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31 August 2026 at 22:18

Singer, accused of murder and sexual abuse of teen Celeste Rivas Hernandez, to be represented by LA public defender

Singer D4vd lost his high-profile private lawyers on Monday at a hearing where he entered a new not guilty plea to charges that he killed, sexually abused and dismembered 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.

It is not clear why Blair Berk and her colleagues Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter parted ways with the singer, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke. They were replaced by a lawyer from the Los Angeles county public defender’s office.

Defense lawyers for singer D4vd withdraw from murder case

31 August 2026 at 22:18

Singer, accused of murder and sexual abuse of teen Celeste Rivas Hernandez, to be represented by LA public defender

Singer D4vd lost his high-profile private lawyers on Monday at a hearing where he entered a new not guilty plea to charges that he killed, sexually abused and dismembered 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.

It is not clear why Blair Berk and her colleagues Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter parted ways with the singer, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke. They were replaced by a lawyer from the Los Angeles county public defender’s office.

Thousands of cans of Pabst beer stolen in two separate heists in California

The Guardian

31 August 2026 at 19:30

Both thefts occurred on 17 August at a distribution center east of Los Angeles

Thieves made off with tens of thousands of cans of Pabst beer in two separate heists from a southern California warehouse on the same day, police said.

Pabst Blue Ribbon has turned the thefts – valued by police at $70,000 – into a lighthearted social media promotion. But police in Montclair said on Friday that investigators were trying to determine whether they were part of a single operation.

Thousands of cans of Pabst beer stolen in two separate heists in California

31 August 2026 at 19:30

Both thefts occurred on 17 August at a distribution center east of Los Angeles

Thieves made off with tens of thousands of cans of Pabst beer in two separate heists from a southern California warehouse on the same day, police said.

Pabst Blue Ribbon has turned the thefts – valued by police at $70,000 – into a lighthearted social media promotion. But police in Montclair said on Friday that investigators were trying to determine whether they were part of a single operation.

Leader of DOJ’s Civil Rights Unit Spars With Harvard, the Left and Her Colleagues

By: Glenn Thrush and Michael C. Bender

31 August 2026 at 12:00

Harmeet Dhillon, who leads the Justice Department’s civil rights unit, has extracted flashy agreements and personnel moves from big universities and sought to force states to turn over confidential voter data.

Fire in California’s Big Sur region doubles in size overnight, forcing evacuations

30 August 2026 at 02:51

Plaskett fire has swept through more than 5,900 acres in Monterey county and remains un-contained, says Cal Fire

A fire in California’s Big Sur region doubled in size overnight, forcing the evacuation of nearby residents, in a coastal region where firefighters have battled another blaze for weeks.

The Plaskett fire, which sparked on Tuesday, had swept through more than 5,900 acres (2,400 hectares) in Monterey county as of Friday, and remained un-contained, according to Cal Fire. Its cause is under investigation.

Fire in California’s Big Sur region doubles in size overnight, forcing evacuations

The Guardian

30 August 2026 at 02:51

Plaskett fire has swept through more than 5,900 acres in Monterey county and remains un-contained, says Cal Fire

A fire in California’s Big Sur region doubled in size overnight, forcing the evacuation of nearby residents, in a coastal region where firefighters have battled another blaze for weeks.

The Plaskett fire, which sparked on Tuesday, had swept through more than 5,900 acres (2,400 hectares) in Monterey county as of Friday, and remained un-contained, according to Cal Fire. Its cause is under investigation.

A MAGA Uproar Ensued After a Bill Was Given a Nick Shirley Nickname

By: Laurel Rosenhall

30 August 2026 at 03:59

A privacy measure for immigration aid workers became a free speech cause for backers of Mr. Shirley, a right-wing YouTube star. Democrats say the furor is fueled by misinformation.

Nick Shirley, 24, has quickly become a hero in the MAGA movement as a YouTube influencer who has produced viral videos claiming to expose fraud in Democratic-led states.

LAPD releases footage of death of man whom police handcuffed and beat

The Guardian

29 August 2026 at 22:52

Jose Carlos Hoyoz-Munoz was arrested after a family altercation and restrained for ‘combative’ behavior

A cadre of Los Angeles police officers beat and restrained a handcuffed man in July, minutes before he was found dead in a jail cell, according to newly released body-cam footage.

On 15 July, Jose Carlos Hoyoz-Munoz, 58, was found unconscious in his cell at the Van Nuys regional jail. At the time, the LAPD said two use-of-force incidents had occurred, without specifying the nature. In the video released on Friday, the department said three use-of-force incidents occurred.

LAPD releases footage of death of man whom police handcuffed and beat

29 August 2026 at 22:52

Jose Carlos Hoyoz-Munoz was arrested after a family altercation and restrained for ‘combative’ behavior

A cadre of Los Angeles police officers beat and restrained a handcuffed man in July, minutes before he was found dead in a jail cell, according to newly released body-cam footage.

On 15 July, Jose Carlos Hoyoz-Munoz, 58, was found unconscious in his cell at the Van Nuys regional jail. At the time, the LAPD said two use-of-force incidents had occurred, without specifying the nature. In the video released on Friday, the department said three use-of-force incidents occurred.

With Shoppers Wary of Illness, Farmers Destroy Millions of Heads of Lettuce

By: Soumya Karlamangla

29 August 2026 at 12:00

After a drop in demand driven by a nationwide outbreak of cyclosporiasis, California growers are plowing lettuce back into the soil and laying off workers.

Trump Administration Looks to Give a Swath of Yosemite Park to Developer

By: Shawn Hubler and Maxine Joselow

29 August 2026 at 00:50

The proposed land swap would allow easy access to the crown jewel of the national park system. Democrats and former Park Service officials are incensed.

Visitors walk through Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park.

Los Angeles fire survivors face record wait for federal disaster aid under Trump

The Guardian

By: Gabrielle Canon

29 August 2026 at 01:39

Nearly 600 days after the devastating 2025 fires, thousands of Los Angeles residents are still waiting for more than $15bn in federal funds to rebuild their communities

As thousands of residents in Spokane, Washington, begin to grapple with a long recovery after a destructive set of blazes that consumed hundreds of homes in the state’s second most populated city this month, victims of the Los Angeles firestorm broke a grim record – they have faced the longest delay in modern history for federal aid.

Nearly 600 days since a historic firestorm roared into communities across Los Angeles, reducing more than 16,000 structures to ash and toxic debris, the Trump administration has failed to appropriate more than $15bn in long-term recovery funds that are crucial to rebuilding. The delay in supplying the badly needed funds is months longer than the last record set when victims of the Maui fires had to wait 500 days to receive the support, LAist noted this week.

Volunteers rescue man stuck on 10,000ft-high ledge in Sierra Nevada

The Guardian

29 August 2026 at 00:30

Climber, stuck on 6in ridge, had veered off treacherous path and ‘any fall would almost certainly be fatal’

An ill-fated move left a man stranded on a 6in ledge over 10,000ft off the ground for hours in California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range, before a volunteer rescue team came to his aid.

The climber, who has not been publicly identified, had been scaling the Mendenhall couloir, a gully on the face of Laurel mountain, with a friend on Saturday.

She Filmed the Towers That Morning. 25 Years Later, She Finally Watched.

By: Steven Kurutz

28 August 2026 at 20:05

A young college graduate filmed the World Trade Center attack from the fire escape of her Chinatown apartment. For many years, she avoided looking at the footage.

Thuc Doan Nguyen-Brophy, visiting the apartment where she lived on Sept. 11, 2001, for the first time in 25 years.

Rollercoaster at LA’s Six Flags shut after two riders suffered brain injuries, inquiry finds

The Guardian

28 August 2026 at 17:09

X2 ride at Magic Mountain has been closed for a month after one rider experienced brain compression and another remains in coma

An infamous Six Flags Magic Mountain rollercoaster, long favored by intrepid theme park goers, has been closed for more than a month after two people say they experienced brain injuries after riding it, according to a new CNN investigation.

The X2 rollercoaster sends riders plummeting and twisting hundreds of feet, reaching up to 76mph (about 122km/h) as the seats rotate 360 degrees. On the southern California theme park’s website, it’s advertised as a rite of passage for daredevils.

Climber Stranded for Hours on 6-Inch Rock Ledge Before Rescue