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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2026

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A SCULPTURE survives at a home razed by the Hawk fire in Reno, a boomtown at the wildland-urban edge.

Pushing urban, wildland limits in Reno

The Hawk fire shows the risks that come with moving farther into nature areas.

BY HAILEY BRANSON-POTTS

Over the last 15 years, the population of Reno — the so-called Biggest Little City in the World — has surged, thanks in large part to an influx of Californians drawn by Nevada's cheaper housing, booming tech industry and relative lack of soul-crushing traffic.

From 2010 to 2025, Reno's population grew an astonishing $26\%$ , to more than 283,000 people.

With all that growth, new development has expanded farther and farther into the fire-prone scrubland surrounding the Sierra Nevada foothills city just across the California border.

The Hawk fire forced the harried evacuation of more than 40,000 people. It ignited near a hiking trail in the parched hills just northwest of the city on Saturday. “It basically started in a residential neighborhood,” said Chris Buckley, a spokeswoman for the unified incident command fighting the blaze.

This week, a massive fire posed a threat to these new boomtowns.

"There are so many more people moving into these areas because they're so desirable," said Buckley, who works for the U.S. Forest Service. "Who doesn't want to move to a beautiful, wild area and have all the conveniences of the city? But it really strains the wildland-urban interface."

Reno is discovering what California has long known: Sprawling development into fire-prone areas can put those new communities at risk.

The wildland-urban interface — where human development intermingles with wild places such as scrublands, grasslands and forests — is the fastest-growing land-use type in the United States.

Some analysts say price tag is too high, but investment could ultimately pay off.

By Steve Henson

Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger, successful businessmen by any measure, paid \$12.5 billion for the Lakers, easily the highest price ever for a sports franchise.

It was a rare chance to acquire an celebrated sports brand, and by all accounts, timing was everything.

Firm to pay O.C. leak evacuees Up to \$100 million will be disbursed to claimants affected by the chemical disaster. CALIFORNIA, B1

And the Hawk fire is the latest example of the growing threat of destructive urban conflagrations in these zones as the planet warms,

\$12.5 billion for Lakers might be a good deal

[See Reno, A7]

The enormous sale price has implications for the rest of the NBA and raises a basic question: Did Kushner and

Iger get a great deal or did they overpay?

Business titan Mark Walter owned the NBA franchise for only a year. Federal regulators are investigating Walter's financial empire, and he reportedly felt compelled to sell as he moves billions to help unravel undisclosed related-party loans from two of his insurance companies to multinational holding company TWG Global—an abbreviation for The Walter Group, at which he serves as chief executive.

Before many learned that Walter might be interested in selling the team quickly, Kushner and Iger, already pining for an NBA franchise, jumped at the opportunity.

The haste of the transaction would seem to have given the buyers superior leverage, yet Walter negotiated a 25% increase on the \$10 billion he spent on the team in October.

Some experts argue that the Lakers are worth every penny. A deep dive into the market for legacy sports franchises indicates to Sports Value Consulting co-founder and Chief Executive Michael Rapkoch that the investment is sound.

"How often do the Lakers come up for sale? Why wouldn't someone pay that amount if they were able?" Rapkoch said. "Are you going to be the person who says at a cocktail party that you could have bought the team [See Lakers, A13] [See Lakers, A13]

DOLLY PARTON, 1946 - 2026

TERRY WYATT Getty Images
She mixed homespun charm, glam looks and serious songwriting chops.

All-American music icon

The entertainer became a national treasure who was loved for her talents and empathy

By RJ SMITH

Dolly Parton, the singer and songwriter from Locust Ridge, Tenn., who willed herself into being the very symbol of country music stardom, has died in Nashville.

Parton died peacefully Tuesday, her nephew Bryan Seaver announced in a press release shared with The Times. Seaver also announced her death in a video shared to the singer's Instagram page. She was 80.

The fabled entertainer died after a series of health issues that led her to postpone several performing commitments. In September 2025, she missed the announcement of a Dollywood attraction to recover from a kidney stone. Later that month she delayed her residency at Caesars Palace — her first residency on the Las Vegas Strip in more than 30 years — due to unspecified “health challenges.”

Over the course of a flamboyant 50-plus-year career as a songwriter, recording artist, actor and businesswoman, Parton reinvented the American success story through a combination of grit and wit, faith and sex appeal, virtuosity and plainspokenness, empathy for the human condition, and plastic surgery.

She seized on the roles that American culture allowed [See Parton, A8]

ESSENTIAL SONGS: "Jolene," "9 to 5" and more hits. ENTERTAINMENT, E1

Their friendship comes full circle

Freeman and Heyward share a 20-year baseball and life journey that reunites them again on Dodgers. SPORTS, B10

Uber lets parents track child's ride

New feature, in which the driver enables video, launches in nine markets but not California yet. BUSINESS, A11

L.A. Basin: 96/75. B6

Canada planning tariffs as high as 50% against U.S.

The duties might be most painful for border states heading into the midterms.

By Michael Wilner

WASHINGTON — Canada retaliated against the United States in an intensifying trade war Tuesday by announcing steep new tariffs on roughly \$20 billion worth of American goods at the core of the U.S. economy, a sharp escalation between the neighboring allies after trade negotiations between them abruptly collapsed.

The new duties will hit a variety of American products with tariffs as high as 50%, including steel, dairy products, appliances and farm equipment, and will target items on routine shopping lists, like seafood, cheese, clothing, cosmetics and toilet paper.

Ottawa's moves come after President Trump announced $50\%$ tariffs on Canadian goods, warning Canada to "fall in line" in trade negotiations that Canada's prime minister, Mark Carney, characterized as an attempt to subjugate his country.

"We did not choose this conflict, but when our economic integration is used as a weapon rather than the foundation for a win-win partnership, we need to stand up," Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said in a statement announcing the new measures.

The White House, in a statement, said that Canada "has been ripping off the United States for decades," and that Trump "is done letting them get away with it." And the president has threatened to escalate even further by targeting Canadian vehicles, auto parts and [See Canada, A4]

State wineries brace for impact

Boycotts on American alcohol in some provinces had already devastated vineyards. BUSINESS, A11

Is this worst time to buy in SoCal?

It may feel like it, but home prices aren't up as much as expected, Times review finds.

BY TERRY CASTLEMAN

Home seekers around Southern California were feeling profound sticker shock.

Median prices had hit records never seen before.

First-time buyers were desperately slapping down-payments on modest ranch homes in far-flung desert communities, enduring long commutes just to escape the rental market.

“We were lucky,” said one new homeowner who bought a place in Tehachapi, 100 miles from her workplace in Chatsworth. “I don’t know if we’d still be able to afford it.”

No, try 2005.

Welcome to the crazy housing market of 2026?

It's easy to look at today's steep median home prices — \$885,000 in L.A. County and \$1.19 million in Orange

County, per Zillow — and say it's never been worse.

But California has long dealt with cycles of soaring prices that lock out people with modest incomes. The last supercharged market in the early 2000s was fueled in part by ultra-liberal mortgages and lending that eventually sparked the global housing crisis and recession, including a wave of foreclosures.

Reforms have made lending more stringent, and along with rising prices, have altered the demographic of the California homebuyer over two decades.

A new analysis from The Times shows that the median homebuyer in the region has changed significantly since 2005.

Among the findings:

■ The types of people who can afford homes has changed. Homebuyers today can afford more, but they are older and wealthier than they were in 2005. Meanwhile, housing is even more out of reach for those in lower-income brackets.

[See Homebuying, A12]

Schools fear loss of subsidized internet

FCC may end or scale back E-Rate program, which helps districts save on broadband.

BY LINDA JACOBSON

As superintendent of Desert Sands Unified in the Coachella Valley, Kelly May-Vollmar has a hard time naming a system that's not somehow connected to the district's broadband network.

Parents can check a school bus tracking app to make sure their child arrived on time. Cafeteria staff don't use cash registers — kids' meal accounts are linked to the cloud. Even grounds crews depend on external wireless access points to maintain the fields and landscaping at the district's 34 schools.

“They’re running our sprinkler systems off iPads,” May-Vollmar said.

Her district is one of more than 96,000 across the country that apply each year for discounts on broadband service through a federal program called E-Rate. High-poverty districts like Desert Sands save up to 90% of the cost of connecting their schools and classrooms to the internet.

But the Federal Communications Commission, which oversees the program Congress created 30 years ago, has launched a “top-to-bottom” evaluation that has leaders of the nation’s school districts on edge. The FCC is collecting views on how the program should be reformed, or even whether it should be abandoned because it “has fulfilled” its mission.

In addition to asking whether the benefit should be restricted to rural districts, the agency links E-Rate to present-day concerns over screen time. Comments are due Oct. 13 and replies are due Nov. 12.

The proposal is “aimed at empowering parents and ensuring that our E-Rate program produces the great educational outcomes stakeholders have intended,” FCC Chairman [See E-Rate, A7]

Haiti gang attack leaves at least 47 dead

More than 50 others are kidnapped from a once-peaceful area near Port-au-Prince.

BY PIERRE-RICHARD LUXAMA, DÁNICA COTO AND EVENS SANON

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — At least 47 people were killed and more than 50 others kidnapped after armed men attacked a once-peaceful community near Haiti's capital earlier this week, the United Nations said Tuesday.

It is believed to be one of the largest mass kidnappings in Haiti in recent years, and one gang leader is threatening to kill the hostages if authorities kill any gang members as they try to secure the community nestled in the hills above Port-au-Prince.

Sunday's attack on Ken- scoff pierced the belief that security in the troubled Ca- ribbean country was im- proving.

“This is a major political and security test, for the government, for the police and for the international mission alike,” said Romain Le Cour, head of Haiti Observatory at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.

He said the threat of executing hostages is a trap: If forces don't act, they've failed to protect them; if they do and hostages die, the gangs will blame the state.

In a video posted on social media, the gang leader threatened Vladimir Paraison, director of Haiti's National Police.

“Paraison, if any of our soldiers are hurt, I will kill all of them,” he said, referring to the hostages.

The gang member identified himself as Izo 2, a reference to Izo, or Johnson André, one of Haiti's most powerful gang leaders.

Le Cour said Izo 2 is also known as “Didi” and leads the armed group in Kenscoff on behalf of and in coordination with Izo and other gang leaders.

He said the aim of Sunday's attack could be to force Haiti's police and the U.N.-backed gang suppression force to disperse even more of their limited resources.

“They don’t have enough personnel,” Le Cour said in a phone interview. “If you force them to deploy more troops, it would inevitably be at the expense of other areas.”

The attack might also just be a show of force and a message to Haiti's government and police as the country prepares to hold general elections on Dec. 13 for the first time in more than a decade.

"This is a message to the government and the police that their claims of protection do not match reality," Le Cour said. "The gangs are saying: When we choose to attack, we can, and we will succeed."

The first major attack on Kenscoff occurred in January 2025, and since then, there have been sporadic attacks in the mountains surrounding the city center.

But Sunday's attack was the largest yet. At least five of the 47 people killed were children, according to the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, known as BINUH.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attack on Tuesday, noting that 22 of the victims were reportedly executed in a church compound where they had sought shelter.

"The relentless gang attacks on communities and the loss of lives underscore the alarming security conditions in Haiti."

Kenscoff Mayor Jean Massillon told the Associated Press on Tuesday that gangs set fire to 25 homes and killed two government employees including his cousin, who served as his security detail.

"The atrocity of this crime reminds us that we have to continue working stronger every day to bring peace to the community," Massillon said. "I'm optimistic that the state will continue working to eradicate the gangs in Kenscoff."

Gangs are coveting Kenscoff because it allows them to surround and control the upscale community of Pé-tion-Ville and alternate routes connecting Haiti's capital to its southern region, said María Fernanda Arocha, a researcher with the nonprofit Armed Conflict Location & Event Data.

Between January and August this year, security

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THE WORLD

RELATIVES GATHER next to the bodies of people killed in the Kenscoff neighborhood of Port-au-Prince.
ODELYN JOSEPH Associated Press

operations had managed to reduce violence in Kenscoff by 66% before the attack, she said in a statement.

“While security forces have concentrated their efforts on operations aimed at regaining control in the central areas of Port-au-Prince, criminal groups have instead sought to expand into rural communities that are vulnerable due to the limited response capacity of the police, but which remain strategic hubs,” she added.

Some survivors accused the government of not providing enough protection before the attack, with Haiti's National Police rejecting those accusations.

Le Cour said that if police and armored vehicles were indeed stationed in Kenscoff before the attack, then the assertion is concerning: "You let the gangs come in even if you had everything in place?"

Armed men control an estimated 70% of Port-au-Prince and swaths of land in Haiti's central region and beyond.

Gang violence has displaced a record 1.5 million people across Haiti, where more than 3,050 were reported killed from January to June and another 1,400 injured, according to U.N. statistics released Tuesday.

The U.N. noted that nearly 800 rapes were reported from April to June, with 87% of those cases representing collective rapes.

At least 81 people also were reported kidnapped during that time period, according to a new U.N. report.

"These figures represent only a portion of the total number of people kidnapped," it stated.

"In many cases, victims"

relatives do not report kidnappings to the police or service providers and choose to negotiate directly with the kidnappers, believing that this approach allows for a quicker release and avoids possible reprisals."

The number of kidnappings reported from April to June represents a more than 40% increase compared with the previous quarter.

Luxama, Coto and Sanon write for the Associated Press. Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

AFP/Getty Images
DRIVERS fuel up in Tehran. Waits as long as two hours have been reported as a U.S. blockade continues.

Worried Iranians line up for gasoline

By David Rising

DUBAI — Lines have grown outside gas stations across Tehran in recent weeks as the United States has tightened its blockade and threatened more severe sanctions, with some people waiting for two hours or more to fill up.

The uncertainty deepened Tuesday, after U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent vowed to fully sever the country from the global economy. In recent days, Iranian officials have spoken of a possible reduction in heavy gas subsidies as they seek to endure the tightening blockade.

“Maybe we will face a shortage of fuel,” said Hashem Abadi, a 34-year-old barber. “I rush to the filling stations whenever my tank is down to half or so.”

The latest U.S. measures are aimed at wringing concessions from the Islamic Republic nearly six months into the war launched by President Trump and Israel. The war has already battered Iran's economy and inflicted mounting pain on ordinary people. But there's no sign yet that it has brought Iran's leaders to their knees, or that it will reignite the anti-government protests that convulsed the country in January.

The lines had been growing longer well before Bessent's announcement, amid shortages caused by the American blockade and existing sanctions. And with double-digit inflation and the rial currency at a record low, Iranians are struggling to afford more than just fuel.

“I’m filling my car as much as possible since soon it will be sold at higher prices,” said 51-year-old taxi driver Mahmoud Chavoshi. “Everything I buy has grown more expensive over the last week, from milk to pasta.”

There were no such line-ups outside banks, and grocery stores and pharmacies are still well-stocked, but customers said they couldn't afford to buy as much as they used to. Inflation has soared during the war, and the currency hit a record low ahead of Bessent's announcement.

"Some of our regular customers buy now and pay later, since their pockets are not as full as before," said Morteza Daryani, who runs a grocery store in Tehran.

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the U.S. of resorting to economic pressure after failing to defeat Iran militarily. He said it was trying to create “social problems and economic dissatisfaction in order to throw Iran into chaos.”

“Should we bow down to the problems and surrender? Absolutely not,” he was quoted as saying by the semiofficial Fars and Tasnim news agencies.

There are no signs yet that the economic discontent has translated into protests in Iran, where authorities violently crushed demonstrations at the start of the year, killing thousands.

Iran has been under heavy international sanctions for decades because of its nuclear program and support for armed groups. Oil sales to China have long provided a lifeline, and it's unclear if the U.S. can cut them off.

Still, there are “always limits to resistance and resilience,” said Mohammad Farzanegan, a professor of Middle Eastern economics at the University of Marburg in Germany.

“People are losing their purchasing power every day,” he said. “All of this, combined with worsening diplomatic prospects and the psychological burden of mounting pressures, could push frustration to a point where it can no longer be effectively managed by the state.”

Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, who heads the Bourse & Bazaar Foundation, a think tank focused on Iran's economy, said the sectors that Bessent threatened to target “are not lifelines for the Iranian state, they are lifelines for the Iranian people.”

In an analysis posted on X, Batmanghelidj said digital assets and gold are how Iranians protect their savings, technology keeps them connected with the world, aviation allows them to travel, and shipping is how food and medicine reach Iran.

At the moment, the most effective economic pressure has come from the naval

blockade.

But last week's announcement from the United Arab Emirates that it was cutting off all trade and financial transactions with Iran could have longer-term effects if the country follows through, said Sascha Bruchmann, an analyst with the International Institute of Strategic Studies' Middle East office in Bahrain.

Bessent, who on Monday threatened secondary American sanctions on countries doing business with Iran, suggested it was pressure from Washington that led the UAE to its decision.

“Actions that they took last week were not coincident but likely causal, and I would expect that we would see a broad array of countries taking similar actions as we continue our engagement,” he said.

Iran is exerting pressure of its own by largely closing the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway that carried a fifth of the world's oil and gas before the war. It's betting that the impact on the global economy — and U.S. gas prices ahead of midterm elections — will force Trump to back down.

“Trump is betting that their time runs out first due to the naval blockade,” Bruchmann said. “Both clocks are ticking, and no one knows which clock is right.”

Rising writes for the Associated Press.

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JEHAD ALSHRAFI Associated Press

MARIAM DAGGA and another journalist were among 22 Palestinians killed at a Gaza hospital last August.

Israeli strikes killed journalists. A year later, inquiry offers no answers

TEL AVIV — It has been a year since Israeli soldiers killed 22 Palestinians, including journalists and rescue workers, in a double strike on a hospital in Gaza. No one has been held accountable.

Israeli officials said the target was a suspected Hamas camera on the roof of Nasser Hospital. Among those killed were Reuters cameraman Hussam al-Masri and Mariam Dagga, a visual journalist who worked for the Associated Press and other news organizations.

Despite repeated requests by AP, the army hasn't provided details about the investigation or a timeline for when it could be completed. Rights groups say Israel rarely holds troops accountable for killing Palestinians, pointing to long investigations that rarely lead to prosecution.

As global outrage over the Aug. 25, 2025, strikes grew, the Israeli military said that six of those killed were linked to the militant group Hamas, without providing evidence.

But an Israeli soldier, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, now says the military could find no evidence linking the camera, which belonged to Al-Masri, to Hamas. The soldier, who was privy to discussions surrounding the military's response, said none of the six were the intended targets of the strikes.

The AP sent detailed questions to the military about the allegations, as well as other questions about the strikes. The military didn't address the questions but said the incident is being examined and findings will be transferred to the Military Advocate General's Corps to reach a verdict on whether to open a criminal inquiry. It didn't provide a timeline.

The army said it would not comment on details while the incident was under review.

AP reported at the time that one of the six Israel said were linked to Hamas wasn't on the hospital's list of casualties and two others were medical or emergency personnel. That, along with the soldier's account, raises serious questions about Israel's rationale for the strikes.

Why did troops fail to identify the cameraman as Al-Masri, even though journalists were known to film at the hospital? Why did they strike a second time, causing most of the deaths and raising accusations of a “double tap” attack on first responders, which would be a war crime?

AP and Reuters released a statement Tuesday calling again for Israel to provide a full explanation of the strikes. The news organizations also called on Israel to give journalists access to Gaza to support colleagues who have been covering the war from the beginning.

"A year later, we remain devastated by their deaths and are still searching for answers from the Israeli authorities about what happened that day," the statement read.

Hospital was vital site for journalists

News agencies such as Reuters and AP supplied live video recordings to newsrooms around the world from the hospital, one of the few functioning in Gaza at the time. AP repeatedly informed the army that its journalists were there.

The first strike killed Al-Masri and another person. As other journalists, including Dagga, and rescue workers rushed up an external staircase to help the wounded and document what happened, the military struck again, killing 20 people. Based on video recordings and multiple eyewitnesses, none were armed. In all, Israel struck the hospital four times using high-explosive tank shells.

Israeli officials afterward said Hamas was using the

By Sam Mednick

camera to observe nearby troops. They alleged “suspicious behavior” around the camera, but the only example they gave was that a towel draped over the camera and the person recording appeared to be an effort at concealment.

Al-Masri routinely covered equipment with a white cloth to protect it from the sun and dust, a common practice among journalists in Gaza and other hot climates.

Last week, the army announced criminal investigations into two other high-profile attacks by its troops in Gaza — the 2024 killing of 5-year-old Hind Rajab and her family, and the 2025 killing of 15 paramedics. It cleared troops in three other attacks that killed workers from international aid groups.

Military's effort at damage control

The soldier was connected to AP through Breaking the Silence, a group founded over two decades ago by Israeli veterans that collects testimony from soldiers and is critical of Israel's actions in the Palestinian territories.

The soldier said after high-profile strikes that kill civilians without clear military purpose, army officials search for militant links among those killed.

Breaking the Silence said its testimonies show there is a “retroactive incrimination process” in which Palestinians who are killed are automatically counted as militants, even when unarmed.

Retroactive incrimination is used as a “near automatic justification for every bullet, shell or missile fired, and as a tool used to avoid carrying out real investigations," Nadav Weiman, the group's executive director, said.

AP independently confirmed some details of the soldier's account, which is consistent with the military's public response. Breaking the Silence said it corroborated the account with its own sources.

The Israeli military has raided or laid siege to hospitals throughout the war, accusing Hamas of using them as command centers and to hide fighters, though it's provided evidence for only some of its claims.

Hamas security men have been seen in hospitals during the war, controlling access to certain areas. Earlier this year, Doctors Without Borders suspended some operations at Nasser Hospital for several months after patients and staff reported seeing armed, masked men roaming parts of the building.

Tank shells fired after drone failed

The soldier, and a former military official with knowledge of the situation, said a high-ranking army official initially approved use of a precision weapon to take down the camera, but an attempt by drone failed for unknown reasons. The former official spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to talk to the media.

The division commander then approved an alternative method, said the soldier, without saying what the method was. It's unclear who made the decision to fire tank rounds, which can cause more damage than drone strikes.

Oded Ailam, former head of the counterterrorism division in Israel's Mossad spy service, said that while commanders on the ground have a degree of freedom, they don't have a “blank check.”

"If the change is significant, particularly where it may affect the risk to civilians, it must remain within the authority, rules and intent of the original order, or require renewed approval," he said.

Gaza deaths include 207 journalists

Israeli troops have killed 207 Palestinian reporters in Gaza since the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack ignited the war, according to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists. Israel has barred foreign journalists from entering Gaza, giving Palestinian journalists a vital role.

Sara Qudah, CPJ's Middle East and North Africa regional director, said Israel has a responsibility to conduct a prompt and transparent investigation. "When journalists can be killed without credible accountability, it becomes harder and more dangerous for the press to document conflicts and for the public to know what is happening," she said.

The lack of answers has been agonizing for families.

Ezz al-Din al-Masri said he doesn't understand why his brother, Hussam, was killed. "Unfortunately, we found that the blood of journalists in Gaza is cheap ... as if the rules protecting journalists do not apply to them," he said.

Dagga, 33, had just taken her last photos before rushing up the stairs. Whenever her father, Riyad Abu Dagga, visits her grave, he carries her phone and camera with him — she always had them with her. He visits her apartment near Nasser Hospital and cries.

“Had any of the daughters of the soldiers been killed unjustly, they would not have stayed silent,” he said of the Israelis. “They would want to know why.”

Mednick writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Wafaa Shurafa in Deir al Balah, Gaza Strip, contributed to this report.

Indonesians pray for rain as wildfires sweep across country

MUHAMMAD FAJRI Associated Press
INDONESIAN Muslims attend a prayer requesting rain following wildfires that have burned peatland.

People brave choking smoke to gather amid prolonged dry weather in province.

BY MUHAMMAD HATTA

PALEMBANG, Indonesia — Authorities in Indonesia's South Sumatra province turned to spiritual measures on Tuesday as huge blazes in central and western regions scorched wide areas of forests and peatland, creating a choking haze that blanketed some cities in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country.

The prayer gathering in one of the regions hardest-hit by this year's wildfire season comes as the province faces prolonged dry weather that has heightened the risk of forest and peatland fires.

The latest satellite data from the Environment Ministry showed West Kalimantan recorded the highest number of hot spots with 3,120, followed by Central Kalimantan on 2,314 and South Sumatra at 1,500. Forestry Ministry data showed that nearly 363 square miles were burned in July alone, including over 8 square miles in South Sumatra province.

About 3,000 residents gathered in Palembang, the capital of South Sumatra province, to take part in a special Islamic prayer for rain, known as “salat istisqa.” They prayed shoulder to shoulder in the courtyard of the governor’s office as thick smoke shrouded roads, buildings and public facilities, reducing visibility and forcing motorists to drive with their headlights on during the day.

“We have done everything we can and worked closely with all relevant parties,” Gov. Herman Deru said before the prayer. “As people of faith, we are also praying to God to send rain so that life can return to normal.”

He also said the public prayer would complement ongoing firefighting and drought-mitigation measures and serve as a moment for residents to unite in confronting the environmental challenges facing the province.

Emergency services have been battling wildfires driven by an intensifying El Niño pattern and a prolonged dry season, generating dense smoke that crossed into Malaysia and Brunei, according to the National Disaster Management Agency.

Indonesia is intensifying weather-modification operations to help more than 24,000 firefighters, who were deployed on Sumatra and Borneo islands to combat wildfires, by inducing rainfall through the dispersal of salt particles into suitable clouds, with 30 aircraft for cloud-seeding and water-bombing operations over Kalimantan, and another 22 helicopters covering Sumatra. As fires continued to spread, the Forestry Ministry announced Tuesday it had sanctioned six forestry concession holders after finding that more than 5.8 square miles of forest and land had burned within areas under their management in West, Central and East Kalimantan provinces on Borneo island.

Five companies were ordered to strengthen fire-control measures and rehabilitate burned land, while a sixth company had its permit suspended because fires on its concession were wide-spread and recurrent.

Forestry law enforcement director general Dwi Januanto Nugroho said the authorities could pursue criminal charges if investigations uncover evidence that companies or individuals deliberately caused fires or failed to meet their obligations to prevent them.

Indonesian police have arrested 72 people suspected of starting some of the forest and peatland fires.

Plantation owners and traditional farmers often start fires to clear land for farming at low cost, triggering hazardous haze that reduces visibility, disrupts land and air transportation and threatens public health.

Fires are a regular problem during the dry season in Indonesia, the vast archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, and the haze they generate has periodically drawn diplomatic complaints from neighboring countries in Southeast Asia.

Hatta writes for the Associated Press. AP writers Niniek Karmini and Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia, contributed to this report.

Chinese artist receives 3 years in prison

Gao Zhen, who was visiting from U.S., was charged in part over his satire of Mao.

By Huizhong Wu

BANGKOK — Chinese artist Gao Zhen was sentenced to three years in prison on Tuesday for “infringing upon the reputation of heroes” over his satirical works of art, including statues of China’s former leader Mao Zedong.

Gao, who lives in the U.S. and was part of an artistic duo known internationally as the Gao Brothers, was arrested while visiting family in China in August 2024. He has been in official custody since then.

He was sentenced by the Sanhei People's Court court in northern Hebei province, according to his wife, Zhao Yaliang.

The charges against Gao relate to artistic works that China's authorities claim insulted revolutionary figures, including a 2009 statue called Mao's Guilt, which shows the former leader and founder of modern China as kneeling in repentance. Others include a series called Miss Mao, which shows a caricatured version of Mao with breasts and an engorged nose.

Shane Yi, a researcher at Chinese Human Rights Defenders, who has been advocating for the case, described the sentence as “a very clear case of a violation of a person’s freedom of expression.”

Yi noted the artworks in question were created before the law Gao was sentenced with had been passed and said the artist plans to appeal the sentence.

The court did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Amnesty International criticized the court sentence, which it described as a deterrent against artistic expression.

"The lengthy pretrial detention and, ultimately, decision to convict Gao Zhen and sentence him to the maximum three-year prison term under this offense illustrate the authorities' determination to deter others from engaging in independent artistic expression," said Amnesty's China director, Sarah Brooks.

“No artist should face criminal punishment for creating work that challenges official narratives or encourages critical reflection on history,” she said.

Zhao said she hopes to be reunited with her husband and be able to return to the U.S., where the family had immigrated to.

"I felt two years was my limit, and I was really disappointed and sad. I haven't been able to catch my breath," she said. She had prepared clothes for her husband, hoping that he would be released. Chinese courts often count the time of a sentencing from the date a prisoner is taken.

The Gao Brothers, whose works addressed themes of authoritarianism and censorship, became famous in a time of relative openness in China and were exhibited inside the country and abroad.

However, in recent years, the state has increased its controlling grip on certain aspects of expression, especially in regard to political figures with the passage of a law in 2018 that bans criticism of the nation's heroes.

Wu writes for the Associated Press.

ZHAO YALIANG
ZHAO TALIANG GAO ZHEN was part of an artistic duo known as the Gao Brothers.

Canada plans bruising tariffs

[Canada, from A1] steel, even warning his administration could begin referring to Lake Ontario — one of the five Great Lakes, bordering Canada and New York — as “Lake America.”

Few nations have hit back as aggressively as Canada in response to Trump's unwieldy tariff policies, with the exception of China, which engaged the administration in a brief but tense trade war that roiled global markets.

The ramifications may be just as significant, said Mary Lovely, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.

“Last year, we bought more from Canada than we did from China,” Lovely said. “A trade war with Canada is a big deal. If we remove energy trade, we run a healthy trade surplus with Canada, benefiting U.S. producers in the northern tier of states but all throughout the country.”

Ottawa's retaliation might be felt most acutely in border states set to hold midterm elections that could swing control of the U.S. Senate in just a matter of months — a potential calculus of Carney's government, which could use its leverage to deliver political pain for the president's party.

“Ohio and Michigan — which both feature close Senate races — will suffer from reduced trade in autos and auto parts,” said Kimberly Clausing, a professor of tax law and policy at the UCLA School of Law. “Two other states, Alaska and Maine, feature both close Senate races and longstanding close relations across the border.”

Canada's leadership has indicated for months a willingness to fight against perceived bullying by the United States.

In a speech delivered in January from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Carney caught the world's attention when he said the postwar economic order dominated by the United States had reached its end, warning that Canada and similar middle powers “cannot live within the lie of mutual benefit through integration when integration becomes the source of your subordination.”

The effect of Canada's latest tariffs, if imposed, would be a modest dent in a \$32-trillion American economy. But economists said that strict levies from the second-largest U.S. trading partner could hit pockets of the U.S. economic system particularly hard.

“Trump clearly has festering anger at Carney for his full-throated defense of an international rules-based order at Davos back in January,” said Kenneth Rogoff, an economist and a professor at Harvard.

"There is little question that in the short run, the U.S. can hurt Canada far more than Canada can hurt the U.S.," Rogoff added, "but if Carney aims his tariffs strategically — and I expect he will — it still could hurt a lot."

On Monday, explaining Canada's decision to reject ongoing trade talks with Washington, Carney accused the administration of taking “an attitude at the negotiation table that Canada is a subsidiary of the United States.”

“We learned during the negotiations that the Americans want to destroy our major industries, including autos, steel and aluminum,” Carney said. “That was one of the main reasons we said no. It was a bad deal.”

Sung Won Sohn, an economist and a former commissioner at the Port of Los Angeles, said the new tariffs will result in higher U.S. prices on a handful of high-profile goods. But the effects will be felt particularly acutely in those industries, at a time when Americans already feel negatively about the state of

WORKERS walk during a shift change outside an ArcelorMittal Dofasco steel facility in Hamilton, Canada.
COLE BURSTON AFP/Getty Images

'The U.S. can hurt Canada far more than Canada can hurt the U.S., but if Carney aims his tariffs strategically ... it still could hurt a lot.'

CANADIAN Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne speaks at a roofing company in Ottawa.
PATRICK DOYLE Bloomberg

the U.S. economy.

“U.S. sellers and exporters, such as farmers, will have lower sales in Canada, and some sectors of the economy will hurt badly and bear the brunt of the pain,” Sohn said. “Both Canada and the U.S. have inventories, and so those have to be sold first — and this tit for tat has been going on for some time, so inventories might be higher than normal.”

Whether Trump's threats will materialize into a long-term strategy remains to be seen.

The most intensive phase of the president's trade war with China — during which U.S. tariff rates on Chinese goods reached 145%, with retaliatory Chinese rates reaching 125% — lasted 40 days before a truce was called in May 2025.

“Trump’s gone back on his word so many times on tariffs, no one knows what to believe anymore,” said Aaron Klein, chair of economic studies at the Brookings Institution. “One of the reasons Canada and other

KENNETH ROGOFF, Harvard economist

countries have stopped negotiating with Trump is that he changes his stance every day.”

“Maybe he can manipulate the stock market so insiders with information about his next tweet can profit,” Klein added.

“But the real economy isn’t swinging wildly around on today’s tariff threat, tomorrow’s chicken-out, or next week’s ‘tariffs are back on again.’”

Putin decrees state may seize war-damaged infrastructure

‘Tactical’ move comes as frustration grows in Russia over disruption from drone attacks.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Russian President Vladimir Putin has decreed that the state can temporarily seize control of critical infrastructure facilities if private owners fail to protect them from Ukrainian drone attacks or rebuild them after the strikes.

The move came Monday amid growing economic pressure and public frustration being felt in Russia after months of escalating Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries and e-commerce hubs that have caused nationwide disruptions.

Ukraine also is reeling from relentless aerial attacks that have smashed its power grid ahead of winter and heavily damaged homes as Russia's invasion stretches into its fifth year.

The Kremlin's exact intentions with the decree are unclear. However, it applies to various sectors including energy infrastructure as well as industrial, communications, transportation and logistics facilities.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that “often business owners do not pay enough attention to taking measures to ensure safety, antidrone safety.”

Given the threat to vital economic infrastructure, “we must take measures, we must ensure our own safety,” he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov said in a statement the decree doesn't imply the nationalization of companies or a change of ownership — only “involvement of the state in the management of an enterprise to solve specific security problems.”

He added that the decree “doesn’t imply widespread use,” and that “targeted, carefully considered decisions will be made at the highest level.”

Russian political analyst Abbas Gallyamov said the measure might be a “tactical” step designed to force the owners of repeatedly damaged oil refineries into making repairs.

“Given the fact that the same refinery has already been hit three to five times, it’s safe to assume that the owners are now reluctant to invest in restoring what’s been destroyed,” he said on the Telegram messaging app.

"Why spend billions if they're going to get hit again tomorrow?" said Gallyamov, a former speechwriter for Putin.

He said the government is giving companies an ultimatum: “If you don’t finance the restoration of the refineries, we’ll take them away from you.”

In the latest attacks, Ukraine's General Staff said Tuesday its forces struck facilities at Russia's Afipsky oil refinery in the Krasnodar region overnight, causing a fire. Krasnodar Gov. Veniamin Kondratyev said a fire broke out at an oil refinery in the town of Afipsky.

A Ukrainian attack also damaged the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in southern Russia's Rostov region overnight and halted operations, Rostov Gov. Yuri Slyusar said, without elaborating.

It was the eighth time in a year that Ukrainian drones have targeted the Afipsky refinery and the fourth time in the last year they have aimed at Novoshakhtinsk, according to data from Ukraine's General Staff.

Russian businesses face fundamental economic challenges as the costly war drags on. The government has raised taxes and increased domestic borrowing to keep its budget deficit under control, and taking over major companies could potentially bring in revenue.

At the same time, seizing damaged assets could bring another financial burden. The Kremlin may intend the measure as a way to pressure companies to shoulder more responsibility for air defense, as Russia's vast territory is hard to protect.

Russia also is offering more help for its biggest online retailer, Wildberries, and businesses selling goods through it. The company and thousands of sellers working with it have been hit hard by repeated Ukrainian strikes on warehouses. The Finance Ministry proposed Monday extending deadlines for tax and insurance payments to give Wildberries and its sellers some financial breathing space.

On Saturday, Putin told state television that Russia “must and will improve the air defense system and enhance its capabilities.”

“We need to streamline coordination between defense, law enforcement and civilian agencies at all levels, and to leverage the capabilities of state-run enterprises and private businesses,” he said.

In May, following deep strikes that unsettled Moscow, Russian lawmakers approved a bill that allowed the Central Bank, state-controlled Sberbank and other financial services to fend off drone attacks by installing air defenses on their premises.

News outlet RBC, citing anonymous sources in and close to the Defense Ministry, reported that month that a mechanism had been established for businesses to procure weapons and equipment to protect themselves from drone attacks, something Russian officials and lawmakers have said companies should do.

MIKHAIL METZEL Kremlin Pool Photo
RUSSIAN PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin meets with a regional governor Tuesday.

Meta is proud to donate Ray-Ban Meta glasses to every blind veteran in America.

Don Overton lost his sight defending our freedom. Today, he uses Ray-Ban Meta glasses to navigate the world and “get my independence back.”

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THE NATION

Arrests by ICE jump to nearly 50,000 in July

infused the agency with billions of dollars.

The number is the highest in one month during the second Trump administration.

BY REBECCA SANTANA

WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested nearly 50,000 people during July, the highest single monthly arrest total during the second Trump administration, according to new figures.

The spike in immigration arrests shows that the administration has continued to advance its mass deportation agenda despite a shift in approach earlier this year from high-profile operations in large American cities that sparked a public outcry to arrests that have attracted less attention but have nonetheless been disruptive.

The July arrest tally of 49,571 marks a 15% jump from 43,021 arrests a month earlier and a 70% increase from 29,241 in February, in the aftermath of the Trump administration's enforcement surge in Minnesota, according to government data that was provided by ICE to the UC Berkeley's Deportation Data Project and analyzed by the Associated Press.

Immigration arrests the month before Trump entered office hovered a little over 8,000, a figure largely made up of immigrants transferred from city or state jails and prisons and turned over to ICE to remove from the country. During Trump's first year in office the numbers started climbing as the administration loosened restrictions on where and who ICE could arrest while it also

By December, the number of arrests jumped to more than 40,177, according to the data, which was obtained through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit.

In the aftermath of two fatal shootings in Minnesota in January that sparked protests and an uproar from Democratic lawmakers, arrests began to fall to nearly 30,000 in February. After remaining stagnant for months, the numbers of people arrested in June jumped to more than 43,000 and then to roughly 49,500 in July.

In his confirmation hearing earlier this year, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin pledged to keep ICE out of the headlines, suggesting that the administration's immigration crackdown might take a softer approach. But his tenure has been marred by a number of fatal shootings of immigrants in encounters with ICE officers. And the figures show Mullin hasn't shifted the agency from President Trump's vision for mass deportations.

Texas and Florida accounted for nearly 20,000 of the July arrests, in a sign of how important those states have become to the Trump administration's mass deportation agenda. Both states have leaned heavily into cooperation agreements with ICE called 287(g) agreements that allow local and state law enforcement to essentially operate as arms of federal immigration enforcement.

The spike in arrests comes as the agency has also hired 12,000 new deportation officers and investigative agents.

Santana writes for the Associated Press.

ARMY Sgt. Hedar Leonel Turcios Juarez holds a photo of him and his wife, Cristy Maryori Villafranca-Trejo.
RYAN ROMERO Associated Press

Wife of Army sergeant deported

By Jack Brook

The wife of an active-duty U.S. soldier was deported Monday to her native Honduras, according to her family and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Cristy Maryori Villafranca-Trejo is at least the seventh spouse or parent of an active-duty U.S. military service member to be deported under President Trump's immigration crackdown.

The Associated Press has found more than 50 cases in which immediate family members of U.S. troops were placed in federal immigration detention after the Trump administration rolled back protections for military families. In some instances, Homeland Security has released military spouses following media attention and advocacy by congressional leaders.

Villafranca-Trejo's husband, Army Sgt. Hedar Leonel Turcios Juarez, said he has been struggling to manage his military duties since she was detained July 11 outside a Walmart near Ft. Bliss, Texas, where he is stationed. Since then, he's had to care for their 6-year-old daughter without his wife's help. Instead of training in the mornings, he takes his daughter to first grade, and he said he has already had to postpone a planned assignment at another base.

"I don't know if I will be able to continue with this," Turcios Juarez told AP of his Army career. "I have to make a plan to make sure I can still fulfill my military responsibilities — but also take care of my family."

Homeland Security confirmed Villafranca-Trejo's deportation, saying she had "received due process."

Villafranca-Trejo, who has no known criminal record and entered the U.S. in 2016 at age 18, was issued a final order of removal by an immigration judge in 2017 after failing to appear at a hearing, according to Homeland Security. Villafranca-Trejo's husband said she had not received a notice for the hearing she missed and did not realize she had been ordered deported until they went to apply for her green card after marrying in 2022.

Originally from Hon- duras, Turcios Juarez became a U.S. citizen in 2024 after enlisting two years earlier.

Villafranca-Trejo's motion to reopen her case was denied last May and an appeal before the Board of Immigration Appeals remained pending, according to her attorney. She had also been waiting for about a year for a decision on her application for military parole-in-place, a program that allows the immediate family of U.S. troops to remain in the country to apply for a green card.

“We were following the rules—we did everything we could on our side to fix this problem,” Turcios Juarez told the AP.

Prior to Trump's second administration, U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement would typically allow immediate family members of U.S. troops to adjust their legal status even if they had been issued a final order of removal, according to Dan Gividen, who served as ICE deputy chief counsel from 2016 to 2019 under Trump.

"If you've got an active-duty military member that's married to someone now, and that's going to give her the opportunity to get a green card, you wouldn't detain them, much less execute the removal order," Gividen said.

JP Caballero, a spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), said Escobar had opened a congressional inquiry into Villafranca-Trejo's case and visited her at the Camp East Montana detention facility in Texas earlier this month.

"My heart breaks for her, her children and the soldier who must feel so betrayed by the country he is sacrificing for," Escobar told AP in a statement. "There are far too many families like theirs who are being targeted instead of supported."

Turcios Juarez said he is unsure how he will care for his daughter without his wife. He still hasn't figured out how to tell his daughter what has happened. But he says he still wants to keep serving his country.

"I love what I do, I want to keep doing this," he said of the Army. "I just don't know how I am going to keep doing this."

Brook writes for the Associated Press.

Your next latte...

Los Angeles

Department of Water & Power

LADWP.com/Paperless vegetation dries out and wildfires become more destructive.

[Reno, from A1]

Growing wildland-urban interface raises fire risks

“This has grown to a national problem as evidenced in the fires we’ve seen in the last decade,” said Patty Hernandez, co-founder and executive director of Headwaters Economics, a nonprofit research group that focuses on land use and development. “We’re really not talking about isolated communities in the woods.”

There's Spokane, the growing eastern Washington city of 230,000 where fires this summer incinerated more than 800 structures. And Los Angeles County, where last year's Palisades and Eaton fires destroyed more than 16,000 homes, businesses and other buildings and took 31 lives.

From 2005 to 2025, wildfires destroyed 130,622 structures nationwide, with seven of the 10 most destructive fires during that time having been in California, according to Headwaters Economics.

A FIREFIGHTER works amid rubble left by the Hawk fire, which has destroyed at least 47 homes.

JOSH EDELSON AFP/Getty Images

More than 115 million people, a third of the U.S. population, now live in places with high wildfire risk, and more than 2.5 million homes were built in the wildland-urban interface during the 2010s alone, Hernandez said.

While much attention typically is given to the number of acres a wildfire burned, a factor that “people have historically underestimated, the one that turns a wildfire into a catastrophe, is the homes themselves,” Hernandez said, adding that building-to-building spread often is “what overwhelms firefighting capabilities.”

In February, the Reno City Council approved a new Community Wildfire Protection Plan that said the city's wildfire risk has changed substantially over the last two decades because of “a rapidly shifting climate, population growth [particularly among older adults], rapid development, shifts in fuel types and quantity, fuel break construction, and the expansion of the wildland-urban interface.”

This week, authorities said they had confirmed the destruction of at least 47 homes by the Hawk fire and that they expected the number to grow.

At least four civilians and three firefighters have been injured in connection with the fire, which was 27% contained as of Tuesday, Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District Chief Richard Edwards said at a news conference.

Like the vast majority of wildfires in the United States, the Hawk fire was “human caused,” said Edwards, who provided no further details.

“We do not know if it was intentional or unintentional,” he said. “The investigators are still working through that right now. More than likely, this fire will be classified as ‘undeter-

mined.' "

The fire was reported just before 11:30 a.m. Saturday near Hawk Meadow Trail near Somerset, a master-planned community that has been expanding into the hills a few miles northwest of downtown Reno.

In summer, the area is frequently affected by the Washoe Zephyr, a gusty afternoon wind that descends from the Sierra Nevada mountains in the west, blowing across the high desert basin around Reno.

On Saturday, the region was under a red flag warning, with wind gusts at Peavine Peak, about eight miles northwest of downtown Reno, hitting about 35 mph, said Justin Collins, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Reno.

It was dry, too, he said, with relative humidity bottoming out at 12% that day.

Authorities said flames spread north and northeast, away from Somersett, with astonishing speed through extremely dry grass and brush.

It eventually jumped Highway 395, a major thoroughfare that brings commuters from rural communities in neighboring Lassen County, Calif., before its progress was stopped.

The fire has burned more than 15,000 acres.

On Monday, shortly after authorities began downgrading some mandatory evacuation orders to warnings around Somersett, Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam said people were already venturing too far into dangerous wild- lands.

“Right above Somerset is an active fire. We already had reports of people going out and hiking back into those burned areas,” he said. “Please do not do that.”

Balaam said authorities also detected one “illegally flown drone” in the burn zone, posing a threat to the aerial firefighting effort.

Buckley, the incident spokeswoman, told The Times that on the parched landscape, “what’s really frustrating about these human-caused wildfires” is that people don’t seem to grasp that “all it takes is one small spark to get things going.”

She said residents have been exasperated by the evacuation orders and road closures, especially that of Highway 395, “but with the explosive growth and extreme fire behavior, we need people to be safe.”

More than 800 firefighters, including multiple crews from California, were battling the blaze as of Tuesday.

The Hawk fire is one of several wildfires to burn near Reno in recent weeks.

The Bug fire — which burned just north of the Hawk fire and in portions of California's Lassen and Sierra counties — started Aug. 8 and charred nearly 94,000 acres. The Stallion fire started two days later near Pyramid Lake and burned nearly 41,000 acres.

On Aug. 11, the Washoe County Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of a 47-year-old woman in connection with the Freds Mountain fire, a blaze that burned at least 3,500 acres before merging with the Bug fire. The woman, Christine Mitchell, flagged down responding fire crews and told them she had intentionally started the blaze, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Frank Frievalt, director of the Cal Poly Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Institute, said the Hawk fire attracted more national attention than the much larger Bug and Stallion fires because it posed a more immediate threat to densely developed areas.

Many wild places historically depended on fires to maintain their ecosystems, and as people have continued to build farther into those places, they have, with great success, suppressed those blazes, Frievalt said.

Among other consequences, that has led to a buildup of dry, flammable materials that threatens those very developments, said Frievalt, who spent more than two decades working for the fire department in Reno's neighboring city of Sparks, Nev., where he served as acting fire chief.

“Unless we're going to stop building in these landscapes, and that's unlikely ... it means we have to start building and retroactively hardening these communities,” he said.

FCC weighs cutting internet discounts for schools

CHRISTINA HOUSE Los Angeles Times CHILDREN raise their hands on the first day of school in North Hills on Aug. 12.

[E-Rate, from A1]

Brendan Carr said in June when he announced the review. In Project 2025, the far-right Heritage Foundation's blueprint for the Trump administration, Carr said that due to advancements in technology, decisions about the program "should be made with an eye to right-sizing the federal government's existing broadband initiatives."

The review process has left ed tech leaders both confused and ready to fight.

“They’re asking us to comment on a potential rulemaking and they haven’t told us what the rules would be,” said Keith Krueger, chief executive of the Consortium for School Networking, a leading ed tech professional organization. He called the initial 70 pages of questions the FCC released “so extraordinarily broad and comprehensive” that they’re too overwhelming for the average district leader to address. “We’re going to have to be very loud and noisy as a community to our members of Congress and to governors to say ‘hands off the E-Rate.’”

As at Desert Sands, districts depend on internet access for a lot more than classroom instruction, including taking attendance and managing payroll. But it's how students use the internet at school that has taken over the discussion about updating the program.

“Historically, underserved students lacked access to computers and technology, and efforts were made to ‘close the digital divide,’ ” said Emily Cherkin, a Seattle-based consultant and proponent of “tech-intentional” living. In 2026, she said, “the pendulum has swung too far.”

In January, she testified before the U.S. Senate, saying children's access to the internet has led to "catastrophic" effects on their mental health, learning and development. In response to such concerns, some states are restricting screen time. Parents are demanding the chance to opt out of apps and learning platforms, and others, including Cherkin, are suing ed tech companies and publishers, accusing them of data privacy violations and false advertising.

In April, the Los Angeles Unified School District banned the use of computers in the classroom until second grade, allowing for a slow expansion of screen time limits as a student gets older. The policy — a response to growing parent opposition to heavy screen time — is being phased in this academic year and prioritizes computer use for “curriculum-aligned tools.”

Toward connectivity

Groups like the Consortium for School Networking have called for a balanced approach before valid concerns over kids' time online threatens the loss of a program that saves schools and libraries more than \$2.5 billion each year.

The discounts apply to high-speed internet service as well as Wi-Fi access points, routers and switches. Desert Sands, for example, is currently upgrading such equipment districtwide — a \$1-million project that is costing the district \$200,000 due to the discount. But E-Rate benefits don't extend to devices for students, digital content or software licenses.

E-Rate “is a connectivity program,” Krueger said. “It’s not an education program.”

The consortium released a report last week highlighting examples of “purposeful” technology use and stressing that there’s a difference between a student scrolling through social media during the school day and another working with a classmate on a multimedia project.

"The goal is not simply to reduce or increase screen time," the report said. "The goal is to ensure that every use of technology has a clear instructional purpose."

But Cherkin is skeptical. As long as students are spending time on a device, she wrote, it doesn't matter whether they have high-quality materials. Her years as a former middle school

English teacher in Seattle private schools, from 2003 to 2015, helped shape her views on technology. Schools had computer labs and a dedicated technology teacher, a model she'd like to see reinstated. That arrangement evolved into reserving a cart with laptops that she would bring to her classroom when needed.

The turning point, she said, was when she started uploading grades into a digital portal.

“Instead of coming to talk to me directly and having a conversation about what they might need to do to improve ... they were instead directed to a digital platform that had a number or letter grade, which told them very little overall,” she said. “I saw it devaluing the experience of learning to be a student who could self-advocate.”

Despite her concerns over the internet's effect on students, she still supports the argument that access should be universally available.

'Pulling out the rug'

For Krueger and others who fought to increase access for students in schools and homes, this moment feels like a step backward.

As founder of nonprofit EducationSuperHighway, Evan Marwell advocated for a fiber connection to every school in the nation, reaching more than 99% by 2019.

"There are a lot of good uses of technology in classrooms," he said. "Pulling out the rug from teachers and students on all those good uses would be, in my opinion, a big mistake."

During the pandemic, his organization pivoted to signing up low-income families for discounted high-speed service at home so students wouldn't have to sit in McDonald's parking lots to pick up Wi-Fi to do homework.

Last fall, in its first move toward rolling back federal broadband initiatives, the FCC voted to remove at-home and school bus Wi-Fi access from the program, features that were added during the Biden administration. The move, Carr said in a statement, would end what he called “illegal funding” of young kids’ unsupervised screen time.

Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who wrote the E-Rate program as part of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, said in a statement that the decision would “leave low-income, rural and marginalized communities disconnected."

Security concerns

Krueger said some improvements to E-Rate are needed, like more funding for cybersecurity.

“Having broadband that is at risk for cyberattacks isn’t helpful,” he said.

Between July 2023 and December 2024, 82% of schools experienced some type of cyber incident, such as a ransomware attack, a data breach or a phishing attempt, according to a report last year from the nonprofit Center for Internet Security. When the FCC opened up a \$200-million E-Rate cybersecurity pilot program in 2024, the demand was huge. The agency received applications totaling \$3.7 billion.

Krueger, however, questions whether the FCC is the right agency to determine whether Wi-Fi access is harming students' learning. That, he said, should be the responsibility of the Office of Educational Technology, which the Trump administration gutted last year when it eliminated roughly half of the Department of Education's staff.

At a July gathering in Washington, an Education Department official told advocates from about 22 states that there is still an Office of Educational Technology, according to Stacy Hawthorne, chair of the Consortium for School Networking. The attendees, Hawthorne said, joked that it may only exist on paper.

The department did not respond to questions about the makeup of the office. But it recently issued guidance that tries to redirect the debate over ed tech away from screen time. Ed tech “should not be evaluated solely by the amount of time students spend using it,” it said, adding that district spending on technology should be “guided by evidence of effectiveness.”

In July, the FCC said that

— with this year's application period already complete — the E-Rate program still exists and that its “notice of potential rulemaking” won’t immediately result in a loss of funding.

If the administration scales back or discontinues E-Rate, district leaders say they'll have to make up the difference somehow.

LaTonya Goffney, superintendent of the Aldine Independent School District near Houston, said with 86% of her budget tied up in personnel, she would have to cut staff or programs to replace the more than \$2 million saved each year from discounts.

"The utilities, the transportation — all of those things we can't eliminate," she said. "We still have to provide those for our students."

In Desert Sands, May-Vollmar said unlimited Wi-Fi in the classroom replicates the real world for students.

“You and I don’t schedule time to go to a computer lab,” she said. “At work, if I say ‘Everybody, go get your computer,’ we have that ability. I want that ability in the classroom too.”

Jacobson writes for the 74; this story was distributed through a partnership with the Associated Press.

She lifted her voice to rare heights

[Parton, from A1] for women in the spotlight — waif, trollop, fallen woman, country girl in over her head — and played them to the hilt, achieving artistic and financial heights few female performers have ever reached. By the time of her death, she was said to be one of the few things that Americans of most every persuasion could agree on.

Parton wrote and sang songs, acted in films such as “9 to 5,” operated the Dollywood theme park and wrote memoirs.
ALL-AROUND ENTERTAINER
GARY FRIEDMAN Los Angeles Times

ROSEMARY KAUL Los Angeles Times
CROSSOVER STAR In the mid-1970s, she signed with manager Sandy Gallin, above in 1983, who had helped Mac Davis find pop success.

One of the most honored musicians in modern history, Parton earned 10 Grammy Awards, two Academy Award nominations, a Primetime Emmy and 10 Country Music Assn. awards, and in 1999 she was enshrined in the Country Music Hall of Fame.

In 2005, President George W. Bush presented her with the National Medal of the Arts, and a year later she was given a Kennedy Center for the Arts Award for her lifetime contribution to the arts. She logged some 25 gold or platinum records and 25 No. 1 songs on the country chart. She also won a Liseberg Applause Award, the biggest prize in the theme park industry, for her fabled tourist attraction, Dollywood.

Parton's rags-to-riches tale reads like a classic country music story-song. But before it became mythical, it was only incredibly hard.

Dolly Rebecca Parton was born in Locust Ridge, Tenn., in the Great Smoky Mountains, on Jan. 19, 1946. Her father was a tobacco sharecropper and she was the fourth of 12 children. In her autobiography, "Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business," she related how her parents were so poor they paid the doctor who delivered her with a sack of cornmeal.

Raised in a one-room cabin with no electricity, she listened to the Grand Ole Opry on a battery-powered radio. When she was 7, she started writing songs; a year later she picked up the guitar. At 10 she was singing on a Knoxville radio and TV program, "Cas Walker Farm & Home Hour."

The Parton family was musical, and there were always banjos, fiddles, mandolins and guitars around the cabin. Her voice, a bird-like soprano with an animated trill, hadn't changed much from her youth: "I sound like a little girl singing all these Lord-awful songs," she told "Fresh Air's" Terry Gross in 2001.

On a Friday night in 1964, Parton became the first in her family to graduate from high school. The next afternoon she was on a bus heading for Nashville, targeting a career in country music.

Women had little real power in Nashville at the time, and though rural women were a growing part of the country music audience, they were marginalized as artists. Parton signed to the Monument label, but felt that they wanted a pop singer more than they wanted her. An early breakthrough came when singer Bill Phillips heard a demo version of her “Put It Off Until Tomorrow”; not only did he want to record the song, but he recorded it with Parton singing harmony. The song went to No. 6 on the country chart in 1966.

In 1967, she recorded Curly Putman's "Dumb Blonde," her first charting song as a singer and a savvy choice that spoke to her as both an image and as flesh and blood, as she sang:

Just because I'm blond

Don't think I'm dumb

‘Cause this dumb blond ain’t nobody’s fool

Nashville noticed. That year, country music star Porter Wagoner was looking for a new "girl singer" for his popular TV show, after Norma Jean left. Parton got the gig, and for weeks, legend has it, was greeted by the studio audience shouting "Norma Jean" when Parton opened her mouth. It was the kind of challenge she lived for. Carefully deferential to the star, Parton carved out a foothold for herself.

They were a complicated team. Tall, gaunt and calculating, Wagoner's angles had angles, but somehow standing next to her, his pompadour dwarfing her considerable bouffant, it worked. At their peak, they had a weekly TV viewership of over 3.5 million, and recorded numerous hit duets, "Holding on to Nothin" (1968), "If Teardrops Were Pennies" (1973) and "Please Don't Stop Loving Me" (1974) among them.

On her solo recordings at the time, Parton included a raft of songs about poor children in trouble. These gothic, occasionally autobiographical compositions, including "Coat of Many Colors," "My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy," "Evening Shade," "Daddy Come and Get Me" and "Down From Dover," would have been more than enough to make her, if not a star, at least a country music legend. But the kind of attention even her lesser work with Wagoner enjoyed continued to elude her own material.

By 1973, Parton realized that if she was going to be her own star she would have to be on her own. Wagoner fought and threatened, and finally, Parton wrote a song as a way to help him understand both her gratitude and her need for independence, “I Will Always Love You.” He liked the song, but it didn’t convince him. Wagoner sued her for \$20 million over breach of contract and settled for \$1 million.

But Parton had won her freedom, and she made the most of it. Her album from that year, "My Tennessee Mountain Home," was a reintroduction to her audience, an autobiographical cycle of songs telling the story of a singer leaving home to make it on Music Row. And in 1974, "Jolene" became her chart-topping breakthrough.

The title was the name of a red-haired, green-eyed young fan Parton met signing autographs, and the story of a woman begging a rival to leave her man alone. Parton said she made it up after discovering a bank teller had a crush on her husband. With a beveled chord progression and a haunting repetition of the name, it became perhaps her most requested song, and was covered by many, including the White Stripes, Candi Staton, Reba McEntire and Olivia Newton-John.

“I wanted to be seen, I wanted to be recognized, I wanted to be a star,” she explained. The last part was now coming into focus.

In 1976, she hosted a short-lived variety TV series, “Dolly!” Her name was her brand, and so, too, was her profile: the full bosom and tiny waist, platinum wig and baubles like sprinkles on an ice cream cone, 5 feet tall standing in 5-inch heels. She was a disarming contradiction: manufactured and utterly sincere.

"A country girl's idea of what glamour was," she explained.

"I didn't have any money to have stuff and I've often joked about it, but it's the real truth that I patterned myself after what they considered the trash in our hometown." She took shame and made it a flag, one big enough for all sorts of Americans to settle beneath.

Building on her fame, in the mid-'70s Parton decided to reinvent herself by reaching beyond the confines of country music. She signed with L.A.-based talent manager Sandy Gallin, who had made Mac Davis a country cross-over star and would soon work with Cher and Michael Jackson.

Parton laid off her longtime Traveling Family Band and sought out musicians and songs that were more purely pop. Hits that followed included “Here You Come Again” (No. 20 on the pop chart, 1977), “Heartbreaker” (No. 37, 1978) and duets with Kenny Rogers like “Islands in the Stream” (No. 1, 1983).

The pop move was muttered over and seen by gatekeepers as a rejection of Southern-based authenticity. It was the era of “Urban Cowboy,” and purity was being policed. “I love country music. It’s my first love,” she told the SoHo News. “But it was confining. You can only go so far in a circle.”

The movie “9 to 5” from 1980 settled her broadening stardom. Acting alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in a comedy about three office workers who get even with an abusive boss, Parton charmed viewers. It was her first acting role, and Roger Ebert called her “a natural born movie star.” She wrote and sang the movie’s theme song, which topped Billboard’s pop and country charts.

She would go on to act in “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” (1982), “Rhinestone” (1984), “Steel Magnolias” (1989), the “Hannah Montana” TV series (she was Miley Cyrus’ godmother in real life too), and in many more films and TV shows. But her biggest cinematic moment came with a song she’d written years before; “I Will Always Love You” was sung by Whitney Houston in the 1992 film “The Bodyguard,” turning her air kiss to Porter Wagoner into a No. 1 hit for 14 weeks.

In the mid-1980s, Parton suffered a number of setbacks. She experienced depression. "I was just broken down," she said later. In 1982, abdominal pain and bleeding forced her to cancel a tour, and in 1984 she had a partial hysterectomy. There were bouts of binge eating, and when she hit bottom she considered suicide. A series of conversations with God were instrumental in her recovery, Parton said.

Underscoring her connection to her origins while also illustrating how far she had gone, in 1986 she bought an old amusement park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and reinvented it as Dollywood, a booming theme park, resort and theater. Other businesses included Sandollar Productions, a film and TV company. In the 1990s, she formed her own label, Blue Eye Records.

Success meant she could settle into being Dolly. A trio of beloved bluegrass albums, “The Grass Is Blue,” “Little Sparrow” and “Halos & Horns,” around the turn of the millennium reestablished her as a performer with extensive roots in rural America. She recorded with everyone from Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris to Lady-smith Black Mambazo. Her 2019 cover of John Hiatt’s “Faith,” made with Swedish duo Galantis, topped the EDM charts.

She embraced her Christian and LGBTQ+ fans, and perhaps no American artist had more of each. Inclusivity mattered to Parton. She was an icon to the LGBTQ+ community. In 2002 at the House of Blues in Los Angeles, she replaced the name Jolene with “drag queen” and sang her famous song as a roster of drag performers looked on.

Just two years later, in 2004, the Library of Congress presented Parton with the since-retired “Living Legend Medal,” which sought to recognize those that made significant creative contributions to American life.

Singer and songwriter Brandi Carlile called Parton “an angel on my shoulder and also the devil on my other shoulder.”

"When I was 15 years old I read the back of Dolly Parton's book when she became the first country artist ever to speak out in support of LGBTQ people. And I can tell you that as a queer kid from a small town, getting love from Dolly is second only to God."

Parton has been honored in musical tributes by Carrie Underwood, Alison Krauss and Shania Twain. "Jolene" became the subject of the short story "Jolene: A Life," by E.L. Doctorow.

In 2019, WNYC and Jad Abumrad presented “Dolly Parton’s America,” a nine-segment podcast devoted to, and with the cooperation of, Parton; it examined her persona and impact on American life.

That same year Netflix presented “Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings,” an anthology series in which each episode presents a fictional narrative built around a Parton song; the series features appearances by Kathleen Turner, Delta Burke and Melissa Leo.

Her influence was so vast she has even been proposed as a field of academic study, and scrutinized in the 2018 academic study from Leigh H. Edwards, “Dolly Parton, Gender, and Country Music.”

She was married to the same man, Carl Thomas Dean, for over 50 years. They met on the day she arrived in Nashville in 1964, as she stood outside a laundromat. Parton and Dean were rarely seen in public together, and renewed vows in 2016. Dean died at age 82 in March 2025.

“Carl and I spent many wonderful years together,” Parton said in a statement at the time. “Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.”

Parton remained a source of interest and fascination, and though few if anyone could really claim to know her, many thought they did. As she once put it: “I look one way and am another. It makes for a good combination.”

AL SEIB Los Angeles Times
Parton wrote and performed the Oscar-nominated song “Travelin’ Thru” for “Transamerica.”

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Could Democrats win in this Nebraska district?

America.

dicted that as much as half will support the Democrat.

DENISE POWELL is the Democratic candidate for Omaha's congressional seat.
REBECCA S. GRATZ Associated Press

By Will Weissert

OMAHA — “Do they still like Trump in Nebraska? I think so,” the president said during a recent event in Washington.

Given that the state easily backed Republican Donald Trump three times and hasn't supported a Democrat for the White House since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, the answer may seem obvious.

But in Nebraska's largest city, it's an open question and could decide one of the country's most-watched congressional races. Retiring Rep. Don Bacon's open seat pits fellow Republican and Omaha City Councilmember Brinker Harding against Democratic activist Denise Powell.

The district encompasses an increasingly Democratic-leaning Omaha metro area of more than 1 million and its more conservative suburbs — famous for steaks and the Reuben sandwich's birthplace, though New York disputes that.

It's one of just eight districts nationwide that elected Republicans in House races while supporting Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris over Trump two years ago.

Harding and Powell have been making the rounds at parades and festivals where meat raffles offer oversized sausages as prizes. However, those on-the-ground appeals could be drowned out by Trump, who, like most things in politics, has moved to shape November's midterm elections in his own image.

The president is organizing a Republican midterm convention in Dallas next month that will serve as much a two-day rally for him as a boon to party candidates nationwide. Trump also is frequently visiting tightly contested districts, despite his low approval ratings and the unpopular war in Iran.

While Trump centers himself, Democrats are happy to oblige.

trict's delegate has gone to Democrats three out of five times since 2008, making it a "blue dot" in an otherwise Republican red state. But a Democrat has won the House seat just once since 1994.

Harding plays up Trump's primary endorsement, and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) campaigned for him. Harding said he has "the full confidence of, not only the White House, but leadership in the Congress."

“Even the ones who aren’t necessarily anti-Trump,” Powell said, “understand the need for checks and balances.”

He also has tried to appeal to swing voters and says he knows the district better than Powell, who is co-founder of Women Who Run Nebraska, a group that supports female candidates.

Waging their fight with campaign signs

Jason Brown and his wife, Ruth Huebner-Brown, caused a sensation in 2024 by spray-painting about 50 reused lawn signs with blue dots and distributing them around Omaha's Dundee neighborhood. The couple has since expanded to professionally producing signs promoting a "Blue Dot Wave."

Brown said the Republican-controlled Congress has capitulated on “every Trump nominee, every Trump policy, all the way down to putting gilding gold on statues."

Supporters of Harding have countered with red "Brinker Dot" signs.

“We need to make sure that we keep this country on the track to being even better,” Harding said.

Jack Hosking, the 90-year-old retired former head of a title insurance company, organizes a weekly coffee to discuss political and community issues. He estimated that 70% of attendees are Trump voters and “maybe even more so lately, because of the crap that the New York mayor started,” referring to Zohran Mamdani’s efforts at pushing the Democratic Party to the left.

Both Powell and Harding have addressed Hosking's group, though, and he pre-

“She spoke well enough that, my sense is, a lot of them will cross over,” Hosking said, noting that when it came to campaigning, “Brinker’s not doing much.”

Seeing the president as a voter motivator

The Republican National Committee views Trump as a national asset, betting he can prevent complacency in a year without a presidential race, when enthusiasm for the party in power typically wanes.

The committee re-branded its “Young Guns” program for key candidates to “MAGA Majority” in deference to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement, and many congressional candidates will be at the Dallas convention with Trump.

Others aren't waiting that long.

Republican Reps. Mike Lawler of New York and Tom Barrett of Michigan, whom Democrats are aiming to unseat, both appeared with Trump during his rallies in their districts. When the president visited Macungie, Penn., in June, he joined Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, saying, “I’m here for him.”

Trump also traveled to the Wisconsin district of Republican Rep. Derreck Van Orden, as have Cabinet members.

Rep. Juan Ciscomani, facing a reelection fight, appeared with Trump during an April event in Arizona. Two Iowa Republicans in what could be toss-up reelection contests, Reps Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks, both were by Trump's side when he kicked off his midterm campaign outside Des Moines.

Bacon sometimes defied the White House in his final term. He criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and tried to curb Trump's ability to impose tariffs and was the only House Republican who opposed renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of

Mary Jane Truemper, who heads the Nebraska Republican Party, said Powell and the state's Democrats have moved too far to the left. She called Harding "a steady force" and said the nominee is not as fond of picking high-profile fights the way Bacon sometimes was.

“I think he speaks to the moderate Democrats as well as the Republicans,” said Truemper, who managed Bacon’s reelection campaign in 2018 and also worked for an unsuccessful primary challenger to him.

Even Powell said, “Don Bacon was a good representative of this district, and I think that there are a lot of people drawn to a pragmatic style of leadership in a state like ours.” But that may not be enough this year.

“People are worse off than they were before,” Powell said.

Race could expose a much wider divide

In the Elmwood Park neighborhood, Andy Maxwell, a 58-year-old pediatrician, said he likes to find the middle ground in politics and his community. But he recalled that, after putting up a Biden sign in his yard in 2020, his neighbors erected a Trump one.

“We don’t like all the turmoil part of it,” Maxwell said of politics nationally.

Nearby, 80-year-old Jerard Pearson called Democrats "feckless" but said of Trump's base supporters, "I've always been curious about this one-third level of crazy out there, a third of the population." He is also no fan of a neighbor's large "Harding for Congress" sign.

Truemper said Harding appreciates Trump's endorsement but Nebraskans like to be wooed “person to person, rather than a national entity coming in.”

"Is that going to be the deciding factor?" she asked of Trump. "I don't know."

When Powell knocks on doors to talk to voters, she asks, "What's keeping you up at night?" On a sweaty Saturday afternoon, John Rosseter responded without hesitation. "Well, Trump."

Weissert writes for the Associated Press.

“I want to see the history books written years from now,” said Rosseter, 67, who owns a carpentry business. “They won’t be pretty.”

A rare 'blue dot' in a GOP red state

Two possible Democratic 2028 presidential candidates — ex-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Rahm Emanuel, an ex-Chicago mayor who was President Obama's first White House chief of staff — have campaigned with Powell.

Nebraska splits its presidential electoral votes, and the 2nd Congressional Dis-

She talks about how Medicare cuts have increased anxiety about affordability. Powell also points to Trump and his family's business dealings as an example of “the choices that they have made while people on the ground are struggling” and says that resonates with Republicans.

Judge dismisses Navy sailor's dad's immigration case

Security practice.

BY SAFIYAH RIDDLE

The father of a U.S. Navy sailor who has been deployed in the Middle East for a record-breaking nine months was released from immigration detention, according to his family.

His arrest sparked intense backlash after the Associated Press reported that his son was entering his ninth month on the USS Abraham Lincoln with the Navy when his father was detained. The Lincoln is a vessel that set a U.S. military record for uninterrupted time at sea and raised concerns about supply shortages and deteriorating mental health among sailors.

Luis Manuel Aviles, 48, was arrested on Saturday after leaving his house to take his car to a mechanic, according to his wife, Argelia Aviles. She said her husband, a handyman in Key West, Fla., has a permit to work in the United States. Originally from Nicaragua, he has lived in the U.S. for 19 years.

Aviles' arrest was the latest in a string of high-profile immigration arrests of the immediate family members of enlisted U.S. soldiers as part of President Trump's aggressive immigration crackdown. Elected officials recently launched a congressional investigation into the Department of Homeland

Aviles' son, Joshua, posted on Facebook on Tuesday that his father had been released from federal immigration custody. An immigration judge dismissed Luis Manuel Aviles' case on Monday, just hours after he was booked into an immigration detention center in Miami, according to Justice Department records.

Homeland Security didn't offer immediate comment on Monday or Tuesday to clarify why Luis Manuel Aviles was arrested and subsequently released.

Margaret Stock, an immigration attorney for military families, called the rapid succession of filed and dismissed charges “super unusual.”

Joshua Aviles said in a Facebook post on Saturday that he had been working 12-hour days without a break since the USS Lincoln left U.S. soil in November. The Navy confirmed that Aviles is enlisted and serves aboard the USS Lincoln, where his physically demanding duties include moving aircraft on the ship.

The vessel is being relieved by another ship so it can return to the U.S.

Riddle writes for the Associated Press. AP writers Konstantin Toropin in Washington, and Amy Taxin in Santa Ana, contributed to this report.

Maxwell's bid for freedom rejected

BY MICHAEL R. SISAK AND LARRY NEUMEISTER

NEW YORK — Ghislaine Maxwell's bid to overturn her sex trafficking conviction and be freed from prison was rejected by a federal judge Tuesday who said the claims by Jeffrey Epstein's former girlfriend and longtime associate that new evidence had emerged were “demonstrably meritless.”

Maxwell filed a habeas petition in December seeking to set aside her conviction and free her from a 20-year prison sentence, claiming exonerating information was withheld and false testimony presented at her trial, resulting in a “complete miscarriage of justice.”

Judge Paul A. Engelmayer rejected her arguments, saying in his written ruling that they “all or almost all are frivolous” and that she had presented nothing that could upend the outcome of her trial.

“Nearly all its claims are procedurally barred; the overwhelming testimonial and documentary evidence adduced at trial conclusively established her guilt; and her petition's claims are demonstrably meritless, and generally based on speculation, distortions, and/or outright falsehoods,” Engelmayer wrote.

A request for comment was sent to lawyers who represented Maxwell in the past.

Habeas petitions are often filed as a last resort and to protect against unlawful confinement after appeals are exhausted, as happened after Maxwell's conviction and sentencing.

Epstein, a millionaire financier, was arrested in July 2019 on sex trafficking charges. Ordered detained until trial, he was found dead in his cell at a New York federal jail in August 2019 and his death was ruled a suicide.

Maxwell, a British social-ite, was arrested a year later and was convicted of sex trafficking in December 2021. She was moved from a Florida prison to a prison camp in Texas last year, shortly after she was interviewed by the Justice Department's then second-in-command, Todd Blanche, President Trump's former criminal defense attorney and now U.S. attorney general.

The judge noted that many of Maxwell's claims of "new evidence" stem from documents released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

As a result of that law, the Justice Department over the last eight months has released 18 categories of investigative materials gathered in the massive sex trafficking inquiry, including search warrants, financial records, notes from interviews with victims and data from electronic devices.

Engelmayer said that material is “largely irrelevant to the charges against Maxwell and does not support her claims of error."

"On the contrary, to the extent it is relevant, far from exculpating her, it incriminates her or reinforces the correctness of the legal rulings Maxwell challenges," he wrote.

The judge also rejected Maxwell's claim that she was selectively prosecuted and made a “scapegoat” when the Justice Department did not indict four co-conspirators named in a government document or 25 men who settled with victims.

Engelmayer said she could have raised that claim on appeal after her trial, but he found it to be frivolous nonetheless.

Among the recently released Justice Department documents, “she does not cite any that reveals the existence of an uncharged confederate, let alone one as instrumental as she in facilitating Epstein’s horrific crimes,” the judge said.

Sisak and Neumeister write for the Associated Press.

National Guard to end mission in New Orleans

MATTHEW HINTON Associated Press
LOUISIANA National Guard troops patrol Bourbon Street in New Orleans on New Year's Eve in 2025.

Troops were deployed for eight months, with a focus on the city's busy French Quarter.

By Jack Brook

NEW ORLEANS — The Louisiana National Guard is ending its eight-month deployment patrolling the streets of New Orleans, and troops will be withdrawn from the city by the end of the month.

The 120 remaining troops completed their final patrol Monday and are set to conclude their mission in the city on Aug. 31, said Lt. Col. Noel Collins, a Guard spokesperson.

In late December, 350 troops were deployed to the city to boost public safety in the French Quarter as part of a heavy security presence for New Year's celebrations, a year after an attack on revelers on Bourbon Street killed 14 people. Although the troops were initially set to withdraw from the city following Mardi Gras festivities in February, a slimmed-down deployment was extended through August.

The deployment, requested by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, was authorized by President Trump following high-profile National Guard missions his administration launched in other

Democrat-led cities last year, including in Washington and Memphis, Tenn. But the sight of National Guard troops was not unusual in New Orleans, where troops had already been deployed briefly to bolster security for the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras earlier that year.

According to the Louisiana National Guard, troops conducted more than 4,000 patrols and assisted law enforcement with 171 arrests. They were mainly present in the city's historic French Quarter, a tourist hot spot.

Mayor Helena Moreno, a Democrat who initially opposed the Guard's deployment, said in a statement that she was “incredibly grateful to the men and women of the Louisiana National Guard.”

Louisiana's governor, a staunch Trump ally, said the troops' presence had improved safety in the city.

“This mission, though temporary, allowed our great soldiers readiness training that they otherwise would not have experienced,” Landry said in a statement provided by the Guard.

Violent crime in New Orleans has been declining for several years in parallel with national trends, according to data compiled by the city's police department.

Brook writes for the Associated Press.

BUSINESS

California wine at risk in Canada trade dispute

BY ANNIKA DUNEJA

ROWS OF GRAPES at McIntyre Estate Vineyards in Gonzales, Calif. Several Canadian provinces are boycotting American alcohol.
Nic Coury Los Angeles Times

California's wine industry says it expects to take another hit as trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada flare up again.

President Trump announced tariffs of up to 50% on Canadian goods this week and Canada responded with retaliatory tariffs on \$20 billion worth of American products.

Though wine was not explicitly mentioned, American alcohol has been the target of boycotts imposed by several Canadian provinces since last March in response to earlier tariffs on Canadian goods by Trump.

Californian wines have borne the brunt of the tit-for-tat — and now these local, often family-owned businesses expect further losses, said Julie Berge, vice president of communications at Wine Institute, which represents California wineries.

"It has been the most significant disruption to U.S. wines since the Prohibition," she said.

At the one-year mark of the restrictions, a Wine Institute report said U.S. wine exports totaled \$805 million in 2025, down 35% from 2024. Berge said 80% of that decrease was because of Canada, which makes up 36% of the U.S. wine export market, more than the EU, U.K. and China markets combined.

The boycotts have “erased” roughly \$360 million in revenue that the U.S. wine industry would have otherwise earned, according to the report.

“We spent decades building relationships with these Canadian importers, retailers, restaurants, even consumers building a brand in Canada,” Berge said. “And so there's been real damage on both sides."

For some California winemakers, the impact was even greater.

One Sonoma winery referenced in the report said Canada made up about 85% of its international sales and called the boycotts “devastating.”

Multiple wineries have had to lay off employees because of hits to their business.

"I think the ironic part about this is winemakers are in this business because they love to create a product that brings people together," Berge said. "So for it to be caught up in a trade conflict that has nothing to do with wine is really challenging."

Wine is not the only Californian business that has taken a hit — tourism has also seen a sharp decline in arrivals from Canada. In 2025, visitors from the country dropped by 20%.

Canada also targeted the agriculture, electronics and transportation equipment industries with its tariffs announced Tuesday, all of which have a presence in California.

Berge said the longer these boycotts go on, the more difficult it will be for winemakers to reenter the market.

"The more that we are off the shelves in Canada, the more other countries have the opportunity to come in and take that shelf space, and even when we get back on shelves, that's just the first step," she said. "There's a lot of work that needs to happen."

The continued boycotts add to a pile of issues the struggling industry faces.

California wine has already been contending with declining demand and global oversupply issues, leading to downsizing, closures and disposal of tons of grapes.

In December, Rep. Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) introduced a bill that would use taxpayer dollars to reimburse American wine producers for the money they have lost due to tariffs. But despite bipartisan support, the Specialty Crop & Wine Producer Tariff Relief Act hasn't seen any movement since.

In the wake of these measures, wineries have worked to expand to other international markets, including in Japan, the UAE and Mexico. But building those relationships takes time, Berge said.

"There's not going to be any single market that can make up for the loss in Canada," she said.

Uber offers parents video of teens' rides

The new livestream option, intended as a safety feature, is not in use yet in California.

BY CAROLINE PETROW-Cohen

Parents and guardians can now access live video of their teens as they take an Uber.

The San Francisco ride-hailing company has added the new feature to its teen accounts program, designed to ensure safety and transparency when younger riders are traveling alone.

“Live video is the latest way we’re updating teen accounts to meet the needs of families and build on existing safety features," the company said in a blog that unveiled the livestream option Tuesday.

The video will be recorded using the driver's front-facing phone camera, which offers a view of the backseat.

The driver needs to have video enabled for the livestream to be available. Only the teen's parent or guardian will have access to the video, Uber said, and it will not be available to view after the trip ends.

Live video has launched in nine markets, including Atlanta; Orlando, Fla.; Rhode Island and Phoenix. It isn't yet available in California, but Uber said it plans to roll out the feature nation-wide in the coming weeks.

Drivers will be free to choose whether they want to enable the streaming options. Parents will not know until a trip begins if video is available.

Teen accounts come with other safety features, including live trip tracking and PIN verification. Riders of any age can also request to be matched with a female driver.

“Teens have places to be, and parents want to stay plugged in along the way,” Uber said in its announcement.

livestreaming is available.

When a teen's Uber trip begins, the parent or guardian linked to the account will receive a push notification if

They can then view the stream with one tap at any point during the ride. When a parent tunes in, both the teen and the driver will be notified.

The recording will automatically end when the trip is complete.

Teen accounts were launched in 2023 based on feedback from parents. They're now available in more than 50 countries and have been used for tens of millions of trips each year.

"As live video expands nationwide over the coming weeks, we'll continue listening to feedback and improving the experience to help families stay connected," Uber said.

Former child actor sues Disney, alleging rapes

MICHAEL TRAN AFP/Getty Images
RAQUEL LEE BOLLEAU says she was repeatedly raped and assaulted at age 14 while filming a movie.

BY STACY PERMAN

A former child actor has filed a lawsuit against Walt Disney Co. alleging that she was “repeatedly raped” and sexually harassed by a man who worked with her during the filming of “The Poof Point.”

In a lawsuit filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Raquel Lee Bolleau says a middle-aged male Disney employee “supplied her with alcohol and pressured her to consume it,” repeatedly raping and assaulting the actor for weeks when she was 14.

Despite the age gap, Bolleau said, the employee — referred to as John Doe — told her, “You’re old enough. You can handle it.”

According to the complaint, Mr. Doe's abuse "was apparent to the adults on Disney's set," which is described as "not safe for children."

Representatives for Disney were not immediately available for comment.

The suit accuses the entertainment giant of violating child labor laws, saying that on multiple occasions, Disney “failed to protect Ms. Bolleau from Mr. Doe’s repeated rapes, sexual assault, sexual abuse, and sexual harassment.”

Bolleau, who had roles on UPN's “Malcolm & Eddie” and Nickelodeon's “The Amanda Show” and “Double Dare 2000,” was instructed to “build a relationship and spend time with Mr. Doe" by the film's director and Disney's dialogue coach, according to the suit.

In the movie, Bolleau played the teen daughter of two scientists who build a time machine that malfunctions, forcing the kids to take care of their parents as they “de-age” and become children.

not performing."

The suit states that during filming on location in Utah, John Doe invited Bolleau and her guardian to his hotel room and “supplied them with alcohol.” She says in the lawsuit that after she became intoxicated and left, Doe invited her back to his room where he “raped and sexually assaulted her.”

On set, John Doe “regularly fondled and excessively touched Ms. Bolleau, often rubbing his genitals on Ms. Bolleau” and “made sexually explicit comments about Ms. Bolleau’s body,” the lawsuit says.

"Even though Mr. Doe's sexual harassment was in plain view of the cast and crew and could be heard by the sound technicians managing the cast's microphones, no one at Disney intervened."

As a result of the alleged abuse and alcohol consumption, Bolleau's physical and mental health "changed dramatically." On set she was exhausted, "often intoxicated, hungover or vomiting" and in a departure from her work previously, she was "unable to focus and often forgot her lines," the suit states.

According to the lawsuit, multiple Disney executives “attacked, blamed, and threatened” Bolleau and her mother for the dramatic shift in her behavior, saying that they were “extremely upset” with her performance.

Bolleau alleges that her role in a forthcoming Disney production “Web Girl” was canceled because “she was

After filming wrapped up and on the flight home to Los Angeles, Doe “demanded” that Bolleau be seated next to him in first class (her guardian was in economy), where he “reached under her pants and sexually assaulted” her, the complaint states.

Bolleau went home “devastated, unwell physically and mentally, and forever changed.” She gave up “her dream of being an actress” and for the last 25 years “has struggled with the severe trauma, pain, and distress” suffered as a result of John Doe’s “horrific abuse and Disney’s many failures.”

The suit alleges that “Disney’s role in Mr. Doe’s abuse of Ms. Bolleau” is part of a “broader, institutional, and systemic pattern of institutional and individual failures” at the company.

Disney and its executives “permitted, facilitated and actively concealed” the sexual misconduct of disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein,” states the suit. Disney has denied such claims.

In 2022, Weinstein was convicted of rape in Los Angeles. He is currently at Rikers Island awaiting sentencing in September for a criminal sexual act. His 2020 conviction and 23-year prison sentence in New York for other alleged assaults was overturned and juries were deadlocked in subsequent retrials involving one of his accusers.

Bonta open to settlement talks with Paramount

By Meg James

California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta made it clear Tuesday he holds the power to extract major concessions in the battle over the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. merger.

A day after canceling settlement talks, Bonta said he remains open to meeting with Paramount Skydance executives to find remedies to resolve the antitrust lawsuit stalling David Ellison's \$111-billion takeover, but called on the company to end its "amateur hour" conduct.

"If you want to have an adult, legitimate, serious settlement discussion — no problem," Bonta said during an appearance in Los Angeles. "But if you want to play games, we've got better things to do."

The attorney general, who is leading the coalition of 12 states that filed an antitrust lawsuit to block the merger, repeated his stance that Paramount must make significant concessions to end the court battle — such as selling cable television channels. However, Ellison has been resistant because his company will need the steady cash flow from Warner's basic cable channels, including TBS, TNT and CNN, to make payments on \$80 billion in debt Paramount will take on to finance the industry-reshaping deal.

Ellison's promise to release 30 movies a year, following the merger, won't cut it, the attorney general said.

Bonta, who was speaking at a news conference to highlight public safety, expressed frustration with Paramount after weeks of drama.

Paramount first threatened to leave California if Bonta continues to wage his court battle. Then, on Friday, Paramount accused actor Mark Ruffalo (a staunch deal critic) of making antisemitic comments, prompting prominent Jewish organizations to join the fray. One Jewish leader suggested Bonta was in cahoots with Ruffalo.

That wasn't the issue,

Bonta said, specifically pointing to leaks about the settlement talks that appeared in various news outlets. Some reports suggested Bonta's office sought the negotiations amid withering political pressure. Gov. Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Xavier Becerra, the Democratic nominee for governor, have separately urged a settlement.

Bonta set the record straight: “Paramount reached out to us to have settlement discussions,” he said. “They asked for them.”

Bonta's beef was that the substance of the nascent negotiations appeared in newspaper articles despite both sides agreeing to hold confidential talks, Bonta said, adding that crossed the line. The Wall Street Journal reported that California's top prosecutor planned to ask Paramount for agreements to keep Warner Bros. and the Paramount Pictures film studios separate units as well as an agreement to sell some cable channels.

“We thought they were reaching out to us in good faith ... unfortunately, they violated the rules of engagement,” Bonta said. “They leaked lies to the press while we were in settlement negotiations. That’s not OK ... That is amateur hour.”

Paramount declined to comment. On Monday, Paramount denied it was the source of the leaks.

Bonta's comments appeared as a show of strength after major court wins.

The coalition of attorneys general, who also represent New York, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada and Oregon, last month won a temporary restraining order that blocked Paramount from closing the deal. Rather than lose in a hearing over a more consequential preliminary injunction, Paramount voluntarily agreed that it would not finalize the transaction until after the trial or by June 1, whichever date comes first.

Times staff writer Kevin Rector contributed to this report.

latimes.com/ocexec

BUSINESS

SoCal homebuyers are entering the market later

JUSTIN SULLIVAN Getty Images
IT'S EASY to look at L.A. County's median home price (\$885,000, per Zillow) and say it's never been worse.

[Homebuying, from A1]

■ The average size of homes being purchased in 2026 is slightly larger when compared with 2005.

■Homebuyers tend to put more money down than in the Wild West mortgage market of the early 2000s, possibly reducing risk of foreclosure.

"The average California home buyer today looks very different than a generation ago," California Assn. of Realtors President Tamara Suminski told The Times in a written response to questions.

“Buyers are entering the market later, saving longer, and facing higher barriers to home ownership as home prices, mortgage rates, living costs, and years of limited housing supply continue to strain affordability,” she wrote.

Older, richer buyers

The demographics of who buys homes has changed tremendously in two decades.

In 2005, the median Southern California buyer was 40 years old and brought in an annual household income of \$92,500, according to data provided by the California Assn. of Realtors.

In 2025 dollars, that was over \$150,000.

The average home purchased was 1,600 square feet and cost \$525,000. Adjusted for inflation, that would be nearly \$900,000 in today's dollars.

By 2025, the median buyer had aged and seen an upward shift in income.

The 2025 average buyer was fully five years older — 45, compared with California's median age of 38. The buyer took home \$160,000 in annual household income.

And the home they purchased cost \$820,000 on average, less than the inflation-adjusted 2005 figure. The home was 1,700 square feet, just slightly bigger than the median home 20 years prior.

Over time, home costs have risen more than earnings, said Michael Lens, a professor of urban planning and public policy at UCLA. However, the “mid to late bubble” atmosphere of 2005 saw comparably high costs.

“Part of [what happened in] 2005 was financial instruments fueling a building frenzy in places that didn't have as much demand,” he said.

As for high costs in 2025? "Since it definitely has something to do with scarcity, that means it's more sustainable in good ways and bad than in 2005," Lens said. "That's how that looks like a bubble and this looks like something else."

Affordability issues

ROBERT GAUTHIER Los Angeles Times

So what has changed?

The income level of the average buyer has barely increased relative to inflation. The average buyer has gotten significantly older.

The affordability issues stem more from the fact that wages have not kept pace with cost-of-living increases over those 20 years. Home prices have also eased up slightly relative to inflation, despite a frenzy over the state's affordability crisis.

The median California household made around \$100,000 in 2025, per census data. The average homebuyer earned about 60% above that figure.

In 2005, the median household income was about \$52,000 — meaning that the median buyer made 78% more than the median Californian 20 years ago. The gap between the average homebuyer and the average person has actually decreased since 2005.

For those with lower incomes, home purchases in Los Angeles County were out of reach throughout the two decades, as those who made less than the state median saw their incomes grow significantly less than those of top earners, per data from the Public Policy Institute of California.

Suminski described the 2025 buyers as resilient despite challenges: “They are more financially disciplined, building larger down payments, carefully managing their budgets, and entering homeownership on stronger financial footing than many first-time buyers of previous generations.”

A different time

The 2000s are considered a particularly crazy time for the California market.

Housing prices boomed early in the decade, fueled by economic recovery and cheap loans that allowed people with shaky finances to purchase homes.

"There are pretty well-documented ways in which it was too easy to buy a home, in part because of ballooning rates that snuck up on people," Lens said.

The waiting game

Today, “a homebuyer is gonna be different age-wise” and have higher earnings, Lens said.

“They’re not super young but they’re also not super old,” he continued.

BONDS were structured to give immediate cash to LeBron James and tied to his earnings outside basketball.

"The rosy picture here is ... that the burden is not as high, so that's good news," Lens said. "But part of that is people waiting because the costs are high. Part of that is people waiting because people form households later in life than they used to."

"If the price of housing goes up," he added, "then you have to wait longer and earn more to buy it."

O LATMG | LA Times STUDIOS BUSINESS OC EXECUTIVE

SEPTEMBER 9, 2026 | MARRIOTT IRVINE SPECTRUM

• EXECUTIVE NETWORKING

LEADERSHIP FORUM

Where Orange County's business leaders gather.

Athletes and artists are increasingly using future earnings such as royalties and licensing deals to structure deals that help them unlock immediate capital. David Bowie was famously the first recording artist to go to Wall Street to tap the future earnings of his music, paving the way for a thriving market for esoteric securities.

But James' deal offers another look at how Walter and fellow Wall Street money managers have tectonically shifted the once-boring business of life insurance, steering policyholder premiums into more unusual investments. Guggen-

Insurers lent millions to James' firm

• AWARDS LUNCHEON

BY WEIHUA LI, SRIDHAR NATARAJAN AND ALEXANDRE RAJBHANDARI

The burst of lending began before Guggenheim leader Mark Walter started acquiring the storied basketball team. In an abrupt turn this month, the billionaire mogul agreed to sell the Lakers amid a federal inquiry into parts of his business empire. There's no indication that the loans to James have anything to do with those inquiries.

This event is produced by LA Times Studios and does not involve the editorial staff of the Los Angeles Times.

When LeBron James signed up to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to NBA glory with a \$154-million contract in 2018, it wasn't the biggest deal he did that year.

Just months before he joined, a limited liability company he controls borrowed almost \$300 million from a pair of Midwestern life insurers advised by an arm of Guggenheim Partners, according to insurance industry records reviewed by Bloomberg.

The previously unreported bonds, which are due in 2049, were structured to provide immediate cash to James and backed by a stream of future revenue tied to his earnings outside basketball such as a lifetime Nike Inc. sponsorship, people with knowledge of the matter said.

Spokespeople for Sam- mons and Guggenheim de- clined to comment.

Wall Street power players have used insurance balance sheets to pursue their quest for higher returns, steering the savings of everyday Americans into more opaque and complex investments. The approach lets asset managers originate and structure deals, and then find uncomplaining buyers by parking such

The scrutiny of Walter's empire by the Justice Department and Securities and Exchange Commission has turned up the spotlight on the intermingling of asset managers and insurers.

Guggenheim also got involved in some of James' other personal ventures. As the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in 2020, he and his childhood friend and business partner, Maverick Carter, announced that they had raised \$100 million for their media venture called SpringHill Co. Guggenheim was listed among investors in that company.

heim has moved insurers' money deeper into private credit, sports franchises and — with James — financing for a star player. That's far outside the industry's traditional focus on plain-vanilla assets to reliably pay out future claims.

The “transactions were a securitization done by Mr. James with his personal, non-NBA salary, assets and income which is a very common financial structure for an individual with this level of earnings and assets,” a spokesperson for James said.

SECURE YOUR SEAT investments on the balance sheets of insurers they influence.

“Both transactions were independently credit rated by a third party and the 2022 transaction was fully approved by NBA,” James’ spokesperson said, noting that the athlete had no affiliation with Guggenheim, Sammons, North American Co. or Midland National beyond their participation in the transactions.

The two insurers — North American Co. for Life & Health Insurance and Midland National Life Insurance Co. — are owned by Sammons Financial Group. During a call with investors this week, Sammons said Guggenheim was the sole manager in charge of picking assets for the firm's portfolios until 2021, according to people who heard the remarks and, like others in this story, asked not to be identified describing confidential dealings.

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Sammons has been distancing itself from Guggenheim recently. Walter's firm had long counted Sammons' parent company among its biggest investors. During the call, though, Sammons' representatives said it has been selling down that stake, the people said.

withum*

A bond deal

A few months after the deal, James started looking for another team as a free agent, ultimately picking the Lakers. In an oft-retold moment, he received a visit at home from Walter's long-time business partner Magic Johnson, then a top executive for the Lakers. James ultimately signed a four-year contract.

Then in mid-August 2022, James signed a \$97-million contract extension with the Lakers. Around that same time, the same Midwestern insurers provided his LLC with more cash, buying almost \$60 million of 34-year bonds with a 5.75% interest rate, the insurers' records show.

The initial bonds from 2018 had a $4.8\%$ interest rate and aren't due until late 2049, the industry filings show. Terms are otherwise scant in the records reviewed by Bloomberg.

GT GreenbergTraurig

For more than a decade, Walter has mixed money from insurers with investments in sports. His 2012 acquisition of the Los Angeles Dodgers with business partners including Johnson relied heavily on the insurance industry.

The two companies bought almost \$300 million in bonds issued by a limited liability company he controlled called King James Funding, the records show. Within a few years, the LLC paid down some of that debt, then sold more bonds to the insurers, leaving them with about \$245 million on their books by the end of last year, the records show.

James' borrowing from the two Midwestern insurers — structured as sales of asset-backed bonds — began when he was at the Cleveland Cavaliers and his career was poised for new heights.

Leaving the Lakers

SILVER SPONSOR GHJ

Afterward, the team's new owners ramped up spending on players to turn the franchise into a jewel of professional baseball, appearing in five of the last nine World Series. But that playbook isn't as feasible in the NBA, which has stricter caps on team salaries.

Walter's acquisition of the Lakers began in 2021 when he purchased a minority stake, granting him rights that paved the way for him to take a majority stake last year.

The sale of the team came as Walter has been reshaping his empire to unwind more than \$20 billion of loans on his insurers' books that should have been marked as funding affiliated businesses, but weren't. Although regulations allow insurers to lend money to such parties, they require that the dealings be disclosed.

GREATER IRVINE CHAMBER

James, meanwhile, announced that he's leaving the Lakers and he signed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. His new team is co-owned by Josh Harris, whose 26North Partners invests across middle-market private equity, credit and insurance.

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Li, Natarajan and Rajbhandari write for Bloomberg.

BUSINESS

Analysts are divided over franchise's worth

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, left, attends a U.S. Open match with Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger in 2025.
SARAH STIER Getty Images

Lakers deals top NBA franchise sale prices since 2014

[Lakers, from A1] but turned it down because you wouldn't pay more than \$11 billion? This is likely your one and only chance. It's do it or lose it."

Twelve years ago, Steve Ballmer bought the Clippers for \$2 billion and admitted he willingly overpaid. In 2025, the Boston Celtics — like the Lakers, an illustrious legacy franchise — were sold for \$6.1 billion, which closely matched Forbes' market estimates.

Less than a year later, the Lakers sold for more than twice that amount. Some experts were astonished by the price tag.

“You've got to buy things with some discipline based on the revenue potential, the cost takeouts, what does the [profit and loss] look like,” bestselling business author William D. Cohen said on a podcast. “You've got to believe that Iger and Kushner got caught up in wanting to own this thing.”

"As usual with these kind of assets, you have to buy it smart, buy it right or else you overpay. If you get into ‘deal heat,’ which I have a feeling Bob Iger did ... it’s hard to get a return when you way overpay."

Premium sports franchises have jumped in value so rapidly that sticker shock is nil. Shortly after Walter purchased the Lakers, sports business website Sportico determined that the average NBA team was worth \$5.51 billion, a 20% increase in one year and a 113% surge since 2022.

merchandise; and extreme scarcity that fosters deep fan allegiances.

pivoting to a legacy NBA team with a locked-in elevated financial floor could be prudent. Iger just stepped down after two runs heading Walt Disney Co.

Major franchises — the Lakers, Dodgers, Dallas Cowboys and New York Yankees, to name a few — don't change hands often. Kushner and Iger were mired in a lengthy battle to gain approval for an NBA expansion franchise in Las Vegas and

"The NBA has more secured, annual retention revenue than most other investments," Rapkoch said. "You are buying into something stable. In 15 to 20 years the streaming." He asserted that Disney would not have successfully launched and scaled Disney+ without Fox's immense content catalog, which included the "Avatar" franchise, "The Simpsons," FX and National Geographic.

NBA franchise revenue is not as diversified as Disney's, yet the league generated \$12.25 billion in revenue — an average of \$408 million per team — during the 2024-25 season, including events such as concerts at arenas owned or operated by teams. These earnings ranged from the Warriors' \$833 million to the Grizzlies' \$301 million.

But NBA teams also do not have some of the business challenges movie studios face in the streaming era.

Rapkoch pointed out that it is unclear precisely how much of the Lakers will be owned by Kushner and Iger. Walter's majority ownership share has not been publicly divulged. It has been widely reported that among minority owners, the Buss family owns 17.8%, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, 4%, and Edward P. Roski Jr., 3%.

Jeanie Buss, the current governor of the Lakers and one of six children of the late longtime owner Jerry Buss, is fighting with her siblings, who voted to sell the family's remaining stake to Iger and Kushner. Buss said any such vote is void because the sale cannot be completed without her approval.

Ava Hu Los Angeles Times

The Golden State Warriors ranked first at \$11.33 billion, the Lakers were second at \$10 billion — reflecting what Walter paid for the team — and the Memphis Grizzlies ranked last at \$4 billion. Collectively, the 30 NBA franchises were worth \$165 billion.

team,” Ballmer said on a podcast in 2023. “People thought I way overpaid, but I got the team.”

Record-breaking purchases of NBA, NFL and MLB teams are often initially considered overpays, yet soon deemed bargains.

Ballmer, like Iger, had come up short in earlier bids for teams, and wasn't going to let it happen again with the Clippers. He acknowledged succumbing to the "deal heat" Cohan mentioned but never regretted it. Forbes estimates the Clippers are worth \$7.5 billion today.

Experts say the value of top-tier sports franchises involves three factors that dif-

"I was all in, but then it got into the bid process. And I was still all in, and I just said, 'I'm gonna get this

'How often do the Lakers come up for sale? Why wouldn't someone pay that amount if they were able?'

fer from most other companies: guaranteed revenue through long-term league media rights deals; regional and global branding that fuels steady ancillary revenue from sponsorships and team

— MICHAEL RAPKOCH, chief executive of Sports Value Consulting

clearly viewed the Lakers as a better opportunity.

Recently approved NBA media rights deals are worth \$6.9 billion a year from 2025 through 2036. They include the renewal of the league's partnership with Disney — which owns ESPN — and new agreements with NBCUniversal and Amazon under which ABC/ESPN, NBC/Peacock and Prime Video will telecast games.

Some financial experts consider the Lakers a less risky investment than, say, OpenAI, into which Kushner invested roughly \$2 billion through his venture capital firm, Thrive Capital. That investment and others in the AI and tech sectors have paid off handsomely, but

Lakers are going to be here. Will an AI company be here? Maybe so. But lots of companies have come and gone. We know with a high level of certainty the Lakers will be here.”

Some who believe Kushner and Iger got caught up in the moment and overpaid point to the bidding war with Comcast for 21st Century Fox that Iger won for Disney in 2019. The price escalated from \$54 billion to \$72 billion and Disney was left with a debt load of \$25 billion and mixed returns.

Iger rejected the notion that he experienced “buyer’s remorse,” maintaining on a November 2024 call with analysts that the deal was made “through the lens of

Soon-Shiong, a biotech billionaire and owner of The Times, said through his attorney that he is not interested in selling his stake, which he purchased from Magic Johnson in 2010 for an undisclosed amount.

What is it worth today? Four percent of \$12.5 billion is \$500 million. Roski, whose stake is worth \$375 million, has not disclosed his intentions.

Whatever the minority owners decide should not affect the sale of Walter's majority stake, said Rapkoch, whose firm has provided valuation services and operational consulting to more than 50 professional sports franchises. Assuming they get the blessing of the NBA board of governors, Iger and Kushner will own the Lakers.

“Bob and Josh are going to do an amazing job,” Rapkoch said. “They know L.A., and they will bring a fresh look to the franchise.”

MARKET ROUNDUP

Falling oil prices help calm the stock and bond markets

BY STAN CHOE

Oil prices fell again on Tuesday, easing worries in the bond market and supporting stock prices.

The Standard & Poor's 500 rose $0.3\%$ and edged a bit closer to its all-time high set earlier this month. The Dow Jones industrial average added $0.3\%$ , and the Nasdaq composite climbed $0.7\%$ .

Some of the strongest action was in the oil market, where the price for a barrel of Brent crude fell 3.6% to \$87.27 for a second decline after 13 gains in 14 days. The drop came even though tensions between the United States and Iran seemed to ratchet higher after the Trump administration announced new sanctions to further hurt Iran's economy.

Brent's price zigzagged between \$72 and \$102 last month as hopes rose and fell that the United States and Iran could reach a deal that would allow oil tankers to freely exit the Persian Gulf again.

A delegation from Pakistan left Iran Tuesday after talks with Iran's president on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and reviving negotiations to end the Iran-U.S. conflict, the Pakistani military said. Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had been "very positive and productive."

Tuesday's drop in oil prices reined in worries about high inflation, which had helped drive Treasury yields higher in the bond market through the summer. Yields had gotten so high that the U.S. Treasury Department announced a surprise move last week to increase its repurchases of longer-term Treasury notes and bonds.

High yields make borrowing more expensive for everyone and can slow the economy's growth while undercutting prices for stocks, cryptocurrencies and other investments.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.63% from 4.70% late Monday and from 4.74% at the end of last week. That's a significant move for the bond market, though the 10-year yield remains firmly above its 3.97% level from before the war with Iran sent oil prices and worries about inflation much higher.

On Wall Street, Nvidia and other winners of the boom in artificial intelligence technology helped lead the way. Nvidia rose 2.2%, a day after its drop of 2.9% was the heaviest weight on the S&P 500.

AI stocks have veered up and down through the summer on worries that their prices shot too high and that the AI boom may not be sustainable if it doesn't produce enough profits for companies. Nvidia will report its latest quarterly results Wednesday, which could help steer the next move for AI-related stocks.

The gains for chip stocks helped offset a 30.7% plunge for Dick's Sporting Goods, its worst drop on record, after the retailer reported weaker results for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Executive Chair Ed Stack said the retailer cut prices on some of its footwear and apparel to remain competitive, while launches for some footwear during the quarter ended up being weaker than it expected.

The company also cut its forecast for an underlying measure of profit in 2026 for both its Dick's and Foot Locker businesses. Dick's spent \$2.4 billion last year to acquire the struggling Foot Locker chain.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 24.42 points to 7,677.28. The Dow added 160.24 points to 53,577.40, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 171.11 points to 26,151.30.

Worries have been rising about how strong spending can remain generally for U.S. households, which is the main engine of the economy. They're facing higher prices on a wide variety of things including food and clothes and a job market that suddenly looks iffier after employers cut more jobs last month than they added.

A report from the Conference Board on Tuesday said that confidence among U.S. consumers weakened by more than economists expected.

In stock markets around the world, many indexes drifted modestly higher. South Korea's Kospi, which is dominated by two AI winners, added 0.7% for one of the world's biggest moves. It's been steadying since plunging 22.2% in July.

Choe writes for the Associated Press.

StocksRecap

Institution	Int Chking Acct Min	Money Mkt Acct Min	3 mo CD Min	6 mo CD Min	12 mo CD Min	18 mo CD Min	24 mo CD Min	36 mo CD Min	60 mo CD Min	Phone / Website
COMMUNITY COMMERCE BANK	NA	NA	2.94	2.94	4.07	4.07	3.97	3.87	3.87	909-450-2050 www.ccombank.com
Community Commerce Bank	NA	NA	100,000	100,000	100,000	100,000	100,000	100,000	100,000
	Equal Housing Lender - Member FDIC
Tustin Community Bank	0.05	1.26	1.26	1.51	3.55	2.02	2.02	2.02	2.02	714-730-5662 www.tustincmtybank.com
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Voices JENNIFER GRANHOLM GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

Sacramento should save the program that is saving the grid

AT-HOME BATTERIES discharged more than 1 GW back to the state's electricity grid in 2025.
MEL MELCON Los Angeles Times

Y OUR POWER BILL is too high. Electricity prices have risen by as much as 40% since 2020, far outpacing overall infla-

tion. And after decades of nearly flat growth in energy consumption, data centers are driving up grid demand for the first time in roughly 35 years. Then heat waves, like the one currently cooking Southern California, push the whole system to the edge.

That's why in 2022, California launched the Demand Side Grid Support program.

Iran the Department of Energy during the Biden administration. I know innovation when I see it. California's grid program has been historic and should serve as a model for the entire United States.

To understand the program, start with how the grid becomes strained. During a heat wave, millions of people turn on their air conditioning to keep cool. Suddenly, their homes use a lot more power.

Certain power plants — called “peakers” because they come on during peak demand — rev up to generate more electricity. These plants are more expensive than others to run, so electricity costs more. Sometimes, there still isn’t enough power, and we get blackouts.

The Demand Side Grid Support program steps in to prevent blackouts and price spikes with hundreds of thousands of home batteries. The program pays customers to send energy from their solar and storage systems when Californians need extra power and when the price of electricity spikes. This vast network of batteries is what energy wonks call a “virtual power plant.” In effect, it works much like a traditional “peaker” power plant. Except instead of burning fossil fuels, cheap, clean energy surges in from people’s homes to keep the lights on.

The effect has been inspiring. Last year, more than 200,000 at-home batteries discharged more than 1 GW back to the electricity grid, about the size of a nuclear power plant. That's enough to keep up in real time with San Francisco's peak demand. And they can do this every day.

The state's grid support program also benefits lower-income Californians. It has participants in 53 of the state's 58 counties. One in four sites is located in a county where the median solar adopter earns less than \$100,000 a year. Lower-income adopters actually enroll at higher rates.

And its price tag is manageable. In the four years since the Demand Side Grid Support program began, the program has cost just \$13 million to administer while paying \$66 million to participating households. California stood up a vast, flexible, clean energy (virtual) power plant that lowers bills for California without building any new infrastructure. This is innovation at its finest.

California's largest utility,

California's grid program has been historic and should serve as a model for the entire U.S.

PG&E, praised the system's performance after it successfully discharged during several test events last summer, saying it "proved that everyday Californians now play a big role in keeping the lights on."

But if the program isn't funded this legislative session, it will run out of money by the end of this year. Lawmakers shouldn't let this happen. Every dollar spent on this program returns \$2, according to research by UC Santa Barbara. It's projected to save all California ratepayers \$206 million if extended to 2028. This significant return investment is worth preserving for California.

Importantly, the Demand Side Grid Support program is tied to a school electrification program, which pays for the HVAC upgrades that keep classrooms cool, save schools money and let students breathe clean air. Unfortunately, nearly \$200 million sits unspent in the California Schools Healthy Air, Plumbing, and Efficiency Program — known as CalSHAPE — while thousands of schools await critical funding for upgrades. Unless the program is extended, it will sunset at the end of this year too.

I have worked in government. I understand that there are budget constraints. There always are. But grid resiliency and school electrification (and ventilation) are nobrainers for California. If we turn our back on them, we'll be stifling years of innovation and leaving our communities less protected.

California is currently baking under another heat wave. Deactivating 1 GW of capacity and blocking air conditioning for schools does not make sense, especially with a "super" El Niño on the horizon that will break even more heat records. California should send a message that it is still the nation's leader in clean energy innovation. New Jersey, Illinois, Massachusetts and Virginia are doubling down on customer-sited, distributed energy as a clean and affordable solution to support the electric grid. California should stay out in front.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers should be proud of their nation-leading energy programs. They should act now to restore funding for the Demand Side Grid Support program and support school electrification by extending CalSHAPE.

Importantly, the California Senate's budget plan included a proposal to do exactly that, but it did not end up in the final adopted budget.

Sustaining this progress is not only the fiscally responsible thing to do but also lets working-class Californians help alleviate grid strain, manage their utility bills and keep kids safe in school. Let's continue to dream big and boldly tackle our hardest challenges.

JENNIFER GRANHOLM was governor of Michigan and secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy. She lives in Oakland.

CHINA'S World Humanoid Robot Games demonstrate its rapid tech progress.
ACHMAD IBRAHIM Associated Press

Robots will leave a funding gap

Re "Usain Bolt's record falls. New world champ: China's robots," Aug. 23

SUNDAY's article in the Los Angeles Times reveals a dramatic improvement in the old sci-fi image of clunky robots.

Modern robots are apparently able to break human athletic records that are near insurmountable to biological humans. Over time, their capability will grow and their price will drop.

The problem this brings to mind is the replacement of human workers by robots. The effects through society will be vast, but my concern at the moment is the impact on the Social Security system.

The primary source of funds for Social Security are payments withheld from workers and matching employer payments made over a lifetime.

There is always supposed to be an incoming generation of workers to keep the fund solvent.

Robots in the workplace upset the balance. Robots don't get paid, so they won't contribute to the retirement pool.

The employer receives the benefits of their labor, but the displaced workers and society do not.

Before these devices are brought into the culture on a large scale, the financial impact should be considered and adaptations made.

Usain Bolt was able to stop at the end of his record setting sprint, whereas the so-called record-breaking robot crashed into a barricade.

We have seen hype surrounding robots for more than 50 years, but it seems that the related news coverage isn't even-handed. Why is so much technology news written like marketing material in which the down-

STEFEN MALONE West Hollywood

side is never addressed? JOEL COSTER Palos Verdes Estates

Bolt's record did not fall.

LETTERS

He is still the fastest man. A machine is not a person — a car is faster than Bolt as well.

JANET DOOLEY Fawnside, Calif.

Essayli shouldn't have this power

Re “Ruling imperils Essayli’s office chief job,” Aug. 20

The distinction between the position of “U.S. attorney,” which can be filled only after the individual is approved by the Senate, and that of “assistant U.S. attorney” (whether “first” or not), which requires no such approval, is obvious. The top position requires authorization from the Senate because that is the person with sole discretion as to the focus of the office, i.e., which issues should be given priority and which may be ignored. The Senate is responsible for determining that the person chosen has the appropriate outlook regarding the prosecution of cases to make those discretionary decisions wisely.

The job of every “assistant U.S. attorney” is ministerial; they carry out the decisions made by the person in the top position. An assistant U.S. attorney has no right to shift the focus of the work done in the office, even if ordered to do so by the president.

As a “first assistant” unapproved by the Senate, Bill Essayli simply has no authority to drop cases against “administration allies,” as stated by the Los Angeles Times. Nor can he unilaterally decide to provide support for lawsuits in which the United States is not a party because President Trump wants to challenge transgender and environmental policies in California.

These actions must stop immediately. In the absence of a properly appointed U.S.

attorney, every case referred to the office must be pursued regardless of the political connections of the parties, and no further support can be provided in any lawsuit to which the United States is not a party.

STEPHANIE SCHER Pasadena

Trump couldn't pull off a coup

Re “Democrats prep for potential interference in the midterms,” Aug. 23

I was very impressed and pleased to read the excellent, well-researched article by Kevin Rector and Justine McDaniel about this critical issue. I was also reassured by their report of the work being done now to foil any efforts by the president, Republicans and their supporters to subvert the election. In addition, the authors included what I consider to be an important point: “Some voting experts said Trump’s efforts shouldn’t be blown out of proportion.”

Correct. First, overblowing the threat may discourage people from voting.

Second, the authors could have also focused on the word “incompetence.” From the botched Washington Reflecting Pool renovations to the tragic misadventure in Iran and everything in between, this president and his Cabinet have repeatedly provided evidence that they couldn’t pull off a coup of any kind. They telegraph their intentions (remember Jan. 6?) and then empower a motley group of under-qualified administrators to run the operation.

All of us must be vigilant, but come on; can this group do anything right? The only thing to fear is our apathy, which would aid this incompetent administration.

PAUL LIPPE Santa Monica

President Trump said he would do “anything necessary” to have “honest elections.” If that’s true, Trump, the head election denier, should back off, refrain from making baseless claims about fraudulent elections and let the midterms proceed without interference from Homeland Security, the military, Immigration and Customs Enforcement or himself.

DONALD PEPPARS Pomona

Republicans are to blame too

Re “Two good GOP ideas didn’t fly in this Legislature,” California Voices, Aug. 24

Kudos to George Skelton for presenting his opinion fairly. But the blame for good ideas from Republicans going nowhere in the California Legislature is not evenly balanced.

Career politicians like Don Wagner need first to look to themselves and their colleagues for poisoning the well of ideas surrounding elections. Their party, under President Trump, has made a meal of such self-serving “reforms,” and few have dared cross Trump by speaking up.

California is Trump's favorite whipping boy and our state GOP either cheers him on or watches in silence while it imports convicted election-interference felon Tina Peters from Colorado to mess with our elections. There will be a time for bipartisan reforms when the GOP purges MAGA extremists from its ranks.

ROBERT HUBER Yorba Linda

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Voices JONAH GOLDBERG COLUMNIST

AI data centers are the next moral panic

MORE PEOPLE would rather have a nuclear power plant in their community than an AI data center, according to a new poll.
NOAH BERGER Amazon Web Services / Associated Press

D

ON'T LOOK NOW, but we seem to have a moral panic on our hands. The term moral panic, at least as a

social science concept, is relatively modern. It was coined by Stanley Cohen in the 1972 book “Folk Devils and Moral Panics.” Moral panics emerge when large numbers of people start to freak out about something that doesn’t warrant the freak-out.

When I was kid, there was a moral panic over “Dungeons & Dragons,” the role-playing game. It was sparked by the tragic suicide of a gamer and quickly led to various Christian groups insisting, in the words of one Georgia pastor, that “the game is an occult tool that opens up young people to influence or possession by demons.”

Moral panics are seductive to journalists. CBS News' "60 Minutes" host Ed Bradley interviewed Gary Gygax, the creator of the game, in 1985, asking, "If you found 12 kids in murder suicide with one connecting factor in each of them, wouldn't you question it?"

Gygax responded, “I would certainly do it in a scientific manner, and this is as unscientific as you can get. It’s nothing but a witch hunt!”

Gygax was right, but it took a while for people to realize it.

History is full of similar episodes. Some were entirely silly — like the 1950s hysteria about comic books corrupting the youth. But often they take real concerns and legitimate issues and turbocharge them. The child-abduction panic of the late 1970s and early 1980s was sparked by some actual, horrific child abductions. The understandable fear among parents led to a kind of mass hysteria.

Moral panics form a bit like “perfect storms” with just the right conditions. But they differ in three ways. First, storms are easy to predict. Second, when you’re in a deluge, no one disputes that you’re in one. But when you’re in a moral panic, the people panicking can’t recognize it until it’s over — sort of like when Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said the other week “Woke 1 was crazy.” She didn’t think so when she was fomenting Woke 1.

Which brings us to the third difference: Humans don't know how to create hurricanes, but they do know how to create moral panics.

Consider the freak-out over AI data centers, which are proliferating across the country. A recent poll found that more people would

It's no surprise Republicans and Democrats alike are racing to get on the "right" side of this issue.

rather have a nuclear power plant or steel factory in their community than a data center. That's bon- kers.

Panic-peddlers are pushing even crazier stuff. Steve Bannon's "War Room" is describing AI data centers as "weapons labs" to be used on Americans. His "tech correspondent" claims that data centers are like the embryonic "neurons of the Antichrist, that's what we're witnessing. The false messiah." A Kentucky farmer who turned down a \$26-million offer for her property explained to CNN that part of her reasoning is that the vibrations from data centers "vibrate at a low frequency that can bring up cortisol levels."

We shouldn't rule out the possibility that this moral panic isn't entirely homegrown. Fracking induced a similar freakout 15 years ago, and foreign governments played a role in fomenting it, hoping a moral panic would block the practice the way a similar one killed the nuclear industry for a generation. It would not shock me if we're seeing something similar today.

Not all concerns about data centers are so crazy or even unreasonable. They do use a lot of water, though not nearly as much as some claim. They can cause electricity rates to go up. They're ugly. And, if you're freaking out about what AI will do to your job or to American society, taking it out on data centers makes a certain amount of sense.

Politicians, as a class, tend to indulge moral panics. Which is why it's no surprise that Republicans and Democrats alike are racing to get on the "right" side of the issue.

Consider Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott, up for reelection this year. Texas has prided itself in being the most business-friendly environment possible, enticing Big

Tech to flee California for the accommodating Lone Star State. Just last November, Abbot boasted that a \$40-billion investment by Google proved that “Texas is the epicenter of AI development, where companies can pair innovation with expanding energy.”

Now, Abbott is throwing Google and Big Tech under the bus. By failing to win over local communities, he told ABC's Jonathan Karl, "They basically dug their own grave for the problem that's been caused for them." He added, "that's why they got the backlash they deserve."

AI is coming. The only question is whether America should take the lead or let China. If your answer is “America,” then data centers are the price. If your answer is “China” then by all means keep freaking out.

X: @JonahDispatch

Voices ERWIN CHEMERINSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Trump has no power over elections, no matter what he says

Voting operations are legally the domain of state governments. An executive order won't change that.

THE Supreme Court's ruling on Monday allowing President Trump's executive order on mail voting to go forward is

stunningly insensitive to the context: Trump is trying to exercise control over elections when he has absolutely no authority to do so. In one sense, the justices decided nothing, simply saying it was too soon for federal courts to get involved. But in a more important way, the court could have and should have put an emphatic end to the president's efforts to try to regulate voting operations that are legally the domain of state governments.

The context for the Supreme Court's ruling is Trump's repeated assertion that noncitizens are illegally voting in the United States. However, many studies done on this topic have come to the same conclusion: Instances of noncitizens voting are extremely rare.

One study from 2017, by the Brennan Center for Justice, looked at 42 jurisdictions across which more than 23.5 million votes were cast, and found only 30 instances in which there were investigations into noncitizens voting — or 0.0001% of ballots cast.

Utah did an exhaustive review of its entire voter list from April 2025 through January 2026. After looking at more than 2 million registered voters, it found only one instance of a noncitizen registering to vote and zero instances of a noncitizen actually voting. In Georgia, a 2024 audit of its 8.2 million registered voters found only 20 noncitizens who had registered.

In 2025, Trump issued an executive order requiring that states verify a person's citizenship in order for the individual to register to vote. A federal district court quickly enjoined this order, explaining that the president has no authority whatsoever over voter registration.

Trump then turned to Congress and urged it to pass the SAVE Act, which would require that individuals provide proof of citizenship when registering and show photo identification at the time of voting. It would require voters submitting absentee mail-in ballots to provide a photocopy of their ID. And the bill would mandate that states share voter registration data with the federal government, which most states have refused to do. It would also create personal criminal liability for election officials who violate the law.

MARK SCHIEFELBEIN Associated Press

Although the House of Representatives passed a version of the SAVE Act in February, it has died in the Senate, where there is no chance of getting the 60 votes needed to end a filibuster and pass the bill. Undaunted, the Trump administration drafted Executive Order 14399, which does three things. It orders the secretary of Homeland Security to create and send citizenship lists to each state. It requires the U.S. attorney general “to

PRESIDENT TRUMP has failed to force the SAVE Act through Congress multiple times in 2026.

prioritize the investigation and, as appropriate, the prosecution of state and local officials or any others" who issue ballots to ineligible voters. And it orders the U.S. Postal Service to engage in proposed rule-making to restrict the delivery of absentee ballots.

A federal district court issued a preliminary injunction against this executive order as an unconstitutional effort by the president to control the states' election processes. The federal court of appeals upheld the preliminary injunction. But in Trump vs. California, the Supreme Court, in a 6-3 ruling on its emergency docket, reversed the lower courts and allowed the executive order to remain in place, for now.

The court's ruling was entirely procedural, saying this is not the right way or time to challenge this executive order. The justices explained that no one was hurt by the Department of Homeland Security compiling a list of citizens who are eligible to vote or by the president instructing the Justice Department to prosecute election officials who allow ineligible voters to cast ballots.

The court also said that the U.S. Postal Service had not yet issued regulations so it was too soon to challenge them, and explained that it “is not a proposed rule, let alone a final rule.” The court ended its opinion by clarifying that its ruling does not mean that it will find the executive order to be lawful, just that it cannot review it now.

But the problem with this analysis is that it ignores the context that Trump is attempting to do something he has no constitutional authority to do. The very title of the executive order, “Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections,” makes clear that Trump’s purpose is to try to force by executive order what he could not get Congress to pass. As Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said in her dissent, the executive order “involves the President, whom the Constitution vests with no express authority over elections, undertaking a substantial and unfunded overhaul of election practices."

The court's ruling is especially disingenuous because on Friday, the Postal Service did promulgate regulations limiting the use of the mail for delivering absentee ballots. The case is now very much ripe for review. With the midterm elections now less than three months away, delaying ruling on the executive order only creates confusion as to what rules will be followed.

This is why the Supreme Court should have upheld the preliminary injunction stopping Trump's executive order. As Jackson powerfully said at the conclusion of her dissent: "When the Government's obvious goal is to interfere with the Plaintiff States' practices and prerogatives in a manner that the Constitution does not authorize, it is both a serious legal error and a grave misuse of our equitable emergency powers to let the Executive proceed even one step further."

ERWIN CHEMERINSKY is the dean of the UC Berkeley Law School.

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CALIFORNIA

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2026 :: LATIMES.COM/CALIFORNIA

KAYLA BARTKOWSKI Los Angeles Times FIREFIGHTERS battle the blaze in the 24000 block of North Main Street in Santa Clarita early Monday.

Fire razes beloved Old Town Newhall businesses

Auto body shop blaze in Santa Clarita also destroys a gastropub and several stores.

BY SUMMER LIN AND RUBEN VIVES

A massive fire ripped through the heart of Old Town Newhall in Santa Clarita before dawn Mon-day, reducing a small stretch of mostly women-owned shops and a beloved restaurant to smoldering ruins, according to locals and fire officials.

Pauline McGee, spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Fire Department, said the three-alarm fire broke out inside an autobody shop and spread to an adjoining building that housed multiple businesses.

McGee did not know what types of businesses were in the building but said that at least seven were destroyed by the fire and that they were all along Main Street between 6th and Market streets in Santa Clarita.

According to Carrie Lujan, communications manager for Santa Clarita, the area is the town's premier arts and entertainment district and is known as the "heart of Old Town Newhall." She said among the businesses destroyed was the Newhall Refinery, a beloved longtime gastropub.

“Newhall Refinery has always been more than a restaurant to us,” the owners wrote on Facebook. “It is a gathering place filled with celebrations, friendships, live music, family dinners, first dates, birthdays, and countless memories.”

The restaurant's owners said they plan to rebuild.

In addition to the body shop and restaurant, the fire destroyed the Main, an entertainment venue, and Care Tucker Style House, a women's boutique store next to the restaurant.

The boutique owner confirmed the loss on Instagram.

"This is beyond devastating not because we lost everything in our store, but because we felt like this was our home, our little slice of [Santa Clarita Valley] where we had so many connections, laughs and good times," the owner wrote. "And it's all gone."

[See Santa Clarita, B5]

Voices ANITA CHABRIA COLUMNIST

Case of seized ballots is likely to end in law's favor

Thankfully, Bianco can't seem to catch a break

R

iverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco is not lazy, I'll give him that.

The former government this year, you may recall that the MAGA devotee found time to seize more than 650,000 ballots from the Proposition 50 redistricting race, claiming he suspected there were tens of thousands more votes cast than there should have been — a favorite (and false) complaint of election deniers.

There were not.

Undaunted by reality, and likely law, Bianco announced he was going to have his deputies recount the votes, even though this kind of interference in the chain of custody of ballots had never occurred anywhere in the United States.

This unprecedented seizure of ballots — something election-denier-in-chief President Trump has been hinting at trying himself for years — quickly became a national news story, and a national concern.

With the midterms looming and more than one MAGA sheriff out there, what would stop another conspiracy-minded, badge-wearing maverick from doing something similar this November, potentially throwing our national elections into turmoil?

The specter of Bianco setting a precedent for like-minded conspiracists to follow prompted two significant lawsuits — one led by the election experts at the UCLA Voting Rights Project and the other from state Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta.

The state Supreme Court heard [See Chabria, B2]

ERIC THAYER Los Angeles Times RIVERSIDE County Sheriff Chad Bianco during his failed bid for governor.

BY FEDOR ZARKHIN AND CLARA HARTER

Malibu Farmers Market vendors hawked fresh produce, flowers and other goods in the parking lot outside Malibu City Hall on Sunday — instead of at the municipal park where they've set up stalls weekly for the last three years.

Orange County D.A. says claims will be administered by a neutral third party.

By Connor Sheets

More than 50,000 residents had to evacuate when a pressurized chemical tank owned by GKN Aerospace started to heat dangerously on May 21. The company's cooling system failed to bring the temperatures down, and fire officials warned the tank could explode or cause a major spill. The tank contained about 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate, a toxic chemical used to make plastics.

The company has decommissioned the tank involved in the incident, it said.

The market will be allowed to operate in the City Hall lot until it obtains a permit to return to a parking lot at Santa Monica College's Malibu satellite campus — known to many residents as the Malibu Library lot — where it operated for years.

"Everything went really well. They came to set up the farmers market at the Malibu City Hall

For the city, the move represents a satisfactory but temporary solution to a months-long dispute over the market's location that came to a head last week.

A major aerospace company responsible for a chemical leak in Garden Grove in May will pay up to \$100 million to residents forced to evacuate during the emergency under an agreement the company reached with the Orange County district attorney.

City forces the celeb favorite to move from Legacy Park to a lot that organizers say is less desirable

Firm to pay up to \$100 million to evacuees in chemical leak

About 13,000 to 17,000 households in the neighborhood around the GKN Aerospace facility had to evacuate over five days, the district attorney's office said. Under the claim program

[See Malibu, B4]

Drama over Malibu Farmers Market

But to the market and some of the people who run its stalls and booths, the last-minute Malibu switcheroo was less than ideal. Debra Bianco, co-founder and president of Cornucopia Foundation, the nonprofit that launched the market nearly three decades ago, hopes to secure a better temporary location by Sunday.

"At least 30 to 35 vendors didn't come," she said of the turnout at the market at City Hall. "It's a hidden location, like it's way up a hill, so we didn't get the foot traffic we usually would have. And it was way too short of notice."

announced Monday, residents and businesses are to be reimbursed for expenses such as hotel stays, loss of use, meals, transportation and loss of wages.

parking lot and had a successful farmers market," city spokesperson Matt Myerhoff said in an interview Monday, adding that "everyone went home friends."

“The community has an absolute expectation that businesses operating within their neighborhoods operate safely and lawfully,” Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer said in a statement. “I am pleased that GKN has been and continues to be responsive to any and all requests throughout this investigation.”

The company said in a statement that it expects people to be able to start submitting claims in the fall, with payments for eligible claims to follow “swiftly thereafter.” The firm did not specify how people could apply, but the reimbursement program will be administered by a third party unaffiliated with the company, the district attorney’s office said. GKN said in its statement that it would provide further details in coming weeks.

In addition to the \$100-million settlement, GKN contributed \$3 million to a fund intended to help those affected by the leak. That fund has already reached the maximum number of applicants, according to Orange County United Way.

Attorneys at two law firms representing residents [See Leak, B5]

BY CLARA HARTER

Man found guilty in slaying of L.A. County deputy

Ryan Clinkunbroomer was shot in Palmdale in 2023. Trial now goes to sanity phase.

Four days after proposing to the love of his life, third-generation Sheriff's Deputy Ryan Clinkun-broomer was shot in the back of his head while sitting in a marked patrol car in Palmdale.

Now, nearly three years after the deputy's death, a guilty verdict has been reached against the man who carried out the ambush-style killing.

On Monday, Clinkun-broomer's family was joined in a courtroom by L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna and Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman as jurors found Kevin Eduardo Cataneo Salazar, 32, guilty of murder. The jury also found that he deliberately lay in wait and committed a premeditated murder of a peace officer.

Salazar and jurors are due back in court Wednesday for proceedings regarding his sanity at the time of the shooting, which will determine whether he is sent to state prison or committed to a state hospital.

Hochman called Mon- day's verdict an important step toward justice and ac- countability.

"This brutal and senseless murder took the life of a dedicated deputy, leaving his family, colleagues and community to endure an unimaginable loss," he said in a statement. "We hope today's guilty verdict brings a measure of healing to Deputy Clinkunbroomer's family and loved ones."

His fiancee, Brittany Lindsey, had described the 30-year-old deputy as the best guy she'd ever met.

“I am so happy I was able to love him. It was not long enough,” she said at a news conference when the murder charge was announced.

George Rosenstock, an attorney for Salazar, said in a statement that it was not disputed that his client shot and killed Clinkunbroomer from a car.

"The more difficult question of his legal sanity at the [See Deputy, B2]

ANJALI SHARIF-PAUL MediaNews Group

ELECTION assistants process vote-by-mail ballots at the Riverside County registrar's office on June 1, ahead of California's election day.

[Chabria, from B1] arguments in those cases Monday, and while we'll have to wait for the official rulings, things did not seem to go well for the sheriff.

What surprised me most, or maybe just relieved me, was how thin Bianco's arguments to support his actions were. In the end, his legal team came with little more than contortions and cartwheels, trying to twist Bianco's overreach into existing law.

Bianco fares poorly in fight over ballots

His lawyer, Bradley Hertz, attempted to argue that legislators, when crafting laws protecting ballots, meant for different rules to apply to investigations of elections preceding formal prosecutions. If that sounds confusing, it's because it is.

Hertz seemingly was trying to convince the court that Bianco legally could pull his shenanigans as long as he didn't actually find criminal wrongdoing, which would trigger a different set of rules.

“That seems bizarre,” said Justice Goodwin H. Liu during a back-and-forth with Hertz.

Indeed.

But it was Justice Joshua Groban who hit at the national implications of what Bianco had done — and what it could mean for the midterms if this court ruled in his favor.

"It seems like under your broad view of the warrant power ... the sheriff could seize ballots even before election day, right?" Groban asked. "Even before they were counted."

It's terrible to have ballots seized after they're counted. It would be devastating if they were to be taken before there was an official tally, because how would anyone trust that there hadn't been tampering? Simply seizing uncounted ballots, no matter what happened next, would create such paranoia and uncertainty that the election results would almost certainly be called into question — something that could play into the favor of, say, a wannabe authoritarian who fears he's likely to lose a fair vote count.

Even Hertz seemed to acknowledge such a scenario was bad.

"If search warrants were allowed during the election or preelection, that would obviously wreak havoc," he said. "There would be, kind of, a cat out of the bag, so to speak. You can't count ballots if they're not in the possession of the registrar."

But then Hertz tried to come up with logic that what Bianco was arguing wouldn't mean ballots could be seized anytime, anyhow, and that courts could instead find a way to allow seizure only after the official count. The court did not seem convinced that this was a good idea, or that it is what the law should or does allow.

If that case didn't go well for Bianco, it was the second case brought by Bonta that really might end up being a hard loss.

For years — decades, really — in California and across the country, there has been a group of sheriffs who have argued they are a law unto themselves be-

cause they are elected, not hired or appointed. Some of these sheriffs argue they are above federal law.

In California, there has at times been momentum to rein in this line of thinking by creating clear boundaries in law, but the state Legislature has always backed down in the face of opposition from law enforcement.

One potential curb on sheriffs' power comes from a single line in our state Constitution that seems to say the state attorney general has supervisory power over them. But the meaning and power of this particular clause has long been debated and seldom invoked.

Bonta, however, invoked it against Bianco, claiming the sheriff had to back off the ballot-seizing because Bonta had authority to

order him to stop. Bianco did stop, to his credit. But the standoff was heard by the court Monday and likely will force clarity on an issue that has long lacked it.

Here again, the justices seemed amenable to Bonta's argument that sheriffs, at least to some extent, answer to him as the state's chief law enforcement officer. But the justices seemed far more cautious on this issue, and even the state's attorney conceded that "it's actually pretty remarkable how little our Constitution says about county sheriffs."

If Bianco loses on this issue, it would be huge. It would mean that Bianco not only overstepped his power by seizing the ballots, but that he also forever lessened the power of California sheriffs by clarifying they do answer to the attorney

general. I'm sure that will be very popular with other sheriffs.

We'll see what the justices say, but at least it seems likely that this embarrassing chapter of California election history will end in favor of the law, and democracy.

Maybe Bianco really does believe his conspiracy theories. After all, “there are some people who believe they had breakfast with Elvis on Sunday,” pointed out Chad Dunn, who argued the case for the Voting Rights Project.

"We can't satisfy them," Dunn warned.

More importantly, we shouldn't — even when they wear a badge. Our laws already have robust protections for elections, and rogue sheriffs aren't one of them.

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Murder trial goes to sanity phase

[Deputy, from B1] about Salazar's history of mental illness.

time of the offense will now be before the jury," Rosenstock said.

Clinkunbroomer was shot with a .22-caliber revolver in broad daylight on Sept. 16, 2023, while waiting at a traffic signal in front of the department's Palmdale station.

Salazar was identified as the suspect after a motorist contacted authorities regarding a driver who had aggressively confronted him minutes before Clinkun-broomer was killed, according to evidence presented at a prior hearing. Two days after the shooting, deputies arrested Salazar at his Palmdale home, where a .22-caliber revolver was recovered.

He entered a dual plea of not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity. The initial phase of the trial, which concluded Monday, focused on determining whether Salazar committed the killing. The sanity phase of the trial will determine whether he was insane at the time of the act.

Rosenstock wrote in court filings that Salazar could not distinguish right from wrong or understand the nature of his actions because of his mental state. The attorney seeks to call on family members and mental health professionals to talk

Salazar's mother told The Times in 2023 that her son heard voices telling him to kill himself and twice was hospitalized because of his mental health.

While in jail, he told two undercover operatives that he had wanted to kill a police officer for years and had driven around, following officers and playing music to prepare himself, prosecutors allege.

If a jury finds that he was sane during the slaying, he faces a possible life sentence in prison. Otherwise, he will be sent to a state hospital for psychiatric treatment.

Clinkunbroomer was described by colleagues as a smart and dependable guy often assigned to teach others how to do various jobs at work. He followed his father and grandfather into the profession, and his goal was to become a detective.

"Ryan dedicated his life to service, proudly carrying on his family's legacy as a third-generation member of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department," Luna said in a statement Monday. "We will forever honor his service, his sacrifice and the badge he proudly wore."

KEVIN EDUARDO Cataneo Salazar appears in court in Lancaster in 2023 after his arrest in the case.

CITY & STATE

ESSENTIAL CALIFORNIA

Chino Hills visit reveals toll of drought and heat

BY JACK DOLAN

Chino Hills State Park is almost never crowded, except during a spring superbloom, when the hillsides erupt in California poppies and hordes of would-be influencers arrive to take photos for Instagram.

I was last there in March, after a winter of bountiful rain lifted California out of drought for the first time in 25 years. The hillsides were covered in every imaginable shade of green. I joked to my wife that it looked like the park was decorated for St. Patrick's Day.

But as the thermometer flirted with triple digits on Saturday, there wasn't another soul in sight as I pedaled through the parking lot to the start of the Telegraph Canyon fire road, desperately searching for a breeze. It felt like I had the entire massive park to myself.

The place felt so eerily devoid of life, in fact, I began to wonder whether this was a bad idea.

As I pedaled up into the hills, birds of prey floated in the sweltering breeze above the ridges, waiting for a squirrel, or a mouse, or even a little lizard to make the mistake of moving out in the

open.

I'm a pacifist at heart, always cheering for the prey in wildlife documentaries, but I started to feel sorry for those winged hunters. It seemed the only thing dumb enough to move through that scorched landscape was me.

In my defense, I have an electric mountain bike. It's the kind you have to pedal, but a motor multiplies your effort many times over: It's easily capable of carrying me up the steepest hills at 15 to 20 mph.

On hot summer days, that breeze combined with a light sweat is a surprisingly efficient cooling system. I usually can ride for hours and stay very comfortable.

But on Saturday, the faster I rode, the hotter it got. Speeding along those trails felt like sitting in front of a giant hair dryer. Dropping off the ridges into the canyons was like descending into a furnace.

On top of the relentless heat this summer, Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties all just recorded their driest July since record-keeping began 132 years ago — and it shows.

I've lived in California for nearly two decades. I know how dramatic the swings in the landscape can be. But I've never seen the Chino Hills looking quite so desolate.

I lasted only about an hour and a half before the heat became too much to bear. I imagined getting a flat and having to sit still, beneath that baking sun, to make the repair. My breaking point was when the water in my Camelback started to taste like it had come from a hot shower.

So I pointed the front wheel downhill and coasted most of the 10 miles or so back to my car. Luxuriating in the shade, sipping a LaCroix that was almost too cold to hold, I scrolled for news and saw the first reports of the French tourist who died in Death Valley after his car got stuck in mud, miles from help.

Chino Hills is no Death Valley, but I shuddered at the news. I still think of Southern California as a place with perfect weather — so benign you rarely bother to check the forecast. I wonder whether those days are numbered.

City, county agencies prepare for a week of dangerous heat

Photographs by ARWEN CLEMANS Los Angeles Times

TYRESE BYRD makes a heart symbol with Izzy Hughes while aloft at Venice Beach Skatepark on Monday.
BEACHGOERS have been cautioned about elevated surf and strong rip currents.

Firefighting resources are predeployed, and residents are urged to take precautions.

By Iris Kwok

With scorching temperatures forecast this week across Southern California, L.A. city and county agencies are preparing for worst-case scenarios.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department said in a statement Monday that the county was “augmenting staffing and pre-positioning personnel and resources” to ensure a rapid response to wildfires.

The Los Angeles Fire Department also has “predeployed resources citywide,” according to a statement by Mayor Karen Bass. The mayor urged Angelenos to “take this extreme heat seriously” and highlighted city facilities residents could use to stay cool.

Most of L.A. County is under an extreme heat warning, and the National Weather Service also has issued a red flag fire warning for many interior portions of southwest California, including the interior mountains and adjacent foothills of Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties and the Cuyama Valley.

The combination of extreme heat, gusty winds and low humidity brings a “significant risk” of “large plume dominated fires with rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior,” according to forecasters.

The weather service is forecasting high temperatures of up to 108 degrees across the lower mountains

and foothills and Cuyama Valley, according to the red flag warning, which is in place through 3 p.m. Friday.

"A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions will occur shortly," the warning said. "Use extreme caution with anything that can spark a wildfire. Residents near wildland interfaces should be prepared to evacuate if a wildfire breaks out."

Experts say this year's summer heat has been particularly grueling since nighttime temperatures have remained high and coastal areas have been hotter than usual.

The county Fire Department said it “strongly advises” residents to check on vulnerable neighbors, family members and pets during the heat wave and advised residents to stay hydrated, use sunscreen and other forms of sun protection and to shift outdoor activities away from the hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Newsoms list their Sacramento-area mansion for \$7.5 million

CALIFORNIA Highway Patrol officers monitor a gate at Gov. Gavin Newsom's Fair Oaks home in 2021.
GINA FERAZZI Los Angeles Times

By Iris Kwok

Gov. Gavin Newsom's sprawling Sacramento-area mansion is up for sale.

The 12,700-square-foot mansion in Fair Oaks — an unincorporated community in Sacramento County bordering the American River — is listed for \$7.5 million.

News of the listing, which is being handled by Sothe-by's International Realty, was first reported Monday by the Sacramento Bee.

The listing describes the seven-bedroom home at 7640 Tobia Way as a “show-case of Santa Barbara-in-

The Newsoms purchased the mansion in December 2018 for \$3.7 million shortly before Newsom took office as the 40th governor of California in January 2019, The Times reported. The state's first family had quickly ditched the historic governor's mansion.

three were unknown.

Rollover crash in South Whittier sends 10 people to the hospital

By Iris Kwok spired architecture" that is "privately positioned along the bluffs on 8.2 acres." It boasts amenities including a resort-style pool, hot tub, cold plunge, tennis court and 5,000-bottle wine cellar.

In 2024, the Newsoms bought in Marin County, where they previously lived and where their children attend school. They purchased a \$9.1-million estate where they primarily live. Newsom and his wife spend time in the Fair Oaks home while working at the state Capitol.

Two cars were involved in a rollover crash that sent 10 people to the hospital in South Whittier on Sunday night, authorities said.

Three of the 10 people whom the Los Angeles County Fire Department took to the hospital were in critical condition, and four had minor injuries, said Pauline McGee, a spokesperson for the department. Conditions of the other

McGee did not say how many of the injured were in each vehicle or what caused the crash at Telegraph Road and Biella Way.

The Fire Department was dispatched at 9:11 p.m. and arrived at the collision site four minutes later.

The department notified the local public works agency of some damage, but McGee could not say what exactly was damaged or what the extent was.

Footage of the collision showed a fully overturned Ford Focus near a road median surrounded by debris and glass shards. The other vehicle in the crash, a white Chevrolet, was lying on its side off the road and might have struck a fence.

McGee referred questions about arrests to the L.A. County Sheriff's Department. A spokesperson for the Sheriff's Department redirected questions to the Norwalk Sheriff's Station, which was not available to comment.

Newsom was raised in San Francisco and was the city's mayor from 2004 to 2011. He was California's lieutenant governor — a mostly ceremonial role that includes positions on several higher-education boards — from 2011 to 2019. During a 2012 interview, he famously described Sacramento as "just so dull."

Izzy Gardon, a spokesperson for the governor's office, said in a statement Monday evening that the "dull" comment is outdated and that Newsom had since told reporters that he loves Sacramento.

The Newsoms bought the Marin County home toward the end of his final term to “provide continuity” for their children’s education, Gardon said. “Selling the Sacramento home is the next step in that transition.”

Victim shot in Santa Monica robbery

By Fedor Zarkhin

A person was shot Sunday evening near the Santa Monica Pier after an attempted robbery, police said.

A group of people approached the victim around 7:50 p.m. and tried to rob them. The attempted robbery turned into an altercation, and someone pulled out a gun and shot the victim in the leg, the Santa Monica Police Department said in a statement a few hours later.

The group of people who had attempted the robbery ran away.

Officers treated the victim until they could be taken to a hospital with injuries that police said weren't life-threatening.

Police said they are try-

Malibu forces farmers market to leave park site

[Malibu, from B1]

THE MALIBU Farmers Market at the new site Sunday. A city spokesperson said that talks with organizers had dragged on for too long.
MATT MYERHOFF City of Malibu

The prospects for the market had been bleak as of Friday. That's when the city announced it no longer would be allowed to take place at Legacy Park, where it had been since 2023.

In an emailed statement Friday, the market said it was “shocked and blind-sided” by the news.

On Monday, Bianco said that the city should have worked with the market to avoid such a showdown, and she believed the negotiations for a new location had been taking place well before the sudden announcement.

“Good god, you can see that we’re working on it, No. 1,” she said. “No. 2, to do it right before the weekend, how are we going to tell all the vendors?”

Myerhoff said Friday that the city had been negotiating with Cornucopia about returning to the campus location for weeks, but that the talks stalled because they “won’t sign the paperwork, they won’t agree to do it. ... They just want to stay there and they don’t want to accept the fact that it’s against the law.”

The city had permitted the market to operate out of Legacy Park temporarily while work was underway on Santa Monica College's Malibu campus near City Hall in the civic center area.

That work concluded in 2023, meaning the market had overstayed its welcome by about three years, according to Myerhoff.

"We've been working diligently to try to get them back onto their longtime home ... and the operator of the farmers market, the Cornucopia Foundation, has refused to leave, and that's illegal," Myerhoff said Friday. "We just wanted to make it perfectly crystal clear."

In summer months, the market's vendors and booths take up about $40\%$ of public street parking in the civic center area, Myerhoff added.

"There's kids playing in the street, so it's not safe," he said. “It’s not equitable, it’s taking resources from the community, local businesses and visitors, and it’s just come to a head.”

The news brought an end to what briefly became a very public dispute over the location of the market, which has been a mainstay of Malibu since 1998, drawing crowds of tourists and locals each Sunday, including celebrities such as Courteney Cox, Austin Butler and LeAnn Rimes.

Three rescued beluga whales arrive at SeaWorld in San Diego

By Connor Sheets

Three rescued beluga whales have arrived at Sea-World San Diego after traveling more than 2,500 miles from Canada following the closure of a marine park in Niagara Falls.

Ever since that Ontario park, Marineland, shuttered in 2024, there has been a scramble to find homes for 30 beluga whales who were once kept there.

Described by SeaWorld as “an unprecedented international whale rescue effort,” the goal is to safely relocate the animals to suitable facilities, including aquariums and marine parks as far away as Atlanta and Valencia, Spain.

“Three more rescued belugas are safe,” SeaWorld posted on the social media site X on Saturday.

Images shared along with that posting showed a large shipping container and a plane; a beluga suspended in a transport sling, with holes for its pectoral fins, over the container; a light gray beluga being hoisted through the air by a crane holding the sling; and a beluga swimming. The three belugas were transported to California on Saturday in a Qatar Airways Boeing 777 cargo plane.

The whales' full health picture was still being assessed earlier this summer, but the relocation plan "was built, as much as possible, on understanding their overall health, social bonds and multiple other factors," SeaWorld's chief zoological officer, Dr. Chris Dold, said in a statement at the time. The three new arrivals will join SeaWorld San Diego's other belugas, a roster that includes three other whales transported from Marineland.

Steve Aibel, SeaWorld San Antonio's vice president for animals and conservation, rode along for the first transport of six belugas in special cold-water-filled units earlier this year from

Ontario to the Texas park and Chicago's Shedd Aquarium. Whales have been transported both by air and truck.

“Seeing these first beluga whales arrive safely to their new homes is an important milestone, but it's not the finish line,” Aibel said in the statement. “Our team is laser focused on supporting each whale through this transition with individualized care, patience and observation to ensure their welfare. We're optimistic about what's ahead."

The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that park officials said they were not yet sure when the whales would be introduced to the public.

Eric Otjen, vice president of animals and conservation for SeaWorld San Diego, said the team there “is overjoyed to welcome the belugas to San Diego,” according to Fox 5 San Diego. “Our immediate focus is on Xavier, Cyprus and Jasper’s health and well-being.”

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Massive blaze destroys shops and gastropub

[Santa Clarita, from B1]

Fire officials said the blaze was reported in the 24000 block of North Main Street in Santa Clarita just before 3 a.m. Monday, with flames and smoke visible in the structure. Firefighters were in “defensive mode” and were not entering the buildings due to the risk of them collapsing.

Crews broke down the structure to extinguish the fire in the attic and the walls, and the blaze was knocked down at 8:57 a.m., according to the Fire Department. McGee said more than 100 firefighters helped put out the blaze.

Firefighters were salvaging what they could from the structure, and the cause of the blaze was under investigation, according to the Fire Department. No injuries were reported.

Video from KTLA showed streams of water being blasted onto the roof from ladder trucks.

Around 5:45 a.m., part of the front of the structure collapsed, sending firefighters scrambling to get out of the way, video from the scene showed.

Several roads around the businesses were shut down. The blaze didn't affect Metrolink service.

Laura Scott works across the street from the Newhall Refinery at Remax Gateway and has known the owners for at least five years.

"The majority of Main Street is women-owned businesses including Care Tucker Style House and Newhall Refinery," she said.

"Waking up this morning to find out that it was engulfed in flames was absolutely heartbreaking and devastating. I know how hard these business owners work to keep these doors open, and these were their dreams to own this store or restaurant."

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger expressed sympathy in a statement to those affected by the fire.

"My heart goes out to the business owners in Old Town Newhall who woke up this morning to devastating losses," she said. "These are small businesses that are part of the fabric of this community, and for some owners, years of hard work and livelihoods were destroyed in a matter of hours. Our focus now is on supporting these business owners as they begin the difficult process of recovering and rebuilding.”

"People go into the Main, they look at the art that's there, they go to the Refinery for food, they're shopping at Care Tucker, so it really is the central place of Main Street and of Old Town Newhall," said Lujan, the city communications manager. "It's just devastating to see what happened today."

The fire damaged the most historic neighborhood in the city, right across from William S. Hart Park near the Walk of Western Stars.

"These are places that are unique to Santa Clarita and ... add to what makes our community to special," Lujan said. "They're not chain restaurants or stores, they're places that people chose to build here and to lay down roots of their businesses, so it's always sad when we lose those places. These are our friends, our families and our neighbors who worked at these places."

Local businesses also reacted to the fire damage.

"Aside from having some of the best and innovative food in our valley, we partnered with Newhall Refinery on several farm-to-table dinners," Old Town Newhall Farmers Market wrote on Facebook. "So for us, this especially hurts. Remember to get out and support local. Every single time."

Good Times LA Photo Booth wrote on Facebook that it was “heartbreaking to see a place we’ve visited and loved, along with so many other local businesses, impacted in this way.”

“We are praying for every business owner, every employee, every family, and everyone whose lives have been affected. We pray for strength, healing, restoration, and hope in the days ahead. Newhall is strong. Our community stands together. We love our Main Street.”

Times staff writer Joseph Serna contributed to this report.

Company to pay O.C. evacuees

[Leak, from B1] [in a class-action suit against GKN advised residents to approach the claims program with caution.

"The devil is in the details, and right now there aren't any," Carlos X. Colorado, an attorney at X-Law, said in a statement. "Until we see how this program will actually be administered, families who lost wages, businesses that lost weeks of revenue, and residents who are still dealing with health concerns have no way to know what this really means for them."

Representatives of X-Law and Presidio Law Firm said there were major unanswered questions about the program. They include whether accepting payment would require claimants to waive legal rights, what categories of loss would be covered and whether eligibility is limited to people living in the evacuation zone or if it extends to the six-city area affected by vapor exposure, school closures and business disruptions.

GKN Aerospace, based in the United Kingdom, is a major international manufacturer of airplane parts, with plants in 12 countries. The plant in Garden Grove manufactures the canopy for the F-35 fighter jet.

Work at GKN's plant has been put on hold but could resume as soon as Sept. 28, according to the district attorney's statement, "contingent upon full compliance with required safety standards, ongoing monitoring protocols, any regulatory obligations and a court-approved safety plan."

The district attorney's office said that GKN performs a crucial role in manufacturing military aircraft, and that it supports the company's targeted reopening date "in light of the important work GKN performs for the economy and the nation."

The office recently concluded its criminal investigation into GKN and is now negotiating a civil disposition with the company. In addition to the \$100-million reimbursement program announced Monday, the office is seeking reimbursement for emergency services agencies that responded to the crisis as well as civil penalties related to the hazmat situation.

KAYLA BARTKOWSKI Los Angeles Times
A CHEMICAL leak at GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove in May forced more than 50,000 to evacuate.

THE PERIMETER of the fire-damaged area in Old Town Newhall in Santa Clarita is screened off Tuesday.
MYUNG J. CHUN Los Angeles Times

MARKETPLACE JOBS · REAL ESTATE · MORE

Legal Notices

Legal Notices

SUMMONS (CITACIÓN JUDICIAL) CASE NUMBER (Número del Caso): 25STCV26873

NOTICE TO DEFENDANT (AVISO AL DEMANDADO): ALL PERSONS UNKNOWN claiming any legal or equitable right, title, estate, lien or interest in the property described in the complaint adverse to Plaintiff's title thereto.

YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF (LO ESTÁ DEMANDANDO EL DEMANDANTE): DON PROPERTIES 01, a California limited liability company.

This action pertains to the real property located at 38146 90th Street East, Littlerock, CA 93543 (the "Property") situated in the County of Los Angeles, and is legally described as: LOT 53, IN THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AS SHOWN ON RECORD OF SURVEY NO. 1495, FILED IN BOOK 59, PAGE 35 OF RECORD OF SURVEYS, IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY RECORDER OF SAID COUNTY. APN: 3027-017-019.

NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below.

You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court.

There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web site (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of \$10,000 or more in a civil case. The court's lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case. ¡AVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde dentro de 30 días, la corte puede decidir en su contra sin escuchar su versión. Lea la información a continuación.

Tiene 30 DÍAS DE CALENDARIO después de que le entreguen esta citación y papeles legales para presentar una respuesta por escrito en esta corte y hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. Una carta o una llamada telefónica no lo protegen. Su respuesta por escrito tiene que estar en formato legal correcto si desea que procesen su caso en la corte. Es posible que haya un formulario que usted pueda usar para su respuesta. Puede encontrar estos formularios de la corte y más información en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www.sucorte.ca.gov), en la biblioteca de leyes de su condado o en la corte que le quede más cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentación, pida al secretario de la corte que le dé un formulario de exención de pago de cuotas. Si no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso por incumplimiento y la corte le podrá quitar su sueldo, dinero y bienes sin más advertencia.

Hay otros requisitos legales. Es recomendable que llame a un abogado inmediatamente. Si no conoce a un abogado, puede llamar a un servicio de remisión a abogados. Si no puede pagar a un abogado, es posible que cumpla con los requisitos para obtener servicios legales gratuitos de un programa de servicios legales sin fines de lucro. Puede encontrar estos grupos sin fines de lucro en el sitio web de California Legal Services, (www.lawhelp california.org), en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California, (www.sucorte.ca.gov) o poniéndose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de abogados locales. AVISO: Por ley, la corte tiene derecho a reclamar las cuotas y los costos exentos por imponer un gravamen sobre cualquier recuperación de \$10,000 ó más de valor recibida mediante un acuerdo o una concesión de arbitraje en un caso de derecho civil. Tiene que pagar el gravamen de la corte antes de que la corte pueda desechar el caso.

The name and address of the court is (El nombre y dirección de la corte es): Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, Stanley Mosk Courthouse, 111 North Hill Street Los Angeles, CA 90012

The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff's attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney, is (El nombre, la dirección y el número de teléfono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante que no tiene abogado, es): Albert Aldesco, Esq. 13101 Washington Blvd. #467, Los Angeles, CA. 90066 818-324-6405 DATE (Fecha): 09/18/2025

/s/ by: David W. Slayton, Clerk of Court (Secretario), /s/ by S. Bolden, Deputy Clerk (Adjunto)

Published in The Los Angeles Times

Play Wordflower for free! latimes.com/games

Legal Notices | Legal Notices

SUMMONS (CITACION JUDICIAL) CASE NUMBER (Número del Caso): 30-2025-01535925-CU-PA-CJC

NOTICE TO DEFENDANT: (AVISO AL DEMANDADO): LIANG GE

YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF: (LO ESTÁ DEMANDANDO EL DEMANDANTE) ROSEMARIE MONAHAN

NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below.

You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court.

There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web site (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of \$10,000 or more in a civil case. The court's lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case.

¡AVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde dentro de 30 días, la corte puede decidir en su contra sin escuchar su version. Lea la información a continuación.

Tiene 30 DÍAS DE CALENDARIO después de que le entreguen esta citación y papeles legales para presenter una respuesta por escrito en esta corte y hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. Una carta o una llamada telefónica no lo prolegen. Su respuesta por escrito tiene que estar en formato legal correcto si desea que procesen su caso en la corte. Es posible que haya un formulario que usted pueda usar para su respuesta. Puede encontrar estos formularios de la corte y más información en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www.sucorte.ca.gov), en la biblioteca de leyes de su condado o en la corte que le quede más cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentación, pida al secretario de la corte que le dé un formulario de extención de pago de cuotas. Si no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso por incumplimiento y la corte le podrá quitar su sueldo, dinero y hiener sin más advertencia.

Hay otros requisitos legales. Es recomendable que llame a un abogado inmediatamente. Si no conoce a un abogado, puede llamar a un servicio de remision a abogados. Si no puede pagar a un abogado, es posible que cumpla con los requisitos para obtener servicios legales gratuitos de un programa de servicios legales sin fines de lucro. Puede encontrar estos grupos sin fines de lucro en el sitio web de California Legal Services, (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California, (www.sucorte.ca.gov) o poniéndose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de abogados locales. AVISO: Por ley, la corte tiene derecho a reclamar las cuotas y los costos extentos por imponer un gravamen sobre cualquier recuperación de \$10,000 ó más de valor recibida mediante un acuerdo o una concesión de arbitraje en un caso de derecho civil. Tiene que pagar el gravamen de la corte antes de que la corte pueda desechar el caso.

The name and address of the court is: (El nombre y dirección de la corte es): Orange County Superior Court Central Justice Center 700 Civic Center Drive West Santa Ana, CA 92701

The name, address, and telephone number of the plaintiff's attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney, is:

(El nombre, la dirección y el número de telefono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante que no tiene abogado, es):

Helen McColl, Law Offices of Helen McColl, 7755 Center Avenue, 11 $^{th}$ Floor, Huntington Beach, CA 92647 (310) 367-2861

Date: 12/24/2025

David H. Yamasaki

K. Climer

Clerk of the Court (Secretario) Deputy (Adjunto)

Published in the Los Angeles Times

L.A. City and County law requires all cats & dogs to be spayed or neutered (with some exceptions). For more info, contact LA Animal Services (call 311) or visit www.laanimalservices.com

Los Angeles Times

Legal Notices

Legal Notices

IN THE SUPERIOR COURT PAULDING COUNTY STATE OF GEORGIA Civil Action Adoption No. 26-CA-000031-P4

IN RE:

IN RE: Petition of IRENE ELOISA SMITH and, EUGENE SOLODEAN SMITH,

for the Adoption of V.P.N., a minor child

NOTICE OF ADOPTION

To: Anthony Nava, putative father of the female child, V.P.N and any unknown biological fathers of the female child V.P.N.

You are hereby notified that on June 15, 2026 the above-styled petition for adoption was filed in the Superior Court of Paulding County, Georgia, Civil Action Adoption No. 26-CA-00031-P4, for the adoption of a female child V.P.N born to Alysia Ashley Busher on February 12, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. You are further notified that the foregoing petition states that the putative father of the female child V.P.N. is Anthony Nava.

You are hereby advised that a hearing will be held on the 1st day of October 2026 at 2:00 p.m. at the Paulding County Courthouse, Courtroom 4, 280 Constitution Blvd., Dallas, Georgia, before The Honorable Matthew W. Rollins, to determine why the prayers of the petitioners should not be granted.

All parental rights you may have with respect to said child will be lost, and you will neither receive notice, nor be entitled to object to the adoption of said child unless, within (30) days of receipt of this notice, you: (1) file a petition to legitimate the child pursuant to O.C.G.A. 19-7-22 and/or (2) file with the Clerk of the Superior Court of Cobb County and serve petitioner's attorney, William R. Pike, at 110 Evans Mill Drive, Suite 402, Dallas, GA 30157, an answer in writing and make known other such objections you may have to the adoption of said child.

This 20th day of August 2026.

William R. Pike, Attorney for Petitioners

110 Evans Mill Drive, Suite 402 Dallas, GA 30157 (678) 564-0199

DEXT CAPITAL, LLC v. HS GLOBAL LOGISTICS, INC. SUMMONS – CASE NO. 25CV29468 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF CLACKAMAS

TO: HS GLOBAL LOGISTICS, INC., the above-named defendant.

You are hereby required to appear and defend the amended complaint filed against you in the above-entitled action within thirty (30) days from the date of the first publication of this summons, and in case of your failure to appear and answer, plaintiff for want thereof will apply to the above entitled court for the relief prayed for in its complaint, to-wit:

A. FIRST CLAIM FOR RELIEF:

1. For the principal sum of \$119,656.98, plus accrued interest at the statutory rate of 9.0 percent per annum in the amount of \$2,861.93, from January 31, 2025, through May 8, 2025, plus interest accruing on the principal balance at the rate of 9.00 percent per annum (\$29.50 per diem) from May 9, 2025, until the date of entry of judgment.

2. For Plaintiff's reasonable attorney fees, costs and disbursements incurred herein;

3. For interest on the sum of paragraphs A1 and A2, at the statutory rate of 9.00 percent per annum, from the date judgment is entered, until paid in full; and

4. For such other relief as the court deems just and proper.

NOTICE TO DEFENDANT: READ CAREFULLY!!

YOU MUST "APPEAR" IN THIS CASE OR THE OTHER SIDE WILL WIN AUTOMATICALLY. TO "APPEAR" YOU MUST FILE WITH THE COURT A LEGAL PAPER CALLED A "MOTION" OR "ANSWER". THE MOTION OR ANSWER (OR "REPLY") MUST BE GIVEN TO THE COURT CLERK OR ADMINISTRATOR WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE DATE OF FIRST PUBLICATION SPECIFIED HEREIN ALONG WITH THE REQUIRED FILING FEE. IT MUST BE IN PROPER FORM AND HAVE PROOF OF SERVICE ON THE PLAINTIFF'S ATTORNEY OR, IF THE PLAINTIFF DOES NOT HAVE AN ATTORNEY, PROOF OF SERVICE UPON THE PLAINTIFF. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU SHOULD SEE AN ATTORNEY IMMEDIATELY. IF YOU NEED HELP IN FINDING AN ATTORNEY, YOU MAY CONTACT THE OREGON STATE BAR'S LAWYER REFERRAL SERVICE ONLINE AT WWW.OREGONSTATEBAR.ORG OR BY CALLING AT (503) 684-3763 (IN THE PORTLAND METROPOLITAN AREA) OR TOLL-FREE ELSEWHERE IN OREGON AT (800) 452-7636.

This summons is published by order of Circuit Court Judge Thanh H. Tran of the above-entitled Court made on the 28th day of August, 2025, directing publication of this summons once each week for four consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in Los Angeles County, California. Date of first publication: September __, 2026 Date of last publication: September __, 2026

Trish A. Walsh, OSB #101604 Of Attorneys for Plaintiff FARLEIGH WADA WITT 121 SW Morrison, Suite 600 Portland, OR 97204-3136 (503) 228-6044 twalsh@fwwlaw.com

Air quality Good Moderate Unhealthful for: Sensitive people All Not Available

THE WEATHER

Today in Southern California

Sweltering again: The heat wave will continue Wednesday and Thursday as a heat dome centered over the Rockies continues to control our weather. Temperatures in many of the valleys will top out around 100 degrees and easily eclipse the century mark in the deserts and the Inland Empire. An afternoon sea breeze will ease the heat at the beaches. Sundowner wind gusts of 45 mph are expected in southern Santa Barbara County.

5-day forecasts

Almanac

	L.A. Basin		Valleys		Beaches		Mountains		Deserts
Today	96|75		104|75		85|71		84|54		113|89
	Hot		Very hot		Humid		A stray t-shower		Hot with sunshine
Thursday	Hot	94/73	Hot	101/74	Humid	86/71	Sunny; warm	83/55	Hot	114/90
Friday	Hot	96/73	Hot	101/75	Humid	85/71	Mostly sunny	85/53	Hot	113/86
Saturday	Sunny; warm	94/70	Sunny and hot	99/69	Humid	85/70	Sunny	82/50	Very warm	111/86
Sunday	Sunny	88/68	Sunny	95/67	Humid	79/66	Sunny; warm	82/50	Sunny; warm	108/80

Surf and sea

POINT CONCEPTION TO MEXICO Inner waters: Wind west at 10-15 knots. Seas 3-5 feet. Swell south 4-5 feet at 13 seconds and swell west to southwest 2 feet at 5-8 seconds.

Surf zone: The risk of strong rip currents is high at L.A. County, Orange County and S.D. County beaches and moderate elsewhere.

Precipitation Los Angeles Fullerton Ventura*

County	Height	Period	Direction	Temp
Santa Barbara	2-4'	13 sec	S	70
Ventura	2-4'	13 sec	S	70
Los Angeles	3-5'	13 sec	S	73
Orange	3-5'	13 sec	S	73
San Diego	3-5'	13 sec	S	75

Tides

L.A. Outer Harbor, in feet.
Today	9:43a	4.3 Hi	3:21a	-0.2 Lo
	8:54p	6.0 Hi	2:48p	2.0 Lo
Thu.	10:02a	4.6 Hi	3:45a	-0.2 Lo
	9:27p	6.0 Hi	3:22p	1.7 Lo

UV index

Minutes to burn for sensitive people Las Vegas, 25 Phoenix, 25 Los Angeles, 25 San Francisco, 25

California cities*

City	Tue.*			Today			Thu.
	Hi	Lo	Prcp.	Hi	Lo	Hi	Lo
Anaheim	93	72	--	97	74	96	74
Avalon/Catalina	89	78	--	93	73	91	74
Bakersfield	103	75	--	102	76	98	77
Barstow	108	81	--	108	81	107	80
Big Bear Lake	81	52	Tr	84	54	83	55
Bishop	98	59	--	100	61	98	62
Burbank	99	72	--	101	73	99	74
Camarillo	85	66	--	89	69	88	69
Chatsworth	103	76	--	104	76	101	75
Chino	105	69	--	106	71	105	69
Compton	93	71	--	95	73	93	73
Dana Point	82	71	--	82	72	82	71
Death Valley	119	93	--	122	93	119	94
Del Mar	85	70	--	81	73	83	73
Escondido	97	67	--	96	69	96	70
Eureka	63	53	--	68	58	65	53
Fallbrook	93	66	--	94	68	92	68
Fresno	105	72	--	104	74	99	76
Fullerton	95	72	--	95	74	95	74
Hemet	106	70	--	108	71	108	71
Hesperia	101	70	--	103	73	100	73
Huntington Beach	83	72	--	83	74	83	73
Idyllwild	89	74	Tr	91	74	91	74
Irvine	90	72	--	92	74	91	75

Sun and moon

Temperature	Los Angeles	Fullerton	Ventura*
High/low	92/71	92/73	82/64
Normal high/low	85/65	87/66	76/58
High/low a year ago	91/67	86/69	76/62
Record high/date	102/1926	97/2005	83/1988
Record low/date	52/1909	58/2002	48/1949

City	Tue.*			Today			Thu.
	Hi	Lo	Prcp.	Hi	Lo	Hi	Lo
L.A. D'ntown/USC	94	73	--	96	75	94	73
L.A. Int'l. Airport	85	71	--	84	72	85	73
Laguna Beach	79	71	--	82	73	82	73
Lancaster	103	75	--	107	75	102	73
Long Beach	92	72	--	91	74	91	74
Mammoth Lakes	79	50	--	81	50	76	47
Mission Viejo	93	72	--	95	74	93	74
Monrovia	103	75	--	103	77	101	75
Monterey	70	57	--	73	60	73	59
Mt. Wilson	84	69	--	78	71	77	69
Needles	114	90	--	117	90	115	92
Newport Beach	81	73	--	83	74	85	76
Northridge	104	72	--	105	74	103	75
Oakland	73	58	--	78	61	79	60
Oceanside	89	66	--	90	67	90	67
Ojai	101	67	--	101	70	99	70
Ontario	104	76	--	106	76	104	76
Palm Springs	114	90	--	113	89	114	90
Pasadena	99	74	--	100	75	98	76
Paso Robles	105	61	--	106	62	99	67
Redding	99	62	--	98	63	99	66
Riverside	105	71	--	107	72	106	72
Sacramento	96	61	--	99	64	97	67
San Bernardino	104	75	--	108	77	107	76

24-hour total (as of 2 p.m.)	0.00	0.00	0.00
Season total (since Oct. 1)	18.87	15.62	20.39
Last season (Oct. 1 to date)	7.96	3.93	6.50
Season norm (Oct. 1 to date)	14.15	11.75	16.01
Humidity (high/low)	87/54	87/40	96/61

City	Tue.*			Today			Thu.
	Hi	Lo	Prcp.	Hi	Lo	Hi	Lo
San Diego	85	71	--	82	74	84	73
San Francisco	70	57	--	77	60	78	60
San Gabriel	101	74	--	101	76	99	75
San Jose	83	60	--	87	64	88	65
San Luis Obispo	88	60	--	96	61	92	63
Santa Ana	86	72	--	89	73	88	73
Santa Barbara	83	66	--	83	66	84	69
Santa Clarita	106	74	--	108	74	106	73
Santa Monica Pier	83	69	--	85	71	86	71
Santa Paula	92	64	--	97	68	96	70
Santa Rosa	88	50	--	93	56	94	58
Simi Valley	96	71	--	102	73	101	70
Tahoe Valley	82	48	--	82	49	80	47
Temecula	99	69	--	102	70	102	69
Thousand Oaks	93	68	--	96	71	94	68
Torrance	88	72	--	87	73	87	73
UCLA	85	70	--	89	72	88	73
Van Nuys	103	72	--	105	74	102	74
Ventura	76	65	--	79	68	78	69
Whittier Hills	97	72	--	99	75	96	74
Woodland Hills	107	72	--	105	74	102	75
Wrightwood	86	72	--	90	73	88	73
Yorba Linda	97	71	--	99	73	99	72
Yosemite Valley	91	63	--	94	64	88	61

TUESDAY'S EXTREMES AS OF 2 P.M. FOR THE 48 CONTIGUOUS STATES High 116 in Thermal, Calif. Low 38 in Leadville, Colo.

Today in North America

Midwest storms: Thunderstorms will rumble across the Midwest and southern Great Lakes on Wednesday. Some will produce flooding downpours and localized damaging wind gusts. Other strong storms will affect the western Plains. Texas and the Southwest will stay hot.

Showers	T-storms	Rain	Flurries	Snow	Ice

Temps -0 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s 100+

Shown are areas of precipitation and high temperatures for the day.

U.S. cities

City	Tuesday*			Today
	Hi	Lo	Prcp.	Hi	Lo	Sky
Albany	76	58	.05	79	63	Pc
Albuquerque	99	73	.04	96	68	Ts
Anchorage	60	54	.24	63	48	Su
Aspen	82	54	Tr	83	50	Ts
Atlanta	92	74	--	91	72	Ts
Austin	103	71	--	105	75	Su
Baltimore	82	59	--	85	69	Pc
Boise	98	70	Tr	97	68	Pc
Boston	80	65	--	78	67	Su
Buffalo	73	61	--	80	66	Pc
Burlington, Vt.	74	61	.05	80	62	Pc
Charleston, S.C.	91	75	.05	84	74	Ts
Charlotte	87	63	--	88	71	Ts
Chicago	80	60	--	84	65	Ts
Cincinnati	80	56	--	84	65	Pc
Cleveland	74	60	--	80	64	Pc
Columbia, S.C.	92	66	--	90	72	Ts
Columbus	80	55	--	83	65	Pc
Dallas/FLWorth	103	82	Tr	102	78	Pc
Denver	83	59	.01	86	60	Ts
Detroit	79	58	--	81	66	Ts
El Paso	106	77	--	104	76	Su
Eugene	82	57	--	81	56	Pc
Fort Myers	93	78	.01	94	75	Ts
Hartford	78	55	.01	81	62	Su
Honolulu	90	79	.01	88	76	Pc
Houston	98	80	--	102	79	Pc
Indianapolis	79	58	--	85	66	Pc
Jacksonville, Fla.	90	76	1.50	89	72	Ts
Kansas City	85	66	--	89	62	Pc
Knoxville	85	63	--	89	69	Ts
Las Vegas	108	85	--	109	88	Pc
Louisville	84	62	--	88	69	Pc
Medford	97	61	--	91	58	Su
Memphis	93	76	.05	93	75	Ts
Miami	92	79	Tr	91	79	Ts
Milwaukee	79	57	--	83	63	Pc
Minneapolis	83	69	.10	82	63	Pc
Nashville	89	66	--	94	71	Ts
New Orleans	93	75	.15	94	78	Ts
New York	77	63	--	81	70	Su
Norfolk	82	71	--	86	73	Pc
Oklahoma City	106	73	--	90	72	Pc
Omaha	85	65	--	85	60	Pc
Orlando	93	75	.35	93	74	Ts
Philadelphia	80	65	--	86	71	Su
Phoenix	115	89	Tr	115	91	Pc
Pittsburgh	78	62	--	81	64	Cy
Portland, Ore.	88	66	--	79	61	Pc
Providence	79	61	--	80	64	Su
Raleigh/Durham	86	64	--	89	71	Ts
Reno	94	64	--	94	62	Su
Richmond	82	62	--	88	69	Su
St. Louis	87	66	--	91	68	Ts
Salt Lake City	95	71	.06	95	72	Pc

City	Tuesday*			Today
	Hi	Lo	Prcp.	Hi	Lo	Sky
Seattle	85	60	--	77	57	Pc
Tampa	90	80	.07	92	76	Ts
Tucson	109	77	--	109	82	Su
Tulsa	99	71	Tr	93	71	Pc
Washington, D.C.	83	64	--	87	73	Pc
Wichita	91	70	.07	92	67	Pc
World
Acapulco	91	78	--	92	79	Pc
Amsterdam	77	55	--	77	64	Pc
Athens	100	84	--	96	78	Su
Bangkok	93	82	.02	93	81	R
Barcelona	89	71	--	86	73	Sh
Berlin	75	52	--	76	57	Su
Cabo San Lucas	93	81	.47	93	80	Ts
Cairo	98	78	--	101	78	Hz
Dubai	109	93	--	110	92	Hz
Dublin	66	55	.06	69	58	Sh
Havana	93	71	.49	94	73	R
Ho Chi Minh City	91	79	--	92	80	R
Hong Kong	91	84	.41	89	82	Ts
Istanbul	90	75	--	86	72	Su
Jerusalem	89	68	--	91	71	Su
Johannesburg	74	55	--	76	47	Hz
Kuala Lumpur	93	77	.26	89	77	R
Lima	74	68	--	77	69	Su
London	77	59	--	80	65	Sh
Madrid	82	64	--	85	63	Pc
Mecca	105	86	--	106	89	Hz
Mexico City	72	57	.60	76	56	R
Montreal	75	63	.23	77	62	Pc
Moscow	61	54	.08	64	50	Sh
Mumbai	86	81	.05	88	81	R
New Delhi	91	80	.30	91	80	Ts
Paris	82	59	.20	84	65	Pc
Prague	68	55	.11	70	54	Cy
Rome	91	75	--	91	72	Su
Seoul	91	79	--	90	77	Cy
Singapore	91	81	.10	90	81	Ts
Taipei City	82	78	.21	88	78	Sh
Tokyo	93	82	--	94	80	W
Vancouver	79	61	--	72	60	Pc
Vienna	79	57	.07	81	60	Pc

Key: Su sunny; Pc partly cloudy; Cy cloudy; Fg foggy; Prcp precipitation; Dr drizzle; Hz hazy Sh showers; Ts thunderstorms; R rain; Sn snow; Sf snow flurries; I ice; Rs rain/snow; W windy; Tr trace. Notes: National extremes exclude Alaska and Hawaii. * - data estimated. Tuesday's readings as of 2 p.m.

AccuWeather. Proven Superior Accuracy™ Visit AccuWeather.com

NFL REPORT

Gonzalez returns to field, but still seeks an extension

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Christian Gonzalez is back prac- ticing with the New England Patriots.

But the star cornerback remains without the long-term contract extension he has been seeking throughout the offseason with the regular season two weeks away.

Gonzalez returned to practice Monday after being sidelined since Aug. 10 with a minor injury, according to coach Mike Vrabel. He was back in uniform for the team's workout on Tuesday, its last before heading to Cleveland to prepare for the Patriots' final preseason game Thursday night.

New England's projected starters sat out the first two preseason games and it's unclear how much — if at all — they will play this week.

York texted using alias in sting operation, police say

San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York used an alias when he sent text messages over two days to a woman he believed to be a prostitute before he was arrested in a sting operation in Ohio, according to a police incident report obtained Tuesday.

The report from the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force had more than two pages redacted but provided more details about what led to York's arrest and ultimately to him pleading no contest Monday to two misdemeanors.

York initially responded to an advertisement placed by police on a known prostitution website on Saturday, according to the report, sending two messages that went unanswered and saying his name was “Joe” and that he wanted to visit the woman.

York texted again Sunday morning and said he wanted to see the woman. He said he was staying nearby and asked for her address. He asked how much the woman charged and was told it was \$160 for “full service sexual activity,” the report said.

York took a rental car to a mobile home park where he was given a fictitious lot number. He texted when he arrived at the mobile home park. He was then directed back to the main road, where he was stopped by marked police units.

Etc.

New York Giants receiver Calvin Austin was carted off the field during a training camp practice after appearing to injure his right knee. Austin, 27, was having a strong camp and preseason and looked to be on track for at least a prominent role on offense, if not a starting spot. The New York Jets waived kicker Cade York, who was in a tightly contested competition with Jason Sanders, before the team's final practice of training camp. York was signed in March as a potential replacement for Nick Folk, who joined Atlanta in free agency. ... The Seattle Seahawks waived running back Anthony Hankerson, who could try to play in college again. Hankerson signed with the Seahawks last week and rushed for 10 yards in five carries in their 19-16 preseason loss at Tennessee on Sunday night. He also caught two passes for nine yards. He is among 16 players who graduated high school in 2022 and became eligible to play a fifth collegiate season thanks to a Louisiana court order last week. Once he clears waivers, he could enter the transfer portal. Also, the Seahawks placed safety Bud Clark and offensive lineman Mason Richman on injured reserve because of injuries they suffered at Tennessee. Clark, a second-round draft pick this year out of Texas Christian, broke his ankle on Seattle's first defensive play and was carted off the field with his leg in an air cast. ... Minnesota Vikings wide receiver J-shaun Jones was issued a three-game suspension by the NFL for violating the league's substance abuse policy. The NFL's announcement of the punishment did not disclose the nature of the violation. ... The Commanders released Will Harris, ending the veteran safety's tenure in Washington after just one season. Harris, 30, had signed a two-year, \$8-million contract in March 2025.

PATRIOTS cornerback Christian Gonzalez had been sidelined with a minor injury since Aug. 10.
CHARLES KRUPA Associated Press

New Padres owners optimistic

let's do it."

[Shaikin, from B10]

among insurance companies controlled by Dodgers owner Mark Walter.

"The Dodgers are not being sold," Kasten said. "They're not going to be sold."

What is true today might not be true tomorrow. What is true today, as potential bidders for the Dodgers lurk and coalesce amid L.A.'s turn at uncertainty, is that the Padres have an energetic and effervescent couple as their new principal owners.

Feliciano, a founder of Clear-lake Capital in Santa Monica, took the mound at Petco Park on Monday afternoon, working out of a stretch and looking toward an invisible runner at second base before delivering a pitch. In spring training, he said, he stepped into the batting cage to try to hit simulated pitches from Padres All-Star closer Mason Miller.

His wife, Kwanza Jones, an artist and entrepreneur, led her husband into the news conference amid the sounds of a song she co-wrote, she said, inspired in part by a catch made by Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr.

"My only musical talent is my name," Feliciano said. "I humbly ask you to please add my middle initial so I never get confused with the singer."

As the couple looks for a home in San Diego, Jones appealed to fans to share what they love about their neighborhoods. Later, the couple took selfies along the first-base line.

Their enthusiasm bubbled forth as the news conference proceeded, as their sense of whether the Padres might finally win a World Series got more and more optimistic.

Feliciano, three minutes into the news conference: “We cannot promise we are going to win.”

Jones, two minutes later, riffing off her lyrics, her voice rising: “We gonna win! We gonna win! We gonna win — win it all!” And then a pause, to lower her voice: “We hope it’s sooner rather than later.”

Feliciano, two minutes later: "We need to win a World Series. It's that simple. That's what we're going to do."

Jones, one minute later: "Multiples."

Feliciano, one minute later: "The impossible becomes possible when somebody does it. So

This is not Feliciano's first foray into professional sports. Clearlake Capital is the majority owner of Chelsea, the storied soccer club.

"I'm missing the first game of the Premier League right now," Feliciano said.

He said he could not comment on reports Walter is looking to sell his stake in Chelsea. Two weeks ago, Walter announced an agreement to sell controlling interest in the Lakers at a \$12.5-billion valuation, the cash from which could help repay loans under scrutiny. The Dodgers could command a similar valuation, industry sources not authorized to discuss the issue publicly told The Times, should Walter decide to sell.

As part of a search for cash, Puck reported last week, Walter had talked with Charter Communications about whether the company would be interested in paying a lump sum now to get out of its SportsNet LA contract — a money-losing deal for Charter, but the primary source of the Dodgers' financial advantage over the other 29 teams in the major leagues.

The talks “went nowhere,” Puck reported. Kasten declined to address the matter, as did a Charter spokesperson.

In 2011, with the Dodgers headed toward bankruptcy, former owner Frank McCourt found what he believed would be his financial lifeline in a television rights deal with Fox Sports.

In a withering letter to McCourt, then-commissioner Bud Selig rejected the deal, criticizing McCourt for proposing a financial structure that would have foreclosed the Dodgers from pursuing more lucrative options “because of your desperate need for immediate cash.”

That precedent could inform how Rob Manfred, the current commissioner, would evaluate any proposed restructuring of the Dodgers' television deal. Under the owners' current collective bargaining proposal, to which Walter agreed, the Dodgers' annual television riches — more than \$500 million per year by the end of the deal in 2038 — would be fully contributed toward revenue sharing among all 30 teams.

I asked Feliciano whether the Dodgers' uncertainty might make this a particularly opportune time to buy the Padres.

“You’ve got to look at these things on a generational, multi-decade basis, honestly,” he told me. “It’s like trying to time a great investment in the market. You can’t.

“What I can tell you is that this is the good time — the best time — for us. I think it also coincides with Peter’s legacy: The team is in a great place, the city is in a great place.”

The Dodgers' revenue advantage remains significant, not just because of their SportsNet LA deal but because they fill the largest stadium in the majors almost every night and employ Shohei Ohtani.

In San Diego, however, where ticket sales represent the largest source of team revenue, the Padres sell more tickets than any major league team besides the Dodgers. Petco Park already is a year-round concert venue and event center, and the Padres could rekindle plans to develop a large parking lot near the ballpark.

And, if owners emerge from collective bargaining with a salary cap or other restraint on the Dodgers' spending, that would be a win for San Diego.

On the field, the Padres entered play Monday with 21 victories in their past 28 games. The Padres acquired Robbie Ray and Casey Mize at the trade deadline to bolster a patchwork rotation, and they retained Miller and Adrian Morejon rather than break up a mighty bullpen. Tatis leads the National League with 12 home runs since the All-Star break; outfielder Jackson Merrill has 11.

"As we have seen the last few weeks, we are very competitive. I feel we are one of those teams — us and the Phillies, probably — that nobody wants to play," Feliciano said.

We want to keep it that way. The Phillies entered play Monday on a nine-game winning streak, in position for one of the National League wild cards. The Padres also are in position for an NL wild card, keeping alive the possibility that the Dodgers and Padres could meet in the NL Championship Series.

If that happens, it won't matter how many games the Dodgers finished ahead of the Padres during the regular season.

"We'd just need to win four," Feliciano said.

Beat L.A., indeed.

Freeman and Heyward together again on Dodgers

AL MESSERSCHMIDT Getty Images

THE BOND between Jason Heyward, left, and Freddie Freeman deepened with the Braves.

[Dodgers, from B10] [Dougers, from Bio] fice, Freeman is adding to his Hall of Fame candidacy, and they're once again on the same team.

"To see us now, it's crazy," Freeman said. "It really is."

Strangers

It's rare for friends of 20 years to be able to pick out the details of their first encounter. Over the decades, fond memories start to jumble and fade.

But not for Freeman and Heyward.

Without hesitation they'll bring up August 2006, when they were both 16 and played on opposing teams in the Aflac All-American Classic, held that year in San Diego. They really got to know each other during the down time that week, hanging out in the communal game room in the hotel.

When they met, Freeman was playing Pop-A-Shot.

“That’s where he was most of the time,” Heyward said.

That, however, didn't stop Freeman and Heyward from hitting it off.

On the surface, they were an opposites-attract kind of duo, in pretty much every category but height — listed as 6-foot-4 and 6-5 during that showcase. Heyward grew up in the Atlanta metropolitan area, playing on the East team, and Freeman was an Orange County native, representing the West.

Their priorities and aspirations pulled them together.

“You kind of look around and see all the other guys there and see what they’re doing, how they talk, how they act,” Freeman said. “And then you run into Jason, and then, I’m like, ‘That’s who I want to hang out with.’ He had everything figured out at such a young age.”

Heyward was the more hyped prospect, and the star of the East in that game, with four stolen bases, a pair of hits and two RBIs.

The second time Heyward reached first base, Freeman said to him, “You’re not going to steal again.” Heyward’s response: “I’m going again.”

"I looked down, he was kicking dirt on my shoes, all that," Heyward said. "So, same guy who he is today on first base, that's who he's always been."

Even in practice, Freeman's competitiveness stood out to his new friend.

"One hundred percent competitive, but it was fun for him to be competitive," Heyward said. "Not competitive in like, 'Get off me,' [stuff] like that. He welcomed me."

Though they became fast friends, and ran into each other on the showcase circuit throughout their senior year, who knows what would have happened if the 2007 draft had played out differently?

Draftees

Freeman was scheduled to take a final exam the day he was drafted.

That year, the draft made its television debut. The first round — including the Braves selecting hometown kid Heyward — was broadcast on ESPN2. Heyward's selection wasn't a surprise — "We know the Braves have a history of drafting young players from the area," he said.

But Freeman would have to be in front of a computer to track the subsequent rounds. He finagled permission to go home until he was selected, and then return to school.

“We were going along, and I had some other teams calling for me as a pitcher,” Freeman said. “And I was like, ‘I don’t want to pitch, let me hit first.’”

Eventually the Braves called, with their second pick of the second round approaching. Freeman, wasting no time, kicked off the conversation with: “I don’t want to pitch.”

“And they’re like, ‘Good, because we don’t want you to,’ ” Freeman recalled.

Finally. The excitement began to set in.

That set Freeman and Heyward on course to reunite, this time as teammates.

Heyward, poised to sign for above slot value, had to wait until mid-August to sign his contract (\$17-million bonus).

So, when he finally joined the Gulf Coast League, for all of eight games before finishing the season with rookie-ball Danville, he remembers Freeman greeting him with a disgruntled, "Hey, man, I've been waiting on you. I've been here, it's been hot."

"My bad," Heyward said. "I couldn't control it."

Freeman broke into laughter.

After the instructional league that fall, Freeman and Heyward decided to room together in spring training.

And though the accommodations changed throughout the years, they'd remain roommates through 2010, their debut season in the majors.

Roommates

There's no better way to quickly learn a person's idiosyncrasies than by living with them.

In terms of morning routines, Heyward and Freeman were on far ends of the spectrum. If Heyward was going to start getting ready at 12:30, Freeman was waiting until 12:48 — and it was always something that specific too. Extremely structured to this day, if something throws off Freeman's schedule, his "robot mind," as he puts it, malfunctions.

While Heyward would marvel at how close Freeman was willing to cut it, Freeman would give Heyward grief for how long he'd take to get ready.

"In the minor leagues, we had to shave, had to keep it low," Heyward said. "And I've been, at that time, shaving since I was 15. So sometimes I had to shave twice a day, otherwise it was just freaking uncomfortable.

“So, yeah, if I may take a long time to get ready, ‘You’re rocking with what you’re rocking with; you can just get out of bed, literally wet your hair, and then go.’”

On the road, Freeman still jokes, Heyward's BlackBerry phone came into play. The team would put the players up in hotel rooms with two beds, subjecting Freeman to the incessant clicking of Heyward texting.

“Anybody can nitpick something, but if I complain about a BlackBerry texting, that’s not really anything,” Freeman said. “‘Sorry, I had friends,’ he would say.”

Freeman and Heyward were inseparable. They'd hit back-to-back in the lineup, and then get on the bus for a 13-hour ride and sit right next to each other.

They rose quickly through the farm system, one after another, sharing the highs and lows.

"There was some irony in the fact of how he was treated in the South, versus how I'm treated in the South, even though I'm from there," said Heyward, who is Black. "And that goes back to even in the minor leagues."

A road trip to Savannah, Ga., in 2008 immediately came to mind for Freeman, who is white. From first base Freeman could hear everything the crowd said to Heyward in right field — including the racial slur a fan yelled in the middle of a game.

"It was the first time I ever heard the N-word," Freeman said. "It was crazy to me. And I was almost in tears. I wanted to run into the stands."

In fact, he started walking over there, before Heyward stopped him.

“For me, obviously, that’s been my whole life, especially growing up where I grew up,” Heyward said. “But it’s just a good perspective on him not hearing it before. And I think that’s it.

“But, yeah, if anybody would have tried him on anything, I'm fighting them too. ... What's understood didn't have to be explained there.”

The fact that Heyward could remain so calm was eye-opening for Freeman. The pair came away from that incident, and more subtle slights (like having to wait 20 minutes to be seated in a mostly empty restaurant), with a better understanding of each other.

“For an 18-year-old to have that be a normal thing is even more saddening,” Freeman said. “To this day, it’s hard to even talk about. That those kids, or young adults [in the stands] grew up thinking that was an OK thing to say, it’s just baffling to me.”

Teammates

Heyward's highly anticipated MLB debut came on April 5, 2010, opening day at Turner Field. And in his first major league at-bat, he smoked a three-run home run to right field.

Freeman, on the other hand, started the season in triple A. But that didn't split up the roommates. Freeman made the 35-minute drive northeast to Gwinnett, and Heyward headed south for 15 minutes.

By late August, it was obvious Freeman would be among the Braves' call-ups when rosters expanded on Sept. 1.

Sure enough, Heyward and Freeman headed south that day — still driving separately because of their differing morning routines.

"I walked into Turner Field, and saw my name in the lineup, hitting sixth, and I almost threw up," Freeman said.

Seeing familiar faces helped. Freeman knew many of the coaches and his new teammates from major league spring training

'Everyone has fun playing baseball, but to experience the big leagues with your best friend, I don't know if you can get much better than that.'

—FREDDIE FREEMAN

the past two years. And, of course, there was Heyward.

"Just a special day," Freeman said. "I didn't get any hits, but I didn't care.

"Jason got all the hits for us, he went four for four. He was so happy I was there. He took all my hits."

As Freeman went through his big-league firsts, he appreciated having Heyward, who'd already checked them off for himself, by his side.

“Those were both of our ‘college years,’ ” Heyward said. “So seeing the real world a little bit, spending time on flights, clubhouse, dinners, enjoying teammates, becoming young adults.”

They were also playing well. Heyward and Freeman finished No. 2 in National League rookie of the year voting in consecutive years. And they started filling up their own individual trophy cases, while the Braves made it to the postseason three times in five years.

“Everyone has fun playing baseball,” Freeman said, “but to experience the big leagues with your best friend, I don’t know if you can get much better than that.”

Rivals

As soon as the Braves were eliminated from the 2014 postseason chase, the team fired general manager Frank Wren. Plunging into a rebuild, new president of baseball operations John Hart's first big move was to trade Heyward to the Cardinals for pitching.

“That was the first time I saw the business side of baseball,” Freeman said. “Sad day. But it opened my eyes to, this isn’t just fun all the time. The fun has to end at some point.”

Freeman and Heyward kept in touch and celebrated each other's successes. But it wasn't the same.

“That was like, ‘All right, this is becoming more of a job,’ ” Heyward said.

Heyward leveraged that platform season in St. Louis into an eight-year, free-agent contract with the Cubs worth \$184 million, setting a franchise record.

The Braves extended Freeman. Then when he finally hit free agency after the 2021 season, he became the first infielder to sign a \$100-plus million deal with the Dodgers, signing a contract for six years and \$162 million.

For eight years, Heyward and Freeman played for opposing NL teams. Then, an unexpected turn of events set the ball rolling for a re-union.

In early August 2022, when Heyward had already been on the injured list for over a month with what the Cubs called right knee inflammation, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer announced that the team intended to release the veteran right fielder from the final year of his contract after the season.

Freeman saw an opportunity. And for the rest of the year, he didn't let Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman or general manager Brandon Gomes walk by without hearing his pitch for Heyward.

"I'll shoot you straight," Freeman told them. "I don't know what you're going to get from the baseball player Jason Heyward, but I know what you're going to get from the person Jason Heyward, and what he would mean inside of a clubhouse, and what he can do to young guys and help them. There's no one better to be in this clubhouse [and help] how you are envisioning clubhouse culture and chemistry than to bring this guy in."

Friedman doesn't have an exact count on the number of times Freeman mentioned Heyward to him in those months, "but it was definitely a lot."

Friedman and Gomes were intrigued enough to have their group dig into the evolution of Heyward's swing. But they still had questions, like how open was he to diving into adjustments with their staff?

Soon after he was officially released, the Dodgers set up a Zoom.

“He was all in,” Friedman said, “in terms of open-mindedness, desire to change some of the recent narrative, and he was excited about the prospect of working with our guys and doing what he could to help us win games, both on and off the field.”

Heyward said he heard from the Dodgers three times before he heard from any other team in free agency. "That was how persistent they were," he said.

Heyward signed a minor-league deal with the Dodgers in early December. He spent time in Southern

California over the offseason to get a head start on overhauling his swing. And he met Freeman in Newport Beach to hang out, hit and work out together.

Heyward's efforts paid off. He made the team out of spring training. And he and Freeman were officially teammates again.

"It was so fun," Heyward said.

Their reunion on the field was brief — the Dodgers re-signed Heyward for the 2024 season and then, his first half derailed by injuries, released him in August — but it was still sweet.

“You go from sitting together on a bus coming from Rome, Georgia, going to Wilmington, Delaware, — and like now you’re on a first-class flight with the L.A. Dodgers, and traveling from West Coast to East Coast, wearing the jumpsuits, all that stuff,” Heyward said. “That was a very cool experience coming from being 16 years old, Aflac All-Americans, to now sharing a World Series ring.”

Co-workers

Heyward finished 2024 with the Astros and spent the next season with the Padres. He trained this past offseason to be ready for spring training if a team gave him an offer. But in the final weeks, he also started laying groundwork for a post-playing career in case the phone never rang.

"This year I said, 'If we get a Super Bowl weekend, that's it, and I'm content,' " Heyward said. "Not complacent; I'm content. I let it run its course, and now I have clarity to go do whatever else it is."

He said he reached out to the Cubs first about a non-playing role, and had cursory conversations with the White Sox. He exchanged texts with Friedman, reviving conversations they'd had in his stint with the Dodgers. In many ways, it came down to timing.

Heyward had already been planning on meeting up in spring training with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, a former player, to pick his brain about the transition.

They went to dinner, with both their wives, and stayed for six hours.

“I basically was just honest with him, in telling him that, No. 1, I think it's great that he wants to stay in the game,” Roberts said. “But No. 2 is that when you're a player, you look at certain things in a certain lens, but for him to be good at this job in the front office, he's got to be really open-minded to learn.”

Roberts came away from the conversation excited by how earnestly Heyward embraced that message. And he mentioned to Gomes: "Someone with his character that has his desire to work could be a huge asset for us."

Friends

Life changes dramatically between the ages of 16 and 36.

“Single guys trying to make it, to married with many kids,” said Freeman, who turns 37 next month. “And we’re still as close as ever, which is really, really special for me.”

Then, he added: "This is going to be friends forever."

Their wives, Chelsea Freeman and Vedrana Heyward, are close too. The Freeman's middle children are just a little over a year older than the Heywards' eldest. And the families' newest additions were both born months apart.

Freeman and Heyward are already coordinating family schedules and travel — the Heywards are based in Chicago — to all get together in California this offseason.

They're no longer those high schoolers bonding between rounds of Pop-A-Shot. In June, Freeman surpassed 2,500 career MLB hits.

"The way Free's done it, winning is all over it," Heyward said. "I think that's one of those unique abilities, to this guy is playing the game first, winning first, and then he's getting a result, then he's having the big at-bat, doing it obviously in the postseason. So I'm just happy to see him get the recognition that he's earned the time he put into it. I'm happy to see his stubbornness pay off.

"It's not easy to do. It's much easier said than done."

Heyward, moving on from a 16-year major-league playing career, would love to be a general manager one day. But he's keeping an open mind. He took Roberts' advice to heart and is using his first year as a special assistant to learn and explore the possibilities.

Heyward has been around the major-league team for a handful of series in Los Angeles and Chicago (even giving Freeman advance notice before the White Sox series to make up for his May drop-in).

“Whatever he wants to be in the front office, he’s going to be it, because that’s just who he is,” Freeman said. “Because he is a special man, he works hard, he cares, he wants to be the best.”

Freeman has already seen Heyward manifest his dreams once — and vice versa.

Being drafted, making it to the majors, winning championships, those were just dreams 20 years ago this month, when they both wandered into the communal activities room between All-American Classic obligations.

“That week in San Diego,” Freeman said, “obviously we’ll never forget it.”

BASEBALL : MONDAY FLASHBACK

STANDINGS Through Monday

NATIONAL LEAGUE

West	W	L	Pct.	GB	L10
DODGERS	80	51	.611	–	7-3
San Diego	71	61	.538	$9\frac{1}{2}$	6-4
Arizona	69	63	.523	$11\frac{1}{2}$	5-5
San Francisco	53	78	.405	27	3-7
Colorado	50	81	.382	30	2-8
Central	W	L	Pct.	GB	L10
Milwaukee	81	50	.618	–	7-3
Chicago	76	56	.576	$5\frac{1}{2}$	5-5
St. Louis	66	66	.500	$15\frac{1}{2}$	5-5
Pittsburgh	64	69	.481	18	5-5
Cincinnati	62	70	.470	$19\frac{1}{2}$	3-7
East	W	L	Pct.	GB	L10
Atlanta	76	55	.580	–	3-7
Philadelphia	73	59	.553	$3\frac{1}{2}$	9-1
Miami	67	65	.508	$9\frac{1}{2}$	5-5
Washington	62	71	.466	15	2-8
New York	59	72	.450	17	6-4

AMERICAN LEAGUE

West	W	L	Pct.	GB	L10
Texas	66	66	.500	–	6-4
Houston	65	66	.496	$\frac{1}{2}$	4-6
Seattle	63	69	.477	3	6-4
ANGELS	52	80	.394	14	4-6
Athletics	51	81	.386	15	3-7
Central	W	L	Pct.	GB	L10
Chicago	68	63	.519	–	5-5
Cleveland	66	66	.500	$2\frac{1}{2}$	7-3
Minnesota	64	68	.485	$4\frac{1}{2}$	4-6
Detroit	61	70	.466	7	1-9
Kansas City	58	74	.439	$10\frac{1}{2}$	9-1
East	W	L	Pct.	GB	L10
Tampa Bay	78	53	.595	–	4-6
New York	74	56	.569	$3\frac{1}{2}$	6-4
Boston	72	59	.550	6	7-3
Toronto	64	68	.485	$14\frac{1}{2}$	5-5
Baltimore	63	68	.481	15	5-5

JAYNE KAMIN-ONCEA Associated Press

Today's games

Dodgers at Atlanta 4:15 p.m. Cleveland at Angels 1:07 p.m. Tampa Bay at Detroit 10:10 a.m. Chicago (NL) at Phoenix 12:40 p.m. Cincinnati at San Francisco 12:45 p.m. Philadelphia at Seattle 1:10 p.m. Pittsburgh at San Diego 1:10 p.m. Boston at Miami 3:40 p.m. Colorado at Washington 3:45 p.m. Houston at New York (AL) 4:05 p.m. Kansas City at Toronto 4:07 p.m. Milwaukee at New York (NL) 4:10 p.m. Texas at Chicago (AL) 4:40 p.m. Baltimore at St. Louis 4:45 p.m. Minnesota at Athletics 6:05 p.m.

BOSTON 4, MIAMI 2

Boston	000	010	012 -4	9	1
Miami	010	000	100 -2	9	0

Miami	AB	R	H	BI	Avg.
Lopez ss	4	1	2	1	.307
Hernández lf	4	0	2	0	.232
Stowers 1b	4	0	1	0	.242
Ramírez dh	2	0	0	0	.237
Caisie dh	1	0	1	0	.228
Edwards 2b	5	0	1	1	.284
Marsee cf	3	1	0	0	.210
Sanoja 3b	4	0	0	0	.276
Ruiz rf	1	0	0	0	.242
Conine rf	2	0	0	0	.261
Mack c	3	0	1	0	.236
Jiménez	1	0	1	0	.211
Navarreto c	0	0	0	0	.129
Totals	34	2	9	2

Boston	AB	R	H	BI	Avg.
Sogard ss	5	0	1	1	.283
Rafaela cf	5	0	1	0	.289
Abreu rf	4	1	1	0	.256
Contreras 1b	4	0	0	0	.280
Rutschman c	5	0	0	0	.236
Durbin 3b	4	0	1	0	.255
Duran lf	4	1	2	0	.209
Gasper dh	2	0	2	1	.270
White dh	0	1	0	0	.236
Seigler 2b	3	1	1	1	.254
Totals	36	4	9	3

THE GUARDIANS' Jo Adell tips his batting helmet to fans before his first at-bat at Angel Stadium since being traded on Aug. 3.

TEXAS 11, CHICAGO WHITE SOX 2

Texas	AB	R	H	BI	Avg.
Pederson dh	1	1	0	0	.234
Foscue dh-2b	4	1	1	0	.253
Seager ss	4	1	3	3	.232
Lopez ss	1	1	1	0	.262
Langford lf	5	2	2	2	.253
Nimmo rf	4	0	0	0	.260
Duran 3b-rf	4	1	2	2	.272
Carter cf	4	1	1	1	.196
Burger 1b	3	1	2	2	.236
Díaz c	4	1	0	0	.228
Freeman 2b-3b	5	1	2	0	.300

Chicago	AB	R	H	BI	Avg.
Antonacci lf	4	0	0		0.265
Murakami 1b	4	0	1		0.223
Vargas 3b	3	0	1		0.246
Benintendi dh	3	0	0		0.244
b-Doyle dh	1	0	0		0.208
B.Montgomery rf	3	1	1		0.233
C.Montgomery ss	4	0	0		0.211
Meidroth 2b	3	0	0		0.268
Peters cf	4	1	1		2.271
Romo c	3	0	1		0.147
Totals	32	2	5	2

CLEVELAND 4, ANGELS 2

Boston	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Suarez	5	4	1	1	4	4	93	3.35
Bello	2	2	1	1	2	1	42	4.68
Miller, W, 3-0	1	2	0	0	0	1	16	2.14
Chapman, S, 30-32	1	1	0	0	0	1	18	1.81

Walks—Boston 4: Abreu 1, Gasper 2, Seigler 1. Miami 6: Hernández 1, Stowers 1, Ramírez 1, Caissie 1, Marsee 1, Sanoja 1. Strikeouts—Boston 7: Sogard 2, Rafaela 1, Abreu 2, Rutschman 1, Duran 1. Miami 7: Stowers 2, Ramírez 1, Edwards 2, Marsee 1, Mack 1. E—Duran (2). LOB—Boston 10, Miami 14. 2B—Gasper (8), Duran (14), Abreu (28), Stowers (22), Lopez (30). 3B—Seigler (1). RBIs—Gasper (17), Seigler (13), Sogard (10), Lopez (59), Edwards (50). SF—Lopez. RISP—Boston 1 for 14; Miami 2 for 18. DP—Boston 1 (Sogard, Contreras).
Inherited runners-scored—Zuber 1-1, Gibson 1-0. HBP—Suarez 2 (Marsee, Ruiz), Ekness (Contreras). WP—Ekness. U—Ron Kulpa, David Rackley, Manny Gonzalez, Tom Hanahan. T—3:05. Tickets sold—16,247 (37,446).

strikeouts in 155 innings.

Ex-Angel Adell delivers a key hit

Miami	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Alcantara....	7	6	1	1	2	6	102	3.38
Ekness, BS, 1-3....	1	1	1	1	0	1	16	1.69
Fairbanks, L, 4-5....	0	0	1	1	1	0	5	6.02
Zuber....%	2	1	1	1	0	0	12	3.62
Gibson....%	0	0	0	0	1	0	15	5.30

Texas	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Rocker, W, 5-10......	$5\frac{1}{2}$	5	2	2	3	8	93	4.41
Ahlstrom......	$1\frac{1}{2}$	0	0	0	0	1	16	4.75
J.Montgomery......	2	0	0	0	0	2	23	6.30

Cleveland took a 1-0 lead in the third when Steven Kwan and José Ramírez singled, Adell walked and Nathaniel Lowe hit a sacrifice fly.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Parker Messick pitched six innings of one-run ball and Austin Hedges hit a two-run homer in the Cleveland Guardians' 4-2 victory over the host Angels on Monday.

Walks—Texas 8: Pederson 1, Seager 1, Langford 1, Nimmo 1, Duran 1, Carter 1, Burger 2. Chicago 3: Vargas 1, B.Montgomery 1, Meidroth 1. Strikeouts—Texas 6: Pederson 1, Langford 1, Nimmo 1, Duran 1, Burger 1, Diaz 1. Chicago 11: Antonacci 1, Murakami 3, B.Montgomery 1, C.Montgomery 3, Meidroth 2, Peters 1. LOB—Texas 11, Chicago 6. 2B—Carter (13), Seager 2 (12), Foscue (9), Burger (19), Duran (25). HR—Burger (22), off Schweitzer; Langford (15), off Richards; Peters (10), off Rocker. RBIs—Duran 2 (67), Carter (32), Seager 3 (34), Burger 2 (75), Langford 2 (36), Peters 2 (47). CS—Duran (3). RISP—Texas 4 for 12; Chicago 0 for 3.

He drives in the go-ahead run for the Guardians as rookie Messick pitches six strong innings in 4-2 win.

Moisés Ballesteros dunked an RBI single into center for a 1-1 tie, advancing Grissom to third. Messick escaped further damage by striking out Jose Siri and getting Campero to pop out.

Through 26 starts, the rookie left-hander has a 2.50 ERA with 156

Jo Adell hit a go-ahead single for the Guardians against his former team. Messick (10-8) gave up three hits, struck out four and walked one while extending to nine his string of consecutive starts with two or fewer runs yielded.

Pooled for Sir in the 10th. Slinges for 6 Amanad in the 5th. Walks—Cleveland 3: Adell 1, Genao 1, Halpin 1. Angels 1: Trout 1. Strikeouts—Cleveland 5: Ramirez 1, Adell 1, Genoa 1, Halpin 1, Hedges 1. Angels 8: Ballesteros 2, Siri 1, Campero 2, Moore 1, Guzman 1, d'Amaud 1. E—Klassen (1), Guzman (7). LOB—Cleveland 6, Angels 5. 2B—Martinez (18), J.Lowe (7). HR—Hedges (5), off Weiman. RBIs—N.Lowe (48), Adell (18), Hedges 2 (21), Ballesteros (27), Campero (2). SB—Kwan (9), J.Lowe (5). CS—Kwan (3), Ramirez (4). SF—N.Lowe, Campero. Runners left in scoring position—Cleveland 1 (Halpin); Angels 2 (Moore, Campero). RISP—Cleveland 1 for 4; Los Angeles 1 for 6. GIDP—Martinez, Grissom. DP—Cleveland 1 (N.Lowe, Rocchio, N.Lowe); Angels 1 (Moore, Netto, Grissom).

Texas	212	021	012 - 11	14	0
Chicago	020	000	000 - 2	5	0

Trout was caught off the bag on Vaughn Grissom's hard grounder to second but stayed in a rundown long enough for Grissom to reach second.

Angels rookie George Klassen (2-2) gave up three runs — two earned — and six hits in $5^{1/3}$ innings.

The Angels (52-80) pulled to 4-2 on Gustavo Campero's sacrifice fly in the ninth, but Christian Moore

Cleveland	001	012	000 -4	8	0
Angels	000	100	001 -2	6	2

Cleveland (66-66) won its fifth straight and pulled within $2^{1/2}$ games of the first-place Chicago White Sox in the AL Central.

Adell, acquired from the Angels on Aug. 3, snapped a 1-1 tie with a two-out single in the fifth — his 13th RBI in six games. Hedges made it 4-1 with a two-out homer off reliever Blake Weiman in the sixth.

Chicago	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Urquidy, L, 2-2	3	6	5	5	4	2	93	6.63
Schweitzer	2	3	2	2	0	2	36	3.64
Brazobán	1	1	1	1	2	0	21	3.16
Richards	$2\frac{1}{3}$	4	3	3	2	2	61	3.66
Acuña	$\frac{1}{3}$	0	0	0	0	0	3	0.00

Inherited runners-scored—Weiman 1-1. HBP_Smith (Grissom). U— Gabe Morales, Doug Eddings, Mike Muchlinski, Emil Jimenez. T—2:33. Tickets sold—26,302 (45,517).

Colin Holderman struck out three of four batters in the seventh. Hunter Gaddis tossed a scoreless eighth and Cade Smith gave up a run in the ninth before earning his 34th save.

Koehler (Lowly), August 1 (Bottom High/Second)
Cleveland	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Messick, W, 10-8....6	3	1	1	1	1	4	94	2.50
Holderman, H, 11....1	1	0	0	0	0	3	21	2.29
Gaddis, H, 27....1	1	0	0	0	0	0	12	3.22
Smith, S, 34-39....1	1	1	1	1	0	1	20	2.44
Angels	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Klassen, L, 2-2.... $5\frac{1}{2}$	6	3	2	3	3	3	90	3.67
Weiman....	1	1	1	1	0	0	16	2.25
Murphy.... $\frac{1}{2}$	0	0	0	0	0	1	12	1.74
Peralta....2	1	0	0	0	0	1	22	5.19

Cleveland	AB	R	H	BI	Avg.
Kwan lf	5	1	2	0	.265
Ramírez 3b	4	0	1	0	.235
Adell dh	3	0	1	1	.262
N.Lowe 1b	3	0	0	1	.262
Genao 2b	3	1	1	0	.290
Martínez rf	4	0	1	0	.245
Halpin cf	3	0	1	0	.214
Hedges c	4	1	1	2	.270
Rocchio ss	4	1	0	0	.247
Totals	33	4	8	4

Angels	AB	R	H	BI	Avg.
Neto ss	4	1	1	0	.237
Trout cf	3	0	1	0	.240
Grissom 1b	3	1	0	0	.245
Ballesteros dh	4	0	1	1	.214
Siri rf	2	0	0	0	.253
a-J.Lowe rf	2	0	2	0	.212
Campero lf	3	0	0	1	.300
Moore 2b	4	0	0	0	.156
Guzman 3b	3	0	0	0	.227
d'Arnaud c	2	0	0	0	.164
b-Frazier	1	0	1	0	.257
Heineman c	0	0	0	0	.179
Totals	31	2	6	2

flied out to the left-center warning track with a runner on for the final out.

Messick retired his first nine batters before Zach Neto and Mike Trout opened the fourth with singles. Neto went to third on Trout's hit, and Trout took second on the throw.

Colorado	AB	R	H	BI	Avg.
McCarthy cf	4	0	1	0	.294
Fulford	1	0	0	0	.174
Moniak rf	4	1	1	0	.260
Castro 3b	4	1	1	1	.264
Rumfield 1b	3	0	1	0	.287
Johnston dh-p	2	0	0	0	.282
Norby 2b	4	0	1	1	.217
Sullivan c	4	0	0	0	.228
Veen lf	2	0	0	0	.208
Beck lf	1	0	0	0	.193
Tovar ss	2	1	2	1	.209
Ritter ss	2	0	0	0	.091
Totals	33	3	7	3

WASHINGTON 13, COLORADO 3

Colorado	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Feltner, L, 5-8	$5\frac{1}{2}$	6	7	5	4	6	103	6.08
Mejia	$\frac{1}{2}$	1	1	1	2	0	20	5.76
Adams	1	5	5	5	2	0	37	45.00
Johnston	1	1	0	0	0	0	14	0.00

Inherited runners-scored—Ahlstrom 1-0. IBB_off Richards (Seager). HBP—Urquidy 2 (Nimmo, Díaz). WP—Richards(2). U—Chris Guccione, Scott Barry, Charlie Ramos, Nestor Ceja. T—3:07. Tickets sold—11,471 (40,241).

Washington	AB	R	H	BI	Avg.
Abrams dh	4	2	1	1	.278
Ortiz 1b	4	2	1	1	.212
Crews rf	2	1	0	1	.213
Lile lf	5	2	3	5	.246
House 3b	4	0	1	0	.236
Ruiz c	4	1	2	0	.283
Young cf	5	2	2	0	.246
Vivas 2b	5	1	3	2	.239
Nuñez ss	3	2	0	0	.219
Totals	36	13	13	10

LINDSEY WASSON Associated Press
THIS CATCH IS QUITE A REACH
Walks—Colorado 3: Rumfield 1, Johnston 1, Beck 1. Washington 8: Abrams 1, Ortiz 3, House 1, Ruiz 1, Nuñez 1. Strikeouts—Colorado 10: McCarthy 1, Monika 1, Castro 1, Rumfield 1, Norby 1, Sullivan 2, Veen 2, Ritter 1. Washington 6: Abrams 1, Ortiz 2, Crews 1, Young 1, Vivas 1. E—Castro (11), Sullivan (5). LOB—Colorado 7. Washington 8. 2B—Tovar (21), Abrams (26), Lile (25), House (11), Young (17). HR—Castro (15), off Cavalli; Tovar (10), off Cavalli; Lile (16), off Adams. RBIs—Castro (54), Tovar (39), Norby (19), Abrams (92), Ortiz (10), Crews (30), Lile (71), Vivas 2 (24). SB—McCarthy (24), Abrams 2 (26). S.—Nuñez. Runners left in scoring position—Colorado 5 (Sullivan 2, Veen, Monika, Rumfield); Washington 4 (House 2, Nuñez, Ruiz). RISP—Colorado 1 for 9. Washington 4 for 13. DP—Colorado 1 (Ritter, Rumfield);
Walks—Tampa Bay 4: Díaz 1, Caminero 1, Mateo 2. Detroit 1: Keith 1. Strikeouts—Tampa Bay 3: Caminero 1, Walls 2. Detroit 12: Keith 2, Lee 2, Dingler 1, Malgeri 1, McKinstry 1, Torkelson 2, Clark 1, Báez 2. E—Callahan (1). LOB—Tampa Bay 6, Detroit 6. 2B—DeLuca (19), Mateo (7), McGonigle (24), Torkelson (22). HR—Aranda (16), off Valdez. RBIs—Caminero (84), Aranda 2 (78), Simpson (29), Callahan (6). CS—Mateo (2). SF—Callahan. S—Fortes. Runners left in scoring position—Tampa Bay 3 (Fortes, Díaz, Aranda); Detroit 2 (Torkelson, Lee). RISP—Tampa Bay 2 for 7; Detroit 1 for 6. Runners moved up—Caminero, Walls. GIDP—DeLuca. DP—Detroit 1 (McGonigle, Lee,

A Phillies fan catches a two-run home run by the Mariners' Cal Raleigh in the first inning of Monday's game. Raleigh hit two more home runs — both solo shots — in Seattle's 9-2 win.

TAMPA BAY 4, DETROIT 1
CHICAGO CUBS 7, ARIZONA 0

Chicago	AB	R	H	BI	Avg.
Crew-Armstrong cf	5	0	0	0	.278
Suzuki rf	5	0	1	1	.269
Busch 1b	3	1	0	0	.243
Bregman 3b	5	1	1	0	.256
Happ lf	5	1	2	1	.220
Hoerner ss	3	0	0	1	.262
Ramirez 2b	4	1	2	1	.290
Conforto dh	3	2	3	2	.232
C.Kelly c	3	1	1	1	.262
Totals	36	7	10	7

Arizona	AB	R	H	BI	Avg.
Nootbaar dh	3	0	0		.221
Fernandez	1	0	1		.269
Carroll rf	3	0	0		.251
Moreno c	4	0	0		.303
Perdomo ss	4	0	1		.246
Kepler lf	3	0	1		.219
Lawlar	1	0	0		.281
Arenado 3b	3	0	0		.239
Tawa 1b	3	0	1		.251
Vargas 2b	3	0	1		.262
Waldschmidt cf	3	0	0		.273
Totals	31	0	5	0

SEATTLE 9, PHILADELPHIA 2
MINNESOTA 9, ATHLETICS 6
Walks—Chicago 4: Busch 2, Conforto 1, C.Kelly 1. Arizona 1: Carroll 1. Strikeouts—Chicago 4: Suzuki 1, Busch 2, Hoerner 1. Arizona 6: Carroll 2, Perdomo 1, Vargas 1, Waldschmidt 2. LOB—Chicago 7, Arizona 5. 2B—Conforto (13), Suzuki (25), Happ (24). 3B—Ramirez (2). HR—Conforto (12), off Clarke; C.Kelly (8), off Clarke. RBIs—Ramirez (21), Suzuki (75), Conforto 2 (33), C.Kelly (45), Happ (58), Hoemer (59). SB—Carroll 2 (20). CS—Tawa (4). SF—Hoemer. Runners left in scoring position—Chicago 5 (Crow-Armstrong 2, Bregman, Ramirez, Suzuki); Arizona 2 (Lawlar, Perdomo). RISP—Chicago 2 for 8; Arizona 6 for 10.

Chicago	010	013	200 – 7	10	0
Arizona	000	000	000 – 0	5	0

Tampa Bay	200	101	000 -4	9	0
Detroit	000	100	000 -1	5	1

Philadelphia	AB	R	H	BI	Avg.	Seattle	AB	R	H	BI	Avg.
Schwarber dh	3	1	0	0	.243	Anozarena lf	2	1	0	0	.274
Turner ss	4	0	0	0	.243	Canzone rf	5	1	1	0	.256
Harper rf	3	0	2	0	.262	Rodriguez cf	5	2	2	3	.249
Arraez 2b	4	0	1	0	.321	Naylor 1b	4	0	3	0	.271
Bohm 1b	4	0	1	1	.246	Ward dh	2	1	0	0	.235
Stott 3b	4	0	1	0	.259	Raleigh c	3	3	3	4	.167
Marsh lf	4	0	0	0	.274	Young 2b	4	1	1	1	.251
Realmuto c	3	1	1	1	.225	Wilson 3b	4	0	0	0	.202
Crawford cf	3	0	0	0	.266	Rudden ss	4	0	0	0	.214
Totals	32	2	5	2		Totals	33	9	10	8

PITTSBURGH 3, SAN DIEGO 2 (12 INNINGS)

Pittsburgh	AB	R	H	BI	Avg.	San Diego	AB	R	H	BI	Avg.
Gonzales dh	5	0	2	1	.308	Tatis rf	5	0	0	0	.287
Valdez rf	3	1	1	1	.249	Cronenworth 2b	5	0	2	1	.230
Cook rf	0	0	0	0	.180	Machado 3b	3	0	0	0	.215
Mangum rf	2	0	0	0	.292	France 1b	3	0	1	0	.289
Reynolds lf	5	1	1	0	.261	Merrill cf	5	0	0	0	.238
Cruz cf	6	0	0	0	.259	Bogaerts ss	3	0	0	0	.218
Flores c	4	0	2	1	.266	Sheets dh	2	0	0	0	.212
Lowe 2b	5	0	0	0	.252	b-Hays dh	3	0	1	0	.242
Yorke 3b	2	0	0	0	.208	Fermic n	2	1	2	0	.201
Gonzales ss	3	0	0	0	.219	Ringifo	1	0	0	0	.247
Howitz 1b	5	0	1	0	.252	Campusano c	2	0	0	0	.293
Trolo ss-3b	4	1	2	0	.239	Harris lf	5	1	1	0	.229
Totals	44	3	9	3		Totals	39	2	7	1

Colorado	000	110	010 – 3	7	2
Washington	000	053	23x –13	13	0

Tampa Bay	AB	R	H	BI	Avg.	Detroit	AB	R	H	BI	Avg.
Diaz dh	4	1	1	0	.305	Keith dh	3	0	0	0	.266
Vilade rf	3	1	0	0	.264	Lee 2b	4	0	0	0	.276
Bullins cf	1	0	0	0	.205	McGlenge 3b	4	1	1	0	.283
Cameron c	3	0	1	1	.277	Dinger 3c	3	0	1	0	.253
DeLuca cf-cf	4	0	2	0	.271	Callahan lf	1	0	0	1	.263
Aranda 1b	4	1	1	2	.280	Malgeri lf	2	0	1	0	.242
Mateo 2b	2	1	1	0	.236	McKinstry rf	4	0	0	0	.221
Fortes c	3	0	0	0	.263	Torkelson 1b	4	0	1	0	.221
Simpson lf	4	0	2	1	.312	Clark cf	3	0	0	0	.244
Walls ss	4	0	0	0	.215	Báez ss	3	0	1	0	.260
Totals	32	4	9	4		Totals	31	1	5	1

Philadelphia	110	000	000 -2	5	1
Seattle	501	020	10x -9	10	0

Walks—Philadelphia 2: Schwarber 1, Harper 1, Seattle 6; Arozarena 3, Ward 2, Raleigh 1. Strikeouts—Philadelphia 8: Schwarber 1, Turner 2, Bohm 1, Stott 2, Marsh 2. Seattle 12; Arozarena 1, Canzone 2, Rodriguez 2, Ward 1, Wilson 3, Rodden 3. E—Turner (20). LOB—Philadelphia 5, Seattle 6. 2B—Naylor (18). HR—Realmuto (9), off Gilbert; Rodriguez (20), off Wheeler; Raleigh 2 (16), off Wheeler; Young (16), off Wheeler; Raleigh (17), off Shugart. RBIs—Bohm (76), Realmuto (44), Rodriguez 3 (56), Raleigh 4 (51), Young (57). Runners left in scoring position—Philadelphia 2 (Stott 2); Seattle 3 (Rodden 2, Ward). RISP—Philadelphia 1 for 3; Seattle 1 for 5. Runners moved up—Bohm. GIBD—Canzone DB, Philadelphia 1 (Arzoz. Tumor, Bohm).
Inherited runners-scored—Mejia 2-2, Johnston 1-0. HBP—Beeter (Johnston). WP—Beeter. U—Nick Mahrley, Marvin Hudson, Willie Traynor, Tripp Gibson. T—3:01. Tickets sold—12,105 (41,376).

Pittsburgh	000	002	000	001	_	3	9	0
San Diego	000	001	010	000	_	2	7	0

Walks—Pittsburgh 5; Gonzales 1, Valdez 1, Reynolds 1, Flores 1, Triolo 1. San Diego 6: Machado 2, France 2, Bogaerts 2. Strikeouts—Pittsburgh 15: Valdez 2, Reynolds 1, Cruz 3, Love 4, Gonzalez 3, Horwitz 2. San Diego 10: Tatis 2, Cronenworth 1, Merrill 2. Hays 2, Renfigo 1, Campuano 1, Harris 1. LOB—Pittsburgh 13, San Diego 28.—FBores (3), Fermin (11), Harris (2). HR—Valdez (15), off Ray. RBIs—Valdez (42), Flores (14), Gonzales (56), Cronenworth (23), SB—Triolo (10), Bogaerts (17), Gonzales (7), Machado (3), Tatis (30). Runners left in scoring position—Pittsburgh 9 (Gonzalez, Mangum 2, Reynolds 2, Love 2, Triolo, Cruz); San Diego 6 (Hays, Bogaerts 2, Merrill 2, Harrie). RISP—Pittsburgh 1 for 15; San Diego 1 for 13. DP—Pittsburgh 4 (Triolo, Love, Horwitz, Horwitz, Triolo, Horwitz; Love, Gonzalez, Horwitz, Horwitz;
Inherited runners-scored—Montgomery 3-0, Rodriguez 1-1. IBB-off Morejon (Flores). WP-Morejon, Estrada. U-Dan Merzel, Dan Bellino, Mark Ripperger, Shane Livensparger. T-4:10. Tickets sold-40,447 (40,222).

Buenzlauer, Horwillz), San Diego 1 (Chilewood, Bogota, Francis, Franco)
Pittsburgh	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Ashcraft....	6	4	1	1	1	2	91	3.59
Soto, H, 9....	1	0	0	0	1	1	14	3.38
Weaver, BS, 1-4....	$\frac{1}{2}$	2	1	1	2	1	34	2.36
Montgomery....	$1\frac{1}{2}$	1	0	0	0	1	12	3.25
Doval....	1	0	0	0	0	1	6	3.91
Yates, W, 2-5....	1	0	0	0	2	1	19	3.32
Ramírez, S, 2-4....	1	0	0	0	0	3	17	3.15

San Diego	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Ray....5 $\frac{1}{2}$	5	2	2	2	2	5	99	3.21
Rodriguez.... $\frac{1}{2}$	1	0	0	0	0	2	18	2.02
Matsui....1	0	0	0	1	2		21	2.13
Hart....1	1	0	0	0	0	1	16	4.05
Miller....1	1	0	0	1	2		30	0.81
Morejon....2	0	0	0	1	2		20	2.66
Estrada, L, 2-3....1	1	1	0	0	1		16	3.48

Minnesota	AB	R	H	BI	Avg.	Athletics	AB	R	H	BI	Avg.
Keaschall rf	6	0	2	2	.274	Bolte cf	4	3	4	0	.276
Buxton cf	5	4	3	0	.256	McNeil 1b	5	1	3	2	.267
Jeffers c	4	0	1	0	.281	Gelof 2b	5	1	2	1	.261
Bell dh	3	1	1	3	.253	Butler rf	3	0	2	2	.223
Clemens lf	5	0	2	2	.239	White 3b	4	0	0	1	.254
Lewis 1b	5	0	1	0	.233	Walton ss	3	0	0	0	.278
Culpepper ss	5	1	4	1	.340	Muncy lf	4	0	1	0	.215
Lee 3b	5	1	1	0	.247	Cortes dh	4	0	0	0	.257
Kreidler 2b	4	2	1	1	.227	Heim c	4	1	1	0	.205
Totals	42	9	16	9		Totals	36	6	12	6

Minnesota	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Matthews, W, 8-8	7	6	1	1	1	7	105	4.86
Nance	1	2	1	1	1	0	16	3.35
Gómez	$\frac{3}{2}$	4	4	4	1	0	20	3.79
A Morris, S, 4-8	$\frac{1}{2}$	0	0	0	0	0	1	3.41

Minnesota	101	023	020 -9	16	0
Athletics	001	000	014 -6	12	0

Walks—Minnesota 3: Buxton 1, Jeffers 2. Athletics 3: Bolte 1, Butler 2. Strikeouts—Minnesota 5: Keaschall 1, Clemens 2, Kreidler 2. Athletics 7: Gelof 1, Butler 1, White 1, Muncy 1, Cortes 2, Heim 1. LOB—Minnesota 12, Athletics 8. 2B—Bell (27), Buxton (18), Keaschall 2 (21), McNeil (17), Gelof (13), Butler (15). HR—Kreidler (6), off Springs. RBIs—Bell 3 (80), Kreidler (26), Clemens 2 (66), Keaschall 2 (40), Culpepper (4), Butler 2 (40), White (7), McNeil 2 (45), Gelof (37). SF—Bell, White. S—Kreidler. RISP—Minnesota 5 for 20; Athletics 4 for 8. DP—Minnesota 2.

Athletics	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Springs, L, 3-12	$4\frac{1}{2}$	7	4	4	2	3	89	6.08
Juenger	$\frac{1}{2}$	3	3	3	1	0	19	9.00
K.Morris	$2\frac{1}{2}$	5	2	2	0	2	41	10.66
Rom	1	1	0	0	0	0	10	6.35

SAN FRANCISCO 5, CINCINNATI 0
HBP—Matthews (Walton), K.Morris (Bell). WP—K.Morris. U—Alan Porter, Jim Wolf, Roberto Ortiz, Alex MacKay. T—2:53. Tickets sold—8,149 (14,014).

Cincinnati	AB	R	H	BI	Avg.
De La Cruz ss	4	0	1	0	.262
Stewart 1b	4	0	1	0	.263
Myers cf	4	0	0	0	.251
Stephenson dh	3	0	2	0	.246
Suárez 3b	4	0	1	0	.207
McLain 2b	4	0	0	0	.194
Bleday rf	4	0	0	0	.220
Trevino c	3	0	0	0	.229
I.Johnson lf	2	0	0	0	.071
Totals	32	0	5	0

San Francisco	AB	R	H	BI	Avg.
Gilbert cf	4	2	2	0	.239
Devers 1b	4	2	2	3	.243
Lee dh	4	0	1	1	.288
Hill lf	3	0	1	1	.267
Cavanaugh c	4	0	1	0	.227
Furman 2b	2	0	0	0	.000
Basabe 2b	2	0	0	0	.218
Whitcomb 3b	3	0	0	0	.115
McCray rf	3	0	1	0	.100
Koss ss	3	1	2	0	.214
Totals	32	5	10	5

Cincinnati	000	000	000 - 0	5	0
San Francisco	230	000	00x - 5	10	0

Walks—Cincinnati 2: Stephenson 1, Ljohnson 1. San Francisco 1: Hill 1. Strikeouts—Cincinnati 11: De La Cruz 3, Stewart 1, Myers 2, Stephenson 1, Suárez 2, McLain 1, Bleday 1. San Francisco 7: Cavanaugh 2, Furman 2, Whitcomb 1, McCray 1, Koss 1. LOB—Cincinnati 7, San Francisco 4. 2B—Gilbert 2 (12), Hill (3). 3B—McCray (1). HR—Devers (27), off Burns. RBIs—Lee (47), Hill (3), Devers 3 (73). SB—Hill (1). Runners left in scoring position—Cincinnati 3 (Bleday, Suárez, Myers); San Francisco 3 (Whitcomb, Furman, Devers). RISP—Cincinnati 0 for 5; San Francisco 5 for 11.

Johnston......1	1	0	0	0	0	14	0.68
WashingtonIP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Cavalli, W, 12-5......6	5	2	2	1	7	93	3.21
Tolman......1	0	0	0	1	0	12	0.00
Beeter......1	2	1	1	1	2	29	3.76
Bird......1	0	0	0	0	1	12	5.50

DP-Cincinnati 1.
Cincinnati	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Burns, L, 14-3	$3\frac{1}{2}$	9	5	5	1	5	64	2.77
Moll	$1\frac{1}{2}$	0	0	0	0	1	13	4.61
Garcia	2	0	0	0	0	1	23	2.51
Pagán	1	1	0	0	0	0	11	4.15

Tampa Bay	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Rasmussen, W, 14-5	6	3	1	1	0	5	103	2.95
Cleavinger, H, 23	1	0	0	0	0	2	14	3.63
Rodriguez, H, 1	1	1	0	0	1	3	23	0.00
Baker, S, 38-41	1	1	0	0	0	2	16	1.56

HBP—Baker (Dingler). U—Quinn Wolcott, Paul Clemons, Adrian Johnson, Dexter Kelley. T—2:36. Tickets sold—23,265 (41,083).

Baker, S. 38-41......	1	1	0	0	0	2	16	1.56
Detroit......	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Valdez, L. 8-9......	6	8	4	3	2	0	84	4.35
Rainey......	2	0	0	0	2	2	31	0.00
Holton......	1	1	0	0	0	1	15	3.12

Chicago	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Gausman, W, 7-11	7	3	0	0	1	6	94	4.37
Zeferjahn	1	0	0	0	0	0	10	3.99
Thielbar	1	2	0	0	0	0	22	5.09
Asana	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA

Philadelphia	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Wheeler, L, 10-5	4	9	8	8	5	4	103	3.40
McFarlane	1	0	0	0	0	2	10	1.23
Alvarado	1	0	0	0	0	2	11	5.94
Shugart	2	1	1	1	1	4	32	4.70
Stuart	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA

Arizona	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
M.Kelly, L, 8-12....5 $\frac{3}{2}$	5	3	3	3	4		99	5.35
Clarke.... $\frac{1}{2}$	2	2	2	0	0		8	2.61
Jameson....2	3	2	2	1	0		40	5.12
Burgos....1	0	0	0	0	0		12	2.45

Inherited runners-scored—Clarke 1-1. U—Lance Barrett, Malachi Moore, Alfonso Marquez, Mike Estabrook. T—2:35. Tickets sold—28,704 (48,359).

Seattle	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Gilbert, W, 11-7	5	5	2	2	2	5	102	3.36
Domínguez	2	0	0	0	0	2	30	4.53
Speier	1	0	0	0	0	0	12	2.57
Vargas	1	0	0	0	0	1	8	3.86

WP—Wheeler. U— Chad Whitson, Brian Walsh, Chad Fairchild, Bill Miller. T-2:41. Tickets sold-35,293 (47,929).

San Francisco	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Whisenhunt....	$2\frac{1}{3}$	2	0	0	1	3	47	6.49
Foley, W, 1-1....	$1\frac{1}{3}$	0	0	0	0	3	18	3.46
Sanmartin....	1	0	0	0	0	0	10	5.68
Walker....	2	2	0	0	0	2	26	6.99
Seymour....	1	0	0	0	0	2	12	4.96
Smith....	1	1	0	0	1	1	25	2.86

U— Chris Conroy, Brennan Miller, Ryan Blakney, Ben May. T-2:21. Tickets sold-31,123 (41,915).

TIME	EVENT	TV; RADIO
BASEBALL
10 a.m.	Tampa Bay at Detroit	MLB
12:30 p.m.	Chicago Cubs at Arizona	ESPN Unlimited
1 p.m.	Cleveland at Angels	ABTV; 830
4 p.m.	Dodgers at Atlanta	SNLA; 570, 1020
4 p.m.	Milwaukee at New York Mets	MLB
BASKETBALL: WNBA
7 p.m.	Toronto at Seattle	USA
CYCLING
5:30 a.m.(Thurs.)	Vuelta a España, Stage 6	NBCSN, Peacock
GOLF
4:30 a.m.(Thurs.)	World Tour, British Masters, first round	Golf
6 a.m. (Thurs.)	LPGA Tour, FM Championship, first round	Golf
HORSE RACING
10 a.m.	Saratoga Live	FS2
LITTLE LEAGUE: BASEBALL WORLD SERIES
10 a.m.	Nicaragua vs. Curacao	ESPN
Noon	Nevada vs. Iowa	ESPN
2 p.m.	Japan vs. Canada	ESPN
4 p.m.	Alabama vs. TBD	ESPN
ROWING
7 a.m.	World championships	beIN
6:20 a.m.(Thurs.)	World championships	beIN
RUGBY
2:45 a.m.(Thurs.)	NRL, Brisbane vs. Melbourne	FS2
SOCCER
Noon	Spain, Real Madrid vs. Real Sociedad	ESPN+, ESPND
5 p.m.	NWSL, North Carolina vs. Angel City	CBSSN; iHeart
5:30 p.m.	Leagues Cup, Toluca vs. Austin	FS1, Apple TV, TUDN
5:30 p.m.	Copa Sudamericana, River Plate vs. Santa Fe	beIN
7:45 p.m.	Leagues Cup, América vs. Columbus	FS1, Apple TV, TUDN
TENNIS
8 a.m.	U.S. Open qualifying, second round	ESPN2
10 a.m.	U.S. Open qualifying; ATP/WTA, Winston-Salem, Monterrey, early rounds	Tennis
4 p.m.	U.S. Open qualifying, second round	ESPN2
6 p.m.	U.S. Open, mixed doubles championship	ESPN

Reese breaks records in win over Sparks

WNBA STANDINGS Through Monday

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB
x-Minnesota	31	8	.795	—
x-Golden State	26	11	.703	4
x-Las Vegas	26	13	.667	5
Dallas	22	16	.579	$8\frac{1}{2}$
Portland	15	22	.405	15
Phoenix	13	24	.351	17
SPARKS	13	25	.342	$17\frac{1}{2}$
Seattle	7	31	.184	$23\frac{1}{2}$

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB
x-Atlanta	25	13	.658	—
x-Indiana	25	14	.641	$\frac{1}{2}$
x-New York	23	15	.605	2
x-Washington	22	15	.595	$2\frac{1}{2}$
Chicago	15	23	.395	10
Toronto	11	26	.297	$13\frac{1}{2}$
Connecticut	9	27	.250	15

*-clinched playoff spot

MONDAY'S LATE BOX DREAM 78, SPARKS 71

ATLANTA (78) — Hillmon 5-8 0-0 12, Howard 7-21 2-2 18, Reese 4-14 3-4 11, A.Gray 7-11 4-5 20, Canada 4-9 1-2 9, Okot 1-2 0-0 2, Borlase 2-8 2-2 6, Paopao 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 30-75 12-15 78.

SPARKS (71) — Atkins 3-9 2-2 10, Ogwumike 11-19 5-5 27, Hamby 6-11 3-4 15, Akoa Makani 0-6 2-2 2, Wheeler 1-6 0-0 2, Brink 5-9 4-5 15, C.Gray 0-1 0-0 0, Morgan 0-5 0-0 0, Park 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 26-67 16-18 71.

Atlanta	20	16	26	16–	78
Sparks	15	22	18	16–	71

3-Point Goals—Atlanta 6-29 (Hillmon 2-3, A.Gray 2-6, Howard 2-12, Paopao 0-1, Canada 0-3, Borlase 0-4), Sparks 3-18 (Atkins 2-5, Brink 1-4, C.Gray 0-1, Morgan 0-1, Ogwumike 0-2, Wheeler 0-2, Akoa Makani 0-3). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Atlanta 48 (Reese 26), Sparks 32 (Ogwumike 16). Assists—Atlanta 17 (A.Gray 6), Sparks 19 (Atkins 6). Total Fouls—Atlanta 18, Sparks 19. A–10,442 (18,997)

Dream star sets league rebound marks with 26 in single game and 458 total in season.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Angel Reese broke the WNBA single-game rebounding record with 26 while also breaking the league's season record for rebounds as the Atlanta Dream beat the host Sparks 78-71 on Monday night.

Reese surpassed Chamique Holdsclaw's record of 24 rebounds, set on May 23, 2003, for Washington.

The Dream star has 458 rebounds this season, seven more than A'ja Wilson's mark set in 2024. Atlanta still has six games remaining in the regular season.

"I'm just in awe watching her rebound," teammate Allisha Gray said. "That's a talent."

LUKE HALES Getty Images
ATLANTA forward Angel Reese, looking on against the Sparks Monday, finished with 11 points and secured her WNBA-leading 27th double-double of the season.

Reese finished with 11 points. She secured her WNBA-leading 27th double-double of the season on a basket with 13.9 seconds left in the game.

The Dream have won four straight games — all on the road — and have beaten the Sparks nine straight times.

Gray led Atlanta (25-13) with 20 points. Rhyne Howard added 18 points to eclipse 3,000 for her career. Gray set an Atlanta record for field goals in a season with 247.

Nneka Ogwumike had 27 points and 16 rebounds for the Sparks (13-25). Dearica Hamby and Cameron Brink each scored 15.

Atlanta trailed 37-36 at halftime before starting the third quarter on a 9-2 run. The Dream also began the fourth on a 9-2 run to make it 71-57 with 6:57 left.

Bruins deem star transfer eligible

[Hendrick, from B10] [Leonardo, from Els] the Big Ten throughout this process, and our student-athletes are eligible under the guidelines adopted today. We are excited to turn our full attention to the upcoming season and our opener [versus] California on Sept. 5."

It is unclear whether anyone will contest the Louisiana temporary restraining order.

For now, Hendrick is quickly getting up to speed in a system he learned while competing under head coach Bob Chesney and defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler last season at James Madison.

Chesney was excited on Monday to welcome Hendrick to Westwood. Hitschler told reporters Tuesday he, too, was pleased to see Hendrick on the UCLA roster.

“We had a lot of fun together last year and I think he did a great job where he was,” Hitschler said. “I’m glad he got the opportunity for himself to hopefully continue to play college football here. What a special opportunity for him and let’s make the most of it.”

Both coaches said they faced competition to land Hendrick after last week's restraining order was granted.

“He’s a really good player,” Hitschler said. “He made a lot of plays for us last year and he loves the game. ... Awesome kid, loves the game ... he’s talented.”

Can a player who joined a roster less than two weeks before the season opener be ready to play immediately? Hitschler thinks so.

“Trent’s a kid that stays ready,” Hitschler said. “He was begging for an opportunity to get a tryout in the league. Just another opportunity to maybe get it. So he was working out, he was in great shape. He's a kid that lives, eats and sleeps football and God blessed him with an opportunity here, let's see what he can make of it."

The Big Ten is holding schools accountable for compliance with its rule and told the Associated Press restrictions in other sports such as basketball could follow.

A head football coach who plays a former pro will be suspended 50% of the season and his school will be fined, the Big Ten confirmed to the AP on Tuesday.

The topic is a hot one around college athletics. Wake Forest athletic director John Currie, chairman of the Atlantic Coast Conference athletic directors group for the upcoming season, said his colleagues planned to discuss the issue Wednesday. “I don’t think anybody in our league likes the idea of taking away opportunities from existing college students and graduating high school players, which is exactly what is happening when a school signs a player out of an NFL camp to their team,” Currie wrote in a text message to the AP.

Duke coach Manny Diaz said the Power Four conferences need to present a unified front. The Southeastern Conference passed a rule later Tuesday banning players who have been drafted by NFL, NBA or WNBA teams or listed on rosters in those leagues.

“I think you’ll see more leagues start to govern themselves since we’re having such a hard time finding it at a national level,” Diaz said. “I think everyone understands it’s absolutely absurd. We can enjoy the fact that the players can benefit financially from playing in college now. At the same time, recognize the ultimate truth that we're not a professional sports franchise. We are a collegiate, scholastic school activity, and we've got to rein that in."

TRENT HENDRICK participated in a Browns rookie minicamp, but he never signed a pro contract.
SUE OGROCKI Associated Press

Agent Drew Rosenhaus told the AP on Monday that former Mississippi tight end Dae'Quan Wright had been waived by the Cleveland Browns and, if he clears waivers, will join Lane Kiffin at Louisiana State. Wright played two seasons for Kiffin at Ole Miss. Wright was among a group of players who sued in a Louisiana court, saying the new NCAA rule granting five years of eligibility to most athletes should apply to him and others who were not "grandfathered" into the rule, which did not include the high school Class of 2022.

“Over 100 athletes in multiple sports were cleared and said you could go play. That’s a court order,” Kiffin said Tuesday on “The Pat McAfee Show” on ESPN. “If you think back on all the different court orders of great players that were granted — whether that’s Diego Pavia or, now, Trinidad [Chambliss] that were allowed to play a sixth year, we followed all court orders. I think you get into a really interesting situation as a conference if you're now saying, 'Well, we're not going to follow this court order.' These kids that a court says can go anywhere, we're going to say, 'No you can't.'

The situation has drawn sharp criticism among coaches in college and the NFL. Rams coach Sean McVay said reversing the college football-to-NFL pipeline was mind-boggling.

“I don’t know enough about it, other than the fact guys that can be in NFL camps, if it doesn’t go down for them, they can go back to college,” McVay said. “I mean, I feel like I took a freaking gummy. I don’t even understand it. It’s true. I mean, looking at this stuff, I’m like, surely that’s not real. But I just try to stay in my lane. But I would say it’s very unique and it’s very different.”

Correspondent Jordan Puente and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

PRO CALENDAR

	WED26	THU27	FRI28	SAT29	SUN30
	at Atlanta4:15SNLA	at Atlanta4:15SNLA, FS1	at Detroit3:30SNLA	at Detroit10 a.m.SNLA	at Detroit10:30 a.m.SNLA
	CLEVE.1ABTV		PHILA.6:30ABTV	PHILA.7ABTV	PHILA.1ABTV
ANGELS
		at Chargers*7CBS
RAMS
		RAMS*7CBS
CHARGERS
				at San Diego7:30Apple TV
GALAXY
				D.C. UNITED4:30Apple TV
LAFC
	at North Carolina5CBSSN,Victory+
ANGEL CITY
			WASH.7lon		at Seattle2SpecSN

*preseason
Shade denotes home games. Times Pacific.

TODAY ON THE AIR

Al Bello Getty Images

CARLOS ALCARAZ returns a shot in practice for the U.S. Open where qualifying continues Wednesday.

THE DAY IN SPORTS

Serena, Alcaraz ousted in quarterfinals

WIRE REPORTS

Serena Williams getting back on the court at the U.S. Open after a four-year absence and Carlos Alcaraz returning to competitive tennis after being out the past four months with injury brought cheers and nostalgia to the Grand Slam tournament.

The celebration was short-lived.

After winning their debut playing together, Williams and Alcaraz got knocked out in the mixed doubles quarterfinals by Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli 5-4 (4), 4-1 Tuesday. Cobolli before the match called their opponents “the queen of tennis and the king of now.”

The star-studded duo with a combined eight U.S. Open singles championships certainly earned that praise. Williams and Alcaraz bounced back from a slow start in the first round to defeat Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool 5-3, 4-1, much to the delight of fans inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“I never expected to be back on this court,” Williams said after her first match at Flushing Meadows since 2022. “I never thought this would happen.”

Now the question is whether she will seek an en- core performance in wom- en's doubles alongside older sister Venus. Serena, who is back playing tennis at 44, does not plan to play singles.

ETC. ABS coming to college baseball

The Automated Ball-Strike system has been approved for use next season in all divisions of college baseball, the NCAA announced.

The Division I Baseball Oversight Committee and the Division II and Division III Playing Rules Oversight Panel recently voted to give teams the option, when available, of implementing a system to challenge called balls and strikes in regular-season and postseason games.

Ukrainian center Kate Koval is leaving Louisiana State less than two weeks after the Tigers brought in a player from Russia. LSU coach Kim Mulkey said Monday night that the 6-foot-5 Koval was leaving for “personal reasons,” adding that the program will “respect her privacy on her decision.” ... RJ Luis Jr., a former St. John’s standout who recently signed with LSU after spending time with two NBA clubs, was cleared by a court Monday evening to start practicing and potentially play for the Tigers this season. Luis, who briefly was under contract with the Utah Jazz and Boston Celtics but never played in an NBA game, hugged LSU coach Will Wade after the ruling by East Baton Rouge Parish District Court judge Ronald R. Johnson.

Marlins closer Pete Fairbanks felt nerve irritation and numbness in his throwing arm and departed after facing one batter in Miami's 4-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Monday night. Fairbanks started the ninth but left after issuing a leadoff walk to Mickey Gasper. He stepped off the mound and touched his arm as he talked with catcher Brian Navarreto and manager Clayton McCullough.

The PGA Tour is reshaping its postseason for 2028 by ending the year with a Tour Championship played over two weeks at different golf courses involving match play. PGA Tour Chief Executive Brian Rolapp announced the changes Tuesday before the Tour Championship, which has been 72 holes of stroke play for the top 30 players since it began in 1987. Under the current format, whoever wins the tournament is declared the FedEx Cup champion and earns \$10 million in official money from the \$40-million purse. ... LeBron James' growing passion for golf now includes a partnership with the PGA Tour, which announced a two-day tournament at Firestone Country Club in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, next summer to connect youth with aspiring professionals. The LeBron James Family Foundation Invitational will be played July 6-7 on the South course at Firestone, where the PGA Tour recently ended a 72-year run.

Austin FC announced Khaled El-Ahmad as sporting director and chief soccer officer as the Major League Soccer club continues a major rebuild amid a danger of missing the playoffs for the third time in four seasons.

Tadej Pogacar took a big step toward winning the Spanish Vuelta for the first time by claiming the fourth stage in dominant fashion. The defending Tour de France champion finished Tuesday's tough mountain stage in Andorra 2 minutes, 39 seconds ahead of the chasers.

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2026 : LATIMES.COM/SPORTS

Photo illustration by TATE RUDISILL Los Angeles Times; photos by JOE SKIPPER Associated Press, KEVIN M. COX Associated Press, GINA FERAZZI Los Angeles Times, ROBERT GAUTHIER Los Angeles Times JASON HEYWARD and Freddie Freeman (5) have forged a 20-year brotherhood in which they've experienced life milestones as roommates, teammates and rivals.

A friendship still 'crazy' after all these years

Freeman and Heyward first met as teens and have shared intertwining journeys. They reunite once more with Dodgers

Jason Heyward didn't give Freddie Freeman the heads up that he'd secured a job in the Dodgers' front office. He hadn't told any of his former Dodger teammates. But Freeman, who's known Heyward for two decades, now says he'd heard rumblings. He was just going to let his longtime friend break the news himself.

On May 13, midway through a home series against the Giants, Freeman walked into the food room at Dodger Stadium and, to his surprise and confusion, there was Heyward.

“What are you doing here?” a slack-jawed Freeman asked.

“Well, I’m working,” Heyward said. No text. No call.

"He waited to tell me in person," Freeman said.

Heyward technically started his job as a special assistant at the beginning of May, but he was on site for the first time a couple of weeks later. That game against the Giants, with Heyward looking on as a Dodgers special assistant for the first time, Freeman stole a base — a rarity in recent years.

"I wanted to ask him, what was my grade?" Freeman said. "What do you

By Maddie Lee give me, a 70 on the 20-80 [scouting] scale?"

Freeman chuckled. Though he has long been an adept baserunner, it's never been because of his speed — not even in high school, when teams were scouting him for the 2007 MLB draft.

That's when Freeman and Heyward first met, the summer before their senior year. They had no way of knowing that they'd go on to experience baseball and life milestones together for the next two decades and counting.

They were both drafted by the Braves, Heyward in the first round (No. 14 overall), and Freeman in the second (No. 78). They became roommates and teammates, debuting in the same year.

Over the course of two long and decorated MLB careers — which includes Heyward's five Gold Gloves, Freeman's 10 All-Star selections, and five World Series rings between the two of them — their paths diverged and reconnected multiple times.

In this most recent chapter, Heyward has ventured into the front of [See Dodgers, B7]

GREG BEACHAM Associated Press
NEW owners José E. Feliciano, center, and Kwanza Jones, right, speak to a bevy of reporters on Monday.

Voices BILL SHAIKIN COLUMNIST

Game plan for Padres: 'Win it all!'

New owners enthused about World Series title amid Dodgers' uncertainty

SAN DIEGO

José E. Feliciano, the new controlling owner of the San Diego Padres, lives in Los Angeles. You know, that place at the end of the Padres' incessant "Beat L.A." chants.

No worries, Padres fans. Feliciano is — make that was — a longtime

New York Yankees fan.

"The good thing is," he told me after an introductory news conference Monday, "rooting against the Dodgers comes naturally to me."

It was only 18 months ago that Padres fans wondered whether the good times might come to an end, with the widow of beloved owner

Peter Seidler suing his brothers for control of the team. For their part, the brothers said they had “no plans to sell the Padres.”

That sounds a lot like what Dodgers president Stan Kasten said Friday, amid a federal investigation into alleged financial improprieties [See Shaikin, B6]

UCLA: Hendrick eligible, unaffected by new Big Ten rule

Star transfer took part in two pro minicamps, but never signed pro contract or declared.

LOS ANGELES TIMES STAFF

UCLA is proceeding as though it landed a massive gift this week, with 2025 Sun Belt player of the year Trent Hendrick joining the Bruins for practices Monday and Tuesday.

Hendrick is among 16 players who sought a Louisiana temporary restraining order allowing them to return to college after entering the NFL draft pool, arguing they would not have left had they known NCAA rules would change granting them an extra year of eligibility.

The temporary restraining order was granted last week, but the Big Ten voted on Tuesday to pass a new rule that prohibited football players who have signed a professional contract, were on a professional roster at any point or declared for the NFL draft as an underclassman without withdrawing, from maintaining eligibility for athletic competition.

SEASON OPENER UCLA at Cal Sept. 5, 7:30 p.m. TV: ESPN

Hendrick went un-drafted and participated in rookie minicamps with the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs, but the linebacker never signed with a team and didn't leave school early to enter the NFL draft.

He also never earned a spot on a roster.

“We support the Big Ten's adoption of the new professional football players rule and understand the importance of having clear and consistent eligibility standards across the conference,” UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond said in a statement on Tuesday. “We have been in communication with

[See Hendrick, B9]

Los Angeles Times SPORTS EXTRA

A TIMES E-NEWSPAPER EXCLUSIVE :: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2026

TODD KIRKLAND Getty Images

DODGERS RIGHT-HANDER Tyler Glasnow pitches during a rough first inning, but he gave up only two hits afterward in his first major-league start since May 6.

Glasnow provides lift, but loss halts streak

BY MADDIE LEE

ATLANTA — In right-hander Tyler Glasnow's first game back from the injured list, he pushed through bad luck, made an adjustment between innings, and showed how big of an impact he can make when healthy.

Even so, the Dodgers fell to the Braves 4-3 on Tuesday, ending a six-game winning streak, tied for their season high.

“Even with all the talent that we have on our roster, [Glasnow] might surpass it with his raw stuff, and the ability to shut down any team at any time,” Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior said before the game. “Do we expect that to be Day One, today, who knows? We’re facing, obviously, one of the best teams in baseball. But it's really good to have him back because he changes a lot of things with our personnel."

It was Glasnow's first start since May 6 in Houston, when back spasms cut his outing short after one inning.

He'd been pitching so well to start the year (2.72 ERA in seven starts) that the Dodgers hoped he could avoid the IL even for precautionary reasons.

Instead, he had to halt his throwing progression multiple times for flare-ups, prolonging his time on the IL.

Misfortune of a different kind followed Glasnow into the first inning Tuesday. He gave up four hits and three runs in that inning, but only one of those hits, Drake Baldwin's leadoff single, was hit hard. The rest were simply hit where the Dodgers' defense couldn't field them.

He finally escaped by striking out Braves No. 7 hitter Mike Yastrzemski, with the help of a successful ABS challenge.

In that 35-pitch first inning, Glasnow threw the kitchen sink at the Braves. But in the second, he simplified.

Glasnow paired down his arsenal to just fastballs (four-seam and sinker), largely up and in, and sliders, mostly down and out for chase.

It took him just 13 pitches to strike out the side. He retired the side in order in the third with roughly the same plan of attack.

In the fourth, he started mixing in his knuckle curve again, even ending the inning on that pitch when Austin Riley failed to check his swing on a curve that broke into the dirt, for strike three.

After that first inning, Glasnow gave up only two more hits. And in five innings, he had seven strikeouts.

He left with the score tied. The bottom of the Dodgers' lineup evened the score, with RBI singles from Alek Thomas, Hunter Feduccia and Alex Call.

The score remained knotted until the eighth inning, when Dodgers left-hander Tanner Scott gave up a leadoff double to Matt Olson

— the first extra-base hit of the game — and a two-out RBI single to Ozzie Albies to give the Braves

the lead.

Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani struck back with a triple off the left-field wall to lead off the ninth inning. But the Dodgers stranded him there against Braves closer Raisel Iglesias.

Glasnow's return was a major step for the Dodgers as they assemble their postseason pitching staff.

The next will be Ohtani's return to pitching, which could happen as soon as this weekend.

Ohtani is scheduled to throw a bullpen Thursday or Friday, Prior said.

Then Ohtani and the Dodgers will finalize the next steps. But manager Dave Roberts didn't rule out the possibility of Ohtani making a short start Sunday in Detroit.

Angels' five-run lead disappears as they fall to Guardians in 10th

ASSOCIATED PRESS

José Ramírez drove in five runs with three doubles, Steven Kwan had five singles and the streaking Cleveland Guardians overcame an early five-run deficit to beat the Angels 8-6 in 10 innings Tuesday night at Angel Stadium.

Kwan capped his second career five-hit game with a leadoff single in the 10th against reliever Blake Weiman (0-1), advancing automatic runner Brayan Rocchio from second base to third. Travis Bazzana popped out, but Ramírez laced a two-run double to left center to give the Guardians an 8-6 lead.

Cleveland reliever Erik Sabrowski (5-2) struck out the side in the ninth. Cade Smith fanned Denzer Guzman and Adam Frazier with runners on second and third in the 10th for his 35th save, sealing the Guardians' sixth straight win.

The Angels took a 6-5 lead on Vaughn Grissom's second homer of the game, a solo shot off reliever Logan Allen leading off the fifth. The Guardians tied it 6-all in the eighth when Kwan singled and scored on Ramírez's RBI double.

Cleveland center fielder Angel Martínez preserved the tie when he made a leaping catch at the wall to rob Mike Trout of a potential two-run homer to end the bottom of the eighth.

Angels starter Walbert Ureña gave up three runs and five hits in $3^{2}/{3}$ innings, striking out three and walking five. Guardians starter Gavin Williams was rocked for five runs and six hits in $1^{1}/{3}$ innings, his shortest start this season.

Grissom hit a two-run homer in the first, and the Angels pushed the lead to 5-0 in the second on Christian Moore's solo homer, Guzman's RBI double and Zach Neto's RBI single.

Bazzana lined an RBI double to cut the deficit to 5-1 in the fourth, and Ramírez's two-run double made it 5-3.

Cleveland tied it 5-all in the fifth on two-out RBI singles by Rocchio and Kwan.

LITTLE LEAGUE Rasmus breaks girls' hit record in victory

THE GUARDIANS' Steven Kwan, right, scores the tying run on a double by José Ramírez in the eighth inning. Ramírez drove in five runs, including the two decisive runs in the 10th inning.

Kinley Rasmus is on a record-setting roll at the Little League World Series.

MARK J. TERRILL Associated Press

The 12-year-old pitcher and shortstop for the Phenix City, Ala., team representing the Southeast at the tournament had a pair of hits during a comeback win over a team from Tacoma, Wash., on

Tuesday that kept Phenix City's season alive.

Rasmus has five hits during the double-elimination tournament, the most by a girl at the Little League World Series.

The daughter of former major league pitcher Cory Rasmus has already distinguished herself on the mound. Kinley Rasmus gave up one hit in six innings in a game against Tacoma earlier in the tournament. The eight strikeouts she recorded in that outing tied Mo'ne Davis' mark for strikeouts by a girl in a game.

Rasmus then added six more strikeouts in a victory on Monday to boost her tournament total to 14, also tying a record held by Davis.

She will have a chance to add to her hit total when Phenix City plays another elimination game on Wednesday.

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BART DeLORENZO, on set of “Enemy of the People,” which opened Saturday at the Odyssey Theatre, leans into satire without sacrificing moral bite in his remake.

Review MARC WEINGARTEN

Celebrity rumors shroud hot new novel

Natalie Portman may or may not be the subject of ‘Life of M.’ That doesn’t matter.

Rachel Cusk is not a people pleaser. The prolific, award-winning British author's novels are often plotless, discursive and frustratingly obtuse. Yet Cusk has found a large fan base for her work, mainly because she is a deft excavator of the human psyche, a writer who can articulate emotional states with uncanny precision and insight.

On a formal level, Cusk's new book, "Life Of M," [See 'Life of M,' E2]

TAKING ON A NEW 'ENEMY'

L.A. theater director Bart DeLorenzo has adapted an Ibsen classic into a savagely timely tale pitting science and politics

BY CHARLES McNulty THEATER CRITIC

Bart DeLorenzo, L.A.'s most playfully provocative theater auteur, doesn't need any excuses to direct a Henrik Ibsen play. But if ever there was a moment to revive "An Enemy of the People," it's now.

The demoralizing spectacle of the U.S. Senate's inquisition of Dr. Anthony Fauci last month, led by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) in unapologetic witch-hunt mode, was yet another reminder that Ibsen's drama about a public health crusader being targeted by politicians and business leaders when his medical advice goes counter to their interests hasn't lost its punch.

"I love Ibsen's work," DeLorenzo said at lunch at the Original Farmers Market on a recent weekday. "I'd love to do all of his plays, but of course I'm responding to this moment. You can't turn on the news without hearing the phrase 'enemy of the people,' and it's not just poor Dr. Fauci. Every week there's something — the new vaccine regulations, global warming. This conflict between science and government, or really just the manipulation of facts to press agendas, is an issue that's probably never going to go away."

DeLorenzo adapted the play himself for his production, which opened Saturday at the Odyssey

Theatre, where he directed Ibsen's “Ghosts” in 2022. His title, “Enemy of the People,” dispenses with the indefinite article — a decision he chalked up to “Chekhovian impulses.”

“I don’t think the play is about one person who stands up against society,” he explained. “The phrase in 2026 is a weapon that’s thrown around. I tried to look at the play as an ensemble piece, in which the concept of ‘enemy of the people’ is variously targeted on different characters. I thought that was a much more exciting idea.”

The protagonist of Ibsen's play, Dr. Thomas Stockmann, is a staff physician at the municipal spa baths, the town's economic lifeblood. He detects contamination from industrial waste, and when he tries to warn the public, he's branded an enemy of the people by political and business leaders, who care more about money than the welfare of the community.

DeLorenzo included “Enemy” on a long list of plays he was interested in when the Odyssey asked him what he’d like to do next. The theater, no surprise, went with the Ibsen work that seems written expressly for this wacky MAHA moment.

But while DeLorenzo recognizes “Enemy” as a political play, he also sees it as a complex drama about a family in crisis. “Like the Greeks, Ibsen uses the family as an image of society,” [See ‘Enemy,’ E6]

Review LEAH OLLMAN

Photographer Eileen Cowin's retrospective at LACMA mirrors her fragmented style.

Tracing the nonlinear path of a disruptor

“Between Panic and Paradise,” Eileen Cowin’s penetrating retrospective at LACMA, begins in the present, with large, recent color photographs and her newest work, a stirring video. The show then veers back to early work, photographic transparencies with magazine transfers made in the late 1960s and early '70s, and continues, gallery by gallery, oscillating between different periods of the artist’s nearly six-decade career.

By deviating from straightforward chronology, the installation resonates smartly with one of Cowin's key operating principles:

UNTITLED image, 1980-83, from Eileen Cowin's "Family Docudrama" series.
EILEEN COWIN Museum Associates

that we don't experience time as a continuous line moving in one direction, but as episodic, fragmented, interrupted, layered. Clock hands circle predictably and calendar pages turn on schedule, but internally, within our bodies, minds and hearts, time is a whole different thing — discontinuous, wondrous, searing.

Cowin was born in Brooklyn in 1947 and attended graduate school at the Institute of Design in Chicago. She began teaching on the East Coast, and showing work that combined photographic imagery with print-making techniques, collage and stitching. In 1975 she settled for good in Los Angeles, home base to Robert Heinecken, one of the most consequential practitioners of material experimentation in photography. It was an especially fertile period for pho[See Cowin, E3]

GARY FRIEDMAN Los Angeles Times DOLLY PARTON'S legacy includes writing memorable hit songs.

Her catalog of many colors

Here are 10 essential listens by one of this country's finest singer-songwriters.

By August Brown

Dolly Parton was the last star in music everyone in America could agree on. Her brilliant career as a carefully-sculpted backwoods icon (one with unmatched insight into the human heart) told the nation stories it craved to hear about itself — songs about resilience and dignity under poverty and labor, how to hold conflicting feelings of devotion and loss. None of the canon of extras — the charmingly ramshackle Dol [See Songs, E6]

Actor in 'Five Heartbeats' Michael Wright, who starred in the classic Motown-inspired film and had a role on "Oz," died at 70. E2

Knott's adds scary magic The theme park is teaming up with famed Magic Castle for its after-hours Halloween event. E3

Comics ....E4-5 Puzzles ....E5

Punctuation gets its due in new grammar book

Author talks about the history of marks and their role as building blocks of civilization.

BY MARC WEINGARTEN

Pity the period. And the comma and the semicolon too. Punctuation is the sturdy armature of written language, yet it does its job quietly, in the background. We tend to spend far more time analyzing the written words than we do the dots, dashes and ellipses that give those words meaning, nuance and tone.

In her new book “On the Mark: From Periods to Interrobangs, How Punctuation Remade the World,” author Florence Hazrat argues for punctuation as no less than the bricks and mortar of civilization, the deceptively simple and endlessly pliable tools that made humankind. I recently chatted with Hazrat, a Berlin resident, about scare quotes, emojis and the magic of parentheses. This Q&A was edited for length and clarity.

Masoud Ali Shaiwani

On the Mark

Florence Hazrat Basic Books, 352 pp.

What sparked your interest in punctuation?

It was a long time back, when I was studying for my master's degree. I was working with Renaissance romances, which have a lot of parentheses. I just asked myself, where does this come from? And why don't we use parentheses like this anymore? And then I did my post doc on this very topic. So it's the gift that keeps on giving.

Going back to the earliest cuneiform texts, we see that they consist of words bunched together like commuters on a rush-hour subway. There is no space between words and no punctuation.

Writing was just a manifestation of speech. Text was meant to be read aloud. It would have been shocking 2,700 years ago to see someone reading silently. There is an anecdote that when Alexander the Great was spotted reading to himself, people were stunned.

It took hundreds of years for punctuation to really bloom. The Renaissance, with its increased literacy rates, elevated punctuation into an art.

During the Renaissance, text needed to do more. Writing moved out of the monastery, into trade and diplomacy, science, education and so on. The humanists of the Renaissance who loved language wanted text to be able to do more than it historically had been doing. They wanted to bring more nuance and tone into writing.

And silent reading became the normal practice.

Silent reading is so interesting because it's a kind of subversive act. It's a private act, so you can be reading anything. There was a lot of consternation at the time that women would spend all their time reading romance stories.

You also write about punctuation as a political tool, especially the power of quotation marks to ironize or diminish the meaning of the words in between the

quotes.

Quotes in and of themselves are empty signs. Which means they can be used for all kinds of political purposes. We can delegitimize an entire race of people using scare quotes or belittle something like COVID-19 simply by putting it in between quotes. We're wrestling a word used by another group and changing its meaning with quotes.

You discuss the advent of digital communication, and the ways we use and abuse punctuation now. Yet, we are very sensitive to punctuation in the public sphere. I'm thinking of the use of capital letters in words that connote race, for example.

Absolutely. There are two sides of the culture that contradict each other. Texting seems to be such an informal medium and something we dash off very quickly. Nobody really expects proper grammar in a text. Yet a misplaced period or comma in certain texts, like the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution, for example, can set people off into endless arguments.

What is your feeling about emojis? I find them to be a very rich communication tool. They can have literal or figurative meaning, depending on context. And the meaning can shift over time.

I love emojis. I think they're still quite misunderstood. They are covering so many functions, because we put them after clauses, for example. We just don't put them anywhere. But they aren't punctuation, because we can't actually make them when we write manually.

Are you pessimistic about the future of punctuation with kids on ChatGPT and texting in elementary school?

Not really. Children who are texting at 9, 10 years old are still learning the rules of grammar and punctuation offline at school ideally. They still have to read books. They have to write essays by hand. So I think the human brain knows how to process different inputs and switch accordingly.

This article was taken from The Times' Book Club newsletter. Sign up at latimes.com/newsletters.

The identity of Rachel Cusk's M is beside the point

['Life of M,' from E1] closely adheres to the rigorously calibrated approach that has been so successful for her across 11 novels. In classic Cusk fashion, "Life of M" unfolds from the inside out. It is resolutely internal and hermetic, told from the point of view of a highly observant and self-conscious narrator. When Cusk writes that a character's smile "had a sweetness that almost seemed to reproach those who looked at it for their dim and suspicious view of life," it's that "almost" which saves the line from sinking of its own weight, one of Cusk's nuanced brushstrokes that give her prose lift and bounce.

“Life of M” is a two-hander. The primary driver of the narrative is an unnamed writer who has approached a famous actor — the M of the title — with the proposition of ghosting her autobiography. This is the extent of Cusk’s setup. The novel is about as stark and stripped of biographical details as a Samuel Beckett story. Cusk is far more interested in how the writer’s identity is unmoored by the actor, and how the world bends to M's will and thus changes its shape in her presence: "Standing in the street, I realized that I could not be myself around M. She was friendly, generous, disarmingly modest, yet everything I did or said in her company was false. It was as if I was acting, while M came across as authentic and real."

Interspersed between these scenes are chapters that shift time and tone. They appear at first to be the writer's own story, reflections on the past and life apart from M; the "we" in these sections might be referring to siblings or partners. But they are too strange to be memoiristic: "In the evening we flower; like strange nocturnal plants we put out our display." Then: "Even if we spend the evening at home this feeling of integration, or our interior and our exterior fusing together, occurs." Are we in M's head? Is the collective pronoun meant to be a proxy for her private and public selves? These sections are the least effective parts of Cusk's book, as they are frustratingly indeterminate and hazy.

As the writer and the actor spend time together, and the narrator tries to pry open some small window into M's psyche, the process of gathering material is constantly being thwarted by M's casual instructability. It seems M has perfected the art of using candor as a carapace, so that the image of her authentic self recedes the more Cusk's writer spends time with her. M is not governed by the usual impulses of the civilian; she has no use for love or hate, desire or abnegation. "Acting involved pretending to be other people, whose own emotional states — such as she understood them — could preoccupy her for a time," writes Cusk. "Once they were completed, she was as locked out of these recordings as the millions of other eyes that watched them."

M and the writer move through highly mediated spaces that amplify certain features and downgrade others, a kind of edited, hyperreal landscape. M researches a part in a mansion that has been meticulously art-directed to resemble the house of a family who in fact never lived

Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Life of M

By Rachel Cusk Farrar, Straus and Giroux

there. Cusk describes these spaces in great detail, as if they were fetish objects. The mansion's interior is "not heavy or dark," she writes, "rather it is light and mellow and the panels have finely carved patterns around their edges." It is the seduction of surfaces Cusk is exploring here, the ways we are taken in by so much that is chimerical: lavish interiors, actors, our own doubled selves.

SIEMON SCAMELL-KATZ

Cusk has previously explored this gap between truth and signifiers of truth in her “Outline” trilogy. But “Life of M” feels different, perhaps because the world feels far different than it did eight years ago, when “Kudos,” the last book in the trilogy, was published. Now that we have fallen straight through the looking glass of the internet, that gap has narrowed to the extent that we are having far greater difficulty discerning reality from its uncanny simulations. Sadly, we are complicit in this occluding of authentic experience. Millions of us toggle so frequently between our real lives and the well-curated fantasyland of our social media personas that it's scrambled our neural pathways. We are living the double consciousness of public figures no less readily than a celebrity like M. The notion of a "complete inversion of internal and external that fame brings about" is no longer exclusive to the famous.

According to internet gossip, Cusk's M is in fact a shadow portrait of Natalie Portman. And there are strong hints in the text that indicate this might be the case. But to think of this novel solely as a journey to the center of Portman's mind is not only irrelevant; it cheapens Cusk's project. What the novelist is getting at here resonates far beyond a single celebrity. This is a short, potent book that has much to say about the spiritual rot of our present culture.

Weingarten is the author of "Thirsty: William Mulholland, California Water and the Real Chinatown."

MICHAEL WRIGHT, 1956 - 2026

Actor known for the cult classic ‘Five Heartbeats’ and HBO’s ‘Oz’

He trained with Lee Strasberg and was mentored by the coach's wife Anna.

BY EMILY ST. MARTIN

Michael Wright, an actor best known for starring as

Eddie King Jr. in the oft-quoted and beloved Motown-inspired movie "The Five Heartbeats," as well as the HBO series "Oz," has died. He was 70.

The actor's wife, Susan Wright, confirmed his death on social media Friday, writing: "It is with profound sadness and an unimaginable heaviness in my heart that I share the passing of my beloved husband, Michael Wright."

The actor's family said in a statement to TMZ that Michael Wright died Aug. 19 in Los Angeles from apparent heart failure and complications associated with Marchiafava-Bignami, a rare and progressive neurological disorder.

"Many knew and loved him through The Five

Heartbeats, The Wanderers, V, The Principal, Streamers, and the many other characters he brought to life throughout his remarkable career," the post continued. "Histalent, presence, and contributions to film and television will live on, but to those of us who loved him personally, he was so much more than the roles the world knew him for.

"Our family is grieving an enormous and deeply personal loss. We understand how much Michael meant to so many people, and we are grateful for the love, prayers, memories, and condolences already being shared."

Susan Wright asked for “privacy and grace to grieve” and that “people refrain from sharing unconfirmed information,” adding that when the family is ready, they will share more about the actor’s life and plans to honor him.

She added: “Michael, your work will live forever, but your love will live even longer in the hearts of those who knew you best. Rest peacefully, my love. You will be missed beyond words.”

Michael Wright was born April 30, 1956, in New York City. His mother, Alberta

JOE CORRIGAN Getty Images
'I HAD TO GO' TO L.A.
Michael Wright played the drug-added soul singer
Eddie King Jr. in "The Five Heartbeats."

Wright, owned a vintage clothing store called Jezebel on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, and Michael credits her with kick-starting his career.

“Miss Anna Strasberg came into the store, and my mom shared that she had a son who was a fledgling actor, and Miss Strasberg invited me to come down to the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute and to have a meeting with her, and that meeting ... changed my life,” he said during a 2015 appearance on “The Sissy Gamache Show.”

At the institute, Wright participated in a work-study program — mopping floors, answering phones and interviewing other acting hopefuls to see if they had what it took to make it in the program. Anna became Wright's mentor and he became Lee Strasberg's secretary.

"I came to the acting process having read every conceivable thing that concerned it. ... I was an acolyte of Konstantin [Stanislavski.] I knew [Richard] Boleslavski. I knew [Yevgeny] Vakhtangov. And I understood how the process occurred — it was relaxation. It was concentration. Intent. I would score my scripts like it was nobody's business, and I would do everything word for word, line for line, moment for moment, beat for beat," he told Gamache.

"At the end of the day, when the man said, ‘Cut,’ I take that character off like this shirt and hang him up in the closet."

Wright landed his first film role in 1979's "The Wanderers" and his first big television break in 1983 as Elias Taylor on the science fiction miniseries "V," which carried over into 1984's "V: The Final Battle" and in the "V" series that ran from 1984 to 1985.

“I never decided to go to L.A.,” he told Gamache. “I had to go.”

"I got cast in a science fiction miniseries. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life: landing at LAX, being picked up and driven down the I-10 and coming down Barham Boulevard and seeing the Warner Bros. studio," he continued. "It was like descending into the Emerald City. I was there and going through that studio gate, and being directed to my dressing room, and being able to have the freedom to walk around that lot and to see all of those sets that I was familiar with from my childhood."

Through the '80s, he acted in television projects including "Miami Vice" and films including 1987's "The Principal," starring Jim Belushi and Louis Gossett Jr., and the 1987 romantic drama "Bedroom Eyes."

In the '90s, he acted in a number of cult classics, including "Lionheart," "Sugarhill" and the project he's most well-known for, "The Five Heartbeats," in which Wright portrays the volatile and drug-added soul singer Eddie King Jr., widely considered the heart of the movie.

"Eddie King Jr. is without a question an iconic film figure in African American cinema," the actor told Gamache. "I can't go anywhere on any given day and not encounter people that figure me out as Eddie King. They know all my songs, and they know my lines better than me."

By the aughts, Michael was asked to audition for a one-episode role in the OG prestige HBO drama “Oz,” in which he played an inmate with a penchant for poetry.

"I went in there, and I just went totally berserk," he told Gamache of the audition. "And I went through a week of that episode, and then after that was finished, I went back to my dressing room, and there was another script on my bed. And I said, 'OK, that's interesting.' So I did that episode. And then when that was finished, there was another script on my bed, and I said, 'OK.' And then I did that episode, and there was another script on my bed. And so I said, 'Oh s—! I guess I must be a regular.'"

Robert Townsend, who directed and starred as Donald “Duck” Matthews in “The Five Heartbeats,” told “The Breakfast Club” in 2018 that he’d actually had Denzel Washington in mind for the role, but when Wright came in to read, he knew “this is the dude to play Eddie King.”

Townsend posted a tribute on X over the weekend, writing alongside a clip from the film that featured Wright as Eddie singing in a choir, “Tears... flowing as I write this. Michael was a ‘Pure Artist.’”

Wright is survived by his wife, Susan; his children Manon Wright, Byron Barr, Brittney Briggs, Brianna Barr and Sir Barr; and a grandchild, Yoko.

Magic Castle comes to Knott's Scary Farm

bowelment."

THE MAGIC CASTLE'S performers will variously take the stage at Knott's during Halloween season.
CAROLYN COLE Los Angeles Times

Kyusung Gong For The Times
"OCCULTUM," the magic show, will be held in the Bird Cage Theatre. Above right, a look at the Inked maze.
Knott's Berry Farm

Magicians will bring illusions ‘too intense’ for the Hollywood venue to theme park.

TODD MARTENS FEATURES COLUMNIST

The Magic Castle is getting in on the theme park game.

The famed Hollywood institution is teaming up with Knott's Berry Farm for its after-hours Halloween event, Knott's Scary Farm, now in its 53rd year. The Magic Castle will supply the artists and show direction for a production that is expected to run nightly in the park's recently refurbished Bird Cage Theatre.

The theme park initially reached out to the Magic Castle last year, says Payden Adams, vice president of entertainment for Knott's Berry Farm, but the castle was in the middle of a leadership reorganization at the time. With that completed, a partnership could finally begin.

"It is just astounding what they've done with the Bird Cage Theatre," says Jessica Hopkins, granddaughter of castle pioneers Bill and Irene Larsen and the castle's chief operating officer. "Magic Castle magicians have been performing in there for decades. It just felt right."

Curating Knott's magic show will be Rudy Coby, a resident magician at the Magic Castle. Coby performed at Knott's about 35 years ago and credits the park in helping him get his start. He says the new show, "Occultum," will vary by week with different performers lined up throughout the Halloween season. Knott's Scary Farm begins Sept. 17.

And yet, says Coby, “Not every magician is for this audience.” So what’s the differentiating factor for a Halloween magic show?

"It's a little more edgy," Coby says. "You really have to grab their attention. It's the TikTok generation."

Some of the illusions

Coby says he will bring to Knott's Scary Farm would be "too intense for the Magic Castle."

"The ideas I've had, with chainsaws and cutting off my limbs, I couldn't get away with at the Magic Castle," he says.

"But you can here," says Hopkins.

The Magic Castle-head-lined show is not the only new addition to Scary Farm in 2026. Here are two other reasons I'm looking forward

to the event.

Inked: A new maze with killer vintage cartoons

One of the two new mazes coming to Knott's Scary Farm will rely heavily on black-and-white, vintage-style animation. Inked, as it's called, will be set in the 1930s, and was introduced at a media event with a song-and-dance production that recalled Disney's classic Silly

Symphony “The Skeleton Dance.”

The story centers on Mortimer Morbid, a deadbeat, down-on-his-luck animator whose career changes — not necessarily for the better — when it's discovered his blood can bring his drawings to life. Of course, cartoons infused with blood don't have the most altruistic desires.

Inked designer Daniel Miller says the maze took two years to create, largely because Knott's conceived the animation for the walk-through in-house with a team of four. Most every room in the haunted house is expected to feature original media, as the animated creations will be represented both in their cartoon form and as costumed characters.

And it'll be gruesome.

"We kind of geared it around the notion that they're bloodthirsty," Miller says of the killer toons. "We see all the animators in various stages of disem-

Sheesh. Animators have it hard enough today already.

Expect the unexpected with 'Voodoo: Bayou's Edge' and Unearthed

Knott's Scary Farm, unlike its main SoCal competitor, doesn't rely on known film and television properties. That means the event can generally get a little ... weirder. You see that in its mazes, as noted above, as well as in its theatrical productions.

Also new this year is a show titled “Voodoo: Bayou’s Edge,” which takes place on an outdoor stage. The production centers on the mysterious happenings in a cemetery. Knott’s is pitching it as a music, dance-focused show.

And while voodoo can potentially be a culturally sensitive subject to tackle in a theme park, the show comes from the mind of the respected Rovin Jay, who has long been closely involved in the park's spectacular "Ghost Town Alive!" Expect "big dance numbers" and something "really sexy," says Adams.

Another new maze, Unearthed, will be set in the present day but takes its cues from films such as “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “The Mummy” as it deals with a supernatural archaeological dig. Maze designer Jon Asperin says it will have numerous interactive elements, such as effects triggered by guests pulling a lever.

“Having the ability to come up with original stories lets us tap into the nerd in all of us,” says Asperin. “We don’t feel restricted by certain IP or things that may not be appropriate. We get a chance to challenge ourselves with trying out new things that some folks won’t take a risk on.”

Photographer plays with time

[Cowin, from E1] [6001, from El] tography, and L.A. artists were catalytic in elevating the medium's stature and expanding its range.

Cowin soon shifted to straighter technical methods applied to crooked storylines. She's become most influential for her staged photography, choreographed decisive moments shot in both color and black and white. In her lauded "Family Docudrama" series (1980-84), Cowin cast herself, her husband and stepkids as characters in suggestive, often tense scenes set in the bedroom, dining room and garage.

In one inexhaustible untitled image from 1980, the couple sits in elegant dress at a candlelit table engrossed in each other's company, while the young, shirtless son adjusts the channel on a TV perched on the near side of the table. The space is shallow and compressed, like a theater set, and details are few and deliberate. The one picture hanging on the wall is another of Cowin's images from the same series. The scene thrums with the complexity of domestic life, the simultaneity of partnering and parenting, as well as of looking, being looked at, being overlooked, and being visually represented.

From the earliest days of

EILEEN COWIN'S "The Uninvited Visitor," 2025. The LACMA retrospective runs through Jan. 3, 2027.

photography, artists have staged tableaux for the camera, often using painting and literature as inspiration. Think 19th century photographic storytellers Julia Margaret Cameron and Oscar Gustave Rejlander. There was enough of a resurgence in the 1970s to merit a new term, the “directorial mode,” coined by critic A.D. Coleman to categorize Duane Michals, William Wegman, Les Krims and others. Cowin has brought the tradition up to date beginning in the late 1970s by suffusing her work with the look and feel of cinema and TV (close-ups, storyboard-style progression), and the centering of women’s experience in the narrative.

In terms of narrative, Cowin is a wry disruptor. She has spoken of her interest in lying and duplicity, and has consistently, fruitfully, positioned her work on the border of fiction and nonfiction. The “Family Docudrama” series and much that followed read as something like autofiction, drawn from life but juiced up, rephrased, with gestures and incidents isolated and amplified. Cowin may appear as the subject in her photographs, but she is primarily the narrator, an intriguingly unreliable narrator who recognizes the inevitability of mul tiple, simultaneous truths.

In those earliest works using magazine transfers, Cowin layered disjunctive images, visually uniting realities that can't easily be reconciled emotionally. In "New Hampshire" (1971), for instance, a man is seen with a camera to his eye in a peaceful moment beside a lake, with a spectral image of Vietnam War soldiers next to him in the frame. There is panic, and there is paradise.

"NEW HAMPSHIRE," 1971, is among Cowin's earlier work on view at LACMA.
EILEEN COWIN Museum Associates

In “Shot” (1976), from another early series, Cowin engages in canny word/image play, pairing photographs of men being shot by guns (including Lee Harvey Oswald) with handwritten dictionary definitions of the word “shot.” The definitions appear below the frames, reminding us that the men were not just shot with a firearm but also by a camera, shot being shot.

Circularity and self-referentiality are mainstays in Cowin's work, wry disruptor that she is. She frequently puts pictures within pictures, deepening and doubling the story being told and making it deliciously clear that what we are seeing is constructed, not found. We're also made acutely aware of what we're not seeing, that no picture is the whole picture and there is narrative power in the denial of sight and therefore knowl edge. Figures in Cowin's work are often blindfolded or covering their eyes with their hands.

Cowin's own restraint and withholding yield images of distilled power. Over decades, she has isolated subjects within unarticulated fields of solid black: figures in domestic scenarios; book spines; actors embodying untold emotion, as in the multichannel video installation, "Fear Itself" (2014) and her potent new color photographs, "The Uninvited Visitor" (2025). Cowin has also spliced together photographs of disparate subjects — people, places and things

— on broad horizontal panels that suggest narrative progression but instead register as evocative panoramic poems. In 2010, she titled a piece (not in the current show) "If I Knew More, I Would Tell You." But she wouldn't. She hasn't. She has made an art out of felt, remembered and imagined experience, not accumulated information.

Her new video, "Another Year Closer to Death" (2026)

wileyink@earthlink.net

Dist. by Andrews McMeel Syndication

Gocomics.com/nonsequior

LA CUCARACHA By Lalo Alcaraz

©2026 LALO ALCARAZ Distributed by Andrews McNeil Syndication www.lalocalcaraz.com laioa/caraz@yahoo.com iG: @lalocalcaraz1

CRABGRASS By Tauhid Bondia

CURTIS By Ray Billingsley

LOOSE PARTS By Dave Blazek

PICKLES By Brian Crane

COMICS

BABY BLUES By Jerry Scott & Rick Kirkman

CRANKSHAFT By Tom Batiuk & Chuck Ayers

© 2026 Mediographics, Inc. Diet. by Andrews McMeel Syndication

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE By Stephan Pastis
JUMP START By Robb Armstrong

MACANUDO By Liniers

LIO By Mark Tatulli

BLONDIE By Dean Young & John Marshall

ZITS By Jerry Scott & Jim Borgman

BETWEEN FRIENDS By Sandra Bell-Lundy

TUNDRA By Chad Carpenter

SIX CHIX By Susan Camilleri Konar

BIZARRO By Wayno and Piraro

FRAZZ By Jef Mallett

Behr Hundus—费10

DRABBLE By Kevin Fagan

NON SEQUITUR By Wiley

MUTTS By Patrick McDonnell

PEANUTS By Charles M. Schulz

SUDOKU

©2026 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved. Solutions to Tuesday's puzzles Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 or 2-by-3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 (or 1 to 6 for the smaller grid). For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk.

KENKEN

Every box will contain a number; numbers depend on the size of the grid. For a 6x6 puzzle, use Nos. 1-6. Do not repeat a number in any row or column. The numbers in each heavily outlined set of squares must combine to produce the target number found in the top left corner of the cage using the mathematical operation indicated. A number can be repeated within a cage as long as it is not in the same row or column.

©2026 KenKen Puzzle, LLC www.kenken.com

HOROSCOPE

By Holiday Mathis

Aries (March 21-April 19): When you don't get the response you wanted, try the same thing a few times more. Sometimes you have to ask the question a little louder.

Taurus (April 20-May 20): Human behavior can look irrational until you know what's driving a person to do mysterious things.

Gemini (May 21-June 21): You don't need everyone to communicate the way you do. But it would be nice if a certain person's level of engagement would match yours.

Cancer (June 22-July 22): Sometimes people look like they are having so much fun that you feel pangs of envy just observing their joy. It will inspire you to get to planning what fits you perfectly.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): Take a chance and reach out to someone who makes you

CROSSWORD

nervous. Even your awkward moves will charm.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Improbable things happen every day. You've been lucky before, and it's coming back around.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23): Make space. Get rid of things before you have a replacement. Maybe you'll never need one.

Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 21): Surprising someone who thought they had already measured your limits is so fun. It's also quite the power move.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You have a knack for duplicating success formulas. Try a proven strategy from a friend, mentor, book or program.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Since feelings can also lie with abandon, it's important to question and test them before you act on them.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You aim to delight someone you love, and this is one of the best prompts to invig- orate your creative spirit.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20): You can get out from under an obligation in one honest conversation. Good friends and respectful employers don't really want you to feel trapped.

Today's birthday (Aug. 26): Welcome to your Year of the Hot Breeze, when you somehow manage to be seen as cool and warm at the same time. You're incredibly attractive, magnetizing who you want to bring into your world. More highlights: A reimaging of your style with fun changes to dress, transportation and domestic life. Friends connect you to lucrative business. A new skill favorably affects every aspect of life. Cancer and Libra adore you. Lucky numbers: 15, 3, 37, 22 and 12.

Mathis writes her column for Creators Syndicate Inc. The horoscope should be read for entertainment.

Edited By Patti Varol By Zachary Gallardo

DOWN 1 "Exactly right!" 2 City north of Carson City 3 Probabilities 4 Service promoter 5 Cyclone center 6 Swindled

43 Climbs
46 Big galoot
47 Big Island county seat
50 Throwback hit
51 Amphibious hopper
52 Corn Belt state
53 Major conflicts
55 "Didn't see you there!"
56 Knots
57 The Grand Ole _
59 Metal box?
60 Dim sum bun
61 Persona _ grata
ANSWER TO
PREVIOUS PUZZLE

7 _ bear: Southeast Asian forest dweller
8 Since
9 Animated film about Spix's macaws
10 Baker's shortening?
11 Like laughter, sometimes
12 62-Across call
13 Curly hairstyle
18 Bed frame board
22 Japanese sash
24 Picks up the pace
25 Pokémon that ultimately evolves into Alakazam
26 Jason's "Beverly Hills, 90210" role
27 Modest Muslim robe
28 Bus passenger
29 Sushi bite topped with salmon
31 Hairstyle that may begin with comb coils
32 "Stormy Weather" singer Lena
33 Elephant pair
35 Operatic solo
38 If-then- statement
40 Leaves in the care of

BRIDGE

BY FRANK STEWART

ACROSS 1 Emerged 6 Korean-American grocery store 11 Dim sum brew 14 Little solo break 15 Camel's watering hole 16 "That'll leave a mark!" 17 Programming problem 19 Scand. country 20 Proboscis 21 Feature of Canada's flag 22 Nove minus uno 23 Suspicious 25 Enclosed rhyme scheme in Petrarchan sonnets 27 Turkish peak 30 Clinton secretary of state 34 Olympic gymnast with five moves named for her 35 2025 Best Picture Oscar winner 36 Letters of liability? 37 Dongle, e.g. 39 Synagogue singers 41 "Exactly right!" 42 _Sports Bureau: stats giant 44 "Punch-_ Love": Paul Thomas Anderson film 45 Bible Belt state 47 Shelters 48 Altar site 49 Change 51 Prometheus's gift 53 "See ..." 54 Yellow brick road terrier 58 Aussie hopper 59 "Everyone in the water!" or when parsed differently, what can be found in each set of circled words 62 Nocturnal bird of prey 63 _ Gras 64 Unlike the rest 65 Young lady 66 Clique 67 Vociferous

“Esther was cleaning out her purse last night,” Unlucky Louie told me glumly.

"Was it sort of like the Augean stables?" I asked.

“No,” Louie sighed, “but the credit-card receipts made a neat stack 6 inches high. They amounted to a teeny-tiny book about why I’m so broke.”

Between Esther's spending and his losses in the penny game, it's a wonder Louie remains afloat. When he played at today's 3NT, West led the six of spades, and Louie played low from dummy and let East's jack win. Louie won the spade return with the ace and led the queen of clubs, but West took the king, led the queen of spades to force out Louie's

ASKING ERIC

DEAR ERIC: Our youngest child has worked only part time for the past two years, despite being a single mother to two children. At the same time her job situation deteriorated, my husband and I moved away from the city where we all had lived. Our daughter felt abandoned when we left, especially since my husband and I were babysitters, money givers, homework doers, food suppliers, etc.

Our daughter was invited to move with us but could not because of the father. Courts would not allow it. We have been helping our daughter with many expenses. Plus, we have helped with the rent on and off and helped with summer classes for the kids, legal fees, special ed teachers, et cetera. Her ex contributes what the courts told him to and not a penny more.

These expenses have been hard on my husband and me. We dipped into our savings three times and once took money out of our house. Now, once again, we are in credit card debt up to our necks (more than \$30,000), and none of the expenses are ours. When I tried to explain this problem to our daughter, she flipped out, as she occasionally does. Most of the time she is nice to us. Sometimes, she yells the house down at us and calls us names.

I discussed this problem king, got back in with the ace of clubs and cashed two spades. Louie is at risk only if West has five spades, but East must have one honor: With Q-J-10-x-x, West would have led the queen. If Louie takes the ace of spades at Trick One, he blocks the suit. When West wins the first club and leads another spade, Louie ducks East's jack and is safe.

You hold: ♠ Q 10 7 6 2 ♥ J 3 ♦ 7 5 4 ♣ A K 2. Your partner opens one heart, you bid one spade and he rebids two hearts. What do you say?

Answer: Partner has six or more hearts. If he held J 5, A K 10 6 5, K 10 6, Q 10 6, his second bid would have been 1NT. With J 5, A K 10 6 5, K 9, Q 10 6 5, he would have bid two clubs. With K J 5, A K 10 6 5, 3 2, Q 10 6, he would have raised to two spades. If vul-

with my sister, and she said I was being manipulated, that our daughter needed therapy, and that we should cut her off and set boundaries. But how can we cut off our adored grandchildren from food and clean clothes and shoes and school supplies?

We are drowning. She has two of my credit cards and all the charges are hers. The rest of her expenses come directly out of my checking account. Can you help?

AFRAID OF MY OWN DAUGHTER'S TEMPER

Dear Afraid: Listen to your sister. It won't serve you, your daughter, or your grandchildren for you to sink into financial ruin. Write a budget for yourself and be very upfront with your daughter about what the limits of that budget are. Set up external boundaries — if you choose to keep paying her credit cards, lower the limits so that the credit card companies won't approve charges that exceed them, for instance.

nerable, you might try three hearts. If not, pass. You would raise with A 10 7 6 2, J 3, 7 5 4, A Q 2.

She may argue that you have the money and should give it but, without putting too fine a point on it, it seems clear that you don't have the money. If reducing your support means that your grandchildren would go without clean clothes, there's a larger issue in the system here that you can't solve on your own. But there are many steps before that. A financial advisor

Tribune Content Agency

© 2026 Tribune Content Agency or a free budgeting program can help you identify some places to cut.

Dear Eric: I'm 40 years old; I have three teenage daughters and have been married to my new husband for almost a year. I was recently prescribed a pair of glasses just for reading. My husband thinks that I look fantastic in them and has asked a few times if I would consider wearing them all the time.

I did order blended bifocals so I could keep them on at the office so I really could comfortably just leave them on. Personally, I feel I'm more attractive without them and that they make me look older.

I can't decide what to do. Should I continue wearing them only when I really need to? Or should I give them a try for a couple of weeks as my husband has suggested? GLASSES HALF FULL

Dear Glasses: It's lovely that your husband is being supportive and is free with his compliments and requests, but what's most important with regard to your appearance is that you feel comfortable. So, if you only want to wear the glasses when you need them, don't give it a second thought. He can learn to see it as a special treat.

Email questions to eric@askingeric.com.

FAMILY CIRCUS By Bil Keane

"Your plant in the bottle looked thirsty, Mommy, so I gave it a good drink."
FREE RANGE By Bill Whitehead

DENNIS THE MENACE By Hank Ketcham
BLISS By Harry Bliss

"As God is my witness, I'll never eat instant ramen with crushed-up Doritos again!"

"THAT'S HOW HE WORKS UP AN APPETITE."
MARMADUKE By Brad & Paul Anderson

SPEED BUMP By Dave Coverly
"You're not paying attention, are you?"

Transporting Ibsen's 'Enemy' to present

['Enemy,' from E1] he said. “So we watch these fights within a family, which represent the fights that we’re all having together, trying to move forward as a culture.”

No one has to remind De-Lorenzo of the play's “sober reputation.” A playwright friend emailed him when the production was announced with a simple message: “Bart, lighten up!” The play, which includes a town hall run amok, has a reputation for being shouty.

"My production is definitely not that," he said. "I was struck by this letter that Ibsen writes to his publisher, where he says he's not sure if this play is a comedy or a drama. I've really tried to embrace the comedy, because some scenes are completely satirical and fun. I wanted to present this play in all its kaleidoscopic power instead of just as a political tract."

He's streamlined the drama to an hour and 40 minutes and cut and combined some characters, though he promises that audiences will be encountering "the whole play." He's also updated the period. The look of Frederica Nascimento's set might put one in mind of a stylish couple's Echo Park starter home. And the media landscape now centers on the internet and social media rather than a printing press.

But DeLorenzo's biggest liberty comes in the final scene, which he calls his own "composition." He was inspired by the endings of "A Doll's House" and "Ghosts." And he took a close look at Arthur Miller's version of "Enemy," but he rejected the depiction of Stockmann's character as the heroic whistleblower who stands alone with the truth.

"Ibsen's ending is sly," he said. "I would call it mock heroic or satiric. Miller's is more of a sledgehammer. I wanted to write an ending for this moment that would connect with audiences."

The founding artistic director of Evidence Room, DeLorenzo has extensive ties within L.A.'s intimate theater scene. But he's working with many of the actors in this production of "Enemy" for the first time, including Jay Paulson, who plays Tom Stockmann as a gangly, eccentric, socially awkward science nerd, and Cara Mitsuko, who takes on the role of Stockmann's long-suffering wife, Kate.

"I collaborated with the great casting director Nicole Arbusto, who has cast some of the most exciting things in film, television and theater. She's very special and found these wonderful actors."

DeLorenzo, who teaches at the California Institute of the Arts, where I'm also on the faculty, has been working in recent years as a director for hire. But he said that Evidence Room is still alive and that he maintains relationships with the community of artists who have been part of the company, which was established in 1995.

"I would love to do another production," he said. "It's just that as people get older, their lives get more complicated."

If he were starting out today, would it be possible to launch a company like Evidence Room?

“Tragically, no,” he answered. “1995 was actually a pretty good moment. There was more money in the arts, more respect for the arts and more arts coverage. I think the larger theaters were slightly more L.A.-focused than in the current climate. Danny Feldman at Pasadena Playhouse is an exception, but it saddens me how little the large theaters that pay salaries look to Los Angeles artists. There are so many co-productions created in other cities that come here, along with touring productions. As wonderful as some of these are, I don’t think it helps the arts of our city distinguish themselves.”

When I started at The Times in 2006, Evidence Room was the cool kid on the scene. It was the theater where Megan Mullaly met her future husband, Nick Offerman, when the two were cast in the 2000 Evidence Room production of “The Berlin Circle.” What was the guiding vision of this rambunctious company?

"It was about expressing the moment and creating a creative space for exciting adventures," he said. "The governing aesthetic was finding really interesting plays and performance pieces to provoke. So we wanted to make a space that was exciting before the play and a place that was exciting after the play, and then like a really provocative piece of theater in the middle of it."

Theater, in other words, that was creating a sense of belonging and not simply stoking an appetite for consuming.

“We were part of that ethos of the Big Cheap Theater movement,” he said. “And there were a handful of us that felt like we were in the same club. We would share resources, and artists would cross-pollinate. We would open the bar after the show, and people would come by after their shows.”

Intimate theater in L.A. has still not recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic. The fallout from the 2016 Actors' Equity Assn. agreement, which imposed an hourly minimum wage for members who perform in Los Angeles County theater with fewer than 100 seats, is still being felt. And the impact of California's Assembly Bill 5, which reclassified low-stipend theater workers as full employees, has further fueled the soaring cost of production.

"I understand and sympathize with what the actors' union was responding to," he said. "And I was very curious about how this change would evolve. Of course, one of the issues in 'Enemy of the People' is that any kind of administrative body is never able to admit a mistake. I think we have enough evidence right now to look at what that change has enacted. And I don't think anyone who did that analysis would say that it

FROM LEFT, Jay Paulson, Lauren Campedelli, DeJuan Christopher and Clay Hollander perform in “Enemy of the People,” now playing at the Odyssey Theatre.

DIRECTOR Bart DeLorenzo laments L.A. theater's post-pandemic precarity.
Cooper Bates
ARIANA DREHSLER For The Times

has benefited actors in L.A., art in L.A., or audiences in L.A. I look back to when I was starting my company, and I think of the extraordinary range of productions, the amount of creativity that was in the air. You would see these fantastic full-scale Brecht productions with like 25 people, and they would take the city by storm. All of those have ended."

For DeLorenzo, it comes down to a question of what does it mean to volunteer? “I have no problem with the word ‘amateur,’ ” he said. “It comes from the Latin verb to love, and I think there’s something important about that. I’ve done jobs for money and I’ve done jobs for love. And I’ve enjoyed them equally. And I don’t think that the union or the labor board has looked at this in the most realistic way by asking the question: ‘OK, if we make this change, can actors now make a living doing this?’ And they cannot, so what are we doing? Why are we pretending?”

If he were L.A.'s theater czar, his first order of business would be to infuse more money into the scene. But another top priority would be bolstering the city's cultural self-esteem.

“Think of the impact of something as silly as the ‘I Love New York’ movement on New York theater,” he said. “L.A. has always been a little bit ashamed of our theater. And I think the leaders of our largest theaters have always been a little bit ashamed of L.A. theater artists. And it's a self-perpetuating system. If you're an intimate theater artist in Los Angeles, you can't graduate to the next level. You have to leave town to graduate. I wish that had changed over my time here in L.A."

For DeLorenzo, the New York aesthetic revolves around “a play set in an apartment with a couch.” What he finds special about the L.A. aesthetic is the expansiveness of the vision. But the desire to put the world on stage has become exceedingly difficult to economically pull off.

"I know theaters are going through a really hard time right now," he said. "Even the well-funded theaters. But I think there is a selfish mentality of we just need to survive. These theaters are choosing productions that I can't believe anyone is proud of. There's a line in my adaptation of 'Enemy of the People,' in which a character uses the term 'leaders.' And Tom Stockmann says, 'Leaders? What? Who are you talking about? They're followers. They're DJs taking requests.' And I feel that way about many of our theater leaders: They're taking requests."

Give a listen to these 10 essential songs by Dolly Parton

MARK BOSTER Los Angeles Times
SINGER-SONGWRITER Dolly Parton created hits across musical genres.

[Songs, from E1] [Bongs, from El] lywood theme park, the purehearted children's literacy initiatives, the rhinestone cowgirl aesthetics — would be possible without one of the most emotionally attuned, beautifully performed and broadly reaching catalogs in American music.

She is one of the finest singer-songwriters this country ever produced, and it's inconceivable to sum up her catalog in just an LP's worth of tunes. But Parton

— the songwriter, the vocalist, the instrumentalist, the collaborator — only ever wanted to invite a listener in, wherever they arrive from. Here are 10 songs to start with.

Coat of Many Colors (1971)

The foundational text of Parton's career, this 1971 single lovingly details her mother's make-do resilience, stitching a fall coat from scraps of cloth in the spirit of a beloved Bible story. Its storytelling economy is just as crafty, finding splendor with humble tools, and distills Parton's whole persona into one perfect song.

Touch Your Woman (1972)

You could spend tens of thousands on couple's therapy and never get as good advice as "We can't always both be right, we sometimes disagree / But you've got the right to speak your mind and it's the same with me / When the anger's at an end, and you want inside my arms again / All you have to do to make it right is just / Touch your woman."

Jolene (1974)

Try to forget how ubiquitous this song is in pop culture, even though it's been covered by Beyoncé (who laced her own domestic strife into a version), the White Stripes and Parton's goddaughter Miley Cyrus. Listen to how eerie the thing actually is, how the harmonies capture the desperation, panic and preemptive grief of losing a love to someone whose appeal is undeniable. Nothing that haunted can ever be overplayed.

I Will Always Love You (1974)

Any songwriter should be so lucky — to have one of your hallmark tunes be lovingly swept out from under you and become one of the definitive ballads of pop music. Whitney Houston's powerhouse version stands alone, but Dolly's quieter, mournful ode to her collaboration with Porter Wagoner is the artful, formative sketch to a colossal mural.

The Bargain Store (1975)

Taking the themes of "Coat"

in intimate new directions, there's a pained, darker tang to lines like "Take these old, used memories from the past / And these broken dreams and plans that didn't last / I'll trade them for a future, I can't use them anymore." A perfect distillation of Parton's themes and craftsmanship, where melancholy and resilience fight it out in the empty spaces.

Two Doors Down (1977)

One of Parton's first forays into purer pop, this single has the stomp and shuffle of funk and could easily be retrofitted into disco DJ sets. Soul horns and synths liven the production up, but it all underlines how far her writing and vocal performances could travel through genres.

9 to 5 (1980)

The song that made Parton a true pop crossover, a movie star with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin and an Oscar nominee. But don't let the relatable career-girl pluck of the movie dilute the fact that this song is pissed off about capitalism, even as its hooks make the grind of working life more bearable.

Old Flames (Can't Hold a Candle to You) (1980)

Dolly chose her covers carefully, but even she couldn't have known how full-circle this would come around. A take on songwriter Pebe Sebert's ballad that went to No. 1 on the country charts in 1980, Sebert's daughter Kesha would eventually return the favor with a version decades later, two women who turned an act playing ditzy into resonant, affecting music.

To Know Him Is to Love Him (1987)

Parton's pen and persona had no equals, but she was an enthusiastic collaborator as well, from her early partnership with Porter Wagoner up to her 2023 hard rock LP. She was at her best with the women of Trio, a supergroup with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris, and this regal single of nascent, unrequited commitment is as lovely as they come.

Smoky Mountain Memories

(Live — 1994) Parton was a virtuoso at staying, if not apolitical, at least a neutral zone of relatability for conservatives and leftists alike, each of whom had ways to read their lives into her storytelling. A song like “Smoky Mountain Memories,” a gut-wrenching live rework of an earlier song, lent dignity to her family’s toil and loneliness, while raging against the circumstances that created it — “It takes all I’ve got to give what life demands / Oh, you go insane if you give into it.”

International Daily

Qingdao Port launches new container route to Australia

QINGDAO -- The Qingdao Port in east China's Shandong Province opened a new container shipping route to Australia on Wednesday, reducing transit time to just 15 days.

It is the port's 16th newly launched container route so far this year.

The Qingdao Port now operates nearly 240 shipping routes, ranking the first among northern China's ports by route count. It has continuously expanded its international logistics network to connect over 700 ports in more than 180 other countries and regions worldwide.

Guizhou folk parade celebrates water dragon festival

A colorful water dragon parade was held in Shiqian County of southwest China's Guizhou Province on Saturday to celebrate the traditional local Water Dragon Festival, drawing tens of thousands of participants.

The parade featured 13 dragons made of bamboo strips and willow branches, which were carried through streets as onlookers showered them with water, praying for blessing.

As the water dragons snaked through the an- cient streets, people also splashed water on each other, using everything from water guns to buckets, turning the blessing into a lively water fight.

"You can really feel the deep cultural vibe in this parade, and everyone is so warm," said Feng Xingting, a tourist from Guangdong.

The tradition began during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). According to legend, a dragon once ended a severe drought in the area. Ever since, villagers have created green dragons every year and sprinkled water to ask for timely rains and bountiful harvests.

The water dragon celebration in Shiqian has been listed as a municipal intangible cultural heritage of Tongren.

"We wish to better keep our cultural heritage alive, and we also hope that traditional culture could energize our tourism. By blending culture with tourism, we wish to produce more new business forms and facilitate high quality growth of the sector," said Rao Li, an official with the county's culture and tourism bureau.

Horse racing, ethnic cultural heritage spark tourism boom in China's Sandu county

A grassroots horse racing competition kicked off in Sandu Shui Autonomous County of southwest China's Guizhou Province on Saturday, drawing crowds of domestic and international visitors to immerse themselves in the hoof beat and roaring cheers as well as the unique ethnic cultural heritage.

Alongside the fierce competition was an equally electrifying atmosphere off the track, where locals welcomed visitors with alcohol, toasting songs, and colorful cultural performances.

"I'm very happy to watch horse racing in Sandu today. This is a perfect ending to my week-long trip in Guizhou," said a French tourist.

In Sandu, visitors from home and abroad can also experience the unique charm of the region's intangible cultural heritages, with the most eye-catching one being the horse tail embroidery of the Shui ethnic group.

"We came here today to see the horse tail embroidery works. I think it's really beautiful and quite novel, and it's closely linked to ethnic culture. So my classmates and I like it very much. We are learning the technique and trying to make one," said an Angolan tourist.

"We made beau-

tiful horse tail embroidery works in the shape of butterflies. I hope to keep it as a precious and unique souvenir from our Guizhou trip," said another French tourist.

By integrating sporting events with intangible cultural heritage, Sandu has seen a continuous boom in cultural tourism over the recent years.

In the first half of 2026, the country welcomed more than 3.22 million visitors, marking an increase of 11 percent year on year.

Summer tourism picks up across China as distinctive resources

fuel county-level travel boom

Counties and prefectures across China have been tapping into their distinctive cultural and tourism resources this summer to explore new models that integrate culture, tourism and sports to attract hordes of tourists.

Coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the completion and commissioning of China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST), the world's largest single-dish radio telescope, the Qiannan Buyi and Miao

Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Guizhou Province, has used the landmark as a focal point to organize distinctive cultural and tourism events, allowing visitors to experience China's technological prowess and regional cultural charm.

Meanwhile, members of the Buyi, Miao, Shui, and Yao ethnic groups, among others, paraded in traditional attire, singing and dancing as they showcased the rich ethnic traditions and

the charm of intangible cultural heritage through a grand procession.

Leveraging the ecological advantages of the karst landscape and a forest coverage rate of 68 percent, the prefecture has launched a selection of premium summer themed itineraries, including eco-tourism, outdoor adventures, family-friendly experiences, and culinary tours, to attract tourists from around the world. "So, coming here, I was very surprised that in the middle of the mountains, they have such a scientific exhibition hall connected to the telescope. There are so much going on here. It's such a good place for the kids to come and learn," said Adam, a British tourist.

The 22nd Chinese University Climbing Championship was held in Gaotang County of Liaocheng City in east China's Shandong Province this week, with more than 500 student athletes from 90 universities across the country par- ticipating.

Outside the competition grounds, a series of events including bonfire parties and open-air concerts took place one after another.

Gaotang is famed for Chinese painting and calligraphy. During the sports event, local organizers invited renowned masters of painting and calligraphy to the venue to create works on the spot, allowing visitors to experience the beauty of traditional culture during breaks from the competition.

In Zhenglan Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, a series of art events are continuously energizing cultural tourism across the grassland pastoral areas.

The vast prairie has been transformed into an open-air gallery. A diverse array of contemporary art forms including sculptures, installations, performance art, and sound art have been brought deep into the heart of the pastoral region.

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AI-empowered decision-making helping transform tourist experiences

The arrival of artificial intelligence technology is helping transform tourism experiences across China, with tour operators and scenic sites utilizing these high-tech tools to enhance their offerings and individual visitors also quickly and conveniently crafting their own personalized travel plans using AI.

The rising trend is part of a smart tourism boom that sees AI increasingly adopted in China's tourism industry, with a wide variety of entities from hotels, to tour groups and even the management of local scenic areas all using this technology to inform key business decisions.

It is also drastically changing the way tourists formulate their travel plans before embarking on trips. According to travel site Mafengwo, nearly 60 percent of the traditional online search traffic has now instead migrated to AI-powered platforms, as people turn to these AI assistants to act as their own specialized travel agent.

These innovations are having a positive impact in northwest China's Gansu

Province, where the stunning Lanzhou Ink-wash Danxia Scenic Area -- a scenic wonder with colorful sandstone cliffs and steep rock formations -- is welcoming an influx of visitors.

As well as the natural scenery, management at the site have also sought to maximize more modern entertainment means, and operators of a theater built in the geological park are now producing more AI-enhanced digital content to attract more potential visitors.

"Visitor numbers and revenue are both growing. We're seeing more out-of-province tourists, families, and student tours. Right now, we're making AI videos to showcase our scenery across multiple platforms, building a high-frequency content matrix," said Song Ruoyu, deputy operations manager of the scenic area.

Many of the tourists here have also fully embraced AI, which they say removes the often time-consuming task of searching through countless webpages to find the best suggestions for things to do or eat nearby.

"AI can also make travel itineraries for me, suggesting places to visit and local food. I actually used it on my trip to Lanzhou and it worked great," said Wang Xiaoying, a tourist.

"AI is becoming way more useful now. For example, it instantly pushed all the hotels, restaurants, and transport options in Lanzhou to me. It's so convenient, I don't even need to plan my trip myself anymore," said another tourist named Miao Jiashun.

China's Hainan Province draws growing inbound tourists with immersive cultural experiences

Hainan Province in south China has emerged as a popular destination for inbound tourists this summer despite soaring temperatures, driven by its visa-free policies, immersive cultural experiences and improved travel services.

From wellness tourism and intangible cultural heritage programs to tropical rainforest villages, the island is attracting a growing number of international visitors seeking authentic Chinese culture.

Supported by visa-free access for citizens of 86 countries, the island province now operates 78 international passenger air routes linking 45 cities in 25 countries and

regions.

Sanya, one of the island's most popular destinations, saw inbound tourist arrivals rise 43 percent year on year in June, despite the summer heat, as local authorities expanded tourism offerings and improved travel convenience.

"We are focusing on developing immersive tourism products featuring wellness, intangible cultural heritage, nighttime performances and outdoor sports. All 14 of our A-level scenic spots have completed multilingual signs and guide services, multilingual menus have been introduced, and foreign bank card payment terminals have been widely in-"

stalled across the city," said Zhang Hao, deputy director of the tourism development bureau of Sanya City.

Enhanced tourism products and visitor-friendly services have encouraged many

overseas travelers to return to Hainan.

According to the China Tourism Academy, more than 60 percent of inbound tourists list experiencing Chinese culture as a primary purpose of their trips.

In Maona Village, a Li ethnic community nestled in the tropical rain forest of Wuzhishan, foreign visitors are joining tea-picking and tea-processing activities to experience Chinese tea culture firsthand.

They also take part in traditional bamboo pole dancing with local villagers, gaining a deeper understanding of customs and heritage of the Li ethnic group.

China's rail operators launch immersive sightseeing routes as summer travel booms

With much of China sweltering through scorching summer days, special tourist trains are carrying holidaymakers to cooler destinations, blending transport with travel packages to spur consumption.

July brought blistering heat to many parts of the country, but the northernmost province of Heilongjiang enjoyed an average temperature of around 22 degree Celsius, drawing visitors from afar and prompting a new rail route tailored for them.

"This route links China's eastern and northernmost tips, and travels along some of the most iconic tourist attractions in Heilongjiang Province, including volcanic cold springs, natural forests, border scenery, and crane-filled wetlands," said Lu Shiming, Party secretary of the state-owned China Railway Harbin Group's travel branch.

This summer, railways are selling far more than tickets. Yunnan on the southwestern border, with its mild climate and diverse ethnic cultures, has become a popular destination among domestic and international tourists. The China-Laos "Star Express"

offers a seven-day, six-night cross-border adventure.

"I was traveling in Laos and it's just the easiest way to get here from Laos, so I came up on the train. It's very modern and also very convenient," said a British traveler.

Rail operators are bundling scenic spots, hotels, dining, and performances into one-stop cultural tourism packages.

In Sichuan Province, the "High Speed Rail 123" series organizes trips around one-, two-, and three-hour travel circles, linking popular destinations in cities including Leshan, Zigong, Ya'an, and Xichang.

In Fujian Province, the new Wuyi Mountain National Park sightseeing train blends traditional Chinese aesthetics with panoramic windows that frame captivating landscapes, allowing passengers to enjoy a mountain style afternoon tea without ever leaving their seats.

"Passengers used to buy a point-to-point ticket. Now they're paying for a complete travel experience. These tourist trains aren't just about carrying more visitors. They're about weaving together transport, attractions, accommodation, and entertainment into one seamless offering, creating more opportunities for spending and tapping into fresh consumer demand," said Shi Liang, deputy head of the passenger transport department at China Railway Kunming Group.

Kenya's first national Wushu competition gains popularity

The first Kenya National Wushu Competition was held in Nairobi last Thursday, bringing together contestants from eight counties to showcase their skills in Chinese martial arts.

Students from pri-

Students from primary, secondary and tertiary institutions competed in various Wushu disciplines. Top performers received gold, silver and bronze medals, as well as merit awards.

The competition was co-hosted by the Confucius Institute at Kenyatta University, the Kenya Kungfu Wushu Federation, and a Chinese electronics and media company StarTimes Group.

From graceful sword routines to explosive kicks and lightning-fast punches, Wushu combines athleticism, art, and centuries of tradition.

Wushu artist Elvis Munyasya shared what drew him to the event.

"What inspired me a lot is action movies, the ones like Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and also there was a time I came across a video on YouTube. It was about Kungfu and the performance of Wushu and that's where I got inspired and started training Wushu," Munyasya said.

For another Wushu artist Veronica Wambui, Wushu is as much about self-control as it is about physical skill.

"Like anger issues, you are told how to control it. For instance, you can't come here and insult me then I fight back. I will withhold myself or just leave you. So, there's a lot of discipline inside Wushu," Wambui said.

Organisers hope this competition marks the beginning of a new chapter for Wushu in Kenya.

"I think with this competition, more and more Kenyans will know Wushu and come to CI(Confucius Institute) to learn Wushu," said Zhou Xiaodong, director of the Confucius Institute at Kenyatta University.

He also believes it can help bring Kenya and China closer together.

"I think with this, the two countries will strengthen ties and also for our CI, we will have a deeper relationship with the Kenya Kungfu Wushu Federation," Zhou said.

Delicacies, ancient charm in Henan fascinate Polish visitors

and ancient charm of Kaifeng City in central China's Henan Province fascinated a tour group from Poland, as visa-free policies and convenient flight connections are bringing growing numbers of Polish travelers to China.

The group began its trip by sampling one of feng's signature delicacies -- Xiaolongbao, or steamed soup dumplings.

"I visited Kaifeng, Zhengzhou, Jiyuan, Anyang -- many cities, and I love each of them. Every city has some special taste and difference, culture and food. I like spicy and something

visitor.

The tour group then attended a live historical performance, where theatrical cannon fire, galloping horses and actors in full armor vividly recreated a Song Dynasty battlefield. Kaifeng was the ancient capital of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1126).

"All the special effects, the cannons, the bombs, all the smoke was really great. And I'm really grateful," said Piotrek Koberski, another visitor.

Tour guide Chen Wei has lived and worked in Warsaw for over 30 years, primarily organizing trips for Chinese tourists visiting Poland. This summer, however, he has seen a growing number of what he calls "reverse bookings," as he increasingly leads Polish tour groups to China.

Supported by China's unilateral visa-free policy for Polish citizens and direct flights between Warsaw and Beijing, an increasing number of Polish travelers are choosing China for their summer getaway.

"The number of visitors is growing month by month.

Especially now during the summer holiday season, many foreigners are coming to China to travel, and many are independent travelers," said Chen.

China currently offers unilateral visa-free entry to ordinary passport holders from 50 countries. Meanwhile, nationals from 55 countries can now utilize the 240-hour visa-free transit program to enter China via 65 designated ports.

In the first half of this year, visa-free entries by foreign nationals surged 30.6 percent year on year to surpass 17.8 million, accounting for 77.7 percent of all foreign arrivals, according to the National Immigration Administration of China.

Animated film based on Chinese mythology sparks tourism boom in Shanxi

The animated film "All Wishes Come True" based on Chinese mythology has sparked a surge of tourism to Shanxi Province's Yongle, hometown of Lyu Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals.

As this summer's blockbuster, the film grossed over one billion yuan, or 148 million U.S. dollars, as of the end of July.

Rather than retelling the well-known legend of the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, All Wishes Come True imagines what happened before they became legendary figures.

The story follows eight ordinary people who meet by chance and embark on
an unexpected journey. Through a series of challenges, they gradually
discover their strengths and eventually become the Eight Immortals known to

generations of Chinese people.

As China's largest and best-preserved Taoist temple complex, Yongle Palace draws 4,000 visitors daily, up more than 20 percent from June.

Movie fans wander through its halls, comparing murals with scenes from the film.

The palace houses over 1,000 square meters of Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) murals considered the world's largest surviving collection of ancient Taoist fresco art.

Night sports offer cooler alternative for urban fun in China's Chengdu

With summer heat lingering by day, residents and overseas tourists in Chengdu City, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, are taking to cycling and climbing after sunset, turning the city's nights into a time for longer and more engaging outdoor pursuits.

As evening settles over the city, cyclists flock to parks and greenways, where night riding has emerged as a popular outlet for exercise, relaxation, and social interaction. The growing enthusiasm is also proving a boon for local bicycle businesses, drawing in more customers and opening new revenue streams.

"With the arrival of summer, night-riding customers now account for an increasing share of our store's clientele -- roughly 60 percent. To better serve this growing group of evening cyclists, we've also adjusted our business hours to 24/7 operation," said Yi Linjun, store manager of Rider Bicycle Rental.

Night sports are no longer just a street-side affair. Inside Chengdu's shopping malls, a growing number of sports facilities are drawing evening crowds while boosting foot traffic and spending across dining and retail outlets.

"At our mall, nighttime sports now account for about 20 percent of our total evening customer flow. What's more important is that the night-time econo-"

my has become a social affair -- people tend to bring their friends and family along, which unlocks significant potential for additional consumption," said Li Xuan, cluster general manager of the commercial management department of South China CapitaLand Investment.

Zhenchen, manager o f Banana Climbing.

At one climbing gym inside the mall, weekday evenings now account for 60 percent of daily visits, even surpassing weekend nights. Surging after-work demand is also changing how the venue operates.

"We generally close at 22:00, with some outlets extending business hours for office workers so that they can attend our classes after work," said Yang

British university student visiting China for the fourth time, chose to try it for the first time during his stay. His evening in Chengdu also offers a stark contrast to the summer weather back home.

"I'm from the United Kingdom, where we're having a heatwave right "been really nice to come here and still be able to explore in a temperature that's not too hot. Here, I love to do sports in the evening as well. I think it's a great way to relax especially if you can do it with your friends. It's just a really nice way to end your day," said Neil.

Traditional mutton-eating custom sparks folk tourism in China during summertime

The traditional mutton-eating custom prevailing in regions including east China's Jiangsu, Anhui and Shandong has sparked a round of folk tourism boom during the ongoing summer season.

The custom of eating mutton during summertime originates from traditional Chinese health preservation theories which point out that mutton is a type of hot food possessing warming properties. This type of food is believed to be able to help mitigate symptoms of coldness.

In Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province, local business operators have rolled out special food markets and cultural performance to attract tourists.

About 4,300 mutton restaurants and 4,500 barbecue restaurants in the city have witnessed a surge in customer inflows, prompting some of them to offer special dishes to cater to the rising demand.

"Eating mutton amid scorching summer heat is believed to be able to induce sweat and dispel coldness from deep within the body. This is the philosophy behind the tradition of eating mutton during every year's summertime in Xuzhou," said Shen Xianbing, vice president of the Xuzhou Culinary Association.

In Juxian County, Shandong Province, locals are holding a month-long food and cultural festival centering around the mutton-eating custom.

Tourists can enjoy special dishes and embark on a trip to the county's iconic ancient town.

"We'd like to wander around the ancient town after enjoying our mutton feast. And we will also have some late-night snacks and admire the night views. I believe this will be a pleasant experience," said Wang Hongzhen, a tourist.

Since the beginning of July, Juxian's A-level scenic spots have received over 1.25 million tourist visits, with businesses reporting an operating revenue of 75 million yuan (over 11 million U.S. dollars).

China's Ningbo resumes direct passenger flights to South Korea's Seoul

Direct passenger flights between Ningbo in east China's Zhejiang Province and the South Korean capital of Seoul resumed on Saturday, restoring services that had been suspended since 2021.

The flights are scheduled twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays, each taking only two hours.

Compared to transit trips in the past five years, the resumed services can cut down the travel time by more than four hours, greatly facilitating economic and cultural exchanges between the two cities.

The resumption of the route also brings the total
number of Ningbo Lishe International Airport's
current passenger flights to international destinations,
Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan to 15.

Guangzhou airport sees record summer flows as visa free travel drives surge

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in south China's Guangdong Province is seeing a sustained two way passenger surge this summer, fueled by visa free policies and strong outbound demand.

In July, border inspection authorities of the airport processed more than 1.65 million exit and entry passengers and over 10,000 inbound and outbound flights, up 13.8 percent and 17 percent year-on-year respectively.

Inbound passenger flow continued to climb, reaching 790,000 arrivals, with Russia, Malaysia and Australia emerging as the main source countries.

"The visa-free policy is pretty good for short holidays. Our travel plan is staying here [in Guangzhou], then go to Chongqing," said Abdulwahab Yusuf, a foreign traveler.

To handle the high flow of passengers, border inspection authorities have rolled out a series of service upgrades to ensure smooth clearance.

"For special passengers such as the elderly and children, we offer priority inspection and special assistance. At the same time, we've implemented a 'one-stop' process for issuing temporary entry permits and completing entry procedures and added more registration points for fast-channel clearance information collection," said Zeng Lingyun, an official of the airport's border inspection station.

Mountain escapes lure international tourists with natural cool

Popularity of mountain landscapes and rural retreats of Fuzhou City, east China's Jiangxi Province, have surged among international visitors who feel refreshed and cooled in the countryside.

In the city's iconic Dajue Mountain Scenic Area, which is famous for its mist-shrouded mountains and ancient villages, visitors can enjoy an impressive ride on the cliff shuttle trains, with a third of the 11.8-kilometer train route running directly along cliffs.

Tourists say while climbing the mountains, the cool and exhilarating surroundings help them beat the summer heat.

"I have never seen such a beautiful place before. The air here is cool, making us feel refreshed," said Ogulbibi Naryyeva, a Turkmen international student.

Tourists can also enjoy

Swedes embrace 'China travel' as visits become easier

More Swedes are adding China to their travel lists as trips grow more convenient.

At Stockholm Arlanda Airport, travelers heading to China say they want to see the country's landscapes and development firsthand.

"You have everything, from the cities to the ocean, to the forests, to the mountains. So I would like to explore all of it," said one traveler.

Those who have visited before say the experience gave them a close-up view of a multifaceted China.

"So, it's like scenery, some have good foods, some have other cultures, some have ethnic folk traditions, so it's different and I like them in different ways," said a local resident in Stockholm.

China's expanding visa-free policies and increased international flights are fueling the trend, with Chinese airlines offering more routes and competitive fares.

"With the popularity of China travel, foreign passengers taking this flight have clearly increased. Based on our observations, basically more than half of the passengers are foreign nationals choosing to take this flight to China," said Hui Yang, a Chinese airline staff member in Sweden.

rafting in the scenic area and some of them say amid scorching hot weather, the experience is unbelievable.

"It's amazing! The weather is hot, the scenery is gorgeous, and there is also rafting. I think everything is ok. Who would have thought me, a person who always stays at home, could have such a wonderful experience on a sudden travel?" said Wajid Kanwar Abdul, a visitor from Pakistan.

Thanks to the visa-free entry policies, China has witnessed an increasing number of foreign tourists visiting the country this summer.

According to the official data, 77.7 percent of foreign visitors entering China in the first half of the year enjoyed visa-free entry policies.

The country is also drawing repeat visitors from abroad, as more travelers return for in depth experiences beyond sightseeing.

The Dajue Mountain Scenic Area, renowned for its abundant cultural heritage, is a site of in-depth travel for international tourists.

South China's Pingwu draws overseas tourists with Baima culture, mountain landscapes

Pingwu County in south-west China's Sichuan Province is attracting overseas tourists this summer with its distinctive Baima Tibetan culture and mountain landscapes, offering a refreshing retreat from the region's sweltering heat.

One of Pingwu's ancient villages, the Baima Tibetan Ethnic Township, sits at more than 2,300 meters above sea level, surrounded by green mountains and clear waters. Summer temperatures average around 18 degrees Celsius, offering refreshing air and pleasant humidity, a welcome retreat from Sichuan's scorching heat, which has topped 40 degrees Celsius in some areas.

Visitors can stroll river-side grasslands or ride horses across the open terrain.

"It's my first time and it has been amazing. The temperature here is so much cooler compared to what I came from in Chengdu. It's very cool, it's very windy, you forget that it's summer. And I was able to do a bit of horse riding which I enjoyed very much. The horses are very calm. It was an activity that I really really enjoyed," said Kilangi Steven Mnwagi, a tourist from Tanzania.

Beyond its refreshing natural surroundings, the area's unique ethnic culture is another major attraction for visitors.

Locals dressed in traditional attire welcome guests with vibrant folk songs, traditional dances, and colorful ribbons that symbolize blessings and good fortune.

"It (the felt hat) is very special, especially because they also told me that it brings good luck. So I feel incredibly honored to be here, to be experiencing the whole thing. It's amazing," said Miambo Kione Dejane, a tourist from Mozambique.

Pingwu blends refreshing summer escapes with rich cultural experiences. The county is making full use of its ecological resources and vibrant Baima Tibetan traditions. Visitors can immerse themselves in nature while also experiencing the charm of cultural exchange.

"Chinamaxxing" trending overseas as tourists' interests expand

"Chinamaxxing" has become a trending term on overseas social media this summer, reflecting a surge in foreign tourists seeking deep, immersive experiences in China.

According to the China Tourism Academy, over 60 percent of inbound tourists cite "experiencing Chinese culture" as their primary purpose.

In Maona Village, a Li ethnic settlement in Hainan Province's Wuzhishan tropical rainforest, foreign tourists are particularly drawn to tea-picking and processing workshops.

"In the U.S. you just go to the store and buy the bag. But here it tastes so much better, and that experience you have to pick the leaves and to actually do the activity yourself, it just made you appreciate that. Tea is really good here," said an American tourist.

In Xi'an, a popular destination for inbound tourists, the city's historical landmarks and culture are not the only items on tourists' itinerary. Many visitors also took time to explore and shop for Chinese tech products.

"I think Chinese technology is cool. We've seen a lot of it in social media," said a Spanish tourist.

"I think they have the latest technology, and I think that could be a great product," another Spanish tourist said about a camera she's interested.

Alipay data shows inbound tourist spending rose 72.9 percent year on year since June. Beyond the big cities like Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing, cities including Harbin, Dalian, Changchun, Guiyang and Xining have also become popular destinations.

Foreign travelers have now set foot in nearly 500 Chinese cities. From the earlier trending term "China Travel" and this summer's "China Cool" to the now-viral "Chinamaxx-ing," China-related travel tags continue to emerge across global social platforms.

China experiences surge in summer inbound tourism as foreign visitors explore beyond megacities

Traditionally a slow season, China's summer tourism market is heating up as foreign visitors arrive in record numbers and venture beyond the country's traditional megacities.

Data from online payment platform Alipay shows that from June onward, consumption by inbound tourists rose 72.9 percent year on year.

In addition to traditional hot destinations like Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing, cities including Harbin, Dalian, Changchun, Guiyang and Xining have also gained popularity among international travelers, with consumption growing notably.

In the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang, a number of smaller cities have drawn overseas visitors with thrilling outdoor activities.

At the Huxiao Gorge scenic area in Tonglu County, Hangzhou City, rafts weave through the rapids as tourists enjoy the splashes amid lush mountains and clear waters. Following the water activities, visitors can drive off-road go-karts up the mountain to a paragliding base 360 meters above sea level for a wind-riding flight.

"It was my first paragliding experience ever. At first, I was a little scared, but when it started, I felt super safe because the coach is very experienced. He has over 10 years of experience. So I felt amazing," Russian tourist Tina said after experiencing the thrill of paragliding.

From January to June this year, Changxing County in Huzhou City recorded more than 17,500 overnight inbound visitors, up 77.79 percent year on year. Recently, a newly built indoor water park in the area has also seen a surge in international tourists.

"It's definitely most comfortable to play in the water on such a hot day. There are so many recreation facilities here, and they are close to each other, very convenient. We are having a great time," said Ishvanchig, a tourist from Mongolia.

According to statistics, foreign tourists have visited nearly 500 cities across China.

Increasing number of Spanish travelers choose China for summer vacations

An increasing number of Spanish citizens are choosing China for summer vacations, spurred by the country's visa free policy and the rebound in international flights.

At Madrid's airport, flights from various Chinese cities have been arriving since early morning, and several Spanish travelers returning from China shared their positive experi-

ish traveler.

ences. Many described China as safe, advanced, and convenient.

"It was a wonderful experience that really surprised me. I think Spain should learn from China in several aspects as China is clearly more advanced now. It's a very surprising and delightful journey and the Chinese people were very friendly, always trying their best to help us," said Sara, a Span-

"To be honest, we were initially concerned about communication and payment issues before traveling to China. After all, we would travel to a distant country. But later we found it was actually very convenient. There were translations available at different locations, and they were quite effective. We could pay for everything using mobile apps. Additionally, I felt it was very safe. We didn't have to worry about theft or robbery at all," said Manuel, another traveler.

Many Spanish tourists preparing for their trips to China are eager to experience its vibrant culture firsthand.

"I hope to learn more about Chinese culture, make local friends, and try

Viral China travel trend powers surge in inbound tourism to Zhangjiajie

The growing "China Cool" trend on overseas social media is fueling a surge in inbound tourism, with more foreign travelers choosing immersive experiences across China.

In central China's Hunan Province, the scenic city of Zhangjiajie, for its stunning sandstone mountains, has emerged as a popular summer destination, attracting overseas visitors with its breathtaking landscapes, cool weather and outdoor adventure activities.

"I do really like the relaxed pace and relaxed nature of this site. I do like the cool climate as well," said a tourist from Australia.

Beyond its scenery, Zhangjiajie also offers a range of adventure experiences, including glass bridge walks, via ferrata climbing and zip-lining, which have become major draws for international visitors.

"We just experienced the zip line, which was exciting and also came along the gorge by boat and also slid on the slide. I won because I was faster and we liked it very much," said a tourist from Germany.

"Exactly. We are also across the glass bridge and hiked, and the view was nice there too," another visitor said.

Official data showed that since July, Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon scenic area has received nearly 10,000 visitors a day on average, with foreign tourists accounting for more than half of the total.

To better serve the international travelers, the scenic area has launched a multilingual AI-powered tourism assistant supporting real-time interaction in 14 languages, while improving cross-border payment services and streamlining ticketing and identity verification procedures.

Chinese cuisine. Most importantly, I just want to enjoy this trip to China," said Maria, a Spanish tourist.

Santiago, another local resident who plans to visit, said "We've never been to

China before. We've heard it's a great and fascinating country, so we want to experience it for ourselves. I follow a lot of things about China on social media and we're very curious and eager to explore."

Xi'an sees inbound tourism boom as tech appeal draws global visitors

Foreign tourists flocking to Xi'an City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, this summer are putting Chinese technology products on their must-see lists alongside the ancient city's famed terracotta warriors and Tang-dynasty (618-907) heritage, as inbound tourism to the city gains momentum.

Visitors are no longer content with simply exploring the ancient capital's history and culture. Many are trying out and buying Chinese high-tech products to experience the country's smart manufacturing firsthand.

"I feel like China has a really good technology. And I think that it could be a really good opportunity to spread [it] around the world," said Maria, a Spanish tourist.

"I think Chinese technology is cool. Chinese technology is very famous around the world. So, we've seen a lot of it in social media," said Izaro, another Spanish tourist.

Industry experts say that this summer's boom in inbound tourism stems from a multidimensional synergy of natural scenery, cultural appeal, consumer experiences, and services. It also reflects the profound transformation of China's cultural and tourism industry and the renewed vitality of China's opening-up.

Liu Yuwei interacts playfully with a diner's pet cat.

Zhu Lin (right) and Ma Sicong sit in the courtyard of their rented house.

Li Xueqing

A morning market, a converted factory, and a waterway dubbed "Shanghai's Little Amazon" — new lives are taking shape across Shanghai's rural districts. For a growing number of newcomers, the countryside is no longer a place to retire but a place to begin again.

Becoming the new islanders

Liu Yuwei's day usually begins with a visit to the local market. He moves with ease from stall to stall, picking out the ingredients he needs.

Liu runs a restaurant called Harmony Garden on Chongming Island, about an hour's drive from downtown Shanghai. Although most of his ingredients are supplied, he still prefers to check the market himself, looking for fresher ingredients or new ideas for the menu.

In 2015, Liu moved to Shanghai from Changhua Town in Taiwan. Five years later, facing a career transition, he decided to follow his wife, who was already working in Chongming District, and opened his fusion restaurant on the island.

"At the beginning, I didn't think too much about it. I just felt like I was heading to the countryside," Liu recalled. Six years on, his team has grown from four or five people to more than a dozen.

Liu finds the greatest joy in running a restaurant by engaging in conversations with guests from diverse backgrounds. He sees his place as a kind of “living room connecting the two sides of the Taiwan Strait” — maps and decorations on the walls tell stories of Taiwan, while diners bring their own experiences to the table.

Many of his customers, like Liu himself, are “new islanders” who have chosen to settle on Chongming. Some are drawn by

This place feels like another side of Shanghai. We'll be talking, and suddenly a white egret flies right over our heads.

Zhu Lin

A co-founder of an art space in Cenbu Village

the slower pace of life; others are looking for a more relaxed place for themselves or their parents. Chongming, in many ways, offers space for that kind of life.

Located at the mouth of the Yangtze River, Chongming is China's third-largest island. It is regarded as an ecological retreat and is now part of Shanghai's push to build a world-class eco-island.

Compared with the downtown area, it is less bustling, but everyday amenities have steadily improved. In recent years, more restaurants, supermarkets and other services have opened, making long-term living more viable.

At the same time, its ecological and cultural appeal continues to grow. Birdwatching in Dongtan Wetlands, the Shanghai Yangtze River Half Marathon, and the island's cycling race have all drawn visitors, offering new ways for people to experience rural life.

The environment for small businesses has also become more accommodating for those who choose to stay and build something here.

Liu said that recently, administrative procedures have become noticeably more streamlined. Local authorities often guide permits and qualifications, helping entrepreneurs navigate the process more efficiently.

“In the past, it could be quite complicated, with a lot of paperwork and long waiting times,” he said. “Now, as long as everything is within legal and regulatory requirements, they try to find more practical ways to help us get things done."

Breathing new life into old villages

Chongming is not the only place experiencing such changes. Shanghai has been advancing rural revitalization, exploring new ways to integrate urban and rural development in a megacity. Many traditional villages are being reactivated with new energy.

Zhu Lin and Ma Sicong were drawn to Cenbu Village in Qingpu District by its waterways and forests. Both studied in Italy and later worked in central Shanghai. Passionate about outdoor activities, they used to spend weekends driving out of the city, looking for a break from the fast pace of urban life.

They discovered Cenbu while kayaking. The village is crisscrossed by waterways connected to Dianshan Lake and the broader Taihu basin. Lined with dense greenery, the area is sometimes dubbed “Shanghai’s Little Amazon.”

It is also the only place in the city known to host both terrestrial and aquatic fireflies. From Cenbu, one can paddle all the way to the historic town of Jinze, passing old bridges and traditional architecture. At dusk, the lake glows under a striking sunset.

Zhu and Ma rented a small courtyard house facing water and turned it into an art space that also serves light meals. They hope to create a place where people who share a love of nature and outdoor life can slow down and unwind.

“This place feels like another side of Shanghai,” Zhu said. “We’ll be talking, and suddenly a white egret flies right over our heads.”

"In the city, you don't always notice what's happening around you," she added. "But here, you lose track of time. You feel more relaxed, and you pay more attention to the people and the environment around you."

Building on its strong ecological foundation, Cenbu Village began introducing outside investment in recent years under a “whole-village operation” model, revitalizing idle spaces and giving old structures new life.

Water-based activities like kayaking, along with cultural and creative venues, have attracted a growing number of new residents, including ecologists, designers, and outdoor enthusiasts. An abandoned school has been turned into a café, while a former hardware factory now houses a tea space.

Zhang Jimeng moved from the city to open a bar in the village. The space used to be a run-down factory building. For Ni Xingqi, an 83-year-old carpenter and lifelong resident of Cenbu, it was something he never imagined would become a stylish venue.

"He told me what was done right and what wasn't," Zhang said of Ni. "He'd say, 'This will cost you unnecessarily; that's a waste of money' — he was very direct."

The arrival of new residents has also begun to reshape life for long-time villagers. As the village's revitalization progressed, changes became visible in more tangible ways.

According to a report by Guangming Daily, new jobs have been created, allowing many residents to work close to home. Annual rental income from village houses has risen from 20,000-30,000 yuan (US\$3,000-4,400) to about 90,000 yuan, and average per capita income has reached around 40,000 yuan.

For Zhu and Ma, the decision to stay is tied to something simple.

"As long as the forest outside our door is still there, we plan to stay," Zhu said. "We really value the environment here."

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'We just keep going': Twin brothers move through Shanghai without sight

Li Qian

Working as baristas helps the twin brothers integrate into society. — Jiang Xiaowei

On most mornings in Shanghai, Yin Tianbao and Yin Tianyou leave home and begin a journey that takes about an hour and a half — buses, subway transfers and stretches of walking guided by sound, memory and repetition.

The twin brothers, aged 27, run a café, train regularly and move through a growing list of physical pursuits. They are also completely blind.

In another telling, that fact might anchor everything that follows. For them, it rarely does. It sits instead alongside work shifts, training sessions and commutes — one element of an otherwise ordinary life.

“Break through. Take on the challenge,” Tianyou said.

The impulse to test limits has carried the brothers through much of their adult lives, from marathons and boxing to running a café. It began on a football field.

In 2006, Shanghai established one of China's earliest blind football teams, recruiting players from the city's school for visually impaired students. Tianbao and Tianyou encountered the sport there while still in primary school.

At first, running was simply part of football training, laps around fields, instructions shouted from the sideline, bodies learning distance without sight.

The twin brothers commute to work by subway. — Jiang Xiaowei

"One kilometer became two, then five," Tianyou recalled.

When he first began competing, he remembered fear more than speed.

“I was afraid of colliding with people,” he said. “Later I realized, whether you’re afraid or not, you still collide. That changed how I think.”

The brothers would later represent Shanghai in national Paralympic competitions.

The team they played for now faces an uncertain future as participation has declined, but football had already done its work. It taught them how to enter unfamiliar spaces without waiting to feel ready. More importantly, it gave them confidence — not only on the field, but beyond it.

Over time, their interests diverged.

Tianyou gravitated toward sports that were faster and more physical. Tianbao found himself drawn to endurance.

In 2019, Tianbao completed his first marathon in five hours and 35 minutes. Last year, he finished in three hours and 46 minutes, placing him among the stronger amateur runners in his category.

Training gradually became part of the structure of his weeks. Riverside paths, stadium tracks and loops through city parks formed a map he knew through repetition rather than sight.

Running also introduced him to a community beyond the world he had grown up in.

Some members of his running group had known him since his earliest races.

People might think our interests are quite limited. But these things bring us a lot of happiness. Life is really made up of small things. I just hope there can be a little more hope and a little more fun in it.

Yin Tianbao

Together, they set informal goals, shaving minutes from his marathon time year after year. He met them.

When he set a new personal best last year, the celebration around him was louder than his own reaction.

“Helping a friend achieve something important can be meaningful in itself,” one running partner said.

Tianbao sees it differently.

“You still have to do it yourself,” he said. “But when people are there with you, you start believing more things are possible. Running, trail races, other sports — you start thinking maybe you can try them, too.”

A year ago, the brothers stepped into another unfamiliar environment: a commercial gym.

China is home to more than 17 million people with visual impairments. For many of them, entering a gym remains difficult. Equipment is rarely designed with blind users in mind, and coaches experienced in adaptive training are still relatively uncommon.

China Sports Lottery partnered with a gym in Shanghai to create a training area more accessible to visually impaired users and brought in a professional coach to work with the brothers.

The first sessions were slow. Every machine had to be understood through touch. Every movement had to be repeated until it became familiar.

“Every sport is a new experience,” Tianyou said. “A new way of learning something.”

Not long afterward, a boxing club invited the brothers to try something else.

The invitation was accepted almost immediately.

New activities seem to have a way of finding them.

"People might think our interests are quite limited," Tianyou observed. "But these things bring us a lot of happiness. Life is really made up of small things. I just hope there can be a little more hope and a little more fun in it."

If sport gave the brothers confidence and introduced them to communities beyond their immediate circle, coffee expanded those possibilities in a different direction.

After graduating, they faced a reality familiar to many visually impaired people in China. While employment opportunities have expanded in recent years, many blind job-seekers still find themselves concentrated in a limited number of professions, particularly massage therapy.

The brothers were looking for something different.

That opportunity arrived through Hinichijou, better known to most Shanghai residents as Bear Paw Café.

Founded in 2020, the café became known for a simple but memorable gesture. Customers ordered through a small opening in a wall, and a furry bear paw emerged to hand over their coffee — a playful symbol of warmth and connection. Originally created to provide employment opportunities for people with hearing impairments, the project quickly attracted public attention.

Its founders soon began asking a different question. If deaf baristas could work behind the counter, could blind baristas do the same?

In 2022, the answer took shape in a small café at CR

Times Square in Pudong.

The space measured less than 5 square meters. Tianbao became the store manager, while Tianyou joined the operation.

Inside, almost everything was redesigned.

Different materials marked different work areas. Stainless steel indicated one station, wood another, rubber still another. Coffee machines were fitted with tactile markers, allowing buttons to be identified by shape rather than sight.

“I know where everything is,” Tianbao noted. “Even when it gets busy, I don’t get confused.”

The familiarity did not come quickly. Every task had to be learned through repetition, finding equipment, remembering layouts, building routines until movements became instinctive.

What began as a job gradually became something larger.

For the brothers, the café represented a different kind of future, one that expanded the boundaries of what they had imagined possible for themselves.

In late 2024, Bear Paw Café opened a dark-experience space at HKRI Taikoo Hui, operated by six visually impaired partners, including the brothers.

The project represented another shift. For much of their lives, they had adapted themselves to environments designed by others. Here, they were helping design the environment itself.

Inside, visitors navigate near-total darkness with the help of guides. The experience invites sighted customers to rely on touch, sound and memory rather than vision.

For Tianyou, the idea felt personal.

“Because we’ve been blind since birth, we don’t really think in pictures,” he said. “What we know comes from what we can touch, hear and experience.”

The concept resonated. Corporate groups began booking visits, creating a stable source of revenue for the café. Brands including Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Tiffany have brought teams through the experience.

Yet the brothers remain most interested in something simpler.

Every day, they greet customers, chat with visitors and share stories. They have also learned to livestream, offering glimpses of their daily routines while drawing new customers to the café.

"The biggest challenge is still dealing with different people and different situations," Tianyou explained. "We hope people can just sit down, have a coffee and talk to us normally."

Today, the brothers still spend nearly three hours each day commuting between home and work.

Over time, they have developed their own way of reading the city.

They can often distinguish buses by the sound of their engines and doors. On the subway, they use sound and spatial cues to judge whether seats are available. Walking through unfamiliar areas, they rely on fixed reference points: a wall, a railing, even the direction of airflow from a building entrance.

Technology has helped. Screen-reading software allows them to navigate smartphones independently. But the physical environment remains less predictable. Tactile paving is sometimes blocked. Public spaces are not always designed with visually impaired users in mind.

Their experience reflects a broader reality. Shanghai has roughly 600,000 registered residents with disabilities. The city has spent decades expanding accessibility in public transportation and urban infrastructure, becoming one of the first in China to establish local regulations governing barrier-free environments. Yet much of daily life still depends on individual adaptation.

The brothers understand this well.

Most days, they simply keep moving.

There is another shift to work, another race to train for, another activity to try.

At the end of the day, they often make the long trip home together.

“Having my brother with me makes things easier,” Tianbao said.

He paused.

Then he laughed.

"We just keep going."

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How one Chinese city's flames shaped global taste

By Chen Xi, Ding Yazhi and Niu Yingbo

The Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites have been inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List, filling a long-standing gap in the list for porcelain heritage. Why are these sites so special?

Located in East China's Jiangxi Province, the sites consist of five component areas that together showcase the evolution of Jingdezhen's handcraft porcelain industry from the 10th to the 19th century.

This intact, systematic relic chain fully documents the innovation and evolution of China's handmade porcelain tech-

nology, artistic aesthetics and

industrial systems from the 10th to the 19th century, bearing witness to Jingdezhen's pivotal role as the world's preeminent porcelain hub in advancing global ceramic development and cross-cultural dialogue, the press release noted.

To many international observers, it is remarkable that a modest-sized city in inland China has secured such prestigious global recognition. The answer lies in its unparalleled dedication: One city, one millennium, one single pursuit – making porcelain.

Jingdezhen stood unrivaled as the global sacred land of

A person makes tea with a blue-and-white porcelain tea set made in Jingdezhen. Photos on this page: VCG

porcelain craftsmanship in the pre-industrial era, setting universal industrial standards and leading global aesthetic trends for centuries.

Its iconic blue-and-white porcelain once took the world by storm, evolving into a supreme luxury item sought after and collected by royal courts and noble families across Europe and beyond. Currently, the ancient porcelain capital has forged friendly ties with more than 80 cities worldwide, with its ceramic products circulating across dozens of countries and regions.

Unparalleled industrial chain

What distinguishes this UNESCO designation from other cultural heritage sites is its unparalleled complete industrial chain. From raw material mining and firewood supply to handmade production, waterway transportation and global sales, Jingdezhen preserves a full-fledged ancient porcelain manufacturing ecosystem rarely seen in global heritage records.

Recorded in the ancient Chinese technical encyclopedia Tiangong Kaiwu (Exploitation of the Works of Nature), Jingdezhen's porcelain-making techniques embody extraordinary precision and iterative innovation. From raw stone to refined clay, and finally to finished porcelain, the entire process involves 72 elaborate steps, categorized into six core stages: clay refining, wheel throwing, trimming, hand painting, glazing, and kiln firing. Such sophisticated segmented workflow has earned Jingdezhen the reputation of hosting the world's earliest example of industri-

alized division of labor in craftsmanship, per the People's Daily.

“No other heritage site in the world retains such a systematic and continuous handmade porcelain production system,” said Cheng Guoping, deputy director of Jingdezhen’s porcelain heritage protection center.

While most heritage sites feature concentrated cultural relics, Jingdezhen's dispersed

yet interconnected sites form a dynamic, living industrial ecosystem that evolved continuously for over 900 years across the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties (960-1911).

According to Cheng, introducing this scattered heritage to global experts once posed a major challenge.

Foreign evaluators struggled to grasp the subtle sophistication of an-

cient facilities like clay washing pools, each designed for specific procedures involving sedimentation, purification and drying.

"To bridge linguistic and cultural gaps, Jingdezhen adopted immersive digital solutions. VR, AR and MR technologies across heritage venues reconstruct the entire ancient porcelain-making process, turning silent relics into understandable history," Cheng said.

That approach left a deep impression during the crucial on-site evaluation. A South Korean expert spent four and a half days inspecting core sites and examining the real-time monitoring platform that tracks the condition of every heritage point through sensors and patrol records. “The Korean expert later said the integrated system left her stunned,” Cheng recalled.

Continued inspiration

Rooted in profound traditions, Jingdezhen

has embraced dynamic cross-cultural integration, emerging as a global hub for ce-

ramic innovation and exchange. Thousands of artists from over 50 countries, known locally as foreign “Jingdezhen drifters,” have settled here, blending international creativity with age-old Chinese craftsmanship to fuel the craft’s modern revival.

Zhan Shaolin, a national master of ceramic craftsmanship, has witnessed this cross-cultural integration firsthand over more than a decade of international exchanges. His studio started receiving global art enthusiasts in 2011. Since then, learners from top institutions including the University of Cambridge and the University of the Arts London have flocked to his studio to study traditional Chinese ceramic techniques.

A large vase with various glazes and enamels made in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Known as the “Mother of Porcelain,” it was made with a combination of over 10 different glaze and enamel techniques.

Zhan observed distinct yet complementary artistic priorities between young overseas and Chinese creators. International learners are most fascinated by Jingdezhen's unparalleled technical precision and diverse cultural symbols, from intricate landscape patterns and flower-and-bird motifs to ethnic minority clothing designs embedded in porcelain art. Young domestic craftsmen, by contrast, excel at integrating traditional aesthetics with contemporary international trends, innovating modern lines and shapes while retaining core cultural roots.

“Innovation never betrays tradition,” said Zhan. “Every dynasty revitalized porcelain craftsmanship. We upgrade ancient kiln technology and adapt classic aesthetics to modern tastes, ensuring our heritage stays rooted and relevant.”

For many foreign creators, Jingdezhen is far more than a tourist destination or training base. British artist Phil Read, who has traveled back and forth to China for 36 years and now lives long-term in Jingdezhen, rejects the term “drifter” for its negative Western connotations of instability.

“Jingdezhen is already my stable home.” He prefers a phrase some locals are now using: Jing zhu – Jingdezhen residents – and the metaphor of trees with roots.

Holding degrees in the fine arts, microbial engineering and education, and having studied Chinese ink painting for over 40 years, Read is perhaps the very image of the multicultural creative community that Jingdezhen has nurtured.

“Most foreign creators arrive knowing only its ceramic history, but they quickly find like-minded friends,” he said. “The sincere bonds forged during a short stay here linger long after you leave.”

He noted that the city's UNESCO recognition will dismantle global stereotypes that frame Jingdezhen as merely a craft hub, inspiring painters and cross-genre artists worldwide to explore its boundless creative potential.

Looking ahead, Jingdezhen has made a comprehensive roadmap for heritage activation and global communication. Local experts said the city will launch high-standard research and tourism programs, dig deeper into historical porcelain stories, cultivate professional multilingual interpreters, and expand international cultural exchange campaigns.

Lowercase “china” stands for porcelain, showing a profound linguistic bond between Jingdezhen and the nation forged through Jingdezhen’s millennia-long ceramic legacy. Today, its artisans from all over the world continue to give clay and kiln fire new expressions and new narratives. In the name of “China,” “china” is radiating the elegance of Eastern porcelain to the world.

From Ugandan fields to Chinese tables: Transoceanic journey of Sichuan chili pepper

By Peng Xunwen

In Kamuli district of eastern Uganda on the vast East African Plateau, intense sunlight bathes the lush green fields. As the breeze blows, stretches of fiery red chili peppers sway gently among green leaves.

This is one of the outcomes of the third phase of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations-China-Uganda South-South Cooperation project. Organized and implemented by the Foreign Economic Cooperation Center of China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, experts via the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Sichuan Province were dispatched, with both chili pepper varieties and investing enterprises originating from Southwest China's Sichuan Province. Over three years since its launch, the project has driven steady expansion of chili pepper cultivation across Uganda. In November 2025, the country's first batch of 11 tons of dried chili peppers was exported to China.

▲Chinese technicians guide Ugandan officials and farmers in standardized planting and field management techniques on a chili pepper demonstration farm in Uganda.

▶ Uganda exports chili peppers to China for the first time in November 2025.

To ease farmers' concerns, China's "company + base + farmer household" model was introduced to Uganda. "The first year of chili pepper production delivered strong results," Liu Xiancai said Kehong Chili Pepper Industry Uganda Co, Ltd not only supplies high-quality chili pepper seeds, but also formulates cultivation guidelines, provides on-site guidance at key growth stages, and offers on-call technical services. For cash-strapped farmers, the company provides deover 500 mu (33.33 hectares) last year.

Chili pepper starts in Sichuan, travels across mountains and oceans to take root in Uganda, and returns to China once it is ripe. How was this cross-border chili pepper industry cooperation pathway built?

Stage 1: Variety selection

▲A Chinese technician and Ugandan workers pose for a picture, each holding red chili peppers in their hands. Photos on this page: Courtesy of Kehong Chili Pepper Industry Uganda Co, Ltd

“Uganda has favorable temperature and sunlight conditions. Its climate is ideal for chili pepper growth and supports year-round cultivation. However, local chili pepper farming was previously limited in scale and relatively backward in technology,” Long said.

After the project was launched in November 2022, selecting chili pepper varieties suitable for local promotion became the top priority.

As a Chinese proverb goes, “Good seeds produce strong seedlings, and strong seedlings bear good fruits.” Long Wenjing, an associate researcher at the Rice and Sorghum Research Institute of Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences and a member of the project’s expert team, understands this well.

Long and his colleagues screened more than 30 domestic and foreign chili pepper varieties, and shortlisted three superior strains with strong disease resistance, high yield and good local adaptability. Two Sichuan chili pepper varieties – one early-maturing and one medium-maturing – were selected as the core promotion varieties.

just over 200 mu at the project's launch to more than 600 mu, directly helping over 100 farming households increase their incomes.

Selected varieties must first undergo local trial planting. The China-Uganda Agricultural Cooperation Industrial Park, built by Kehong Group from Sichuan, served as an ideal testing ground. Liu Xiancai, head of the park's chili pepper project, said the company began investing in Uganda's chili pepper industry in 2023. In partnership with the project expert team, it introduced nearly 100 chili pepper species for environmental adaptability trials and set up a 16-strong chili pepper project team with both Chinese and Ugandan members.

Stage 2: Promotion

Stage 3: Exporting to China

“Trial results show the three varieties feature heat and humidity tolerance, good lodging resistance and easy drying properties. Chinese experts also developed and promoted tailored techniques such as plug tray seedling raising and straw (rice husk) mulch seedling raising, which significantly boosted seedling survival rates,” Liu said.

To help these Sichuan chili peppers spread beyond the industrial park and take root across Uganda, the project expert team carried out multiple rounds of technological extension.

“We traveled village to village with the expert team to deliver technical training,” said Luo Tingyue, a plant protection expert on the team. Since the project began, they have visited multiple Ugandan districts, promoting techniques through field demonstrations and distribution of technical manuals.

The park welcomed chili pepper industry investors from Central China's Henan Province at the end of 2024, and its chili pepper demonstration planting area expanded to

The two months starting each March are their busiest period. With training sites scattering across the country, Luo and his colleagues drive for hours crisscrossing between locations. "When we arrive at a site, we pick a plot to run a demonstration, teaching farmer representatives how to plow, prepare the soil and sow seeds. They then pass on these skills to local farmers household by household," Luo said.

One of the most common questions from local farmers during training was: "Who will buy our harvested chili peppers?"

Due to limited capital, some farmers joined the training tentatively at first, and Nabriye Sara was one of them.

“From the Chinese experts’ lessons, the first things I learned were soil tillage, fertility control and post-planting management. Knowledge like deep plowing, chili pepper nursery management and proper harvesting methods was completely new to me and the villagers,” she said. After the training, she decided to plant chili seedlings on about nine mu of leased land.

The Busoga Consortium for Development, a local partner, played a key role in promotion. Anthony Mula, director general of the alliance, said the organization works with Chinese experts, chili pepper enterprises and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to provide technical support to farmers across the full chili pepper production cycle – from pre-planting and field management to post-harvest handling. Chili pepper farming generates roughly three times the income of traditional crops such as bananas, cassava and maize, which has greatly boosted farmers' motivation.

“Chili pepper has now been officially recognized as an important cash crop in Uganda that can help farmers lift themselves out of poverty,” Mula said.

The spread of scientific farming techniques has led to the growth of Uganda's chili pepper sector. The planting area has expanded from ferred payment plans for seeds and procures fertilizer on behalf of selected households. All dried chili peppers are purchased by the company after harvest.

This model impressed Mula deeply. “Contract farming is a highly effective strategy to promote chili pepper cultivation. It makes it much easier to mobilize farmers to adopt chili as an alternative cash crop,” he said.

At the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, China and Uganda signed a protocol on phytosanitary requirements for exporting dried chilies from Uganda to China, creating new opportunities for the country's chili pepper industry. Through the coordinated efforts of all parties, the first 11-ton shipment of dried chili peppers from Kehong Chili Pepper Industry Uganda Co, Ltd arrived in China on November 20, 2025, marking Uganda's first-ever export of dried chili peppers to the Chinese market.

"After arriving in China, this batch received widespread attention and positive feedback," Liu said. Several Chinese chili pepper distributors and traders are looking to partner with Kehong in 2026, participating in links across the Ugandan chili pepper industry chain including production, equipment supply, processing, logistics and international trade.

Chili pepper farming has brought tangible benefits to local growers. “This project fills me with hope and confidence for the future,” Sara said. Her family used to mainly grow maize on their land. After switching to chili peppers and adopting techniques taught by Chinese experts, her harvest doubled. With products sold to China, her income has increased by nearly 1,000 yuan (\$148) per mu.

Sara said many villagers have seen firsthand the benefits of chili pepper farming and developed an interest in growing it. They are now willing to attend training and adopt improved farming practices to boost their incomes and livelihoods.

Starting from May 1, 2026, China implemented zero-tariff treatment for all African countries with diplomatic ties to China. “This is a tremendous boon for our company,” Liu said.

Last year's successful exports have strengthened the brand image of African chili peppers and expanded options for Chinese chili pepper processing and trading enterprises. The company currently runs pilot chili pepper cultivation in nine Ugandan districts with positive results, and aims to reach an annual output of 50,000 tons of dried chili peppers within five years.

China opens over 100 new international air cargo routes in 2026

Rising global demand for China's high-quality exports has driven the rapid development of international air cargo routes departing from the country, with a total of 103 new routes opened in the first seven months of 2026, the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing said on Monday.

In July alone, eleven new routes were launched. The continuous expansion reflects a shift in strategy in the air freight industry, as international market demand moves toward the Asian region. In effect, exporters reduce reliance on the European market, enhancing route diversity and balance.

In breakdown, Asian destinations account for 51 of all the new routes, while European routes comprise 38. A total of 12 routes to North America, 2 to Africa, and 1 to South America were also opened. Altogether, the routes accommodate 229 round-trip flights per week.

The transported cargo mainly includes cross-border e-commerce goods, high-end manufacturing products, high-value-added goods, electronic products and auto parts. According to federation officials, air freight has significant advantages for these product categories over rail or sea.

"Exports of AI hardware have emerged as a core growth driver for air freight. The demand for domestic high-precision and advanced products, such as AI storage, computing power equipment, and

semiconductors, has surged. For these high-value, time-sensitive goods, enterprises prefer air transportation," said Ma Zengrong, vice president and secretary-general of the federation.

China's electronic information manufacturing sector sees

18.5 pct revenue jump y-o-y in H1

China's electronic information manufacturing sector posted robust growth in the first half of 2026, with revenue jumping 18.5 percent year-on-year, driven by accelerating production, steady exports, and rising profits and investment.

In the first six months of the year, the value-added output of electronic information manufacturing enterprises above designated size, or those with annual main business revenue of at least 20 million yuan (about 2.96 million U.S. dollars), expanded 14.8 percent from a year earlier, outpacing the broader industrial sector by 9.4 percentage points and high-tech manufacturing by 1.5 percentage points, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

Production of industrial robots soared 28 percent year-on-year to 538,000 units, while new energy vehicle output rose 6 percent to nearly 7.4 million units.

China's electronic information exports remained steady, with delivery value rising 7.8 percent year-on-year in the first half of the year, up by 1.7 percentage points compared with the January-May period.

The industry's profitability also strengthened. Total operating revenue reached 9.41 trillion yuan (about 1.39 trillion dollars), while profits climbed to 577.7 billion yuan (about 85.57 trillion dollars). In June alone, monthly revenue surged 24.7 percent year-on-year to 1.89 trillion yuan (about 280 billion dollars).

Compared to the same period of last year, fixed-asset investment in the sector grew 6.5 percent in the first six months, slightly down by 0.2 percentage points from the rise recorded in the first five months, but still outpacing the overall industrial investment growth rate by 7.6 percentage points.

China's 2026 summer box office reaches 7.5 bln yuan mark

China's summer box office has surged to 7.5 billion yuan (about 1.1 billion U.S. dollars) in cumulative revenues as of early August, including pre-sales, according to Beacon Pro, an Alibaba-backed film data platform.

The season has now posted average daily grosses above 100 million yuan (about 14.80 million U.S.

More than 120 titles have hit theaters, spanning historical epics, comedies, action flicks, animations, and sci-fi blockbusters. That diverse lineup points to one clear trend: supply is booming, and audiences are hungry for more.

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dollars) for 24 consecutive days.

China's service trade up 8.3 pct

in first half of 2026

China's service imports and exports totaled nearly 3.78 trillion yuan (about 556.56 billion U.S. dollars) in the first half of 2026, up 8.3 percent year on year, the Ministry of Commerce's press office said on Tuesday.

According to data released by the office, exports reached 1.5047 trillion yuan, rising 17.6 percent, while imports stood at 2.27505 trillion yuan, up 2.9 percent.

The service trade deficit narrowed by 161.42 billion yuan from a year earlier to 770.35 billion yuan.

Knowledge-intensive services accounted for 44 percent of total trade, with imports and exports totaling 1.6634 trillion yuan, up 6.7 percent.

Exports in this category hit 805.67 billion yuan, up 12.8 percent and representing 53.5 percent of all service exports. Personal cultural and entertainment services and intellectual property royalties led the growth at 57.2 percent and 44.3 percent respectively.

Imports of knowledge-intensive services rose 1.4 percent to 857.73 billion yuan.

Travel service exports surged 31.1 percent to 229.2 billion yuan, the fastest growth among the top five export sectors.

Transport service imports jumped 30.4 percent to 498.1 billion yuan, the fastest among the top five import sectors.

TOURISTS LOOKING FOR A COOL RESPITE LIFT SUMMER TRAVEL SPENDING IN CHINA

enjoying the cooler surroundings.

Tourists looking for a respite from the summer heat are driving spending from beaches and mountain parks to cafes and museums, as destinations turn cooler weather and immersive experiences into attractions for families, young people and older visitors.

In Qinhuangdao, a coastal city in north China's Hebei Province, tourism operators are offering beach activities, leisure options and wellness trips tailored to different age groups. Visitors wade along the shore, watch the tides and collect shells in the shallows.

In Nanchang, in east China's Jiangxi Province, forest stream hikes, canyon rafting and water parks are being packaged into summer itineraries for families and students.

Cooler mountain areas are also benefiting.

Liupan Mountain National Forest Park in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, where average summer temperatures are about 18 degrees Celsius and forests cover more than 80 percent of the land, has become a popular retreat from the heat.

The park's outdoor activities and slower pace of life have helped lift rural tourism revenue in some surrounding communities.

In Guiyang, in southwest

In Guiyang, China's Guizhou Province, the summer tourism economy has also created opportunities for a growing cafe sector. At waterfalls and illuminated caves in the city's Huaxi District, visitors can stop for coffee while

More than 3,000 coffee shops have opened in Guiyang in recent years. Annual coffee consumption has grown by nearly 50 percent on average, creating more than 15,000 jobs.

"With so many young people here and the city's support for the coffee industry in recent years, we wanted to bring something new to the sector. Combining coffee with sports is one of the features that sets us apart," said Zeng Zhiyun, a coffee industry professional in Guiyang.

Cultural venues are also extending their summer offerings, attracting spending beyond outdoor attractions.

Lingjiatan National Archaeological Site Park in east China's Anhui Province has extended its opening hours and introduced guided stargazing sessions, allowing children to observe the night sky with experts.

At Guangdong Museum in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, a digital art exhibition has created a 400-square-meter immersive visual space where children can explore cultural relics from the museum's collection alongside works by prominent artists.

37 hornbill chicks fledge in Yunnan after successful breeding season

Conservation workers have recorded a successful hornbill breeding season in Hornbill Valley in Yingjiang County of southwest China's Yunnan Province, with 37 chicks fledging from monitored nests this year.

On Tuesday, a juvenile wreathed hornbill left its nest cavity, marking the final fledging among the 25 hornbill nests monitored locally this season. Observers said the chick's mother sealed herself into the nest on March 19, while the breeding and chick-rearing period lasted 132 days until the young bird emerged.

"Before leaving the nest, the hornbill chick very cautiously poked its head out of the cavity to observe its surroundings. In the footage we got, we captured a very precious and touching scene -- when the baby bird hesitated over and over, too afraid to fly out of the nest, the male bird flew down to the entrance of the nest to encourage his chick to be brave and fly with them into the rainforest," said Zhu Bianyong, an eco-photographer.

China is home to five hornbill species, all listed as first level of nationally protected wildlife. Yingjiang's Hornbill Valley is considered one of the few areas in the country where multiple hornbill species breed stably.

This year, local monitoring covered 25 nests across three species, the oriental pied hornbill, the wreathed hornbill and the great hornbill, and all nests were reported to have hatched successfully, producing a total of 37 fledglings.

Panda cubs joyfully wrestle during playtime

A warm and endearing scene showing two giant panda cubs playfully wrestling and chasing each other around a playground area was captured at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

In the footage, the furry cubs affectionately goof around in an outdoor playground. They playfully wrestle, tumble and chase each other on and around a wooden climbing platform.

Scientific expedition surveys Tibetan antelopes' calving in Qinghai

The CCRCGP is a world-leading institution dedicated to the breeding and conservation of one of China's national treasures, the giant panda. The center has established a global platform for promoting international cooperation and exchanges involving 18 zoos from 16 countries and regions, 39 domestic animal breeding institutions, and over 10 scientific research institutes.

A scientific expedition of Qing-hai University ventured deep into the rugged wilderness of Hoh Xil in the northwestern province in July for a field survey during the calving season of Tibetan antelopes, as they have done every year.

At the UNESCO World Natural Heritage site which is often called a "forbidden zone for human life," the group of researchers from the university based in Xining, the provincial capital of Qinghai, collected samples from fresh feces, placentas and other tissues of Tibetan antelopes for genetic analysis.

The time window is narrow, and the team had to race against the clock to collect samples.

"Tibetan antelopes drink water in the morning and then defecate, so that's when the samples are the freshest. But at this altitude on the plateau, the wind is strong and the sunlight would degrade the DNA very quickly once the sun comes out. That is rather detrimental to our follow-up work, as there's no way to collect feces by 10 or 12 o'clock," said

Chen Jiarui, an associate professor of the School of Ecological and Environmental Engineering of the Qinghai University.

While collecting samples, team members discovered a pair of antelope horns. Identification confirmed they belonged to a male Tibetan antelope that died of natural causes, a finding that offers important clues about the species' population dynamics.

"We can see that the antelope died several years ago. For us, it's a fascinating discovery. People tend to assume only females gather in the calving grounds, but that's not true. Here we have the direct evidence that males are distributed here as well," Chen said.

The team also encountered a newborn calf lying still on the ground. Its light-brown fleece blends almost perfectly with the soil, making it nearly invisible at a glance.

Experts explained that newborn calves have limited mobility and following their mothers would expose them to predators. They therefore stay put, relying on camouflage, and wait for their mothers to return from foraging and nurse them.

"Its coat color is closely identical with that of the soil, which is an excellent camouflage. That is its survival wisdom," Chen said.

Over the course of the 21-day expedition, the team collected a total of 619 samples from feces, placentas and muscle tissues.

They also used drones and artificial intelligence (AI) recognition technology to record the movement patterns of Tibetan antelopes in real time.

Zhuonai Lake in Qinghai enters peak season for Tibetan antelope birth

The Zhuonai Lake, a core breeding ground for the Tibetan antelope in northwest China's Qinghai Province, has entered the peak season for Tibetan antelope births.

Known as a "natural maternity ward" for the species, the remote lake area welcomed its first group of around 70 pregnant Tibetan antelopes in late May, who soon gave birth to their calves.

Chen Jiarui, an associate professor at the School of Ecological and Environmental Engineering at Qinghai University, said monitoring revealed notable changes in the animals' calving patterns.

"With environmental changes, the core lambing areas of the Tibetan antelope become more concentrated. In the past, we found them giving birth across riverbanks and upstream of the lake. However, our survey this year found that the population giving birth on the lake beach has become very small, with most now concentrated further up the lake," said Chen.

"Secondly, in our survey, we find the population of the Tibetan antelope is quite large," Chen added.

During recent fieldwork, researchers documented a birth firsthand, highlighting the newborns' rapid adaptation to the harsh plateau environment.

"We saw that within a few minutes, even less than 10 minutes, it could stand up and walk around to nurse. The mother antelope continuously licks the newborn. Once the baby's fur dries, it provides good warmth. This shows that from the moment they are born, Tibetan antelope calves have inherited very excellent genes from their parents, making them fully capable of adapting to this environment," said Chen.

As of the middle of July, monitoring data showed the first batch of returning antelopes heading back from the Zhuonai Lake, with a larger grouping of about 200 mothers and their newborns.

Chinese crested terns, one of the world's rarest seabird species, have been recorded in coastal wetlands in Nantong, east China's Jiangsu Province, for a seventh consecutive year.

Bird photographers captured images of the critically endangered birds on July 23 and 24, with sightings this season reported to be more frequent than in previous years.

With a global population of just over 200, the Chinese crested tern is under China's highest level of national protection. Its rarity and elusive nature have earned it the nickname "the mythical bird" in the country.

The species breeds mainly on uninhabited islands off the coasts of Zhejiang and Fujian

Rare Chinese crestedterns return toeast China wetlandfor seventh year

provinces in east China. Between July and September, some birds stop in Nantong's coastal wetlands to rest and feed during their seasonal migration.

The repeated sightings underline the role of Nantong's wetlands as a stopover site for rare migratory birds, as Jiangsu continues efforts to restore wetland habitats.

ing through a rocky mountain valley in Menyuan

Hui Autonomous County, northwest China's Qinghai Province, was spotted by a herder grazing his livestock nearby, who recorded the rare scene in his smart phone.

The footage shows the leopards moving calmly in grass and among

bare rocks,

occasionally pausing to look around, in fusion with the natural environment.

Snow leopards are a species under the first-class state protection in China, demanding high-quality habitats and intact food chains.

measures, including rotational grazing, mountain patrols and rescue efforts for wild animals, have worked to restore the fragile alpine ecosystem in recent years. As the environment improves, populations of rare species are steadily recovering.

Wildebeest herds surge through Serengeti as great migration enters peak river-crossing season

Millions of wildebeest are pushing northward through Tanzania's Serengeti National Park, braving crocodile-infested rivers and exhausting treks as the annual great migration reaches its most dramatic phase.

Rather than a short, seasonal spectacle, the Great Migration functions as a closed, year-round mobile ecosystem.

Each June and July, vast columns of wildebeest reach the Grumeti River region. After resting and grazing in the area, the herds continue their northward push toward the Mara River in July, keeping the migration in constant motion throughout the year.

Local guides in the park map out the steady annual rhythm of the herds' movement.

Jeremiah, a Serengeti National Park guide, explains that from December to January, wildebeest gather in the southern Serengeti, a period that coincides with the species' annual calving season. Between April and June, the herds drift westward across the park. After June, they move into the Grumeti River zone, and from approximately August to October, the mass of animals travels north to cross the Mara River into Kenya.

According to Jeremiah, the migration route spans roughly 1,500 square kilometers, looping endlessly between the southern Serengeti and the Masai Mara.

The journey, however, is shaped by unpredictable forces. Weather patterns, predator activity, and grazing conditions all influence when and where the herds will cross, making each crossing a unique and uncertain spectacle.

Wildebeest are far from the only protagonists in this epic journey. Zebras and gazelles travel alongside them, forming a cooperative foraging alliance in which each species plays a distinct role in feeding and vigilance.

While river crossings are often portrayed as deadly encounters with crocodiles, the reality on the ground tells a different story. Trampling and sheer physical exhaustion claim far more lives during the crossings than any predator.

"In nature, it's survival for the fittest. Only the strongest will survive there in the wild. So those obstacles can ensure the gene which is strong can continue to survive in nature," said Jeremiah, a guide with Serengeti National Park.

With no fixed timetable and no guaranteed spectacle, the great migration remains one of nature's most awe-inspiring displays, a reminder that every glimpse of the herds thundering across the plains is a rare and unrepeatable gift from the wild.

Rare pygmy slow lorises released into wild after months of care in Yunnan

Wildlife conservationists in Hekou County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, on Monday released four stray pygmy slow lorises into the wild after taking care of them for several months until their health conditions meet the standard for living independently in their natural habitat.

The released pygmy slow lorises, national first-class protected animals, were stray individuals that were found and handed over to local authorities by residents in April.

Wildlife conservationists at the Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Hekou County conducted regular physical examinations, deworming and rehabilitation care for them until they had fully recovered their physical functions and met the standards for living in the wild on their own.

The pygmy slow loris is the smallest primitive primate in China. It is nocturnal and arboreal.

"Since the beginning of this year, the Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Hekou County has taken in and rescued 31 wild animals of various species, including five pygmy slow lorises," said Bai Zhiyu, deputy director of the bureau.

Rare birds spotted with chicks at

A drone recently captured a rare close-up footage of a wild moose in the Hongxing National Nature Reserve in Yichun City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.

Rare moose captured on camera in Heilongjiang wetland

Researchers said the sighting highlights the improving biodiversity and habitat quality of the reserve.

China's Horqin nature reserve

Nestled in lush summer wetlands, Inner Mongolia's Horqin National Nature Reserve has offered a rare glimpse of red crowned cranes and whooper swans gently guiding their chicks through the water.

The world's largest deer species, the moose is highly sensitive to habitat quality and is under first-class national protection in China.

National Nature Reserve, with the parents staying watchful.

Two red crowned cranes, a top level protected species in China, were seen tending their chicks in the wetlands of the Horqin

Not far away, a pair of whooper swans glided through the water with five cygnets in tow.

The cranes are breeding here for the first time in four years, while the swans have returned for a second season.

In all, the nature reserve shelters over 5,000 birds and more than 13,000 fledg- lings, with rare species appearing more regularly.

Spanning 119,587 hectares at the junction of the Greater Khingan Range and the Horqin Sandy Land, the Horqin National Nature Reserve plays a vital role as an ecological safeguard for the region.