Category: Los Angeles, California Local News

Here’s why stars are wearing red pins at 2024 Oscars

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LOS ANGELES — Celebrities wore red pins on the red carpet for the 96th Academy Awards in support of a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

Several attendees, including Billie Eilish and Finneas, best song nominees for “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie,” wore pins for Gaza. Ava DuVernay and Ramy Youssef were also among those wearing pins.

The pins were handed out by a group called Artists4Ceasefire.

In a statement, Artists4Ceasefire wrote:

“The pin symbolizes collective support for an immediate and permanent cease-fire, the release of all of the hostages and for the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.”

Nearby the Oscars at the Cinerama Dome, demonstrators have lined the streets to protest and call for a cease-fire in Los Angeles.

The Oscars, kicking off on ABC at 7 p.m. EDT Sunday, are springing forward an hour earlier than usual due to daylight saving time. But aside from the time shift, this year’s show is going for many tried-and-true Academy Awards traditions. Jimmy Kimmel is back as host. Past winners are flocking back as presenters. And a big studio epic is poised for a major awards haul.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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OTRC

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Tar balls still turning up from Huntington Beach oil sheen

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Offshore recovery assets put in place to deal with an oil sheen off the coast of Huntington Beach are being demobilized after a flyover Sunday did not observe any sheen, however shoreline cleanup teams continue to observe tar balls along the beaches, and at least two birds have died, authorities said.

The roughly 2.5-mile-long oil sheen was spotted in the ocean water Thursday evening. Monitoring and cleanup efforts are being handled by a Unified Command consisting of the U.S. Coast Guard, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

Flyovers Saturday and Sunday morning by a Coast Guard helicopter did not observe any sheen offshore. Cleanup crews recovered approximately 85 gallons of product from offshore recovery and removed about 800 pounds of oily waste and tar balls from the shoreline and will continue to remove them as needed, according to the Unified Command.

The largest tar ball was 15 centimeters but others were six centimeters, the Coast Guard’s Richard Uranga told City News Service on Saturday.

No beach closures were ordered, but the public was advised to avoid contact with tar balls along the shoreline.

The CDFW-OSPR consulted with the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, which found that there is not likely to be a public health threat associated with consuming fish due to the incident, but officials advised against fishing in areas with a visible sheen on the water.

Wildlife crews were surveying the shoreline for oiled wildlife, and found at least three live birds who were visibly oiled: a Brandt’s cormorant, a common loon and a western grebe. The cormorant died in care overnight, officials said. An injured, unoiled snowy plover who was captured also died overnight.

Beachgoers observing oiled wildlife were advised not to attempt to capture the animals, but to report observations to 1-877-UCD-OWCN (1-877-823-6926).

The Coast Guard’s Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach Command Center said it received a report at 6:50 p.m. Thursday of an unknown substance in the water 1.5 miles off the coast of Huntington Beach.

Coast Guard Pollution Responders got underway at 6:30 a.m. Friday with a Newport Harbor Patrol boat to investigate. A Coast Guard helicopter also conducted an overflight in the area at sunrise. Upon investigation, an oil sheen was discovered that spanned 2.5 miles in length and a half-mile in width, roughly 2.8 miles off Huntington Beach near platforms Emmy and Eva, according to the Coast Guard.

Approximately 85% of the sheen, roughly 85 gallons of product, was recovered before the deteriorating sea state caused operations to pause for the evening, the Unified Command announced at 8:19 p.m. Friday.

The cause of the sheen was still being investigated.

“For clarification, reports that Platform Elly reported a discharge of produced water on the morning of March 8 are correct,” the Unified Command said Saturday. “Still, the characteristics of the produced water from Platform Elly do not align with what was observed from the sheen. At this time, we do not believe the sheen and the discharge are related.”

Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley visited Dog Beach in Huntington Beach on Friday and got some of the tar on her shoes, but she said the problem appears to be contained.

“It’s contained is what I understand, but they’re still investigating and the good news is we have all the resources out there,” Foley said. “And they’ll get it cleaned up quickly.”

Foley said regular Dog Beach visitors reported the tar balls were worse than usual.

Meanwhile, the Orange County Health Care Agency warned beach visitors about touching the tar balls.

“Contact with crude oil can pose health risks,” said Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, County Health Officer. “Residents and visitors are advised to take caution in affected areas and to avoid touching visible tar.”

Crude oil poses a risk of skin contact contamination and may emit volatile components into the air, including toxic chemicals, the HCA’s Environmental Health Division said. Prolonged exposure to these substances can lead to health issues including skin, eye, nose and throat irritation, headache, dizziness, upset stomach, vomiting and coughing or shortness of breath. People with preexisting respiratory conditions such as asthma, as well as the elderly and children are particularly vulnerable to adverse effects from inhaling oil vapors.

An oil spill in the same general area in 2021 led to reforms that appear to have improved the response, Foley said.

“We have a better system in place now,” Foley said. “Everybody is all coordinated now — better than they were before so they got a quick response out there.”

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Trump wants Elon Musk to speak at Republican convention – Los Angeles Weekly Times

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Former President Donald Trump and his allies on the Republican National Committee want to convince Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to speak at the GOP convention in July, people familiar with the matter told CNBC.

Republican leaders believe that giving Musk a speaking slot at the convention could lead to some of his fans boosting what has been the party’s historically lagging support among young adult voters on Election Day, said a source with knowledge of that belief.

Trump is expected to be confirmed at the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, event as the Republican presidential nominee, setting up a rematch of his 2020 contest against President Joe Biden in the election this November.

Musk’s potential speaker role was disclosed after he reportedly met with Trump and a group of wealthy Republican donors last weekend in Palm Beach, Florida. It is not clear if Trump or his allies have raised the idea with Musk.

That sitdown came days before the former president’s landslide victories in the Super Tuesday primaries, which led his last major challenger, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, to drop out of the nomination contest.

The people who spoke to CNBC for this story were granted anonymity to describe private conversations.

If Musk, who also owns the social media site X, does appear at the convention, it would be an implicit, and possibly explicit, endorsement of Trump’s candidacy.

Peter Thiel, who is Musk’s long-time financial backer and fellow PayPal co-founder, served a similar purpose when he spoke at the 2016 Republican National Convention, which first nominated Trump for president.

One of the sources familiar with the matter noted that interest from RNC leadership to have Musk speak at the convention had already been discussed with Ronna McDaniel, the RNC chair who resigned at the committee’s Houston meeting on Friday.

That source said that new RNC chair Michael Whatley likely will be in favor of inviting Musk to speak, as will the new RNC co-chair Lara Trump, the former president’s daughter-in-law.

Representatives for Trump and the RNC did not reply to requests for comment.

Musk did not reply to a request for comment.

It remains to be seen if the RNC will invite Musk, or if he wants to attend the convention.

Musk, who has a reported net worth of nearly $200 billion, this week said that he does not plan to donate money to the campaigns of either Trump or Biden.

But a person familiar with last weekend’s Florida meeting said that some of Trump’s advisors are hoping that Musk will start supporting the Republican candidate.

Musk has not publicly ruled out donating money to a pro-Trump political action committee, or a nonprofit organization supporting the former president’s policies.

Musk previously voiced support for the Republican presidential candidacy of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who suspended his campaign in January after dismal primary results against Trump.

Musk also hosted an event last year on Twitter Spaces for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is seeking the White House as an independent candidate.

Musk did not endorse Trump in the Republican’s two prior campaigns, in 2016 and 2020.

And the two have clashed in the past.

In June 2017, Musk abandoned a Trump White House advisory council, citing the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris climate accord.

In July 2022, Trump blasted the mega-billionaire for saying he had never voted for a Republican before casting a ballot earlier that year for a GOP candidate in Texas for a special House election.

“He said the other day, ‘Oh, I’ve never voted for a Republican,’ ” Trump said at that rally. “He told me he voted for me, so he’s another bulls— artist.”

Musk within days tweeted, “I don’t hate the man, but it’s time for Trump to hang up his hat & sail into the sunset. Dems should also call off the attack — don’t make it so that Trump’s only way to survive is to regain the Presidency.”

While Musk has continued to characterize himself as “moderate,” his public political commentary has been moving rightward for years.

And his social and political commentary in posts on X have become more bombastic since late 2022, when he led a leveraged buyout of the social media company, then known as Twitter.

Earlier in 2022, Musk said that he would vote for Republicans over Democrats in the congressional midterm elections that year.

In a series of tweets on Tuesday, as voters around the United States were casting ballots in presidential primaries, Musk baselessly accused Biden of “treason,” while bashing his handling of immigration in the United States.

When he took control of X, Musk said that he would reinstate Trump’s account on the platform, which Twitter’s prior leadership had banned for life in the wake of the deadly riot by Trump supporters at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

That riot disrupted for hours a joint session of Congress that was meeting to confirm the Electoral College victory of Biden.

Trump, who subsequently launched his own social media company, Truth Social, previously had said that he would not return to X even if Musk reversed the ban.

Trump made an exception to that vow last summer, when he posted his jailhouse mug shot taken after he was booked on Georgia state criminal charges related to his attempt to undo his loss to Biden in that state’s presidential election in 2020.

That post is linked Trump’s campaign website, which allows people to donate to his reelection effort and a to political action committee that pays for his mounting legal bills

Thiel, a former Facebook board member, told The Atlantic last fall that he does not plan to financially back any Republican candidates, including Trump.

Thiel also said in that interview that Trump’s presidential administration, which spanned January 2017 to January 2021, was “crazier” and “more dangerous than I thought.”

“They couldn’t get the most basic pieces of the government to work,” Thiel told the media outlet. “So that was — I think that part was maybe worse than even my low expectations.”

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‘Path to 218 runs through California’: State races pivotal in fight to control the House

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Barring divine intervention or the West Coast falling into the sea, President Biden will handily win California in the November election.

But should he — or presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump — secure a second term in the fall, the future of either’s policy agenda rests heavily on which party controls Congress, where Republicans currently hold a wafer-thin majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.

With the Golden State home to some of the most hotly contested swing districts in the country, the House’s fate will almost certainly come down to California.

The battle for the next two years of partisan political control will be waged door-to-door, from California’s beachside suburban cul-de-sacs to the tiny farm towns in the state’s fertile Central Valley.

Those battlefields will look a lot like Bridgecreek Plaza — a sun-bleached shopping center a few hundred yards from a freeway onramp in Orange County’s Huntington Beach. The mall is home to a crystal store, several insurance brokers, a dentist and the local Republican Party headquarters.

It’s also where about two dozen GOP faithful gathered on the morning of election day, bowing their heads for a quick prayer and pledging allegiance to a portable flag before turning their attention to Jessica Millan Patterson, chair of the California Republican Party.

Patterson was in a very good mood.

When she was first elected to lead the party, in 2019, California Republicans were “essentially the third-largest party in the state,” having sunk below the share of voters registering “decline to state” under party preference.

But Patterson had presided over a massive voter registration drive over the last five years, and the party had moved back into second. People across the country liked to dismiss “blue California,” she said, but they were forgetting that California has more registered Republicans than any other state.

“California Republicans are the reasons why we have a House majority,” she added, to raucous cheering.

That majority was what they hoped to hold on to, and the group would spend the morning of the March 5 primary election canvassing for Scott Baugh, a Republican attorney and former state Assembly member vying to push Democratic Rep. Katie Porter’s soon-to-be-open congressional seat back from blue to red.

Scott Baugh is trying again to flip Orange County’s 47th District back to the red column. The seat is a chief target of state and national Republican efforts to maintain control of the House.

(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

The latest round of redistricting put more conservative enclaves such as Huntington Beach and Newport Beach into California’s 47th Congressional District, and Baugh lost to Porter only narrowly in 2022 despite being vastly outspent, making the coastal Orange County district one of the most competitive in the nation.

The charismatic Porter will be out of the House picture after a failed Senate run; her seat is one of the National Republican Congressional Committee’s three offensive targets in California and top priorities. And it’s equally prized by Democrats.

In a country where enmity and distrust separate the two major political parties on most issues, California’s utmost importance to any November House strategy is one of the few things on which Republicans and Democrats can agree.

California is home to 10 races rated as competitive by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report — five of them in districts that are represented by Republicans but that President Biden won in 2020. In the months to come, both parties will be investing significant resources in those races, as national attention inevitably turns west.

With an expected Biden-Trump rematch, voter turnout in 2024 is also likely to be supercharged compared with the 2022 midterm election. That could give an edge to Democrats, given the registration advantage that they hold in many of the competitive districts. Republicans gained one California House seat in the 2022 midterms, a nonpresidential election when turnout was substantially lower than when Biden and Trump topped the ballot two years prior.

“At the end of the day, the path to 218 runs through California,” said Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesperson Dan Gottlieb, referring to the number of seats needed to garner a House majority.

Dave Min, seen from the shoulders up in a blue suit jacket, looking up to his left against a backdrop of dark-wood columns

Gottlieb was bullish on his party’s chances, citing the high turnout expected for the presidential election, along with strong Democratic candidates and “a bunch of dysfunctional and out-of-touch Republicans enabling the worst of their party’s chaos and dysfunction and extremism.”

But Gottlieb’s GOP counterpart was equally roseate in his outlook, with National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson Ben Petersen reveling in the ugly and expensive primary fights that consumed Democrats in several of the state’s most crucial swing districts.

In the O.C. district where GOP volunteers fanned out for Baugh on primary morning, Democrats had sunk millions into a bruising primary battle between state Sen. Dave Min and fellow Democrat Joanna Weiss. Min ultimately emerged victorious, but only after surviving a barrage of negative advertising centered on his 2023 arrest for driving while intoxicated — arguably a gift to Republicans ahead of his fall battle with Baugh.

“Extreme Democrats are stumbling out of their vicious primary fights broke and bested by Republicans, who saw a groundswell of support for a commonsense safety and affordability agenda,” Petersen said, adding that the primary results made clear the GOP was “playing offense in California” in a way that would set the stage for victories in November.

Baugh, though, is not expected to go unscathed. In 2022, Porter’s ad campaign ripped the Republican for his antiabortion stance, as well as his work as a lobbyist and criminal charges he faced over campaign violations, for which he ultimately paid $47,000 in fines.

In the San Joaquin Valley, there were last-minute fears that a bruising primary battle would lock Democrats out of one of the races where they have the best chance of flipping a seat, but those concerns proved overblown.

Rudy Salas, backed by the Democratic establishment, vanquished fellow Democrat Melissa Hurtado to secure a spot in the fall against incumbent Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford) in the 22nd Congressional District, but that race also put a dent in Democratic coffers.

The November race will be a rematch of the pair’s 2022 runoff, when Salas lost to Valadao by several thousand votes. And Salas and Valadao won’t be the only rematch on the November ticket.

In a heavily agricultural San Joaquin Valley district that includes all of Merced County and parts of Fresno, Madera, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties, incumbent GOP Rep. John Duarte will once again face off against Democratic challenger Adam Gray. Duarte won the 13th Congressional District in the midterm election by fewer than 600 votes, one of the closest races in the nation.

Several hundred miles southeast, in Southern California, Democratic challenger Will Rollins will again take on GOP incumbent Rep. Ken Calvert, the longest-serving member of the California delegation. The recently redrawn 41st Congressional District stretches from the suburban Inland Empire, where Calvert has long lived, to Palm Springs, where Rollins and his partner make their home.

The district’s new boundaries — which now include one of the largest concentrations of LGBTQ+ voters in the nation and liberal pockets of Californians in the desert — are far more friendly to Democrats. They also set up Rollins, who is gay, as a potent challenger to Calvert, who voted against LGBTQ+ rights in the past, but who says his views have since evolved.

One race that will have some new blood this year, after the same pair of candidates dueled in three previous elections, is California’s 27th Congressional District in northern Los Angeles County.

Once solidly Republican, the district has been reconfigured by redistricting, and has undergone a political transition driven by younger, more diverse transplants from L.A. seeking affordable housing in Santa Clarita and the Antelope Valley. The district briefly switched from red to blue with former Rep. Katie Hill’s victory in 2018, but the young Democrat’s very public scandals and ultimate resignation helped hand the seat back to the GOP.

Now-incumbent GOP Rep. Mike Garcia beat Democrat Christy Smith in a 2019 special election to fill the seat, then twice more for full terms in 2020 and 2022. He will face off against George Whitesides, a fresh Democratic challenger, in November.

Ludovic Blain, executive director of the California Donor Table, a progressive group that pools donor funds, said his organization hopes to invest about $10 million in California House races in the fall, working with local nonprofits in key areas to turn out voters of color.

They’ll be focusing on seven key races: the three aforementioned rematches, Porter’s open seat and two other Orange County races, and the Garcia-Whitesides matchup.

One point of concern Blain raised is that Republican Steve Garvey’s place near the top of the ticket, facing off against Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank) in the Senate race, might affect Democrats in House races.

Schiff engaged in a controversial strategy in the primary, boosting Garvey to lock out Porter and his other major Democratic challenger, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland), whom Blain’s organization supported.

It was a gambit that some in the Democratic establishment said would actually help Democrats in other tight races, since a less-competitive Senate race would siphon away far less money from the party’s coffers.

But others, like Blain, argue that Garvey’s presence could hurt down-ballot Democrats. Plus, having him on the ballot may draw in moderate Republican and independent voters who remain sour on Trump.

“Having Garvey, I think, does spike or further encourage Republican voters to turn out, and more importantly, to vote down the ticket,” Blain said.

Patterson agreed. Unlike Trump, Garvey will likely campaign across the state, providing a lift for other Republicans while he’s at it.

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Julia Wick

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UFC 299: Bantamweight champ Sean O’Malley beats Newport Beach’s Marlon Vera

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By ALANIS THAMES (AP Sports Writer)

MIAMI — Sean O’Malley emphatically defended his bantamweight belt Saturday night, unanimously outpointing Marlon “Chito” Vera in UFC 299.

In a fight that he controlled from the opening round, O’Malley (18-1) outclassed Vera with his quickness, precision striking and footwork.

The champion threw 344 punches, landing more than 50% of them. He was the more active fighter throughout, hurting Vera (23-9-1) with shots to the body, knees to the face, and countering nearly every one of Vera’s connections with one of his own.

It was O’Malley’s first defense of his bantamweight title after stopping former champion Aljamain Sterling 51 seconds into the second round at UFC 292 last August.

UFC CEO Dana White called the performance a “clinic” by O’Malley, who is fast becoming one of the biggest stars in the sport. White added that the card was the fourth-highest grossing UFC event ever, with a gate of $14.14 million.

“He’s on his way,” White said of O’Malley, who some believe has star power of Conor McGregor. “He’s the biggest star ever in bantamweight history. You can say that right now.”

Vera handed O’Malley the only defeat of his career nearly four years ago by landing a leg kick that caused O’Malley’s right foot to go numb in the first round of UFC 252.

O’Malley has often downplayed that loss — the kick shut down the peroneal nerve in his lower leg, causing temporary loss of feeling — and vowed to dominate in the rematch.

“That one feels good getting that one back,” O’Malley said. “I’m guessing we can all agree that I’m undefeated still.”

He added that he wants to fight featherweight champion Ilia Topuria next.

“Dana,” he said, “Give me a jet to Spain, baby.”

Immediately after the five-round fight, O’Malley sat down on the canvas after Vera hurt him late with a shot to the body — one that could have been much more significant if it was landed earlier in the match.

“I tried to stay toe to toe with him and catch him,” said Vera, the Ecuadorian fighter who received a massive amount of cheers from the fans at Kaseya Center.. “At the end of the fifth round I landed a nice body that hurt him, but I ran out of time.”

Former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier knocked out up-and-comer Benoit Saint Denis with a right hand in the second round of their lightweight match. Saint Denis had hurt Poirier with punches in the early round before the veteran dropped him with a right hook at 2:52 in the second round. The victory moved Poirier into a tie for the fourth-most wins in UFC history with 22.

Jack Della Maddalena stretched his winning streak to 17 with the biggest victory of his career. He stopped Gilbert Burns in the third round of their bout with a crushing knee to the head, moments after it appeared Burns had secured a fight-clinching takedown. Della Maddalena followed the knee with a series of elbows on the ground for a TKO victory at 3:43 in the final round of the 170-pound fight.

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Burbank Crime Log – March 9 Edition

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Burbank has seen the following criminal activities ranging from burglary to DUI offenses, as detailed in the recent police reports. The incidents span several days, indicating a persistent issue across various neighborhoods.

March 1, 2024

A theft/larceny occurred at 8:00 PM on the 300 block of W Valencia Av.

March 2, 2024

At 12:01 AM, fraud was reported on the 3700 block of W Magnolia Bl.
A theft/larceny took place at 12:35 PM on the 3100 block of W Riverside Dr.
Another theft/larceny was reported at 4:41 PM on the 1000 block of S San Fernando Bl.

March 3, 2024

Early in the day, DUI was reported at 2:39 AM on N Hollywood Wy/W Verdugo Av.
Motor vehicle thefts occurred at 6:01 AM on the 2500 block of N Myers St, with another vehicle theft on the same block at the same time.
Vandalism was reported at 6:01 AM on the 2500 block of N Myers St.
A motor vehicle theft was noted at 9:06 AM on the 2100 block of N Rose St.
Drugs/alcohol violations occurred at 9:57 AM on the 1600 block of W Verdugo Av.
A burglary was reported at 12:29 PM on the 1100 block of Chestnut St.
Multiple theft/larceny incidents were reported throughout the day at locations including the 1300 block of N Victory Pl and the 1600 block of N Victory Pl.
Fraud incidents were noted, with one occurring at 2:25 PM on S Flower St/W Verdugo Av.

March 4, 2024

Drugs/alcohol violations were reported at 12:31 AM on W Alameda Av/N Ontario St and at 2:08 AM on N Buena Vista St/Kenmere Av.
A burglary took place at 4:56 AM on the 1100 block of Chestnut St.
Fraud was reported at 11:37 PM on W Alameda Av/S Beachwood Dr and at 10:53 PM on N Lake St/N Victory Pl.

March 5, 2024

DUI incidents occurred at 12:47 AM on the 300 block of W Alameda Av and at 4:00 PM on the 200 block of E Alameda Av.
A theft/larceny was reported at 10:30 AM on the 200 block of S Brighton St and at 7:34 PM on the 800 block of S San Fernando Bl.
Vandalism occurred at 2:28 PM on the 600 block of N Victory Bl.
Fraud was noted at 8:45 PM on the 100 block of E Orange Grove Av.

These incidents underline a series of challenges for local law enforcement and community safety initiatives. The varied nature of the crimes, including theft, fraud, motor vehicle theft, drugs/alcohol violations, and DUI offenses, requires a multifaceted response from both police and the community to address and deter future incidents.

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Pennsylvania man uses ‘Oscarmetrics’ to predict 2024 Oscar winners

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If you’re filling out an Oscar ballot at home, you’ll want to check the stats with a mathematician and movie lover from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

Ben Zauzmer from Upper Dublin calls his system “Oscarmetrics” and he wrote the book on it.

He says it all started when he was a freshman at Harvard University.

READ | The Oscars are almost here. Here’s what to know and how to watch

“I just wanted to find a way to calculate the percentage chance of each nominee in every category,” Zauzmer says. “I wasn’t able to find that, so I just decided to do it myself.”

This year, the Oscarmetrics predict some strong winners.

“Best Picture and Best Director are looking like ‘Oppenheimer‘ and Christopher Nolan pretty clearly,” Zauzmer says. “For the Supporting Actor race, you’ve got Robert Downey Jr. from ‘Oppenheimer’ and Da’Vine Joy Randolph from ‘The Holdovers’ as very strong front runners.”

“It would be a major shock if Da’Vine doesn’t bring that Oscar home to Philadelphia. She has a higher percentage chance than any nominee in any other category. She’s at 91%,” he added.

Best Actor, Zauzmer says, is looking good for ‘Oppenheimer’s’ Cillian Murphy, over Bradley Cooper and Colman Domingo.

For Best Actress, Zauzmer says Emma Stone and Lily Gladstone are in a near-dead heat.

“They are as split as can be on my model,” Zauzmer says. “There’s only a 1.3% difference between their two odds. It slightly favors Lily Gladstone for ‘Killers of the Flower Moon.’”

Josh Singer is up for Best Original Screenplay for ‘Maestro.’

“Josh Singer and I actually share a high school alma mater. We’re both Upper Dublin High School grads and Harvard grads as well, so it would be very fun to see him win. He also has a ‘Spotlight’ on his resume,” Zauzmer said.

But the Oscarmetrics don’t seem to be in Singer’s favor.

“That’s looking like ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ at 43%, but it’s still an open race,” he says.

Zauzmer says it’s looking good for Jennifer Lame, for Best Film Editing.

“She is at over 50% to win,” he says. “This will be her first Oscar for editing ‘Oppenheimer.’ It’s just an epic three-hour masterpiece.”

March 10 is Oscar Sunday! Watch the 2024 Oscars live on ABC.

Red carpet coverage starts at 1 p.m. ET 10 a.m. PT with “Countdown to Oscars: On The Red Carpet Live.” At 4 p.m. ET 1 p.m. PT, live coverage continues with “On The Red Carpet at the Oscars,” hosted by George Pennacchio with Roshumba Williams, Leslie Lopez and Rachel Brown.

Watch all the action on the red carpet live on ABC, streaming live on OnTheRedCarpet.com and on the On the Red Carpet Facebook and YouTube pages.

The 96th Oscars, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, begins at 7 p.m. ET 4 p.m. PT, an hour earlier than past years.

The Oscars are followed by an all-new episode of “Abbott Elementary.”

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Burroughs / Burbank Students to Participate in SkillsUSA California State Leadership Conference

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JBHS Carpentry competitors Harrison Johnstone and Rylan Boyle, Silver and Gold medalists for Region 3 (LA & Ventura Counties) will compete at the California State Leadership Conference, April 4-7, 2024

In the ever-evolving landscape of education and career development, students are constantly seeking opportunities that go beyond traditional academic learning. SkillsUSA, a national organization, stands out as a beacon for students looking to enhance their skills, build confidence, and prepare for successful careers. For many Burbank Unified School District students, participating in SkillsUSA SkillsUSA provides a diverse range of opportunities for exploration and discovery.

SkillsUSA is a nonprofit organization that aims to empower students to become world-class workers, leaders, and responsible American citizens. Established in 1965, SkillsUSA has grown into one of the largest student organizations in the United States, with over 360,000 members across the country. The organization operates at the high school and college levels, with a few middle school level competitions, fostering a sense of community and collaboration among students pursuing various career paths.

At the heart of SkillsUSA lies the Triangle Framework, a comprehensive approach to education that integrates personal, workplace, and technical skills. The three sides of the triangle represent the essential elements that SkillsUSA seeks to develop in its members. The base of the triangle represents technical skills—the specific skills and knowledge required for success in a chosen career. SkillsUSA provides a platform for students to hone these technical skills through hands-on experiences and competitive events. This emphasis on technical proficiency ensures that students are well-prepared for the challenges they will face in their respective fields.

The second side of the triangle focuses on personal skills, encompassing qualities such as responsibility, adaptability, and ethical decision-making. SkillsUSA recognizes that success in any career is not solely dependent on technical expertise but also on the development of personal attributes. By fostering personal skills, the organization equips students with the tools necessary for effective interpersonal relationships and overall personal growth.

The third side of the triangle addresses workplace skills—the abilities required to thrive in a professional environment. This includes communication, teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving. Students engaged in SkillsUSA activities not only excel in their technical competencies but also emerge as well-rounded individuals prepared for the demands of the workplace.

The Triangle Framework serves as a guiding philosophy for SkillsUSA, ensuring a holistic approach to education that extends beyond the traditional classroom setting.

JBHS Culinary Students serving at the Burbank Arts and Education Foundation The State of the Schools 2023 Celebration
Credit: Ross A. Benson

One of the primary benefits of SkillsUSA lies in its emphasis on hands-on learning. Traditional education often focuses on theoretical knowledge, but SkillsUSA recognizes the importance of practical skills in today’s workforce. The organization provides students with opportunities to participate in competitions that showcase their skills in areas such as carpentry, robotics, culinary arts, healthcare, photography and more.

These competitions not only allow students to apply what they have learned in the classroom but also serve as a platform for networking and exposure to industry professionals. Engaging in hands-on activities through SkillsUSA helps students bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application.

SkillsUSA plays a crucial role in helping students explore potential career paths. The organization collaborates with industry partners to offer students insights into various professions and industries. Through workshops, seminars, and industry visits, students get a firsthand look at the demands and expectations of different careers.

Beyond technical skills, SkillsUSA places a strong emphasis on leadership development. The organization believes that equipping students with leadership skills is essential for their success in any career. Through leadership conferences, workshops, and activities, SkillsUSA nurtures qualities such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and decision-making.

Students involved in SkillsUSA often find themselves in leadership positions within their chapters, honing their abilities to guide and motivate their peers. These leadership experiences are transferable skills that can benefit students in both their academic pursuits and future careers.

Participating in SkillsUSA helps students build confidence in their abilities. Competing in events, presenting projects, and interacting with professionals contribute to the development of self-assurance. This newfound confidence extends beyond the competitions and into other aspects of students’ lives.

Moreover, SkillsUSA instills a sense of professionalism in its members. The organization emphasizes the importance of traits such as punctuality, effective communication, and a strong work ethic. These qualities are not only vital in competitive events but also highly sought after by employers in the professional world.

SkillsUSA provides a unique platform for students to network with industry leaders, educators, and other students who share similar interests. The organization hosts national and state-level conferences that bring together a diverse group of individuals connected by a passion for skills development.

Networking is a crucial aspect of career growth, and SkillsUSA facilitates connections that can open doors for students in their future endeavors. Whether it’s forming mentorships with industry professionals or connecting with peers who share similar career goals, the networking opportunities provided by SkillsUSA are invaluable.

SkillsUSA doesn’t just stop at skill development and leadership; it also rewards students for their achievements. Many organizations and industry partners collaborate with SkillsUSA to offer scholarships to deserving students. These scholarships serve as a financial aid resource for students pursuing further education in their chosen fields.

Additionally, SkillsUSA recognizes outstanding achievements through awards and honors. Students who excel in competitions or demonstrate exceptional leadership qualities are celebrated within the organization, boosting their confidence and providing a tangible acknowledgment of their hard work.

In addition to the Triangle Framework, SkillsUSA offers the Chapter of Excellence program (CEP), an initiative that recognizes and rewards outstanding chapters for their exemplary performance. This program sets a high standard for SkillsUSA chapters, encouraging them to excel in several key areas.

JBHS Students with Teacher/Advisor Kara Clark dropping donations at the Burbank Temporary Aid Center provided
from the canned food drive
Credit: Kara Clark

Chapters participating in the Chapter of Excellence program demonstrate a commitment to integrating the Triangle Framework into their activities. This involves not only emphasizing technical skills but also prioritizing the development of personal and workplace skills among their members. Each of the high schools in BUSD have their own chapters. As part of their CEP, the culinary arts students from JBHS planned, prepped, transported and served appetizers, including a molecular gastronomy experiment – spherification – for the Burbank Arts and Education Foundation The State of Schools 2023 Celebration. Students at JBHS also held a canned food drive for the Burbank Temporary Aid Center that ended just before winter break, a particular time of need for some of Burbank’s most challenged community members.

SkillsUSA is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse environment. The organization welcomes students from all backgrounds and encourages them to explore careers traditionally underrepresented by their demographic. This commitment to inclusivity aligns with the evolving landscape of the workforce, where diversity is increasingly recognized as a driving force for innovation and success.

Funding for this program is essential. Each chapter is required to pay a membership fee for the year for students and advisors. Many BUSD students regularly promote from the regional competitions to participate in the State Leadership Conference, where each competition has an entry fee as well as additional expenses. BUSD has even had several students win a state competition, going on to represent the entire State of California at the National Leadership Conference, requiring funding for travel to an out-of-state location. There is also the expense of equipment and supplies. The JBHS culinary program regularly seeks contributions from The Handy Market, who generously donates chickens for the students to practice fabricating. It should also be mentioned that participating in this Student Lead Organization fulfills one of the requirements for the Carl D. Perkins Grant, a major source of funding for all BUSD career technical education programs.

Sharyn Gersch, a BUSD parent, was asked to share her point of view:

“My son Owen Gersh (JBHS ’23) participated in SkillsUSA culinary regional and state competition. In hindsight it was the greatest skill learning opportunity he ever had in BUSD. I personally attended the SkillsUSA California State Competition in April of 2023. I still get goosebumps thinking about being in the convention hall (Ontario, CA) with thousands of students for the final award ceremony. I had no idea that SkillsUSA had 125 different trade skill competition categories. Owen’s experience competing in culinary included him having to fabricate a chicken, prepare an ‘airline breast’, and make 3 side dishes including a vegetable, potato and salad. The culinary students worked in an industrial kitchen where they were expected to speak and move about according to industry standards as though they were professional chefs. Owen was beyond nervous, but he was absolutely prepared because of the teaching and support he got from JBHS …Owen is forever changed by his SkillsUSA experience. He has worked in three different restaurants since competing, each new job opportunity building from what was started by SkillsUSA. As a parent and member of the Burbank community for 20+ years I’d like to see the district get more involved with SkillsUSA and see more students participate…”

This year, Mrs. Gersch got her wish; there will be more participants from more programs at Burbank High School than in the past. Eight students from Burbank High along with 4 students from JBHS will be competing in the SkillsUSA California State Leadership Conference in Ontario, April 4-7.

For students seeking a pathway to success in their chosen careers, SkillsUSA offers a comprehensive platform that equips them with the skills, confidence, and connections necessary to thrive. As the professional landscape continues to evolve, organizations like SkillsUSA play a vital role in preparing the next generation of leaders and workers for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

In conclusion, SkillsUSA stands as a dynamic force in shaping the future of students by combining practical skills development, career exploration, leadership training, and networking opportunities. The benefits of SkillsUSA extend far beyond the classroom, providing students with a holistic approach to education and personal growth.

Upcoming fundraiser needs your support

John Burroughs High School SkillsUSA Chapter will be offering prom attire at their fundraising event “Dress Up to Donate”. As part of their community service project for SkillsUSA, the purpose of the event is to bring awareness of the large gap that exists when affording prom attire as well as encouraging respect for cultural differences and promote equity for all while providing a safe space for students to pick out prom attire for free. Open to all BUSD high school students, the event will be held March 30th, 2024, from 10am – 2pm at JBHS in room 2114, accessible through Parish Gate #2 (between building 2 and the Brian Hearst Gym).

To donate, please bring any gently worn gowns, tuxedos, suits, pants, jackets, belts or dress shoes to our community drop off event on Monday, March 25^th in front of JBHS from 3:00pm-4:30pm

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A bird’s eye view of proposed Bay Area utopian community

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Tech billionaire backers of a sweeping proposal to build an idealistic community from the ground up in the Bay Area released an aerial view of the project’s plans for tens of thousands of homes surrounded by open space, trails and using renewable energy sources.

In the photo and an accompanying ad released Wednesday, California Forever showcased the community’s proximity to the broader Bay Area, while touting that the Solano County project would convert unused farmland into “walkable middle class neighborhoods with homes we can afford.”

The new material comes as California Forever is gathering signatures for a ballot initiative in Solano County that would amend zoning codes to allow the project to be built on agricultural land. With 13,000 valid signatures, the ballot measure titled the East Solano Homes, Jobs, and Clean Energy Initiative would go before voters in November.

Backers of the project include Jan Sramek, a former Goldman Sachs trader who is chief executive of California Forever; LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman; venture capitalist Marc Andreessen; and Patrick and John Collison, who founded the payment-processing company Stripe.

The new ad and renderings of the proposed utopia attempt to answer some of the questions locals have had about the project, which for years was shrouded in secrecy as tech billionaires quietly bought up farmland.

The proximity of the project to Travis Air Force Base has been one point of contention. California Forever said the new community would be 4.5 miles from the base with a security buffer zone where there would be nothing other than agriculture and solar farms. The community would create an open space of 712 acres featuring sports fields and trails between itself and neighboring city Rio Vista, a town of about 10,000 people on the Sacramento River.

Renderings of the community show picturesque open spaces where families could host birthday parties and go on bike rides, along with tree-lined neighborhoods and a bustling downtown.

In the newly released ad, backers say the project would use unused land “rated among the worst for agriculture in all of Solano County, land where for years and years, nothing much has been able to grow.” The project promises to provide $500 million for down-payment assistance, scholarships and parks for Solano County residents and 15,000 new higher-paying jobs in manufacturing and technology.

The community would be designed to have 50,000 residents at first, then grow to as many as 400,000.

The campaign faces opposition from the Solano County chapter of the Sierra Club, which said housing should not be built on agricultural land. Residents in the area have also expressed concerns about the effect on traffic.

If the ballot measure is approved by voters, other government approvals would then be required. Environmental groups have signaled lawsuits are possible, which could tie up the matter in court.

“A knowledgeable voter is the best kind of voter, and we find that the more Solano County residents learn about our project, the more they like it,” said Matt Rodriguez, campaign manager for the East Solano Homes, Jobs, and Clean Energy Initiative. “We’re excited to be engaging with members of the Solano County community and this is another opportunity for us to continue sharing information about how we plan to bring middle class homes and good paying jobs to Solano County.”

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Melody Gutierrez

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Providence Baseball Loses 3-1 to Pasadena Poly

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Providence scored one run in the fifth inning against Pasadena Poly but had other chances to add more. (Photo by Rick Assad)

By Rick Assad

It took three hits and a pair of defensive errors in the top of the fifth inning to upset the Providence High baseball team’s applecart on Friday afternoon.

Two of the singles scored a pair of runs and they held up as Pasadena Poly shimmied past the Pioneers 3-1 in a Prep League game at Schafer Field at Ralph Foy Park.

Aside from that frame, junior Adrian Contreras delivered a solid outing as the right-handed pitcher worked six innings while giving up four hits, striking out six and walking three.

“Adrian has been consistent on the mound all year and he did a great job keeping us there,” Providence coach Mando Contreras said.

The inning began in good fashion for Contreras who saw senior Elliott Rowley pop up to the pitcher.

Junior Conner Poon was safe on an infield hit and stole second base for Pasadena Poly (6-2 and 4-0 in league). Senior Chase Engstrom fanned swinging for the second out, but junior Harrison Unanue walked.

Senior Luke Kim singled to left field which drove in a run and freshman Caiden Kennedy added a run-scoring single to right center field.

The Pioneers answered in the bottom of the fifth inning as sophomore Nicholas Delger singled to right field with one out and scooted to second base when junior Eric Chuchvara bounced back to Poon, the pitcher who fanned five, allowed six hits with one walk across seven innings.

When Contreras was safe on a throwing error, Delger, who moved to second on Chuchvara’s bouncer, eventually scored on the miscue.

“I’m proud that we’re competing. We wanted it to be the other way, but it didn’t today,” Contreras said. “Yeah, one bad pitch and it opened up a bad five minutes and three runs.”

The Pioneers used two pitchers and they allowed four hits and three runs to the Panthers. (Photo by Rick Assad)

Providence (2-6 and 2-2 in league) had several innings where it could have scored but didn’t against Poon.

“Our offense will come around soon, we just haven’t clicked to put a couple of hits together consistently this year,” Contreras noted. “I love our group and we’ll keep making adjustments to play it right.”

Sophomore Luc Rode lashed a one-out single down the left-field line in the second inning and took second base on a sacrifice bunt from senior Andrew Malong.

A balk from Poon sent Rode to third base but sophomore Asa Langlois fanned looking.

In the fourth inning, the Pioneers had two runners in scoring position, but once again came up empty.

Rode added a two-out infield single, and Poon’s wild pitch sent him to second base.

Malong cracked a single to right field, but Langlois popped up to the third baseman.

The Pioneers had something brewing in the sixth inning when Rode was nicked by a pitch but was forced out when Malong reached.

Sophomore Hudson West was walked as Malong moved to second base, but the final out came on a liner.

In the seventh inning, after Delger lined to second base, Chuchvara was safe on an infield hit and Contreras also was safe on an infield hit.

The next batter popped to the third baseman and junior Eric Flores bounced into a force out to end the game.

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Rick Assad

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Alexandra Marquez | NBC News

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Biden says he regrets referring to ‘an illegal’ and defends direct criticism of Supreme Court in State of the Union

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President Joe Biden in a wide-ranging interview with MSNBC on Saturday defended his direct criticism of the Supreme Court for its 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health and said that he regrets having referred to an undocumented immigrant as an “illegal.”

“I think they made a wrong decision. I think they read the Constitution wrong. I think they made a mistake,” Biden told Jonathan Capehart, host of MSNBC’s “The Saturday Show” and “The Sunday Show,” during an exclusive interview on the campaign trail in Georgia, according to NBC News.

He echoed remarks he made during his State of the Union address on Thursday when he addressed Supreme Court justices in the room, telling them, “With all due respect, justices … you’re about to realize just how much you got right” about women’s electoral power.

“They used the phrase that women can vote making change, if they want to,” Biden told Capehart on Saturday, adding, “I found that somewhat insulting, the idea that they don’t think [women] can. Women are speaking now. They spoke out in 2022. They spoke out in 2024 — 2020. This is what’s going to happen. And I was just making clear, women speak up. This is going to change.”

Biden’s campaign also doubled down on his attacks on former President Donald Trump and the Supreme Court justices he appointed in a statement shared first with NBC News.

In the statement, a campaign spokesperson responded to news about the passage of a fetal personhood bill in the Iowa state House that could have negative implications for patients seeking in vitro fertilization treatments.

“IVF is at risk across the country and there’s one man to blame: Donald Trump. Donald Trump proudly brags he was able to ‘kill’ Roe and now women across the country are facing the consequences. Trump’s record speaks for itself: his Supreme Court pick Amy Coney Barrett refused to say if she would oppose criminalizing IVF,” senior campaign spokesperson Lauren Hitt said in the statement.

In Saturday’s interview, the president also said that he regrets using the word “illegal” to describe the undocumented immigrant who is charged with killing a 22-year-old nursing student in Georgia.

“During your response to [Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s] heckling of you, you used the word ‘illegal’ when talking about the man who allegedly killed Laken Riley,” Capehart said.

“An undocumented person. And I shouldn’t have used ‘illegal.’ It’s ‘undocumented,’” Biden said.

“So you regret using that word?” Capehart pressed him.

“Yes,” Biden replied.

The statement marks an apparent reversal from what Biden said Friday. While at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, the president was asked, “Do you regret using the word ‘illegal’ to describe immigrants last night, sir?”

“Well, I probably — I don’t re — technically not supposed to be here,” he responded.

During his State of the Union speech Thursday night, Biden used the term “an illegal” to describe Jose Antonio Ibarra, a Venezuelan who was previously arrested by federal authorities after having crossed the border into the U.S. Ibarra has been charged with killing 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley. The president did not mention Riley’s case in his MSNBC interview.

Biden said Saturday that in his speech to Congress, he was attempting to highlight the differences between rhetoric offered by himself and former President Donald Trump about the border, pledging not to “treat any of these people with disrespect.”

“He talks about ‘vermin.’ The way he talks about these people ‘polluting the blood.’ I talked about what I’m not going to do. What I won’t do, I’m not going to treat any of these people with disrespect,” Biden said.

The president added, “I don’t share [Trump’s] view at all,” saying that immigrants “built the country, [are] the reason our economy is growing,” but still, “we have to control the border and more orderly flow.”

Ahead of a rally in Georgia on Saturday night, Trump met with Riley’s parents backstage.

When he took the stage later that evening, he mocked Biden’s apology for using the word “illegal,” telling the crowd, “They have a new name that’s even worse. They have a new name. You know what the new name is? Neighbor. They want to call them neighbor.”

President Joe Biden delivered the 2024 State of the Union address on Thursday, his last address as president before the general election.

Chris LaCivita, a senior advisor to Trump’s campaign, told reporters before the rally that Biden’s apology was “tone deaf,” saying, “I mean he should be apologizing to the family, as opposed to apologizing for the word that he used.”

In his State of the Union, Biden did address Riley’s parents, saying he understands the pain that comes with the loss of a child having lost two himself.

Asked on Saturday about whether he has a “red line” with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid Israel’s actions in the Israel-Hamas war, Biden suggested that some steps Netanyahu could take would be going too far.

“What is your red line with Prime Minister Netanyahu? Do you have a red line? For instance, would invasion of Rafah, which you have urged him not to do, would that be a red line?” Capehart asked.

“It is a red line,” Biden said, adding, “but I’m never gonna leave Israel. The defense of Israel is still critical.”

Still, Biden was firm that Israel “cannot have 30,000 more Palestinians dead as a consequence of going after [Hamas],” likely citing figures showing that more than 30,000 people in Gaza have been killed, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.

This article first appeared on NBCNews.com. Read more from NBC News:

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Microsoft blocks terms that cause its AI to create violent images – Los Angeles Weekly Times

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Microsoft has started to make changes to its Copilot artificial intelligence tool after a staff AI engineer wrote to the Federal Trade Commission Wednesday regarding his concerns about Copilot’s image-generation AI.

Prompts such as “pro choice,” “pro choce” [sic] and “four twenty,” which were each mentioned in CNBC’s investigation Wednesday, are now blocked, as well as the term “pro life.” There is also a warning about multiple policy violations leading to suspension from the tool, which CNBC had not encountered before Friday.

“This prompt has been blocked,” the Copilot warning alert states. “Our system automatically flagged this prompt because it may conflict with our content policy. More policy violations may lead to automatic suspension of your access. If you think this is a mistake, please report it to help us improve.”

The AI tool now also blocks requests to generate images of teenagers or kids playing assassins with assault rifles — a marked change from earlier this week — stating, “I’m sorry but I cannot generate such an image. It is against my ethical principles and Microsoft’s policies. Please do not ask me to do anything that may harm or offend others. Thank you for your cooperation.”

USC women outlast UCLA in double-OT classic to reach Pac-12 tournament title game

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LAS VEGAS — She rocked back and forth for a moment on the hardwood, trying to summon the strength to pull herself up, to rejoin the action continuing without her at the other end of the court.

Finally, a whistle blew in overtime, and USC’s JuJu Watkins crumpled.

The freshman guard groped at her left ankle, writhing back and forth in agony, rolling into the fetal position as a trainer rushed over and sat her up. It seemed the death knoll for USC’s Pac-12 tournament hopes, a pall settling over a throng of thumping loyalists and stragglers alike at MGM Grand in Vegas. Not a minute into Friday night’s 80-70 victory over UCLA in a Pac-12 tournament semifinal, Watkins had collapsed similarly after a drive, limping off the court and straight to the tunnel with a sprained left ankle as head coach Lindsay Gottlieb sifted through mental worst-case contingency plans.

No need. Two minutes later, in that first quarter, she’d hobbled out from the tunnel. And about a minute and a half after she exited on the same ankle sprain in overtime, she somehow came trotting back, throwing herself back into a thicket of UCLA trees like she had never left.

“Even when I went out, I knew I’d get back in, because my team needed me,” Watkins said, adding later, “it’s just an ankle. Nothing I’m not used to. Feel great.”

Just an ankle. Yet another gutsy performance that could sit with the rest in Watkins’ freshman year, in what coach Lindsay Gottlieb has called the “storybook of Ju:” 33 points, 14 for 17 from the free-throw line, an ugly 9-for-27 line from the field in an at-times ugly double-overtime descent into madness in the desert.

But this is simply her, bandages and forehead welts and all, putting her body through a gauntlet through this February and March’s Pac-12 gauntlet and never once accepting the thought that her limbs might simply give way. This was the same kid, Gottlieb remembered with a smile, who she had seen turn her ankle during a 6 a.m. practice back in her high school days at Sierra Canyon and run right back out like nothing was the matter. And when asked postgame about the source of her competitive fuel, Watkins deflected onto her teammates with a bashful grin.

“We’re talking about it, like, Ivys,” Watkins said, referring to USC’s group of senior Ivy League transfers, “this is their last year. Like, you don’t know what’s going to happen next year. So we’re really taking advantage of everything.”

This is no longer a program on the rise. This is a USC program (25-5) that has arrived ahead of schedule, officially snatching a season series – barring another matchup in the NCAA tournament – from a UCLA team (25-6) that has long been the standard in Los Angeles, officially earning a berth in the Pac-12 championship game to play a top-seeded Stanford team (27-4) that has long been a standard of women’s college basketball as a whole. And Watkins’ grit was matched in whole by her fellow Trojans on Saturday night, the Ivys – McKenzie Forbes, Kaitlyn Davis and Kayla Padilla – all coming up with big-time plays in a game that seemed set to slip.

With the score knotted at 59-all in the final seconds of a back-and-forth regulation, a flurry of Watkins attacks was thwarted by UCLA stalwart center Lauren Betts and forward Angela Dugalic and Bruins guard Londynn Jones streaked to the rim for what could’ve been a game-closing layup. Except Padilla – a lithe 5-foot-9 guard who wasn’t known for her defense before arriving at USC from Penn – chased down and swatted Jones’ layup away, setting the stage for overtime.

As UCLA again held momentum in the first extra period, holding a four-point lead with less than a minute to go, Watkins stepped to the line for a pair of free throws. She made one. Missed the second. Back-breaker – except Davis, who stampeded around the paint like a baby elephant during a 16-rebound night, snared a board and kicked to Forbes for a 3-pointer to tie. On the next possession, Davis swallowed up a Betts layup attempt for a jump ball, roaring and flexing to her bench in glee.

“I felt like, all of us collectively came into it with a confidence, especially when the game is that tight,” Davis said postgame, “knowing that we can lock in and we’ve done it before.”

The third-seeded Bruins had every chance to close, a sobering reality for a group that might have lost its chance at a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Both at the end of regulation and the end of the first overtime, they had two seconds for a final shot to win the game, only for guards to dribble nowhere and not even get a shot off before the buzzer. Betts feasted all night, with 17 points and 18 rebounds, but when asked postgame if her 16 shots were enough, Close responded simply: “No.”

Close, repeatedly, pointed the finger at herself and took accountability for all of it. She noted her displeasure with a lopsided first quarter, second-seeded USC ending the frame on a 16-0 run before a corresponding 16-0 run by UCLA the next period. She emphasized UCLA was out-toughed by USC; beaten, in a sense, at its own game. It’s on me, she repeated, in different variations.

And it was fitting in a bruising effort Friday night, really, that it ended with one final body bump, Forbes collapsing to the hardwood after a final-second foul from UCLA’s Gabriela Jacquez. Falling unceremoniously, smacking the court again – but with a smile, because there was nothing left but to smile.

And as Forbes drained her late free throws and the buzzer sounded on a USC win, Marshall snagged a rebound and roared with every decibel left in a tired voice, every fiber left in weary muscles, Kaitlyn Davis and teammates leaping for joy after felling their cross-town rivals once more and proving themselves in the desert.

No. 5 USC tops No. 7 UCLA in 2OT thriller to advance to #Pac12WBB Tournament Champ Game ✌️ @Vegas pic.twitter.com/oFeh5DgLaF

— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) March 9, 2024

“We brought the crosstown showdown to Vegas.” 💪 @USCWBB‘s Lindsay Gottlieb on the elite matchup in tonight’s semifinal. ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/LbXIhWxhTU

— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) March 9, 2024

Victory ✌️ pic.twitter.com/AWAWwxvQDu

— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) March 9, 2024

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Luca Evans

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Mark Ruffalo in a pimple ad? Emma Stone in a rock band? Oscar nominees before they were stars

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Years before walking the red carpet on Oscar Sunday, Academy Award nominees all started from humble beginnings in the entertainment industry.

MORE | Oscars 2024: Acting nominees represent hometowns across the country

As long as there have been movies, people have come from all over, hoping to make it in Hollywood. This year’s Oscar nominees are representing hometowns from coast to coast.

MARK RUFFALO

Mark Ruffalo, nominated for best actor in a supporting role, got his start in a 1989 commercial for Clearasil — long before he was a four-time Oscar nominee.

Mark Ruffalo arrives at the Governors Awards on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, at the Dolby Ballroom in Los Angeles.

AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

EMMA STONE

Ruffalo’s “Poor Things” co-star Emma Stone made her screen debut as a teenage contestant on the VH1 competition series, “In Search of the Partridge Family.”

Stone won the part of Laurie Partridge in a Partridge Family reboot that lasted just one episode.

This image released by Searchlight Pictures shows Emma Stone, left, and Mark Ruffalo in a scene from Poor Things. — This image released by Searchlight Pictures shows Emma Stone, left, and Mark Ruffalo in a scene from “Poor Things.”

Atsushi Nishijima/Searchlight Pictures via AP

PAUL GIAMATTI

Paul Giamatti has credited the Howard Stern movie, “Private Parts” with making him a star.

Another memorable early role for Giamatti was the villain in “Big Fat Liar” – where he was dyed blue by Frankie Munoz and Amanda Bynes.

This image released by Focus Features shows Dominic Sessa, from left, Paul Giamatti and Da’Vine Joy Randolph in a scene from “The Holdovers.”

Seacia Pavao/Focus Features via AP

AMERICA FERRERA

Before “Barbie” or “Ugly Betty,” America Ferrera was a Disney Channel star growing up.

She played Yolanda in the 2002 movie “Gotta Kick it Up!”

America Ferrera arrives at the 96th Academy Awards Oscar nominees luncheon on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

RYAN GOSLING

Ryan Gosling was also a Disney Channel start.

Gosling co-starred with Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears in “The All New Mickey Mouse Club!”

Ryan Gosling arrives at the premiere of Barbie on Sunday, July 9, 2023, at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. — Ryan Gosling arrives at the premiere of “Barbie” on Sunday, July 9, 2023, at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

BRADLEY COOPER

Bradley Cooper’s screen debut came in “Sex and the City.”

He shared a passionate makeout scene with Sarah Jessica Parker after meeting her character, Carrie in a bar.

Cooper also starred in the ABC TV show “Alias” with Jennifer Gardner in the early 2000s.

This image released by Netflix shows Bradley Cooper as Leonard Bernstein in a scene from Maestro. — This image released by Netflix shows Bradley Cooper as Leonard Bernstein in a scene from “Maestro.”

Jason McDonald/Netflix via AP

JEFFREY WRIGHT

Jeffrey Wright’s first starring role was playing artistJean-Michel Basquiat in the 1996 bio-pic, “Basquiat.”

Nearly 30 years later, he’s a first time Oscar nominee.

This image released by MGM shows Jeffrey Wright in a scene from American Fiction. — This image released by MGM shows Jeffrey Wright in a scene from “American Fiction.”

Claire Folger/MGM-Orion via AP

March 10 is Oscar Sunday! Watch the 2024 Oscars live on ABC.

Red carpet coverage starts at 1 p.m. ET 10 a.m. PT with “Countdown to Oscars: On The Red Carpet Live.” At 4 p.m. ET 1 p.m. PT, live coverage continues with “On The Red Carpet at the Oscars,” hosted by George Pennacchio with Roshumba Williams, Leslie Lopez and Rachel Brown.

Watch all the action on the red carpet live on ABC, streaming live on OnTheRedCarpet.com and on the On the Red Carpet Facebook and YouTube pages.

The 96th Oscars, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, begins at 7 p.m. ET 4 p.m. PT, an hour earlier than past years.

The Oscars are followed by an all-new episode of “Abbott Elementary.”

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LAPD seeking additional victims of celebrity photographer

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LOS ANGELES – Investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Operations-West Bureau Special Assault Section (SAS) are seeking additional victims in a series of sexual assaults in the Hancock Park area.

On January 10, 2024, a 29-year-old woman reported that she was sexually assaulted by Kenneth Howard Dolin at his residence/photography studio in Wilshire Division. Dolin is a well-known photographer and acting coach.

KTLA 5 news reported that Dolin’s website includes photos of “Saturday Night Live” stars like Chris Parnell and Molly Shannon, former Laker and actor Rick Fox, “numerous multiple Oscar and Emmy Award winning actors” and “luminaries from the worlds of business and media,” he writes.

He has significant connections in the entertainment industry and has been known to solicit victims on modeling websites. The detective’s follow-up investigation revealed that two additional female victims in their mid-twenties also accused Dolin of sexual assault in 2017. All three incidents began with professional contacts that led to reports of Dolin touching women inappropriately during photo shoots when they were alone in his studio.

On March 4, 2024, SAS investigators arrested 64-year-old Kenneth Howard Dolin for 289(a) P.C., Penetration with a Foreign Object (booking #6769557). He has since been released from custody pending further investigation.

“These victims felt trapped and had to comply with his advances,” said Detective Brent Hopkins, a supervisor with the Special Assault Section. “There’s a huge difference between art photography and sexual assault. We want to make sure we know everything that happened and make sure that line does not get crossed again.”

Investigators believe other victims have yet to be identified. A photograph of the suspect is being released to identify and speak with those victims.

If you have been a victim or have information about this investigation, you are urged to contact Officer Richard Podkowski, Special Assault Section, at 213-473-0447.

During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247).

Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly towww.lacrimestoppers.org.

Lastly, tipsters may also download the “P3 Tips” mobile application and select the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers as their local program.

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LA Blade Digital Staff

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Man charged with burglary and indecent exposure over break-in at Santa Monica apartment

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A man accused of illegally entering the home of a Santa Monica woman and performing a sex act near her as she slept has been charged with a pair of felonies.

Los Angeles County prosecutors on Tuesday charged Anthony Romero, 28, with one count of burglary and one count of indecent exposure and illegal entry. Romero, who remains in custody, is expected back in court April 17 for a preliminary hearing.

Anthony Romero, 28, who has a lengthy criminal record, faces charges for allegedly breaking into a Santa Monica woman’s home and masturbating next to her as she slept.

(Santa Monica Police Department)

Romero is alleged to have entered the 2nd Street apartment at 2:10 a.m. on Feb. 29, according to Santa Monica Police.

He is alleged to have climbed through an unlocked window, likely by stepping on a porch, according to Santa Monica Police Lt. Erika Aklufi.

Romero then walked over to the victim and masturbated as she slept, according to authorities. He did not make contact with the woman, according to Aklufi.

While he was exposing himself, the victim awoke and ordered Romero to leave, according to police. Romero complied as the woman called police. He left the apartment before officers responded to the call.

Security footage was collected by police, who arrested Romero just before 9:30 a.m. the following day while he was walking on Santa Monica Boulevard.

Romero was initially booked with an additional charge of attempt to commit rape, which has been dropped.

Romero was on parole in San Bernardino County for a weapons violation. He had been arrested in Santa Monica in January 2022 for shoplifting and last June for public intoxication, resisting arrest and battery on a police officer, according to Aklufi. Police said Romero identified himself to officers as homeless.

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Andrew J. Campa

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Spring Egg-Stravaganza Returns to McCambridge Park March 23

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On Saturday, March 23, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., the City of Burbank’s Parks and Recreation Department will host the annual Spring Egg-Stravaganza. This event is open to the public and will take place at McCambridge Park located at 1515 N. Glenoaks Blvd., Burbank.

The Spring Egg-Stravaganza will feature various engaging activities and entertainment, including egg hunts, games, prizes, and photo opportunities with the special guest, The Bunny. Egg hunts are available for children ages 10 years and under, with five egg hunts organized by age group. Additionally, attendees can learn about proper bunny care from the Burbank Animal Shelter.

The event is open to the public; however, pre-registration for the egg hunt is required with a $5 fee due at sign-up. Register online at www.Burbankparks.com.

For more information about this event, visit www.BurbankCA.gov/EggStrav or call (818) 238-5353.

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Press Release

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Leaders of Influence: Minority CPAs 2024 – Lara Buitrago – Los Angeles Business Journal

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LARA BUITRAGO
Partner, Business Solutions Group
SingerLewak

Lara Buitrago is a highly accomplished accounting and finance professional who has worked in both public accounting and private industry. She started at a regional CPA firm as a staff accountant and has held increasingly responsible accounting and financial positions. She held a position as a chief financial officer at an exhibit fabrication company that was made up of three operating divisions. After the sale of the exhibit-fabrication company, Buitrago returned to SingerLewak to work in the Business Solutions Group, providing outsourced accounting and consulting for small to mid-sized businesses.

Buitrago’s career has provided her with accounting technical and analytical skills, knowledge of financial reporting and US GAAP, as well as experience with strategic financial and business operations planning. She was also recently promoted from director to partner.

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Kelly Garcia

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