Summer weather is far from over in California, where temperatures can skyrocket well into October. What better way to enjoy these last squeezin’s of heat than soaking them in on a beach boardwalk?
“Before it’s too late, head to your nearest boardwalk for one last chance to dig your toes into the sand, stroll the boardwalk and shout at the top of your lungs on rollercoasters,” the travel guide informs. “We’ve gathered our favorite boardwalks from coast to coast — from storied classics to fresh newcomers, including a few unsung gems.”
The No. 1 pick? That’d be Santa Cruz, home of the Giant Dipper coaster and other nostalgic, carnie-inflected fun. Here’s where else to chill out, from Chicago to the Jersey Shore.
Fodor’s Best Boardwalks in the United States
1 Santa Cruz, California
2 Ocean City, Maryland
3 Virginia Beach, Virginia
4 Navy Pier, Chicago
5 Coney Island, New York
Ocean City's stretch of Maryland coastline includes a three-mile boardwalk
with salt water taffy shops, concerts and other attractions. (Getty Images)
The criminal trial of a young activist involved in a Bay Area animal welfare group’s aggressive campaign targeting Sonoma County poultry farms is set to kick off this week, drawing more attention to a case that’s existed in a spotlight from its earliest days.
Zoe Rosenberg is charged with felony conspiracy and three misdemeanors related to a 2023 incursion by activists at a Petaluma Poultry processing facility, one of several sites where the Berkeley group Direct Action Everywhere has staged large demonstrations to highlight farm conditions it contends are unsafe and harmful for birds raised for their eggs and meat.
Representatives of the region’s poultry industry, rooted in Petaluma for generations, have rejected those allegations and have pressed the county’s district attorney to prosecute individuals involved in the farm incursions, which they say present a serious threat to biosecurity and employee safety.
In some of those instances over the past seven years, activists made off with birds who they said were in poor health due to farm operations. Participants, according to prosecutors, have accessed private property after cutting through chain-linked fences. On several occasions, they’ve chained themselves to front gates and equipment, refusing to leave even when confronted by law enforcement.
Kent Porter / The Press Democrat file
Animal welfare activist Zoe Rosenberg is arrested on a warrant by Sonoma County sheriff’s deputy Joel Auerbach, after a rally and subsequent march in response to the sentencing of animal welfare activist Wayne Hsiung in Sonoma County Superior Court in Santa Rosa, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat file)
Chad Surmick / The Press Democrat file
Animal rights protesters, Direct Action Everywhere members, rally outside of Sonoma County Superior Court on Friday morning, Sept. 8, 2023, before attending hearings related to a trial for three animal rights activists accused of trespassing onto chicken and duck farms near Petaluma in May 2018 and June 2019. (Chad Surmick / The Press Democrat file)
Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat
Cassie King and other activists with Direct Action Everywhere hold a Rose’s Law Animal Bill of Rights vigil and protest near a poultry processing plant along Lakeville Highway in Petaluma on Tuesday, December 7, 2021. in Petaluma on Tuesday, December 7, 2021. (Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat)
Chad Surmick / The Press Democrat
Animal rights activist Zoe Rosenberg pauses to take a group photo with other members of Direct Action Everywhere outside the Sonoma County Superior Courthouse before her preliminary hearing in Santa Rosa, Friday, May 3, 2024. Rosenberg is accused in a June 13, 2023, incursion at Petaluma Poultry and charged with five felony counts of conspiracy and one misdemeanor count each of trespassing, petty theft and tampering with a vehicle. (Chad Surmick / The Press Democrat)
Direct Action Everywhere
Screenshot of densely packed birds from a video shot by animal welfare activists at McCoy’s Poultry, a Petaluma Poultry supplier, in 2018. (Direct Action Everywhere)
Darryl Bush / For The Press Democrat
Two protesters dressed in biosecurity suits, Cassie King of Petaluma, left, and Ethan Singleton of Fairfax, walk down the isle inside Trader Joe’s store, as they protest against the store’s sale of chicken from Petaluma Poultry, a subsidiary of Perdue Farms, in Petaluma, Saturday, March 15, 2025. The protest organized by Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) claimed unsafe pathogens are contained in poultry. (Darryl Bush / For The Press Democrat)
Darryl Bush / For The Press Democrat
Protester Almira Tanner of Berkeley speaks to customers as she and other protesters including Andy Bunnell of Sebastopol, right, hold signs as they protest against the store’s sale of chicken from Petaluma Poultry, a subsidiary of Perdue Farms, in front of Trader Joe’s poultry section in Petaluma, Saturday, March 15, 2025. The protest organized by Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) claimed unsafe pathogens are contained in poultry. (Darryl Bush / For The Press Democrat)
Darryl Bush / For The Press Democrat
Protesters in front of Trader Joe’s in Petaluma, protest against the store’s sale of chicken from Petaluma Poultry, a subsidiary of Perdue Farms, Saturday, March 15, 2025. The protest organized by Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) claimed unsafe pathogens are contained in poultry. (Darryl Bush / For The Press Democrat)
Maci Martell / The Press Democrat
A billboard in Petaluma depicting animal activist Zoe Rosenberg, who is set to stand trial on a felony conspiracy related to her alleged role in a Direct Action Everywhere farm incursion in 2023. (Maci Martell / The Press Democrat)
Kent Porter / The Press Democrat
Direct Action Everywhere protesters stage a demonstration in front of a home owned by Petaluma Poultry director of operations Jason Arnold, Saturday, March 22, 2025, in east Santa Rosa. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
Kent Porter / The Press Democrat
Animal welfare activist Zoe Rosenberg leads a protest march to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office in Santa Rosa, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. Moments later Rosenberg and two others were arrested on warrants. The protesters were marching in response to the sentencing of animal welfare activist Wayne Hsiung in Sonoma County Superior Court in Santa Rosa. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
Beth Schlanker / The Press Democrat
Protesters organized by the Direct Action Everywhere, an animal rights network, are arrested for trespassing by Sonoma County Sheriff’s deputies at Sunrise Farms in Petaluma, Tuesday, May 29, 2018. (Beth Schlanker / The Press Democrat)
Beth Schlanker / The Press Democrat
A protester organized by the Direct Action Everywhere, an animal rights network, is arrested for trespassing by Sonoma County Sheriff’s deputies at Sunrise Farms in Petaluma, Tuesday, May 29, 2018. (Beth Schlanker / The Press Democrat)
Beth Schlanker / The Press Democrat
Deputies from the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office watch as a group organized by Direct Action Everywhere, an animal rights network, protest the conditions and welfare of the chickens at Sunrise Farms in Petaluma, Tuesday, May 29, 2018. (Beth Schlanker / The Press Democrat)
Kent Porter / The Press Democrat file
1 of 14
Animal welfare activist Zoe Rosenberg is arrested on a warrant by Sonoma County sheriff’s deputy Joel Auerbach, after a rally and subsequent march in response to the sentencing of animal welfare activist Wayne Hsiung in Sonoma County Superior Court in Santa Rosa, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat file)
Rosenberg’s trial, where jury selection could begin as soon as Thursday, with opening statements to follow before Sonoma County Judge Kenneth Gnoss, represents the second time in as many years where a member of Direct Action Everywhere, or DxE, is the defendant.
This time, the proceedings come about 10 months after Sonoma County voters overwhelmingly rejected a DXE-backed ballot measure that threatened to shut down large livestock and poultry farms. It also punctuates a recent wave of civil litigation over the group’s ongoing protests outside poultry executives’ homes and in Trader Joe’s stores.
Critics, including farming interests, have called the actions antagonistic and invasive.
“The farming and ranching community is closely following the trial. We look forward to justice being served,” said Dayna Ghirardelli, CEO of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau.
Rosenberg, 23, faces nearly five years in prison if convicted as charged in a case prosecutors emphasize is less about Petaluma Poultry’s business practices and more about activists trespassing onto private property and takinganimals without permission.
The felony conspiracy count stems from alleged activity from April 23 to June 13 in 2023, when Rosenberg, a UC Berkeley student at the time, is accused of entering the Lakeville Highway processing facility at odd hours of the night and morning, searching through computers and records and attaching GPS monitors to 12 delivery vehicles.
The alleged activity came to a head the morning of June 13, when prosecutors said Rosenberg took four birds from a trailer as about 50 DXE members rallied nearby. Investigators said four of those protesters fled with the birds in a rented Nissan Pathfinder.
Rosenberg was arrested Nov. 30, 2023 outside the Sonoma County courthouse hours after DXE’s co-founder, Wayne Hsiung, was sentenced in a separate conspiracy and trespassing case involving other poultry farms. Rosenberg has been out of custody since then, but was forced to wear an ankle monitor. She and her supporters maintain she did nothing wrong.
“The chickens I rescued, who I named Poppy, Ivy, Aster, and Azalea, were covered in scratches and bruises, filled with parasites and battling infections,” Rosenberg said in a statement Monday. “I did what I think most people would’ve done if faced with such suffering: I acted to stop it, to get them help. Today, they are safe and happy at an animal sanctuary.”
Her attorney, Chris Carraway, said “Had Ms. Rosenberg taken four dead chickens from a supermarket meat case, I cannot imagine her facing such hefty charges and steep penalties, nor being surveilled for two years.”
DXE has rallied behind her, promoting her defense on a billboard along Highway 101 in Petaluma that asked whether Rosenberg should go to prison for what the group characterized as rescuing a chicken.
Defendants and their supporters argue they are saving birds from farms where they allege the conditions are inhumane. They justify their aggressive approach by citing California law that allows animals in distress to be rescued.
The lead-up to the trial has included plenty of legal wrangling between the two sides.
A judge rejected the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office’s attempt to remove the highway billboard over concern it could influence potential jurors. But Rosenberg and her attorneys hit a snag on June 30 when Gnoss ruled a central tenet of her case would not be allowed.
The ruling barred her use of a so-called necessity defense, where a defendant needs to prove action is being taken in an emergency to prevent significant harm, there’s no legal alternative and additional harm won’t be caused. Gnoss concluded those terms did not apply to actions at a poultry farm.
“There are times when the risk of harm to a person is so great and so immediate, that the law can be broken, but to extend that to situations where the harm is to nonhuman beings would not be appropriate and would open the flood gates and allow individuals to violate the law whenever they disagreed with regulatory or governmental outcomes,” Gnoss wrote in his ruling.
DXE has gained nationwide notoriety for its high-profile and sometimes disruptive demonstrations assailing large-scale animal farming. Many of its members oppose consumption of meat altogether.
In December 2022, Rosenberg was arrested after chaining herself to the base of a hoop during an NBA playoff game between the Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves.
In Sonoma County, DXE members have converged on area poultry facilities in large numbers throughout the past year. They’ve protested outside homes belonging to officials with Petaluma Poultry and its parent company, Perdue Farms. They’ve also swarmed Trader Joe’s stores across California to discourage sale of Petaluma Poultry products.
Agriculture interests, buoyed in part by the overwhelming rejection last year of Measure J, which targeted large local animal farms, have picked up from where they left off in that high-stakes and costly political fight.
This week, Sonoma County Family Farmers Alliance circulated a petition asking residents to pledge support for the local animal agriculture community as it’s “under attack from extreme activists.” The mailer doesn’t reference DXE by name but includes a line that “extremists from Berkeley don’t speak for us.”
“Given the harassment and bullying at the homes and neighborhoods of poultry workers over the last several months, coupled with their ongoing negative and destructive presence, the Sonoma County Family Farmers Alliance sent the flyer to remind us of the importance of the food grown here in Sonoma County and the tireless efforts of the people who bring it to our tables,” Ghirardelli said.
You can reach Staff Writer Colin Atagi at colin.atagi@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @colin_atagi.
A Napa mother pleaded not guilty Tuesday to second-degree murder charges that were filed in July, which prosecutors added to earlier counts stemming from a crash that killed her two children.
Yesica Barajas, 31, entered her plea before Napa County Judge Elia Ortiz, who set her next court appearance for Oct. 2 to schedule a preliminary hearing, according to court records. Jail logs show Barajas remains in custody at the Napa County jail without bail.
The District Attorney’s Office first charged her with vehicular manslaughter and child abuse in the March 16 crash that killed her son, Damian Montanez, 10, and daughter, Aaliyah Montanez, 9. She initially pleaded not guilty May 6. Prosecutors later upgraded the charges July 15.
Authorities say Barajas was driving a 2006 Nissan Maxima around 4 a.m. March 16 when she veered off the Highway 29 offramp at West Imola Avenue and struck a tree. The California Highway Patrol initially reported the crash had happened the next morning, but prosecutors later clarified it occurred hours earlier and wasn’t discovered until about 7:30 a.m. Both children died at the scene.
In court, Deputy District Attorney Katie Susemihl said Barajas consumed cannabis after work the afternoon of March 15, then drank alcohol while out with family. She returned home in the early morning hours, left again with her children around 4 a.m., and crashed shortly afterward.
According to the arrest report, Barajas suffered cuts to her face and a serious knee injury. A responding officer noted she appeared confused, with red, watery eyes and smelling of cannabis. Investigators found cannabis cartridges and a vape pen inside the car.
Roughly 90 minutes after the crash, Barajas took two Breathalyzer tests that registered blood alcohol levels of 0.027% and 0.026% — both below the state’s 0.08% legal limit. Prosecutors emphasized the tests came well after she was believed to have been drinking.
Her attorney sought her release in April, citing family support and her willingness to comply with court orders. Prosecutors objected, pointing out she had been with the same relatives in the hours before the crash.
Here is yet another way to look at the financial challenges of California homeownership: Recurring costs eat up more than half of household income for roughly 1 in 6 owners statewide.
My trusty spreadsheet identified this affordability challenge by analyzing 2024 Census Bureau housing data for the 50 states and the District of Columbia. These latest figures detail swings in who owns their residence, how much they pay a month, and how many owner households are financially swamped by expenses. That’s when mortgage payments – one-third of Californians don’t have a home loan – plus items such as insurance, utilities and association dues top 50% of an owner’s income.
By this math, 15% of California owners were deeply stressed in 2024 – the highest share among the states and well above the nation’s 9% slice.
After California comes Florida, New York and Hawaii at 13%, and Rhode Island at 12%. Texas was No. 18 at 10%. The nation’s least-stressed owners live in North Dakota, where just 5% pay 50%-plus. Next are South Dakota and Iowa at 6%, and Indiana and West Virginia at 7%.
These deeply stressed owners are a large group.
Despite all the economic challenges, don’t forget that California is the nation’s largest ownership state with 7.7 million living in their own home. Next are Texas at 7.1 million, Florida at 6.2 million, New York at 4.3 million and Pennsylvania at 3.7 million.
Yet the high financial strains add up to 1.1 million California households paying more than half their income to own, also tops among the states. No. 2 is Florida at 830,700, then Texas at 700,000, New York at 539,400, and Illinois at 334,000.
Or look at it this way: California has 9% of the nation’s 86.6 million owners. But the Golden State has 13% of the 8.6 million Americans who are highly burdened by ownership costs.
Owners’ remorse?
Ponder what it costs to own. The typical Californian homeowner pays an estimated $2,280 monthly – 70% above the $1,340 national norm.
Only D.C. is costlier at $2,610 a month. After California comes New Jersey at $2,220, Massachusetts at $2,170, and Hawaii at $2,080. The cheapest places to own are West Virginia at $800, Arkansas and Mississippi at $930, Kentucky at $1,010, and Alabama at $1,020.
Texas was No. 18 at $1,540 and Florida, No. 17, at $1,550.
These costs have soared since coronavirus upended the economy. Yes, the pandemic era’s once historically low mortgage rates offered significant savings to many owners. Other expenses, such as property taxes and insurance, have since skyrocketed across the nation.
Costs rose 23% for all California owners since 2019. However, that jump was just the 29th largest among the states and equaled the nation’s five-year expense leap.
Florida had the largest increase at 42%, then Colorado, Utah and Texas at 32%, and Oklahoma at 31%. Smallest cost gains? New Jersey at 14%, Connecticut and Vermont at 15%, Delaware at 16%, and Hawaii at 17%.
Statewide, 27% of California tenants pay 50%-plus of their income for rent. That slice is topped only by Florida’s 29% and equals Nevada’s share. Their distress levels are not far above the nation’s 24% share
California’s median costs for all renters ran $2,104 a month – that’s 60% above the nation’s $1,319 and the largest expense among the states. Since 2019, California tenants have seen their expenses jump 30%.
Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at jlansner@scng.com
“At the same time, we must and do honor the First Amendment rights of our employees to share their personal view on matters of public concern when speaking as a private citizen,” Pyle wrote. “We want to be clear: the personal comments made by this employee do not reflect the values, standards or mission of our District.”
The letter does not name the employee, the school or location at which he or she works or describe the social media comments. It states that the employee is on “non-disciplinary administrative leave pending a full investigation.”
District spokesperson Carrie Best declined further comment Wednesday, Sept. 17, and would not define the term “non-disciplinary administrative leave.”
Kirk was shot and killed Wednesday, Sept. 10, while speaking to thousands at a Utah university.
Authorities arrested a 22-year-old man and booked him on suspicion of murder and other charges in the assassination of Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump who built a media empire focused on recruiting young people to the conservative movement.
In the letter, Pyle thanked the community for reaching out about the social media posts.
Pyle’s statement said that a school board policy on professional standards expects staff “to maintain the highest ethical standards, behave professionally, follow district policies and regulations” and to abide by state and federal laws.
The policy also states that staff should exercise good judgment when interacting with students and members of the community and that staff should behave in a way that “enhances the integrity of the district, advances the goals of the district’s educational programs, and contributes to a positive school climate,” Pyle wrote.
“Moving forward, we will clarify guidelines regarding staff conduct in response to controversial topics, with the dual goal of protecting First Amendment rights while ensuring all individuals are treated with dignity and respect and our employees behave in accordance with our adopted professional standards,” Pyle wrote.
This September is our sort-of-annual drive to encourage people to back our Patreon. During this month, all new backers can get a freebie from among our past Patreon exclusive merchandise or any merch in our webstore worth up to $5 (you can read all about the options in this blog post).
In addition to the once-a-year giveaway – during which all backers, new AND existing, get a freebie! – there are a lot of perks to being a Duck Prints Press Patreon supporter. Backers get behind-the-scenes access to our Discord, coupons ranging from 10% to 30% off our webstore, free stories and art every single month, and way more. Among the way more?
Patreon backers, no matter their support level, vote to pick our anthology themes – and the vote for our next General Imprint Anthology is going on right now!
DPP staff have narrowed down the infinite possibilities into four projects we’re most interested in pursuing, and now backers have until September 23rd to help us pick in a winner-take-all poll. What are the choices?
ace characters + settings in outerspace (ace! in! spaaaaace!)
bi characters + sports settings (more than just hockey!)
ace characters + solarpunk (hopeful ace-punk!)
bi characters + sword and sorcery (bi knights! and more!)
The vote is really close so far, with no clear winner – it’s still really any themes game. So if you’ve ever wondered “how do they pick the themes?”; if you’ve ever thought, “I wish I could pick the next theme…”; if you’ve ever just wanted to be more involved with Duck Prints Press, now is the perfect time to become a backer, support indie queer publishing, and have a say in picking out next theme!
and don’t forget – you can get an entry to win a free copy of our debut anthology Add Magic to Taste by helping share posts about our Patreon drive! Here are the shareable posts for you to grab:
The above link goes to what is probably the most famous Doonesbury cartoon of all time. Many papers refused to run it. Many that did run it, put it on the editorial page rather than the comics page. The Washington Post ran an editorial about why it didn't run it. It was controversial because it violated the presumption of innocence for John Mitchell. Many papers cancelled Doonesbury, though most who didn't run it, just skipped that day.
And that was it. It was well known that President Nixon hated Doonesbury and, by extension, Garry Trudeau, but he didn't demand any retribution.
Watergate was a punchline. It was a punchline for Flip Wilson who ran at 8 p.m. on Thursdays. It was a punchline for local radio DJs. It was a punchline for Johnny Carson (who was scathing in some of his monologues). And no one got cancelled, suspended, or disappeared for the jokes, whether good or bad.
When Gerald Ford came into office in late 1974, he said [perhaps slightly paraphrased], "In Washington, we get our news from intelligence briefings, The Washington Post, and Doonesbury -- not necessarily in that order."
It never occurred to me that I would look back on the violent and discordant early 1970s as "the halcyon days." Still, say what you will against Richard Nixon, he believed in the Constitution and he understood all the amendments.
Last night a friend got on the bike path by the Lowell St stairs/bridge carrying a trumpet, and one of the valve slides (U-shaped silver metal) fell off as he headed towards Davis. If you find it please let me know and I'll put you in touch with the owner.
Mother: "Oh, that's not good! You don't need to put him on that artificial stuff! Insulin is just doctors shilling for Big Pharma. You should just rub lemon balm essential oils into his daughter's heels every night."
I'm excited to hear that Reading the Remnants might get an official English translation! (I do hope it was licensed by one of the more reliable publishers)
California breaking news, crime, politics | The Mercury News (sjmerc_ca_feed) wrote2025-09-1812:44 pm
Of the dozens of wildfire-related bills that legislators were quick to introduce in the wake of the wildfires that ravaged greater Los Angeles in January, roughly half of the ones tracked by Southern California News Group have passed out of the legislature and are awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom‘s signature in order to become law.
The topics of these bills run the gamut, from home hardening measures meant to reduce the likelihood of a house catching on fire, to streamlining home construction permit approval processes, to mortgage forbearance and additional compensation and incentives for inmate firefighters.
Newsom has already made some decisions. Late last month, he signed AB 493, by Assemblymember John Harabedian, D-Pasadena, to ensure that homeowners recovering after a disaster receive at least 2% interest on home insurance payouts held in escrow, thus closing a loophole that had allowed banks to keep the interest. The new law took effect immediately.
Overall, we monitored nearly four dozen wildfire-related bills this legislative session. Here is a sampling of a few that are awaiting the governor’s signature, as well as a brief look at some that did not make it to his desk. Newsom has until Oct. 13 — an extra day since the legislature concluded a day late — to decide on these bills.
Home hardening
The state’s increasing fire risks have made it more challenging for property owners to get their homes insured, as insurance companies have stopped offering coverage to hundreds of thousands of Californians over the years.
Two bills dealing with home hardening to protect properties from catching fire, which in turn could result in a discount on home insurance policies, are before the governor.
AB 888, known as the California Safe Homes Act, would establish a state grant program for homeowners to help pay for measures like installing a fire-resistant roof or clearing vegetation to reduce the chances that their property will catch fire. To qualify for a grant, a homeowner must be considered “low-income” for the county in which they live, reside within a “high or very high fire hazard severity zone,” and have home insurance.
A separate bill, AB 1, would require the state Department of Insurance to periodically consider updating its “Safer from Wildfires” regulations, to give property owners who harden their homes and carry out other wildfire mitigation measures a discount on their insurance policies.
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara endorsed both AB 888, from Assemblymember Lisa Calderon, D-Whittier, and AB 1, from Assemblymember Damon Connolly, D-San Rafael.
Permits to build
AB 253 would expedite the process for obtaining building permits for small residential projects, including homeowners looking to rebuild after the wildfires. The bill would allow a property owner to hire a private, third-party professional to check plans submitted as part of the building permit application, to ensure compliance with state laws or local ordinances, if the city or county’s own building department can’t complete the check within 30 business days.
Assemblymembers Christopher Ward, D-San Diego, and Sharon Quirk-Silva, D-Fullerton, introduced the bill along with Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Salinas.
“California cannot afford to let bureaucracy stand in the way of housing. AB 253 cuts through the red tape, ensuring that when homes are ready to be built, government delays do not stand in the way,” Quirk-Silva said earlier this year.
Another bill aimed at quickening the review process for home building is AB 301, introduced by Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, and Rivas.
This one would accelerate the state permit review process for housing projects by requiring state agencies to follow specific timelines, as local governments must do. Speeding up the timeline for building new homes would not only help address the state’s housing crisis but also benefit those who lost their homes in the Southern California wildfires.
There is also AB 462, to expedite the building of accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, in the state’s coastal zone.
Normally, a certificate of occupancy wouldn’t be issued for an ADU until the main dwelling had been issued a similar certificate. But this bill would require a local agency to issue the certificate for the ADU, even if the main house hasn’t received the same approval, if the unit is located in a county that the governor declared to be in a state of emergency on or after Feb. 1, 2025. The following would also have to apply: the main dwelling was substantially damaged or destroyed by whatever caused the state of emergency (such as a wildfire) and the ADU has been issued construction permits and passed all required inspections.
In addition, the local government or California Coastal Commission must approve or deny a coastal development permit application for the ADU within 60 days of receiving a completed application.
“This legislation helps increase housing availability in high-cost areas while maintaining important protections for our coastal environments,” Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, who introduced the bill along with Rivas, said in a statement. “As Los Angeles recovers from the catastrophic fires that occurred earlier this year, this will be an incredibly important tool to help in that recovery effort.”
Mortgage forbearance
The Mortgage Deferment Act, or AB 238, would allow homeowners facing financial hardships as a direct result of the January wildfires to request mortgage forbearance. The bill would require a mortgage provider to offer payment forbearance for up to 90 days initially. The forbearance period could then be extended in 90-day increments, up to 12 months.
A previous version of the bill proposed an initial forbearance period of up to 180 days, with the option of extending it another 180 days.
“For too long, wildfire survivors have faced the impossible burden of paying rent for temporary housing and a mortgage on homes destroyed or unlivable. AB 238 will ease that burden by allowing families to pause mortgage payments for up to a year while they rebuild their lives,” Harabedian, who introduced the bill along with Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks, wrote in a recent social media post.
Incarcerated firefighters
During the wildfires that ravaged greater Los Angeles early this year, hundreds of incarcerated firefighters — if not more than 1,100, according to at least one estimate — helped with the fire response. Their contributions led to calls from many, including from reality star Kim Kardashian, for greater compensation or other support for this group of first responders.
The legislature’s passage last week of AB 247, to increase pay for incarcerated firefighters, was expected, given that Newsom and state legislators had already included $10 million in the 2025-26 state budget in anticipation of raising wages for inmate firefighters.
The bill by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, D-Los Angeles, would raise the pay of incarcerated firefighters in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Conservation (Fire) Camp Program to $7.25 an hour, which is the federal minimum wage. The rate would be adjusted annually.
Bryan previously sought to set their pay at $19 an hour, but that figure got revised during the legislative process.
These firefighters currently earn $5.80 to $10.24 per day, plus an extra $1 per hour when responding to an active emergency. That amounts to $29.80 a day during an active emergency for an individual at the bottom of the pay scale.
In addition to addressing wages for incarcerated firefighters, the legislature also passed AB 812, which would allow eligible incarcerated firefighters to file petitions for recall or resentencing. Upon request by the inmate, a court could consider reducing the individual’s sentence or vacating convictions or sentences for lower-level crimes.
Supporters say the bill would reward bravery and public service, encourage rehabilitation and may save money down the road by lowering the chances of someone being reincarcerated.
Lowenthal, who introduced the bill, has described AB 812 as “a ‘second chance’ opportunity for incarcerated firefighters who risk their lives fighting wildfires.”
Bills that didn’t pass
Not every wildfire-related bill has made it to the governor’s desk. Some never got close — including several pieces of legislation largely pushed by Republicans.
A former veteran Orange County Superior Court judge who pulled a pistol from his ankle holster and fatally shot his wife during a heated argument at the couple’s Anaheim Hill’s home received a life sentence on Wednesday, Sept. 17, for a killing that shocked the local legal community.
Five months after an Orange County Superior Court jury found him guilty of second-degree murder, Jeffrey Ferguson, 74, was ordered to serve 35 years to life in state prison for the killing of wife Sheryl Ferguson on Aug. 3, 2023. The sentence was a few years shy of the maximum 40-years-to-life-sentence he had faced.
An emotional Ferguson described it as a “horrific accident” during Wednesday’s sentencing, adding that he has “enormous grief” for the couple’s son and her brothers. The son and three brothers were on hand to support Ferguson during the hearing.
“Sheryl had a great and generous heart,” Ferguson said. “And I do want to say to them — my son and her brothers — I wish God had taken me instead.”
Senior Deputy District Attorney Seton Hunt — who remained on the case despite transferring to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office following Ferguson’s trial — immediately challenged the former judge’s comments.
“God did not take Sheryl Ferguson’s life, Jeff took Sheryl Ferguson’s life,” Hunt said.
“He intentionally took that gun, he pointed it at his wife and he pulled the trigger,” the deputy DA said. “I understand the family has forgiven the defendant. But Sheryl Ferguson doesn’t really have a voice here.”
Eleanor J Hunter — a Los Angeles county judge who presided over Ferguson’s trial in a Santa Ana courtroom to avoid a conflict of interest with his Orange County judicial peers — denied a defense request to allow Ferguson to serve his time in local lockup rather than state prison.
Judge Hunter said Ferguson believed he was above the rules, noting he drank alcohol while having a concealed weapon, even consuming alcohol at lunch while serving as a judge, and lied about drinking while awaiting trial.
“Mr. Ferguson doesn’t pay attention to the rules, he just doesn’t,” Hunter said. “He doesn’t think the rules apply to him.”
Hunter also took umbrage at a comment from one of Sheryl’s brothers about her, the judge, taking Ferguson away from his adult son after the son had already lost his mother.
“I’m not doing anything but following the law — it is Mr. Ferguson, because of his choices, who put me in this position,” Hunter told the family.
Jeffrey and Sheryl Ferguson were staples of the local legal community. He spent decades as a prosecutor and a judge, while she worked for both the Santa Barbara and Orange County probation departments before focusing on raising their son.
In the hours leading up to the shooting, the couple had been arguing over finances. During a meal at a restaurant with their adult son, Phillip, Ferguson, then a judge, made a “finger gun” motion at his wife, a gesture that angered her enough to walk away from their table for a few minutes.
The argument continued when the couple and their son returned home to watch the final episodes of the television show “Breaking Bad” in the family room.
Prosecutors say a drunken Ferguson intentionally shot his wife with a .40-caliber pistol he constantly carried in a concealed holster after she mocked him. Ferguson said the shooting was accidental, testifying that he was trying to place the firearm on a coffee table when his shoulder gave out and he fumbled the firearm, inadvertently firing the fatal shot.
During the show, the couple’s adult son, Philip, told police, he heard his mother tell his father, “Why don’t you use a real gun?” — an apparent reference to the “finger gun” gesture at dinner.
The son initially told police that he saw his father immediately take the gun out, aim it and fire. But, during his testimony at trial, the son changed his story slightly to say he only saw the gunshot, adding there was an up-to-30-second delay between his mother’s comment and the gun firing.
Moments after the shooting, Ferguson went outside the home to wait for police and paramedics, leaving his son to perform CPR on his dying mother.
SANTA ANA CALIF. Sept. 17, 2025 –A photo of Sheryl Ferguson, the wife and son Phillip Ferguson of Orange County Superior Judge Jeffrey Ferguson is displayed as Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer speaks to the media after Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson was sentenced to 35 years to life in prison after his second-degree murder conviction for shooting his wife following an hours-long argument at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. The 74-year-old Ferguson was convicted in April of killing 65-year-old Sheryl Ferguson on Aug. 3, 2023, at their Anaheim Hills home. Jurors also found true a sentence-enhancing gun allegation. (Pool photo by Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
SANTA ANA CALIF. Sept. 17, 2025 — Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson reacts as he listens to victim impact statements while appearing for sentencing after his second-degree murder conviction for shooting his wife following an hours-long argument at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. The 74-year-old Ferguson was convicted in April of killing 65-year-old Sheryl Ferguson on Aug. 3, 2023, at their Anaheim Hills home. Jurors also found true a sentence-enhancing gun allegation. (Pool photo by Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
SANTA ANA CALIF. Sept. 17, 2025 — Eleanor J. Hunter, judge of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, speaks as Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson appears for sentencing after his second-degree murder conviction for shooting his wife following an hours-long argument at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. The 74-year-old Ferguson was convicted in April of killing 65-year-old Sheryl Ferguson on Aug. 3, 2023, at their Anaheim Hills home. Jurors also found true a sentence-enhancing gun allegation. (Pool photo by Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
SANTA ANA CALIF. Sept. 17, 2025 — Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson reacts as he listens to victim impact statements while appearing for sentencing after his second-degree murder conviction for shooting his wife following an hours-long argument at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. The 74-year-old Ferguson was convicted in April of killing 65-year-old Sheryl Ferguson on Aug. 3, 2023, at their Anaheim Hills home. Jurors also found true a sentence-enhancing gun allegation. (Pool photo by Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
SANTA ANA CALIF. Sept. 17, 2025 — Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson is removed from court after being sentenced to 35 years to life in prison after his second-degree murder conviction for shooting his wife following an hours-long argument at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. The 74-year-old Ferguson was convicted in April of killing 65-year-old Sheryl Ferguson on Aug. 3, 2023, at their Anaheim Hills home. Jurors also found true a sentence-enhancing gun allegation. (Pool photo by Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
1 of 5
SANTA ANA CALIF. Sept. 17, 2025 –A photo of Sheryl Ferguson, the wife and son Phillip Ferguson of Orange County Superior Judge Jeffrey Ferguson is displayed as Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer speaks to the media after Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson was sentenced to 35 years to life in prison after his second-degree murder conviction for shooting his wife following an hours-long argument at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. The 74-year-old Ferguson was convicted in April of killing 65-year-old Sheryl Ferguson on Aug. 3, 2023, at their Anaheim Hills home. Jurors also found true a sentence-enhancing gun allegation. (Pool photo by Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
As he waited, the judge texted the bailiff and clerk who worked in his Fullerton courtroom, telling them, “I just lost it. I shot my wife. I won’t be in tomorrow. I will be in custody. I’m so sorry.”
More than an hour of video footage of Ferguson after the shooting — taken from police body-worn cameras outside his home and in a room at the Anaheim Police Station — shows the judge making a series of seemingly incriminating statements. At times he wept for his wife and son, while at other times he bragged about his accomplishments as a prosecutor.
At one point, while sitting in the police station, Ferguson said to himself, “I killed her. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, convict my ass. I did it.”
But it was a statement Ferguson made moments earlier that Judge Hunter brought up during his sentencing: “What was she thinking? Now she is dead. Now I’m (expletive). That’s (expletive). It’s all (expletive).”
Said Hunter, paraphrasing Ferguson: “What was she thinking when I pointed a gun at her and shot her in the chest?”
“It is all about him,” Judge Hunter said.
She described Ferguson’s claim that the gun accidentally fired as “unbelievable.”
She said Ferguson was angry at his wife because she “challenged” him and wasn’t “obeying” him.
And she sharply criticized Ferguson for leaving his son to care for his dying mom, describing the 911 call of the emotionally overwhelmed son trying to follow the directions of an emergency dispatcher as “the most gut-wrenching tape I think I have ever heard.”
“When the police arrived, his attitude was ‘(Expletive) you, I’m Judge Ferguson,’ ” Hunter said.
Despite Judge Hunter’s comments, Ferguson’s son said he believed the shooting was accidental.
“I will not deny that arguments occurred between my parents, or that these arguments got increasingly heated,” the son, now 25, told Judge Hunter as he struggled to hold back his emotions. “But there was never a doubt in my mind that they loved each other.”
Larry Rosen, one of Sheryl’s brothers, told Ferguson that he forgave him, believing the killing to be an accident.
“I know in my heart you didn’t mean to kill my sister,” Rosen said.
Judge Hunter, while handing down the sentence, noted that family members had focused their comments on Ferguson, not his wife.
“I didn’t hear anything about Sheryl, which breaks my heart,” Hunter said.
In March, a jury deadlocked in the murder case, resulting in a mistrial. A second jury convicted Ferguson following a retrial.
Days after his conviction, a state agency that disciplines judges formally suspended Ferguson from office without his salary. As an elected judge, Ferguson after his arrested had continued collecting his $220,000-plus yearly salary.
Judge Hunter on Wednesday denied a defense request for a new trial. The defense had argued that they weren’t given enough time between the two trials to secure expert witnesses.
Defense attorney Cameron Talley said Ferguson was “heartened” and “felt great solace” in the support of his son and his wife’s brothers.
“Obviously, it is a terrible situation to be in — convicted, you’re old, you’re sick, you are humiliated, you are in a jumpsuit in front of your colleagues,” Talley said. “To find out even the relatives of the person that everybody says you killed and murdered and ‘You are such a bad guy’ — and the relatives say, ‘Not so sure, I still love you, guy.’ That is food for your soul.”
District Attorney Todd Spitzer, in a news conference after the sentencing, acknowledged that sometimes “the roads diverge” between prosecutors and victim’s families about how to pursue a case. But, Spitzer added, in his mind it was a “cold-blooded murder. …
“Jeff Ferguson committed the ultimate act of domestic violence,” Spitzer said. “This is as bad as it gets.”
Ferguson was not allowed to embrace his son at the end of the sentencing, as he had moments after being convicted. But as he was being led out of the courtroom, Ferguson mouthed that he loved him and to stay strong, his attorney said.
Two sperm whales, dubbed Kiwi and Guava, were spotted seven miles off the Dana Point coast on Tuesday, Sept. 16, a rare sighting of the deep-water dwellers.
The sperm whales had been spotted off San Diego in recent weeks, first on Sept. 7 and again Sept. 14, before Capt. Brandon Erdo aboard a Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching charter spotted them off Orange County.
Though Donna Kalez has operated for years the charter company her father founded in the 1960s, she had never seen a sperm whale, so she quickly jumped on a boat that was heading out to sea.
“It’s such a bucket-list item and a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” she said. “It’s like a needle in a haystack, it’s so rare.”
They typically prefer deep waters, where they can hunt giant squid, said Alisa Schulman-Janiger, research associate and marine biologist with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
“It’s very, very exciting,” she said of the recent sightings.
Schulman-Janiger is in the early stages of a long-term look at sperm whales off Southern California, tracking trends and sightings based on photos and videos that help to identify the whales based on the markings on the underside of their tails and their humps.
Sometimes, years go by without any sightings, other times they show up several times a year, she said. “But I wouldn’t at all say it’s a regular thing.”
There’s been only a handful of sperm whale sightings in recent years. The last sighting was off the Rancho Palos Verdes coast on Jan. 1.
Two sperm whales, dubbed “Guava” and “Kiwi” were spotted seven miles off the Dana Point coast on Tuesday, Sept. 16, a rare sighting of the deep-water dweller. (Photo courtesy of Nona Reimer/Dana Wharf Whale Watching)
Two sperm whales, dubbed “Guava” and “Kiwi” were spotted seven miles off the Dana Point coast on Tuesday, Sept. 16, a rare sighting of the deep-water dweller. (Photo courtesy of Nona Reimer/Dana Wharf Whale Watching)
Two sperm whales, dubbed “Guava” and “Kiwi” were spotted seven miles off the Dana Point coast on Tuesday, Sept. 16, a rare sighting of the deep-water dweller. (Photo courtesy of Nona Reimer/Dana Wharf Whale Watching)
Two sperm whales, dubbed “Guava” and “Kiwi” were spotted seven miles off the Dana Point coast on Tuesday, Sept. 16, a rare sighting of the deep-water dweller. (Photo courtesy of Nona Reimer/Dana Wharf Whale Watching)
Two sperm whales, dubbed “Guava” and “Kiwi” were spotted seven miles off the Dana Point coast on Tuesday, Sept. 16, a rare sighting of the deep-water dweller. (Photo courtesy of Nona Reimer/Dana Wharf Whale Watching)
Two sperm whales, dubbed “Guava” and “Kiwi” were spotted seven miles off the Dana Point coast on Tuesday, Sept. 16, a rare sighting of the deep-water dweller. (Photo courtesy of Nona Reimer/Dana Wharf Whale Watching)
Two sperm whales, dubbed “Guava” and “Kiwi” were spotted seven miles off the Dana Point coast on Tuesday, Sept. 16, a rare sighting of the deep-water dweller. (Photo courtesy of Nona Reimer/Dana Wharf Whale Watching)
Two sperm whales, dubbed “Guava” and “Kiwi” were spotted seven miles off the Dana Point coast on Tuesday, Sept. 16, a rare sighting of the deep-water dweller. (Photo courtesy of Nona Reimer/Dana Wharf Whale Watching)
1 of 8
Two sperm whales, dubbed “Guava” and “Kiwi” were spotted seven miles off the Dana Point coast on Tuesday, Sept. 16, a rare sighting of the deep-water dweller. (Photo courtesy of Nona Reimer/Dana Wharf Whale Watching)
Local “celebrity” whales get names, such as Double Scoop, who frequented the area from 1984 to 1991. And there was Mango, who was around from 1996 to 2013, she said. Papaya was another that was spotted locally in 2019.
Sperm whales sometimes show up in the region because of a nearshore, deep-water canyon that sits just off the Southern California coastline.
“We’ve had whales off and on throughout the years, but this pair in particular has been sighted several times together,” she said.
Whale-watching boats have been lucky. The whales dive sometimes for more than an hour and usually only spend no more than eight minutes at the surface before resting and going back down, Schulman-Janiger said.
“So it’s a treat to get to see them, because they don’t stay at the surface like a humpback whale, which might be down for six to eight minutes, or a gray whale’s five to eight minutes,” she said. “For sperm whales, they’re down for so long. We only see a fraction of their life at the surface, because they hunt in deep water, and they hold their breath for so long. So it’s really special.”
Sperm whales are found around the world and the juveniles tend to hang out in larger groups, she said. Females tend to stay together with their young, and the males, when they hit sexual maturity, leave family groups and head out on their own or form what she called “bachelor groups.”
Males can get up to 60 feet, while females are around 35 feet in length. They are the largest toothed whale, and their blow comes out of a hole on the side of their heads.
On occasion, sperm whales may visit the area and decide they like it enough to come back year after year, said Schulman-Janiger, especially if they find a food source.
“It will be really interesting to see if this is a long-term thing,” she said.
For the latest sighting, Kalez called it “breathtaking.”
“I think what’s so special about sperm whales is that it’s a whale we don’t see much,” she said. “This is just super rare. I’m hoping sperm whales are going to be more prevalent in our area and we’ll get a chance to see them again, but they are very unpredictable, so you never know.”
LOS ANGELES — A former Riverside megachurch pastor has been accused of sexually abusing and trafficking children for years at a shelter he ran in Bucharest, according to lawsuits filed by two Romanian men in U.S. District Court in California.
The complaints, filed Tuesday by 33-year-old Marian Barbu and 40-year-old Mihai-Constantin Petcu, said former Harvest Christian Fellowship pastor and missionary Paul Havsgaard severely abused them and dozens of other children at the shelter over eight years. The lawsuits also name the church’s founder and senior pastor, Greg Laurie, a well-known evangelist and author, as well as other senior church leaders, saying they failed to prevent abuse.
The lawsuits accuse Havsgaard of luring struggling street kids with fast food and the promise of shelter and education. The men are “hurt, angry and still suffering from PTSD and social difficulties,” said Jef McAllister, a London-based lawyer with the law firm representing Barbu and Petcu.
The Associated Press generally does not name people who say they have been sexually abused unless they come forward publicly, as Barbu and Petcu have done.
The church provided no contact for Havsgaard, and The Associated Press was unable to reach him through emails and phone numbers found via online searches. Harvest Christian Fellowship said in a statement that the allegations in the lawsuit were shocking but that Havsgaard should be the target, not the church or its famed founding pastor.
“This misplaced lawsuit wrongly targets Harvest Riverside and our pastor as a form of financial extortion,” the statement said. “It does not seek the truth nor does it seek to stop the purported wrongdoer.”
The complaints allege negligence on the church’s part, accusing Laurie and other senior church leaders of failing to supervise Havsgaard despite repeated red flags and reports from donors, visitors and others that they suspected sexual abuse and saw poor living conditions at the shelter.
The lawsuit said Laurie not only kept Havsgaard in Romania with minimal oversight, but that the church also deposited $17,000 each month to Havsgaard’s personal bank account. Havsgaard also returned to California, bringing some of the children he was accused of abusing, to raise money for Harvest citing his work rehabilitating street children in Romania, the lawsuit said.
The church said it did fund Havsgaard’s initiative for “a period of time,” as they have supported numerous missionaries around the world, but “most of what is in the lawsuits about our church is absolutely and entirely false; some of it is plainly slanderous.”
The church said it has tried to engage with the plaintiffs and reported their allegations to law enforcement, but the men and their lawyer have refused to cooperate with U.S. authorities.
Barbu said in his complaint that life at the shelter was like “a torture chamber inside a prison” and that Havsgaard would show up regularly in the bathroom while boys were showering or undressed, stare at them or masturbate in their presence. Both plaintiffs have also accused Havsgaard of “pimping out” older boys for sex work via video chat or at bathhouses and taking a cut of their earnings.
The complaints detail sexual assault, inappropriate touching and abuse where children were made to kneel on walnut shells or were tied to their beds or radiators. According to the lawsuit, Havsgaard told the children while abusing them: “I know what God wants; what I want, God wants.”
McAllister said that in the coming weeks he expects to file lawsuits involving at least 20 others who say they were abused at the shelter.
“Some of them are still illiterate even though they lived in these homes where they were supposed to get an education,” he said. “They have issues with trust. They look after each other.”
Most of them are living in poverty and are looking for financial help and vindication, McAllister said.
“They’ve had a hard slog,” he said. “They would really like to get some sense that they’ve been heard and that the injustices they’ve suffered are recognized.”
___
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Calls to boycott ABC and Disney are trending online and celebrities, politicians and more took to social media to weigh in on the news that Jimmy Kimmel’s show has been suspended indefinitely. While many celebrities are voicing their outrage, some power players are giving a nod of approval.
On Wednesday, it was announced that Nexstar, the largest TV station owner in the U.S., would not air “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on its ABC affiliate stations for the “foreseeable future” following remarks the comedian made on his late night talk show regarding the killing of Charlie Kirk.
The swift action by the network, which is owned by the Walt Disney Company, was announced hours after the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, said that Kimmel’s comments were a “serious issue right now for Disney.”
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” he continued. “These companies can find ways to take action on Kimmel or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
In his opening monologue on Monday evening, Kimmel said: “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”
His remarks were aimed at the political response to Kirk’s death—Kimmel’s immediate statement following the killing of Kirk expressed sympathy for the political activist’s family.
Instead of the angry finger-pointing, can we just for one day agree that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human? On behalf of my family, we send love to the Kirks and to all the children, parents and innocents who fall victim to senseless gun violence.
Kimmel becomes the second late night show host to get the axe this year. In July, it was announced that CBS was cancelling “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” Many criticized the move and suggested the decision was politically motivated following Paramount, the parent company for CBS, reaching a settlement with President Donald Trump over a “60 Minutes” interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. Despite the show being set to end in 2026, on Sunday, Colbert and his team won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Series.
“This isn’t right,” said actor Ben Stiller in a quote post on X from Wall Street Journal reporter Joe Flint, posting the news of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” getting pulled. MSNBC host Chris Hayes also quoted the post and added, “This is the most straightforward attack on free speech from state actors I’ve ever seen in my life and it’s not even close.”
However, there were also expressions of support for sidelining Kimmel.
“Just think for a minute about the amount of IRATE mail/viewer feedback they must have gotten to do this,” said former Fox News host Megyn Kelly.
A comment of approval also came from former “Real Housewives of Orange County” star Kelly Dodd, who responded to the news in an Instagram comment, “Good JOB ABC !!! BRAVO SHOULD TAKE NOTES.”
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz also weighed in, suggesting Kimmel was lying about the accused killer, Tyler Robinson’s, political affiliation. Governor of Florida Ron DeSantis echoed Cruz and called the move a “rare example of accountability in legacy media.”
But most reactions on social media Wednesday, particularly from those in the entertainment industry, were sharply critical.
“One Tree Hill” star Sophia Bush didn’t mince words, posting her disapproval: “The First Amendment doesn’t exist in America anymore. Period. Fascism is here and it’s chilling.”
Adam Conover from “Adam Ruins Everything,” shared his thoughts in a post with a screenshot of the news of ABC yanking Kimmel’s show: “tell me which side is anti-comedy and anti-free speech again.”
“This is the actual cancel culture everyone claims to hate so much,” said comedian Alex Edelman. “ . . . That’s censorship I can’t find anywhere else in the 21st century.”
“Buying and controlling media platforms. Firing commentators. Canceling shows. These aren’t coincidences. It’s coordinated. And it’s dangerous. The @GOP does not believe in free speech. They are censoring you in real time,” California Governor Gavin Newsom shared on social media.
“Kimmel. Colbert. Suits against the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and 60 Minutes. Extorting settlements from CBS, ABC, and others. Blocking the AP’s access to the White House. This administration is responsible for the most blatant attacks on the free press in American history. What will be left of the First Amendment when he’s done?” California U.S. Senator Adam Schiff shared.
Jamie Lee Curtis shared a quote from Kimmel himself following the news: “I don’t think anyone should be canceled, I really don’t,” the quote read.
FCC Chairman Carr issued a statement saying, “I want to thank Nexstar for doing the right thing. Local broadcasters have an obligation to serve the public interest. While this may be an unprecedented decision, it is important for broadcasters to push back on Disney programming that they determine falls short of community values. I hope that other broadcasters follow Nexstar’s lead.”
Brian Stelter, Chief Media Analyst at CNN, posted on X that when he reached out to Carr for comment, he replied with a gif of characters from the show “The Office” dancing in celebration.
In August, it was announced that Nexstar Media Group would acquire broadcasting rival Tegna for $6.2 billion, pending approval from the FCC and DOJ.
Trump took to Truth Social to hype the nixing of Kimmel and suggested further late-night show casualties: “ . . . That leaves Jimmy [Fallon] and Seth [Meyers], two total losers . . . Do it NBC!!!”
Me: "Thank you for calling Bob's Electronics on Market and 5th! We're open until 10 PM, and we have the latest iPhone in stock in all colors! How may I help you?"
Pause.
Coworker: "We're located on Market and 5th, sir."
Pause.
Coworker: "…until 10 PM, sir.
![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
sjmerc_ca_feed) wrote2025-09-18 02:30 pm
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
