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  • Paralympian Ezra Frech commits to USC track team, making history

    Paralympian Ezra Frech commits to USC track team, making history

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    LOS ANGELES — Two years ago, in his own words, Ezra Frech set a goal to make a Division I track and field team.

    Two years later, he tugged on a USC hat in front of a wall of Team USA jerseys – and made history, yet again.

    Frech, a Paralympian and world record holder in the T63 high jump, announced to his 131,000-plus Instagram followers on Monday that he has committed to USC’s track and field team. According to Team USA, the 18-year-old Frech is the first above-the-knee amputee in history to commit to a Division I track program.

    “I’m excited to continue my academic and athletic career competing against able-bodied athletes at … the University of Southern California,” Frech said in an Instagram video, unzipping his jacket to reveal a USC shirt. “Let’s go, Trojans! Fight on, baby!”

    It’s a truly monumental get for USC track coach Quincy Watts, as Frech will join USC following the Paris Summer Olympics. That will be his second stint as a Paralympian, as Frech finished fifth in the men’s T63 high jump with a mark of 1.80 meters (5 feet, 9 inches), before setting the world record at the 2023 Para Athletics World Championship at 1.95 meters (6 feet, 4 inches).

    According to his website, Frech was born with congenital limb differences and missing fingers, having his left leg amputated when he was 2½ years old and a toe transplanted to his left hand. He’s since become a widespread inspiration and viral sensation, documenting his track journey through his social media accounts. In 2013, he and his father Clayton founded Angel City Sports, an organization that provides equipment and clinics for para-athletes. The organization has hosted the Angel City Games, an event for adaptive sports and athletes with disabilities, annually since 2015.

    At the end of the day, the caption on his Instagram announcement spoke for itself.

    “HISTORY.”

    Courtesy of Marcel Padilla/SportsSourceMedia



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    Luca Evans

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  • SoFi Stadium officials, L.A. host committee excited to host 2026 World Cup games

    SoFi Stadium officials, L.A. host committee excited to host 2026 World Cup games

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    Sunday, SoFi Stadium was awarded eight games in the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup.

    In the months leading up to Sunday’s announcement, reports had SoFi Stadium either being passed over by FIFA or limited in the number of games the stadium would host.

    “There was a lot of chatter around the field size, which all of it was unfounded,” Rams chief operating officer Kevin Demoff said Monday. “Nearly every NFL stadium that exists in this tournament is undergoing some kind of renovation for FIFA to accommodate their field size, which is larger than a friendly match that you would host, for Copa America or Gold Cup, which we’ve hosted successfully.

    “I think a lot of that was driven by the competition amongst cities to try to knock stadiums down. When you have a stadium as attractive as SoFi Stadium and people competing for events, I think that was driven by other cities, than it was the reality of FIFA.”

    SoFi Stadium will host five group stage games, including two for the USMNT. The stadium will also host two games in the Round of 32 and one quarterfinal game.

    SoFi’s renovations are underway. Otto Benedict, Senior Vice President of Facility and Campus Operations for SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park, said that construction began Sunday night.

    “SoFi Stadium was designed to host a FIFA regulation pitch size, so with our system we have in place now, we will fit a 65 meter (x 105 meter) pitch into our stadium,” he said. “In conversations with FIFA and their needs around auxiliary space for the field, we’re going to expand that and modify our seating system to include a couple more rows in each corner so that we can get to the 73-plus meter distance that FIFA has requested.”

    The renovations will create more space to fit the larger field required by FIFA. The first phase, according to the AP, is “replacing concrete in the corners of the lower bowl with bleacher risers that can be rolled back during soccer matches.”

    “We’re taking a 90-day sprint for the first phase of construction,” Benedict said. “Then we’ll go back to our normal configuration and go through our concert season and special events this summer and the NFL season.

    “Then in ’25, we’ll go back to do some different work there, build out our field for the first time, we’ll have a natural grass field that’s going to be designed to FIFA’s specifics, do some events and testing around that and then we’ll jump into ’26, which will be here before we know it.”

    Benedict said there will be an opportunity to add in temporary seating if needed for the World Cup. Also during the tournament, SoFi will adopt the new name “Los Angeles Stadium” due to FIFA’s regulations that prohibit sponsors’ from representing venues.

    SoFi Stadium has hosted several soccer events recently, with each drawing more than 70,000.

    “It’s been a fun process, it’s been a long process,” said former Galaxy president Chris Klein, who is also co-chair of the L.A. host committee. “Almost seven years to get to this point and we have another 2 1/2 to go. At the outset, we talked about hosting some of the biggest games in the 2026 World Cup and our focus was on the opener for the United States and hosting our men’s national team to open the World Cup.

    “We obviously know the final is a big deal as well, but to be able to welcome the world and our country at such an important time for soccer in the United States and to be able to build events around the opening, we’re extremely excited and happy with how things rolled out yesterday (Sunday). The clock starts now to kick off the World Cup in the United States.”

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    Damian Calhoun

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  • LAUSD schools to remain open on Monday amid storm

    LAUSD schools to remain open on Monday amid storm

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    Los Angeles Unified School District schools will remain open Monday amid heavy rain and potential flooding expected as a storm system makes its way over the region, district officials said on Sunday, Feb. 4.

    Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said during a news conference on Sunday that schools will remain open, with the decision heavily weighing on students who rely on school-provided meals throughout the week.

    “Considering the fact that our students depend on nutrition at school, we have made the decision at this point to maintain our schools open going into tomorrow,” he said. “After this weekend, many (students) will depend on their breakfast, lunch, a snack, and in many cases their dinner.”

    Plans to keep campuses open were initially tentative on Sunday, but around 7 p.m., the district announced that all school will be open on Monday, except for Vinedale College Preparatory Academy in Sun Valley as the area was under an evacuation warning.

    Students and staff at Vinedale will instead be moved to Glenwood Elementary, about a mile away.

    Carvalho urged parents and staff to make the decision on whether it is safe to make the drive to campuses on Monday.

    “We recognize the severity and the threat that this storm brings,” he said. “We will be exercising a great deal of grace, patience and understanding both with our students and our workforce.”

    Plans on whether to remain open on Monday were still subject to change, the district said, with another update expected to be posted on the district’s website and social media channels at 6 a.m. Monday.

    “We do not expect them to change dramatically but if they do, we are ready to make decisions,” Carvalho said.

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    Hunter Lee

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  • LA drivers are warned to stay off freeways Sunday night through Monday morning as wild storm stalls

    LA drivers are warned to stay off freeways Sunday night through Monday morning as wild storm stalls

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    Forecasters on Sunday urge Los Angeles area residents to avoid roads and freeways this evening through Monday morning, as a potential life-threatening, multiple-day storm is now forecast to stall over the county when it arrives.

    The National Weather Service expanded its high-risk warning for flash flooding in the area, as the slow movement of the storm will create widespread issues, causing major delays on soaked freeways and in local neighborhoods.

    While it will rain on Sunday afternoon, “very heavy” rainfall is expected from 6 p.m. Sunday to 6 a.m. Monday in Los Angeles County, with a 20% chance of thunderstorms. Heavy rainfall, around 4-8 inches now is anticipated in Los Angeles County until midnight on Tuesday, before turning into more moderate rain the rest of the day.

    Mountain and foothill areas could see up to 8-14 inches – and possibly 15 inches of rain throughout that window.

    “That’s a lot of water, people,” National Weather Service meteorologist Ryan Kittell said in a briefing on Sunday morning. “Just a real mess.”

    Those who can work remotely should do that, or at least stay off freeways during the Monday morning commute, Kittell said.

    Airport delays are expected, including at the Los Angeles International Airport, as the county anticipates wind gusts of 30 to 50 mph through Sunday night, with winds steadily increasing and peaking from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. Much lighter winds are expected Monday.

    Residents in the La Tuna Canyon Road area north of Hollywood Burbank Airport were ordered to evacuate Sunday due to the high risk of debris flow triggered by the heavy rain expected to hit Southern California today through Tuesday. The affected area borders Horse Haven Street to the north, Martindale Avenue to the east, Penrose Street to the south, and Ledge Avenue to the west, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

    Evacuation centers for people and household pets have opened at Sunland Senior Citizen Center at 8640 Fenwick St. and Lake View Terrace Recreation Center at 11075 Foothill Blvd. Large animals can be evacuated to Hansen Dam Horse Park at 11127 Orcas Ave. in Lake View Terrace, and the LA Equestrian Center at 480 Riverside Drive in Burbank.

    Residents can check lafd.org/alerts for updates.

    This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

    How Southern California officials, residents are preparing for dangerous storm

    City News Service contributed to this report.

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    Mona Darwish, City News Service

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  • First Lady speaks at LA gala championing Black brands and designers

    First Lady speaks at LA gala championing Black brands and designers

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    First Lady Dr. Jill Biden spoke on the importance of supporting Black businesses and entrepreneurship at a star-studded gala at Paramount Studios on Saturday evening.

    Related: President Biden lands in Los Angeles to woo entertainment leaders

    The event was hosted by the Fifteen Percent Pledge, a nonprofit organization that asks businesses to commit 15 percent of their shelf space to Black-owned brands.

    It was attended by some of the biggest names in Black fashion, beauty and entertainment including including actress Tracee Ellis Ross, comedian Robin Theade and designer Emma Grede.

    The First Lady and President Joe Biden landed in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon for a brief, one-day trip. She used the gala to highlight the Biden administration’s work to advance economic equity and make it easier for Black companies to receive funding.

    Those efforts included doubling the amount of government loans given to Black owned businesses and investing $12 billion in community lenders to expand access to capital for minority owned businesses.

    “I want you to know that my husband, President Biden, is your partner, he understands that systemic change requires direct action,” she said.

    The First Lady spoke of the powerful reckoning brought on by the murder of George Floyd and the progress made to dismantle institutionalized racism since then. But she said that these advancements are under threat.

    “The real work of lasting change lies in the moments when history zags, when progress seems to ebb, when the marchers have all gone home and the spotlight has receded, when the backlash has swelled and opponents are working harder to erase the hard fought gains that we’ve made,” she said. “We can’t let them prevail.”

    Aurora James, founder of The Fifteen Pledge, also spoke about attacks on the diversity, equity and inclusion movement.

    She launched the nonprofit during the peak of Black Lives Matter movement in 2020. Since then it has directed almost $14 billion worth of revenue to Black owned businesses through partnerships with major brands including Sephora, Nordstrom and Macys.

    James pointed to the Supreme Court’s overruling of affirmative action as an example of where progress has been lost.

    “There are no longer protections in place to ensure that we have an equal shot at an education, a good job, a bank loan, really anything,” she said. “This campaign is coordinated, it’s premeditated and it’s no coincidence that it’s intensifying at a very, very critical election.”

    Both James and Dr. Biden used the evening to call on event attendees — who represent some of the most influential Black voices in America — to help mobilize voters in November.

    Capturing the Black vote will be essential for a Biden path to reelection, many experts say.

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    Clara Harter

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  • President Biden lands in Los Angeles to woo entertainment leaders

    President Biden lands in Los Angeles to woo entertainment leaders

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    President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden touched down in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon to engage in a time-honored campaign tradition: courting celebrities in the hopes of gaining the support of their fans.

    Air Force One touched down at LAX at 3:25 p.m. on Saturday, ahead of schedule, after departing from Philadelphia hours earlier. Biden headed for the airport Saturday morning after speaking to supporters at his campaign headquarters in Delaware. On Friday, Biden and first lady Jill Biden joined grieving families at Dover Air Force Base to witness the return of three American service members killed in last weekend’s drone attack in Jordan.

    During their brief, less than 24-hour L.A. trip, the Bidens planned to meet with Black leaders in the entertainment industry to talk about the important role they can play in the upcoming election, Deadline reported Friday, as well as other campaign-related stops in the Southland.

    The President was greeted on the tarmac by Sen. Alex Padilla and Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Hawthorne. He paused to snap a selfie with Waters’ sister, Karen Waters, and spent about five minutes chatting with Padilla’s 9-year-old son, Diego, before boarding the M1 helicopter and departing for Santa Monica airport around 3:45 p.m.

    The First Lady joined the motorcade and headed to her own event.

    While the visit takes advantage of the even greater-than-normal concentration of entertainers and music’s behind-the-scenes movers and shakers in town for the Grammys, the couple did not plan to attend the ceremony as they depart for a campaign event in Las Vegas on Sunday afternoon.

    “Getting entertainment surrogates is a long held tactic Democrats use in presidential campaigns,” said veteran democratic strategist Michael Trujillo. “And, the base of the Democratic Party is African American voters, so we need the base to turn out to make sure Biden gets reelected.”

    The Biden reelection campaign is likely extra eager to tap into celebrities’ star power — and wallets — as the recent WGA and SAG-AFRA strikes prevented industry leaders from organizing political fundraisers for many months, he added.

    “L.A. is a longtime ATM for presidential candidates,” said Trujillo. “Because of the strikes they (the Bidens) are probably not where they would like to be at in terms of engaging the Hollywood and entertainment types, but they’re actively giving them face time and recruiting them and getting them excited about Joe Biden’s reelection, because I think the alternative is scary.”

    Celebrities hold huge sway over American voters, research indicates.

    A brief Instagram post by Taylor Swift, for example, led to 35,000 new voter registrations in September 2023. The pop sensation has 279 million Instagram followers and endorsed Biden in the 2020 election. A 2024 endorsement would be powerful for the President.

    But Democrats shouldn’t be alarmed that she hasn’t come out swinging, or singing, for Biden just yet, Trujillo said.

    “Between now and November, you’re going to have the dog days of summer and traditionally, once Labor Day comes around, that’s when folks are paying attention to politics,” he said. “Then, I think there’ll be no shortage of celebrities, from the Taylor Swifts to the Tyler Perrys, supporting President Biden.”

    Saturday’s trip marked the President’s first visit to the City of the Angels since his three-day fundraising frenzy in December. Former President Donald Trump last set foot in the Southland in August 2023 when he attended the California GOP’s convention in Anaheim.

    Biden’s Saturday stop also coincides with the first official Democratic primary day of 2024, as voters in South Carolina head to the ballot box. The president is expected to sweep the primaries, facing challenges from minor candidates such as Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips and author and speaker Marianne Williamson.

    Though the nominations are far from official, pollsters project a razor-thin, combative rematch between Biden and Trump in November.

    GOP frontrunner Trump, who leads former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley by a wide margin in the polls, faces a crossroads moment in the nation’s highest court this week.

    A case with the potential to derail Trump’s drive to return to the White House will swing the electoral spotlight on the Supreme Court starting Thursday.

    However, the Supreme Court’s ongoing deliberations over whether the former president engaged in insurrection, has the potential to put a stop to his candidacy.

    Meanwhile, at the Republican National Committee’s winter meeting in Las Vegas on Friday,  RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel urged the party to unite around the goal of regaining the White House, AP reported.

    “We Republicans will stick together, as united as the union our party long ago fought to preserve,” McDaniel said, quoting Ronald Reagan, according to people who were in the room and disclosed her remarks on condition of anonymity to discuss a private gathering. “We’ll have our battles ahead of us, but they’re good battles, and they’re worth fighting for.”

    The swing state of Nevada may prove pivotal in the November election. At Sunday’s campaign event in the Historic Westside of Las Vegas, the President will speak directly to voters about the stakes of this election.

    The Associated Press and New York Times contributed to this report. 

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    Clara Harter

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  • Has your drink been spiked? Ask the lawyer

    Has your drink been spiked? Ask the lawyer

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    Q: There is a law that lets you find out if your drink has been roofied, but not sure how it works. Can you spell it out?

    B.L., Reseda

    Ron Sokol

    A: First, studies have suggested that drink spiking may be underreported. It also can be difficult to catch the perpetrator.  A victim may become disoriented or incapacitated, mistaken for being drunk, and preyed upon.

    Now, bars and nightclubs in California will soon be required to offer customers a way to test if their drink has been spiked. The new law becomes effective July 1. The establishment is to offer drug-testing devices to patrons, either free of charge or for a reasonable cost.  Further, the establishment must post a notice that says: “Don’t get roofied!  Drink spiking drug test available here. Ask a staff  member for details.”

    You can read more online by typing “AB 1013 drink spiking” in your web browser.

    Penal code section 347

    This is the California statute that addresses willfully “mingling” any poison or harmful substances with food, drink, medicine or pharmaceutical product when the person knew or should have known that the substance would be taken and cause injury. Such conduct is a felony, punishable by imprisonment for two, four or five years. In addition, if a poison or harmful substance is used that may cause death, or which results in the infliction of great bodily injury, an additional term of three years can be added.

    Q: I saw this young guy get liquored up at the bar, but did not keep track after I moved to sit at a table. Later, I heard the person got into a car crash. Any chance the bar is on the hook for that?

    R.M., San Gabriel

    A: The statute on point is California Civil Code Section 1714, which sets forth that a bar providing alcoholic beverages to an intoxicated person will not, in most instances, be held liable for harm that the individual causes. There are exceptions: (a) If an adult knowingly serves alcohol to a person under 21 years old, the adult can be liable for any damages caused by the underaged drinker. This liability can arise if the adult knew, or should have known, the person to whom he or she was providing alcohol was under 21. And (b) If the employee of an establishment that is licensed to serve alcohol provides booze to an “obviously intoxicated minor,” the employee can held liable for harm the minor causes.

    Ron Sokol has been a practicing attorney for over 40 years, and has also served many times as a judge pro tem, mediator, and arbitrator. It is important to keep in mind that this column presents a summary of the law, and is not to be treated or considered legal advice, let alone a substitute for actual consultation with a qualified professional. 

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    Ron Sokol

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  • Inland Empire is California’s top job creator

    Inland Empire is California’s top job creator

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    ”Survey says” looks at various rankings and scorecards judging geographic locations, while noting these grades are best seen as a mix of artful interpretation and data.

    Buzz: The Inland Empire was California’s top job creator during the past four years.

    Source: My trusty spreadsheet looked a state employment stats for 29 regional job markets – focusing on average 2023 employment vs. 2019, the year before the pandemic hit.

    Topline

    The region comprising Riverside and San Bernardino counties may be California’s most under-appreciated economic asset.

    The Inland Empire averaged 1.68 million workers last year – up 128,400 vs. 2019. That gain easily was No. 1 among the state’s job markets.

    Or look at the outperformance this way. California added 640,300 jobs since 2019 to 18.1 million. So, the Inland Empire created 20% of the state’s new jobs but comprises only 9% of the state’s total employment.

    The COVID-19 pandemic was a key driver in the Inland Empire’s job growth as the push for online shopping fueled rapid growth in logistics work. The region is a hot spot for transportation, warehouse and utilities employment.

    Consider that the Inland Empire last year had 209,000 of the state’s 865,000 logistics jobs — a 24% share. Yet the Riverside-San Bernardino region added 61,500 of these jobs in four years, 40% of California’s new 157,000 logistics workers.

    Details

    Los Angeles County was No. 2 for job growth during the past four years with 79,000 jobs added to 4.6 million, the state’s largest job market. Other big job increases were in …

    San Diego County: 69,900 added since 2019 to 1.6 million.

    Sacramento: 67,600 added since 2019 to 1.1 million.

    Orange County: 39,000 added since 2019 to 1.7 million.

    San Jose-Santa Clara: 36,500 added since 2019 to 1.2 million.

    Stockton: 30,700 added since 2019 to 278,000. That 12.4% growth was No. 1 among the metros.

    Fresno: 26,900 added since 2019 to 390,000.

    San Francisco: 26,300 added since 2019 to 1.2 million.

    Bakersfield: 18,500 added since 2019 to 292,000.

    Visalia-Porterville: 13,200 added since 2019 to 142,000.

    Oakland-Berkeley: 11,400 added since 2019 to 1.2 million.

    Bottom line

    Note that employment in four smaller job markets remains below 2019 levels.

    San Rafael’s off 4,600 workers to 112,000, Chico’s down 2,300 to 78,000, Santa Cruz declined by 1,000 to 103,000, and Napa dropped 300 jobs to 75,000.

    Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at jlansner@scng.com

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    Jonathan Lansner

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