must-read: How Meta struck a deal to keep Mark Zuckerberg in California despite looming billionaire tax
The California angle: As companies leave California, is the state’s $4.25-trillion economy really in trouble?
The L.A. Times Special: In Trumpworld, dogs who commit voter fraud aren’t as bad as immigrants
Stay Golden,
Anita Chabria
—
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JJ Watt got the job.
After six weeks of filling in as lead NFL game analyst for CBS Sports, Watt has reached a multi-year agreement to continue alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz in the network’s top broadcast booth. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
The move assures that Watt will call his first Super Bowl on Feb. 13, 2028, in Atlanta. In a video posted Wednesday on his X account, Watt said it is “humbling” to be in such a position.
From the first meeting in Arizona with David Berson & Ross Molloy, to the brotherhood of the NFL Today desk, an unforgettable year with Ian, Evan, Ken & crew and now alongside legendary Jim Nantz, Tracy Wolfson, Rikhoff and the whole crew.
What an honor & privilege.
Grateful
🙏🏻 https://t.co/9tNPRx94bL— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) October 22, 2026
“It is a true honor and a privilege, and I do not take that responsibility lightly at all,” Watt said. “I appreciate their trust in me, and I have an absolute blast doing it every single week. And I cannot wait to continue to do it.”
The former three-time defensive player of the year wasn’t so sure the news would be that good Monday morning when he saw he had missed a call from parent company Skydance global sports group chairman David Berson.
“I’m thinking to myself, ‘Oh man, missed call from the boss. Am I in trouble for potentially breaking Jim Nance’s hand on the broadcast on Sunday with our with our ball drill?’” Watt joked. “It turns out that it was significantly better news than being called into the principal’s office.”
After a 12-season NFL career (10 with the Houston Texans, two with the Arizona Cardinals) that included five Pro Bowl selections, Watt joined CBS Sports as a studio analyst in 2023, then moved to the broadcast booth to call games with play-by-play announcer Ian Eagle last season.
Watt got bumped up to the top booth this season after Tony Romo, who had been the network’s lead game analyst since 2017, was placed on indefinite leave following his July arrest on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Earlier this month, CBS announced it had “mutually agreed to part ways” with Romo.
“I’ve had a front-row seat to JJ’s growth as a top-tier broadcaster, watching him tackle this role just like he did his hall-of-fame playing career,” Berson said in a statement. “He’s insightful, entertaining, passionate, meticulous in his preparation, and the ultimate teammate. He has a unique ability to see things and communicate to fans of all levels. We are thrilled to have him leading our NFL coverage.”
On the balcony of a pink dockside building in San Pedro, a neon sign reading “Saturday Morning Fish Market” glows in the darkness. There’s a quiet stillness in the harbor — the only sounds are of the occasional gull and car whirring by. That is, until 1 a.m. rolls around.
Doors open at 1:30 a.m. at the Saturday Morning Fish Market.
This is when people begin to gather outside the roll-up door, some carrying backpacks ready to be filled.
At 1:30 a.m., a man in an orange apron lifts the door, releasing rays of white light onto the customers. They file inside, stepping onto the wet floor, eager to see the night’s beauties: freshly caught fish, filleted, deboned, washed and thrown onto thick mountains of crushed ice.
Shellfish, sardines, squid, mackerel and a market favorite, glowing salmon filets, sit on display. One employee pulls out crabs with a small net before letting a customer take their pick of the lot. Machines whir in an adjacent room, where fish are processed. Out back, sea lions bark, hoping for scraps.
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The Saturday Morning Fish Market, more formally known as J Deluca Fish Co., has existed for some time — owner John DeLuca claims a variation of the business began operating as early as the late ‘60s. As a child, DeLuca would greet his grandfather when he’d return to the San Pedro port with his catch, perhaps a fresh tuna or a bass to sell. For decades, the wholesale seafood distributor would open its market to the public just once a week — from 1:30 to 7:30 a.m. on Saturdays — usually seeing a smattering of mostly locals, the seafaring type, who might be shopping around after a late-night shift.
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1. Harikrishnan Babuchandran holds up his fresh fish. 2. Customers can watch their fish be processed. 3. The fish that’s for sale changes from week to week. (Linnea Stephan / For The Times)
The Saturday Morning Fish Market in San Pedro has existed in some form since the late ‘60s but thanks to social media, flocks of new customers are wanting in on the late-night seafood-buying adventure.
Neither DeLuca nor his son and co-owner, Chris, could have predicted the San Pedro institution would experience the boom in popularity it’s seeing now, especially in an industry that’s struggled over the past two decades.
Thanks to social media, the market is witnessing an unprecedented revival. At its pre-pandemic peak, it would get around 800 to 1,000 customers on a typical Saturday morning. Nowadays, up to 2,000 people walk through the doors, according to Chris, many of whom are visiting for the first time.
Owners John and Chris DeLuca.
Regarding Instagram and TikTok, where posts giving a glimpse of the late-night fish market have gone viral, John, 73, says, “I know absolutely zero.”
To his credit, he does exhibit some understanding of its effect. And he’s glad for it. “People that live within walking distance never knew we existed. Now they do, and it’s got nothing to do with me,” he says, grinning.
What’s most notable is the number of young people roaming around the market well before the crack of dawn, Chris says. The business has changed a lot since his “father’s generation,” and social media unlocked access to a new audience.
“I think people like those hidden gems and people like that fresh seafood experience,” he says.
Between rows of sea bass and salmon, the energy is buzzing. Abdul Fahwami, dressed in jeans and flip-flops, visits the fish market at least once or twice a month, depending on how many people he‘s having over at his house that week.
“Every time we come here, we buy a minimum of between 100 and 200 pounds,” he says. “Red snapper is one of the best fish.”
Branzino is a favorite among customers and employees.
He smiles as he watches employees process his fish on a long table. First, blades run against the fish scales, removing them in quick fashion. Then, there’s a swift slice across its belly, starting at a hole near the tail and ending up near the gill plate. Finally, the guts are removed and filets are cut, skin optional.
Prices change week in and week out, and depend on supply. While prices are typically 10% to 40% less than at stores, market representative Joe Castelao says the team values the “quality of our products” over “trying to cater to bargain finders.” Another advantage for customers is the ability to buy seafood in bulk, which often isn’t possible at your standard, local grocer.
On this day, there wasn’t much branzino, the fish Fahwami came early to look for. “I found only 11 pieces,” he says. “I took all of it!”
Not far away, a man named Terry Jackson waits in line; he’s wearing black overalls and swaying side to side, eager to advance.
Customer Terry Jackson at the Saturday Morning Fish Market.
“It’s definitely worth waking up a little late — or a little early, you could say,” he says. “The quality of the fish is good, plus the pricing.”
His fish of choice? “Tuna, my new favorite is tuna!” he says, proudly raising a plastic bag full of bright red filets.
Briskly pacing across the market floor are team members Mike and George Stahl, a father-son duo both wearing orange aprons and gloves.
Mike got into the seafood business about two decades ago. At the time, he lived in Florida and often purchased products from J Deluca Fish Co. By 2018, he’d moved his family out to California and started working at the market.
He says his favorite part is the variety of duties. “No two days are the same,” he says. “One day I could be selling a couple containers of squid, the next day I could be meeting face to face with someone at a conference on the other side of the country.”
Staff member George Stahl helps a patron.
He brought in his son George during the pandemic. As George explains, “We were bored and didn’t have anything to do at home so my dad said, ‘Why don’t you come down and put some boots on and start working?’”
George has become somewhat of a micro-celebrity around the market, frequently appearing in its Instagram posts. However, his time with the company might be temporary — he’s currently in school and plans to be a physical therapist at some point.
While the market is riding a wave of success, John doesn’t gloss over the grim outlook of the fishing and seafood industry as a whole. He says the industry has taken a hit over the years, between restrictions, overfishing and changing regulations.
“It’s a dying business,” John says, bleakly. “There’s very few seiners down here because it’s very difficult to make a living [fishing].
But for now, they’re able to survive. They watch as customers walk out of the market into the wee hours of the morning, proudly grasping their bags of the day’s freshest catch.
“A lot of things have gone the opposite direction,” John says. “But we’re still here.”
The fish market’s blue neon sign shines through the night.
A look at two of this week’s top high school football games in the Southland:
FRIDAY
San Pedro (6-1) at Carson (7-1), 7 p.m.
The intensity level on the field and in the stands will be something to see in this Marine League title-decider. It really comes down to the quarterback. Seth Solorio of San Pedro has 23 touchdown passes. Chris Fields III of Carson has passed for 16 touchdowns and run for 12 more . Stop Fields and everything changes. The pick: Carson.
San Clemene (7-0) at San Juan Hills (7-1), 7 p.m.
San Clemente is on the verge of a Southern Section Division 1 playoff berth but needs to win out. The Tritons’ defense will be tested by San Juan Hills receiver Luke Frith, who will have a new quarterback because of an injury. San Clemente QB Preston Beck is also hurting, with receivers Ryan Matheson and Jaxson Rex potential big-play weapons. The pick: San Clemente.
JOEY Essex has confirmed he will be returning to the boxing ring after signing a ‘big fight deal’.
It comes a week after he took on Dapper Laughs in a Misfits Boxing event last weekend, with the clash ending in a controversial draw.
Freshened up and having swapped the gloves for a suave suit, Joey walked the Pride Of Britain red carpet on Monday.
Talking to The Sun at the event, he shared: “I feel great, there isn’t a scratch on me! I feel like I’ve come out the ring better than when I first went in – I look even better.
“But yeah, feeling good and very proud of myself, it was a good night.”
Last week, we told how an investigation was underway into the result of the fight after some fans claimed it shouldn’t have been a draw.
Answering whether he was happy with the result, Joey replied: “Yeah of course, it’s boxing – you know?
“It’s how it goes. Win, lose or draw, you’ve got to look back and to learn. You just keep learning, experience is a massive thing in boxing so onto the next.”
And the next won’t be too far away, he says.
“I’ve signed a big fight deal, so I guess I’ll be back in [the ring] soon. I don’t know who against, but yeah, I’ll be back in soon,” confirmed Joey.
While he may appear fighting fit now, Joey says he was in the depths of a tough training camp this time last month.
“The training for boxing is very intense, the training is harder than the actual night itself.
“This time around my camp was only about 5 and a half weeks, so it was a very short camp. A lot of my opponents were dropping out and stuff so longer camps are harder. But you learn and the harder you train the better you fight.”
Federal authorities this week teased a “separate batch” of 17,000 potential noncitizen voters in their federal court challenge to California’s handling of alleged voter fraud.
In response, Los Angeles County officials questioned the accuracy of the government’s earlier list of 20,000 alleged noncitizen voters — saying a preliminary review of a subset of those voters found evidence that nearly 40% were born in the U.S.
The claims came in filings shedding new light on the unprecedented Homeland Security inquiry into California’s voter rolls just weeks before the Nov. 3 election.
On Monday, Nicolas Bartell, a Homeland Security official, wrote in a sworn affidavit that — in addition to developing the disputed list of 20,000 “likely noncitizen” voters at the heart of the litigation — his agency has also developed a “separate batch of more than 17,000 voting records potentially tied to noncitizens.”
“Our review is ongoing as USCIS receives records on a rolling basis before the election date,” wrote Bartell, the associate director of the Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
On Tuesday, Monica Flores, a top official in the L.A. County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s office, wrote in an affidavit that staff members had reviewed a sample of 200 registrations from the list of 20,000 voters whom the Justice Department alleged last week were “likely noncitizens.” The office found that more than half — 112 — had been canceled or were inactive, meaning no ballot was sent to those voters.
In instances where those voters’ birthplace was “meaningfully reported, 38.9% indicate that they were born in the United States, which is strong evidence of citizenship,” Flores wrote, while 71.2% showed no record of ever voting.
Flores wrote that similarly vetting the citizenship of thousands of additional voters before the election would not only be “administratively impossible and take key personnel away from their critical election duties,” but would also “risk disenfranchising voters who are validly registered.”
Also Tuesday, Rachel Evans, an attorney in the California secretary of state’s office, wrote in an affidavit that the office since August has received and been complying with grand jury subpoenas for the detailed voter records of about 300 people.
Evans’ acknowledgment came a day after federal prosecutors charged 28 people across California with federal election-related crimes, including fraudulent voter registration and making false statements in a naturalization application, and suggests federal prosecutors are pursuing criminal cases against hundreds more.
Taken together, the filings indicate that the legal battle between the Trump administration and California over alleged fraudulent voting is only just gearing up — with no end in sight before Nov. 3 — as is the political sparring over the issue.
First Assistant U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli, the lead federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, posted to X on Tuesday that Flores’ acknowledgment that her office could not possibly vet voters’ citizenship before the election was a “massive concession,” proving the federal government’s case.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said that “any credible allegation of voter fraud should be taken seriously and investigated,” but that federal officials charging just 28 people in a state with 23 million voters showed they have no evidence of widespread fraud.
“Yes, non-citizen voter registration and voting does happen in isolated instances — in California and the rest of the country alike — but it is so rare that the Trump admin is parading around town about .0001% of California voters,” Newsom’s office wrote on X.
On Monday, Justice Department lawyers filed a request for an emergency restraining order requiring state election officials to segregate any ballots from the 20,000 voters flagged on the initial Homeland Security list until their citizenship is proved. They argued the state is violating the law — and harming the federal government — by refusing to do so.
State attorneys argued Tuesday that the federal government has no authority over California elections and seeks to violate federal law precluding voter roll purges in the 90 days before an election.
State officials wrote that the Justice Department appeared to have “individualized evidence” of noncitizenship for the 28 people it had charged, and that nothing was preventing it from working through existing “statutory channels” to block those individuals’ ballots. But they argued that it does not have evidence to back its claims against all 20,000 voters whose ballots it is seeking to sequester.
Those contentions — and Bartell’s claim of a second list of 17,000 potential noncitizen voters — only add to an already heated debate about the scope of the inquiry and its legitimacy.
In July, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin alleged in a letter to California Secretary of State Shirley Weber that there “may be as many as 190,832 noncitizens registered to vote in California,” and demanded that the state work with federal authorities to investigate. The state asked that Homeland Security first provide more information, including about its methodology for identifying that figure.
Last week, acting Deputy Atty. Gen. Trent McCotter wrote follow-up letters to Weber and Dean Logan, head of the L.A. County registrar’s office, asserting that 20,000 “likely noncitizens” were on state rolls, and again demanding state cooperation within 48 hours to remove them. Weber balked, arguing that federal law precludes systematic roll purges within 90 days of an election to protect eligible voters.
Weber and other state officials also questioned the drop from 190,000 to 20,000, and the reliability of the federal government’s underlying data and methodology. “What happened to the 170,000? You just got those wrong?” California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta asked.
On Monday, McCotter said the 190,000 figure was “the ceiling,” inclusive of cases that federal authorities had high, medium and low confidence in, while the 20,000 figure was “the floor,” inclusive of only high confidence cases.
Potential flaws in the list have been a major point of contention among California officials, who have pointed to substantial inaccuracies in lists elsewhere, including in Nevada, where a state review found that the 185 voters whose citizenship was questioned by the Trump administration were all citizens.
Now, it appears the federal government’s disputed list of 20,000 voters won’t be the last in California.
In court filings, federal officials described purchasing California voter registration information before USCIS and Homeland Security Investigations agents worked to identify any voters who are not citizens. They said that they did so in part by comparing the state data with “third party commercial data” sets and law enforcement data sets, and that they further vetted their list by culling dead people.
Essayli pointed to those descriptions to dispel arguments that federal authorities have not provided their methodology for identifying potential noncitizens on voter rolls. He said that the federal process was robust and trustworthy and that federal authorities had compiled “overwhelming evidence of tens of thousands of ineligible voters on the state’s rolls.”
Independent election experts saw it differently.
“They admitted to using some of the same tools amateur election conspiracy theorists use, like unidentified third party software, commercial lists, and public versions of [the state’s] voter roll,” Gowri Ramachandran, an election administration expert at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law. “These amateur data matching efforts don’t get any better merely because the Department of Justice relies on them.”
“If DOJ could prove many more cases, we would have heard about it,” Rick Hasen, director of the Safeguarding Democracy Project at UCLA School of Law, wrote in a blog post. “They’ve been on an aggressive hunt nationally for such fraud. It’s not surprising they’ve found little because it is a small problem.”
ronniechua/iStock via Getty Images
The American Petroleum Institute reportedly shows a draw of 4.93M barrels of oil in U.S. commercial stockpiles for the week ending October 16, after inventories fell by more than 11M barrels in the previous week.
Gasoline inventories reportedly show
It’s been nearly 40 years since the dread-filled tones of the “Unsolved Mysteries” theme song first hit network TV airwaves.
In that time, the celebrated documentary series has been through nearly every iteration of the TV business — and is about to embark on a new one.
Next week, “Unsolved Mysteries” will launch a video podcast in partnership with the audio and entertainment firm Audacy. The weekly podcast, which will be available on YouTube and on all podcast platforms, will release new episodes starting Oct. 29 that explore cases such as mysterious deaths and unexplained disappearances.
The podcast will be hosted by actor and TV host Jordan Murphy and will include interviews with the people involved in the case, “Unsolved Mysteries” co-creator Terry Dunn Meurer told me in a recent interview.
“We’re still trying to expand the brand and pivot,” she said. “It just feels like that’s where the industry is heading. The YouTube audience is the biggest audience out there, and we are looking for the biggest audience because we’re trying to help solve these cases. So the more viewers we can get with these episodes, the better.”
Samantha Masunaga delivers the latest news, analysis and insights on everything from streaming wars to production — and what it all means for the future.
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“Unsolved Mysteries” isn’t the only Hollywood player to bet on video podcasts. Spotify has bet big on video podcasts, and Netflix has added them to its platform, both of which are attempts to compete with YouTube, diversify their offerings and keep consumers tuned in.
For “Unsolved Mysteries,” the move is just the latest way the show has tried to evolve with the TV industry’s ups and downs.
The show debuted in 1987 as a series of specials NBC used to fill holes in its lineup, Dunn Meurer said. That kind of pinch-hitting meant there was no marketing or publicity to get audiences excited about the show, but viewers started tuning in anyway.
Eventually, the specials became a weekly show that aired on NBC for nine seasons before moving to CBS. “Unsolved Mysteries” also had a syndication run on cable channels Lifetime and Spike TV.
Throughout its TV lifetime, the show would highlight stories of mysterious disappearances, escaped fugitives, lost connections and even the occasional paranormal story. “Unsolved Mysteries” made appeals to viewers, urging them that someone out there “knows the truth” and encouraged them to write in with tips or new suggestions for investigation, which has resulted in tens of thousands of submissions over the years.
More recently, “Unsolved Mysteries” was revived on Netflix for three seasons, with a format focused on a single story. The series also previously had an audio-only podcast.
In addition to the video podcast, “Unsolved Mysteries” also recently produced a full-length documentary on new evidence surrounding the so-called Tylenol Killer, a 1982 case in which seven people died after unknowingly taking cyanide-filled pill capsules.
Though the method of delivery has changed, Dunn Meurer said the show’s mission remains the same. Over the years, the series has helped to directly solve more than 260 cases, she said, though many are so-called lost love cases of missed connections, as well as fugitive whereabouts and some murders.
“There’s so many mysteries out there that need attention, cases that have gone cold,” she said. “For me personally, it’s hard to not keep putting those stories out there and helping these families and law enforcement that need the help to solve these cases.”
In notable media news, the TikTok ad account for Bleecker Street’s documentary “Musk” was “permanently suspended” Friday, the day the film opened nationwide, a spokesperson for the indie studio confirmed.
But on Sunday, a spokesperson for TikTok said the account was restored “after an error.”
The documentary, directed by Alex Gibney, follows billionaire Elon Musk and the effect he has had on politics and his support for the GOP and President Trump.
The ban raised suspicions in Hollywood as TikTok is now partially owned by Oracle, which was co-founded by billionaire Larry Ellison. Ellison, who still serves as executive chairman of the tech company, is briefly mentioned in the documentary when he offers to help Musk finance his acquisition of Twitter, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The documentary will make its streaming debut on HBO Max, which is owned by Ellison’s son, David.
In its second weekend in theaters, “Musk” grossed about $306,700 across 472 screens in the U.S. and Canada, for a $650 per-screen average. The film has notched a 97% critics rating on aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.
A24’s “You Can See Everything” brought in $15 million at the domestic box office over the weekend, a huge feat for the nearly three-hour documentary that delves into the life of disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes shortly before she reported to federal prison for defrauding investors.
The documentary, directed by deadpan comic Nathan Fielder and “Primetime” filmmaker Lance Oppenheim, got a ton of buzz after its surprise debut at the Telluride Film Festival last month. The $15-million opening is even more impressive given that it was available only on 855 screens.
That was good enough for second place at the weekend box office. In first was Skydance-owned Paramount Pictures’ “Street Fighter,” which scored $31 million domestically for a worldwide gross of $51.1 million.
During a busy (news) week like last week, sometimes you just need a comfort watch. For me, that’s HGTV.
There’s nothing more calming than watching people try to redo their houses into the home of their dreams. But because it’s spooky season, I ended up watching “Scariest House in America,” a hilarious home makeover competition hosted by “Parks and Recreation” comedian Retta, where homeowners show off their creepy, strange or wildly dilapidated houses in hopes of winning a renovation. After watching the travails of people who chose to live in a former jail or a self-constructed giant gingerbread house with a rickety single-person elevator, I was oddly soothed.
Welcome back to The Times’ Lakers newsletter and welcome back to real NBA games.
The regular season begins Tuesday with a triple-header. It’s the first time in eight years that the Lakers are watching the opening day action at home. That could be a small sign of where the Lakers stand in the NBA pecking order now.
Not many people know what to make of this team. There are nine new players. Another ownership change is pending. The Western Conference has two juggernauts at the top.
But within this summer of change, the Lakers managed to maintain one key partnership.
Get all the Lakers news you need in Thuc Nhi Nguyen’s weekly newsletter.
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With more than half of their roster wearing the purple and gold for the first time, some Lakers might still be getting on the same page after less than three weeks of practices. Meanwhile, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are already playing a completely different game.
“They’re always, like, playing chess out there,” guard Collin Sexton said.
After an offseason of change, it’s still the Lakers’ two most established stars who will control the season’s fate. Doncic and Reaves were 30-11 in games played together last season. In 1,092 minutes, lineups with Doncic and Reaves together outscored opponents by 8.9 points per 100 possessions, the third-best net rating on the team for any pair of regular rotation players. Their established chemistry gives the Lakers a strong foundation for the season.
“Austin and Luka, they kind of see things before it happens,” Sexton said. “And I feel like that allows them to be so good offensively and be able to score, but also to put us in the right situation to be successful as well.”
The duo that could be one of the most offensively potent pairings in the league proved that they could have success last season, helping the Lakers surge up the Western Conference standings during a magical March. Doncic scored 600 points during the month, despite missing one game because of a technical foul accumulation suspension. Reaves averaged 5.8 assists, his highest average for a month with more than six appearances last season. With LeBron James serving as the most heralded third option in the history of basketball, the Lakers went 15-2.
It was painful but a little poetic that Doncic and Reaves — whose wholesome friendship became the envy of NBA Twitter — suffered injuries during the same game to end the hot streak.
Doncic told Sports Illustrated this summer that he “regret[ted]” coming back into the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder after he felt a twinge in his hamstring during the first half. The severity of the injury kept him out for the rest of the season.
“I thought we had a team that could compete for a championship,” Doncic said during training camp. “So I was kind of disappointed, kind of let the team down, so it’s definitely motivating for this season.”
Reaves returned during the postseason after an oblique injury, but couldn’t regain his consistency. He played in a career-low 51 games last season and missed out on what could have been his first All-Star selection.
Determined to fortify his body for another long season, Reaves hired former Lakers head strength and conditioning coach Ed Streit to work with him. He hoped that having a dedicated strength coach, which stars including James and Doncic already have, would help him take “the next step,” Reaves said.
After waiting and learning behind veterans such as James and Anthony Davis, Reaves is now an undisputed top-two player on the Lakers. He signed the richest contract ever for an undrafted player this offseason. Doncic was among his most vocal supporters.
“We talked about it even middle of last year, towards the end of last year, continuing this partnership for as long as we can,” Reaves said. “I enjoy being around him so much that coming back and being a Laker was the main thing when the season ended.”
Initially Reaves didn’t know if he would establish a close bond with Doncic after the former Dallas superstar was shockingly traded. Doncic was quiet when he first arrived in L.A. Now Reaves, who loves to hate his newest best friend, is sad to admit that they’re so similar.
They share a creative style of basketball. They’re ruthless competitors. They love golf.
The most important thing is another shared obsession.
“At the end of the day, we care about winning,” Reaves said, “and that’s all that matters.”
In a survey of league general managers, NBA.com found that expectations for the Lakers are tepid at best.
General managers voted on the top four teams in each conference, with four points awarded for each first-place vote, three points for second place, two for third and one for fourth, and the Lakers received 10% of fourth-place votes and 1% of total available points, which placed sixth in the total score.
The San Antonio Spurs, who were also the general managers’ choice to win the NBA title, had 53% of first-place points in the Western Conference. The Oklahoma City Thunder were effectively tied in the survey, with both teams getting 34% of the available points. With two young, deep teams at the top of the conference, all roads seem to lead to an encore of last year’s Western Conference final.
But this league celebrates its parity. Eight champions in eight years? Almost nothing compared to more than the 40 years since a repeat Western Conference finals matchup. The West hasn’t had a conference finals sequel since the Lakers and Spurs in 1982 and 1983.
The season could turn unexpectedly for one of the top teams, opening the door for another team to crash the party. NBA general managers don’t think the Lakers would be first inside the velvet ropes, but executives believe the team could be an enigma. In response to a NBA.com survey question on which team’s success is the toughest to predict this season, the Lakers received the third-most votes.
The league can’t tell the type of team the Lakers will be. They at least have their goals clear.
“Realistically, I would say championship,” Doncic said at the Spectrum broadcast desk on media day. “If that’s not your goal, I don’t know what you’re doing here.”
Where do you think the Lakers will finish in the Western Conference?
Top-two seed (1-2)
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Cancun by mid-April
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Wednesday vs. Warriors, 7 p.m. PDT
It’s here! The opener! The Lakers should be familiar with the Warriors after playing two preseason games against their in-state rivals. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg emerged as an immediate impact player, averaging 15.6 points and 7.4 rebounds on 56.9% shooting during the preseason.
Friday vs. Clippers, 7 p.m. PDT
Old friend Rui Hachimura returns with the Clippers, who have moved on from the Kawhi Leonard Era but begin the season without Brandon Ingram (Achilles) and Max Strus (foot). Rookie guard Keaton Wagler could be one of the few bright spots for the struggling franchise this season.
Sunday at Jazz, 2 p.m. PDT
The Lakers’ first road game is a homecoming for Walker Kessler, returning to the franchise that drafted him, and a reunion with another former Laker Jaxson Hayes. Hayes, who signed a two-year, $12-million contract with the Jazz, is in line to get significant minutes for Utah after an early injury to Jusuf Nurkic (foot).
Poke from Redondo Beach’s Jus’ Poke.
(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)
The Lakers did not bless us with a tropical training camp (looking at you, Clippers and Warriors) so a trip to Redondo Beach’s Jus’ Poke will have to be the closest I get to Hawaii for now. The poke selections are always fresh and stand out for their simplicity and execution. No superfluous toppings and sauces. Just, as the name suggests, really good poke.
Lakers waive former first-round pick Dalton Knecht before season opener
Luka Doncic, JJ Redick believe revamped Lakers can contend for an NBA title
Plaschke: The new-look Lakers have much to prove and no chance of winning it all
What we learned from the Lakers’ preseason games and training camp
JJ Redick still mulling over Quentin Grimes’ role for the Lakers
Buss family asks judge to dismiss Jeanie Buss’ petition to block Lakers share sale
Ziaire Williams looks to continue providing energy boost to Lakers
As always, pass along your thoughts to me at thucnhi.nguyen@latimes.com, and please consider subscribing if you like our work!
