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  • Anti-Trump protesters join ‘Free America’ walkout in downtown L.A. and across SoCal

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    On Tuesday afternoon, hundreds of protesters walked out of school and off the job to march in downtown Los Angeles and decry President Trump’s actions during his first year back in office.

    The “Free America Walkout” at Los Angeles City Hall was among dozens of rallies taking place across Southern California and the nation. The event was coordinated by the Women’s March and intended to demonstrate opposition to violent ICE raids, the increased presence of military personnel in cities, families harmed by Trump’s immigration policies and escalating attacks on transgender rights.

    Hundreds of protesters marched along Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena. Among the slogans on their signs: “Democracy doesn’t fear protest, dictators do” and “We choose freedom over facism.” Meanwhile, similar marches took place in Burbank, Long Beach and Santa Monica. Scores of students at Garfield and Roosevelt high schools in East L.A. ditched class to join the downtown rally.

    “I just don’t know if he’s [Trump] actually done anything that is positive,” downtown protester Mario Noguera told ABC7 News. “Everything’s been about depleting everything: resources, rights. I just don’t feel like we’re getting anywhere.”

    The walkout took place on the anniversary of Trump’s inauguration, an event he commemorated with a nearly two-hour news conference in which he called his first year in office “an amazing period of time” where his administration accomplished more than any other in history.

    “We have a book that I’m not going to read to you, but these are the accomplishments of what we’ve produced, page after page after page of individual things,” Trump said, holding up a thick stack of papers. “I could sit here, read it for a week, and we wouldn’t be finished.”

    Among the list of accomplishments he touted were his tariffs, his immigration crackdown, the economy and his actions in Gaza and Venezuela.

    The Free America Walkout began at 2 p.m. local time in cities across the U.S. and was designed to differ from mass weekend actions such as the No Kings protests by deliberately taking place during the workday.

    Organizers said that, whereas protests demonstrate collective anger, walkouts demonstrate collective power.

    “A walkout interrupts business as usual,” stated organizers. “It makes visible how much our labor, participation, and cooperation are taken for granted — and what happens when we withdraw them together.”

    In downtown L.A., protesters condemned the effects of ICE raids locally as well as in Minneapolis, where a federal agent recently shot and killed wife and mother Renee Good.

    Earlier this month, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Los Angeles as part of the “ICE Out for Good” weekend of action, a national protest movement in response to Good’s killing.

    Roxanne Hoge, chairman of the Republican Party of Los Angeles County, criticized the stream of local anti-Trump protests on Tuesday.

    “Their boring, predictable tantrums are now part of the L.A. landscape, much like the dilapidated RVs and dangerous encampments that their policies result in,” Hoge told the LA Daily News. “We are interested in good governance and public safety, and wish our Democrat friends would join us in advocating for both.”

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    Clara Harter

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  • At least 16 files have disappeared from the DOJ webpage for documents related to Jeffrey Epstein

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    At least 16 files disappeared from the Justice Department’s public webpage for documents related to Jeffrey Epstein — including a photograph showing President Donald Trump — less than a day after they were posted, with no explanation from the government and no notice to the public.Related video above: Justice Department’s partial release of Epstein files frustrates lawmakersThe missing files, which were available Friday and no longer accessible by Saturday, included images of paintings depicting nude women, and one showing a series of photographs along a credenza and in drawers. In that image, inside a drawer among other photos, was a photograph of Trump, alongside Epstein, Melania Trump and Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell.The Justice Department didn’t answer questions Saturday about why the files disappeared but said in a post on X that “photos and other materials will continue being reviewed and redacted consistent with the law in an abundance of caution as we receive additional information.”Online, the unexplained missing files fueled speculation about what was taken down and why the public was not notified, compounding long-standing intrigue about Epstein and the powerful figures who surrounded him. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee pointed to the missing image featuring a Trump photo in a post on X, writing: “What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public.”The episode deepened concerns that had already emerged from the Justice Department’s much-anticipated document release. The tens of thousands of pages made public offered little new insight into Epstein’s crimes or the prosecutorial decisions that allowed him to avoid serious federal charges for years, while omitting some of the most closely watched materials, including FBI interviews with victims and internal Justice Department memos on charging decisions.Scant new insight in the initial disclosuresSome of the most consequential records expected about Epstein are nowhere to be found in the Justice Department’s initial disclosures, which span tens of thousands of pages.Missing are FBI interviews with survivors and internal Justice Department memos examining charging decisions — records that could have helped explain how investigators viewed the case and why Epstein was allowed in 2008 to plead guilty to a relatively minor state-level prostitution charge.The gaps go further.The records, required to be released under a recent law passed by Congress, hardly reference several powerful figures long associated with Epstein, including Britain’s former Prince Andrew, renewing questions about who was scrutinized, who was not, and how much the disclosures truly advance public accountabilityAmong the fresh nuggets: insight into the Justice Department’s decision to abandon an investigation into Epstein in the 2000s, which enabled him to plead guilty to that state-level charge, and a previously unseen 1996 complaint accusing Epstein of stealing photographs of children.The releases so far have been heavy on images of Epstein’s homes in New York City and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with some photos of celebrities and politicians.There was a series of never-before-seen photos of former President Bill Clinton, but fleetingly few of Trump. Both have been associated with Epstein, but both have since disowned those friendships. Neither has been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, and there was no indication the photos played a role in the criminal cases brought against him.Despite a Friday deadline set by Congress to make everything public, the Justice Department said it plans to release records on a rolling basis. It blamed the delay on the time-consuming process of obscuring survivors’ names and other identifying information. The department has not given any notice when more records might arrive.That approach angered some Epstein accusers and members of Congress, who fought to pass the law forcing the department to act. Instead of marking the end of a yearslong battle for transparency, the document release Friday was merely the beginning of an indefinite wait for a complete picture of Epstein’s crimes and the steps taken to investigate them.”I feel like again the DOJ, the justice system is failing us,” said Marina Lacerda, who alleges Epstein started sexually abusing her at his New York City mansion when she was 14.Many of the long-anticipated records were redacted or lacked contextFederal prosecutors in New York brought sex trafficking charges against Epstein in 2019, but he killed himself in jail after his arrest.The documents just made public were a sliver of potentially millions of pages of records in the department’s possession. In one example, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Manhattan federal prosecutors had more than 3.6 million records from sex trafficking investigations into Epstein and Maxwell, though many duplicated material already turned over by the FBI.Many of the records released so far had been made public in court filings, congressional releases, or Freedom of Information Act requests, though, for the first time, they were all in one place and available for the public to search for free.Ones that were new were often lacking necessary context or heavily blacked out. A 119-page document marked “Grand Jury-NY,” likely from one of the federal sex trafficking investigations that led to the charges against Epstein in 2019 or Maxwell in 2021, was entirely blacked out.Trump’s Republican allies seized on the Clinton images, including photos of the Democrat with singers Michael Jackson and Diana Ross. There were also photos of Epstein with actors Chris Tucker and Kevin Spacey, and even Epstein with TV newscaster Walter Cronkite. But none of the photos had captions, and no explanation was given for why any of them were together.The meatiest records released so far showed that federal prosecutors had what appeared to be a strong case against Epstein in 2007, yet never charged him.Transcripts of grand jury proceedings, released publicly for the first time, included testimony from FBI agents who described interviews they had with several girls and young women who described being paid to perform sex acts for Epstein. The youngest was 14 and in ninth grade.One had told investigators about being sexually assaulted by Epstein when she initially resisted his advances during a massage.Another, then 21, testified before the grand jury about how Epstein had hired her when she was 16 to perform a sexual massage and how she had gone on to recruit other girls to do the same.”For every girl that I brought to the table, he would give me $200,” she said. They were mostly people she knew from high school, she said. “I also told them that if they are underage, just lie about it and tell him that you are 18.”The documents also contain a transcript of an interview Justice Department lawyers did more than a decade later with the U.S. attorney who oversaw the case, Alexander Acosta, about his ultimate decision not to bring federal charges.Acosta, who was labor secretary during Trump’s first term, cited concerns about whether a jury would believe Epstein’s accusers.He also said the Justice Department might have been more reluctant to make a federal prosecution out of a case that straddled the legal border between sex trafficking and soliciting prostitution, something more commonly handled by state prosecutors.”I’m not saying it was the right view,” Acosta added. He also said that the public today would likely view the survivors differently.”There’s been a lot of changes in victim shaming,” Acosta said.Associated Press journalists Ali Swenson, Christopher L. Keller, Aaron Kessler and Mike Catalini contributed to this report.

    NEW YORK (AP) —

    At least 16 files disappeared from the Justice Department’s public webpage for documents related to Jeffrey Epstein — including a photograph showing President Donald Trump — less than a day after they were posted, with no explanation from the government and no notice to the public.

    Related video above: Justice Department’s partial release of Epstein files frustrates lawmakers

    The missing files, which were available Friday and no longer accessible by Saturday, included images of paintings depicting nude women, and one showing a series of photographs along a credenza and in drawers. In that image, inside a drawer among other photos, was a photograph of Trump, alongside Epstein, Melania Trump and Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

    The Justice Department didn’t answer questions Saturday about why the files disappeared but said in a post on X that “photos and other materials will continue being reviewed and redacted consistent with the law in an abundance of caution as we receive additional information.”

    Online, the unexplained missing files fueled speculation about what was taken down and why the public was not notified, compounding long-standing intrigue about Epstein and the powerful figures who surrounded him. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee pointed to the missing image featuring a Trump photo in a post on X, writing: “What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public.”

    The episode deepened concerns that had already emerged from the Justice Department’s much-anticipated document release. The tens of thousands of pages made public offered little new insight into Epstein’s crimes or the prosecutorial decisions that allowed him to avoid serious federal charges for years, while omitting some of the most closely watched materials, including FBI interviews with victims and internal Justice Department memos on charging decisions.

    Scant new insight in the initial disclosures

    Some of the most consequential records expected about Epstein are nowhere to be found in the Justice Department’s initial disclosures, which span tens of thousands of pages.

    Missing are FBI interviews with survivors and internal Justice Department memos examining charging decisions — records that could have helped explain how investigators viewed the case and why Epstein was allowed in 2008 to plead guilty to a relatively minor state-level prostitution charge.

    The gaps go further.

    The records, required to be released under a recent law passed by Congress, hardly reference several powerful figures long associated with Epstein, including Britain’s former Prince Andrew, renewing questions about who was scrutinized, who was not, and how much the disclosures truly advance public accountability

    Among the fresh nuggets: insight into the Justice Department’s decision to abandon an investigation into Epstein in the 2000s, which enabled him to plead guilty to that state-level charge, and a previously unseen 1996 complaint accusing Epstein of stealing photographs of children.

    The releases so far have been heavy on images of Epstein’s homes in New York City and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with some photos of celebrities and politicians.

    There was a series of never-before-seen photos of former President Bill Clinton, but fleetingly few of Trump. Both have been associated with Epstein, but both have since disowned those friendships. Neither has been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, and there was no indication the photos played a role in the criminal cases brought against him.

    Despite a Friday deadline set by Congress to make everything public, the Justice Department said it plans to release records on a rolling basis. It blamed the delay on the time-consuming process of obscuring survivors’ names and other identifying information. The department has not given any notice when more records might arrive.

    That approach angered some Epstein accusers and members of Congress, who fought to pass the law forcing the department to act. Instead of marking the end of a yearslong battle for transparency, the document release Friday was merely the beginning of an indefinite wait for a complete picture of Epstein’s crimes and the steps taken to investigate them.

    “I feel like again the DOJ, the justice system is failing us,” said Marina Lacerda, who alleges Epstein started sexually abusing her at his New York City mansion when she was 14.

    Many of the long-anticipated records were redacted or lacked context

    Federal prosecutors in New York brought sex trafficking charges against Epstein in 2019, but he killed himself in jail after his arrest.

    The documents just made public were a sliver of potentially millions of pages of records in the department’s possession. In one example, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Manhattan federal prosecutors had more than 3.6 million records from sex trafficking investigations into Epstein and Maxwell, though many duplicated material already turned over by the FBI.

    Many of the records released so far had been made public in court filings, congressional releases, or Freedom of Information Act requests, though, for the first time, they were all in one place and available for the public to search for free.

    Ones that were new were often lacking necessary context or heavily blacked out. A 119-page document marked “Grand Jury-NY,” likely from one of the federal sex trafficking investigations that led to the charges against Epstein in 2019 or Maxwell in 2021, was entirely blacked out.

    Trump’s Republican allies seized on the Clinton images, including photos of the Democrat with singers Michael Jackson and Diana Ross. There were also photos of Epstein with actors Chris Tucker and Kevin Spacey, and even Epstein with TV newscaster Walter Cronkite. But none of the photos had captions, and no explanation was given for why any of them were together.

    The meatiest records released so far showed that federal prosecutors had what appeared to be a strong case against Epstein in 2007, yet never charged him.

    Transcripts of grand jury proceedings, released publicly for the first time, included testimony from FBI agents who described interviews they had with several girls and young women who described being paid to perform sex acts for Epstein. The youngest was 14 and in ninth grade.

    One had told investigators about being sexually assaulted by Epstein when she initially resisted his advances during a massage.

    Another, then 21, testified before the grand jury about how Epstein had hired her when she was 16 to perform a sexual massage and how she had gone on to recruit other girls to do the same.

    “For every girl that I brought to the table, he would give me $200,” she said. They were mostly people she knew from high school, she said. “I also told them that if they are underage, just lie about it and tell him that you are 18.”

    The documents also contain a transcript of an interview Justice Department lawyers did more than a decade later with the U.S. attorney who oversaw the case, Alexander Acosta, about his ultimate decision not to bring federal charges.

    Acosta, who was labor secretary during Trump’s first term, cited concerns about whether a jury would believe Epstein’s accusers.

    He also said the Justice Department might have been more reluctant to make a federal prosecution out of a case that straddled the legal border between sex trafficking and soliciting prostitution, something more commonly handled by state prosecutors.

    “I’m not saying it was the right view,” Acosta added. He also said that the public today would likely view the survivors differently.

    “There’s been a lot of changes in victim shaming,” Acosta said.

    Associated Press journalists Ali Swenson, Christopher L. Keller, Aaron Kessler and Mike Catalini contributed to this report.

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  • At least 16 files have disappeared from the DOJ webpage for documents related to Jeffrey Epstein

    [ad_1]

    At least 16 files disappeared from the Justice Department’s public webpage for documents related to Jeffrey Epstein — including a photograph showing President Donald Trump — less than a day after they were posted, with no explanation from the government and no notice to the public.Related video above: Justice Department’s partial release of Epstein files frustrates lawmakersThe missing files, which were available Friday and no longer accessible by Saturday, included images of paintings depicting nude women, and one showing a series of photographs along a credenza and in drawers. In that image, inside a drawer among other photos, was a photograph of Trump, alongside Epstein, Melania Trump and Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell.The Justice Department didn’t answer questions Saturday about why the files disappeared but said in a post on X that “photos and other materials will continue being reviewed and redacted consistent with the law in an abundance of caution as we receive additional information.”Online, the unexplained missing files fueled speculation about what was taken down and why the public was not notified, compounding long-standing intrigue about Epstein and the powerful figures who surrounded him. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee pointed to the missing image featuring a Trump photo in a post on X, writing: “What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public.”The episode deepened concerns that had already emerged from the Justice Department’s much-anticipated document release. The tens of thousands of pages made public offered little new insight into Epstein’s crimes or the prosecutorial decisions that allowed him to avoid serious federal charges for years, while omitting some of the most closely watched materials, including FBI interviews with victims and internal Justice Department memos on charging decisions.Scant new insight in the initial disclosuresSome of the most consequential records expected about Epstein are nowhere to be found in the Justice Department’s initial disclosures, which span tens of thousands of pages.Missing are FBI interviews with survivors and internal Justice Department memos examining charging decisions — records that could have helped explain how investigators viewed the case and why Epstein was allowed in 2008 to plead guilty to a relatively minor state-level prostitution charge.The gaps go further.The records, required to be released under a recent law passed by Congress, hardly reference several powerful figures long associated with Epstein, including Britain’s former Prince Andrew, renewing questions about who was scrutinized, who was not, and how much the disclosures truly advance public accountabilityAmong the fresh nuggets: insight into the Justice Department’s decision to abandon an investigation into Epstein in the 2000s, which enabled him to plead guilty to that state-level charge, and a previously unseen 1996 complaint accusing Epstein of stealing photographs of children.The releases so far have been heavy on images of Epstein’s homes in New York City and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with some photos of celebrities and politicians.There was a series of never-before-seen photos of former President Bill Clinton, but fleetingly few of Trump. Both have been associated with Epstein, but both have since disowned those friendships. Neither has been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, and there was no indication the photos played a role in the criminal cases brought against him.Despite a Friday deadline set by Congress to make everything public, the Justice Department said it plans to release records on a rolling basis. It blamed the delay on the time-consuming process of obscuring survivors’ names and other identifying information. The department has not given any notice when more records might arrive.That approach angered some Epstein accusers and members of Congress, who fought to pass the law forcing the department to act. Instead of marking the end of a yearslong battle for transparency, the document release Friday was merely the beginning of an indefinite wait for a complete picture of Epstein’s crimes and the steps taken to investigate them.”I feel like again the DOJ, the justice system is failing us,” said Marina Lacerda, who alleges Epstein started sexually abusing her at his New York City mansion when she was 14.Many of the long-anticipated records were redacted or lacked contextFederal prosecutors in New York brought sex trafficking charges against Epstein in 2019, but he killed himself in jail after his arrest.The documents just made public were a sliver of potentially millions of pages of records in the department’s possession. In one example, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Manhattan federal prosecutors had more than 3.6 million records from sex trafficking investigations into Epstein and Maxwell, though many duplicated material already turned over by the FBI.Many of the records released so far had been made public in court filings, congressional releases, or Freedom of Information Act requests, though, for the first time, they were all in one place and available for the public to search for free.Ones that were new were often lacking necessary context or heavily blacked out. A 119-page document marked “Grand Jury-NY,” likely from one of the federal sex trafficking investigations that led to the charges against Epstein in 2019 or Maxwell in 2021, was entirely blacked out.Trump’s Republican allies seized on the Clinton images, including photos of the Democrat with singers Michael Jackson and Diana Ross. There were also photos of Epstein with actors Chris Tucker and Kevin Spacey, and even Epstein with TV newscaster Walter Cronkite. But none of the photos had captions, and no explanation was given for why any of them were together.The meatiest records released so far showed that federal prosecutors had what appeared to be a strong case against Epstein in 2007, yet never charged him.Transcripts of grand jury proceedings, released publicly for the first time, included testimony from FBI agents who described interviews they had with several girls and young women who described being paid to perform sex acts for Epstein. The youngest was 14 and in ninth grade.One had told investigators about being sexually assaulted by Epstein when she initially resisted his advances during a massage.Another, then 21, testified before the grand jury about how Epstein had hired her when she was 16 to perform a sexual massage and how she had gone on to recruit other girls to do the same.”For every girl that I brought to the table, he would give me $200,” she said. They were mostly people she knew from high school, she said. “I also told them that if they are underage, just lie about it and tell him that you are 18.”The documents also contain a transcript of an interview Justice Department lawyers did more than a decade later with the U.S. attorney who oversaw the case, Alexander Acosta, about his ultimate decision not to bring federal charges.Acosta, who was labor secretary during Trump’s first term, cited concerns about whether a jury would believe Epstein’s accusers.He also said the Justice Department might have been more reluctant to make a federal prosecution out of a case that straddled the legal border between sex trafficking and soliciting prostitution, something more commonly handled by state prosecutors.”I’m not saying it was the right view,” Acosta added. He also said that the public today would likely view the survivors differently.”There’s been a lot of changes in victim shaming,” Acosta said.Associated Press journalists Ali Swenson, Christopher L. Keller, Aaron Kessler and Mike Catalini contributed to this report.

    NEW YORK (AP) —

    At least 16 files disappeared from the Justice Department’s public webpage for documents related to Jeffrey Epstein — including a photograph showing President Donald Trump — less than a day after they were posted, with no explanation from the government and no notice to the public.

    Related video above: Justice Department’s partial release of Epstein files frustrates lawmakers

    The missing files, which were available Friday and no longer accessible by Saturday, included images of paintings depicting nude women, and one showing a series of photographs along a credenza and in drawers. In that image, inside a drawer among other photos, was a photograph of Trump, alongside Epstein, Melania Trump and Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

    The Justice Department didn’t answer questions Saturday about why the files disappeared but said in a post on X that “photos and other materials will continue being reviewed and redacted consistent with the law in an abundance of caution as we receive additional information.”

    Online, the unexplained missing files fueled speculation about what was taken down and why the public was not notified, compounding long-standing intrigue about Epstein and the powerful figures who surrounded him. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee pointed to the missing image featuring a Trump photo in a post on X, writing: “What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public.”

    The episode deepened concerns that had already emerged from the Justice Department’s much-anticipated document release. The tens of thousands of pages made public offered little new insight into Epstein’s crimes or the prosecutorial decisions that allowed him to avoid serious federal charges for years, while omitting some of the most closely watched materials, including FBI interviews with victims and internal Justice Department memos on charging decisions.

    Scant new insight in the initial disclosures

    Some of the most consequential records expected about Epstein are nowhere to be found in the Justice Department’s initial disclosures, which span tens of thousands of pages.

    Missing are FBI interviews with survivors and internal Justice Department memos examining charging decisions — records that could have helped explain how investigators viewed the case and why Epstein was allowed in 2008 to plead guilty to a relatively minor state-level prostitution charge.

    The gaps go further.

    The records, required to be released under a recent law passed by Congress, hardly reference several powerful figures long associated with Epstein, including Britain’s former Prince Andrew, renewing questions about who was scrutinized, who was not, and how much the disclosures truly advance public accountability

    Among the fresh nuggets: insight into the Justice Department’s decision to abandon an investigation into Epstein in the 2000s, which enabled him to plead guilty to that state-level charge, and a previously unseen 1996 complaint accusing Epstein of stealing photographs of children.

    The releases so far have been heavy on images of Epstein’s homes in New York City and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with some photos of celebrities and politicians.

    There was a series of never-before-seen photos of former President Bill Clinton, but fleetingly few of Trump. Both have been associated with Epstein, but both have since disowned those friendships. Neither has been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, and there was no indication the photos played a role in the criminal cases brought against him.

    Despite a Friday deadline set by Congress to make everything public, the Justice Department said it plans to release records on a rolling basis. It blamed the delay on the time-consuming process of obscuring survivors’ names and other identifying information. The department has not given any notice when more records might arrive.

    That approach angered some Epstein accusers and members of Congress, who fought to pass the law forcing the department to act. Instead of marking the end of a yearslong battle for transparency, the document release Friday was merely the beginning of an indefinite wait for a complete picture of Epstein’s crimes and the steps taken to investigate them.

    “I feel like again the DOJ, the justice system is failing us,” said Marina Lacerda, who alleges Epstein started sexually abusing her at his New York City mansion when she was 14.

    Many of the long-anticipated records were redacted or lacked context

    Federal prosecutors in New York brought sex trafficking charges against Epstein in 2019, but he killed himself in jail after his arrest.

    The documents just made public were a sliver of potentially millions of pages of records in the department’s possession. In one example, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Manhattan federal prosecutors had more than 3.6 million records from sex trafficking investigations into Epstein and Maxwell, though many duplicated material already turned over by the FBI.

    Many of the records released so far had been made public in court filings, congressional releases, or Freedom of Information Act requests, though, for the first time, they were all in one place and available for the public to search for free.

    Ones that were new were often lacking necessary context or heavily blacked out. A 119-page document marked “Grand Jury-NY,” likely from one of the federal sex trafficking investigations that led to the charges against Epstein in 2019 or Maxwell in 2021, was entirely blacked out.

    Trump’s Republican allies seized on the Clinton images, including photos of the Democrat with singers Michael Jackson and Diana Ross. There were also photos of Epstein with actors Chris Tucker and Kevin Spacey, and even Epstein with TV newscaster Walter Cronkite. But none of the photos had captions, and no explanation was given for why any of them were together.

    The meatiest records released so far showed that federal prosecutors had what appeared to be a strong case against Epstein in 2007, yet never charged him.

    Transcripts of grand jury proceedings, released publicly for the first time, included testimony from FBI agents who described interviews they had with several girls and young women who described being paid to perform sex acts for Epstein. The youngest was 14 and in ninth grade.

    One had told investigators about being sexually assaulted by Epstein when she initially resisted his advances during a massage.

    Another, then 21, testified before the grand jury about how Epstein had hired her when she was 16 to perform a sexual massage and how she had gone on to recruit other girls to do the same.

    “For every girl that I brought to the table, he would give me $200,” she said. They were mostly people she knew from high school, she said. “I also told them that if they are underage, just lie about it and tell him that you are 18.”

    The documents also contain a transcript of an interview Justice Department lawyers did more than a decade later with the U.S. attorney who oversaw the case, Alexander Acosta, about his ultimate decision not to bring federal charges.

    Acosta, who was labor secretary during Trump’s first term, cited concerns about whether a jury would believe Epstein’s accusers.

    He also said the Justice Department might have been more reluctant to make a federal prosecution out of a case that straddled the legal border between sex trafficking and soliciting prostitution, something more commonly handled by state prosecutors.

    “I’m not saying it was the right view,” Acosta added. He also said that the public today would likely view the survivors differently.

    “There’s been a lot of changes in victim shaming,” Acosta said.

    Associated Press journalists Ali Swenson, Christopher L. Keller, Aaron Kessler and Mike Catalini contributed to this report.

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  • Tracking Hurricane Melissa: Maps, models

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    Tracking Hurricane Melissa: Maps, models

    SET FOR JUST AFTER 10:00, AND TONIGHT WE ARE TRACKING THE TROPICS. HURRICANE MELISSA IS RAPIDLY INTENSIFYING AS IT BARRELS TOWARD JAMAICA. IT’S CURRENTLY A CATEGORY THREE STORM, BUT IT COULD REACH CATEGORY FIVE IN THE NEAR FUTURE, AND THIS COULD BE ONE OF THE MOST DEVASTATING HURRICANES TO HIT JAMAICA IN YEARS. PEOPLE IN JAMAICA HAVE BEEN WARNED THAT THEY NEED TO PREPARE NOW AND HUNKER DOWN. THIS VIDEO, TAKEN IN KINGSTON, SHOWS WINDOWS BOARDED UP IN ANTICIPATION OF THE STORM. AND WE ARE TAKING YOU NOW TO A LIVE LOOK AT KINGSTON. YOU CAN SEE THERE THE GROUND ALREADY WET FROM THE OUTER BANDS AND MARQUISE. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A CATEGORY FIVE STORM, JUST TO REMIND THE PUBLIC, HURRICANE ANDREW THAT HIT HERE IN SOUTH FLORIDA IN 1992, I BELIEVE WAS A CAT FIVE, AND THAT REALLY CHANGED EVERYTHING. THAT’S HOW STRONG THIS STORM COULD BE. IT’S RARE THAT WE SEE CATEGORY FIVES MAKE LANDFALL, BUT WHEN THEY DO, IT’S A HAYMAKER FOR THE ENTIRE REGION, RIGHT. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE CHANCE FOR IMMENSE FLOODING, POWER OUTAGES THAT COULD BE WIDESPREAD. ON TOP OF THAT, WITHIN THESE OUTER BANDS, YOU CAN OFTEN FIND SOME TORNADIC SPIN UPS AS WELL. SO ALL IMPACTS WILL BE ON THE TABLE FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN. BUT SPECIFICALLY, WE’RE LOOKING AT JAMAICA AS YOU GUYS ARE UNDER THAT HURRICANE WARNING. IT’S BEEN QUITE A WHILE SINCE YOU SAW A MAJOR HURRICANE MAKE LANDFALL. THE LAST ONE THAT WAS HURRICANE GILBERT. I ALLUDED TO THIS EARLIER IN THE SHOW BACK IN 1988. SO LESS THAN 40 YEARS AGO, WHEN ADJUSTED FOR 2025, IT WAS IT CAUSED $10 BILLION WORTH OF DAMAGE. AND SINCE THEN, WELL, THE COUNTRY, THEY’VE GROWN IN SIZE BY ABOUT 500,000 PEOPLE. RIGHT ON TOP OF THAT, INFRASTRUCTURE HAS CHANGED AS WELL. BUT THIS STORM COULD POTENTIALLY BE JUST AS BIG AS THE ONE THEY HAD PREVIOUSLY. RIGHT. TAKING A LOOK AT THE EYE WALL, WE SEE THAT BECOMING MUCH MORE DEFINED NOW TONIGHT WITH MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS OF 115MPH. THE STORM’S MOVEMENT IS TOWARDS THE WEST AT 30MPH CONDITIONS. SO IT’S REALLY JUST INCHING ITS WAY ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN. AND KEEP IN MIND, THE SLOWER IT MOVES, THE MORE TIME IT’S GOING TO HAVE TO DRAW IN TO THESE VERY DEEP, WARM WATERS ACROSS THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN. AND THE MORE TIME IT WILL HAVE TO DUMP DOWN THE RAIN ACROSS JAMAICA IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. SO THAT’S WHAT WE’RE WATCHING OUT FOR. THIS STORM POTENTIALLY BECOMING A CATEGORY FIVE JUST BEFORE LANDFALL. HOW WARM IS THE WATER? WELL, TEMPERATURES ARE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 86 AND 88 DEGREES. SOME OF THE WARMEST SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE GLOBE. WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE THIS STORM BECOMING A CATEGORY FIVE BY MONDAY. HEADING INTO TUESDAY, MAKING LANDFALL RIGHT IN THE HEART OF JAMAICA. THEY’RE OUR SPAGHETTI PLOTS ARE FAIRLY TIGHT KNIT. WE SEE THAT RECURVE TOWARDS THE NORTH AND THE EAST, PLACING THIS OVER CUBA AS WE MOVE ACROSS THE WORKWEEK, LIKELY DOWNGRADING, THOUGH, FROM A CATEGORY FIVE OVER JAMAICA, POSSIBLY BECOMING A CATEGORY TWO JUST BEFORE LANDFALL HERE IN CUBA. REGARDLESS, THOUGH, SOUTHEASTERN CUBA, YOU GUYS WILL FEEL THE BRUNT OF THOSE STRONG HURRICANE FORCE WINDS AND ALSO RAINFALL, OFTEN KINGSTON WE COULD POSSIBLY SEE CHANCES FOR RAIN BETWEEN 18 AND 24IN. NOW THERE ARE A FEW DIFFERENT MODEL OUTCOMES IN WHICH MELISSA CAN TAKE. THE MOST LIKELY IS THIS NORTH AND EASTERLY PATH, BUT IF IT DOES INTENSIFY QUICKER, WE COULD SEE IT CURVE TOWARDS THE NORTH AND THE EAST A LITTLE BIT FASTER. IT’S GOING TO KEEP US SAFE AS THIS NEXT COLD FRONT HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. SO GREAT NEWS FOR US THERE. REGARDLESS THOUGH, THIS STORM IS GOING TO MAKE NOT ONE BUT TWO LANDFALLS IN JAMAICA AND ACROSS CUBA, LIKELY BEFORE IT GETS TO CUBA AS A CATEGORY THREE OR CATEGORY TWO. HERE, BACK AT HOME, TEMPERATURES ARE BACK IN THE MID 70S. AS WE SETTLE DOWN TONIGHT, BUT IT IS A BREEZY EVENING, WINDS COMING IN FROM THE EAST AND WE HAVE SOME GUSTY CONDITIONS BETWEEN 24 AND 30MPH. THAT’S GOING TO KEEP YOUR RIP CURRENT RISK ALIVE. AND ALSO A HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN PLACE AS WE HEAD INTO THE END OF YOUR WEEKEND, WHICH DOES INCLUDE A FEW MORE CHANCES FOR RAIN TOMORROW, WE’LL CARRY THAT CHANCE FOR RAIN INTO THE START OF YOUR WORKWEEK AS WELL. A 60% COVERAGE ON MONDAY, 30% COVERAGE TUESDAY. SUNSHINE RETURNS WITH COOLER TEMPERATURES, THOUGH, A

    The National Hurricane Center is monitoring Hurricane Melissa. Bookmark this page for the latest maps and spaghetti models for Melissa. Hurricane season 2025The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.>> More: 2025 Hurricane Survival GuideThe First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.>> 2025 hurricane season | WESH long-range forecast>> Download Very Local | Stream Central Florida news and weather from WESH 2

    The National Hurricane Center is monitoring Hurricane Melissa.

    Bookmark this page for the latest maps and spaghetti models for Melissa.

    Storm Path

    Hurricane season 2025

    The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.

    >> More: 2025 Hurricane Survival Guide

    The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.

    >> 2025 hurricane season | WESH long-range forecast

    >> Download Very Local | Stream Central Florida news and weather from WESH 2

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  • Tracking Tropical Storm Jerry Maps, models

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    Tracking Tropical Storm Jerry: Maps, models

    TRACK THE TROPICS WITH FIRST WARNING. METEOROLOGIST ERIC BURROUGHS. WE HAVE BEEN SO FORTUNATE SO FAR THIS HURRICANE SEASON. KNOCK ON WOOD, THAT PERSISTS. I MEAN, ALL OF THE HURRICANES HAVE STAYED AWAY FROM THE UNITED STATES. WE STILL HAVE ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF TO GO FOR HURRICANE SEASON. SO LET’S MONITOR AND SEE HOW THIS PLAYS OUT. THE GOOD NEWS DOES NOT LOOK LIKE JERRY WILL BE A LANDFALL FOR US. IT’S UNDERGOING SOME SIGNIFICANT WIND SHEAR, BUT AS THE HURRICANE HUNTERS HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATING, THEY HAVE FOUND IT GRADUALLY INTENSIFYING. WINDS ARE NOW AT 65 MILES AN HOUR. SO JERRY CONTINUES TO DEVELOP. WE THINK IT BECOMES A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE AS IT LIFTS TO THE NORTH AND EVENTUALLY MAKES A HARD RIGHT TURN. IT GETS CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND WINDWARD ISLANDS, THOUGH, THAT THEY DO HAVE TROPICAL STORM WATCHES POSTED, SO IT IS EXPECTED TO STAY NORTH OF THEM. BUT SOME OF THOSE SQUALLY CONDITIONS MAY MOVE IN. SO IF YOU’VE GOT FRIENDS OR FAMILY THAT LIVE OUT THERE, JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND. ELSEWHERE, WE ARE WATCHING. THIS IS EXTRATROPICAL. INVEST 96. JUST SOMETHING INTERESTING TO LOOK AT. HAS A LOW END 10% CHANCE OF

    The National Hurricane Center is monitoring Tropical Storm Jerry. Bookmark this page for the latest maps and spaghetti models for Jerry. Hurricane season 2025The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.>> More: 2025 Hurricane Survival GuideThe First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.>> 2025 hurricane season | WESH long-range forecast>> Download Very Local | Stream Central Florida news and weather from WESH 2

    The National Hurricane Center is monitoring Tropical Storm Jerry.

    Bookmark this page for the latest maps and spaghetti models for Jerry.

    INVEST 95

    Storm Models

    Hurricane season 2025

    The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.

    >> More: 2025 Hurricane Survival Guide

    The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.

    >> 2025 hurricane season | WESH long-range forecast

    >> Download Very Local | Stream Central Florida news and weather from WESH 2

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  • Austin Pets Alive! | Fireworks can be scary for pets! Keep them safe…

    Austin Pets Alive! | Fireworks can be scary for pets! Keep them safe…

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    More dogs go missing on July 4th than on any other day of the year.

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  • The Best of Bob Pool: An L.A. storytelling original

    The Best of Bob Pool: An L.A. storytelling original

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    It’s a risky proposition to create a “best of list” for Bob Pool stories in the Los Angeles Times.

    Not only are there too many to choose from — more than 4,000 — but there are few shortcuts for finding the true gems. That’s because Pool hated writing for Page 1. He favored economy over length. And the headlines rarely did justice to tales he could weave way inside the old Times Valley Edition, say, on a page next to GE refrigerator ads.

    Readers could chuckle at one story Pool wrote for inside the Metro section in 1984, then notice that was one of three bylines he had on the page and that the real winner was at the bottom. In this case, the tale of a Canoga Park homeowner named Jeanette Kohane, whose discovery of chocolate cake smeared on her home (she assumed it was vandalism) led to police to a ring stealing food from the local school’s cafeteria.

    Pool, who died Sunday, was a legend in The Times newsroom for three decades. Most of that time, he did not have a defined assignment. His beat was “the Bob Pool story,” a perfect slice of the Los Angeles human condition that many days made reading a newspaper chronicling wars, sleazy politicians, economic distress and environment degradation somewhat bearable.

    He had an eye for stories you would want to read. He found people you wanted to know. He respected your time. And he knew how to make you smile (during his early days at the Thousand Oaks News-Chronicle, he knew how to get you interested in a municipal government piece: “Although they’re already up to their knees in sewage effluent, Las Virgenes Municipal Water District leaders agreed Monday night to consider expanding their sewer system to Topanga Canyon.”)

    Bob had a desk in the newsroom, but he was most likely out in the field, discovering the unexpected, the surprising and the slightly absurd. In West L.A., he caught up with the head of the Early Typewriter Collectors Assn. — a man in possession of more than 70 machines. But Bob didn’t write it as a nostalgia piece. It turned out he produced the group’s newsletter on a Mac.

    “A computer is so much better,” said the Typewriter King.

    As Times columnist Steve Lopez wrote of Pool on his 2014 retirement: He his the ultimate reminder to reporters that “good things happen when you blow off news conferences, set fire to press releases, get out of the office and celebrate the daily drama on what might be the world’s greatest stage.”

    Los Angeles Times reporter Bob Pool

    (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

    Bob, meet Bob. And another Bob

    Pool had a knack for orchestrating a story into something more magical. So in 1991, Pool had an idea when David Rensin and Bill Zehme published the “The Bob Book,” which he described as a paperback that aimed to explore the “name Bob backward and forward.”

    He arranged to have Times photographer Bob Chamberlin take the pictures and editor Bob Welkos edited the story.

    As for the name, Pool found merit.

    There has never been a President named Bob or a King Bob or a Pope Bob, of course. But Rensin and Zehme have decided that men named Bob are men who get things done.

    True, Bobs do “enjoy a solid sense of sameness.” But they are decent, dependable types who instinctively make the most of a bad situation, according to the book. Bobs are sensible, approachable, likable and reliable. Not to mention predictable.

    Nobody named Bob could have ever written “The Bob Book,” said Rensin, 41, of Sherman Oaks. That’s because Bobs are too pragmatic and unpretentious. Bobs don’t wear berets or quote Nietzsche or hang out at Renaissance fairs, he said. “They don’t take themselves seriously.”

    Pool used to tell colleagues he was grateful for being named “Bob.”

    What would have happened if his parents named him Seth, he joked.

    The bellman from Bell who became a bellwether in Bel-Air

    Pool always preferred the little guy over the big name. That is why he was drawn to the story of Tony Marquez:

    Once the packages went in the box, Tony Marquez’s award was in the bag.

    That’s the short version of how a Los Angeles bellhop has won the title of best hotel worker in America.

    Marquez is bell captain at the Hotel Bel-Air. It’s the sprawling hideaway in Stone Canyon north of Westwood where cottage-like suites can go for $3,000 a night — and celebrity guests can come with a truckload of luggage.

    But schlepping heavy suitcases and trunks around the Bel-Air’s 12-acre grounds isn’t what earned Marquez a national hotel-rating service’s only individual five-star ranking.

    Pool ended the 2004 piece with one of his more beloved kickers: “So says the bellman from Bell who became a bellwether in Bel-Air.”

    Santa Pool

    In 1990, Pool spent weeks undercover as a retail Santa Claus, reporting a series of stories that would become Times Christmas classics:

    By last weekend, I’d spent three weeks portraying Santa in shopping centers and elsewhere around town. I figured I had the slow-gaited Santa walk down pat. Ditto the Santa talk — the patter about what children want for Christmas, the milk and cookies they plan to leave out for me and the importance of brushing teeth and going to bed on time.

    “Santas always wonder about it, but I don’t think you should have any fears about being recognized,” said Jenny Zink, head of the Santa Division for Western Temporary Services, who has hired 3,500 St. Nicks across the country this month. Costumed Santas even go unrecognized by their own children, she said.

    But Mrs. Claus was not a believer. “Rachel will know who you are,” she fretted. “You’ll destroy her.”

    I was undeterred. To make the test complete, I arranged for several of my nieces and nephews from Valencia to also visit with Santa. Mrs. Claus threw up her hands when she heard that.

    Pool closed another in the series this way: “At the end of my shift, I took my aching back home for a long, steaming shower. My beard went for a soak in a bath of lukewarm water and Woolite.”

    The guest who never checked out

    It’s no surprise Pool was drawn to Thelma Becker, who as he reported in 1988, checked into downtown L.A.’s Biltmore Hotel “on Jan. 7, 1940, and never checked out.”

    These days, hotel staff members look after the 5-foot-tall Becker as if she was each one’s mother. She is a guest at the hotel’s annual employee Christmas party. She has her own mail box at the employee mail center.

    She was invited into a heavily guarded ballroom for a peek at the silver table settings before the Duke and Duchess of York arrived for a recent formal dinner.

    “She knows everything about the hotel,” said Evelyne Gibert, manager of the Biltmore’s pastry shop. “If we do the pastry wrong, she’s not afraid to let us know. She knows the ingredients I put in the pastry. She even knows my husband.”

    Becker remembers employees’ birthdays with gifts or, in the case of Biltmore public relations director Victoria King, with a surprise party on Tuesday night at a Mexican restaurant.

    “She gives me the funnies from her paper every Sunday,” said front desk clerk Teina Tahauri.

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    Shelby Grad

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  • San Jose police officer out after internal probe finds racist text messages

    San Jose police officer out after internal probe finds racist text messages

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    A San Jose police officer is off the force after an internal investigation revealed a slew of racist text messages sent to another officer, including one that said, “I hate black people,” The Times has confirmed.

    Mark McNamara resigned Wednesday after being notified of the probe into his texts, Police Chief Anthony Mata told the Mercury News.

    In a statement, Mata said the “disgusting” text messages were discovered during an unrelated investigation, and a separate probe was immediately launched looking into the texts.

    “There is zero tolerance for even a single expression of racial bias at the San José Police Department,” Mata said. “If any employee’s racial bias rears its ugly head, rest assured that I will take immediate action to ensure they are not part of this organization.”

    Mata’s statement included 10 pages of texts sent by McNamara, many of which were presumably referencing a March 2022 incident in which McNamara shot K’aun Green, a Black college student, after Green helped break up a fight at a taqueria near San Jose State University.

    One text, dated a day after the shooting, said “N— wanted to carry a gun in the Wild West.” A following text said “Not on my watch haha.”

    Green sued the city, and McNamara sent texts attacking his legal team.

    “They should all be bowing to me and bringing me gifts since I saved a fellow n— by making his rich as f—. Otherwise he woulda lived a life of poverty and crime,” one text said.

    The texts were sent to a current employee of the police department, who responded with “concerning dialogue,” according to Mata. That employee was placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.

    “There is nothing more sickening than a person in power abusing their position,” said San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan in a statement. “I will sleep better tonight knowing that this individual is no longer carrying a badge and gun.”

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    Jack Flemming

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  • Austin Pets Alive! | Amplify Austin

    Austin Pets Alive! | Amplify Austin

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    Feb 21, 2023

    Calling all Austinites, dog fans and cat enthusiasts! Amplify Austin 2023 is just around the corner and we need you to join us to #AmplifyLifesaving this year!

    This day of giving is very important for nonprofit organizations across Central Texas and APA! is honored to participate again this year. We want to make sure that all of our supporters that want to join in know exactly how they can help and what their support means!

    The first thing you can do to get involved is make a donation using our Amplify Austin fundraising page. Whatever the amount, your donation makes an impact. From $10, which can help purchase enrichment activity supplies to $500, which provides basic care for a litter of pups or kittens, your gift is important and saves lives.

    I Live Here I Give Here (ILHIGH), the organization that produces Amplify Austin, makes this 24-hour fundraiser extra fun through a little friendly competition between the participating nonprofits and monetary prizes for various categories!

    Matches and Incentives from ILHIGH

    • $5,000 for most dollars raised

    • $5,000 for most unique donors ← This is one of the categories we are targeting!

    • $2,500 for most dollars raised during the early giving period

    • $25,000 from an anonymous donor for animal care and services organizations ← This grant is pro-rata which means that the more we raise, the more we get out of this pool!

    • $1,000/hour for the first 6 hours of Amplify Day for most dollars raised in the hour

    • $1,000/hour for the last 6 hours of Amplify Day for most unique donors in the hour

    After you make your donation (thank you!), we’d be grateful if you’d create your own fundraising page in support of APA!. This is where voices really amplify!

    The beauty of creating your fundraising page is that you can use it to encourage your friends and family to donate to APA!, too! Everyone has their own unique voice and story as to why they support our mission and when that is shared, people feel encouraged to join you in your support! Maybe you got your dog or cat from us or maybe you’re a foster or volunteer — whatever your reason, we want to hear it and have a hunch your friends, family, and social media followers do too!

    Want to know a little bit more about what your donation can do and gather some info you can use when encouraging your friends and family to donate to APA!?

    Gift Impact

    • $500 – Provides basic medical care for a litter of puppies or kittens

    • $100 – Provides basic medical care (standard vaccinations, spay/neuter, etc.), behavior assessments, and everything necessary to take a dog or cat into APA!’s care

    • $50 – Vaccinates a litter of puppies

    • $25 – Buys one week of milk for a litter of kittens

    • $10 – Buys microchips for a couple of dogs or cats, or enrichment activities like Kongs, peanut butter, and treats

    Let’s do this, Austin!

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  • Austin Pets Alive! | Thanks to You, Tomato Paste Gets to be the King…

    Austin Pets Alive! | Thanks to You, Tomato Paste Gets to be the King…

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    Nov 14, 2022

    Who would’ve guessed big boy Tomato Paste, who started losing his
    appetite at the shelter due to stress, would soon spend every day
    getting cuddles and wearing fun costumes in his new home? (Well, maybe
    we could’ve guessed!). Now affectionately nicknamed Tommy, this
    incontinent kitty is getting the peace, love, and routine he craves from
    his new family thanks to support from friends like you.

    Tommy
    came to APA! with an old tail injury that made it hard for him to
    control where and when he had to go potty. He needs his bladder gently
    squeezed a couple times a day to empty it, and it took a lot of time and
    treats for this gentleman to accept that he needs some extra help.

    Because of you, we were able to give Tommy the medications he requires to stay comfortable while getting his bladder expressed and support his dedicated foster as she cared for an incontinent kitty for the first time. At another shelter, Tommy might have faced needless euthanasia because of extra care that only takes a few minutes out of the day and that anyone can learn how to do with practice and patience.

    When we say Katie was a dedicated foster, we mean it! She
    brought Tommy into our clinic almost every day for the first couple
    weeks to get help expressing his bladder. That’s determination! Katie
    wanted to give this handsome kitty a lap to curl up in at night, which
    meant lots of practice and teamwork to find the routine he needed.
    Ultimately, she couldn’t let this lovebug go and soon Tommy became our
    14th incontinent cat adopted in 2022! Katie says “We were
    definitely a bit intimidated by the prospect of adopting an incontinent
    cat, but after getting a good routine down with him it’s totally
    manageable.”

    Now that
    she and Tommy are on the same page, Katie has a friend to greet her
    when she comes home from work and Tommy finally has the loving family he
    deserves. “I’m really glad we took a chance on him, he’s the sweetest and most charismatic boy!”

    We’re
    so excited to say “Happy tails” to this distinguished kitty and we’re
    so grateful to YOU for making stories like this possible this holiday
    season and every day.

    With gratitude,

    The APA! Team

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  • Austin Pets Alive! | Shelter Pet Social Fundraising Guide

    Austin Pets Alive! | Shelter Pet Social Fundraising Guide

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    Jun 01, 2022

    Thank you for joining us to save shelter pets this summer! By creating a fundraising page in partnership with Austin Pets Alive!, you will help to save the lives of vulnerable animals. Engaging with your friends, family, and social networks through sharing a Classy and/or Facebook fundraiser is a great way to connect people with a mission you care about, tell them about your shelter pet, why you adopted from, volunteer for, donate to, or support APA!, and why they should help us to save more animal lives.

    Best of all, it’s easy to do. Creating your fundraising page takes just minutes. Sharing your page with your community and encouraging folks to donate is quick and effective (more on that later!). As you raise funds and engage with your community, you’ll also get insider tips and incentives to keep your momentum going!

    Ready to get started? Here is a guide to setting up your fundraiser, along with a Frequently Asked Questions section to help you launch your page!

    Creating a Fundraising Page on Classy

    1. Visit APA!’s Classy page and click “Become a Fundraiser”

    2. Decide if you want to create an individual fundraiser or join or create a team. Next, you’ll create your free account, or log in to an existing account if you have used Classy before.

    3. To create an individual fundraising page:

      1. Click “As an individual.” Set a fundraising goal and an end date for your fundraiser at least 3 weeks from now.

    TIP: Think about an ambitious but realistic goal – fundraising pages often raise about $350, which is a great target! Your supporters want to see you succeed and achieve milestones – you can always raise your goal!

    1. Once you have created your account, click “Manage” to customize your page and tell your community why you’re fundraising for Austin Pets Alive! You can share a story of how you adopted a shelter pet, why you donate personally to APA!, or highlight your volunteer contributions. You can also add a photo of yourself or your pet!

    2. Share your fundraiser with friends, family, and your broader network through email and social media! Look for this icon on your Classy page to get social!

    1. To create a team fundraising page:

      1. Click “Create a team.” Set a fundraising goal and name your team.

      2. Create your individual fundraising page that will be linked to the team fundraiser

      3. Invite others to join your team or donate to your fundraising page by sharing via email or on social media!

    2. To join an existing team fundraising page:

      1. Click “Join a team” and search for the team you want to join by typing in the search bar or scrolling through the list of teams.

      2. Select the team, create your fundraising page, and share it via email or social media to get folks to join you!

    Creating a Fundraiser on Facebook

    1. Visit APA!’s Facebook page Fundraisers

    2. Click “Raise Money”

    3. Set a fundraising goal and an end date at least three weeks in the future. This gives your network time to donate and hear more from you about Austin Pets Alive!

    4. Add your story of how you adopted a shelter pet, why you donate personally to APA!, or highlight your volunteer contributions. You can also add a photo of yourself or your pet!
      Also, be sure to say somewhere that you’re fundraising for Shelter Pet Social so your dollars are counted toward this campaign’s goal and prizes.

    5. Click the “Create” button

    6. Share your fundraiser with your Facebook friends by creating a post or sending it directly via Messenger

    TIP: Sharing broadly on Facebook is a great way to connect people you may not even know are animal lovers with our mission! We recommend sharing with everyone on your Friends list!

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When should I create my fundraiser and share it with my community?

    Now! We’re officially kicking off this social fundraising campaign on Friday, May 20 but you can start building your page and sharing with your supporters right away.

    The longer your page is active the more opportunities folks have to donate and engage with your passion for saving animal lives. Sharing your fundraiser regularly throughout the campaign is the best way to make sure everyone has a chance to participate!

    Which type of fundraising page should I create? Can I create both a Classy page and Facebook fundraiser?

    You can absolutely create both types of fundraisers! In fact, it’s a great way to customize your outreach to friends and family via email with a link to your Classy page and connect more broadly with your network via Facebook.

    If you only want to create one page, think about who you want to ask to engage with APA!’s mission and what sort of support you may want or need for your fundraiser. Classy is great for more personalized outreach and you’ll receive encouragement from our team along with tips and tricks for making your page a success! Facebook is easy to send to lots of people but unfortunately, we can’t offer the same sort of support.

    How can I make sure my fundraiser is a success?

    The most important thing you can do to make sure your fundraiser is successful is to share why you care about Austin Pets Alive! and the vulnerable animals that we serve. The second most important thing you can do is share your page often with a broad audience. If you do these things, you’ll likely see success! Here are a few more tips:

    • Email your fundraiser to your close friends and family first – these are the folks who are most likely to support your efforts!

    • Include the link to your fundraising page whenever you share or post about it

    • Specifically, ask for a donation, and consider making one yourself

    • Customize your page! Share why you care about vulnerable shelter pets or APA!, a story about your adopted animal, or other reasons why folks should join you in supporting APA!

    • Share updates and ask for folks to donate regularly. As you get your first donation, hit milestones along the way, and eventually reach your fundraising goal, share these successes with your community!

    • Thank your supporters! This can be as simple as commenting on Facebook but makes a big difference.

    Where can I get graphics to dress up my page?

    Visit our Shelter Pet Social Fundraiser Resources for graphics that you can use to customize your page. We also highly recommend using photos of your pets to help folks engage with your page!

    What if I have other questions or need support?

    Reach out to us at [email protected]. We’re happy to help if you need assistance setting-up your page or if you have any questions along the way.

    Thank you again for starting your fundraiser for Austin Pets Alive! Your support enables us to save more than 10,000 animal lives each year and share our lifesaving best practices across the country.

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  • Austin Pets Alive! | P.A.S.S. Program Keeps Families Together

    Austin Pets Alive! | P.A.S.S. Program Keeps Families Together

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    Aug 16, 2021

    Christopher was facing a difficult decision, he knew his cat needed medical attention but like so many, he was struggling to afford the ongoing vet bills.

    Not wanting to have to surrender his family member to the shelter because of this, he turned to our P.A.S.S. Facebook page which stands for Positive Alternatives to Shelter Surrender, and asked for help.

    Tiger is Christopher’s sweet little orange slice you see here. He was attacked by a dog which left him with open wounds that needed immediate attention. Tiger soon received stitches for his injury with the help of his dad, Christopher. But when the stitches popped and infection set in, Christopher needed help to afford Tiger’s second treatment. The P.A.S.S. community came forward and quickly shared Tiger’s story and donated the funds to help Christopher pay for Tiger’s treatment.

    APA’S P.A.S.S. Program (Positive Alternatives to Shelter Surrender), aims to provide resources and services to Texas residents who are experiencing challenges to keeping their pets with an overall goal of keeping pets out of shelters and providing the people with a safe, judgment-free zone for anyone in need. P.A.S.S. can provide supported self rehoming, emergency medical vet costs, temporary fosters, behavioral/training recommendations, and food/supply distribution.

    With the help of the amazing P.A.S.S. community, Tiger was able to receive his second treatment and is now recovering safely at home with Christopher, where he belongs. P.A.S.S. members are continuing to support Christopher by giving him tips and tricks on preventative measures (like cutting up a shirt to put on Tiger to keep him from messing with the stitches) until he’s healed completely.

    Lucy, our P.A.S.S. Program Coordinator, found Tiger’s story particularly touching. She stated, “The inspiring part of Tiger’s story (as well as a lot of the successes we see on the page) is how much the community continues to care. The generosity of the shared experience that each case and journey creates always baffles and inspires me.” She and the other moderators of the Facebook page work diligently to keep P.A.S.S. a safe community, free from judgment, so people feel comfortable sharing their stories and can receive the help their pets need.

    Lucy believes, “Pets are family so it’s never an easy choice to surrender or rehome.” Thanks to the P.A.S.S. program, Tiger got to stay out of the shelter and with his dad all while getting the treatment he needed to recover.

    If you feel inspired to learn about more stories like Tiger and Christoper’s, join the PASS program community Facebook today to help pets like Tiger remain with their families!

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