ReportWire

Tag: friday

  • Why Civil War Avoids Alex Garland’s Sci-Fi Tendencies

    Why Civil War Avoids Alex Garland’s Sci-Fi Tendencies

    If you were to make a list of people you’d expect to make a gritty, grounded, realistic, political thriller-slash-war movie, Alex Garland wouldn’t be on it. From his earliest work writing movies such as 28 Days Later and Sunshine to his directorial efforts such as Ex Machina and Annihilation, Garland has almost exclusively worked in sci-fi. So when his name pops up on a movie like Civil War, a cautionary action film about the political divide in the United States, it’s a bit of a head-scratcher. Garland gets that.

    Denis Villeneuve on Ending Dune: Part Two That Way

    “The reason I love sci-fi is because sci-fi has always permitted big ideas into it. It’s not embarrassed of big ideas,” Garland told io9 on video chat last week. “They exist in Forbidden Planet. They exist in Star Trek. There would be clear discussions or metaphors or literary analogies or whatever it happens to be. It was just allowed. And sci-fi audiences were kind of open-minded. They actually liked that… whereas if you did that in other genres, people would raise an eyebrow, like get a bit arch and a bit skeptical, in a sense… But [Civil War], if this was too sci-fi, it would reduce the texture of reality. And so it just didn’t feel appropriate. If I’d set it on a distant planet, yeah, it would have worked as an analogy, maybe, but it wouldn’t have the strength of the assertion.”

    And so the sci-fi guy put that all aside and approached reality in his own, unique way. In Civil War, Garland presents a United States that is no longer united. The country has fractured into several different areas, many of which are now at war with one another. And while there is clearly DNA pulled from the current political climate, the film very specifically veers away from defining anything specifically. No one is right-wing, no one is left-wing, everyone just is, and that objectivity was not only a conscious choice in the writing, it echoes in his lead characters too.

    Garland on set.
    Image: A24

    “What I wanted the film to do was to function as a film in the same way as the reporters, which is just to show a sequence of events with a kind of studied neutrality,” he said. “Now, that doesn’t mean that it’s without bias, because a journalist reporting on something might have very strong feelings, and in fact, you could almost guarantee they would. So it’s just to do with how information is presented.”

    Garland’s attempts at personifying and paying homage to objective, hard-nosed journalism even carried over to the choice of journalism depicted in the film. Though modern media is ruled by video, the main characters in Civil War are still photographers, a specific nod to the old-school way of doing things Garland wanted to pay tribute to.

    “When you make a film, you try and make it work at different levels, and some of them are quite unconscious levels,” he said. “You hope it lands in an unconscious way but, in truth… [having the characters be photo journalists] reminds people of that old-fashioned form of photojournalism. Of that old-fashioned form of reporting when you had—in the 1960s and 1970s or whatever it was—these still photographers winding their camera. So it’s like a kind of trace memory.”

    Photojournalism in full effect.

    Photojournalism in full effect.
    Image: A24

    Garland hopes when Civil War comes out, that it’ll be less of a trace memory for people and more of a gut shot. But he’s not exactly sure if that’ll happen. “It’s a dice roll,” he said. “You’re throwing this out into a polarized world where if you are not preaching to the choir that wants to be preached to, then they’ll get pissed off. Because that’s the counter. You want to hear your own biases reflected back at you.”

    And from the guy who usually writes about running zombies, spaceships, AI, and alternate dimensions, it’s not doesn’t seem to be a reflection of him at all. Even though it is.

    Civil War is in theaters Friday. We’ll have more from Garland later this week.

    Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

    Germain Lussier

    Source link

  • ‘Unseasonably cold’: April storm bringing winter temps, low snow levels to California

    ‘Unseasonably cold’: April storm bringing winter temps, low snow levels to California

    It might feel like spring Wednesday, with highs across Los Angeles reaching into the high 70s, but Thursday is going to be a “shock to the system,” weather experts say.

    Temperatures on Thursday and Friday are expected to drop 15 to 20 degrees from Wednesday’s highs as a cold storm blows across California, bringing low-elevation snow, showers and the potential for severe thunderstorms.

    Some Southern California areas could feel historic low temperatures Friday, National Weather Service Meteorologist Mike Wofford said.

    “With the system coming in, we’re going to see a dramatic drop [in temperatures] tomorrow,” Wofford said Wednesday from the weather service’s Oxnard office. “[There will be] an almost 20-degree drop in temperatures, and even cooler on Friday.”

    Highs across most inland areas Wednesday are expected to peak in the high 70s, possibly reaching 80 degrees, Wofford said. But the temperatures will quickly give way to highs in the 50s on Thursday and Friday.

    “Friday’s max [temperatures] across the coasts and [valleys] will be in the mid- to upper 50s, which would be cooler than normal in early January none the less April!” forecasters said in the weather service’s daily update.

    Along with cold weather, snow levels will drop significantly lower than most storms, with accumulating snow possible on all of the major mountain passes in Southern California, including the Grapevine, the weather service warned.

    “In general, we don’t get that many storms where snow levels drop to 3,000 feet or potentially down the Antelope Valley floor,” Wofford said. He said snow accumulation in the Antelope Valley isn’t likely, but he expected the area will get a mix of rain, snow and sleet. The nearby foothills could get up to an inch of snow, he said.

    Snow is expected in Southern California on Thursday and Friday night, with 1 to 3 inches likely between 3,500 and 4,500 feet in elevation and more than 3 inches above 5,000 feet.

    The storm’s cold nature is making it not as moisture-heavy as other recent storms, but that cold air is increasing instability in the atmosphere, weather officials said. Showers on Thursday and Friday could include thunderstorms, which have the chance to bring hail, downpours, small tornadoes and waterspouts — though that will be isolated, Wofford said.

    Rain totals will mostly remain under half an inch, with some locally higher accumulations where thunderstorms occur.

    Temperatures across Central California also are likely to drop 20 degrees by Thursday, officials said — from highs in the 70s to around 50 or 60 degrees.

    In the southern Sierra Nevada, a winter weather advisory will go into effect late Wednesday and remain through Friday, with 6 to 12 inches of snow expected above 3,000 feet.

    “Travel will be very difficult,” the warning said. “Strong winds could cause tree damage. Cold wind chill readings as low as 20 degrees below zero could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes.”

    In the state’s northwestern corner, weather officials warned about subfreezing, “unseasonably cold” temperatures beginning late Wednesday, with snow falling as low at 1,500 feet and mountain temperatures dropping to 15 to 25 degrees.

    Grace Toohey

    Source link

  • Sunny skies and pleasant temperatures on tap for Easter weekend

    Sunny skies and pleasant temperatures on tap for Easter weekend

    Sunny skies and pleasant temperatures on tap for Easter weekend

    Dry conditions expected to last through Tuesday

    OUR BEACHES WILL BE QUITE PACKED THIS WEEKEND WITH SO MANY PEOPLE IN TOWN. BEAUTIFUL BEACH AND WE’RE TALKING ABOUT WARM WEATHER. YEAH, AND I MEAN, IT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT COLD TOMORROW MORNING, SO YOU MAY SAY, OH, I DON’T KNOW IF IT’S GOING TO BE BEACH WEATHER, BUT TOMORROW WILL BE BEACH WEATHER. WE’RE LOOKING AT TEMPERATURES IN THE 70S AND LOW 80S, SO NOT TOO BAD WITH PLENTY OF SUN AND EVEN WARMER ON EASTER SUNDAY OUT THE DOOR. RIGHT NOW WE ARE COLD THOUGH, ESPECIALLY COMPARED TO THIS TIME YESTERDAY BY ABOUT 15 DEGREES. SO WE ARE IN THE 50S ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA. COOLEST SPOT AT THE MOMENT IS IN OCALA AT 52. IT’S 59 DEGREES IN ORLANDO IN BITHLO, 57 DEGREES IN SAINT CLOUD, 58 DEGREES IN TITUSVILLE, AND 53 DEGREES IN PALM COAST. SO IT IS A COLDER START TO THE MORNING AS YOU GET THE KIDS READY FOR SCHOOL. BUT IT WILL BE SUNNY AND COMFORTABLE WHEN YOU PICK THE KIDS UP AS TEMPERATURES REACH THE 70S. WE’LL ALSO HAVE PLENTY OF SUNSHINE NOW THAT HIGH PRESSURE IS WORKING IN. THIS IS ALSO GOING TO ALLOW US TO BECOME LESS GUSTY AS WHAT WE HAD YESTERDAY. SO WITH HIGH PRESSURE IN PLACE, NO RAIN TO TRACK. BUT DESPITE THAT SUNSHINE. IT’S STILL GOING TO BE ON THE COOLER SIDE. ALL THANKS TO A NORTH NORTHEASTERLY WIND. NOT AS STRONG AS YESTERDAY, BUT STILL SOMEWHAT BREEZY AT AROUND 10 TO 15MPH. PALM COAST DAYTONA BEACH EXPECTED TO TOP OUT INTO THE UPPER 60S, THEN FROM NEW SMYRNA BEACH DOWN TO BREVARD COUNTY IN THE LOW 70S, INLAND SPOTS WILL BE IN THE MIDDLE 70S. THEN TOMORROW MORNING WE’RE COLD, BUT CLEAR WITH TEMPERATURES INTO THE 40S AND 50S. SO HAVE THAT JACKET. AND THEN LOOKING AHEAD TO SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WITH OUR RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE SLOWLY STRENGTHENING, ALSO CHANGING THE DIRECTION OF OUR WIND DAY BY DAY, WE WILL GET WARMER AND WARMER. SO EVEN THOUGH SATURDAY IS OFF TO A COLD START. WE’RE STILL GOING TO BE BEAUTIFUL WITH TEMPERATURES REACHING THE UPPER 70S AND LOW 80S SUNDAY. EVEN WARMER AT 83 DEGREES. WE REACHED YOUR SUNDAY FORECAST. NOT LOOKING TOO BAD FOR SUNRISE SERVICE. WE’LL HAVE CLEAR CONDITIONS. NO RAINFALL, BUT IT WILL BE A LITTLE BIT ON THE COOL SIDE WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE 50S MIDDAY. AIKEN. THAT’S WHERE WE TOP OUT AT 83 DEGREES. AND THEN FOR DINNER, WHY NOT TAKE IT OUTSIDE? TEMPERATURES WILL BE INTO THE UPPER 70S WITH PLENTY OF SUNSHINE AND DRY AIR. THAT SAME HIGH PRESSURE IS GOING TO BE OUR FEATURE GOING INTO NEXT WEEK. THAT RIDGE WILL ALLOW THINGS TO GRADUALLY WARM UP AHEAD OF OUR NEXT COLD FRONT, AND THAT COLD FRONT WILL BRING IN SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ON THURSDAY. NOW, AHEAD OF THAT FRONT, WE’RE TOPPING OUT AT 86 ON MONDAY. EVEN WARMER ON TUESDAY AT 88. WE’RE NOT TALKING ABOUT RECORD HEAT ON TUESDAY, BUT STILL GOING TO BE UNSEASONABLY HOT AS OUR AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE IN THE LOW 80S WEDNESDAY. WE’RE TALKING A 60% COVERAGE OF SHOWERS AN

    Sunny skies and pleasant temperatures on tap for Easter weekend

    Dry conditions expected to last through Tuesday

    It’s a cold and clear start to our Friday. High pressure is in control allowing for the clear sky to continue into the afternoon. Today, despite the sunshine, will feature unseasonably cool air. Highs this afternoon will reach the middle 70s with a few lower 70s.The forecast in the next several days will be very quiet. High pressure is our dominating feature. This will lead to sunny & dry conditions now through Tuesday. As our ridge of high pressure builds, temperatures will get warmer each day. The 80s return Saturday. Easter Sunday will be warm with highs in the middle 80s. Tuesday is set to be the warmest day with high sin the upper 80s.The next cold front will move through Wednesday. Showers and storms will move in during the afternoon. Rain and clouds clear by Thursday and cooler air moves in.

    ORLANDO, Fla. —

    It’s a cold and clear start to our Friday. High pressure is in control allowing for the clear sky to continue into the afternoon. Today, despite the sunshine, will feature unseasonably cool air. Highs this afternoon will reach the middle 70s with a few lower 70s.

    The forecast in the next several days will be very quiet. High pressure is our dominating feature. This will lead to sunny & dry conditions now through Tuesday. As our ridge of high pressure builds, temperatures will get warmer each day. The 80s return Saturday. Easter Sunday will be warm with highs in the middle 80s. Tuesday is set to be the warmest day with high sin the upper 80s.

    The next cold front will move through Wednesday. Showers and storms will move in during the afternoon. Rain and clouds clear by Thursday and cooler air moves in.

    Source link

  • A river rescue, pounding hail in SoCal. Meanwhile, a significant late-season storm is brewing

    A river rescue, pounding hail in SoCal. Meanwhile, a significant late-season storm is brewing

    At least one person was rescued from the Los Angeles River as a fast-moving storm rolled through Southern California on Sunday, delivering pounding hail, rain and thunder to the region.

    Rescuers were called to the river near Whitsett Avenue in Studio City around 5 p.m. after a 35-year-old woman was found in “less than knee-depth” water, according to Brian Humphrey, a spokesman with the Los Angeles Fire Department.

    The water was moving at about 15 mph, which continued to sweep the woman downstream even after crews threw her a flotation device and lowered a 24-foot wooden ladder, he said. She was finally rescued by an LAFD helicopter crew using a hoist cable and harness.

    “She and her LAFD rescuer have been safely hoisted aboard the aircraft,” Humphrey said, adding that she would receive care for “minor injuries” as she was flown to a hospital.

    The rescue came not long after residents reported powerful bursts of rain and pea-sized hail in areas including Santa Monica, downtown L.A., Pasadena, Monrovia and Covina, according to the National Weather Service, which also issued a flood advisory in the San Fernando Valley and the San Gabriel Valley through 7 p.m. Sunday.

    Meanwhile, forecasters were looking ahead to a rare late-season “high-impact” storm that could reach the area by Friday, according to Robbie Munroe, a meteorologist with the NWS in Oxnard.

    Sunday’s bout of stormy weather was driven by a cold system moving south across the Southland, Munroe said.

    “What the cold air aloft helps to do is create the instability that is supporting the heavier showers and thunderstorms that we’re experiencing this afternoon,” he said, adding the agency was also investigating reports of damaging wind gusts and severe hail measuring an inch in diameter or larger.

    Videos posted to social media showed hail pummeling windshields, coating driveways and accumulating in yards on Sunday afternoon.

    Areas under the flood advisory could see rainfall amounts of half an inch or more in a relatively short time period, Munroe said. Totals, however, generally have been less than a 10th or 20th of an inch.

    But even scant moisture is something of a rarity so late in the wet season, which typically runs from October to April.

    On Saturday, Oxnard and Lancaster both set daily rainfall records with 0.59 inches and 0.53 inches, respectively, the NWS said. The previous records for the date were set in 1935.

    The storm was expected to weaken Sunday night into Monday, with the main focus remaining on gusty northerly winds across the L.A. County mountains, and a possible dusting of snow at high elevations along the Grapevine.

    But the “biggest story” of the week is the potential for a significant late-season storm to arrive in the Los Angeles area between Friday and Sunday, Munroe said.

    “Early projections place us maybe around an inch to 3 inches for a lot of areas — maybe even locally higher for our south-facing mountains,” he said.

    The forecast is still developing and could change, he added, “but there is potential for it to be a moderate- or high-impact system for us, which is getting into the late season for Southern California.”

    Hayley Smith

    Source link

  • Blumhouse is Celebrating Halfway to Halloween with a Film Festival

    Blumhouse is Celebrating Halfway to Halloween with a Film Festival

    Image: Blumhouse

    Hope you like Blumhouse movies, because the company is re-releasing some old ones into theaters later this month.

    Unboxing Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Limited Edition Playstation 5 Bundle

    Hoping to start a new annual trend, the five day-long Halfway to Halloween film festival sees Blumhouse partnering with AMC Theaters (across 100 theaters in 40 US cities) from Friday, March 29 to Tuesday, April 2. Split will kick things off on the 29th, followed by The Purge (March 30), Ouija: Origin of Evil (March 31), Insidious (April 1), and 2020’s The Invisible Man (April 2). In the case of Insidious, that’ll also mark the film’s 13-year anniversary. Each screening will also give viewers the chance to win a giveaway or see a recorded message from a particular film’s director or cast.

    For those wincing about ticket prices wherever they live, Blumhouse has got you covered: tickets will run $8 a pop each day. The entire point of the festival, accoding to Blumhouse founder Jason Blum, is to “celebrate local communities of horror fans…with a fun, affordable and slightly evil night at the movies.” Along with big cities like Boston and Miami, theaters in Wichita, Spokane, Dallas, and New Orleans will be a part of the festival.

    It’s looking like this’ll be a summer of re-releases. Along with Blumhouse, Dreamworks recently confirmed it was bringing Shrek 2 back to theaters to celebrate that film’s 20th anniversary. Sony’s allegedly bringing its eight live-action Spider-Man movies back, too. Not only does Columbia Pictures turn 100 this year, the second entry in each Spider-Man era hits a significant milestone: Spider-Man 2 will turn 20 on June 30, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 will be 10 on May 2, and Spider-Man: Far From Home hits five years on July 2. (These re-releases may also have something to do with Madame Web underperforming, but who can say?)

    You can get tickets for the Halfway to Halloween festival here.

    Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

    Justin Carter

    Source link

  • ACC Tournament: NC drops Virginia 73-65 in OT, sets up finals showdown with UNC

    ACC Tournament: NC drops Virginia 73-65 in OT, sets up finals showdown with UNC

    WASHINGTON (WTVD) — Michael O’Connell kept NC State’s NCAA tournament hopes alive by the slimmest of margins, banking in a wild 3-pointer at the buzzer to force overtime. Then, DJ Burns Jr. took over in the extra time as the Wolfpack stunned Virginia 73-65 in a raucous ACC Tournament semifinal Friday night.

    The Wolfpack looked dead in the water Friday night with four seconds left before O-Connell’s prayer kissed the backboard and nestled softly into the net to send the game to extra time and the Wolfpack bench and fans into delirium.

    “I had a direct view of it,” N.C. State coach Kevin Keatts said. “As it went up I was like, man, that shot is going in, it’s going in, and then luckily it did and obviously sent us to overtime.”

    NC State’s Michael O’Connell shoots the miracle 3-pointer over Virginia guard Isaac McKneely to tie the game 58-58 and send it to overtime.

    Nick Wass

    The 10th-seeded Wolfpack (21-14) are one victory from pulling off an epic five-wins-in-five-days run for the ACC’s automatic bid, and if they do it, they’ll remember this escape for a while. With the score 58-55, Isaac Mckneely missed the front end of a 1-and-1 for Virginia. O’Connell rushed the ball up the left sideline and shot a high-archer in front of his team’s bench.that will long be remembered in Raleigh.

    It was the second straight night a team made a shot at the buzzer against Virginia to force overtime, but on Thursday the Cavaliers were able to beat Boston College.

    NC State’s DJ Burns Jr. shoots against Virginia forward Jordan Minor on Friday night in the ACC Tournament semifinals.

    Nick Wass

    “They got momentum because we missed the free throw and they were coming down, and once they got down we did not want to foul in the act of shooting,” Virginia coach Tony Bennett said. “We just were worried about that.”

    In overtime, it was the Burns Jr. show. Time and again, N.C. State would give the ball to the 6-foot-9, 275-pound post player, who would slowly back his way down, he and his defender repeatedly bouncing off each other. Burns scored seven points in overtime and 19 in the game on 8-of-11 shooting.

    The Wolfpack take on old rival and top-seeded North Carolina for the tournament championship on Saturday night. The Tar Heels swept the regular season meetings.

    NC State’s DJ Horne drives past Virginia’s Reece Beekman on Friday night in the ACC Tournament semifinals.

    Nick Wass

    Perhaps feeling the fatigue of playing four games in four nights, N.C. State shot just 3 of 17 from 3-point range, but O’Connell made the one the Wolfpack needed, and the Cavaliers (23-10) were done in by their poor free-throw shooting.

    With 1:10 remaining, Virginia had a five-point lead, and after a flagrant foul called on Burns, the Cavaliers got two shots and the ball. Reece Beekman missed both attempts though, and when he was fouled on the ensuing possession, Beekman made only one of two.

    Then Ryan Dunn fouled a 3-point shooter, and Casey Morsell made all three free throws to cut the lead to three.

    After a defensive stop, N.C. State had a chance to tie, but when Morsell missed a 3-pointer and Mckneely rebounded, Virginia needed one free throw to ice the game. It never came.

    The teams split their regular season meetings, each winning at home but in an arena full of Cavaliers fans, the Wolfpack won the one that mattered most.

    The Wolfpack and Cavaliers look to book their spot in Saturday night’s ACC championship game.

    UNC 72, PITT 65

    Top-seeded North Carolina survived a stern test Friday night against fourth-seeded Pitt 72-65 to advance to the ACC Tournament championship game.

    The No. 4 Tar Heels (27-6), who also hope to get a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, inched closer to that goal and will look for a first ACC title since 2016 on Saturday night.

    Armando Bacot and RJ Davis provided the bulk of the offense for the Tar Heels. Davis led the team with 25 points and Bacot was strong in the paint with 19 points and 11 rebounds.

    Armando Bacot hangs on the rim after scoring two of his 19 points against Pitt on Friday night at the ACC Tournament.

    Nick Wass

    “RJ, he’s been our closer all year and he hit some huge shots,” Bacot said.

    Davis and Bacot scored UNC’s final 18 points of the game.

    “Just super excited to get a chance to play in the championship,” said Bacot. “It was a tough game, and it got close down in the stretch and I think me and RJ just really wanted to make plays so we can win the game.”

    The Panthers led by as many as nine in the first half and kept punching back until late, tying it at 62 with about four minutes left until Davis hit just his second 3-pointer to put the Tar Heels ahead.

    After seven lead changes throughout, they never trailed again, with Davis grabbing a crucial rebound and hitting a long 3 in the final minutes to help put it away. The unanimous ACC Player of the Year scored 19 of his points in the second half.

    “The player of the year stepped up and made plays,” Pitt coach Jeff Capel said. “You have to tip your hat to him. He made a deep 3, a 28-footer, some pullups. He just made plays.”

    Carlton Carrington led Pitt with 24 points, and Jaland Lowe had 17. The Panthers, who were up early thanks to some hot 3-point shooting, were hurt by three fouls in the first 14 minutes on Federiko Federiko, keeping the center on the bench for long periods.

    UNC’s tenacious defense made life hard for Pitt star Blake Hinson, who made only 2 of 12 shots and missed all five of his 3-point attempts.

    Nick Wass

    The Tar Heels never let Pitt’s Blake Hinson get into a rhythm, harassing him into a 2-for-12 shooting night. Hinson missed all five of his 3-point attempts.

    “All year, I’ve been taking pride in trying to be the best defensive big man in the country,” Bacot said. “And today, it’s always tough playing against them because they’ve got so many skilled guards, they’ve got bigs that can shoot, so today we had to switch, and after the first half, I was a little sloppy, in the second half I wanted to take the challenge and thought I did a good job.”

    UNC, winners of eight consecutive games, will face old rival NC State in the final. The Tar Heels won both regular season matchups against the Wolfpack.

    “We set goals in the beginning of the year, and for us to be one more game away means a lot,” Davis said. “But the job’s not finished.”

    The Panthers (22-11) now wait to see whether they get invited to the NCAA tournament.

    “We’ll see if we’re in,” Capel said. “We have become a really good basketball team. We could be a team that could be dangerous in the tournament.”

    Guard Ishmael Leggett added, “I 100% believe that we’re an NCAA Tournament team, regardless of what anybody says.”

    SEE ALSO | Place your bets! Sports betting is up and running in North Carolina

    The Associated Press contributed.

    Copyright © 2024 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved.

    WTVD

    Source link

  • Federal judge seeks audit of L.A. homelessness programs

    Federal judge seeks audit of L.A. homelessness programs

    A federal judge wants an independent accounting of homelessness programs in Los Angeles — including Mayor Karen Bass’ signature Inside Safe initiative.

    U.S. District Court Judge David O. Carter made his remarks during oral arguments on a motion filed by lawyers for the L.A. Alliance for Human Rights, which has accused the city of failing to live up to the terms of a nearly 2-year-old settlement agreement to build shelter beds and clear homeless encampments. The settlement was reached eight months before Bass was sworn into office.

    The alliance said it wants the city to pay it $6.4 million in monetary sanctions.

    Carter, who has not yet issued a ruling or spelled out the parameters of such an audit, raised concerns about how public money to fight homelessness is being spent. He requested a more detailed accounting of the work performed by nonprofit homeless service providers — including those participating in Inside Safe, which has been moving unhoused Angelenos into hotels, motels and other facilities.

    “Which provider is producing results out there?” he asked. “We have no benchmark, and we have no accountability at this point. It’s just as simple as that.”

    Carter also asked whether City Controller Kenneth Mejia has the authority to audit homeless programs run by the mayor’s office. City Administrative Officer Matt Szabo, who advises the mayor and council, testified that the controller could not but said there are other ways the city can conduct audits.

    Mejia disputed that notion Friday, telling the judge on the second day of the hearing that his office can audit mayoral programs.

    “When it comes to a city program, especially those housed under elected officials, we have disagreements with the mayor and the city attorney’s office, but we believe there’s nothing in the charter that prohibits the mayor or the City Council from voluntarily submitting themselves to an audit, so we disagree.”

    Hours later, Mejia announced on X that he is launching a “focused audit” on Inside Safe, which received $250 million in this year’s city budget.

    Bass, who is in France with a delegation of city officials examining preparations for the Olympics, could not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Michele Martinez, special master for Carter, said Bass and City Council President Paul Krekorian had spoken to the judge and offered an independent auditor chosen by the court and paid for by the city.

    Mejia said he intends to follow through with his audit.

    “Our office welcomes an external, independent auditor to aid in that ongoing litigation,” he said in a statement to The Times. “However, the issues at play in the federal litigation are specific and unique to that case. As the City’s Chief Auditor, it is my responsibility to bring transparency and accountability to specific components of Inside Safe.”

    The L.A. Alliance, a group of businesses and residents, alleges that the city repeatedly missed deadlines and negotiated in bad faith over terms of a settlement agreement to shelter at least 60% of people living on the streets in each council district.

    Elizabeth Mitchell, the group’s attorney, said the city promised last March that it would come into compliance and provide the alliance with plans to build beds and address homeless encampments in each district.

    “We were promised … that if we held off bringing this to the court for just six months, that they would have a full evaluation of each district. That, to my knowledge, has never been done,” Mitchell said. “Even the numbers that were finally agreed upon by the council members were not fully vetted.”

    Scott Marcus, chief assistant city attorney, said the city did not breach the agreement when it comes to bed creation but that it did fail to communicate with the alliance when it sought a citywide program to clean up encampments, as opposed to doing so district by district.

    “We could have done a better job keeping the alliance in the loop and communicating with them when our circumstances changed,” Marcus said.

    Carter said he would delay a ruling while city officials and lawyers for L.A. Alliance discuss details of the audit and Bass is abroad.

    However, the judge said he plans to rule that the city acted in bad faith.

    The demands for increased oversight of homeless services are not limited to Mejia and the judge. On Friday, the council voted to seek a separate performance evaluation of services being provided to the city by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

    Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, who drafted the proposal and sits on the homelessness committee, said the city provides tens of millions of dollars each year to that city-county agency.

    “We have all known that LAHSA can be opaque at times and, frankly, downright deceptive in terms of how they secure funding from this city,” he said.

    Va Lecia Adams Kellum, LAHSA’s chief executive officer, said she looks forward to the assessment.

    “I welcome the passage of the motion from Councilmembers Blumenfield and [Monica] Rodriguez,” she said, “and look forward to working with the city on developing a framework that provides greater insight into program performance.”

    Times staff writer David Zahniser contributed to this report.

    Ruben Vives

    Source link

  • Northern California deluge leaves some residents trapped for days, and more rain is on the way

    Northern California deluge leaves some residents trapped for days, and more rain is on the way

    Torrential rains over the holiday weekend have left Humboldt County reeling, with several roads flood-damaged and impassable, and more rain is on the way.

    “The storm came and hit us hard on Saturday,” said Thomas Mattson, the county public works director. He said his agency had been working round the clock to repair washed-out roads that had left some residents stranded.

    In Redwood Valley, off Highway 299, flooding from the Mad River damaged both main access roads Saturday, cutting off residents from outside aid. The 113-mile river flows northwest through the county and the rural unincorporated community. Repairs to the roads were not expected to be completed until late Wednesday.

    Eureka’s daily newspaper the Times-Standard reported that at least 30 households were struggling with flooded homes and power outages amid dwindling supplies and no way to access help.

    During an eight-hour stretch Saturday, 2 to 5 inches of rain fell throughout Humboldt County, according to Tyler Jewel, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Eureka office. The community of Whitethorn recorded nearly 8 inches of rainfall.

    “It’s a very small watershed,” Jewel said. “This last storm just happened to dump a ton of rain there. … It’s really rare for that river to flood.”

    Mattson said the county’s public works crews had reopened 15 flooded roads since Saturday but were still dealing with half a dozen that sustained serious damage.

    Ryan Derby, emergency services manager with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, said there had been “county-wide flooding” over the last several days. The agency declared a local state of emergency Tuesday to expedite emergency repairs and state and federal aid.

    Derby said flooding from the Mad River affected Tyee City and other agricultural land in that area, along with parts of Mad River Road, or what’s locally known as the “Arcata Bottom.”

    Small creeks and streams overflowed into the Blue Lake area, not far from the Blue Lake Rancheria tribal land, about a 10-minute drive from Arcata.

    Other flooding stretched from Hoopa in the north down to Shelter Cove in the southwestern tip of the county along the coast.

    Some of the affected areas are “sparsely populated,” Derby said, and no evacuation orders were issued, though some residents fled during the rainstorms on Saturday. No deaths or injuries have been reported.

    County officials are still assessing how much damage was caused by the rain so far, Derby added, and they will meet Thursday to discuss the situation and this weekend’s expected rain. Derby said the county is referring affected residents to the Red Cross at (800) 733-2767.

    Derby said the storms caused damage to county roads and culverts, and with more rain set to arrive Friday, he worries that additional flooding could interfere with recovery efforts.

    “It’s not anticipated to be as severe,” he said of the rain forecast. “But there could be compounding factors with the incoming storm that pose additional issues.”

    Forecasts indicate 2 to 3 inches of rainfall are expected throughout Humboldt County — though the King mountain range in the southwest could receive up to 5 inches — between Friday and Monday, with the first wave of rainfall arriving Friday morning through Saturday morning and the second from Saturday night until Monday afternoon.

    Higher rainfall amounts of 4 to 6 inches were expected throughout Mendocino County south of Humboldt, with both the Russian and Navarro rivers having the potential to flood, Jewel said.

    Jeremy Childs, Hannah Wiley

    Source link

  • Giant statues with glowing eyes appear in Long Beach, New York City to mark Kid Cudi album release

    Giant statues with glowing eyes appear in Long Beach, New York City to mark Kid Cudi album release

    Giant, wild-eyed statues of Kid Cudi suddenly appeared this week in Paris, New York City and off the coast of Long Beach, apparently marking the release of the rapper’s latest album, “INSANO.”

    The 33-foot, silver-colored statues all depict the Cleveland native with his arms outstretched, with blue and red lights shining eerily through empty eye sockets and a gaping mouth.

    After the first statue appeared in Paris at the Place de la Bourse, the French news agency AFP described it as depicting the rapper in a “demonic posture,” and said that his management reported it was due to start blaring music from the new 21-track album later in the day.

    The Long Beach version of the 39-year-old Grammy winner’s likeness appeared on a barge in Alamitos Bay on Friday morning, according to a statement city officials posted on social media. Officials said the statue was for a “private promotional event at a local business,” but that it could be seen from any city beach along the coast.

    After leaving the bay, the Cudi-carrying barge floated up and down the Long Beach shoreline till Friday evening, the city said. Over the weekend, it’s scheduled to pass by Redondo, Marina Del Rey, Santa Monica and Malibu, the Long Beach Post reported.

    The new album the statue is promoting officially dropped on Friday, featuring collaborations with Travis Scott, Pharrell Williams and ASAP Rocky. According to AFP, it also includes a sample from the 1990s smash hit “The Sign” by Ace of Base.

    “The responses to the album have been overwhelming,” the the rapper wrote on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter. “I put my all into this album.”

    Keri Blakinger

    Source link

  • Ice Cube Addresses ‘Friday After Next’ Rape Scene Claim and Movie Pay Following Trending Katt Williams Interview

    Ice Cube Addresses ‘Friday After Next’ Rape Scene Claim and Movie Pay Following Trending Katt Williams Interview

    Ice Cube is responding to comments made by comedian, writer and actor Katt Williams about the pay, casting and an alleged rape scene in the Friday franchise.

    The rapper and producer took to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, on Friday to address several statements made during Williams’ recent interview on former NFL star Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast. In a nine-minute video, Ice Cube said he had “a lot of love for Katt,” who “spoke up for me a lot,” but he “wanted to be clear to clarify some things.”

    That includes denying he would film a rape scene after Williams told Sharpe that he had pushed for the removal of a sexual assault sequence from Friday After Next. “I would never shoot a rape scene in a movie, especially Friday, where you actually see this happening on camera. That ain’t my style,” Ice Cube said. “The plier joke was always in the script. We would never ever show that. That’s not my style if you look at any of my movies. So, that was never a discussion.”

    The scene Ice Cube references sees Williams’ pimp Money Mike cornered in a bathroom by Terry Crews’ Damon, a man recently out of prison who has been lording over Craig (Ice Cube) and Day-Day (Mike Epps) for rent money. During his interview with Sharpe, Williams said “Money Mike, in the original script, got raped in the bathroom” — something he advocated should be cut.

    “The problem with Friday After Next is we’re trying to make a classic comedy, and this comedy involves a rape, and rape is never funny no matter who it happens to or what the circumstances are,” he said. Williams added that he told filmmakers that “if you would allow me, allow us to do this movie without a Black man getting raped in it, I promise you it will be twice as funny.”

    The comedian told Sharpe his ask was “risky” as it was his very first movie, but said he had to “humbly, respectfully” request the change “in front of the studios and the cast and the powers that be.”

    “If we’re talking about anything else, I have no credibility and I have no pull, but we’re talking about comedy, where I have all the credibility and all the pull,” he continued.

    Ice Cube called this a “discrepancy” in how he and Williams remembered things. “At that point in everybody’s career, we will listen to a certain extent, but we wasn’t gonna change the movie for it. For any actor, you know?” he said in the video. “We do what we feel and if it was a rape scene, it would have been in the movie. There was no reason not to shoot it. But that’s not my style.”

    During his nearly three-hour interview, Williams also addressed those who have been critical of how much they were paid to appear in the Friday franchise, calling them “ungrateful bastards.”

    “What do you mean the independent Black dude who’s filming it partly out of his fucking pocket — what do you mean he didn’t pay you enough?” he said.

    Ice Cube added to Williams’ response, noting that most of the budget for the Friday films went into the film itself. “Most of these guys worked a couple of days. When you’re doing a movie, there’s over 100 people working on the movie that need to get paid. Most of them got to get paid every day. There’s pre-production and post-production. Even after you finish with the acting, you gotta pay editors and sound people in,” he said.

    “And my movies are all about quality, so most of the money go up on the screen,” he continued. “I’m not giving you low budget shit you can laugh at because it’s so cheap.”

    At another point in his nine-minute video, Ice Cube addressed Williams’ writing credits on the Friday threequel, after Williams told Sharpe he had been approached by the rapper and producer to write a fourth installment. Without confirming Williams’ claim that he was asked to script a new chapter, Ice Cube credits Williams’ for enhancing the role of Money Mike that was on the page.

    “Money Mike had a small role, about as big as the Santa Claus role, but when we started filming, [Williams] was giving us such magic that we kept expanding his role and giving me more to do because he was on point,” he explained. “But we shoot to script. Once we get what we need from the script, we let the comedians ad lib, riff, play with the words — do they thing. We give them two, three takes where they can go off and do what they feel.”

    He also clarifies the history around casting Williams as robber Santa Claus in Friday After Next and Williams as pimp Money Mike. In 2022, Rickey Smiley, the comedian who portrayed Friday After Next robber Santa Claus told the Pierre’s Panic Room podcast he “was supposed to be the pimp and Katt Williams was supposed to be the Santa Claus.”

    Williams addressed Smiley while talking to Sharpe, telling the former NFL player, “I can tell you this, we auditioned in Los Angeles. I was audition No. 201. Two hundred Black comedians auditioned for the role of Money Mike with me.”

    “[Smiley] told everybody it should have been my role,” Williams added. “So considering that’s the real story, why would you bring up that story? Thirty-five members of the cast have never brought up that Rickey Smiley was going to play Money Mike.”

    According to Ice Cube, “Ricky did give Money Mike a shot, but when we saw him and … how he moved and how he was auditioning, we decided that he would be a better Santa Claus, which was to me the perfect casting. When we saw Katt, when I saw him, I just knew that he was perfect for Money Mike.”

    Abbey White

    Source link

  • Pedestrian struck and killed by LAPD patrol car

    Pedestrian struck and killed by LAPD patrol car

    A pedestrian died after he was hit by an LAPD patrol car in Los Angeles on Friday evening, authorities said.

    The crash was reported shortly after 5 p.m. at Century Boulevard and McKinley Avenue, Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Tony Im said. An ambulance was requested for the pedestrian, who was not conscious or breathing, he said.

    The man died at the scene, Im said.

    An ambulance also was requested for a 30-year-old officer, who suffered pain to her body and was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Im said.

    Additional details about the crash were not available.

    The incident remained under investigation, Im said.

    Alex Wigglesworth

    Source link

  • President Biden to visit L.A. for Hollywood fundraiser: Brace yourself for traffic headaches

    President Biden to visit L.A. for Hollywood fundraiser: Brace yourself for traffic headaches

    President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden plan this weekend to attend a fundraiser hosted by Hollywood elites that is likely to make L.A.’s notoriously bad traffic even worse — but authorities have yet to offer advanced warning to help motorists avoid the expected road closures.

    The First Couple plans to address prominent donors supporting Biden’s reelection bid for 2024 at an undisclosed location on Friday. Notable hosts for the event include directors Steven Spielberg and Rob Reiner.

    Biden is scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles via Los Angeles International Airport on Friday for a two-day visit, departing on Sunday at an undisclosed time.

    “For security reasons, there is no advance announcement to the public regarding ramp closures related to a visit by a U.S. president or vice president,” said Caltrans spokesperson Marc Bischoff. “The LAPD or other enforcement personnel make rolling closures at ramps along a motorcade route, with no advance announcement to the public.”

    Bischoff recommends that motorists check traffic information, including the Caltrans website, prior to leaving for their destination.

    In March, Biden visited the site of a mass shooting at Monterey Park, triggering several street closures and limits on parking around the site of his visit.

    In June, Los Angeles hosted Biden and leaders from the Western Hemisphere for the ninth Summit of the Americas, an event that also created traffic headaches for motorists for six days in downtown L.A. and near Los Angeles International Airport.

    Airport officials have confirmed that Van Nuys and Burbank airports will remain open during the president’s visit but will implement temporary flight restrictions. A representative from Burbank noted that flight restrictions would be in effect Saturday and Sunday.

    Although officials did not confirm whether these restrictions were in response to the president’s visit, the precautions align with his scheduled time in Los Angeles.

    Anthony De Leon

    Source link

  • Suspect arrested in killings of three L.A. homeless people

    Suspect arrested in killings of three L.A. homeless people

    Less than 24 hours after news broke that a serial predator might be targeting some of Los Angeles’ most vulnerable residents, police on Saturday announced the arrest of a suspect linked to the homicides of three homeless men across the city in the past week.

    Jerrid Joseph Powell, 33, is accused of walking up to men in three different Los Angeles neighborhoods over a four-day span, killing each for no apparent reason, Police Chief Michel Moore said Saturday.

    Moore described the killings as “senseless” and said footage of at least one homicide shows Powell acting borderline indifferent as he takes a man’s life.

    “It was chilling and I’ve been in this work for four-plus decades,” Moore said of the Monday killing of Mark Diggs. “The cold-blooded manner in which he walks up and shoots this individual without any hesitation, no interactions.”

    Powell was arrested Wednesday night by Beverly Hills police after his car was linked to the Sunday killing of 42-year-old Nicholas Simbolon in San Dimas. Powell allegedly robbed Simbolon at his home and shot him in what authorities have termed a “follow home robbery.” Simbolon, who worked for the L.A. County chief executive’s office, is survived by his wife, his mother and two sons, officials said.

    Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said a 2024 BMW belonging to Powell was spotted at the scene of Simbolon’s slaying, and Beverly Hills police spotted the car and arrested Powell after a traffic stop late Wednesday.

    Moore said investigators linked the car to the killings of the homeless victims, though he didn’t say how, and confirmed that a handgun recovered during Powell’s arrest has been tied to all four shootings.

    The announcement came less than 24 hours after city officials said that a killer was “preying on the unhoused” during a Friday news conference. Moore said each victim was shot as they slept or was about to lie down.

    While Powell was already in custody before Friday’s news conference, Moore said Saturday that investigators did not definitively connect him to the killings of the homeless victims until sometime “in the last 16 hours.”

    A motive remains unclear. Moore said it appeared that the gunman was attacking homeless people who were isolated from groups. None of the homeless victims appear to have been robbed. It also does not appear Powell knew Simbolon or the homeless men.

    Powell has a lengthy criminal history, including felony convictions, according to Moore, who said police are looking for additional victims. Moore said investigators will try to reconstruct Powell’s movements to see if he left “a path of destruction behind him that we have not yet determined.”

    Authorities said the first shooting happened at 3:10 a.m. on Sunday in South L.A., when 37-year-old Jose Bolanos was found dead in an alleyway near 110th Street and Vermont Avenue. Bolanos was sleeping on a couch when he was shot, Moore said.

    Roughly 24 hours later, Diggs, 62, was shot in the 600 block of Mateo Street in the Arts District. Diggs was pushing a shopping cart and had stopped to plug in his phone, according to Moore, who said the victim was about to go to sleep when the assailant opened fire.

    The third shooting occurred Wednesday around 2:30 a.m. near Avenue 18 and Pasadena Avenue in the Lincoln Heights area, where the body of a 52-year-old Latino man was discovered. Police have not released the man’s identity yet, pending notification of his family.

    The shootings came to light Friday hours before a gunman shot five homeless people beneath a Las Vegas freeway overpass, authorities said. One man died of his injuries and another was in critical condition. The other victims were listed as stable, police said. No one has been arrested in that case.

    Murder charges are expected to be filed early next week, according to Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascón. He said prosecutors will consider filing special circumstances enhancements in the case. If that happens, Powell would face life in prison without the possibility of parole.

    The spasm of violence sparked immediate concern among the city’s homeless populations and those who minister to people living on the city’s streets. In an emergency meeting with outreach coordinators and service providers on Friday afternoon, LAPD officials asked advocates to urge people to either seek shelter space for the night or at least stay in groups until the killer was caught.

    News of the suspect’s arrest on Saturday made Jose Fajardo, 64, feel more at ease.

    “This is good news,” he said, smiling. “For those of us living outdoors, it gives us a sense of peace knowing he’s been caught.”

    Fajardo was unaware of the killings until a Times reporter informed him about it Friday night. He lives in the Vermont Vista neighborhood, where the first homicide occurred six days ago.

    The killings made him rethink scavenging for recyclables Saturday morning, since the slayings often took place during the early hours of the day. Instead, he slept in.

    Not far from where Fajardo stayed, 41-year-old Eric Muñoz was sweeping trash outside of his RV. He said he was an acquaintance of Bolanos, the man killed near 110th and Vermont.

    “He was cool and never got into arguments with people and would try to avoid conflicts,” Muñoz said. “He often spoke about his family, his daughter and how he wanted to get his life in order and return to them. I told him do it, just go and do it. ”

    Hearing of the arrest Saturday afternoon, Muñoz nodded in approval.

    “I’m glad they got the person,” he said. “Give him the chair.”

    But the arrest did not make Muñoz feel any safer. He’s always on alert, and the killings made him worry that someone could easily attack him while he’s sweeping the area outside of his RV.

    “I stay here with my girlfriend, they can also just get in the RV and do something,” he said, pointing to a side window of the vehicle. “Someone already broke a window, so you never know. I’m always on alert.”

    In Little Tokyo, 46-year-old Amber Schoen had just returned to her tent after washing her clothes when her sister drove up and rushed toward her.

    “She didn’t say hi or anything, she just immediately said, ‘I want you to know there’s a serial killer on a mad rampage killing people who are sleeping on the ground,’” Schoen said. “She just wanted me to be careful.”

    Schoen was relieved to hear of the arrest, but said she knows she needs to remain vigilant sleeping on the street.

    “You can’t let the foot off the gas, so to speak,” she said. “I try to stay in my tent at night and not go out.”

    Times staff writer Richard Winton and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

    James Queally, Ruben Vives

    Source link

  • After 24 days, officials declare Tustin hangar fire 'fully extinguished'

    After 24 days, officials declare Tustin hangar fire 'fully extinguished'

    Officials in Orange County declared Friday that the Tustin hangar fire is “fully extinguished” after 24 days, calling the blaze “one of the most challenging structure fires in the county’s history.”

    “I am pleased to inform the public that the final hotspot at the Navy Hangar Fire has been extinguished,” Steve Dohman, Orange County’s All-Hazards Incident Management Team incident commander, said in a statement. “With all hotspots now declared out, the work to safely lower the hangar doors can begin, and the Navy can start removing debris from its site.”

    The cause of the fire, which began in the early morning hours of Nov. 7 at the now-defunct Marine Corps Air Station in Tustin, remains under investigation.

    An 80-year-old relic of Orange County’s military history, the massive 17-story wooden hangar became an environmental nightmare as the fire reignited several times, forcing the closure of nearby schools and shuttering residents inside their homes as the blaze released asbestos, lead and other toxins into the air.

    Fire officials at one point determined the safest option was to allow the blaze to burn itself out, afraid that dropping thousands of gallons of water onto the structure would farther spread the debris and toxic particles.

    As of Friday, officials estimated that cleanup of nearby schools, parks, open space and public rights of way was 90% complete and that more than 50% of residential properties have been inspected with 35% cleared.

    Local officials advised residents who are concerned about debris to contact a certified asbestos contractor and their homeowners insurance company.

    “The residents and businesses in the area who have been impacted by this fire now need the full accountability of the Navy and the support of the Governor’s Office and FEMA to help our City and our community financially recover,” Tustin Mayor Austin Lumbard said in a statement.

    The north hangar was one of two massive wooden structures used by the military during World War II and later served as sets for the TV show “Star Trek” and the film “Pearl Harbor.” The hangars once housed military helicopters and blimps armed with machine guns and bombs.

    Taryn Luna

    Source link

  • Newport Beach police probe allegations NBA’s Josh Giddey had relationship with minor

    Newport Beach police probe allegations NBA’s Josh Giddey had relationship with minor

    Newport Beach police have launched an inquiry into NBA player Josh Giddey after allegations surfaced on social media that he had an inappropriate relationship with a minor, authorities confirmed Tuesday.

    Police provided few details about the ongoing investigation but said it involved a minor and that detectives were looking into whether a crime had occurred, said Sgt. Steve Oberon of the Newport Beach Police Department.

    The police inquiry comes after the NBA said Friday the league had begun its own investigation into whether Giddey, who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder, had a relationship with a minor, CBS Sports reported.

    An NBA spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

    Questions about Giddey’s possible involvement with a minor first emerged on the social media platform X, where pictures and videos began to spread online.

    The images of Giddey with a female, who is allegedly underage, circulated online during Thanksgiving weekend.

    Giddey declined to address the allegations on Friday.

    “I understand the question, obviously, but no comment right now,” he said.

    Giddey, 21, is from Australia and is known to train in the Irvine area at times.

    Salvador Hernandez

    Source link

  • D&D’s best adventures are buy 2, get 1 free at Amazon and Target

    D&D’s best adventures are buy 2, get 1 free at Amazon and Target

    Dungeons & Dragons will launch a revised 5th edition ruleset in 2024, promising full compatibility with existing adventures. That makes now a great time to pick up a few great campaigns for Black Friday. The biggest deals this year come in bulk, with buy 2, get 1 free sales at both Target and Amazon. But Amazon has already discounted some excellent books that make great standalone purchases — including highly-recommended adventures like Curse of Strahd and Tyranny of Dragons, which are both at seasonal low prices.

    Another huge draw is Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen Deluxe Edition, which bundles the excellent new Dragonlance campaign book with the exciting Dragonlance: Warriors of Krynn board game co-designed by Rob Daviau (Pandemic Legacy, Ticket to Ride Legacy: Legends of the West). Priced at $69.99, that’s a more than 45% discount over the original $155 price tag that Wizards placed on pre-orders. Alternately, you could pick up the Warriors of Krynn board game by itself, which has also been discounted down to $50.99.

    Finally, WizKid’s newest over-the-top terrain set is called The Watchtower, and it only just started shipping this week. It’s a modular headquarters ready to become your gaming group’s bastion — or the setting for your campaign’s most climactic encounters. Originally priced at $289.99, it’s now down to $217.49.

    Here’s what else we found:

    D&D discounts at Amazon

    Buy 2, get 1 free D&D deals at Amazon

    Buy 2, get 1 free D&D deals at Target


    Keys From the Golden Vault

    Prices taken at time of publishing.

    D&D’s latest anthology of adventures, this collection of 13 heist-centric adventures can be played as stand-alone sessions or as part of an episodic campaign.

    Other D&D gift ideas

    • The Watchtower, a modular miniature tower, pre-painted and ready to be your gaming group’s bastion, has been discounted down to $217.49 (was $289.99)

    Looking for more deals? Check out all of Polygon’s favorite Black Friday 2023 deals.

    Charlie Hall

    Source link

  • Woman killed, child seriously injured in South Los Angeles crash

    Woman killed, child seriously injured in South Los Angeles crash

    Police on Friday were continuing to investigate why a car crashed into two pedestrians in South Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon, leaving a woman dead and a girl seriously injured.

    Around 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, a car was exiting a private property near the intersection of 83rd Street and Western Avenue when it struck a vehicle heading south on Western, said Officer Melissa Ohana, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department.

    The car that had been struck then collided with two pedestrians on the sidewalk, a 26-year-old woman and an 8-year-old girl, Ohana said. The woman died at the scene. The child was taken to a hospital, where she remained Friday in critical condition. Ohana said the relationship between the two victims wasn’t clear.

    The driver of the car that initiated the chain of collisions, a 58-year-old man, was hospitalized in stable condition. Ohana said it wasn’t clear if alcohol or another intoxicant was a factor in the crash, but she added that detectives will take that into account as part of their investigation.

    The driver of the car that struck the woman and child was not hospitalized, Ohana said.

    Matthew Ormseth

    Source link

  • Books, movies, vinyl, and more are buy two, get one free at Target

    Books, movies, vinyl, and more are buy two, get one free at Target

    Target is hosting one of the best promotions we’ve seen yet during Black Friday — and that’s saying something, given how good these early Black Friday deals are. Through Nov. 25, virtually all books, movies, and music in the retailer’s catalog are buy two, get one free. Just add three items to your cart, and the least expensive item is free. The only exceptions are pre-order items and new releases that came out this week.

    There is a wide array of products that are eligible during this sale, including 4K movies, manga box sets, art books, and vinyl, so we’ve rounded up some recommendations from each category we think you’ll like. However, if you’re not moved by our picks, you can head over to Target’s Black Friday deals page to check out the wares yourself.

    Target book deals

    • A hardcover, leatherbound box set of the Game of Thrones saga is on sale for $62.16 (was $85).
    • The hardcover collection of The Complete Calvin and Hobbes is currently available for $225. The three-book set features every Calvin and Hobbes cartoon penned by Bill Watterson from 1985 to 1996.
    • Normally $219.99, you can currently find the 35th Anniversary box set of Akira on sale for $127.99. The clever clamshell case holds six hardcover volumes of the manga in addition to the Akira Club art book and an embroidered patch sporting the iconic pill design.
    • The three-book Silo Series by Hugh Howey (the very same stories that inspired the Apple TV Plus show) is currently on sale for $40.99 (was $60).
    • While they aren’t exactly game-ready references, The Dungeons & Dragons Young Adventurers Collection is a great, stat-block-free, introduction to the world of D&D. The four-book box set is currently on sale at Target for $23.49 (was $32.99).
    • The $99.99, 11-volume box set of Chainsaw Man is currently on sale at Target for $59.99.

    Target graphic novel deals

    • Thought to be in permanent retirement, Calvin and Hobbes author Bill Watterson returned with his first original work in over 28 years, The Mysteries. A hardcover copy of The Mysteries is currently available from Target for $16.57 (was $19.99).
    • Normally $39.99, you can currently find the first and second volumes of the Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Omnibus for just $31.99 each at Target. Each hardcover book features a collection of short works by Matt Groening and a variety of other talented illustrators.
    • Dune is an amazing work of science fiction, but it can be a bit dense. However, the three-volume graphic novel adaptation cuts through some of that with some excellent illustrations courtesy of Raul Allen and Patricia Martin. The first two volumes, Dune and Muad’dib, are each currently available from Target, with the final volume launching in June.

    Target art book deals

    • The Star Wars Archives: 1977-1983 is a massive 604-page tome containing concept art, set photos, and script pages to provide insightful commentary on the original Star Wars trilogy. The paperback version is available for $32 at Target.
    • Star Wars Art: Ralph McQuarrie is a two-volume, hardcover compendium of McQuarrie’s work, showing off his conceptual paintings and costume designs, along with several exclusive illustrations and commentaries on each piece. This box set is currently on sale at Target for $210.99 (was $300).


    Star Wars Art: Ralph McQuarrie

    Prices taken at time of publishing.

    This two-volume compendium of McQuarrie’s work shows off his conceptual paintings and costume designs, along with several exclusive illustrations and commentaries on each piece.

    • A hardcover-bound visual collection of the complete works of Studio Ghibli is currently on sale at Target for $22.49 (was $34.95). The 160-page book features concepts and stills from 26 films from the house of Miyazaki.

    Target movie deals

    • The Fifth Element is essential viewing for sci-fi fans who also get a kick out of anything that has Bruce Willis in it. Target is currently offering the 4K Blu-ray version of The Fifth Element with a Steelbook case for $29.99.
    • The 4K Blu-ray version of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, the inaugural animated feature starring The Dark Knight (that still really holds up), is currently available from Target for $23.49.
    • The 40th anniversary edition of Ridley Scott’s earliest hit, Alien, is currently available in 4K Blu-ray format from Target for $18.99.
    • The summer’s pinkest existential crisis caught on film, Barbie, is now available in 4K Blu-ray format from Target for $24.99.

    Target music deals

    • The quintessential Danny Elfman opus, The Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack, is currently available on vinyl from Target for $29.97.
    • I can’t tell you what the plot of Tron Legacy was, but I can tell you that Daft Punk provided nothing but bangers for the soundtrack. Right now, you can get the original soundtrack on vinyl at Target for $24.99.
    • It’s difficult to point to a singular work of composer John Williams, but The Empire Strikes Back is inarguably one of his best. This single LP captures the majesty of the National Philharmonic Orchestra in the way only vinyl can. Currently, you can pick up this soundtrack from Target for $29.99.
    • Hans Zimmer, the composer responsible for the scores for countless epic films, teamed up with the Odessa Orchestra and Choir to record some of his most famous pieces for a vinyl set. The four-LP vinyl box set available from Target includes pieces from Gladiator, Dune, Interstellar, and more.
    • Inarguably the pinkest album of the year, the Barbie soundtrack pressed onto bubblegum-colored vinyl is available from Target for $27.99.

    Alice Newcome-Beill

    Source link

  • Every Xbox console is at least $50 off for Black Friday

    Every Xbox console is at least $50 off for Black Friday

    If you’ve been waiting for a Black Friday price cut on the Xbox Series X or Series S, Best Buy, GameStop, and Target have knocked $50 off the standard price of either console, discounting the Series X to $449.99, and the Series S to $249.99. The Diablo 4 Xbox Series X bundle at Walmart and Microsoft is even cheaper at $439.99.

    But before you buy, take note that some retailers have better bonuses than others. At Best Buy, the discounted Series X comes with a $50 Best Buy gift card. And, if you happen to be a member of My Best Buy Plus (a $50 annual service), you can get another $50 off the total, resulting in a final cost of just $399.99 for the console.

    Target is offering a slightly sweeter deal on top of the $50 discount. If you buy any Xbox Series X that it has in stock, you’ll also get a $75 Target gift card.

    Alice Newcome-Beill

    Source link

  • Black Friday deals are live at Amazon, Best Buy, and other retailers

    Black Friday deals are live at Amazon, Best Buy, and other retailers

    Black Friday is here, and it needs no introduction, right? We’ve already gotten warmed up with heaps of early Black Friday deals, but now the main course has arrived first at Amazon and Best Buy before other retailers get fully underway at various points throughout the coming week. We’ll be updating this article frequently with new products, and as many more retailers (both online and in the real world) begin to slash prices with the hopes that you’ll do your shopping there. Who’s next? Target and Best Buy each have some new deals starting this weekend, so stay tuned.

    There’s a little something for everyone below, and unsurprisingly there’s a lot more on the way next week for actual Black Friday. But in case your interests are more specific, we’ve got you covered with dedicated posts on board game deals (featuring dozens more than is listed below), and the best deals on gaming hardware like SSDs and monitors.

    • Take a short hike through the East Sea Road in Japan with Tokaido, a lovely little board game that’s available from Amazon for $24.76 (was $39.99).
    • If Age of Empires were a deck-building game, you’d have 7 Wonders. Typically available for $59.99, you can currently pick up a copy from Amazon for $40.


    Tokaido

    Prices taken at time of publishing.

    • Descent: Legends of the Dark features a ton of unpainted miniatures, and a lengthy, interconnected campaign designed for one to four players. This massive game is usually $174.95 but is currently discounted to $87.48 at Amazon.
    • Azul, the beautiful tile-matching game is currently discounted to $21.70 at Amazon (was $39.99).
    • Concept, a favorite of Polygon’s Overboard team, is $31.49 (was $44.99)


    Concept

    Prices taken at time of publishing.

    Leon S Kennedy parries a chainsaw with a knife in a screenshot from the Resident Evil 4 remake

    Image: Capcom

    Best video game Black Friday deals

    • Assassin’s Creed Mirage for PS5 and Xbox Series X is $39.99 (was $49.99). This game recently launched, and beyond being a solid game that has a more reduced scope, it’s hard not to also love its cheaper debut price, which is considerably less than the industry average (and now, even cheaper thanks to Black Friday).
    • You can already get $20 off the Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1 for every platform at Best Buy and Amazon. It costs $39.99 (was $59.99).
    • Lords of the Fallen (2024) is $49.99 (was $69.99) for PS5 and Xbox Series X from Best Buy.
    • Lies of P for PS5 and Xbox Series X is $49.99 (was $59.99) at Best Buy. This memorable game breaks the mold of being just another Soulslike title by blending the tale of Pinocchio with horror elements. Best of all, it’s fun to play, and its unique weapon system is something that fans of the subgenre should check out.

    Pinocchio stares out at the ruins of the city of Krat in Lies of P


    Lies of P

    Prices taken at time of publishing.

    • Elden Ring is $39.99 (was $59.99) for PS5 and Xbox at Best Buy. From Software’s stunning 2022 open-world title remains a must-play, especially before its anticipated “Shadow of the Erdtree” expansion arrives. Note: The Xbox version of Elden Ring costs just $24.99 at GameStop. On PS4 (which allows a free update to the PS5 version if you have a disc-based console), it’s just $19.99 at GameStop.
    • Remnant 2 for the Xbox Series X and PS5 is $39.99 (was $49.99) at Best Buy. This tough, yet rewarding third-person shooter allows single player as well as groups of up to 3 to trove loot-filled environments.
    • Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are typically $59.99 each, but you can pick up either title from GameStop for $29.99.
    • God of War Ragnarök is $34.99 for PS5 at Best Buy and Amazon, easily sailing past the lowest price we’d seen for the game.
    • Fire Emblem Engage for the Switch is $34.99 (was $59.99) at Amazon. Building off the incredible Fire Emblem: Three Houses was never going to be easy, but Intelligent Systems delivered the goods in Engage, a game focused more on battle than on relationships.
    • The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition for Xbox Series X is just $19.99 (was $39.99) at GameStop.
    • Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is $34.99 (was $69.99) at Best Buy.
    • Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged for PS5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch is $34.99 (was $49.99) at Amazon and Best Buy.
    • Octopath Traveler 2 for the PS5 is $29.99 (was $59.99) at GameStop.
    • The physical version of Red Dead Redemption for PS4 (also playable on PS5) is $29.99 at Best Buy (was $49.99). In case you’ve always wanted a PS4 disc copy of one of the PS3 era’s defining games, albeit with very few modern updates, you can now buy it. Since launch, Rockstar Games added a 60 frames per second mode you can turn on while playing the game on PS5.
    • Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core Reunion, the reimagined version of Square Enix’s tough-to-access PSP title, is $29.99 (was $49.99) at Best Buy and Amazon. It’s available for PS4, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. The best deal of all is at GameStop, where you can grab it for PlayStation or Xbox for $24.99.
    • Super Mega Baseball 4 is $19.99 (was $29.99) at Best Buy. If you like baseball even a little bit, don’t sleep on this title, even if you aren’t particularly sold on its exaggerated art style. SMB delivers baseball that’s easier to pick up and put down than the major sports titles.
    • Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is $34.99 at Best Buy and Amazon. The sequel to Jedi: Fallen Order delivers more of that good stuff in terms of combat, story, and solid character development. Remember: this game will be $30 at Walmart starting on Nov. 22, in case it’s worth it to you to save a couple bucks.
    • Wild Hearts is $19.99 (was $49.99) at Best Buy. In this third-person action game, which Polygon’s review described as Monster Hunter meets Death Stranding, you’re getting a huge amount of bang for your buck during Black Friday especially.
    • Dead Space for Xbox Series X and PS5 is $34.99 (was $69.99) at Best Buy. Note: this title is currently available on Xbox Game Pass, in case you have a subscription to that.
    • Forspoken for PS5 is $19.99 at Amazon (was $69.99)

    A graphic composed of Diablo 4 art with an Xbox Series X console next to its box in the foreground.

    Image: Microsoft

    Best gaming hardware Black Friday deals

    Xbox deals

    • All Xbox consoles are $50 off. This includes Xbox Series X consoles at Best Buy, which sell for $449.99 and come with a free $50 gift card. At Target, the Series X is $449.99 and includes a $75 gift card through Nov. 18. GameStop is honoring the same deals, but without gift cards included.

    two Spider-Mans — Miles Morales and Peter Parker — looking upward in Spider-Man 2

    Image: Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

    PlayStation deals

    • At multiple retailers, you can get one of Sony’s new, slimmer PS5 consoles for $499.99 (its regular cost) that comes bundled with either Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 or Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 for no extra cost (a $69.99 value).
    • At multiple retailers including Best Buy, Walmart, and GameStop, you can get a Sony DualSense wireless controller for PS5 and PC for $49.99 or a little less (was $69.99, and in some cases, special edition colors were $74.99).

    Nintendo

    Switch deals

    • If you’re planning to buy a Nintendo Switch this holiday, and have your sights set on the standard $299.99 model, make sure you get this holiday Switch bundle that also includes Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and three months of Nintendo’s Switch Online service for no extra cost.
    • Are you a fan of Super Smash Bros.? On Nov. 19, Nintendo will begin to sell a new Switch OLED bundle that includes Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for no extra charge.

    A photo of the Alienware QD-OLED AW3423DW curved gaming monitor sitting on a white desk, connected to a gaming laptop. The game Deathloop is showing on its screen.

    Photo: Amelia Holowaty Krales/The Verge

    PC deals


    Alienware 34-inch QHD AW3423DWF

    Prices taken at time of publishing.

    Alienware’s AW3423DWF gaming monitor features a curved QD-OLED screen, which provides amazing picture quality and contrast. Its fast 165 Hz refresh rate works with PC games, and it supports up to 100 Hz with consoles.

    • For something smaller, Asus makes a 27-inch 1440p OLED gaming monitor that typically costs $999.99. It’s on sale at B&H Photo right now for just $629.99. This product features a 240 Hz refresh rate panel.
    • If you have an appetite for an even wider, bigger OLED gaming monitor, Best Buy has the best price on LG’s 45-inch curved 1440p monitor. Normally $1,699.99, if you sign up for My Best Buy Plus or Total, it’ll knock $700 off the total. At $999.99, there’s never been a better price.
    • OK, we’re going to keep getting bigger here. Samsung’s 49-inch curved Odyssey G9 OLED gaming monitor is $999.99 (was $1,599.99) at Amazon. This model has a 240 Hz refresh rate and a very fast response time, just like the LG 45-inch UltraGear OLED above, but its slightly bigger size results in even more of a glorious desk hog.
    • Logitech’s G Pro X Superlight wireless gaming mouse is currently discounted to $109.99 at Amazon (was $159.99). This is one of the lightest mice on the market, making it great for people who don’t want a heavy mouse to hold back their reflexes.
    • The wired version of the Logitech G502 X gaming mouse is on sale for $59.99 through Amazon (was $79.99). This is a great mouse for people who want to have many buttons.

    VR deals

    • The Black Friday deal on the Meta Quest 2 is live at GameStop, Amazon, Walmart, and at Best Buy, knocking $50 off the cost. The deal will kick on at Target on Nov. 19, and to make it sweeter, you’ll get a $50 gift card with purchase.

    The back of the Oculus Rift 2 headset, showing the new cloth strap


    Meta Quest 2 (128 GB)

    Prices taken at time of publishing.

    There’s currently no better wireless VR headset at this price point.

    Best entertainment Black Friday deals

    • Panasonic’s UB420-K and UB820-K 4K Blu-ray players are widely regarded as some of the best models you can currently buy, and now they’re down to their lowest retail prices. The UB420-K normally costs around $250, but it’s now $197.99 at Amazon (Best Buy is selling it for $199.99).

    The higher-end UB820-K is also on sale. In terms of hardware, it’s virtually identical to the 420-K model, except it can display Dolby Vision HDR in addition to other HDR supported by both models. Normally around $500, this model is $349.99 at both Amazon and Best Buy.

    • Through Dec. 4, Barnes & Noble is slashing prices on many Criterion Collection movies, including DVDs, Blu-rays, 4K Blu-rays, and even top-tier box sets. This semi-annual sale is the perfect time to pick up acclaimed movies from the modern era, as well as older must-see films that have been lovingly repackaged.
    • The 4K UHD version of the Super Mario Bros. Movie is currently available at Amazon and Best Buy for $9.99 (was $29.99). You can also pick up the Blu-ray version for the same price (was $19.99) in case you don’t have the right hardware to play 4K discs.


    The Super Mario Bros. Movie

    Prices taken at time of publishing.

    Own a copy of The Super Mario Bros. Movie so you can watch it as many times as you want.

    • The 4K Blu-ray version of James Cameron’s Titanic is $29.99 at Amazon, and it will launch on Dec. 5. This is a few dollars less than the cost at other retailers. If you want to go all out on the pricey collector’s edition, that version is $20 off at both Amazon and Best Buy.

    Best Black Friday Lego deals

    • The Lego version of the Atari 2600 (complete with cartridges and classic wood paneling) is currently discounted to $201.73 (was $239.99).
    • Normally, the 1,351-piece Lego Millennium Falcon is $169.99, but Amazon has discounted this set to $135.99. The lowest price we’ve seen yet for the ship that made the Kessel run in twelve parsecs.
    • Yet another Star Wars Lego set available for its lowest price ever, the 474-piece version of Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing is on sale for $37.49 at Amazon (was $49.99).
    • The Mario, Luigi, and Peach starter courses for Lego Super Mario are currently discounted to $47.99 at Amazon (were $59.99).


    Lego Super Mario Starter Course

    Prices taken at time of publishing.

    This is the Lego Super Mario set you need if you want to add all of Lego and Nintendo’s exciting expansion sets at a later date. This set includes an interactive Mario figure, a Goomba figure, Bowser Jr., and a buildable course.

    • The summer home of the royal house of Toadstool is typically priced at $129.99, but you can currently pick up the Peach’s Castle expansion set for Lego Super Mario at Amazon for $104.99.

    Alice Newcome-Beill

    Source link