year

Come to find out, as we approach the season of plump turkey legs and similar Santa Clauses, all is not well at ESPN. Turns out Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are having a hissy fit.

Will sports broadcasting ever be the same? As the late Chick Hearn would say, “Oh me, oh my.”

Buck and Aikman have broadcast various pro football games together for 25 years. They are Abbott and Costello, but not anywhere near as funny. You tune in just to wait for Joe to say, “I’m Joe Buck and this is Hall of Famer Troy Aikman.”

Kind of gives you goose bumps.

According to various reports, Joe went out and negotiated a new contract without telling Troy. Divorce lawyers are now circling the wagons.

The reports have Joe getting $108 million for six years. That’s around $17.5 million a year, so that Joe can tell us that one of the teams on the field needs to establish a run game. Golly.

Troy didn’t know about his buddy’s new deal, wasn’t happy not to know and reportedly doesn’t quite get that much, so there is little joy in Mudville’s press box. (OK, that’s baseball, but you get the point.)

If that kind of money ruffles your feathers a bit, at a time when you need to carry a blood pressure machine with you to the gas pump and grocery store, being paid around $17 million a year and having a hissy fit about it would seem to be a little tone deaf. Remember, these guys aren’t getting hit, they describing how others are.

Troy cut his broadcasting teeth by starring at quarterback at UCLA and the Dallas Cowboys. He knew what was going on when Peyton Manning yelled “Omaha.” Joe probably knew, too, when Troy told him. Joe cut his teeth by working his way up the ranks; also maybe by hanging around a lot when dad Jack Buck broadcast for years from most of the sacred citadels of sports.

Again, these guys don’t play, they talk.

Anyway, who ever said there were attempts to introduce perspective to sports via a broadcast team? No need. Take the stats the network intern kids are handing you and create drama with the tone of your voice, even though the picture from the field covers that better.

Of course there is homework to be done.

“We talked to wide receiver Jim Lightning-Fast yesterday and he said this team is ready for a big game.”

“Coach Harold Headset told us that this is the best week of practice this team has had all year.”

Then they can throw it down to a sideline reporter:

— “Coach, how do you feel about that flat first half by your team?” (The real answer: lousy).

— “Coach, what does it mean to you winning tonight’s game?” (Real answer: It means I won’t get fired this week).

Those stick-a-microphone-in-your-face interviews always bring to mind the way the great Gregg Popovich of the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs handled them. He was once asked how his team’s winning play happened. “We practiced it,” he said.

The Joe-Troy hissy fit takes on additional import because they are set to call the Feb. 14 Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium. ESPN has three and a half months to fix this, but there is speculation that even if the hissy fit isn’t settled, the game will go on.

How about this: Hire Peyton Manning to do the color commentary. He certainly knows football and he has that elusive thing that most of those in sports speaking into microphones lack. A sense of humor.

Pair him with the legendary Al Michaels, who is 81, also has a sense of humor and still brings it on Prime Ticket’s Thursday night game. Michaels knows more about baseball and football and yes, even hockey, than most of his younger peers.

But obviously, for that Manning-Michaels matchup to happen, we’d have to believe in miracles.

ESPN personality Michael Wilbon announced he is taking an indefinite leave of absence from “Pardon the Interruption,” the sports debate show he has hosted with Tony Kornheiser for 25 years, and his NBA duties with the network and on ABC.

In a statement posted to social media on Monday, Wilbon cited “struggles with multiple health issues in recent months.”

“This isn’t retirement, but it is a trip to the injured list,” Wilbon, 67, wrote. “Hopefully not an extended one.”

He added: “Probably, I should have listened to medical professionals and people closest to me, yep Kornheiser included, who saw worrisome signs in recent years that suggested I take time away earlier. But I didn’t.

“And as one close friend has said as my issues have become bigger, ‘the bill has come due.’ The struggles are all health related, not to alcohol (I’m not swearing off the now-and-then Kier Royale) and not to gambling (those winds of change I find loathsome).”

Appearing on “The Tony Kornheiser Show” podcast Monday morning, Wilbon said he had taken last week off from “PTI” because “I was just, I mean, exhausted. Beyond exhausted — lifeless. And this has been going on for a while.”

He said that “part of what I have to deal with right now” stems from having diabetes. But, Wilbon added, “that’s not the entirety of it.”

Wilbon and Kornheiser, both former Washington Post sports writers, have hosted “PTI” since it debuted Oct. 22, 2001. The show has won the Sports Emmy Award for daily studio show three times (2009, 2016 and 2019). The hosts signed multi-year contracts in September 2025.

“Michael and his family have ESPN’s full support as he takes time away to focus on his health and well-being,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement. “He’s an important member of our ESPN team and widely respected by his peers, sports fans and so many others throughout our industry. We are here for Michael every step of the way and look forward to welcoming him back whenever he is ready.”

ESPN likely will have guest hosts fill in for Wilbon on “PTI” while calling on some of its other analysts to handle his NBA duties.

“I have loved sparring and hosting PTI with Tony every single day these past 25 years,” Wilbon wrote. “And I’m incredibly grateful for the support and encouragement of my colleagues as I take this time away to concentrate on me, specifically on my well-being. I have no idea exactly how this part of my journey will wind up. The goal is to come out of it feeling much better than I do now and ready to return to sparring with Tony.”

As President Trump tries to convince voters to maintain the Republican majority in the House and Senate ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections, some Fox News viewers are taking a break.

That’s what Lachlan Murdoch, executive chairman and chief executive of Fox Corporation, believes is behind the steep October ratings drop for the conservative leaning cable news channel. Fox News, which often draws more viewers in prime time than one or more of the broadcast networks, saw its October audience levels drop 28% compared to a year ago, according to Nielsen. Its total day audience among viewers ages 25 to 54 fell to 98,000, the lowest monthly level in 25 years.

“The business is in incredibly good shape and we’re very proud of the team,” Murdoch told analysts Monday on the company’s quarterly earnings call. “What we are seeing, though, is some viewer fatigue where our viewers have gone through some incredible news cycles the last few years.”

Murdoch noted that Fox News suffers in a year-to-year comparison with a 2025 news cycle that included President Trump’s inauguration, and the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, which spiked the network’s ratings in the fall last year.

Murdoch also said Fox News viewers are not switching to MS NOW or CNN and are instead watching slightly less television overall. But both of those networks gained viewers in October, which suggests the fatigue is not being felt across all of cable news.

Even with the ratings decline, Fox News says it is on pace for its highest-rated midterm year in total day viewers. The network’s total day average was 1.1 million viewers in October, down from 1.5 million a year earlier.

Politically minded viewers tuning out when their side is struggling has happened at the other end of the political spectrum. Progressive-leaning MS NOW, formerly known as MSNBC, saw its ratings drop sharply in the months following Trump’s victory over then-Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election that returned him to the White House.

The Fox News ratings slide had no impact on the parent company’s earnings, which were strong in its fiscal first quarter thanks to the record-setting audience levels for the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup and robust political ad sales on its TV stations. Fox News’ audience also declined during that quarter, and the company reported lower digital news advertising revenue.

Fox News has slightly more than a 50% share of the combined audience for the three major cable news channels and remains the dominant leader over competitors CNN and MS NOW, both of which gained viewers last month. Fox News has also broadened its base of advertisers in recent years and benefits from negotiated increases in revenue from cable and satellite providers that carry the channel.

Murdoch said Fox News saw a similar ratings dip during the 2006 midterm campaign when then-President George W. Bush was in his second term. (Republican viewers were also turned off by the Bush administration’s botched handling of Hurricane Katrina.)

Murdoch did not cite the more recent example of late 2020, when the audience tuned out of Fox News as they were unhappy over the results of the 2020 election and the network’s coverage of them, including its call of Arizona for Joe Biden. Trump and his most ardent supporters insisted he won and that the election was rife with voter fraud. (While Fox News journalists were consistent in reporting that Joe Biden won the election, the network repeatedly aired Trump’s false claims of fraud, leading to a defamation suit from Dominion Voting Systems, that was settled for $787 million in 2023.)

Fox News ratings rebounded in early 2021. The network also bounced back from a ratings dip that followed the ousting of Tucker Carlson in April 2023, when he was the most-watched prime time personality on the network.

In the current election cycle, Fox News opinion hosts continue to deliver strong support for Trump. But Trump has complained that the network is not giving enough coverage to his rallies.

The competitiveness of the midterm elections has the network devoting more time to the poll numbers that indicate the Democrats will have a strong night on Tuesday, largely due to voter unhappiness over Trump’s handling of the economy and the war with Iran.

Trump has complained publicly about Fox News giving attention to Democratic candidates, even though the network has always welcomed the party’s members to appear on its programs. Candidates backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, along with the left wing organization’s leaders, have been willing to engage with its anchors even as Fox News opinion hosts paint them as dangerous radicals.

But Fox News is also likely feeling the impact of the dwindling number of homes with subscriptions to pay TV, as consumers continue to abandon cable and satellite services for streaming, although CNN and MS NOW gained viewers despite the same trend. Fox has tried to recoup some of those cord-cutters through its direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service Fox One.

Murdoch touted the growth of Fox One and said it is fulfilling its mission of signing on consumers who no longer have pay TV, but the company has not revealed subscription numbers.

Murdoch touted the growth of Fox One and said it is fulfilling its mission of signing on consumers who no longer have pay TV, but the company has not revealed subscription numbers.

“L.A. is a city of conflicting realities,” says gallerist Jeni Abramson, and she likes it that way. Evolving directly from Don’t Look Projects — the residency and project space Abramson ran alongside Omar Yousif from 2024 through early 2026 — her eponymous gallery establishes a rigorous, intellectually charged platform dedicated to contemporary photography, multimedia and conceptual art. “I’m drawn to artists whose work examines how political, economic and technological systems operate through images, whether that’s an artist working with archives, surveillance, AI, or the accumulated weight of decades spent looking at the world through a lens,” she says. “My own formation, moving between very different political and economic systems, shapes how I read that work.”

The gallery inaugurated this vision with “Remains of the Day,” presenting more than 50 years of work by Michel Auder — capturing unvarnished, intimate fragments of Andy Warhol’s Factory, his marriages to Viva and Cindy Sherman, and decades of well-chronicled and timelessly sensual bohemian life — organized with support from Hamza Walker, Abramson’s neighbor at the nearby kunsthalle the Brick, and an exceptionally talented archive-wrangler.

The gallery’s November-December presentation is “Meat Ghost,” a solo exhibition of new work by research-based multidisciplinary artist Jen Liu.

Shaped by coming of age in post-Soviet Eastern Europe, where underground electronic music offered a vital bridge between fractured systems, Abramson approaches visual culture with a sharp, systems-aware lens. That critical framework finds a natural home in Los Angeles, particularly when it comes to the city’s complex legacy of CalArts conceptualism, the entertainment industry’s image machinery and the city’s enduring subterranean countercultures. Operating outside the speculative frenzy of the ultra-high-end marketplace, Abramson says, “The collectors I work with don’t approach art as an asset class. They collect for deeply personal reasons.”

WHEN someone tells me holidays have got more expensive, my first question is usually: where are you looking?

Because holidays – and winter sun ones especially – don’t always come with the steep price tag… if you know where to look.

Even on the same island, holidaymakers can end up paying more in one resort while spending less in another.

And knowing which names to put into the search box can make all the difference.

So I’ve been digging through the booking data, comparing this winter with the winter before, to find the destinations where holidaymakers actually paid less on average.

From Tenerife, to Egypt, to long-haul luxury in Mexico – I’ve found a holiday alternative in every destination where the prices are considerably lower right now, compared to how much they were last year.

And with up to 18 per cent slashed off the price of a five-night stay, there’s no excuse not to consider a little pre-Christmas getaway…

10. El Medano, Tenerife – 1% less

El Medano earns its name for offering a completely different flavour of Tenerife.

Beach and water sports are a big deal here, making it a good option for someone who likes an active seaside holiday alongside the usual eating, relaxing and enjoying being away.

I’d put it on the shortlist if you want the beach to be the centre of the trip, with plenty of opportunity to get outside.

The average amount paid here edged down one per cent year on year, with a small dip in the nightly average too.

The deal I found is at Hotel KN Arenas del Mar Beach & Spa, a four-star, adults-only hotel with a pool overlooking the sea.

It’s a five night Bed & Breakfast break from £315pp, including direct return flights from Manchester on December 14, 2026 – a perfect pre-Christmas seaside break.

9. Matagorda, Lanzarote – 2% less

Matagorda is somewhere I’d suggest for a simple, classic Lanzarote beach break – the long stretch of golden sand gives you the perfect starting point for a winter holiday.

The average amount paid here dipped two per cent, keeping spending down between the two winters.

That’s a result, especially when you consider Playa Blanca – also on Lanzarote – saw average costs rise seven per cent.

For someone who already likes Lanzarote, Matagorda is another name worth checking before deciding where to stay.

The deal I found is five nights’ Self Catering at San Marcial from £200pp, including direct return flights from Bristol on December 12, 2026.

There’s a pool for spending time around the accommodation, while the self-catering basis gives you control over the food budget.

This means popping to the local supermarket – one of my favourite things to do on holiday – for your food, while having the option to eat out without feeling like you are wasting a meal at the hotel.

And at just £400 for two people, including flights, you’ve got a very tempting starting price for a winter escape.

8. Makadi Bay, Egypt – 6% less

Makadi Bay is one I’d check out for a Hurghada holiday this year, and it’s perfect for a holiday where leaving the hotel isn’t top of your list between cocktails and swimming.

Think time by the pool, trips down to the beach and making the most of having your main meals sorted if you choose all inclusive.

It suits the sort of break where getting extremely comfortable for a week is the whole plan.

And the average amount paid here between winters fell six per cent.

What makes that especially sweet is the contrast with Hurghada itself, where holidaymakers paid nine per cent more on average.

It’s just another example of why I’d always compare individual resort areas rather than searching for one destination and assuming the job is done.

The deal I found is at the five-star Stella Beach Resort & Spa Makadi Bay: a five night all inclusive stay from £415pp, including direct return flights from London Luton on December 12, 2026.

Five-star accommodation, all inclusive and flights for £83 per person per night across the package? That deserves real consideration, even from me.

7. Sharm El Sheikh (town) – 6% less

Sharm El Sheikh is one I regularly consider when someone asks for a winter holiday recommendation.

There’s a massive choice of resorts, with an endless coast of gorgeous beaches right on your doorstep.

The booking figures make this result particularly interesting – Brits paid six per cent less on average, year on year.

And, I should say, this was a spot attracting substantially more bookings compared to the year before. Yet still, the average costs came down.

The deal I found is five nights, all inclusive at Amwaj Oyoun Hotel and Resort from £345pp, including direct return flights from London Gatwick on December 6, 2026.

It’s a five-star hotel with a massive pool area, and it’s the sort of place where I’d happily build my day around which pool and which restaurant I’m liking the look of.

That’s £690 for two people, with flights, accommodation, meals and drinks covered.

Remind me why we spend winter in the UK again?

6. Nuevo Horizonte, Fuerteventura – 7% less

Nuevo Horizonte, also known as Costa de Antigua, is a useful name to know if you’re keen to get away this winter for a good price.

It’s on Fuerteventura’s east coast, close to Caleta de Fuste, and I’d consider it for a relaxed holiday with plenty of warmth.

For a budget-conscious trip, I’d look closely at apartment options.

This means more control over your spending by having breakfast in your apartment, keeping beers in the fridge and choosing when to eat out.

This had the lowest average amount paid of anywhere on the list, with holidaymakers spending seven per cent less on average than the winter before.

The deal I found is five nights self catering at Elba Lucia Sport & Suite Hotel from £200pp, including direct return flights from Newcastle on December 12, 2026.

There’s a large pool area to enjoy, and as mentioned, the self-catering basis lets you decide how much of the holiday involves eating in or heading out.

Five nights in Fuerteventura for £400 for two, including flights, is a very sweet deal to have on your radar.

5. Playa del Carmen, Mexico – 8% less

If you’re thinking about a bigger, flashier winter escape, this is the spot I’d pay close attention to.

Playa del Carmen puts Mexico’s Caribbean coast on this shortlist, with plenty of beach time and the option to explore the Riviera Maya.

However, I would always look particularly closely at what the hotel includes here.

On a longer trip, an all inclusive package can cover a substantial part of your holiday spending before you arrive.

The average amount paid fell eight per cent, which meant a reduction of over £170 per person on average – the largest cash decrease on this list.

For two people, the difference between those averages was more than £350.

The deal I found is ten nights all inclusive at the five-star Bluebay Grand Esmeralda from £1,250pp, including direct return flights from London Gatwick on December 2, 2026.

That gives you a longer stay to settle into, with your main meals and selected drinks already part of the booking – a tantalising way to spend the run-up to Christmas.

4. Om El Sid, Sharm El Sheikh – 8% less

Om El Sid is one of my favourite parts of Egypt.

The area is known for its coral reefs and snorkelling, giving you something rather more interesting to look at than the bottom of a swimming pool.

For me, that’s a good reason to be specific about where in Sharm you stay – the location and beach access can become a major part of what makes the hotel worth booking.

Holidaymakers paid eight per cent less on average here too.

The deal I found is a five night all inclusive break at Old Vic Sharm Resort & Spa from £295pp, including direct return flights from Newcastle on December 9, 2026.

The hotel has a gorgeous pool if you don’t fancy a snorkel, and the all inclusive basis means your meals and drinks are covered while you’re there.

That’s £590 for two people, including flights – or £59 per person per night across the package.

So you’re bagging five nights away with a huge chunk of the everyday spending sorted. It’s easily one of the best deals I’ve spotted all year!

3. Golf del Sur, Tenerife – 9% less

Golf del Sur is worth a look if you fancy a much slower-than-usual Tenerife holiday, particularly if you like the idea of spending plenty of time enjoying your hotel.

And, as the name rather helpfully suggests, golfers have an obvious reason to take a closer look.

The area’s course combines volcanic scenery with Atlantic views, making a round here a very different proposition from searching for your ball in a wet British hedge.

But I’d also consider the area for a straightforward week of pool time, leisurely meals and a change of scenery.

The average cost here fell nine per cent, giving you another Tenerife name worth comparing when you’re searching.

The deal I found is five nights’ Bed & Breakfast at Grand Muthu Golf Plaza Hotel & Spa from £250pp, including direct return flights from Liverpool on December 13, 2026.

With breakfast included, you’ve got the first meal of the day sorted before you’ve had to make any meaningful decisions.

That’s £500 for two people for five nights away, including flights – I’d happily start planning around that.

2. Playa de la Arena, Tenerife – 13% less

Playa de la Arena is another spot in Tenerife that gives you something different to what you’d expect.

The black-sand beach is the centrepiece here, with places to eat nearby and lovely sunset views towards La Gomera.

Holidaymakers paid 13 per cent less on average.

This is the largest fall among the three Tenerife resorts on this list.

The deal I found is five nights including Bed & Breakfast at Sholeo Lodges Los Gigantes from £250pp, including direct return flights from London Stansted on December 5, 2026.

It’s an adults-recommended hotel so perfect if you want a break without any kids splashing you from the pool.

It comes high recommended too, with a very impressive 4.7 out of 5 Tripadvisor score.

Breakfast sorted, five nights in Tenerife and flights for £500 for two – hard to argue with that. 

1. Las Palmas, Gran Canaria – 18% less

Las Palmas gives you two very good reasons to get on a plane: a proper city break and a beach holiday in the same place.

You’ve got the restaurants, cafés and everyday life of Gran Canaria’s capital, alongside Las Canteras – a long city beach with a promenade made for chilled-out walks and stopping for something to eat.

I’d recommend it to someone who wants winter sunshine but also likes having plenty on the doorstep.

By that, I mean each in the morning, lunch somewhere different and an afternoon where the world is your oyster.

And handily, this was the biggest mover in my analysis with Brits paying a whopping 18 per cent less on average!

The deal I found is five nights self catering at URBANSEA Holiday Homes from £245pp, including direct return flights from Manchester on December 10, 2026.

I like the self-catering option for this sort of trip because you can sort some meals and drinks yourself, leaving more spending money for trying different places around the city.

That’s £490 for two people, including flights, for five nights combining Gran Canaria with a city break. My pick of the bunch!

WASHINGTON — Barbara Weigand could not have prepared more for retirement. She stayed healthy and saved diligently for years.

This year, though, a shoulder surgery and a bladder cancer diagnosis have really tested her finances. She recently withdrew $4,000 from her retirement account to cover medical expenses associated with her cancer treatment.

“On my monthly income, I would not be able to afford my new medical expenses,” says Weigand, 83, who lives in North Canton, Ohio. She is currently on a Medicare Advantage plan and was searching for new coverage as Medicare’s open enrollment period began in October.

For older adults in the United States, the rising cost of healthcare is hitting where it hurts most — their pocketbooks. With Medicare costs, prescription drug prices and long-term care expenses weighing on household budgets, their concerns could carry significant political weight heading into Tuesday’s elections.

Weigand is part of a reliable voting bloc; 83% of voters over age 50 say they’re extremely motivated to vote in the midterms, according to an AARP poll conducted in early October. Their concerns over managing healthcare costs put the issue of affordability squarely in the spotlight.

Here are some of their biggest healthcare concerns — and how Weigand sees them.

Changes to Medicare plans

Open enrollment for Medicare plans began in mid-October, and enrollees are facing a slew of changes that will go into effect in 2027.

During the enrollment period, people are considering higher Part D out-of-pocket caps, the end of temporary federal Part D premium subsidies, and new drug price negotiations. Additionally, in some states, insurers put caps on the number of people who can enroll in Advantage plans, pulling out of markets or eliminating plans that people have come to rely on.

Juliette Cubanski, director of KFF’s program on Medicare policy, told the Associated Press that the open enrollment period offers enrollees “an opportunity to evaluate the coverage they have and see if there might be better options for them in terms of accessing the care that they need, at possibly a lower cost.”

Although Weigand is grateful to have the mental acuity to do the research and the spiritual community that she relies on, she worries about other older people who are struggling to plan for the year ahead. “There are so many changes, and a lot of people my age who don’t know where to start,” she says. “What do they do?”

The affordability of prescription drugs

The Trump administration says it has made a priority of lowering drug prices in its effort to show that it is addressing soaring costs. President Trump has struck multiple most-favored-nation drug deals with pharmaceutical companies and has launched the discount drug website TrumpRx, among other steps.

In September, his administration said all 50 states would join in on a program set to provide most-favored-nation pricing to some drugs within the Medicaid program, bringing the net price of selected drugs down to prices paid in certain other countries.

Still, the cost of prescription drugs prevents some people from filling prescriptions. A KFF survey from March found that about 4 in 10 U.S. adults say they have not taken their medication as prescribed in the last year due to costs.

Weigand is considering rationing her drugs to save money. “I’ve been thinking — if I could just do this every other day rather than every day to make the medicine last longer,” she says. “Isn’t that sad?“

The KFF report says about 1 in 5 people surveyed had cut pills in half or skipped doses of medicine in the prior year because of the cost.

The costs of long-term support

The costs of receiving long-term care — whether from spouses, home-care aides or friends — have risen steeply for retirees.

An AARP report released Wednesday that examines out-of-pocket caregiving expenses finds that family caregivers are spending nearly 60% more supporting a family member or friend than five years ago. They spend an average of $11,508 a year supporting a family member or friend, compared with $7,242 in 2021, according to the report.

Nancy LeaMond, AARP’s executive vice president and chief advocacy officer, said “we’re already hearing from our members about healthcare affordability — its prescription drug costs, caregiver costs, copays, premiums,” she said. “Not only are we trying to help family caregivers with their finances, but also to get them the kind of information they need to help their loved ones.”

These worries are top of mind for older people. About one-third of Americans over 50 provide regular care to an adult relative or friend with a health issue or disability, according to a national poll on healthy aging conducted in September 2025 by the University of Michigan.

The solvency of Social Security

The Social Security Administration announced last month that the annual cost-of-living adjustment for older adults and people with disabilities will rise by 3.6% beginning in 2027. That translates to $75 extra per month for the nearly 72 million people who receive monthly Social Security benefits and about 7.3 million beneficiaries who get Supplemental Security Income.

The agency faces an approaching bankruptcy date if a funding shortfall is not addressed by Congress.

The Social Security and Medicare trustees’ report from June states that Social Security’s combined trust funds, which cover old age and disability recipients, will be unable to pay full benefits beginning in 2034. After that, incoming revenue would cover about 83% of scheduled benefits.

With 2034 not far away, the upcoming Congress will be faced with determining how to shore up the program.

Matt Hogan, a partner at the polling firm Impact Research, has this advice to candidates in the closing days of the midterm campaign: “Regardless of party, to make inroads with these voters, Social Security and Medicare should definitely be part of their messaging.”

Hussein writes for the Associated Press.

Donning a creepy mask of Democratic rival Xavier Becerra, Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton dashed around a children’s Halloween event dishing out candy and warnings about potential liberal tax policies.

“Vote for Becerra, and your parents will have to pay every mile they drive. Isn’t that great?” Hilton sarcastically said at a Trunk or Treat gathering Saturday in Highland Park. “These children are very pricey because if their parents vote for Becerra, they will be taxed every mile they drive. Yay! Yay! Mileage tax! Mileage tax! Mileage tax!”

Becerra was not spooked when he heard of Hilton’s get-up and put-down.

“I suspect, if he takes off that mask, you’ll see Donald Trump right underneath,” Becerra, a former congressman, state attorney general and member of President Biden’s Cabinet, said at a campaign event in Sacramento on Saturday. “That’s who he really is. Either that or he’s a clown.”

With Tuesday’s election barreling toward them, Becerra and Hilton traded barbs and did their the best to gin up support as they crisscrossed California in what has been a relatively sedate race to succeed Democrat Gavin Newsom, who is wrapping up his final term as governor. Recent polls show Becerra leading Hilton by at least 20 percentage points, which is not a surprise in a state where Democratic voters vastly outnumber Republicans and GOP candidates last won a statewide election two decades ago.

Becerra has spent the waning days of the campaign stumping for Democrats in competitive House races in the Central Valley and Southern California.

Party leaders are trying to capitalize on broad anti-Trump sentiment to juice the state’s liberal electorate and win House seats that were redrawn to favor Democrats, including a Sacramento-area seat currently held by Republican-turned-independent Rep. Kevin Kiley.

“We’re not just gonna take back these seats in California. We’re gonna take back the House and the Senate,” Becerra told costumed and cheering volunteers during a quick Saturday stop in support of Richard Pan, the Democrat challenging Kiley. Trump, Becerra said, wants to “destroy democracy. That’s why we’re getting out to vote.”

The Republican president is a big motivator for Democrats this year. California’s high cost of living was among the top concerns of California voters this election, but that was recently eclipsed by fears about Trump’s policies and their desire for a governor to fight back against his administration.

“Everything the Trump administration has done so far is something I disagree with,” 19-year-old Arthur Galvan said after Becerra spoke at Pan’s campaign headquarters. But the UC Davis sophomore said his top priorities are education and one day being able to afford a home, even in Lincoln, the semi-rural and fast-growing town he grew up in.

“Compared to the rest of the state, housing over there is slightly cheaper. But even still, that’s not attainable,” Galvan said. “I don’t think that there’s many easy ways to go about this but it’s something that we have to look into.”

Asked about his support for a proposed mileage tax — which would require drivers to pay a fee based on the total number of miles driven in a period of time — Becerra said he is considering all options to maintain road funding as more Californians adopt electric vehicles and stop paying the gas tax.

“We need to pay for our roads and our bridges and our highways. We need to pay for mass transit. You can’t do it if you don’t have the money,” he said. “I’m not gonna say exactly how it will be, because that’s work we have to do with the Legislature, and with every community having a chance to speak up.”

Hilton, a former Fox News commentator and political advisor to British Prime Minister David Cameron, has embraced his underdog status. The quick-witted Republican has pinballed from California’s deeply-red northern territories to Democratic strongholds in San Francisco and L.A., generating enough heat to remain in the spotlight but not enough to catch fire. He tailgated with Chargers and Rams fans at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, and had planned to rally voters at a Bakersfield demolition derby the night before, but pulled out when rain was forecast.

He has promised to lower gas prices to $3 per gallon, and on Thursday held a $3-a-gallon fill-up event in the San Joaquin Valley. Hilton also vowed eliminate state taxes on workers’ first $150,000 of income, scuttle the behind-schedule, over-budget high-speed rail project and abolish the DMV.

Though endorsed by Trump, Hilton has framed his campaign around the many ills facing California — including the lack of affordable housing, a persistent and worsening homelessness crisis, entrenched budget deficits and high gas prices — all of which he blames on years of Democratic rule.

At the Halloween event on Saturday, Hilton asked Italia Sandoval’s 3-year-old daughter Milania if she would prefer candy or a potential mileage tax. The toddler, understandably confused, opted for candy. Her mother, 31, jumped in, saying that such a levy would mean less story time, field trips and park and library visits for her family’s home-schooled children and further hamper their dreams of one day buying a home.

“Taxes are killing Californians. I want to buy my own home. Can’t afford it,” said the Huntington Park resident, a registered Republican who become politically engaged after studying theater at Cal State LA.

The daughter of a Mexican immigrant said her husband proposed moving to Idaho because of the cost of living in California, but she balked because their families live here. So they found other methods of cutting their budget.

“I shop at Goodwills, yard sales, Facebook Marketplace, you name it,” Sandoval said. “I even sadly say I pick up clothes off the side of the street sometimes. … It’s taught me to be resourceful in this state. But it’s like, come on.”

Aided by his Halloween mask and cardboard cutouts portraying Becerra as a hand puppet controlled by Newsom, Hilton has turned his opponent into a symbol of California’s high cost of living and “killjoy” rules. During a Friday night rally in Sacramento, the Republican candidate lamented local bans on gas appliances and a statewide prohibition on flavored tobacco products.

“It’s ridiculous. They don’t mind the fentanyl, they give out free drugs to hopeless addicts, but you try getting flavored Zyn in California — no way. That is insane,” he said, drawing cheers mostly from younger audience members. Lawmakers approved the ban in 2020 and voters upheld it two years later.

Though Becerra is considered unbeatable in blue California in the race, many Hilton fans are clinging to hope that the Republican candidate will overcome the odds.

“We need help. I bought a hybrid and still am like, the gas, it’s killing me,” said Marina Gabel, adding that the paycheck from her school district job is “crumbs.” The Roseville Republican wore a shirt to Hilton’s Sacramento rally that described Newsom as a “California Horror Story” in a nod to the long-running FX anthology series.

In the final days of his campaign Becerra seized on voter anxiety about Trump’s policies, heightened by the administration’s recent efforts to wrest control over state voting processes.

Becerra forcefully argued that Tuesday’s election is a referendum on the president, and accused Hilton of being beholden to a White House that has attacked immigrants, launched an unnecessary war against Iran and created economic havoc by imposing tariffs and other unhinged policies.

“We see that wolf in that sheep’s clothing. We see right through you, Donald Trump,” Becerra said Friday at a social club in San Francisco’s Castro district, one of the nation’s most iconic LGBTQ+ communities. “In California, we say no mas. …. that’s why this election is so important, because we gotta prove that California does not take a knee to Donald Trump.”

Emily Hewertson was sensationally evicted on her first night in the Big Brother house before making a shocking return

Big Brother’s 2026 winner will be crowned in just a few days, but whatever happened to last year’s memorable finalists?

The race for the ITV2 crown is heating up as the public is set to vote for their winning housemate this Thursday, October 5. Fans will then be treated to a reunion episode on Friday, October 6, which will bring all the housemates back together for one last time.

As well as bagging the title of BB winner, the champion will also take home a huge £100,000 cash prize. But there can only be winner. Emily Hewertson was one of the contestants who narrowly missed out on the crown last year, where she finished in fifth place. But her journey wasn’t exactly smooth-sailing.

Emily first joined the experiment on day one and was evicted just hours later in a brutal twist. But the political events manager made a surprise return to the show on Day 20 in yet another twist. And this time she held onto her place in the house until the final.

Just 25 years old at the time, Emily also became one of the most controversial figures in the series. Viewers often disagreed with her conservative politics and called out her “offensive” remarks on the show. However, the Northampton-based star brushed off the backlash and has opened up about how Big Brother changed her life.

Where is Big Brother star Emily Hewertson now?

Emily currently has over 50,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok, where she often shares behind-the-scenes truths about her time in the famous house. In a recent Instagram video about her life after the show, she said: “I thought I would tell you exactly how my life has changed since being on the show. First of all, one thing that has changed since leaving the house is I have some new friends.”

The ITV star went on to reveal that she has stayed in touch with fellow 2025 housemates Sam Ashby, Nancy Nocerino and Cameron Kinch. She added: “I’m still on good terms with the rest of the cast but they’re the people that I speak to the most.”

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The reality star also revealed that her career as a political commentator has reached new heights since the show. “I think I have been on TV every single month since being on the show, which is literally amazing,” she shared. She is a regular panellist on GB News, as well as Jeremy Vine on 5.

Despite her newfound fame, the 26-year-old says she still juggles her nine-to-five job with attending industry events. Before missing out on the prize money, Emily had hoped to spend the winnings on her close friends.

She told ITV: “If I win the money, I want to go on holiday. First and foremost, treat the girls. But then, I think I’d be a bit sensible and maybe put some aside. But that’s kind of boring, so who knows, I might just end up splashing it all and having a good time!” Now a whole new group of housemates are hoping to bag the life-changing prize.

Big Brother continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX

There’s a reason why people like to shop locally during the holidays. You don’t have to worry anxiously about when your gift will arrive — for the kids; it’s always for the kids. It doesn’t have to be like that.

This year, try visiting a local gift shop or a holiday craft fair and pick out a gift in person from a neighbor right here in L.A.

As in past years, many of the items in our Made in L.A. list are small-batch or made-to-order. You’ll find things including unique ceramics, puzzle candles, handmade jewelry and even a life-affirming baseball cap designed by an 11-year-old.

The best holiday gifts aren’t just those that arrive quickly. They also have heart. If you’re searching for the perfect gift, whether it’s the perfect handmade coffee mug or silk-screened tee boasting local pride, check out our list of favorites below.

Editor’s note: If you make a purchase using some of our links, the L.A. Times may be compensated. Prices and availability are subject to change. In some cases, listed websites may use location-based pricing.

We felt like Julie Andrews in “The Sound of Music” putting together this year’s list of the best gifts for L.A. walkers, hikers and those who love the great outdoors. These really are a few of our favorite things!

That said, we stand by these products and the ones we wrote about for the Gift Guide in 2024 and 2025. Using our three lists, you should be able to shop for every outdoorsy person in your life, surprising them with great gadgets, gear and garb from major retailers and cottage companies, including multiple items in this list that are from California small businesses.

Editor’s note: If you make a purchase using some of our links, the L.A. Times may be compensated. Prices and availability are subject to change. In some cases, listed websites may use location-based pricing.

Tributes for Patrick Stewart are flooding social media after the news of the British actor’s death at 86.

Stewart, who played “X-Men” mutant headmaster Professor Charles Xavier across nine Marvel films, died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles “in the loving care of his beloved wife Sunny, following a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia,” his longtime spokesperson Kelly Bush Novak said in a statement.

The acclaimed actor, whose career spanned 60 years in film, television and stage, cemented his place in the hearts of audiences and his peers in the industry.

Hugh Jackman, who played Wolverine in more than 10 Marvel films, penned a tribute on Instagram.

“We lost one of the greats of stage and screen today,” Jackman wrote. “And, in my book, a tremendous friend and man. I learned so much from him. I will miss you, Patrick Stewart, all of my days.”

“Logan” and “The Wolverine” director James Mangold emailed The Times a statement, writing, “A generous and kind man, Patrick was very dear to me but also a towering, magnificent talent. There is no ‘Logan’ without his brave portrayal of Charles Xavier. He is the beating heart of our film and our collaboration will be a cherished gift in my life.”

Stewart’s co-star in the “Star Trek” universe, Jonathan Frakes, wrote in an emailed statement to The Times, “There’s no one on this planet that I have acted with or directed more often than my late great friend Patrick Stewart. He will be with me forever. May he rest in Peace.” Frakes played Cmdr. William T. Riker opposite Stewart’s Capt. Jean-Luc Picard in the series “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and “Star Trek: Picard” and four “Star Trek” films.

William Shatner, who played Capt. James T. Kirk in “Star Trek: The Original Series” and its subsequent films and who lost another former co-star in the “Star Trek” franchise, Walter Koenig, this week, posted a photo of an embrace with Stewart alongside a tribute.

“What a heartbreaking week it has been,” Shatner wrote. “Sir Patrick Stewart was a friend, a colleague, and a magnificent actor. From the stage to the bridge of the Enterprise, he brought intelligence, grace, and a deep sense of humanity to everything he did. Captain Picard stood for the best of us, and so did the man who played him. I was filled with affection and admiration for him and his work.

“My heart goes out to Sunny and his family. He will be deeply missed.”

Rebecca Romijn, who starred in both “X-Men” and “Star Trek” films alongside Stewart, posted a video on Instagram memorializing the actor. “Heard the very sad news about the passing of my dear friend Patrick Stewart,” she said.

“I feel so grateful to have known him for the last 25 years … both as a fellow mutant and as a fellow member of Starfleet. He was positively delicious, hilarious, naughty, incredible sense of humor, and that booming voice of his that always spoke to the very back of the room, as every classically trained Shakespearean great needs to master. … Rest in peace, Patrick.”

Minnie Driver, who acted alongside Stewart in the 2017 romantic comedy film “The Wilde Wedding,” posted on Instagram, “Is this year some kind of portal to a much, much better place that all the greatest people know about and so have gently made their exits? Dearest Patrick. Who always had the best advice, the funniest story, the patience to listen. I’m just bereft. All love to your family, and you, in my heart forever.”

Stewart also starred in the AIDS-era 1995 romantic comedy film “Jeffrey” alongside actor Bryan Batt.

“Heartbroken at the news of Sir Patrick’s passing,” Batt wrote on Facebook. “He was one of the most talented, kindest, and generous actors I’ve ever had the honor of working with. I was lucky to play his lover in the film of Paul Rudnick’s JEFFREY. Even though I created the role on stage, it was my 1st film and needless to say I [was] a bit anxious. Patrick took me under his wing and guided me along, teaching me so much. A wonderful giving actor and true gentleman of the theatre. Flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.”

Rock star and author Patti Smith also commented on the announcement of Stewart’s death on Instagram, writing “Tears of love.”

Marvel’s Kevin Feige told The Times in a statement, “I’ll never forget the first time I saw Sir Patrick Stewart on the set of the first X-Men. After years of knowing him as the inimitable Captain Picard, I was in awe — and he turned out to be everything I had seen on screen and more: brilliant, charming, warm, generous, with a quiet strength and gravitas. Away from the cameras, he was even more remarkable, with a wonderfully sharp sense of humor.

“It was a true privilege to know him and to work with him. His legacy lives on not only in decades of extraordinary work, but in the many, many people he mentored. He will be deeply missed.”

Marvel also posted a tribute to Stewart, who was held dear by audiences who saw themselves in the mutants cared for and protected by Stewart’s Charles Xavier.

“All of us at Marvel Studios are deeply saddened by the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart,” Marvel wrote on social media. “Sir Patrick brought Professor Charles Xavier to life with extraordinary grace, intelligence, and humanity, defining the character for generations of fans, from X-Men to Logan to Avengers: Doomsday. He was a singular talent, a generous collaborator, and a true gentleman. Our hearts go out to his wife Sunny, his children, his friends, and the countless fans around the world whose lives he touched with his art.”

DUBLIN — Limerick, first settled by Vikings nearly 1,100 years ago, is a verdant sprawl of lush forests, rolling hills and liminal bogs.

But this region in midwest Ireland, steeped in folklore, where the River Shannon meets the estuary’s tidal waters before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean, is also the unlikely site of bustling production activity.

In a technology park, not far from 13th century castles, medieval ruins and picturesque villages, stands Troy Studios. Opened nine years ago in a former Dell Computer factory that shut down when it shifted manufacturing to Poland, Troy is Ireland’s biggest and newest soundstage complex.

It is here that Apple TV’s science fiction series “Foundation,” based on the Isaac Asimov masterpiece, was filmed, as was the SyFy horror series “Nightflyers,” adapted from the works of George R. R. Martin. It’s also where four prime-time American game shows are produced.

“It’s cheaper to bring 100 American people to Ireland than to walk across the lot at Fox,” actor Rob Lowe cracked on his podcast last year. Lowe is also the host of the trivia face-off show “The Floor,“ which relocated to Troy for its sixth and upcoming seventh seasons, after previously shooting at a studio south of Dublin.

While some in Ireland’s fiercely proud film industry bristled at Lowe’s comments, they were, in fact, a razor-sharp distillation of the pent-up frustration runaway production has engendered across the industry in Los Angeles.

Last year, 45% of all U.S. films and scripted television shows were shot internationally, up from about 33% in 2022.

As Hollywood productions have turned away from L.A., spanning the globe chasing tax credits and rebates, Ireland increasingly has become a destination for American movies, television series and the once-quintessentially L.A. creation: the game show.

Ireland’s mix of dramatic landscapes, diverse architecture and modern and historic scenery has long been a draw for international filmmakers. “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and “The Last Jedi” turned the UNESCO World Heritage site Skellig Michael, a rocky island once occupied by a 6th century monastery, into the fictional planet Ahch-To. It was Ballinesker Beach’s soft sand dunes in County Wexford that stood in for Omaha Beach in “Saving Private Ryan’s” epic opening scene.

Now, the country is increasingly a magnet for a diverse slate of American productions. In the last year alone, the USA Network’s series “The Rainmaker” wrapped its second season in Dublin; the Netflix hit series “Wednesday” shot its third season around Dublin and Wicklow; and the A24 film “The Riders” starring Brad Pitt filmed across the country over the summer. L.A.-based Blumhouse Productions has shot a slew of movies and TV shows here, including the newly released American suburban nightmare flick “Other Mommy” and the upcoming Amazon MGM Studios horror movie “Seasons,” which is set in Idaho and filming in County Wicklow.

While filming in the L.A. region remains at historic lows, production spending in Ireland has soared, hitting a record $632.7 million last year, up 26% from the previous year, according to Screen Ireland, the national agency for film and television. In a survey conducted by ProdPro this year, Ireland was ranked in the top five preferred filming spots globally behind New York, the United Kingdom, California and Georgia.

With outsize interest in this small country, its sound stages are frequently full, and filmmakers say there is often a run on everything from lenses to edit bays to left-driving cars.

“Definitely post-COVID, it’s gone absolutely crazy in terms of the number of productions happening here,” said Ruth Treacy, producer and co-founder of Dublin-based production company Tailored Films, which served as co-producer on the 2024 biographical drama “The Apprentice.” Treacy and others in the industry call it a “green wave.”

“Obviously these projects are not necessarily shooting as if they’re supposed to be in Ireland,” Treacy told The Times. “It’s shooting the U.S. in Ireland, and that’s working quite well.”

The green wave grows

The seeds of the green wave were sown decades ago.

Ireland is a nation of storytellers. Over generations, it has maintained its ancient oral traditions, preserving its history, language and mythology, memorializing them on the page and eventually the screen.

Towering literary figure James Joyce helped to open the country’s first cinema, the Volta Electric Theatre, in a former metals shop in Dublin in 1909. Today, the country is said to have the highest per capita rate of moviegoers in Europe.

Ireland’s current course was set in 1980, when the government established the Irish Film Board to champion and fund domestic movies. Tax credits were introduced in 1987 to spur economic growth, but the prime minister suspended the program that same year.

Still, a small but influential group of Irish filmmakers came of age. Acclaimed movies such as “My Left Foot” and “In the Name of the Father,” directed by Jim Sheridan, and Neil Jordan’s “The Crying Game” found outside funding and became international hits. Their success and lobbying efforts prompted Michael D. Higgins, the country’s culture minister at the time, to relaunch the film board in 1993, now called Screen Ireland.

Since then, Screen Ireland has embarked on a dual strategy: to create a destination for international filmmaking and foster Irish culture on screen.

The effort has spurred a creative renaissance. In recent years, the country’s global profile has grown with a surge in homegrown talent featuring a range of actors, from Cillian Murphy to Jessie Buckley, along with projects such as “The Banshees of Inisherin” and “Normal People.” In 2023, the Irish-language film “The Quiet Girl” earned the country’s first international feature Oscar nomination. Co-production partnerships with the U.S., U.K. and other countries have flourished.

“Across Ireland, you see a real value put on arts and culture,” said Désirée Finnegan, chief executive of Screen Ireland. “For us, the investment in talent is a strategic priority. We are filmmaker-driven, artist-led.”

In the last five years, Screen Ireland has invested nearly $170 million across film, television, animation, documentaries and game design, as well as training and early talent development, Finnegan said.

In 2021, the agency established an office in the same building as Ireland’s Los Angeles consulate to further build relationships with the U.S. entertainment industry.

Ireland’s tax incentives program has evolved into one of Europe’s most stable. It provides a 32% refundable tax credit on eligible expenditures, including salaries of cast and crew (Irish feature films qualify for more), and the per project cap has increased from $81 million to $145 million.

This year, Ireland sweetened the pot, adding VFX and post-production uplifts to the incentive program. It also became the first European country to support dedicated unscripted content, for which it offers a refundable credit of 20% on eligible Irish production expenditures, capped at $16.8 million per project.

Jake Walshe, president and CEO of Screen Scene Post Production Group and chair of the trade association VFX Ireland, helped spearhead efforts for the new post-production enhancement.

“You’re going to see more growth in this area with this tax credit,” he said.

Another catalyst was the global success of HBO’s series “Game of Thrones,” which filmed its first season in Northern Ireland in 2010.

“We didn’t know how big ‘Game of Thrones’ was going to be,” laughed Walshe, whose Dublin company did post-production work on the project.

Since then, the visual effects studio has worked on “Shōgun,” “The Penguin,” “The Irishman” and Marvel’s “Black Widow.”

“A lot of high-level Irish crews today got their start on big productions like ‘Game of Thrones’ or ‘Penny Dreadful,’” said Michael Byrne, a former location manager here, now a Screen Ireland executive.

The green wave triggered a homegrown cottage film industry.

Model and prop maker Mark Maher returned to Ireland in 2012 after working in New Zealand.

“I did notice there was a gap there with the prop and prosthetics and no company to feed into the film studios here,” said Maher, who worked on the Showtime series “Penny Dreadful.”

In 2017, he opened Odyssey Studios in Limerick and has supplied miniatures and props to such projects as “Foundation” and “Wednesday” and also operates a training academy.

“There is a surge here in Ireland,” he said. “We were very lucky.”

An animation boom

The expanded credits have been a boon to Ireland’s once-fledgling animation industry, which now has nearly 50 studios employing about 2,500 staffers. Many partner with Disney, Netflix and Nickelodeon.

Cartoon Saloon, one of the country’s first animation studios, founded in 1999, got its start in Kilkenny, a medieval city in southeast Ireland. Its founders, Tomm Moore, Paul Young and Nora Twomey, met while studying animation at Ballyfermot College, a vocational school in a working-class Dublin suburb.

Instead of making computer animated movies like Disney/Pixar’s “Toy Story,” Cartoon Saloon decided to focus on hand-drawn Irish folklore. Its first feature, “The Secret of Kells,” released in 2009, was about manuscript-making monks. It was nominated for an Oscar, as were three other of the studio’s films, including “The Breadwinner,” executive produced by Angelina Jolie, and “Wolfwalkers,” which ran on AppleTV.

“We found that through our own authentic voices, [that] not necessarily every story has to be set in Ireland, it’s just every story that we tell has to have something that really resonates with us as a company of animators,” Twomey said.

The rise of co-productions

Many of Ireland’s best-known productions got their start at Ardmore Studios, just south of Dublin in the seaside town of Bray. It’s the country’s oldest studio, opening in 1958.

From the outside, the 18-acre campus of soundstages and back lots, nestled among the forests and mountains of County Wicklow, looks like a historic village. It was here that movies such as “The Spy that Came in from the Cold” and “The Commitments” and TV series like “Penny Dreadful” and “The Tudors” were filmed.

“Angela’s Ashes,” the 1999 adaptation of Frank McCourt’s Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir, also was made at the studio. More recently, Ardmore has been one of the main locations for the hit Netflix series “Wednesday,” the dark supernatural comedy starring Jenna Ortega.

David McLoughlin, the co-CEO and producer at Metropolitan Pictures, which is “Wednesday’s” Irish co-producer, has witnessed dramatic changes firsthand.

“Compared to 25 years ago, it’s obviously just a huge difference,” said McLoughlin, whose company is based at Ardmore Studios. “But that’s not just in terms of international production. There’s been an awful lot of Irish producers developing projects, and then they’re bringing in outside production partners.”

On Dublin’s north side, where the city center is divided by the River Liffey, Element Pictures operates its award-winning production company above a busy commercial street. Its conference room is filled with BAFTA awards, Golden Globes and posters from its acclaimed films such as “The Favourite” and “Room,” which each won best actress Oscars, and “Bugonia,” which was nominated for best picture.

Founded in 2001, Element is one of Ireland’s leading production companies and owned by London-based TV producer and distributor Fremantle. Founders Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe began as the local producer for BBC series shot here and cultivated relationships with European and American filmmakers and distributors to develop their own projects.

It’s a successful model others have adopted.

“We’ve seen that change from something that was a kind of weird, little curiosity making strange, small films to something that actually has a kind of profile on the international stage,” Guiney said.

Not far from Dublin’s Trinity College are the offices of Wild Atlantic Pictures, named after the 1,500-mile stretch of western Ireland’s rugged coastline. The company began by co-producing with various American and British studios, emerging as a force in the industry here and abroad.

In recent years, Wild Atlantic served as a co-producer or the Irish production company on such films as Richard Linklater’s Oscar-nominated “Blue Moon,” “Cocaine Bear” with Universal and “The Green Knight” with A24, as well as Apple TV’s “Foundation” and the Netflix dark comedy series “Bodkin.”

“Every film I’ve made is a co-production of some description,” said Macdara Kelleher, the company’s co-CEO and founder. “It’s not an unusual thing for Irish people, for a small country. There’s just a limit to the amount that you can raise in Ireland, and U.S. films dominate our box office.”

Kelleher points to Wild Atlantic’s relationship with Santa Monica-based Blumhouse Productions.

“They’re a great partner and they give us access,” he said. The companies have a number of projects in various stages of development, including the horror film “Seasons” and the TV adaptation of John Grisham’s “The Rainmaker.”

Doubling for America

As Ireland has emerged as a major film hub, it increasingly has become a double for America.

About 15 miles south of Dublin in County Wicklow lies the Powerscourt Estate, with its 47 acres of gardens and the iconic waterfall featured in the 1981 Arthurian legend film “Excalibur.” The area also was transformed into the fictional seat of power for the “Vikings” series commissioned by the History Channel.

More recently, the same expanse of forest and lakes masqueraded as Appalachia in the film “Cocaine Bear,” Elizabeth Banks’ dark comedy and true story about a black bear that ate a massive amount of cocaine dropped by a drug smuggler in Georgia.

Beginning in 2024, veteran Irish production director Susie Cullen worked back-to-back on four movies all set in America but filmed in Ireland, including “Abigail,” the Boston-based vampire horror-comedy, and “Blue Moon,” a movie set in 1943 Manhattan about troubled lyricist Lorenz Hart, played by Ethan Hawke.

“Part of being a production designer is to create something, to create a fantasy or period, and that part of the challenge is kind of great,” Cullen said.

Cullen re-created the historic Broadway haunt Sardi’s on a soundstage at Ardmore Studios. A local artist mimicked the restaurant’s famed caricatures of celebrities, using the faces of the crew.

For the scene showing the Broadway opening of “Oklahoma!” set at St. James Theatre, Cullen said they filmed at the Gaiety, a 155-year-old opera house on Dublin’s South King Street near St. Stephen’s Green. At the time, “Riverdance,” the traditional Irish step dance troupe, was performing at the theater.

“We just had a little mini-version of ‘Oklahoma!’ in the theater, on ‘Riverdance’s’ day off,” Cullen said. “We got there in the morning and put our set in front of theirs and they shot that evening and we took ours down and ‘Riverdance’ was back the next day.”

The soundstages of Ardmore Studios hosted another production, the TV adaptation of the John Grisham’s 1995 bestselling novel “The Rainmaker” for USA Network.

While the book takes place in Memphis, Tenn., the producers wanted to update the legal thriller, setting the story in present-day Charleston, S.C.

“I was thrilled,” recalled Dan Rogers, a senior project manager with the South Carolina Film Commission, and he said that “we’d love to bring it here” after a production executive told him the series was expressly written for Charleston.

But months later, Rogers was informed the studio decided to film elsewhere. Much to his surprise, the location wasn’t L.A. or even another Southern U.S. city — but Ireland.

Showrunner Michael Seitzman said it was a matter of money.

“You’re trying to maximize that budget, make the biggest show you can, make a show that looks like the one that you wrote on the page,” he said, adding, “every producer is having the same conversation right now.”

Seitzman estimates he saved about $10 million for a 10-episode season because of the tax credits and lower costs for labor and other production expenses. Another bonus: He could cast supporting local actors adept at shifting to an American accent.

The series has shot at locations around Dublin, including a former 18th century military school, St. Mary’s Hospital, that became the fictional North City Hospital. Ireland’s oldest school of law was transformed into various institutions in Charleston.

For Season 2, which wrapped in August, Seitzman had become so familiar and enthralled with Dublin that he created a storyline in Ireland over a few episodes.

“We could really shoot Ireland for Ireland, which was fantastic,” he said. “Suddenly we could stop hiding all the beautiful things we were seeing.”

Game show mecca

Perhaps the biggest wave to crash on Irish shores is the American game show.

In January, BiggerStage — the television production company that has co-partnered with Fox Entertainment and produces six shows in Ireland for American prime time — invested a reported $11.2 million in a deal to create a global, unscripted production hub at Troy Studios in Limerick.

“We did it because we see a real opportunity to increase the amount of work here, and that’s both work we create as much as it is work that we partner with other producers around the world,” said Sean O’Riordan, BiggerStage’s chief creative officer.

Pat Kiely, a former managing director of Virgin Media Television, launched the Dublin-based company five years ago to develop original content — particularly in the unscripted segment for the global market — and position Ireland as an international television center (hence the company name).

Meanwhile, Fox Entertainment had launched something called the international fund. The idea was to pilot an idea for a show and see how it could be produced for less money, partnering with international networks or production companies.

The first was a singing talent show called “The Big Deal” that BiggerStage produced for an Irish audience.

Impressed by the quality and cost-effectiveness of the show, Fox quickly began discussing collaborating on other productions with BiggerStage.

“They were incredible partners creatively. And so from there we were able to know we had a trusted production partner in Ireland,” said Allison Wallach, head of unscripted programming at Fox Entertainment Studio.

In 2022, Fox relocated “Name That Tune” from Australia to Dublin. That same year, “Beat Shazam,” the game show hosted by Jamie Foxx, relocated from Television City in Los Angeles to Ireland, where Fox also launched a series of shows including “The Floor” hosted by Lowe and “Next Level Chief.” In all, BiggerStage produces about 100 hours of American prime-time shows in Ireland.

BiggerStage leveraged its success with Fox to lobby the Irish government for the unscripted tax credit to attract even more growth.

“Hubs are going to be more crucial than ever to make things work at a price point,” Wallach said. “And I think that BiggerStage and actually Ireland is really well suited to be that hub for Europe and for the U.S.”

Los Angeles voters will head to the polls Tuesday to vote on a slew of ballot measures, including a half-cent sales tax that would beef up the city’s Fire Department — but which also would cost Angelenos more to fill up their gas tanks, buy clothes and dine out.

Another measure would allow the City Council to meet just once a week, instead of three times as required by the City Charter.

In all, there are eight ballot measures before L.A. voters that could have a significant impact on how the city government functions, and which take just a simple majority to pass.

Here’s a roundup:

Measure FD: Sales tax hike for the Fire Department

Voters will consider a half-cent increase to the city’s retail sales tax, bumping it from 10.25 cents per dollar spent to 10.75 cents per dollar spent. The tax hike is expected to raise an estimated $345 million annually and would be funneled into a separate fund specifically for the Fire Department.

The sales tax increase was spearheaded by the union representing rank-and-file firefighters, who have long complained the department is underfunded.

The city still would be required to fund the department at the same average percentage out of the general fund, ensuring extra revenue generated by the tax would add to its regular budget.

Opponents say this would be the third sales tax hike since 2024, costing an average of $86 per person and $345 for a family of four in additional sales taxes each year.

The firefighters union said the tax fund is essential to increase the number of firefighters and lower response times across the city.

Charter Amendment EE: Fewer City Council meetings

Amendment EE would allow the Council to meet once a week instead of three times, as required under the City Charter.

The Council voted 12-0 to put the measure on the ballot, with three council members absent. Council members in support of the measure said the three meetings are costly and ineffective, and noted their time is better spent working in their district.

Councilmember Monica Rodriguez opposed the measure, saying it would reduce the time available for L.A. residents to engage with their representatives in a public forum and could lead to council members rushing through deliberations on important matters.

The amendment also would approve changes to how the city governs. If passed, independent inspectors for the L.A. Police and Fire Departments would have more power to conduct audits, and it would increase the penalties for campaign finance violations. The changes also include raising the number of signatures needed for a ballot referendum and would bar ethics commissioners from running for City Council or the Los Angeles Board of Education for five years after they leave office.

Proposition TE: An exception to the ‘mansion tax’

Proposition TE would grant a one-time exemption to Palisades fire victims from paying the so-called “mansion tax” if they sell their home within five years of the disaster.

The “mansion tax,” or Measure ULA, took effect in 2023 and imposed an additional 4% transfer tax on all L.A. property sales above $5.4 million and a 5.5% tax on sales above $10.9 million. Despite its nickname, the tax also falls on more modest multifamily residences like apartment buildings that exceed the sales price benchmarks.

The proposition would exempt Pacific Palisades homeowners from paying the tax, regardless of whether they lived at the property or not. It also would refund any resident who already sold their property and paid the tax.

The proposition was spearheaded by Councilmember Traci Park, who represents the region. Supporters say fire victims have been through enough and should have more flexibility as they navigate expensive rebuilding costs.

Opponents argue the proposition is too broad and should have included only victims whose primary residence was destroyed.

Charter Amendment LA: Restructuring how the city administers public works

Amendment LA is intended to more efficiently deliver basic city services for infrastructure in need of repair, including streets in need of repaving, dangerous sidewalks and broken streetlights. It also would leverage existing resources to open up sources of revenue.

The measure would reduce the sway of the Board of Public Works or pave the way to eliminate it, while also increasing the power of the director of public works. Critics oppose the elimination of the board, saying it would weaken accountability and increase public scrutiny.

Charter Amendment PL: Streamlining the Planning Department

L.A. residents have for years complained that navigating the Planning Department to build or open businesses is complicated and confusing.

Amendment PL includes five proposals that would increase efficiency and streamline certain parts of the Planning Department, which controls land use and approves construction and renovation projects.

The changes would consolidate seven Area Planning Commissions into one, partly to lower costs and ensure that all appeals and applications are governed by the same logic. It also would give the City Council more flexibility in approving taller buildings and set deadlines to speed up rulings from the City Planning Commission.

Charter Amendment PRK: Doubling the money for recreation and parks

Amendment PRK would double the minimum amount of money set aside for the Department of Recreation and Parks by reworking the parameters of the city budget.

The department is in charge of maintaining green spaces, playing fields and senior centers in the city. The City Charter mandates the department receive .0325% of the total assessed value of taxable properties, which is about $303 million for the park system this year and would be around $493 million in 10 years.

If the measure passes, that would double, meaning the park system would get a minimum of $986 million by 2036.

Supporters say the existing city allocation isn’t enough and has led to deteriorating recreation centers, swimming pools and restrooms. Critics warn it would force city officials to cut other services to make room for this additional funding.

Charter Amendment PRT: Changes to airports, harbor and water and power departments

Charter Amendment PRT is part of a package of proposed changes to the City Charter to increase transparency, build public trust and streamline operations. It would change how airports, harbors and the Department of Water and Power are managed.

The amendment would require that two of the seven members of the Los Angeles World Airport’s board of commissioners, who oversee Van Nuys and Los Angeles International airports, live in Van Nuys and three live around LAX.

It also would require the L.A. Board of Harbor Commissioners allocate a portion of its operating income from the Port of Los Angeles to investments in waterfront public access projects. The harbor is one of the busiest in the country and generates revenue from the operators at its terminals. PRT also would broaden public insight into how lease agreements with the port affect the local workforce.

Supporters say people overseeing Van Nuys and LAX should have a firsthand understanding of living near the airports.

No ballot argument against PRT was submitted, although the L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce said it opposes the measure, citing concern over the additional requirements it would impose on businesses and the potential impact on port operations.

Charter Amendment SC: Altering LAUSD’s campaign finance rules

Amendment SC wouldn’t make major changes, but would clarify rules on campaign finance for candidates running for a seat on the Board of Education, which oversees LAUSD.

Language would be simplified to clarify that the same rules apply for mayoral candidates and Board of Education candidates, except in certain instances. Some of those rules include governing campaign contribution limits, filing deadlines, public disclosures and fundraising windows.

Supporters say it won’t make any substantive changes, but instead make the rules easier to understand by deleting duplicated language. No argument was provided against the amendment.

Two decades ago, political scientists identified a certain breed of self-defeating gerrymander that backfired on mapmakers who tried to rig congressional district lines for partisan advantage.

They called it a “dummymander.”

“A dummymander is a gerrymander by one party that, over the course of the decade, benefits the other party, and actually looks as if it was designed by that party rather than the party in power,” Bernard Grofman and Thomas Brunell wrote in “The Art of the Dummymander.”

The phenomenon came out of Democratic legislatures in the Deep South in the 1990s. Attempting to protect incumbents amid a political realignment toward Republicans, they spread what was left of their voting strength across too many districts after the 1990 census.

Grofman and Brunell compared their situation to a lifeboat. “The carrying capacity of any lifeboat is limited,” they said. “If you try to overload it, the boat may sink, or at least tip over, washing a number of people overboard.”

Over the last two years, Democrats and Republicans have battled to redraw House districts, in a process kicked off by Texas Republicans’ adoption of a new map — at the direction of President Trump — that shifted as many as five seats their way. Other states joined in, including retaliation by Democrats in California. Courts blocked some of both parties’ efforts, with the resulting national map tilted toward Republicans by about nine seats, on net.

Now, as analysts forecast a potential “blue wave” of support for Democrats, election watchers are studying whether Republicans’ efforts could backfire. The upshot? Probably not this year. But the election will test just how much partisan advantage mapmakers can squeeze out before a gerrymander starts working against them.

‘A perfect storm’

The Democrats’ 1990s dummymander wasn’t apparent immediately: For one election, in 1992, the Democratic maps worked. Across North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, Democrats won 18 of 29 House seats. Their only misstep: In trying to gerrymander Republican Newt Gingrich out of his district, they forced him to move to a new district where he won narrowly.

Two years later, the weather turned. Gingrich led the “Republican Revolution” during President Clinton’s first midterm and was rewarded with the speaker’s gavel. The 18 dummymandered Democratic seats were reduced to 10.

Today’s potential dummymanders are different. For starters, House districts are meant to be redrawn once a decade, following the U.S. census. The Democratic dummymanders in the ‘90s came after constitutionally required reshuffling. The mid-decade gerrymanders of 2025 and 2026 were purely opportunistic. Republican-led states such as Texas and Florida redrew maps at Trump’s urging, not to protect vulnerable seats, but to extend their partisan advantage.

These gerrymanders are also different in that they could conceivably backfire in their first election, rather than producing the delayed reaction of the Southern Democrats’ earlier dummymander.

“We are in a perfect storm for dummymanders,” said Brunell, now a political science professor at the University of Texas at Dallas. The formula: extreme partisan gerrymandering — mostly by Republicans — and a midterm election with an unpopular president and economic headwinds.

Margin for error

Some dummymanders are dumber than others. The real test isn’t whether Republicans lose seats in Tuesday’s elections — it’s whether they’re left worse off than if they had left the old districts in place. “There can be degrees of dummyness,” Brunell said.

Republicans drew their maps to withstand a blue wave that crests at about a 10- to 12-point margin. The RealClearPolitics average of generic congressional polls now gives Democrats an advantage of just over 8 points — meaning that if the polls are broadly right, Republicans will still likely end up benefiting from the new maps.

Jonathan Cervas, a Carnegie Mellon University professor who has drawn his own maps as a court-appointed special master, said a true dummymander seems unlikely and is “wishful thinking” by Democrats.

And even if it happens, Cervas argues, it won’t be bad mapmaking that loses the House for Republicans, who now control the chamber by just a few seats.

“Everything is so nationalized that the shifts that happen in Texas are the same shifts that happen everywhere,” Cervas said.

Assuming that voters move toward Democrats in roughly equal measures across the country, Republicans will have lost dozens of competitive districts in states that weren’t redrawn — such as Michigan, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Iowa, Wisconsin and Colorado — before any blue wave gets to Texas and Florida.

“At that point,” said Cervas, “it would not have mattered because they would have lost so many seats anyway.”

Korte writes for Bloomberg. Adrienne Tong of Bloomberg contributed to this report.

Oct. 31, 2026 2:31 PM PT

A federal immigration officer charged with aggravated assault after he ran over a Mexican man with his car in Houston will turn himself in on Monday, according to his attorney.

Mario Alberto Morales, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, struck Miguel Parra Hernandez, a 48-year-old construction worker, with his unmarked SUV on Oct. 10, as he chased Parra Hernandez through a parking lot. A grand jury indicted Morales on Friday on a felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Morales is planning to turn himself in at a courthouse sometime Monday, his attorney, David Lindenmuth, told the Associated Press. Lindenmuth previously told the AP that the incident was “clearly just an accident” and that local officials had “invented a crime out of thin air.”

Parra Hernandez broke his leg and is recovering at a rehabilitation facility while in federal custody, Harris County Dist. Atty. Sean Teare told reporters Friday.

ICE has said Parra Hernandez ran in front of Morales’ car.

Previously released surveillance camera video shows Morales’ vehicle drive over a median and strike Parra Hernandez as he runs away.

Teare played video from Morales’ body camera on Friday that showed the agent making sharp turns with his steering wheel. He then stops and exits the vehicle and turns toward Parra Hernandez, who is lying on the ground, screaming.

“I was coming in, and I hit him with the car,” Morales can be heard saying after another ICE agent arrives.

Parra Hernandez told deputies that he fled the traffic stop when Morales started pulling on a mask, and Morales “threw the car” at him, according to a Harris County Sheriff’s Office incident report reviewed by the AP. Morales told deputies that he did not brake before he hit Parra Hernandez, but that he did not intentionally strike him, according to the report.

ICE said after the incident that the target of the operation was a man named Jose Mendoza-Cervantes, who the agency said was seen getting into a car with Parra Hernandez. Mendoza-Cervantes’ daughter told the immigrants’ rights group FIEL that her father has been dead for nearly a decade.

Morales is among a small group of federal agents who have been criminally charged for wounding people during the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown. ICE agent Christian Castro pleaded not guilty last month to charges that he lied to the FBI after he shot and wounded a Venezuelan man as immigration agents swept Minneapolis earlier this year.

Many other ICE shootings, including some that were fatal, have not resulted in charges for the agents involved.

Morales, 34, has served as an ICE agent for a little over a year, according to Lindenmuth.

Teare said Friday that authorities have a “significant amount of information” on Morales, and that, in his experience, law enforcement agencies would not hire someone with his background. He did not elaborate.

Morales was charged with a misdemeanor in 2013 for stealing four DVDs, according to Harris County court records. Those charges were dismissed after he paid a $270 fine and struck a plea deal.

Morales unsuccessfully ran to represent Texas’ 34th Congressional District in this year’s election cycle under the name “Bam Morales,” which Lindenmuth confirmed. Morales served in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and later as a corrections officer and law enforcement officer, he wrote in a Ballotpedia candidate survey. He wrote that his top priorities were veterans’ rights, economic issues and service guided by the Christian principles of “compassion, integrity, service, and accountability.” He listed illegal immigration as one of the country’s greatest challenges.

Morales also wrote in the survey that he was endorsed by an organization called Make America Godlier Again.

Morales appeared at a 2024 Christian conference held by televangelist Johnson Suleman. In video of the conference, Morales appears to act as a Spanish translator as Suleman serves free food and “extends his touch of love to migrants.”

“I want to pray for the immigrants,” Suleman said, as Morales translated those words into Spanish. “I bless you. May the Lord grant your request and open your doors.”

Mayes-Osterman and Brook write for the Associated Press.

Four more days.

Time is rapidly running out for Mayor Karen Bass and City Councilmember Nithya Raman, who are preparing for one last grueling push to reach voters in the mayoral election by Tuesday. With the UC Berkeley IGS/L.A. Times poll showing a dead heat, the two are expected to fan out across the city over the weekend, hoping to generate some free news coverage, a burst of social media posts and face-to-face contact with voters.

Bass is planning another appearance Saturday with real estate developer Rick Caruso, who was a ferocious critic of the mayor in the wake of the Palisades fire but mended fences with her in recent months. She also has a rally that day in Westlake with organized labor and a tour of small businesses in Boyle Heights with state Sen. María Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles).

Raman heads Saturday to a Halloween block party in the San Fernando Valley and an event in downtown L.A. featuring workers from Unite Here Local 11, which has sent canvassers to knock on doors on her behalf. On Sunday, her agenda includes a church service in Boyle Heights and a door-knocking event in Northridge.

“This movement is reaching every corner of Los Angeles, and this weekend, we’re taking that energy all over this city,” Raman said.

Bass and Raman had already ramped up their schedules in recent days. The mayor appeared Thursday evening with Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez, one of her endorsers, at a news conference about streetlight repairs in Hollywood. The following morning she was in Encino, talking to residents frustrated with Raman’s performance in their district.

In an interview with The Times, Bass summed up her packed itinerary using a single word over and over.

“Voters, voters, voters, voters. And that’s what I’ve been doing,” she said. “I’m just exhausted. Voters and media, from early morning until late at night.”

Raman, for her part, tried to develop an overarching theme around her events, standing outside Department of Water and Power headquarters in downtown L.A. on Tuesday to highlight the issue of soaring electrical bills and heading to Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday to ding the mayor over her oversight of SkyLink, the elevated airport people mover that is behind schedule and $1.4 billion over budget.

Those and other news conferences were built around her promise to provide greater oversight as mayor. But over the weekend, Raman is expected to dial back the policy a bit, heading to two Día de los Muertos events and going trick-or-treating with her twins.

The Garcetti gang stumps for Raman

With the battle for L.A. mayor now in the home stretch, one longtime political figure has managed to stay largely out of the public eye: former Mayor Eric Garcetti, who served at City Hall right before Bass.

We can’t say the same for many former members of Garcetti’s political and government teams. Over the last few months, they’ve been popping up at a number of Raman events, and a few have had pivotal roles with her team as she runs for mayor.

Raman has been relying heavily on campaign strategist Jeff Millman, who was a Garcetti advisor on and off throughout his mayoral tenure. She’s turned to Rick Cole, a former Garcetti deputy mayor now on the Pasadena City Council, for policy guidance. And she has Dae Levine, a onetime Garcetti communications director, staffing her within City Hall.

But there’s more. The city’s former heat officer, Marta Segura, who was pushed out earlier this year, appeared at Raman campaign events focused on her support from environmentalists and Latinos.

Former high-level Garcetti advisor Rick Jacobs has shown up for several Raman news conferences, including a recent one celebrating her endorsement from County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath. In 2020, a member of Garcetti’s security detail accused Jacobs of sexually harassing him. Jacobs denied harassing anyone. The city paid $1.8 million to resolve the officer’s lawsuit.

Jacobs, a consultant, counts the Western States Regional Council of Carpenters as one of his clients. However, he is not working with their independent expenditure committee supporting Raman.

Other onetime members of Team Garcetti have pitched in financially.

Renee Dake Wilson, a former Garcetti planning commissioner, has donated at least $30,000 to independent expenditure committees backing Raman, plus an additional $3,600 directly to her campaign. Former Garcetti aide Leo Daube, now working for Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, has donated $2,800 to Raman since she entered the race.

Finally, Raman has relied on Jamie York for help with research, matching funds and compliance with city and state ethics rules. York was part of Garcetti’s campaign team in the 2017 election, helping with campaign fundraising.

State of play

— CARUSO CRACKS: After months of hedging, billionaire Rick Caruso revealed that he intends to vote for Bass, following nearly two years of sharp criticism of the mayor’s record. “For the love of LA, I must put the past behind me,” he said. Caruso said it’s not an endorsement.

— RATTLED BY ROBO-RAMAN: Raman’s campaign filed a lengthy ethics complaint against Thrive LA, a pro-Bass advocacy group, over its decision to set up an AI chatbot phone line mimicking Raman’s voice and mocking her record on homelessness. Thrive LA responded by saying it played by the rules and that its satirical chatbot is protected free speech.

— BATTLING FOR SMALL BIZ: Bass and Raman have been sparring over their approach to small business, with the mayor accusing her rival of ignoring those constituents. Business owners offered a more complex picture.

— SWITCHING TEAMS: Political operative Solomon Rivera left his high-level post in the mayor’s office earlier this year, resurfacing a few months later as principal officer with Unidos Con Bass, an independent expenditure group. Ethics experts questioned whether his change in jobs runs afoul of a law prohibiting coordination between outside campaigns and their favored candidates. Rivera’s lawyer said no coordination occurred.

— DSA DELAY: The Democratic Socialists of America once again postponed a vote on whether to rescind the L.A. chapter’s endorsement of Raman, over concerns she hadn’t taken a tough enough stand against Israel.

— OIL-DRILLING BAN: The City Council voted Wednesday to phase out oil drilling over the next two decades, making L.A. the largest city in the country to do so. Bass’ office signed the ordinance Thursday.

QUICK HITS

• Where is Inside Safe? The mayor’s signature program to fight homelessness went to South L.A., focusing on two sections within Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson’s district.
• On the docket next week: Duh! Tuesday is the last day to vote in the election.

Stay in touch

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

Two experienced leaders of the largest law enforcement agency in the country face off, four years after their first showdown, to once again helm the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Here’s what you need to know about:

The candidates

• Incumbent Robert Luna is a former Long Beach police chief who came out of retirement to run for sheriff in 2021 and unseated Alex Villanueva in the November 2022 election. Luna has presided over declines in homicides and violent crime as well as establishing a period of relative calm after Villanueva’s tenure, which was marked by controversy and scandal. Luna’s office, however, has come under scrutiny, including when a grenade accidentally exploded in a department parking lot, killing three deputies.
• Villanueva switched his party registration from Democrat to Republican in the first two years of his leadership and was a regular on Fox News vilifying “woke” culture and criticizing Democrats. Villanueva launched, then walked back, a criminal-leak investigation of a Los Angeles Times reporter, and he was ordered to testify after sheriff’s deputies took and shared pictures at the site of Kobe Bryant’s helicopter crash.

State of the race

In the primary election, Luna received 44.2% of the vote versus Villanueva’s 21.7%. Luna also has raised more money for his campaign. From Jan. 1 to Sept. 19, he had raised more than $1.3 million; Villanueva had raised a little more than $320,000.

Issues

Staffing and retention

• Under Luna, the number of new deputies who graduated from the sheriff’s academy rose by nearly a third from 2024 to 2025, with more than 400 graduates last year, the department said. Recent data also show that retention rates have risen under Luna after a steep decline toward the end of Villanueva’s tenure.
• Villanueva claims that he keeps up with the department he once ran, and that deputies frequently complain to him about understaffing and low morale.

Crime trends

• Under Luna, violent crime has fallen every year since he took office. Between 2023, his first full year in office, and 2025, homicides fell by more than 25%. Data show that property crimes were broadly down from 2022.
• Villanueva again maintains that deputies he has stayed in touch with feel that crime has run rampant since he left office.

2028 Olympics

• Villanueva argues that Luna is ill-prepared to handle the next four years, including assisting with the Olympics.
• Luna refuted the claim by pointing to the role his department played in the multi-agency law enforcement effort to maintain public safety during the World Cup this year.

WHEN two brothers open a Mississippi blues bar in horror film Sinners, it starts out like a great party.

That is, until someone welcomes in a very troublesome vampire — and all hell breaks loose.

Which is much like my visit to the Sinners haunted house at Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights.

As I walk arm-in-arm with my best mate, we laugh, scream and cling to each other for dear life as the same terrifying story plays out in front of our eyes.

The Halloween event in Florida has been running for 35 years and film fans can’t get enough of its fully immersive horror houses.

Each year, ten elaborate sound stages are erected to shock, frighten and entertain.

Horror is now the fastest-growing film genre, so it’s easy to see why the Halloween Horror Nights have grown to the scale they are at today.

What started in 1991 as a single haunted house, open to visitors for just three days, is now a two-month Spooktacular that is virtually sold out every night.

Whether you are a big movie buff or not, it’s a unique experience that isn’t for the faint-hearted.

Some of the biggest movies are played out in such intricate detail that, once inside the dark passageways, it’s all too easy to believe you are part of the movie itself.

As well as 2025 box office hit Sinners, Universal has teamed up with other killer movie thrillers.

They include Evil Dead Burn and Hellraiser — a franchise that Lora Sauls, the theme park’s assistant director of creative development, says has taken a decade to secure the rights to.

And the wait was worth it, as Hellraiser delivered the most jump-scares of the night.

The films’ Cenobites and other ghouls burst out of every dark corner, mysterious curtain and doorway, accompanied by strobe lights, wild screaming and flumes of fog.

Other houses this year include Netflix’s Stranger Things 5 — which also has an energetic light and water show inspired by it on the lagoon — while a very cool Ozzy Osbourne: Prince Of Darkness house features music and gothic moments from the late rocker’s back catalogue.

One original theme house is Jack & Oddfellow: Chaos & Control, which stars the much-loved characters who have dominated the event over the last three decades and have sealed their place in Halloween Horror Nights lore.

The remaining five houses cover aliens, cannibals, classic Universal monsters and futuristic cyber baddies, all offering plenty of scares as well as a few giggles.

The Halloween Horror Nights event is on a separate ticket to the regular theme park 14-day passes — and the fear continues outside the haunted houses, too.

Universal Studios Florida gets a complete and creepy makeover as the sun goes down.

Those who re-enter for the night get to enjoy a huge Halloween street party, stretching the length and breadth of the park.

There are dedicated bars and food pop-ups, with drinks and bites themed for the attractions, such as the Meat Grinder Red Velvet Cake and Hellraiser Spicy Meatballs.

Navigating the event is no walk in the park, with five scare zones set up to keep the jumps jumpin’.

One of them, the neon playground based on video game Fortnite, is a fresh and unique take on the event’s street scares.

During the night, you will also pass through Club Horror and The Sideshow Of Decay, which is swarming with zombies.

And the Infernal Carnival Of Nightmares has creepy fairground games and a manic cast of characters.

Perhaps the most terrifying can be found at Downtown Clowntown, which is pretty self-explanatory.

If jesters give you the jitters, I recommend a different route.

Halloween Horror Nights are recommended for guests over 11 — but by day, more wholesome and family-friendly movies take centre stage.

DreamWorks Land at Universal Studios celebrates movies including Trolls, Shrek and Kung Fu Panda.

While over at Epic Universe, you can enjoy rides and attractions based on How To Train Your Dragon, Super Nintendo and the wizarding world of Harry Potter.

Universal’s Islands Of Adventure has you hopping between Hogwarts, Jurassic Park and Worlds Of Marvel, with high-speed coasters such as Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and VelociCoaster providing the thrills.

The Universal All-Parks Ticket gets you in to all the theme parks, as well as Universal’s water park, Volcano Bay.

That guarantees plenty of excitement and not a clown in sight.

For anyone visiting Florida next September and October, Halloween Horror Nights are a fun way to shake up your holiday.

The event I went to carried on until 2am, so there was still time after midnight to go back through the Sinners house, much to my friend’s despair.

But with entertainment on such a grand scale, a soothing blues soundtrack and the opportunity to laugh at her screaming round every corner, how could I resist?

ABBEY Clancy is sitting pretty on a modelling empire worth nearly £2million.

Accounts show her image rights firm Abigail Marie Clancy Limited enjoyed a bumper year, taking net assets from £1.43million to £1.89million.

On top of that, the 40-year-old’s cash reserves in the 12 months up to January hit £1.1million.

Abbey, who has four children with ex-England striker hubby Peter Crouch, fronted Agent Provocateur’s 2025 Valentine’s campaign.

She is an ambassador for Tesco’s F&F clothing range, having launched five collections.

And earlier deals include ones with Ultimo, beauty and lifestyle firm Avon, fashion and homewear chain Matalan, fashion brand Lipsy and Argos — with whom she has her own jewellery line.

Her Ultimo lingerie contract, signed in 2013, was reported at the time to be worth £250,000.

Abbey, who won Strictly Come Dancing that same year, also co-hosts hit podcast The Therapy Crouch with 45-year-old Peter.

Its publisher says the show regularly ranks in Apple’s top ten UK podcasts, and the pair have also written a book off the back of it.

Launching The Therapy Crouch in 2023, Abbey joked it was “high time I got in on the podcast action”.

Abbey also scored big by fronting Juicy Couture’s Wag-themed campaign for this summer’s World Cup — though earnings from the campaign will not be counted until next year’s accounts.

It is the fourth year in a row the model has hit a new business high.

But despite her success, Abbey is still just short of out-earning lanky former Liverpool player Peter.

His image rights firm Baseforce had net assets of £2.26million in its latest accounts after campaigns for Victorian Plumbing, Ariel laundry pods and bookmakers Paddy Power.

The couple, who married in 2011, are both directors of property firm Coolabbey and Marvellous Media.

It holds property valued at £1.2million but owes significant sums to the couple’s other companies.

Speaking to Hello! Magazine in March, Abbey said of her down-to-earth image: “I’m only used to being myself.”

A screenwriter is suing director Alexander Payne, alleging that the Oscar winner rewrote his script “Frisco” to become “The Holdovers.”

Simon Stephenson, a screenwriter behind “The Electrical Life of Louis Wain” and “Luca,” is accusing Payne of copyright infringement in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in a California federal court. In court documents obtained by The Times, Stephenson alleges that he wrote “Frisco” based on his experiences as a pediatrician and uploaded it to the industry platform “The Black List,” where it was ranked the third-best unproduced screenplay in 2013.

The same year, the suit alleges agents for Stephenson sent the script to Payne, who declined the project. They sent it a second time in 2019, and Payne passed again, according to the civil complaint.

“But in 2022, he finally made Stephenson’s screenplay,” the lawsuit reads. “Under Payne’s direction, Stephenson’s children’s hospital became a boarding school, the cynical pediatrician became a cynical teacher, and the precocious patient became a precocious pupil. The film earned its credited screenwriter career-defining Academy Award and BAFTA nominations, and the Writers Guild Award for Original Screenplay. Unfortunately, that credited screenwriter was not Stephenson, and the film was not called Frisco. It was called The Holdovers.”

David Hemingson, the creator of ABC’s “Whiskey Cavalier” and a veteran television writer for shows including “Kitchen Confidential” and “How I Met Your Mother,” was also named as a defendant in the lawsuit.

“The Holdovers” is Hemingson’s first produced feature film.

Representatives for Payne, Hemingson and Focus Features did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In 2023, Payne told The Times that a pilot written by Hemingson, as well as the 1935 French film “Merlusse,” written and directed by Marcel Pagnol, served as inspiration for “The Holdovers.” Both were set at a boarding school. During a 2023 post-screening Q&A interview at the Toronto International Film Festival, Payne was asked how he came up with the idea for the script, and he said it had come to him a decade before.

“I had the idea for the movie for about 10 years, but didn’t have either the discipline to research it, or I hadn’t gotten around to it,” he said. “And out of the blue, about four or five years ago, I was sent a pilot, set in a prep school and a boarding school, and I called the writer and I said, ‘You’ve written a very fine pilot, which I don’t wish to direct, but would you consider taking on an idea I have that takes place in that same world?’ And he did, and this is what worked out.”

Hemingson has the sole screenwriting credit on the film. Before “The Holdovers,” Payne is credited with penning most of the scripts that became his acclaimed films. He won Academy Awards for the adapted screenplays of “Sideways” (written with Jim Taylor) and “The Descendants” (written with Nat Faxon and Jim Rash), but he told The Times that he took a more supervisory role on “The Holdovers.”

“He would run two, three, four different scenarios by me, and I would put the kibosh on him until we finally said, ‘Yes, this one,’ ” Payne said in a 2023 interview.

In March 2024, Variety reported that Stephenson exchanged emails and calls with the Writers Guild of America’s senior director of credits Lesley Mackey, alleging he needed to discuss a “credits-related issue” on a high-profile film. In one email, Stephenson wrote, “the evidence the holdovers screenplay has been plagiarised line-by-line from frisco is genuinely overwhelming – anybody who looks at even the briefest sample pretty much invariably uses the word ‘brazen.’”

About a month after the accusations made headlines, Hemingson won the 2024 Writers Guild Award for original screenplay for “The Holdovers.” In his acceptance speech, Hemingson said he’d been a “proud member of the Writers Guild for 28 years” and thanked his wife and sons “who supported me for the six grueling years it took to conceive of and write ‘The Holdovers’ and for it to go from from page to screen.” He also thanked the cast for bringing his characters to life and accepted the award in memory of his mother, and his father “who gave me my love of the written word and taught me the value of integrity.”

“I believe that in life, things often arrive right on time. It took 28 years of reflection and experience and ups and downs for me to be able to tell this deeply personal love story,” he said. “Took a brilliant cast and a brilliant director to bring it to life at this time when we’re all so in need of connection.”

At the 2024 Sarajevo Film Festival, Payne shot down allegations that he’d lifted major elements of the script from Stephenson’s “Frisco,” calling the accusation “the stupidest thing in the world.”

It’s official: Former entertainment power couple Margaret Qualley and Jack Antonoff are ending their marriage.

“The Substance” star Qualley and Bleachers rocker Antonoff filed papers for an “uncontested joint divorce” on Friday in Kings County Supreme Court in New York. Representatives for Qualley, 32, and Antonoff, 42, did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.

The Emmy-nominated actor and the Grammy-winning musician, also known for collaborations with pop stars Taylor Swift and Lorde, separated in the summer. A source close to the couple confirmed to People at the time that the estranged partners were going through a “rocky” period.

“They share a deep affinity and love for one another, and though their romantic partnership is ending, they will absolutely be lifelong friends,” the source told the outlet.

Speculation about the pair’s split began in July, with internet fans noticing that Qualley — daughter of actor Andie MacDowell and Paul J. Qualley — appeared to delete photos featuring Antonoff (formerly of rock bands fun. and Steel Train) from her Instagram page. Among the scrubbed photos were reportedly wedding pictures she shared in March to promote the musician’s song “dirty wedding dress.”

Qualley and Antonoff married in August 2023, a little over a year after they got engaged and two years after first sparking up a romance in August 2021. Lana Del Rey, then-item Zoë Kravitz and Channing Tatum, and Swift were among the attendees at their nuptials at Parker’s Garage on Long Beach Island.

News of the Qualley-Antonoff split arose days after the latter was spotted attending Swift and Travis Kelce’s lavish wedding bash at New York City’s Madison Square Garden without his wife. Antonoff’s ex-girlfriend, “Girls” creator and “Famesick” author Lena Dunham, was also in attendance.

Antonoff has been on the road for the Bleachers Forever tour since June and recently performed at the Troubadour in West Hollywood. He kicks off the European leg of the tour next week in Italy. He spoke to the Guardian in an interview published this week about still performing music inspired by his romance with Qualley. “It’s beautiful,” he said.

“I don’t rewrite the past, I have no shame about the things I’ve said. My life has been dedicated to making it impossible for me to rewrite the past, because I’m standing there, singing about how I felt during the good times,” he said, “so when the bad times hit I can’t look myself in the mirror and pretend that those times didn’t exist. I would rather live through something publicly than even escape it privately.”

Dwyane Wade is looking much more like himself these days.

That is, the statue of Wade outside of Kaseya Center in Miami now looks much more like the retired Heat legend than it did when it was unveiled two years ago. The sculpture’s new look, featuring a redesigned head by original sculptors Omri Amrany and Oscar Léon, was unveiled Friday.

The statue was meant to capture the iconic moment in 2009 when Wade jumped on a scorers’ table and declared, “This is my house!” Much of the public reaction, however, centered around how the piece looked less like the three-time NBA champion and more like Laurence Fishburne, Kelsey Grammer, Ken Norton Jr. and others.

“I heard the jokes. I saw the memes. I read the reactions. Everybody had an opinion about whether it actually looked like me,” Wade wrote in an essay published Friday on Substack. “At first, it was hard not to feel protective of it because I had spent so much time involved in the process. … But eventually, I had to take a step back and understand that the statue doesn’t belong only to me. It also belongs to Miami.”

He added: “I had to ask myself a pretty simple question: If people don’t feel that connection when they look at the face, why wouldn’t we try to make it better? So we listened and had honest conversations with everyone involved, and we all agreed to make adjustments to the head.”

When the statue was originally unveiled in October 2024, Wade had nothing but great things to say about it. He said it was his idea to immortalize that pose and that he had a lot of input on how the final product would look.

“I was just like, ‘Dude, that’s beautiful,’” Wade told reporters after the original unveiling. “Personally biased, I think it’s one of the best statues that’s been created because of what it represents for us and for me.”

Amrany also defended the statue at the time.

“We emphasized a two-second moment of his life when he jumped on the table and was in screaming mode,” Amrany told The Times in October 2024. “And that’s what it is, that’s what happens to the face when people are doing this activity, this facial activity.

“We are very dedicated to a very high detailed quality to deliver exactly what the exact photo is giving us. For somebody to say that this does not look like Dwyane Wade in action, they don’t know Dwayne Wade in action. Or they don’t remember that. And it’s OK for them to say whatever they want.”

Both artists explained the decision to revisit the project in a statement released to media outlets this week.

“After seeing the work at full scale and in its permanent environment, we identified opportunities to strengthen the portrait,” Amrany and Léon said. “We decided that the importance of Dwyane warranted making those refinements rather than accepting something we believed could be improved.”

According to Wade, “this isn’t about erasing the work that was already done or disrespecting the artists who put their time and talent into creating it. It’s about being willing to listen. It’s about recognizing when something carries meaning for more people than just yourself and being open enough to revisit it.”

He added: “I hope when people see it now, they see a better likeness of me. But more than that, I hope they see themselves. Because it may be my likeness, but it will always be our house.”

Based on the comments on an X post by the Heat showing off the changes, Heat fans seem to approve. As one person wrote, it’s the “first statue to have a redemption arc.”