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Tag: Day

  • 7-year-old snowboarder aims for sixth 100-day season

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    With Killington Resort officially open in Vermont, skiers and riders were excited to kick off their season on Thursday. Among them was Harley Ruffle, a 7-year-old who has gained thousands of followers on social media with his journey on a snowboard.Harley Ruffle is only 7 years old, but he has already completed five seasons of snowboarding for at least 100 days. His quick progress already has him riding with professionals. He first picked up a snowboard at only 2 years old. His family was at a ski shop for his older brother, but ended up leaving with another rider. Harley’s mom, Jill Ruffle, said she turned around and Harley had strapped himself into a mini snowboard. “We brought him into the store in a stroller and he’s on snow, balancing on a snowboard with absolutely zero problems,” she said. From then on, snowboarding was all he wanted to do. Harley is homeschooled and started going to the mountain as much as possible to practice. His mom said that while he began riding with the Killington Mountain School last season, he started with no formal training. She said right away she noticed Harley’s ability to quickly pick up new skills. He landed his first front flip at just 4 years old. “I just try it, and most of the time I get it,” Harley said. Since he began snowboarding, Harley has made it to the mountain a total of 678 days. One season, he was out for 172 days. Now, he is hoping for his sixth 100-day season this year. “That wasn’t something we set out to happen. It was just, again, his passion led to that,” said Jill Ruffle. Harley’s mom began posting videos of him riding several years ago to document his snowboarding journey. Since then, he’s gained over 26,000 followers and sponsors who have supported his progress, providing him with equipment and more. “He’s a goofy, happy little snowboarder,” she said. “I think they want to end up where — you know, see where he ends up on his journey.”Harley’s family has built a community through his snowboarding. He became family friends with professional snowboarders who enjoy riding with him. “Ever since I’ve known him, I swear it was before he could even talk, he was on a snowboard, you know, just smiling, doing his thing,” said professional rider Zeb Powell. Harley said he is happy to begin another season on the slopes. He said he has been waiting to get in his first runs for weeks, and with another year starting, he’s aiming for another 100 days on the mountain.

    With Killington Resort officially open in Vermont, skiers and riders were excited to kick off their season on Thursday. Among them was Harley Ruffle, a 7-year-old who has gained thousands of followers on social media with his journey on a snowboard.

    Harley Ruffle is only 7 years old, but he has already completed five seasons of snowboarding for at least 100 days. His quick progress already has him riding with professionals.

    He first picked up a snowboard at only 2 years old. His family was at a ski shop for his older brother, but ended up leaving with another rider. Harley’s mom, Jill Ruffle, said she turned around and Harley had strapped himself into a mini snowboard.

    “We brought him into the store in a stroller and he’s on snow, balancing on a snowboard with absolutely zero problems,” she said.

    From then on, snowboarding was all he wanted to do. Harley is homeschooled and started going to the mountain as much as possible to practice. His mom said that while he began riding with the Killington Mountain School last season, he started with no formal training. She said right away she noticed Harley’s ability to quickly pick up new skills. He landed his first front flip at just 4 years old.

    “I just try it, and most of the time I get it,” Harley said.

    Since he began snowboarding, Harley has made it to the mountain a total of 678 days. One season, he was out for 172 days. Now, he is hoping for his sixth 100-day season this year.

    “That wasn’t something we set out to happen. It was just, again, his passion led to that,” said Jill Ruffle.

    Harley’s mom began posting videos of him riding several years ago to document his snowboarding journey. Since then, he’s gained over 26,000 followers and sponsors who have supported his progress, providing him with equipment and more.

    “He’s a goofy, happy little snowboarder,” she said. “I think they want to end up where — you know, see where he ends up on his journey.”

    Harley’s family has built a community through his snowboarding. He became family friends with professional snowboarders who enjoy riding with him.

    “Ever since I’ve known him, I swear it was before he could even talk, he was on a snowboard, you know, just smiling, doing his thing,” said professional rider Zeb Powell.

    Harley said he is happy to begin another season on the slopes. He said he has been waiting to get in his first runs for weeks, and with another year starting, he’s aiming for another 100 days on the mountain.

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  • Signs and strategies to cope with seasonal affective disorder

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    WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY OF NEXT WEEK. NICE TO SEE SOME RAIN. WE’RE NOW SEEING SHORTER DAYS, LONGER NIGHTS. SOME PEOPLE MAY EXPERIENCE WHAT THEY CALL SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER. OUR OWN ALYSSA MUNOZ JOINS US IN THE STUDIO THIS MORNING. AND ALYSSA, YOU SPOKE WITH A HEALTH EXPERT ON SOME WAYS TO HELP WITH THIS. YEAH, I DID ROYALE AND TODD AND SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER, KNOWN AS SAD OR WINTER DEPRESSION STARTS AROUND LATE FALL OR EARLY WINTER WHEN THERE’S LESS SUNLIGHT. NOW HERE’S SOME SIGNS YOU CAN LOOK OUT FOR. IT’S NORMAL TO HAVE DAYS WHERE YOU JUST FEEL DOWN OR SLEEPY, BUT BE WARY. IF YOU START OVERSLEEPING A LOT. APPETITE CHANGES, SUCH AS CRAVING FOODS WITH HIGHER CARBOHYDRATES LIKE CAKE, CHOCOLATE OR CANDY. AND IF YOU NOTICE ANY WEIGHT GAIN OR LOW ENERGY. NOW, CHRISTINA SAUER, AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT UNM, SAYS, HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP YOURSELF. THEY’RE NOTICING CHANGES WITH THE SEASON AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE STRATEGIES PEOPLE CAN USE TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THEMSELVES, LIKE MAKING SURE THAT YOU DO GET SOME TIME OUTSIDE EVERY DAY, TRYING TO GET LIGHT EXPOSURE EARLY IN THE DAY. YOU KNOW, THERE’S OTHER NUTRITIONAL STRATEGIES, AND IF YOU FEEL DOWN FOR DAYS AT A TIME, AND THESE METHODS AREN’T HELPING, SEE A HEALTH CARE

    Signs and strategies to cope with seasonal affective disorder

    Doctors say seasonal affective disorder is common in the fall and winter months

    Updated: 3:10 AM PST Nov 15, 2025

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    As the days become shorter and nights grow longer, some individuals may experience seasonal affective disorder, commonly known as SAD or winter depression.The disorder typically begins in late fall or early winter due to reduced sunlight, but there are some cases in the summer.Kristina Sowar, an associate professor at the University of New Mexico, said there are a few symptoms to look out for with SAD.”If someone is really feeling like, you know, my mood is just really low, and in turn, I have very limited motivation. It’s hard for me to get out of bed. It’s hard for me to socialize with people who I care about. It’s pretty hard for me to go to work or school,” Sowar said. “Like, when there’s enough impairment that it’s impacting your day-to-day life. We definitely recommend that people seek some professional support.”Symptoms to watch for include oversleeping, changes in appetite such as cravings for high-carbohydrate foods like cake, chocolate, and candy, weight gain, and low energy levels. “If they’re noticing changes with the season, there are strategies people can use to provide some additional support for themselves, like making sure that you do get some time outside every day, trying to get light exposure early in the day,” Sowar said. “You know, there’s other nutritional strategies.” If feelings of sadness persist for days at a time and self-help methods are ineffective, Sowar advised consulting a health care provider.

    As the days become shorter and nights grow longer, some individuals may experience seasonal affective disorder, commonly known as SAD or winter depression.

    The disorder typically begins in late fall or early winter due to reduced sunlight, but there are some cases in the summer.

    Kristina Sowar, an associate professor at the University of New Mexico, said there are a few symptoms to look out for with SAD.

    “If someone is really feeling like, you know, my mood is just really low, and in turn, I have very limited motivation. It’s hard for me to get out of bed. It’s hard for me to socialize with people who I care about. It’s pretty hard for me to go to work or school,” Sowar said. “Like, when there’s enough impairment that it’s impacting your day-to-day life. We definitely recommend that people seek some professional support.”

    Symptoms to watch for include oversleeping, changes in appetite such as cravings for high-carbohydrate foods like cake, chocolate, and candy, weight gain, and low energy levels.

    “If they’re noticing changes with the season, there are strategies people can use to provide some additional support for themselves, like making sure that you do get some time outside every day, trying to get light exposure early in the day,” Sowar said. “You know, there’s other nutritional strategies.”

    If feelings of sadness persist for days at a time and self-help methods are ineffective, Sowar advised consulting a health care provider.

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  • Signs and strategies to cope with seasonal affective disorder

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    WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY OF NEXT WEEK. NICE TO SEE SOME RAIN. WE’RE NOW SEEING SHORTER DAYS, LONGER NIGHTS. SOME PEOPLE MAY EXPERIENCE WHAT THEY CALL SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER. OUR OWN ALYSSA MUNOZ JOINS US IN THE STUDIO THIS MORNING. AND ALYSSA, YOU SPOKE WITH A HEALTH EXPERT ON SOME WAYS TO HELP WITH THIS. YEAH, I DID ROYALE AND TODD AND SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER, KNOWN AS SAD OR WINTER DEPRESSION STARTS AROUND LATE FALL OR EARLY WINTER WHEN THERE’S LESS SUNLIGHT. NOW HERE’S SOME SIGNS YOU CAN LOOK OUT FOR. IT’S NORMAL TO HAVE DAYS WHERE YOU JUST FEEL DOWN OR SLEEPY, BUT BE WARY. IF YOU START OVERSLEEPING A LOT. APPETITE CHANGES, SUCH AS CRAVING FOODS WITH HIGHER CARBOHYDRATES LIKE CAKE, CHOCOLATE OR CANDY. AND IF YOU NOTICE ANY WEIGHT GAIN OR LOW ENERGY. NOW, CHRISTINA SAUER, AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT UNM, SAYS, HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP YOURSELF. THEY’RE NOTICING CHANGES WITH THE SEASON AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE STRATEGIES PEOPLE CAN USE TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THEMSELVES, LIKE MAKING SURE THAT YOU DO GET SOME TIME OUTSIDE EVERY DAY, TRYING TO GET LIGHT EXPOSURE EARLY IN THE DAY. YOU KNOW, THERE’S OTHER NUTRITIONAL STRATEGIES, AND IF YOU FEEL DOWN FOR DAYS AT A TIME, AND THESE METHODS AREN’T HELPING, SEE A HEALTH CARE

    Signs and strategies to cope with seasonal affective disorder

    Doctors say seasonal affective disorder is common in the fall and winter months

    Updated: 6:10 AM EST Nov 15, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    As the days become shorter and nights grow longer, some individuals may experience seasonal affective disorder, commonly known as SAD or winter depression.The disorder typically begins in late fall or early winter due to reduced sunlight, but there are some cases in the summer.Kristina Sowar, an associate professor at the University of New Mexico, said there are a few symptoms to look out for with SAD.”If someone is really feeling like, you know, my mood is just really low, and in turn, I have very limited motivation. It’s hard for me to get out of bed. It’s hard for me to socialize with people who I care about. It’s pretty hard for me to go to work or school,” Sowar said. “Like, when there’s enough impairment that it’s impacting your day-to-day life. We definitely recommend that people seek some professional support.”Symptoms to watch for include oversleeping, changes in appetite such as cravings for high-carbohydrate foods like cake, chocolate, and candy, weight gain, and low energy levels. “If they’re noticing changes with the season, there are strategies people can use to provide some additional support for themselves, like making sure that you do get some time outside every day, trying to get light exposure early in the day,” Sowar said. “You know, there’s other nutritional strategies.” If feelings of sadness persist for days at a time and self-help methods are ineffective, Sowar advised consulting a health care provider.

    As the days become shorter and nights grow longer, some individuals may experience seasonal affective disorder, commonly known as SAD or winter depression.

    The disorder typically begins in late fall or early winter due to reduced sunlight, but there are some cases in the summer.

    Kristina Sowar, an associate professor at the University of New Mexico, said there are a few symptoms to look out for with SAD.

    “If someone is really feeling like, you know, my mood is just really low, and in turn, I have very limited motivation. It’s hard for me to get out of bed. It’s hard for me to socialize with people who I care about. It’s pretty hard for me to go to work or school,” Sowar said. “Like, when there’s enough impairment that it’s impacting your day-to-day life. We definitely recommend that people seek some professional support.”

    Symptoms to watch for include oversleeping, changes in appetite such as cravings for high-carbohydrate foods like cake, chocolate, and candy, weight gain, and low energy levels.

    “If they’re noticing changes with the season, there are strategies people can use to provide some additional support for themselves, like making sure that you do get some time outside every day, trying to get light exposure early in the day,” Sowar said. “You know, there’s other nutritional strategies.”

    If feelings of sadness persist for days at a time and self-help methods are ineffective, Sowar advised consulting a health care provider.

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  • US military’s 20th strike on alleged drug-running boat kills 4 in the Caribbean

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    The U.S. military’s 20th strike on a boat accused of transporting drugs has killed four people in the Caribbean Sea, the U.S. military said Friday, coming as the Trump administration escalates its campaign in South American waters.The latest strike happened Monday, according to a social media post on Friday by U.S. Southern Command, which oversees military operations in the Caribbean and Latin America. The latest strike brings the death toll from the attacks that began in September to 80, with the Mexican Navy suspending its search for a survivor of a strike in late October after four days.Southern Command’s post on X shows a boat speeding over water before it’s engulfed in flames. The command said intelligence confirmed the vessel “was involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics.”Southern Command’s post marked a shift away from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s practice of typically announcing the attacks on social media, although he quickly reposted Southern Command’s statement.Hegseth had announced the previous two strikes on Monday after they had been carried out on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is expanding the U.S. military’s already large presence in the region by bringing in the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier. The nation’s most advanced warship is expected to arrive in the coming days after traveling from the Mediterranean Sea.Hegseth on Thursday formally named the mission “Operation Southern Spear,” emphasizing the growing significance and permanence of the military’s presence in the region. Once the Ford arrives, the mission will encompass nearly a dozen Navy ships as well about 12,000 sailors and Marines.The Trump administration has insisted that the buildup of warships is focused on stopping the flow of drugs into the U.S., but it has released no evidence to support its assertions that those killed in the boats were “narcoterrorists.” The strikes have targeted vessels largely in the Caribbean Sea but also have taken place in the eastern Pacific Ocean, where much of the cocaine from the world’s largest producers is smuggled.Some observers say the aircraft carrier is a big new tool of intimidation against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who faces charges of narcoterrorism in the U.S. Experts disagree on whether American warplanes may bomb land targets to pressure Maduro to step down.Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the U.S. doesn’t recognize Maduro, who was widely accused of stealing last year’s election, as the leader of Venezuela and has called the government a “transshipment organization” that openly cooperates with those trafficking drugs toward the U.S.Maduro has said the U.S. government is “fabricating” a war against him. Venezuela’s government this week touted a “massive” mobilization of troops and civilians to defend against possible U.S. attacks.Trump has justified the attacks by saying the United States is in “armed conflict” with drug cartels and claiming the boats are operated by foreign terror organizations that are flooding America’s cities with drugs.Lawmakers, including Republicans, have pressed for more information on who is being targeted and the legal justification for the strikes.Rubio and Hegseth met with a bipartisan group of lawmakers who oversee national security issues last week, providing one of the first high-level glimpses into the legal rationale and strategy behind the strikes.Senate Republicans voted a day later to reject legislation that would have put a check on Trump’s ability to launch an attack against Venezuela without congressional authorization.

    WASHINGTON —

    The U.S. military’s 20th strike on a boat accused of transporting drugs has killed four people in the Caribbean Sea, the U.S. military said Friday, coming as the Trump administration escalates its campaign in South American waters.

    The latest strike happened Monday, according to a social media post on Friday by U.S. Southern Command, which oversees military operations in the Caribbean and Latin America. The latest strike brings the death toll from the attacks that began in September to 80, with the Mexican Navy suspending its search for a survivor of a strike in late October after four days.

    Southern Command’s post on X shows a boat speeding over water before it’s engulfed in flames. The command said intelligence confirmed the vessel “was involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics.”

    Southern Command’s post marked a shift away from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s practice of typically announcing the attacks on social media, although he quickly reposted Southern Command’s statement.

    Hegseth had announced the previous two strikes on Monday after they had been carried out on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is expanding the U.S. military’s already large presence in the region by bringing in the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier. The nation’s most advanced warship is expected to arrive in the coming days after traveling from the Mediterranean Sea.

    Hegseth on Thursday formally named the mission “Operation Southern Spear,” emphasizing the growing significance and permanence of the military’s presence in the region. Once the Ford arrives, the mission will encompass nearly a dozen Navy ships as well about 12,000 sailors and Marines.

    The Trump administration has insisted that the buildup of warships is focused on stopping the flow of drugs into the U.S., but it has released no evidence to support its assertions that those killed in the boats were “narcoterrorists.” The strikes have targeted vessels largely in the Caribbean Sea but also have taken place in the eastern Pacific Ocean, where much of the cocaine from the world’s largest producers is smuggled.

    Some observers say the aircraft carrier is a big new tool of intimidation against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who faces charges of narcoterrorism in the U.S. Experts disagree on whether American warplanes may bomb land targets to pressure Maduro to step down.

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the U.S. doesn’t recognize Maduro, who was widely accused of stealing last year’s election, as the leader of Venezuela and has called the government a “transshipment organization” that openly cooperates with those trafficking drugs toward the U.S.

    Maduro has said the U.S. government is “fabricating” a war against him. Venezuela’s government this week touted a “massive” mobilization of troops and civilians to defend against possible U.S. attacks.

    Trump has justified the attacks by saying the United States is in “armed conflict” with drug cartels and claiming the boats are operated by foreign terror organizations that are flooding America’s cities with drugs.

    Lawmakers, including Republicans, have pressed for more information on who is being targeted and the legal justification for the strikes.

    Rubio and Hegseth met with a bipartisan group of lawmakers who oversee national security issues last week, providing one of the first high-level glimpses into the legal rationale and strategy behind the strikes.

    Senate Republicans voted a day later to reject legislation that would have put a check on Trump’s ability to launch an attack against Venezuela without congressional authorization.

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  • NorCal forecast: Few showers linger Friday

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    Northern California forecast: Few showers linger Friday

    Friday morning starts damp, with drizzle in the valley and scattered showers across the western foothills and the western slopes of the Sierra.

    DROP OFF A BIRD IF YOU CAN. OR OF COURSE, ANY OF THE KIND OF CONDIMENTS OR THINGS THAT GO ALONG WITH IT, OR A CASH DONATIONS. ALSO A GREAT THING. HERE’S A LIVE LOOK OUTSIDE FROM STOCKTON WHERE WE HAVE STILL SOME CLOUD COVER. EXTENDING TEMPERATURES ARE IN THE UPPER 50S AS A RESULT OF SOME OF THE CLOUDS. 37 RIGHT NOW IN LAKE TAHOE, WHERE AGAIN, WE’VE BEEN SEEING SOME OF THOSE MORE INTERMITTENT BANDS OF RAIN. YESTERDAY MORNING WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT WIND THAT WAS RAMPING UP AT THIS TIME OF THE DAY. NOW WE’VE GOT PRETTY MUCH LIGHT WINDS OUT OF THE EAST AT 12 IN PLACERVILLE LIGHT NORTH FLOW COMING ACROSS YUBA CITY AT JUST THREE MILES PER HOUR. EXPECT THE WINDS ARE GOING TO PLAY PRETTY NICELY FOR THE DAY AHEAD. NOT REALLY DISRUPTING ANY PLANS THAT YOU MAY HAVE OUTDOORS. WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS THE SHOWERS. JUST KIND OF BRUSHING UP FROM THE SOUTH TO THE NORTH AS THERE’S THE WEATHER SYSTEM THAT BROUGHT US THE DELIVERY OF REALLY THIS GOOD PUSH OF RAIN YESTERDAY, AND SNOW IS NOW MOVING TO THE SOUTH. SO THE WRAPAROUND MOISTURE IS WHAT WE WOULD SEE DURING THE DAY TODAY. AND THAT COULD TRIGGER A COUPLE OF SHOWERS, ESPECIALLY BY LUNCHTIME IN THE FOOTHILLS. AND THEN NOTICE AS WE GET INTO THE DAYTIME SATURDAY, WE’RE GOING TO ALSO SEE PLENTY OF DRY TIME DURING THE DAY SATURDAY WITH SOME RAIN SHOWERS IN THE QUEUE THERE ACROSS PARTS OF THE SIERRA. AND THEN AS WE GET INTO SATURDAY AFTERNOON, A CHANCE THAT WE COULD SEE SOME OF THIS MOISTURE POOL AS FAR NORTH INTO AREAS LIKE MODESTO. ALSO AROUND PATTERSON, AND ALSO AROUND TRACY IS WHERE WE MAY SEE THE EXTENT THERE OF SOME OF THOSE RAIN BANDS. NOW, ONCE WE GET INTO THE OVERNIGHT SATURDAY, THAT’S WHEN WE START TO SEE A BIT MORE OF THIS PUSH. AS THIS SYSTEM CONTINUES TO WOBBLE A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THE NORTH. SO THIS IS GOING TO BE SUNDAY, 2 A.M. IT’S GOING TO BE RAINING PRETTY GOOD HERE IN THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY. AND ALSO STARTING TO SNOW IN THE SIERRA, PRIMARILY ABOVE 7000FT BEFORE DROPPING DOWN BY SUNDAY MORNING, POTENTIALLY TO AROUND 6000FT. AND THIS IS WHAT WE’RE LOOKING AT FOR SUNDAY NIGHT. ANOTHER SYSTEM TAKES AIM AT US. SO WE’VE GOT SUNDAY AND MONDAY. THOSE ARE BOTH GOING TO BE IMPACT DAYS FOR THIS RAIN MOVING IN AND SIERRA SNOW, WHICH OF COURSE COULD IMPACT TRAVEL, LOOKS LIKE THE BETTER DRIER PART OF NEXT WEEK IS TUESDAY AND EVENTUALLY INTO WEDNESDAY. THAT’S WHEN WE COULD SEE AGAIN SOME OF THE BREAK FROM THE RAIN, BUT WE’VE GOT TWO IMPACT DAYS TO GET THROUGH. SOME COOL WEATHER STICKS AROUND THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND. PLAN FOR AGAIN FOOTHILLS IN THE SIERRA TO SEE RAIN AND THEN SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS, ESPECIALLY OVERNIGHT SATURDAY AND INTO SUNDAY MORNING FOR THE VALLEY. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU. THERE WILL BE PERIODS OF RAIN IMPACTING THE WEEKEND. I DON’T THINK TOMORROW IS ONE OF THE DAYS UNLESS IT’S IN THE LATE EVENING, AND THEN AS WE GET INTO SUNDAY SUNDAY, THE FRONT HALF OF THE DAY IS PRETTY WET. MIDDLE PART OF IT LOOKS OKAY. AND THEN IN THE EVENING, OVERNIGHT SUNDAY INTO MONDAY, THE NEXT BLAST OF RAIN COMES. YOU GET HALF OF IT THOUGH THE WEEKEND TO GET STUFF DONE. SO I DON’T WANT TO CALL I

    Northern California forecast: Few showers linger Friday

    Friday morning starts damp, with drizzle in the valley and scattered showers across the western foothills and the western slopes of the Sierra.

    Updated: 6:12 AM PST Nov 14, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    Friday morning starts damp, with some sprinkles in the valley and scattered showers across the western foothills and the western slopes of the Sierra.As conditions dry through the day, valley temperatures will climb to near 63 degrees. Foothill highs will be in the upper 50s, with Sierra highs in the low 50s. Winds will remain light. By dinnertime, most of the region will be dry but mostly cloudy.The weekend looks unsettled, with breezy winds and more showers. Saturday should stay dry until dinnertime. The same system moves inland, wrapping more showers into the region overnight into Sunday. Expect a few showers Sunday, with the highest chances in the morning.Another system trails close behind, and next week will start rainy. Sunday and Monday are Impact Days for rain, breezy winds, and a better chance for snow as snow levels drop to around 5,500 feet by Monday morning. Those traveling through the Sierra this coming week should prepare for delays and chain controls.The week will also be cool, with valley highs dropping to the upper 50s. Though there is a dry window Tuesday and Wednesday, another wet system is forecast for late next week.

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    Friday morning starts damp, with some sprinkles in the valley and scattered showers across the western foothills and the western slopes of the Sierra.

    As conditions dry through the day, valley temperatures will climb to near 63 degrees. Foothill highs will be in the upper 50s, with Sierra highs in the low 50s. Winds will remain light. By dinnertime, most of the region will be dry but mostly cloudy.

    The weekend looks unsettled, with breezy winds and more showers. Saturday should stay dry until dinnertime. The same system moves inland, wrapping more showers into the region overnight into Sunday. Expect a few showers Sunday, with the highest chances in the morning.

    Another system trails close behind, and next week will start rainy. Sunday and Monday are Impact Days for rain, breezy winds, and a better chance for snow as snow levels drop to around 5,500 feet by Monday morning. Those traveling through the Sierra this coming week should prepare for delays and chain controls.

    The week will also be cool, with valley highs dropping to the upper 50s. Though there is a dry window Tuesday and Wednesday, another wet system is forecast for late next week.

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  • Sacramento plans to add more trees as it faces service-request backlog

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    The “City of Trees” is facing a big backlog. Except in cases of an emergency, it could take crews one to two years to respond to concerns about trees on Sacramento property.Even as the city struggles to keep up, it is making plans to plant more trees in the years ahead, meaning the workload is only expected to grow.Sacramento’s identity is deeply rooted in its dense urban forest.”We pride ourselves on being the city with the most trees,” said East Sacramento resident Brett Davison.However, he and his neighbors say they have been dealing with a growing concern over the upkeep of all these city trees.”I have neighbors where it’s gotten under their roof tiles,” he said. “I just think of it as a safety issue.”A safety issue that has insurance companies taking notice.”Their insurance company flew a drone over their house,” Davison said of his neighbors.The issue comes as California is in the midst of an insurance crisis.”The insurance company had said, ‘You can’t. You’ve got to trim it back,’” he said.Davison heard the same thing from his insurance company.Since the trees are on public property maintained by the city, they say they have tried to report concerns to Sacramento over the last year or so. But the response had them stumped.”At that point, they were booked out for two and a half years for any sort of maintenance or thinning of trees in Sacramento,” Davison said. “I thought he was kidding.”KCRA 3 Investigates confirmed that, for requests the city deems non-emergencies, there is a backlog, often with a wait time of at least one year.”It’s been frustrating,” Davison said. Sacramento Media & Communications Specialist Gabby Miller, who handles inquiries involving the city’s Urban Forestry Division, declined an interview on the topic.Only by email would she say that the root cause of all this stems from staffing shortages and the 2023 storms that did unprecedented damage.Here is the prepared statement Miller provided:”The City of Sacramento maintains more than 100,000 trees in streets and parks across the city’s 100 square miles. Each tree is pruned on a proactive cycle that typically takes five to seven years to complete.”Residents who have concerns about City trees or would like to request pruning are encouraged to use the 311 Customer Service Center, either by dialing 311 or emailing 311@cityofsacramento.org. This system ensures requests are documented and tracked through to completion.”The City typically receives more than 500 service requests each month related to tree issues, with numbers increasing significantly during extreme weather. Emergency calls—such as when a tree or branch poses an immediate risk to public safety—are responded to within one hour, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Non-emergency requests usually receive an initial response within 48 hours. Crews prioritize work based on severity and efficiency, so that as many requests as possible are completed each month.”Severe storms in 2023 caused unprecedented damage to trees throughout Sacramento. Combined with staffing shortages in the Urban Forestry section, this created a backlog of non-emergency requests, with many taking a year or longer to address. Despite these challenges, the City has managed to keep up with emergency requests.”Substantial efforts have been made to improve the situation, including hiring more staff in Urban Forestry and directing additional resources to tree care service contracts. These steps have already accelerated pruning efforts and begun to reduce the backlog in recent months. While progress has been significant, the City recognizes there is still more work ahead before service levels fully meet public expectations.”One East Sacramento resident said he was finally able to get his concern taken care of after reaching out to Councilmember Pluckebaum.The councilmember told KCRA 3 Investigates that he usually gets a call a week about a limb falling on a car or a fence.However, on New Year’s Day in 2023, the calls to the city seemed endless.”That was a really big storm. It was significant and expensive,” Pluckebaum said.He said the city has a contract with West Coast Arborists, and the company had to bring in all its arborists from the West Coast to respond.”Fourteen hundred people to swarm the city and clear our streets, but it also cleared our budget,” Pluckebaum said.Nearly three years later, the city’s still feeling the fallout.”Our only answer is to figure out how to either reduce costs and/or raise revenue such to provide for that level of service that the folks expect,” he said.”Is there anything in the works to take any of those steps that you know of?” KCRA 3 Investigates’ Lysée Mitri asked.”No, unfortunately, it’s probably going to require yet another tax measure. We don’t have another strategy in the near term. We’re looking at budget cuts for the next three years,” Councilmember Pluckebaum said.Meanwhile, beyond three years, the job of maintaining trees is only expected to grow.In June, the city council voted unanimously to try to double the tree canopy by 2045, focusing on areas that currently lack tree cover. The plan will mean more trees on both public and private property.”Voting to increase the tree canopy is like, you know, voting for puppy dogs or apple pie, right? These are uncontroversial types of initiatives. Now, a discussion about how to pay for it is a whole other conversation,” Pluckebaum said.Currently, about 10% of trees in Sacramento are maintained by the city. It’s not clear if that would continue to be the case, but the newly adopted Sacramento Urban Forest Plan estimates that full implementation means the city would need an extra $12-13 million a year. “I’m all about more trees. Bring it on. I love, I love the trees, but you better have enough maintenance crews to handle what you’ve got going on first before you add any more,” Davison said.For many, the current financial landscape is sowing seeds of doubt.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    The “City of Trees” is facing a big backlog. Except in cases of an emergency, it could take crews one to two years to respond to concerns about trees on Sacramento property.

    Even as the city struggles to keep up, it is making plans to plant more trees in the years ahead, meaning the workload is only expected to grow.

    Sacramento’s identity is deeply rooted in its dense urban forest.

    “We pride ourselves on being the city with the most trees,” said East Sacramento resident Brett Davison.

    However, he and his neighbors say they have been dealing with a growing concern over the upkeep of all these city trees.

    “I have neighbors where it’s gotten under their roof tiles,” he said. “I just think of it as a safety issue.”

    A safety issue that has insurance companies taking notice.

    “Their insurance company flew a drone over their house,” Davison said of his neighbors.

    The issue comes as California is in the midst of an insurance crisis.

    “The insurance company had said, ‘You can’t. You’ve got to trim it back,’” he said.

    Davison heard the same thing from his insurance company.

    Since the trees are on public property maintained by the city, they say they have tried to report concerns to Sacramento over the last year or so. But the response had them stumped.

    “At that point, they were booked out for two and a half years for any sort of maintenance or thinning of trees in Sacramento,” Davison said. “I thought he was kidding.”

    KCRA 3 Investigates confirmed that, for requests the city deems non-emergencies, there is a backlog, often with a wait time of at least one year.

    “It’s been frustrating,” Davison said.

    Sacramento Media & Communications Specialist Gabby Miller, who handles inquiries involving the city’s Urban Forestry Division, declined an interview on the topic.

    Only by email would she say that the root cause of all this stems from staffing shortages and the 2023 storms that did unprecedented damage.

    Here is the prepared statement Miller provided:

    “The City of Sacramento maintains more than 100,000 trees in streets and parks across the city’s 100 square miles. Each tree is pruned on a proactive cycle that typically takes five to seven years to complete.

    “Residents who have concerns about City trees or would like to request pruning are encouraged to use the 311 Customer Service Center, either by dialing 311 or emailing 311@cityofsacramento.org. This system ensures requests are documented and tracked through to completion.

    “The City typically receives more than 500 service requests each month related to tree issues, with numbers increasing significantly during extreme weather. Emergency calls—such as when a tree or branch poses an immediate risk to public safety—are responded to within one hour, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Non-emergency requests usually receive an initial response within 48 hours. Crews prioritize work based on severity and efficiency, so that as many requests as possible are completed each month.

    “Severe storms in 2023 caused unprecedented damage to trees throughout Sacramento. Combined with staffing shortages in the Urban Forestry section, this created a backlog of non-emergency requests, with many taking a year or longer to address. Despite these challenges, the City has managed to keep up with emergency requests.

    “Substantial efforts have been made to improve the situation, including hiring more staff in Urban Forestry and directing additional resources to tree care service contracts. These steps have already accelerated pruning efforts and begun to reduce the backlog in recent months. While progress has been significant, the City recognizes there is still more work ahead before service levels fully meet public expectations.”

    One East Sacramento resident said he was finally able to get his concern taken care of after reaching out to Councilmember Pluckebaum.

    The councilmember told KCRA 3 Investigates that he usually gets a call a week about a limb falling on a car or a fence.

    However, on New Year’s Day in 2023, the calls to the city seemed endless.

    “That was a really big storm. It was significant and expensive,” Pluckebaum said.

    He said the city has a contract with West Coast Arborists, and the company had to bring in all its arborists from the West Coast to respond.

    “Fourteen hundred people to swarm the city and clear our streets, but it also cleared our budget,” Pluckebaum said.

    Nearly three years later, the city’s still feeling the fallout.

    “Our only answer is to figure out how to either reduce costs and/or raise revenue such to provide for that level of service that the folks expect,” he said.

    “Is there anything in the works to take any of those steps that you know of?” KCRA 3 Investigates’ Lysée Mitri asked.

    “No, unfortunately, it’s probably going to require yet another tax measure. We don’t have another strategy in the near term. We’re looking at budget cuts for the next three years,” Councilmember Pluckebaum said.

    Meanwhile, beyond three years, the job of maintaining trees is only expected to grow.

    In June, the city council voted unanimously to try to double the tree canopy by 2045, focusing on areas that currently lack tree cover. The plan will mean more trees on both public and private property.

    “Voting to increase the tree canopy is like, you know, voting for puppy dogs or apple pie, right? These are uncontroversial types of initiatives. Now, a discussion about how to pay for it is a whole other conversation,” Pluckebaum said.

    Currently, about 10% of trees in Sacramento are maintained by the city. It’s not clear if that would continue to be the case, but the newly adopted Sacramento Urban Forest Plan estimates that full implementation means the city would need an extra $12-13 million a year.

    “I’m all about more trees. Bring it on. I love, I love the trees, but you better have enough maintenance crews to handle what you’ve got going on first before you add any more,” Davison said.

    For many, the current financial landscape is sowing seeds of doubt.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • House is poised to approve measure to end longest government shutdown in U.S. history

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    WASHINGTON — The longest government shutdown in U.S. history was poised to come to an end Wednesday as the House finalized a vote on a spending package that President Trump was ready to sign into law as soon as it reached his desk.

    “President Trump looks forward to finally ending this devastating Democrat shutdown with his signature, and we hope that signing will take place later tonight,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a press briefing earlier on Wednesday.

    The president’s signature will mark the end of a government shutdown that for 43 days left thousands of federal workers without pay, millions of low-income Americans uncertain on whether they would receive food assistance, and travelers facing delays at airports.

    The vote, which began Wednesday evening, also was a cap to a frenetic day in Capitol Hill in which lawmakers publicly released a trove of records from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate and welcomed the newest member of Congress, a Democrat from Arizona who was key in forcing a vote to demand the Justice Department release all the Epstein files.

    The spending package, when signed by the president, will fund the government through Jan. 30, 2026, and reinstate federal workers who were laid off during the shutdown. It will also guarantee backpay for federal employees who were furloughed or worked without pay during the budget impasse.

    The package does not include an extension to Affordable Care Act healthcare tax credits that are set to expire at the end of the year — a core demand Democrats tried to negotiate during the seven weeks the government was shut down.

    Ahead of the floor vote, House Democrats were steadfast in their opposition to a deal that did not address the lapsing healthcare subsidies.

    “We are not going to support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the healthcare of the American people,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said.

    If the tax credits expire, premiums will more than double on average for more than 20 million Americans who use the healthcare marketplace, according to independent analysts at the research firm KFF.

    Another point of contention during the floor debate was a provision in the funding bill that will allow senators to sue the federal government if their phone records are obtained without them being notified.

    The provision, which is retroactive to 2022, appears to be tailored for eight Republican senators who last month found their phone records have been accessed as part of a Biden-era investigation into the attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters on Jan. 6, 2021.

    If they successfully sue, each violation would be worth at least $500,000, according to the bill language.

    Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of the senators whose phone records were accessed, said Wednesday he will “definitely” sue when the legal avenue once it becomes available.

    “If you think I’m going to settle this thing for a millions dollars? No. I want to make it so painful, no one ever does this again,” Graham told reporters.

    Several Democrats slammed the provision on the House floor. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York said it was “unconscionable” to vote in favor of the spending bill with that language tucked in.

    “How is this even on the floor? How can we vote to enrich ourselves by stealing from the American people?” she said.

    Some House Republicans were caught off guard by the provision and said they disagreed with the provision. The concern was enough to get Speaker Mike Johnson to announced that House Republicans will plan to fast-track legislation to repeal the provision next week.

    Epstein files loomed large over vote

    The House began voting on the bill after Johnson swore Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) into office, after refusing to do so for seven weeks.

    When Grijalva walked into the House floor and was greeted with applause by colleagues cheering her name, she immediately called out Johnson for delaying her taking the oath of office.

    “One individual should not be able to unilaterally obstruct the swearing in of a dully elected member of Congress for political reasons,” Grijalva said, while equating the decision to “an abuse of power.”

    After finishing her remarks, the Democrat immediately signed a petition to force a House floor vote demanding the full release of the Justice Department’s files on Jeffrey Epstein.

    Her signature was the final action needed to force a floor vote. The move is sure to reignite a pressure campaign to release documents tied to Epstein, just hours after House Democrats and Republicans released a trove of records from the Epstein estate.

    The documents included emails from the late sex trafficker that said Trump had “spent hours” with a victim at his house and Trump “knew about the girls.”

    “Justice cannot wait another day,” Grijalva said.

    In a social media post Wednesday, Trump accused Democrats of trying to use the “Jeffrey Epstein Hoax” as a distraction from their failed negotiations during the government shutdown.

    “There should be no deflections to Epstein or anything else, and any Republicans involved should be focused only on opening our Country, and fixing the massive damage caused by the Democrats!” Trump wrote.

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    Ana Ceballos

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  • What airports are being hit by FAA cutbacks? How can I navigate the chaos?

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    The Federal Aviation Administration’s move to cut commercial air traffic at 40 airports by as much as 10%, beginning Friday, is expected to have wide-ranging impacts in California and across the nation.

    The cuts have been prompted by the government shutdown, which has left air traffic controllers working without pay. FAA officials say the goal is to maintain travel safety. Since the shutdown began Oct. 1, nearly 13,000 air traffic controllers have been working unpaid — or calling out sick.

    With growing fatigue among controllers, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said he did not want to wait until staffing pressures compromised safety.

    What will change?

    As many as 1,800 flights a day across the country could be canceled.

    The cuts could affect about 1,800 flights and 268,000 passengers in the U.S. a day, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. About 72 flights a day could be cut at Los Angeles International Airport alone, affecting 12,371 passengers a day, Cirium estimated. An additional 105 flights could be canceled at the four other California airports targeted for reductions.

    What airports will be impacted?

    The FAA has not commented publicly. But here is a list from the Associated Press:

    1. Anchorage International in Alaska

    2. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International in Georgia

    3. Boston Logan International in Massachusetts

    4. Baltimore/Washington International in Maryland

    5. Charlotte Douglas International in North Carolina

    6. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International in Ohio

    7. Dallas Love Field in Texas

    8. Ronald Reagan Washington National in Virginia

    9. Denver International in Colorado

    10. Dallas/Fort Worth International in Texas

    11. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County in Michigan

    12. Newark Liberty International in New Jersey

    13. Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International in Florida

    14. Honolulu International in Hawaii

    15. Houston Hobby in Texas

    16. Washington Dulles International in Virginia

    17. George Bush Houston Intercontinental in Texas

    18. Indianapolis International in Indiana

    19. John F. Kennedy International in New York

    20. Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas

    21. Los Angeles International in California

    22. LaGuardia Airport in New York

    23. Orlando International in Florida

    24. Chicago Midway International in Illinois

    25. Memphis International in Tennessee

    26. Miami International in Florida

    27. Minneapolis/St Paul International in Minnesota

    28. Oakland International in California

    29. Ontario International in California

    30. Chicago O`Hare International in Illinois

    31. Portland International in Oregon

    32. Philadelphia International in Pennsylvania

    33. Phoenix Sky Harbor International in Arizona

    34. San Diego International in California

    35. Louisville International in Kentucky

    36. Seattle/Tacoma International in Washington

    37. San Francisco International in California

    38. Salt Lake City International in Utah

    39. Teterboro in New Jersey

    40. Tampa International in Florida

    When will the reductions begin to show?

    A shortage of air traffic controllers has caused delays for weeks, including at LAX and Burbank airport. But officials said the flight reductions will begin Friday and continue until they amount to a 10% cut.

    Officials urged passengers to check with airlines for the status of their flights but warned flights could be canceled with little notice.

    • The FAA has a website that tracks national airspace issues.
    • Experts advise monitoring your airline websites and getting alerts to your phone.
    • Here are more tips.

    Officials said the decision to cut flights was motivated by data about what areas faced the greatest staffing pressures that could compromise safety.

    “This is not based on what airline … has more flights out of what location,” Duffy said. “This is about where is the pressure, and how do we alleviate the pressure?”

    What about international flights?

    International flights are expected to be exempt from the cuts. But passengers making connecting flights before they head overseas could face issues as the cuts target several of the nation’s busiest hubs, including Atlanta, Denver, Dallas, Orlando and Miami.

    Associated Press contributed to this report.

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    Jenny Jarvie

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  • FAA readies to list airports getting reduced flights during the government shutdown

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    Travelers through some of the busiest U.S. airports can expect to learn Thursday whether they’ll see fewer flights as the government shutdown drags into a second month.

    The Federal Aviation Administration will announce the “high-volume markets” where it is reducing flights by 10% before the cuts go into effect Friday, said agency administrator Bryan Bedford. The move is intended to keep the air space safe during the shutdown, the agency said.

    Experts predict hundreds if not thousands of flights could be canceled.

    “I’m not aware in my 35-year history in the aviation market where we’ve had a situation where we’re taking these kinds of measures,” Bedford said Wednesday. “We’re in new territory in terms of government shutdowns.”

    Air traffic controllers have been working unpaid since the shutdown began Oct. 1. Most work mandatory overtime six days a week, leaving little time for side jobs to help cover bills and other expenses unless they call out.

    Mounting staffing pressures are forcing the agency to act, Bedford said Wednesday at a news conference.

    “We can’t ignore it,” he said, adding that even if the shutdown ends before Friday, the FAA wouldn’t automatically resume normal operations until staffing improves and stabilizes.

    Bedford and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy declined during the news conference to name the cities and airports where they will slow air traffic, saying they wanted to first meet with airline executives to figure out how to safely implement the reductions.

    Major airlines, aviation unions and the broader travel industry have been urging Congress to end the shutdown, which on Wednesday became the longest on record.

    The shutdown is putting unnecessary strain on the system and “forcing difficult operational decisions that disrupt travel and damage confidence in the U.S. air travel experience,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman in a statement.

    Yamat writes for the Associated Press

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    RIO YAMAT

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  • Roseville small businesses step up to help those losing food benefits during government shutdown

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    ON WHAT PEOPLE IN ROSEVILLE ARE DOING TO MEET THAT NEED. AS A PERSON LIVING WITH CELIAC DISEASE. STEPHANIE HOUSTON’S QUEST FOR GLUTEN FREE FOOD TURNED INTO A BUSINESS. I COULD BAKE. I’M PRETTY GOOD AT BAKING. I COULD DO THAT. AND AS A MEMBER OF THE SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN ROSEVILLE, SHE FINDS A WAY TO HELP OTHERS DURING THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. THE FOOD BANKS DON’T REALLY HAVE MUCH RIGHT NOW, AND THAT’S WHAT I’M HEARING, IS THAT THERE ISN’T AN OPTION FOR GLUTEN FREE. SO WE FIGURED I CAN SCALE UP, I CAN MAKE MORE BREAD, I SELL BREAD EVERY WEEK AT JUST GLUTEN FREE KITCHENS. NOW, GIVING AWAY A LOAF OF BREAD TO FOLKS WHO DEPEND ON CALFRESH. IT’S JUST NOT RIGHT. THAT’S ALL. AND THAT’S WHAT WE’RE HERE FOR. WE’RE HERE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY. ARE YOU READY FOR A BURRITO? VOLUNTEERS ARE SERVING UP FREE WARM MEALS. HI THERE AT SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL DINING ROOM, WE SEE THE IMPACT EVERY DAY. THE NEED FOR HELP IN ROSEVILLE WAS ALREADY CLEAR. HELP YOURSELF TO A PIECE OF PIE. EVEN BEFORE THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN PUT FEDERAL FOOD PROGRAMS LIKE CALFRESH ON PAUSE. IT SADDENS ME. AND I YOU KNOW, WE DO WHAT WE CAN HERE IN OTHER PLACES THROUGH FOOD VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS TO DO WHAT WE CAN. TERRY GARRISON, ALSO SERVING UP LOVE AND A PRAYER TO GET FOLKS THROUGH THE TOUGH TIMES AHEAD. IF EVERYBODY STEPPED UP AND DID JUST A LITTLE BIT, IT WOULD GO A LONG WAY. THANK YOU. IN ROSEVILLE MICHELLE BANDUR KCRA THREE NEWS. OTHER ROSEVILLE BUSINESSES ARE ALSO OFFERING HELP. HIDDEN COFFEE IS GIVING AWAY FREE COFFE

    Roseville small businesses step up to help those losing federal food benefits during government shutdown

    Updated: 7:16 PM PST Nov 5, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    The government shutdown is affecting many in Roseville, prompting local businesses and volunteers to provide food and support to those impacted by halted federal benefits.Feeding the Foothills, a food bank serving over 50,000 people in Placer, El Dorado, and Nevada counties, is witnessing an increased demand for assistance as federal programs, such as CalFresh, are paused. On a rainy Wednesday, St. Vincent de Paul’s dining room offered free warm meals to those in need. “We have bean and meat burritos with beans on the side, coleslaw, and pie today,” said Terry Garrison. She volunteers to serve the food and noted the gratitude of those receiving meals. “These people are so gracious and so thankful,” Garrison said.Even before the shutdown, the need for help in Roseville was evident. “We see the impact every day,” Garrison said. “It saddens me. We do what we can here in other places through food volunteer programs, to do what we can.”Inspired by other local businesses, Stephanie Houston of Just Gluten Free Kitchens decided to contribute by baking. “I could bake. I’m pretty good at baking. I can do that,” Houston said. She doubled her bread recipes to provide gluten-free options, which are scarce at food banks. “The food banks don’t really have much right now. What I’m hearing is that there isn’t an option for gluten-free. So we figured I can scale up, I can make more bread. I sell bread every week,” she said. Houston is now giving away loaves of bread to those dependent on CalFresh.”It’s just not right, that’s all. And that’s what we’re here for. We’re here to serve the community,” she said.Back at lunch, Garrison continued to serve meals with love and prayers, believing that collective small efforts can make a significant impact. “If everybody stepped up and did just a little bit, it would go a long way,” she said.More businesses are joining the effort, including Hidden Coffee, which offers free coffee and pastries to those on CalFresh. Free lunches are available five days a week, and Feeding the Foothills has multiple food distribution sites across the three counties of Placer, El Dorado and Nevada.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    ROSEVILLE, Calif. —

    The government shutdown is affecting many in Roseville, prompting local businesses and volunteers to provide food and support to those impacted by halted federal benefits.

    Feeding the Foothills, a food bank serving over 50,000 people in Placer, El Dorado, and Nevada counties, is witnessing an increased demand for assistance as federal programs, such as CalFresh, are paused.

    On a rainy Wednesday, St. Vincent de Paul’s dining room offered free warm meals to those in need.

    “We have bean and meat burritos with beans on the side, coleslaw, and pie today,” said Terry Garrison. She volunteers to serve the food and noted the gratitude of those receiving meals.

    “These people are so gracious and so thankful,” Garrison said.

    Even before the shutdown, the need for help in Roseville was evident.

    “We see the impact every day,” Garrison said. “It saddens me. We do what we can here in other places through food volunteer programs, to do what we can.”

    Inspired by other local businesses, Stephanie Houston of Just Gluten Free Kitchens decided to contribute by baking.

    “I could bake. I’m pretty good at baking. I can do that,” Houston said.

    She doubled her bread recipes to provide gluten-free options, which are scarce at food banks.

    “The food banks don’t really have much right now. What I’m hearing is that there isn’t an option for gluten-free. So we figured I can scale up, I can make more bread. I sell bread every week,” she said.

    Houston is now giving away loaves of bread to those dependent on CalFresh.

    “It’s just not right, that’s all. And that’s what we’re here for. We’re here to serve the community,” she said.

    Back at lunch, Garrison continued to serve meals with love and prayers, believing that collective small efforts can make a significant impact.

    “If everybody stepped up and did just a little bit, it would go a long way,” she said.

    More businesses are joining the effort, including Hidden Coffee, which offers free coffee and pastries to those on CalFresh. Free lunches are available five days a week, and Feeding the Foothills has multiple food distribution sites across the three counties of Placer, El Dorado and Nevada.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • Mexico’s president was groped on the street. Now she’s waging a war against rampant sexual harassment

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    MEXICO CITY — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum was strolling through her city’s capital this week, heading from one government office to another, when she stopped to take selfies with a crowd of admirers.

    A man approached from behind, slipped his arm around Sheinbaum’s shoulder, leaned in to plant a kiss on her neck and briefly grabbed her chest before an aide pushed him away.

    The groping incident, which was captured on video by bystanders Tuesday, sparked outrage nationally and put renewed focus on the rampant sexual harassment faced by women here.

    Sheinbaum, who last year was sworn in as Mexico’s first female leader, has seized the chance to raise awareness about the issue.

    “If they do this to the president,” she asked Wednesday, “what must happen to all the young women in the country?”

    Speaking at her daily news conference, Sheinbaum said that she had filed a criminal complaint against her aggressor, whom authorities reported was drunk at the time of the incident and had been detained.

    Sheinbaum said her government will also review state laws to ensure that street harassment is categorized as a crime throughout Mexico and launch a campaign to combat the phenomenon.

    “I decided to file a complaint because this is something … all women in our country experience,” Sheinbaum said. “I experienced it before I was president. It shouldn’t happen. No one should violate our personal space. No man has the right to violate that space.”

    Sheinbaum leaves a rally in Mexico City in 2023 while campaigning for president.

    (Eduardo Verdugo / Associated Press)

    Like her populist predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Sheinbaum often walks the streets without bodyguards, saying she likes to be close to the people.

    But the practice has come under scrutiny given the dozens of killings each year of Mexican political candidates and elected leaders. Over the weekend, the outspoken mayor of Uruapan, a city in Michoácan state, was gunned down at a public event celebrating the Day of the Dead holiday despite being protected by armed police and members of the National Guard.

    Tuesday’s incident in Mexico City provoked outrage across the country, with many women saying it embodied the street harassment that is commonplace in many parts of the country.

    “If the most powerful woman in Mexico experienced harassment, what can women who travel on public transportation or walk alone every day expect?” Congresswoman Ivonne Ortega wrote on X. “This is the reality that millions of women and girls face daily.”

    Feminist social movements have gained ground in Mexico in recent years, sparked by the #MeToo movement in the United States and Mexico’s high rates of violence against women. Each spring, hundreds of thousands of protesters take to the streets to demand gender parity and policies that protect women’s lives.

    Sheinbaum’s landslide victory in the 2024 presidential election highlighted the vast strides made by women in Mexican politics, a phenomenon aided by a law requiring that at least 50% of all candidates in federal, state and municipal elections are female.

    Sheinbaum has frequently described her win as a victory for all women. “I did not arrive alone,” she says. “We all arrived.”

    Yet violence against women persists, with an average of 10 women or girls slain nationwide each day, according to the government.

    And street harassment is still pervasive. A few years ago, the hashtag #MiPrimerAcoso — “my first harassment” — went viral, with tens of thousands of women sharing stories of the first time they were touched, stared at or verbally harassed in the streets.

    Writer Brenda Lozano said on X that Tuesday’s incident wasn’t due to alcohol or Sheinbaum’s lack of security. “The reasons she was harassed are patriarchy and sexism.”

    Mexican women march.

    Women march in Mexico City in a 2020 protest against gender violence.

    (Pedro Pardo /AFP via Getty Images)

    A United Nations report found that nearly half of Mexican women have been subjected to rape, groping or other forms of sexual violence. A 2014 survey of female transit riders in 16 cities around the world by the Thompson Reuters Foundation found that Mexico City had the biggest problem with sexual harassment, with 64% of respondents reporting having been victimized.

    The Mexico City government has long provided women-only subway cars, and has even sought to combat harassment by arming female commuters with rape whistles. Some feminists oppose those measures, saying it puts the onus on women to protect themselves instead of pushing men to change their behavior.

    Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada said on Wednesday that the man who groped the president would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

    “‘We’ve all arrived’ is not a slogan,” said Brugada, a member of Sheinbaum’s Morena party. “It’s a commitment to not look the other way, to not allow misogyny to remain hidden in custom, to not accept one more humiliation, one more abuse, one more femicide.”

    While there were widespread expressions of support for Sheinbaum, there were also some on social media who criticized her for making too much of the incident. Others slammed Sheinbaum for smiling as she tried to slip away from the man’s grip, and for not pushing him away herself.

    At her news conference, Sheinbaum said she hadn’t realized the extent of the harassment until she saw a video of what had happened.

    She had chosen to walk between meetings rather than take a car for a simple reason. “We were running late,” she said. “It was faster.”

    Also on Wednesday, Sheinbaum voiced support for Mexico’s Miss Universe representative, Fátima Bosch, who made headlines when she walked out of the competition Tuesday after being publicly berated by a male pageant official, who called her “dumb.”

    Sheinbaum referenced a sexist saying that was once common in Mexico: “She’s prettier when she’s quiet.”

    “Women,” Sheinbaum said, “are prettier when we raise our voices.”

    Times staff writer Patrick J. McDonnell and Cecilia Sánchez Vidal in Mexico City contributed to this report.

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    Kate Linthicum

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  • What to know about Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry’s intervention in LSU football

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    Gov. Jeff Landry is being applauded by some for taking a stand against bloated contracts in college sports and derided by others for political grandstanding that could make it harder for Louisiana State University to land a new football coach.This much is clear: The governor has been a vocal force in a sports shakeup that has consumed LSU recently.Video above: LSU interim coach Frank Wilson focused on ‘this moment’ in the wake of Brian Kelly’s firingThe university lost its football coach and athletic director last week amid criticism from Landry, a smooth-talking Cajun populist and staunch ally of President Donald Trump.The episode is just the latest example of Landry being hands on with LSU since taking office last year. He once revived the team’s tradition of bringing a live tiger onto the football field, publicly called for the school to discipline professors who criticized Trump in class and complained about LSU women’s basketball players not being on court to stand for the national anthem, though the team did not change its pre-game routine.Here’s what to know:What did Landry say?LSU football coach Brian Kelly was fired in the fourth season of a 10-year, $100 million deal, the day after a 49-25 loss to Texas A&M on Oct. 25.The day of Kelly’s firing, Landry said he hosted a meeting in the governor’s mansion on the evening of Oct. 26 “to discuss the legalities of the contract.” Landry has said he is concerned his state will be on the hook to pay for Kelly’s buyout, which is about $54 million.John Carmouche, chair of the LSU’s Board of Supervisors’ Athletic Committee, told the AP that the meeting at the governor’s mansion occurred after Kelly had already been fired by athletic director Scott Woodward.While the governor’s concerns are valid, negotiations with Kelly are ongoing and private donors and nonprofits have typically picked up the bill for sports-related buyouts at the university, Carmouche added.Days after Kelly’s firing, Landry told reporters at a Wednesday press conference that LSU’s athletic director would not be selecting the next football coach.“Hell, I’ll let Donald Trump select it before I let him do it,” said Landry. He also criticized Woodward’s prior tenure at Texas A&M, where he served as the school’s athletic director.The next day, LSU cut ties with Woodward.In a Thursday statement, Woodward said that “others can recap or opine on my tenure and on my decisions over the last six years as Director of Athletics, but I will not.”Board chairman Scott Ballard framed Woodward’s departure as the result of “a mutual agreement after conversations” between Woodward and the LSU board. Nine of 18 Board of Supervisors members have been appointed by Landry since taking office in January 2024 and the governor will be able to appoint four more in 2026.Carmouche, who, like Ballard, was appointed to the LSU board by Landry, denied that the governor’s remarks had any influence on Woodward’s departure.“We’re all independent people,” Carmouche said.What’s next for LSU footballIn a Friday press conference, LSU interim athletic director Verge Ausberry, flanked by Ballard and Carmouche, sought to reassure the public that the school’s athletic department “is not broken.”A search committee comprised of Ausberry, Carmouche, Ballard and several others is on the hunt for a new coach. The university board is scheduled to vote on a new president Tuesday, having been without one since June.Landry has denied that he will be picking the next coach, but said he wants the new contract to be structured differently than Kelly’s.“We’re going to put metrics on it, because I’m tired of rewarding failure in this country and then leaving the taxpayers to foot the bill,” Landry told reporters.What others are saying“The Louisiana governor and the LSU board has damaged the reputation of our university,” political pundit James Carville, a Democrat, told the AP. Carville has said he plans to burn his LSU diploma and football gear and is mulling a defamation lawsuit against Landry on Woodward’s behalf.Carville hosted a welcome party for Woodward, a former political consultant and lobbyist, when he was hired by LSU in 2019. Under Woodward, LSU won six national championships in various sports, including football.Former Louisiana Board of Regents Chair Richard Lipsey, who founded the influential Tiger Athletic Foundation and recommended Woodward’s hiring, said that Landry’s comments about Woodward revealed that he “wanted more control over LSU” and “wants to run the athletics department.”Landry’s office did not respond to a request for comment.Ed Orgeron, the former LSU football coach who led the team to a national title in 2019, said that it’s not unusual for a Louisiana governor to take an active interest in the university’s football program. Landry’s predecessor John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, hosted dinners for the university’s freshmen recruiting class and showed up at practice to throw passes with LSU receivers.Current Louisiana Board of Regents Chair Misti Cordell, a Landry appointee, said that the governor’s comments sparked constructive public discussion about the need for greater guardrails to protect public universities amid ballooning costs in college sports: “He said what a lot of people were thinking.”Rep. Dixon Wallace McMakin, an LSU graduate who serves as the football team’s announcer, said that Louisiana governors have regularly sought to influence the Tigers dating back a century to the days of firebrand populist Huey Long and are sensitive to poor performance on the gridiron.“It affects everybody and a governor feels it from all of his voters around the state,” said McMakin, a Republican. “Our standard is excellence, and anything less than excellence we will not stand for in the state of Louisiana.”Wilbert Pryor, who has served on the Louisiana Board of Regents for nearly a decade, said Landry’s perceived influence over the LSU athletics program would complicate the hiring process for a new coach reluctant to have the governor looking over his shoulder.“I don’t remember any governor in my lifetime making decisions on college football,” Pryor said. “You’d think he would have other things to garner his attention.”

    BATON ROUGE, La. —

    Gov. Jeff Landry is being applauded by some for taking a stand against bloated contracts in college sports and derided by others for political grandstanding that could make it harder for Louisiana State University to land a new football coach.

    This much is clear: The governor has been a vocal force in a sports shakeup that has consumed LSU recently.

    Video above: LSU interim coach Frank Wilson focused on ‘this moment’ in the wake of Brian Kelly’s firing

    The university lost its football coach and athletic director last week amid criticism from Landry, a smooth-talking Cajun populist and staunch ally of President Donald Trump.

    The episode is just the latest example of Landry being hands on with LSU since taking office last year. He once revived the team’s tradition of bringing a live tiger onto the football field, publicly called for the school to discipline professors who criticized Trump in class and complained about LSU women’s basketball players not being on court to stand for the national anthem, though the team did not change its pre-game routine.

    Here’s what to know:

    What did Landry say?

    LSU football coach Brian Kelly was fired in the fourth season of a 10-year, $100 million deal, the day after a 49-25 loss to Texas A&M on Oct. 25.

    The day of Kelly’s firing, Landry said he hosted a meeting in the governor’s mansion on the evening of Oct. 26 “to discuss the legalities of the contract.” Landry has said he is concerned his state will be on the hook to pay for Kelly’s buyout, which is about $54 million.

    John Carmouche, chair of the LSU’s Board of Supervisors’ Athletic Committee, told the AP that the meeting at the governor’s mansion occurred after Kelly had already been fired by athletic director Scott Woodward.

    While the governor’s concerns are valid, negotiations with Kelly are ongoing and private donors and nonprofits have typically picked up the bill for sports-related buyouts at the university, Carmouche added.

    Days after Kelly’s firing, Landry told reporters at a Wednesday press conference that LSU’s athletic director would not be selecting the next football coach.

    Gerald Herbert

    LSU running back Harlem Berry (22) celebrates his touchdown against Texas A&M in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025 in Baton Rouge, La.

    “Hell, I’ll let Donald Trump select it before I let him do it,” said Landry. He also criticized Woodward’s prior tenure at Texas A&M, where he served as the school’s athletic director.

    The next day, LSU cut ties with Woodward.

    In a Thursday statement, Woodward said that “others can recap or opine on my tenure and on my decisions over the last six years as Director of Athletics, but I will not.”

    Board chairman Scott Ballard framed Woodward’s departure as the result of “a mutual agreement after conversations” between Woodward and the LSU board. Nine of 18 Board of Supervisors members have been appointed by Landry since taking office in January 2024 and the governor will be able to appoint four more in 2026.

    Carmouche, who, like Ballard, was appointed to the LSU board by Landry, denied that the governor’s remarks had any influence on Woodward’s departure.

    “We’re all independent people,” Carmouche said.

    What’s next for LSU football

    In a Friday press conference, LSU interim athletic director Verge Ausberry, flanked by Ballard and Carmouche, sought to reassure the public that the school’s athletic department “is not broken.”

    A search committee comprised of Ausberry, Carmouche, Ballard and several others is on the hunt for a new coach. The university board is scheduled to vote on a new president Tuesday, having been without one since June.

    Landry has denied that he will be picking the next coach, but said he wants the new contract to be structured differently than Kelly’s.

    “We’re going to put metrics on it, because I’m tired of rewarding failure in this country and then leaving the taxpayers to foot the bill,” Landry told reporters.

    What others are saying

    “The Louisiana governor and the LSU board has damaged the reputation of our university,” political pundit James Carville, a Democrat, told the AP. Carville has said he plans to burn his LSU diploma and football gear and is mulling a defamation lawsuit against Landry on Woodward’s behalf.

    Carville hosted a welcome party for Woodward, a former political consultant and lobbyist, when he was hired by LSU in 2019. Under Woodward, LSU won six national championships in various sports, including football.

    Former Louisiana Board of Regents Chair Richard Lipsey, who founded the influential Tiger Athletic Foundation and recommended Woodward’s hiring, said that Landry’s comments about Woodward revealed that he “wanted more control over LSU” and “wants to run the athletics department.”

    Landry’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

    Ed Orgeron, the former LSU football coach who led the team to a national title in 2019, said that it’s not unusual for a Louisiana governor to take an active interest in the university’s football program. Landry’s predecessor John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, hosted dinners for the university’s freshmen recruiting class and showed up at practice to throw passes with LSU receivers.

    Current Louisiana Board of Regents Chair Misti Cordell, a Landry appointee, said that the governor’s comments sparked constructive public discussion about the need for greater guardrails to protect public universities amid ballooning costs in college sports: “He said what a lot of people were thinking.”

    Rep. Dixon Wallace McMakin, an LSU graduate who serves as the football team’s announcer, said that Louisiana governors have regularly sought to influence the Tigers dating back a century to the days of firebrand populist Huey Long and are sensitive to poor performance on the gridiron.

    “It affects everybody and a governor feels it from all of his voters around the state,” said McMakin, a Republican. “Our standard is excellence, and anything less than excellence we will not stand for in the state of Louisiana.”

    Wilbert Pryor, who has served on the Louisiana Board of Regents for nearly a decade, said Landry’s perceived influence over the LSU athletics program would complicate the hiring process for a new coach reluctant to have the governor looking over his shoulder.

    “I don’t remember any governor in my lifetime making decisions on college football,” Pryor said. “You’d think he would have other things to garner his attention.”

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  • Mexican mayor who waged war on cartels is slain while celebrating Day of the Dead

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    MEXICO CITY — Carlos Manzo was famous in Mexico for saying what few other politicians would: That cartels operated with impunity and needed to be confronted with brute force. The mayor of a city in an avocado-growing region beset by crime and violence, Manzo suggested authorities should beat criminals into submission — or simply kill them.

    It was a provocative message that resonated in some sectors of a country long afflicted by drug war bloodshed. Many here viewed Manzo, with his trademark white cowboy hat, as a hero.

    But his iron fist rhetoric and criticism of the federal government’s security strategy also earned him enemies. Manzo acknowledged as much, saying he knew he could be targeted by organized crime. “I don’t want to be just another murdered mayor,” he said last month. “But it is important not to let fear control us.”

    Manzo, 40, was gunned down Saturday night as he presided over a public celebration of Day of the Dead in a central square in Uruapan, a city of 300,000 in the western state of Michoacán. One suspected gunman was killed and two others arrested.

    The slaying, captured on video, provoked outcry throughout Mexico and in Washington.

    Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, with whom Manzo often sparred on issues of security, mourned an “irreparable loss.” U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau posted a photograph of Manzo smiling and holding his young son just moments before the attack. “The U.S. stands ready to deepen security cooperation with Mexico to wipe out organized crime,” Landau wrote.

    Manzo was a part of a new wave of leaders throughout the Americas who have called for a hard line against criminals.

    It’s a club that includes President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador, who has locked up tens of thousands of people accused of gang ties, with little to no due process, and President Trump, who has pushed a more militaristic approach to combating cartels, saying the U.S. should “wage war” on drug traffickers.

    The U.S. military has killed 65 people in recent months who it alleges were smuggling drugs in the Caribbean and the Pacific, including several attacks off Mexico’s coastline. Trump administration leaders have warned of the possibility of U.S. attacks on cartel targets on Mexican soil.

    Calls for a violent crackdown on organized crime are at odds with the security strategy embraced by Sheinbaum and her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Both emphasized the need to address root causes of violence, including poverty and social disintegration.

    López Obrador, especially, vowed to break with the confrontational approaches of past Mexican administrations, whose military operations he said failed to weaken cartels and only fueled violence. What Mexico needed, López Obrador often said, was “hugs, not bullets.”

    Manzo — who got his start in politics as a member of López Obrador and Sheinbaum’s Morena party but later became an independent — fiercely criticized that mantra.

    “Hugs … are for Mexicans who live in extreme poverty,” Manzo said. “Criminals, assassins … they deserve beatings and the full force of the Mexican state.” He encouraged police officers in Uruapan to use lethal force against criminals who resist arrest.

    The mayor frequently criticized Sheinbaum for not doing more to confront cartels, even though there has been a decrease in homicides and an uptick in drug seizures and arrests since she took office. Sheinbaum has said that security in Mexico depends on reinforcing the rule of law, including giving suspects a fair trial.

    The son of a community activist, Manzo became mayor of Uruapan in 2024. The city has been the site of some of Mexico’s worst drug war atrocities — kidnappings, bombings, bodies hung from highway overpasses — as a volatile mix of criminal groups battle for control of trafficking routes and profits from the lucrative avocado industry.

    Manzo appeared Saturday with his family at a crowded public event in Uruapan’s central plaza to mark the Day of the Dead holiday. He posed for photographs with fans and broadcast the candle-lighting event live on social media, sending “blessings to all.”

    When a journalist asked about security at the event, Manzo responded: “There is a presence from different levels of government. We hope everything goes well, is peaceful, and that you enjoy the evening.”

    Minutes later, shots — then screams — rang out. Manzo lay on the ground, bleeding. Nearby lay his white cowboy hat.

    Security consultant David Saucedo, who said Manzo was accompanied at the event by local police and 14 members of Mexico’s national guard, described the killing as a “kamikaze attack,” saying it was clear the shooter would be killed.

    Manzo, Saucedo said, had been “brave but reckless” in his quest to confront organized crime. “Carlos lacked the human, financial, and material resources to defeat the cartels,” Saucedo said. His killing “makes it clear that even with political will, defeating the cartels at the municipal level is an impossible mission.”

    The mayor’s slaying was the latest in a string of violent incidents in Michoacán. Last month, officials announced they had discovered the body of Bernardo Bravo Manríquez, the head of a lime growers association who had repeatedly denounced extortion demands against agricultural producers.

    Cecilia Sánchez Vidal in The Times’ Mexico City bureau contributed to this report.

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    Kate Linthicum

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  • FBI searches Melodee Buzzard’s home in case of the missing Santa Barbara girl

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    The search for 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard took a new turn on Thursday when the FBI searched the girl’s Santa Barbara County home weeks after she was reported missing.

    Detectives escorted the girl’s mother, Ashlee Buzzard, off the property to another location “that would not interfere with their ability to conduct a thorough search,” the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office said.

    Along with the search at the home in the 500 block of Mars Avenue, authorities also searched a storage locker and the rental car that the girl was last seen in. Authorities said Melodee was missing on Oct. 14 after a prolonged absence from her school. Officials believe she was last seen as recently as Oct. 7 and may have been driven to Nebraska by her mother, the Sheriff’s Office said.

    Sheriff’s detectives and FBI agents served a search warrant at the Buzzard home where a makeshift memorial on the sidewalk includes a picture of the curly haired girl.

    “We appreciate the FBI’s assistance in today’s searches,” Lt. Chris Gotschall from the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “In cases like this, every detail matters and it is invaluable to have additional resources and specialized expertise. Collaboration with our federal partners allows us to ensure we’re using every available tool to help bring resolution to this case.”

    The Lompoc School District contacted the Sheriff’s Office to report the girl’s prolonged absence from her independent study program Oct. 14. Authorities then visited her home that day, but Melodee was nowhere to be seen and Buzzard refused to cooperate with their investigation, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

    Relatives on the girl’s father’s side of the family said they have not seen the girl in years.

    “She hasn’t let us see her for a few years,” Melodee’s aunt Bridgett Truitt told local news station KEYT. “And all of us have tried. But we never stopped thinking about her or loving her or praying for her.”

    Local authorities were unable to confirm any sightings of the girl within the last year. The FBI joined the investigation four days after her school district reported her absence.

    Melodee is described as 4 feet 6 inches tall, weighing about 60 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.

    Staff writer Clara Harter contributed to this report.

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    Nathan Solis

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  • Sister advocates for safety improvements after tragic accident in Marion County

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    Shanta Norton is pushing to support safety in her community and other rural areas after the death of her younger sister Shannon Rush earlier this week. She’s dubbed the petition “Shannon’s Law,” which has already gained 2,000 signatures in a matter of days. Rush was a senior at Forest High School and her family said she wanted to someday become a school teacher. On Monday, around 6:20 in the morning, while walking to the bus stop on Blitchton Road, Rush was hit by an SUV. “She was just a bright, goofy person and made us laugh constantly,” she said. “She was a light to our family.”Now, Norton is pushing to have sidewalks, adequate street lighting and signage along the roadway where her sister died and neighboring streets.”I just want something to happen that you can see along the roadway in different parts of the town, not just this neighborhood. The street lights are very dim, and it’s very dark walking in these places,” said Norton.The SUV driver claimed Rush was walking in the roadway and not on the grassy part of the road when they collided. Family members no longer believe Rushing was wearing headphones during the accident. Norton is also concerned about speeding on that stretch of road. “Since this happened, I’ve been standing in my driveway every morning at 6 a.m. Trailers and SUVs are doing at least 50, 60 (mph) coming off of 10th street,” said Norton. Norton knows the changes she’s pushing for won’t bring her sister back, but she hopes it will do something to improve safety in her community and prevent others from enduring the same pain. Click here to learn more about the petition for Shannon’s Law.

    MARION COUNTY, Fla. —

    Shanta Norton is pushing to support safety in her community and other rural areas after the death of her younger sister Shannon Rush earlier this week. She’s dubbed the petition “Shannon’s Law,” which has already gained 2,000 signatures in a matter of days.

    Rush was a senior at Forest High School and her family said she wanted to someday become a school teacher.

    On Monday, around 6:20 in the morning, while walking to the bus stop on Blitchton Road, Rush was hit by an SUV.

    “She was just a bright, goofy person and made us laugh constantly,” she said. “She was a light to our family.”

    Now, Norton is pushing to have sidewalks, adequate street lighting and signage along the roadway where her sister died and neighboring streets.

    “I just want something to happen that you can see along the roadway in different parts of the town, not just this neighborhood. The street lights are very dim, and it’s very dark walking in these places,” said Norton.

    The SUV driver claimed Rush was walking in the roadway and not on the grassy part of the road when they collided.

    Family members no longer believe Rushing was wearing headphones during the accident.

    Norton is also concerned about speeding on that stretch of road.

    “Since this happened, I’ve been standing in my driveway every morning at 6 a.m. Trailers and SUVs are doing at least 50, 60 (mph) coming off of 10th street,” said Norton.

    Norton knows the changes she’s pushing for won’t bring her sister back, but she hopes it will do something to improve safety in her community and prevent others from enduring the same pain.

    Click here to learn more about the petition for Shannon’s Law.

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  • MCO expecting major flight delays on Thursday due to staffing issues, FAA says

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    MCO expecting major flight delays on Thursday due to staffing issues, FAA says

    Updated: 8:14 PM EDT Oct 30, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    Arrivals to Orlando International Airport are facing significant ground delays, averaging 161 minutes, due to staffing issues, according to the FAA National Airspace System Status Page.The delays were expected to begin at 10 p.m. and continue until about 3 a.m. on Friday.The FAA advisory says that all U.S. departures will be affected. We have reached out to the airport for an update on this situation. Track a flight

    ORLANDO, Fla. —

    Arrivals to Orlando International Airport are facing significant ground delays, averaging 161 minutes, due to staffing issues, according to the FAA National Airspace System Status Page.

    The delays were expected to begin at 10 p.m. and continue until about 3 a.m. on Friday.

    The FAA advisory says that all U.S. departures will be affected.

    We have reached out to the airport for an update on this situation.

    Track a flight

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  • SoCal cop was among Hollywood producer’s rape victims. She died days before his sentencing

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    It’s unknown whether self-proclaimed “entertainment professional” David Pearce knew the fate of the women he was prosecuted for drugging and raping over a 14-year period.

    What is certain, however, is that one of those women — who transformed her sexual assault trauma into a service career — wasn’t there to witness his sentencing.

    Pearce was handed a 146-year prison sentence Wednesday afternoon in Los Angeles Superior Court after being convicted of first-degree murder for the overdose deaths of model Christy Giles and architect Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola, as well as the rape of seven other women from 2007 to 2021.

    Among Pearce’s victims was La Mesa Police Officer Lauren Craven, according to the L.A. County district attorney’s office. The 25-year-old officer was struck and killed by a vehicle on the 8 Freeway near San Diego on Oct. 20.

    The New York Post first reported her connection to the case.

    Craven was helping motorists involved in a traffic collision when she was fatally struck. One of those individuals also was killed by the same driver. A suspect has been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

    Craven was honored with a funeral procession from San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium to Skyline Church in Rancho San Diego on Tuesday.

    The L.A. County district attorney’s office did not confirm any details other than that Pearce was accused of sexually assaulting Craven in February 2020.

    “Somebody dropped something in her drink, and then when she was unconscious applied IV drugs and kept her for a day and a half,” her father, David Craven, told NBC 7 San Diego.

    Afterward, “she decided right then and there, ‘I’m going to become a police officer,’” he told the outlet.

    At the time, Craven was a student at Loyola Marymount University. She graduated in 2023, entered the police academy and joined the La Mesa Police Department in February 2024.

    Her father said his 115-pound daughter took close to a year off to build her strength for the rigors of training.

    “It was her dream,” her father said of graduating from the police academy.

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    Andrew J. Campa

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  • NorCal forecast: A subtly cooler Thursday under increasing clouds

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    Northern California forecast: A subtly cooler Thursday under increasing clouds

    A passing weather system will bring back a few clouds and onshore flow to the region, allowing high temperatures to drop by a couple of degrees.

    GOING TO BE A DOORBELL RINGING ALL NIGHT LONG. YES, DEFINITELY. AND THE FORECAST IS GOING TO BE SHAPING UP NICELY. SO I THINK YOU’LL PROBABLY HAVE A LOT OF KIDS VISITING YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. TEMPERATURES LOW 50S RIGHT NOW IN THE VALLEY. HERE’S A LIVE LOOK IN RANCHO CORDOVA WHERE THE SKIES LOOKING JUST A LITTLE BIT HAZY. IT’S 28 RIGHT NOW, WAKING UP IN SOUTH LAKE TAHOE TODAY, MARKING THE 30TH DAY OF OCTOBER. AND WE’RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT TEMPERATURES ABOVE NORMAL. KEEP IN MIND, WHEN WE RIDE OUT THESE FINAL DAYS OF OCTOBER, NORMAL TEMPERATURES FOR HIGHS LOWER 70S TODAY, EXPECTING ANOTHER ROUND OF UPPER 70S. I JUST DON’T THINK MANY AREAS WILL REACH THE 80 DEGREE MARK LIKE WE DID YESTERDAY. AND FOR PERSPECTIVE, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, BACK IN 2015, TEN YEARS AGO TO BE EXACT, WE BROKE A RECORD ON THIS DAY AT 85 DEGREES. LET’S LOOK CLOSER AT THAT HALLOWEEN FORECAST AS THE BATS GET READY TO FLY BY IN THE VALLEY. TEMPERATURES AROUND 6:00 TOMORROW. LOW 70S, MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES. A FEW CLOUDS WILL TRICKLE IN BY 8:00, BUT STILL COMFORTABLE MID 60S FOR FOOTHILLS. HALLOWEEN FORECAST STARTS OUT 6:00 UPPER 60S. WE DROP BACK TO LOW 60S BY 8:00 AND IN THE SIERRA. THIS IS PROBABLY THE ONE SPOT YOU WANT TO HAVE THAT LAYER READY TO GO FOR, ESPECIALLY THE LITTLE ONES. 6:00 YOU’RE AT 60 DEGREES, DROPPING BACK TO LOW 50S AROUND 8:00. SO THE WEATHER FORECAST, THE PATTERN AS WE LOOK AT IT RIGHT NOW, A LITTLE SYSTEM WILL GO BY THE AREA TODAY BRINGING US SOME CLOUDS. IT’S ALSO GOING TO HELP TO ENHANCE A BIT OF THE DELTA BREEZE. SO IN TERMS OF TEMPERATURES, EVEN AS THAT SYSTEM HELPS US, WE’RE LOOKING ABOVE NORMAL. EVEN WITH A FEW MORE CLOUDS. WE’LL SEE THOSE SKIES TODAY DRY HALLOWEEN. SO AGAIN, DON’T BE SPOOKED BY THOSE LATE IN THE EVENING. CLOUDS. RAIN CHANCES ARE SET TO INCREASE MIDDLE TO LATE NEXT WEEK. NOW LET’S GO THROUGH SOME OF THIS WITH FUTURECAST. THERE’S WHERE SOME OF THE CLOUDS ARE GOING TO COME INTO PLAY, ESPECIALLY ON HALLOWEEN EVENING. BUT AGAIN DRY FORECAST. WE’RE DRY STRAIGHT THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS THAT RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE PRETTY MUCH INFLUENCES US AND KEEPS US HIGH AND DRY. WE’LL HEAD INTO SUNDAY A FEW MORE CLOUDS BY LATE IN THE DAY, ON SUNDAY AND INTO MONDAY, AND THEN LOOKING AHEAD TO TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. CLOUDS WILL CERTAINLY START TO BUILD. IT’S BY WEDNESDAY AND WATCHING THIS WEATHER SYSTEM THAT IS EXPECTED TO DELIVER LIKELY WEDNESDAY EVENING INTO THURSDAY. POTENTIAL FOR RAIN. BE NICE TO GET THAT, WOULDN’T IT? SEVEN DAY FORECAST. YOU’RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF ICONS ON HERE. TEMPERATURES NOT MODERATING ALL THAT MUCH STRAIGHT THROUGH THE WEEKEND. FIRST WEEKEND OF NOVEMBER. QUITE MILD ABOVE NORMAL. DON’T FORGET THOUGH, SATURDAY NIGHT TO SET THOSE CLOCKS BACK AN HOUR. DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ENDS AND THEN INTO NEXT WEEK. TEMPERATURES START TO SLINK DOWNWARD MIDDLE OF THE WEEK, AND BY WEDNESDAY NIGHT COULD BE LOOKING AT THOSE RAIN CHANCES GOING UP. SO BY TOMORROW, YOU MAY SEE THAT THERE’S A RAIN ICON ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. FOR NOW, THOUGH, KEEPING IT DRY DURING THE DAY. ALL RIGHT. GOING ON.

    Northern California forecast: A subtly cooler Thursday under increasing clouds

    A passing weather system will bring back a few clouds and onshore flow to the region, allowing high temperatures to drop by a couple of degrees.

    Updated: 6:04 AM PDT Oct 30, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    A passing weather system will bring back a few clouds and onshore flow to the region, allowing high temperatures to drop by a couple of degrees.Valley highs will be in the upper 80s, foothill temperatures will peak in the mid-70s, and highs in the Sierra will be in the upper 60s.The weather will be similar for Halloween and the weekend—valley highs in the upper 70s to low 80s under a few clouds, with light onshore winds. Expect evening temperatures in the 60s on Halloween.Our stretch of quiet weather lasts into the start of next week, but the next chance of rain arrives midweek as a trough swings into the region.

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    A passing weather system will bring back a few clouds and onshore flow to the region, allowing high temperatures to drop by a couple of degrees.

    Valley highs will be in the upper 80s, foothill temperatures will peak in the mid-70s, and highs in the Sierra will be in the upper 60s.

    The weather will be similar for Halloween and the weekend—valley highs in the upper 70s to low 80s under a few clouds, with light onshore winds. Expect evening temperatures in the 60s on Halloween.

    Our stretch of quiet weather lasts into the start of next week, but the next chance of rain arrives midweek as a trough swings into the region.

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  • Proponents of Nov. 4 redistricting ballot measure vastly outraise opponents

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    Supporters of Proposition 50, California Democrats’ ballot measure to redraw the state’s congressional districts to help the party’s effort to take power in the U.S. House of Representatives, raised more than four times the amount that rivals raised in recent weeks, according to campaign finance reports filed with the state by the three main committees campaigning about the measure.

    Gov. Gavin Newsom’s committee supporting the redistricting measure raised $36.8 million between Sept. 21 and Oct. 18, bringing its total to $114.3 million, according to the report filed with the secretary of state’s office on Thursday, which was not available until Monday. It had $37.1 million in the bank and available to spend before the Nov. 4 special election.

    “We have hit our budget goals and raised what we need in order to pass Proposition 50,” Newsom emailed supporters on Monday. “You can stop donating.”

    The two main opposition groups raised a total of $8.4 million during the 28 days covered by the fundraising period, bringing their total haul to $43.7 million. They had $2.3 million in cash on hand going into the final stretch of the campaign.

    “As Gavin Newsom likes to say, we are not running the 90-yard dash here. We’ve seen a groundswell of support from Californians who understand what’s at stake if we let [President] Trump steal two more years of unchecked power,” said Hannah Milgrom, a spokesperson for the main pro-Proposition 50 campaign. “But we are not taking anything for granted nor taking our foot off the gas. If we want to hold this dangerous and reckless president accountable, we must pass Prop. 50.”

    Newsom and other California Democrats decided to ask voters to redraw the state’s congressional boundaries, which are currently drawn by a voter-approved independent commission, in a mid-decade redistricting after Trump urged GOP-led states to redraw their districts in an effort for Republicans to retain control of Congress in next year’s midterm election.

    The balance of power in the narrowly divided House will determine whether Trump is able to continue enacting his agenda during his final two years of office, or is the focus of investigations and possibly an impeachment effort.

    Major donors supporting Proposition 50 include billionaire financier George Soros; the House Majority PAC, the campaign arm of congressional Democrats; and labor unions.

    Among the opponents of Proposition 50, top contributors include longtime GOP donor Charles Munger Jr., the son of the investment partner of billionaire Warren Buffett; and the Congressional Leadership Fund, Republicans’ political arm in the House.

    “While we are being outspent, we’re continuing to communicate with Californians the dangers of suspending California’s gold-standard redistricting process,” said Amy Thoma, a spokesperson for the committee funded by Munger. “With just ten days to go, we are encouraging all voters to make their voice heard and to vote.”

    Ellie Hockenbury, an advisor to the committee that received $5 million from the Congressional Leadership Fund, said the organization was committed to continuing to raise money to block Newsom’s redistricting effort in the days leading up to the election.

    “His costly power grab would silence millions of Californians and deny them fair representation in Congress, which is why grassroots opposition is gaining momentum,” Hockenbury said. “In the final push, our data-driven campaign is strategically targeting key voters with our message to ensure every resource helps us defeat Prop. 50.”

    There are several other committees not affiliated with these main campaign groups that are receiving funding. Those include one created by billionaire hedge fund founder Tom Steyer, who donated $12 million, and the California Republican Party, which received $8 million from the Congressional Leadership Fund.

    These reports come a little more than a week before the Nov. 4 special election. More than 4 million mail ballots — 18% of the ballots sent to California’s 23 million voters — had been returned as of Friday, according to a vote tracker run by Democratic redistricting expert Paul Mitchell, who drew the proposed maps on the ballot. Democrats continue to outpace Republicans in returning ballots, 51% to 28%. Voters registered without a party preference or with other political parties returned 21% of the ballots that have been received.

    The turnout figures are alarming Republican leaders.

    “If Republicans do not get out and vote now, we will lose Prop 50 and Gavin Newsom will control our district lines until 2032,” Orange County GOP Chair Will O’Neill wrote to party members on Friday, urging them to cast ballots this past weekend and sharing the locations of early voting centers in the county.

    Assemblyman Carl DeMaio (R-San Diego) was more blunt on social media.

    “Right now we’re losing the fight against Prop 50 in CA, but turnout is LOW,” he posted on the social media platform X on Friday. “If every Republican voter gets off their ass, returns their ballot and votes NO, we WIN. IT. IS. THAT. SIMPLE.”

    More than 18.9 million ballots are outstanding, though not all will be completed. Early voting centers opened on Saturday in 29 California counties.

    “Think of Election Day as the last day to vote — not the only day. Like we always do, California gives voters more days and more ways to participate,” Secretary of State Shirley Weber said in a statement. “Don’t Delay! Vote today!”

    The U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday that it plans on monitoring polling sites in Fresno, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties at the request of the state GOP.

    “Transparency at the polls translates into faith in the electoral process, and this Department of Justice is committed to upholding the highest standards of election integrity,” Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi said. “We will commit the resources necessary to ensure the American people get the fair, free, and transparent elections they deserve.”

    Newsom, in a post on X on Friday, said the Trump administration is sending election monitors to polling places in California as part of a broader effort to stifle the vote, particularly among Californians of color, in advance of next year’s midterm election.

    “This is about voter intimidation. This is about voter suppression,” Newsom said, predicting that masked border agents would probably be present at California polling places through the Nov. 4 election. “I hope people understand it’s a bridge that they’re trying to build the scaffolding for all across this country in next November’s election. They do not believe in fair and free elections. Our republic, our democracy, is on the line.”

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    Seema Mehta

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  • Japan’s parliament elects Sanae Takaichi as nation’s first female prime minister

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    Japan’s parliament elected ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi as the country’s first female prime minister Tuesday, a day after her struggling party struck a coalition deal with a new partner expected to pull her governing bloc further to the right.Takaichi replaces Shigeru Ishiba, ending a three-month political vacuum and wrangling since the Liberal Democratic Party’s disastrous election loss in July.Ishiba, who lasted only one year as prime minister, resigned with his Cabinet earlier in the day, paving the way for his successor.The LDP’s off-the-cuff alliance with the Osaka-based rightwing Japan Innovation Party, or Ishin no Kai, ensured her premiership because the opposition is not united. Takaichi’s untested alliance is still short of a majority in both houses of parliament and will need to court other opposition groups to pass any legislation – a risk that could make her government unstable and short-lived.“Political stability is essential right now,” Takaichi said at Monday’s signing ceremony with the JIP leader and Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura. “Without stability, we cannot push measures for a strong economy or diplomacy.”The two parties signed a coalition agreement on policies underscoring Takaichi’s hawkish and nationalistic views.Their last-minute deal came after the Liberal Democrats lost its longtime partner, the Buddhist-backed Komeito, which has a more dovish and centrist stance. The breakup threatened a change of power for the LDP, which has governed Japan almost uninterrupted for decades.Later in the day, Takaichi, 64, will present a Cabinet with a number of allies of LDP’s most powerful kingmaker, Taro Aso, and others who backed her in the party leadership vote.JIP will not hold ministerial posts in Takaichi’s Cabinet until his party is confident about its partnership with the LDP, Yoshimura said.Takaichi is running on deadline — a major policy speech later this week, talks with U.S. President Donald Trump and regional summits. She needs to quickly tackle rising prices and compile economy-boosting measures by late December to address public frustration.While she is the first woman serving as Japan’s prime minister, she is in no rush to promote gender equality or diversity.Takaichi is among Japanese politicians who have stonewalled measures for women’s advancement. Takaichi supports the imperial family’s male-only succession and opposes same-sex marriage and allowing separate surnames for married couples.A protege of assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi is expected to emulate his policies including stronger military and economy, as well as revising Japan’s pacifist constitution. With a potentially weak grip on power, it’s unknown how much Takaichi would be able to achieve.When Komeito left the governing coalition, it cited the LDP’s lax response to slush fund scandals that led to their consecutive election defeats.The centrist party also raised concern about Takaichi’s revisionist view of Japan’s wartime past and her regular prayers at Yasukuni Shrine despite protests from Beijing and Seoul that see the visits as lack of remorse about Japanese aggression, as well as her recent xenophobic remarks.Takaichi has toned down her hawkish rhetorics. On Friday, she sent a religious ornament instead of going to Yasukuni.

    , Tokyo —

    Japan’s parliament elected ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi as the country’s first female prime minister Tuesday, a day after her struggling party struck a coalition deal with a new partner expected to pull her governing bloc further to the right.

    Takaichi replaces Shigeru Ishiba, ending a three-month political vacuum and wrangling since the Liberal Democratic Party’s disastrous election loss in July.

    Ishiba, who lasted only one year as prime minister, resigned with his Cabinet earlier in the day, paving the way for his successor.

    The LDP’s off-the-cuff alliance with the Osaka-based rightwing Japan Innovation Party, or Ishin no Kai, ensured her premiership because the opposition is not united. Takaichi’s untested alliance is still short of a majority in both houses of parliament and will need to court other opposition groups to pass any legislation – a risk that could make her government unstable and short-lived.

    “Political stability is essential right now,” Takaichi said at Monday’s signing ceremony with the JIP leader and Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura. “Without stability, we cannot push measures for a strong economy or diplomacy.”

    The two parties signed a coalition agreement on policies underscoring Takaichi’s hawkish and nationalistic views.

    Their last-minute deal came after the Liberal Democrats lost its longtime partner, the Buddhist-backed Komeito, which has a more dovish and centrist stance. The breakup threatened a change of power for the LDP, which has governed Japan almost uninterrupted for decades.

    Later in the day, Takaichi, 64, will present a Cabinet with a number of allies of LDP’s most powerful kingmaker, Taro Aso, and others who backed her in the party leadership vote.

    JIP will not hold ministerial posts in Takaichi’s Cabinet until his party is confident about its partnership with the LDP, Yoshimura said.

    Takaichi is running on deadline — a major policy speech later this week, talks with U.S. President Donald Trump and regional summits. She needs to quickly tackle rising prices and compile economy-boosting measures by late December to address public frustration.

    While she is the first woman serving as Japan’s prime minister, she is in no rush to promote gender equality or diversity.

    Takaichi is among Japanese politicians who have stonewalled measures for women’s advancement. Takaichi supports the imperial family’s male-only succession and opposes same-sex marriage and allowing separate surnames for married couples.

    A protege of assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi is expected to emulate his policies including stronger military and economy, as well as revising Japan’s pacifist constitution. With a potentially weak grip on power, it’s unknown how much Takaichi would be able to achieve.

    When Komeito left the governing coalition, it cited the LDP’s lax response to slush fund scandals that led to their consecutive election defeats.

    The centrist party also raised concern about Takaichi’s revisionist view of Japan’s wartime past and her regular prayers at Yasukuni Shrine despite protests from Beijing and Seoul that see the visits as lack of remorse about Japanese aggression, as well as her recent xenophobic remarks.

    Takaichi has toned down her hawkish rhetorics. On Friday, she sent a religious ornament instead of going to Yasukuni.

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