June 27, 2026
June 27, 2026
La Guaira, Venezuela - In the aftermath of two powerful earthquakes that struck northern Venezuela on June 24, 2026, a remarkable story of resilience has emerged: a woman gave birth amid the rubble of collapsed buildings as rescuers worked frantically to save lives. Twin quakes-a magnitude 7.2 foreshock followed just 39 seconds later by a 7.5 mainshock-devastated the region, particularly areas like La Guaira and the capital Caracas. These were the strongest earthquakes to hit...
Leakey, Texas - A young reticulated giraffe named Gracie, who captivated the internet after escaping from a private ranch in the Texas Hill Country, has been found safe and healthy. Gracie wandered off Cedar Hollow Ranch near Leakey around June 12, slipping through or around fencing into rugged, unfenced terrain on the expansive property. Despite her towering 10- to 11-foot height, the dense brush, canyons, and vast private lands of Real County made her remarkably hard to...
CARACAS, Venezuela — Two powerful back-to-back earthquakes that struck northwestern Venezuela on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, have left at least 235 people dead and more than 4,300 injured, according to the latest government figures released Thursday evening. The quakes—a magnitude 7.2 foreshock followed just 39 seconds later by a 7.5 mainshock—centered near Yumare in Yaracuy state, caused widespread collapses of buildings in Caracas and the coastal state of La Guaira....
Greenbelt, Maryland (June 26, 2026) - John Bolton, who served as national security adviser during President Donald Trump's first term before becoming one of his sharpest critics, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of unlawful retention of national defense information in federal court. Bolton entered the plea before U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang as part of a deal with the Justice Department that resolves an 18-count indictment handed up last October. The original charges...
Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance have arrived in downtown Santa Monica as part of the Vice President's Southern California tour. He arrived at 1:30 pm PST on Friday, June 26, 2026. The purpose of his visit was to promote his book at the local Barnes and Noble. His wife Usha joined him on the trail, despite the fact that she is about 6 months pregnant. Fourth Street remains blocked off between Arizona Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard. Local police continue to...
Washington, D.C. - Demonstrators, including at least one individual in a pink inflatable frog-like costume wearing an "ANTIFA" bandana and waving a "TEAM ALGAE" flag, appeared near National Guard troops and U.S. Park Police patrolling the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on June 21, 2026. The gathering highlighted ongoing controversy surrounding the pool, which underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation completed in early June. The project, costing around $14 million (with...
Santa Monica High School (Samohi) proudly conferred diplomas on its Class of 2026 during a vibrant commencement ceremony held on Tuesday, June 10, 2026, at the historic Memorial Greek Theatre on campus. The evening event, which began at 5:30 p.m., drew hundreds of proud families, faculty, and community members to honor the district's largest high school graduating class. The ceremony featured inspiring remarks from SMMUSD Superintendent Dr. Antonio Shelton, who congratulated...
California voters will decide in November whether to impose a one-time 5% tax on the net worth of the state's roughly 200 billionaires as part of the 2026 Billionaire Tax Act. The measure, which qualified for the ballot after supporters submitted more than 1.55 million signatures-nearly double the required threshold-cleared verification by the Secretary of State and is set for certification on June 25. The initiative would levy the tax on California residents with a net worth...
Several new California laws and regulations take effect on July 1, 2026. These cover consumer protections, schools, housing, public safety, healthcare, wages, and more. Most stem from bills passed in 2025. Here's a summary of notable ones based on recent reports: Consumer Protections and FoodFood allergen disclosure (SB 68 / ADDE Act): Chain restaurants with 20+ locations nationwide must list major allergens (e.g., milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, soy,...
LOS ANGELES - Amid swirling questions about the integrity of the June 2, 2026, primary election, the Los Angeles City Council voted 10-5 on Wednesday to place a charter amendment on the November 3, 2026, ballot that could open the door for noncitizen residents to vote in future city and Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) elections. The proposal, sponsored by Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez, does not immediately authorize noncitizen voting. Instead, it would amend...
For years, the murder of prominent attorney Jeffrey Tidus outside his home in the affluent Los Angeles area remained unsolved. On December 7, 2009, Tidus was gunned down in his driveway in what authorities described as an execution-style slaying. Now, more than 16 years later, prosecutors say they have identified the mastermind behind that killing-and a second brutal murder. On June 15, 2026, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced that Richard Wall Sr.,...
Chicago, IL – As the Obama Presidential Center officially opened to the public on June 19, 2026, online discussions have spotlighted a striking cost comparison with another iconic Chicago structure: the Trump International Hotel and Tower. The Trump Tower, a gleaming 98-story mixed-use skyscraper completed in 2009 along the Chicago River, cost approximately $847 million to build. The Obama Presidential Center, a 19.3-acre public campus in Jackson Park featuring a museum,...
On June 18, 2026, Mexico defeated South Korea 1-0 in a Group A match of the FIFA World Cup at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, Mexico. Luis Romo scored the decisive goal in the 50th minute after a goalkeeping error by South Korea's Kim Seung-gyu. The victory advanced Mexico, the tournament co-host, to the knockout stage as group leaders. Large watch parties took place across Los Angeles, particularly in Koreatown, home to significant Mexican and South Korean communities....
The National Weather Service has issued an Extreme Heat Watch for much of Los Angeles County from Tuesday, June 23, through Thursday, June 25. Inland areas could see temperatures climbing into the mid-to-upper 80s or higher, with Downtown Los Angeles potentially reaching up to 88 degrees and valleys pushing even warmer. Officials are warning of health risks, particularly for vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children, outdoor workers, and those without reliable air...
LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. - The body of 5-year-old Amada Mia Brown of San Bernardino was recovered Thursday morning near Christmas Cove Beach, authorities said, ending a nearly 30-hour search that followed a devastating incident in which a rogue wave swept the young girl, her mother, and her brother into the ocean at Treasure Island Beach. The heartbreaking event unfolded around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 9, when the Brown family was walking along the shoreline at Treasure Island...
Santa Monica, CA (June 11, 2026) — The City of Santa Monica has converted what had been a working Downtown street called Broadway, into a cluster screw of bike lanes, concrete barriers, bus lanes, and parking in the middle of the street. Yesterday, it nearly cost a motorcyclist her life. A motorcyclist was critically injured in a collision Tuesday evening at the intersection of 5th Street and Broadway, near the Target store in downtown Santa Monica. The crash occurred...
In a dramatic early-morning raid, federal agents arrested Mahender Makhijani, a 44-year-old lawful permanent resident from India living in the exclusive Corona del Mar neighborhood of Newport Beach, on charges of bank fraud. Authorities allege he defrauded a federally insured bank of nearly $100 million by falsifying title insurance policies and concealing senior liens on real estate collateral. Makhijani, who controlled Cantor Group V LLC, a Newport Beach-based firm,...
In the bruising June 2 Los Angeles mayoral primary, reality TV star Spencer Pratt started Election Night in strong second place behind incumbent Karen Bass. Then the mail ballots rolled in. Day after day, progressive City Councilmember Nithya Raman chipped away at his lead, eventually surging past him to claim the runoff spot against Bass. What should have been a quirky local contest featuring a Hills alum quickly morphed into Exhibit A for critics of California's election...
His teammates: Gary Bonnelli, Chuck Chaldekas, Jim Grey, Arthur Verge Jr. Phd. , and Jim Harris. Edited by Pedro Loureiro Phd. ; Phil G. Garn and Erick Simmel, ©2026 During the 250 years of our Republic, there have been legions of patriots; many noted and well known, others long gone before our times. Within all our lives, there have been some around each of us that we took for granted. Often, these larger-than-life individuals quietly blended back into society not...
In the wake of the June 2026 California primary elections, particularly the closely watched Los Angeles mayoral race, a provocative theory has gained traction among election integrity advocates. It posits a coordinated system in which Democratic operatives and allied organizations systematically exploit California's expansive mail-in voting infrastructure to maintain political dominance. According to this view, undeliverable or unreturned ballots are collected and held in...
The US-Iran deal (as of mid-June 2026) is a 60-day Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), often called the "Islamabad agreement" due to Pakistani mediation. It aims to extend a ceasefire, reopen the Strait of Hormuz for shipping, and kick off further talks on Iran's nuclear program. It is not a full, final nuclear deal like the JCPOA-many core issues (nuclear details, sanctions, proxies) are deferred to negotiations within the 60-day window. Key Terms (Based on US and Mediating...
I live in a condo one block east of the latest behemoth planned for Lincoln Blvd. There are dozens more apartment blocks coming throughout the city, including one just south of Bay Cities Deli, from which this monstrosity must have taken its anti-design. Our already dense housing is being gradually penned in by Blvds of Abomination, with the latest group coming not even trying for interesting architecture. Specifically, regarding the "scaled back" version at 1238 Lincoln...
The 20th Annual Los Angeles Greek Film Festival (LAGFF) concluded its landmark anniversary celebration on Sunday, May 31, 2026, with a memorable evening of film, music, and cultural appreciation at the historic Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. Presented in collaboration with the American Cinematheque, the Closing Night ceremony honored Greek and Cypriot cinema while bringing together filmmakers, artists, industry professionals, and enthusiastic audiences. Founded in 2007, LAGFF...
Fans of laid-back island vibes tuning into *The John Phillips Show* on KABC may notice a change this Friday: no Jimmy Buffett tunes to kick off the weekend. Longtime Los Angeles radio personality John Phillips, known on X as @johnnydontlike and host of the midday show on KABC (and KSFO in San Francisco), announced he has to temporarily stop playing Jimmy Buffett music during his signature "Jimmy Buffett Friday" segment. The move comes as radio stations navigate ongoing...
