Trump’s memorial arch faces new lawsuit from Arlington County, Virginia

• October 9, 2026

By GARY FIELDS

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Arlington County Board in Virginia filed a lawsuit Thursday opposing the construction of the Triumphal Arch, becoming the first governmental body to take legal action against President Donald Trump’s planned monument.

The lawsuit, filed in the Eastern District of Virginia, criticized the speed at which the project slated for Memorial Circle has moved without going through the full review process.

“The National Park Service, the agency responsible for projects on national park land such as Memorial Circle, is proceeding full-speed toward ground-disturbing construction,” the lawsuit said. “Although the agency has claimed that a final decision to construct the Arch has not yet been made and purports to be engaged in a routine decisional process, that rushed process appears to be a pretext designed to shore up justifications for building the Arch in accordance with the President’s repeated marching orders.”

The lawsuit asks that “the agency’s feverish pace toward construction of the arch” be halted to ensure that the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act be followed and proper analysis and testing be done.

“The Arlington County Board has filed this lawsuit because our community has the most to lose from this egregious and unlawful proposed project,” Arlington County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti said in a statement. He added that the county has acted in good faith in the review process, pointing out the “severe, unique, and wide-ranging negative impacts” the project will have on the county and its residents, only to see them ignored.

Memorial Circle sits on federal parkland west of the Potomac River across the Memorial Bridge and immediately adjacent to Arlington County.

The county is being represented in the lawsuit by legal advocacy group Democracy Forward.

The White House and Interior Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The lawsuit comes just a day after Association of Flight Attendants-CWA President Sara Nelson expressed concerns that the 250-foot arch compounds multiple safety issues that she said have gone unaddressed since a deadly January 2025 crash over the Potomac River that killed 67 people. Nelson also criticized Trump’s plan to turn the arch into “a top grade military complex” able to host drones and snipers while storing ammunition.

Though the arch has received early approval from the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, whose members were all tapped by Trump, a group of three veterans and an architectural historian sued in federal court in Washington, D.C., saying the project needs to be approved by Congress. The judge in that lawsuit said the administration must give the court 48 hours before undertaking any activities related to or in preparation for construction of the arch.

The arch is one of several projects around Washington that Trump has undertaken as he remakes the city, from renovating one of its storied public golf courses to threatening to demolish the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

​ Orange County Register 

Attacks on Riyadh’s international airport killed 3 Saudi citizens, and other Mideast developments

• October 9, 2026

By The Associated Press

Saudi Arabia’s aviation authorities said Friday that attacks targeting the international airport in Riyadh and an aircraft there the previous day killed three Saudi citizens. A U.N. human rights chief who chaired an investigation that determined Israel had committed genocide in Gaza won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Here is the latest news from the Middle East on Friday. Read our full coverage here.

Thursday’s attack on the Riyadh airport killed 3 people

The attack on an airport in the Saudi capital and an aircraft there killed three Saudi nationals and injured other people on Thursday, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation said.

Friday’s statement from the authority did not identify those responsible for the attack, though Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen have claimed they targeted the airport with a ballistic missile.

According to Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation, the two strikes targeted the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and a Saudia Airlines aircraft.

Several people were injured, some seriously, and were transferred to a hospital for treatment, said the authority, adding that the attacks also caused material damage. It did not specify the types of weapons used or those responsible.

The authority said it was coordinating with security agencies to assess the damage and take measures to ensure the safety of passengers and workers.

A former UN human rights chief wins Nobel Peace Prize

The South African-born jurist and former U.N. human rights chief Navi Pillay, who is currently an ad hoc judge at the International Court of Justice, won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for her efforts to promote peace and international law.

Pillay chaired the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, which was created by the U.N.-backed Human Rights Council. The commission a year ago concluded Israel was responsible for genocide in Gaza, with a specific intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza.

Her win is sure to be seen as a high-profile rebuke to U.S. President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who have both rejected the findings led by her commission.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry slammed the award and said on X: “If there were an award for lies, hatred, and blood libels, Navi Pillay wouldn’t just be a contender. She’d be a frontrunner.”

It added that the Nobel prize “isn’t a recognition of justice. It’s the grotesque weaponization of an award to legitimize anti-Israel hatred and prejudice.”

Pakistan’s national carrier suspends flights to Saudi Arabia

Pakistan International Airlines suspended flights to Riyadh over the evolving situation in the Middle East, an airline spokesman said Friday.

Abdullah Hafeez told The Associated Press that the airline apologized for the inconvenience. He said an update would be provided after assessing the situation on the ground.

This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.

​ Orange County Register 

Steven Greenhut: Why is the government so lousy at fighting fires?

• October 9, 2026

SACRAMENTO — My recent trip to Malibu from LAX was my first post-wildfire drive through the Pacific Palisades and, my goodness, there’s nothing like seeing something with one’s own eyes to grasp the enormity of the devastation. The obliterated hulks along Pacific Coast Highway 21 months after the tragedy raise multiple issues, including ones related to the excruciatingly slow rebuilding process.

This being California, the state has yet to grapple sufficiently with the reasons the wildfires started — and the failed response to them. But late is better than never, so I applaud a new report that Gov. Gavin Newsom commissioned from the nonprofit Fire Safety Research Institute. Released this month, it looked at the nitty-gritty of how the fires started and multiple agencies reacted. The results aren’t pretty.

The New York Times provided the best summary: “The comprehensive analysis found that while several state and local agencies fell fatally short in their preparation and response, the clearest lesson from the disaster was the extent to which climate-driven fires are outstripping modern firefighting.” The report found LA officials failed to take the fires seriously enough at the outset. County officials handled the Altadena evacuations in a “chaotic” manner. They were unprepared for the intensity of the fire storms.

We’ve all read about some of the inexplicable stupidity. The Santa Ynez Reservoir was empty during the fires because of a repair to its protective cover, yet it’s empty again (although it’s in the process of being refilled). The California Coastal Commission allegedly delayed new permits for Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to install fire-resistant utility poles because of concerns about an endangered weed. The commission disputes that report — and there’s still heated debate involving multiple agencies.

If we can’t get multiple agencies on the same page on one minor question about milkvetch, I’m skeptical California can deal with the basics. The report said the tragedy involved “multiple interlinked systems rather than any single factor or failure.” In one example, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department remained at normal staffing levels. The Los Angeles Fire Department was so concerned about overtime costs it reportedly responded slowly.

This epitomizes California’s approach to everything: Bigger agencies, higher spending and expanded workforces. The left hand never knows what the right hand is doing. Other priorities outside of public protection — budgeting, meeting union demands, turf battles — take precedence. This isn’t malicious, but reflects the fundamental nature of government. 

Even after the state suspended rebuilding regulations, the rebuilding process is still in a quagmire because of the number of involved agencies. How could California realistically streamline a wildfire-fighting process that involves an alphabet soup of local, county, regional and state bureaucracies? Even the feds are involved because around 45% of the state’s land area is owned by them. The wildfire issue is a statewide problem, so the conclusions should resonate beyond LA.

Furthermore, the report argues that California needs to change its overall approach toward wildfire resilience. Back to The Times analysis, which noted that climate-driven fires are becoming more intense and that’s challenging the traditional ways that the state has battled wildfires. But how often have you seen governments respond efficiently to external economic or environmental changes? All governments are slow-moving freight trains.

Everything government does is mired in the past. As an unrelated example, the nation’s education system isn’t much different than the one created in the 1800s — despite all the technological changes that should have sparked a revolution. When COVID hit, private schools adapted and provided successful at-home learning, whereas the public schools watched students fall behind and truancy rates soar. It’s not any different with any public service, including firefighting.

My fear: California policy makers will read that summary about “climate-driven” fire risks and do what they always do: blame the problem on climate change and double down on the state’s counterproductive climate policies. They are designed to change the entire Earth’s weather patterns (even though California is responsible for less than 1% of the world’s greenhouse emissions), rather than adjust our regulatory system to make us more resilient in the face of warming trends.

California’s union-controlled state and local governments aren’t about to adjust firefighting budgets so they can further stretch their dollars. State firefighters generally earn more than $250,000 in annual total compensation, with some Los Angeles firefighting officials earning pay levels that boggle the mind. Instead of trimming costs, California has been ratcheting up pay levels.

California state officials haven’t even been forthright about their approach toward brush clearance. For instance, four years ago Newsom touted an important wildfire-prevention program that at the time hadn’t completed a single project. We hear promises, but little action.

That’s government for you. It doesn’t do anything well and is incapable of learning the right lessons even from the best reports. Driving along PCH was just my latest reminder of this sad truth.

Steven Greenhut is Western region director for the R Street Institute and a member of the Southern California News Group editorial board. Write to him at sgreenhut@rstreet.org.

​ Orange County Register 

Meet the air traffic controller who flies himself to work

• October 9, 2026

By HALLIE GOLDEN and THOMAS PEIPERT

PUEBLO, Colo. (AP) — Jake Hutzler spends his workdays directing planes from an airport tower. Once a week, he gets there by strapping a propeller to his back and taking to the skies of Colorado.

Before his commute, the 28-year-old air traffic controller lays out a large wing on the road outside his apartment complex, fires up the motor and starts running. Within seconds, his feet leave the ground.

For the next 20 minutes, Hutzler flies at a leisurely 35 mph above the expansive fields around Pueblo, a city near the Front Range mountains. He soars over a highway, a water tower and finally the airport while listening to his favorite music.

Before taking off, Hutzler calls the tower where he works and lets his colleagues know he’s coming. Once airborne, he keeps them updated on where he’s at and how high he’s flying.

“I’m very small and I don’t show up on radar,” Hutzler said, “so they’ll want to kind of keep track of my location and get updates on my progress.”

As the airport comes into view, he waits for the OK to land on the airport’s ramp. Pulling down on toggles to slow down the paramotor, he lets his feet dangle and meets the ground with a brief jog. He packs up the wing, strips off his jacket to reveal his collared work shirt and begins his shift telling planes when it’s safe to land and take off.

‘A view that almost nobody gets to experience’

For someone who has been fascinated with flying since childhood, it’s a particularly satisfying commute. Hutzler says it’s as close as you can get to flying like a bird.

“In a paramotor, you have a view that almost nobody gets to experience,” he said. “You have no cockpit, nothing in front of you. You’re just sitting there in the air and total freedom to go wherever you want.”

His grandfather used to take him up in a small four-seat aircraft. In college, Hutzler put in about 20 hours toward getting a pilot’s license, but the costs were too high for him to continue.

Everything changed when he came across a viral video of a man flying a paramotor to McDonald’s and eating his hamburger on the flight home.

“After I saw that, I was like, ‘I’m sold,’” he said. “I gotta do that.”

Flying became a family affair

Hutzler started training to fly the contraption — also known as powered paragliding — in 2021 in Florida and later became an instructor.

Part of the appeal is just how accessible paramotors are. There’s no license required and the price tag is a fraction of the cost of many other forms of flying. However, they’re still subject to federal rules on ultralight vehicles, including that they can only be operated during the day and fliers must avoid congested cities and towns.

The sport became a part of Hutzler’s life story. He trained the woman he would go on to marry, and when he was ready to propose he used fake engine trouble on his paramotor to lure her to the contraption, where he had left a ring. On their wedding day, their paramotors were with them at the altar. Now he’s looking forward to the day their 2½-year-old daughter is old enough to go on a tandem ride.

But after Hutzler started working in air traffic control earlier this year, his job left him less time to fly.

The solution: Start flying to work.

He approached his manager about commuting by paramotor and they went through the rule book and made sure he’d have two-way communication with the tower when he entered their airspace. He made his first flight to work in June and has been doing it ever since, weather permitting.

But paramotoring is a very fair-weather sport. It only takes about 10 mph of wind — basically a light breeze — to keep Hutzler on the ground. It can also be problematic if the sun heats the ground and causes updrafts — making for an extremely bumpy ride.

The airborne commute isn’t actually faster

With the time needed to set up the paramotor and put away all the gear, the trip takes slightly longer than driving to work. But, he said, it’s so much more fun.

“You could be having your favorite song playing in your headphones, and you just can relax and take in this awesome experience,” he said.

Golden reported from Seattle. Associated Press transportation writer Josh Funk contributed from Omaha, Nebraska.

​ Orange County Register 

Austin Reaves makes preseason debut as Lakers defeat Kings again

• October 9, 2026

LOS ANGELES — Lakers coach JJ Redick said his star pairing’s chemistry is “important.” Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves like each other, they enjoy playing together, Redick said Thursday afternoon before the team’s third preseason game.

“He’s a really good basketball player,” Reaves said. “It’s not hard to play alongside really good basketball players that make the game easy for you.”

In a 114-110 preseason victory over the Sacramento Kings – their second win against their Western Conference foes in four days – Doncic and Reaves had their first taste as the leading act at Crypto.com Arena in the post-LeBron James Era. Doncic tallied a team-high 23 points on 6-for-16 shooting in 25 minutes before making his way to the bench alongside Reaves in the third quarter. Reaves finished with 10 points, six rebounds and eight assists in 24 minutes to mark his preseason debut after he sat out the first two games with a tweaked ankle.

“I like where we’re at,” Redick said after the game. “I think getting a bunch of guys more than that 20 to 21 minutes is good for live play. We’ll look to continue to build up in terms of playing time for a lot of these guys over the next two games.”

Center Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 19 points off the bench on 6-for-9 shooting (3 for 6 from 3-point range), while forward Jake LaRavia continued his impressive preseason showing with 17 points – making three 3-pointers.

The 24-year-old Lakers wing, who is in his second season with the team, is shooting 54.5% from behind the arc through three preseason games.

“I think me being intentional before every game and … all the reflection I did this past summer has really helped,” LaRavia said, referencing the offseason process to rework his jump shot and overall mentality.

The Lakers turned the ball over 23 times on Thursday night – but also forced 20-plus turnovers for the third consecutive game – and were comfortably outrebounded 47-38. The rebounding is something Redick noted was “bothering” him as a coach, though the Lakers have also played all three preseason games without new center Walker Kessler on the court.

Kessler jammed his finger before the team’s two-game trip to Northern California, but Redick insisted that the team’s most high-profile offseason acquisition will play during the preseason – they have two games left. Redick said he would check in with Kessler on Friday.

Forward Ziaire Williams didn’t play for the second straight game with what Redick called “soreness,” while guards Dalton Knecht and rookie Cameron Carr didn’t play Thursday with contusions suffered in Tuesday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors. Guard Collin Sexton and two-way forward Arthur Kaluma – who have undisclosed lower-body injuries – also sat out Thursday.

Redick said he is not worried about Sexton being unable to play in the regular-season opener on Oct. 21 against the Warriors.

“Would love to get some news on some people in the next few days and be able to see what we look like at full strength, at least in one of these games,” Redick said. “And just build that rhythm with each other.”

The Lakers’ next preseason game is Tuesday against the Warriors at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, then they conclude their exhibition slate next Friday at home against the Denver Nuggets.

​ Orange County Register 

Oct. 9: Earthquake of 3.2 magnitude registered close to Signal Hill in Los Angeles County

• October 9, 2026

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIF. — A preliminary 3.2 magnitude quake shook near Signal Hill, about 1.7 miles north-northeast of Long Beach, on Friday around midnight, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The tremor struck at 12:44 a.m., with its epicenter about 1 mile southwest of Signal Hill and a depth of 8 miles.

Did you feel it?

If you felt the earthquake, you can submit a report via the USGS Felt Report form.

Quakes last week

Four earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or above have been reported in the region over the last week. The largest, measuring 3.5, jolted close to Dana Point on Oct. 5.

The four largest earthquakes nearby in the last week:

• 3.5, southwest of Dana Point on Oct. 5• 2.8, southwest of Dana Point on Oct. 5• 2.7, west-northwest of Fontana on Oct. 8• 2.5, southwest of Dana Point on Oct. 5

Source: The U.S. Geological Survey

​ Orange County Register 

Santa Ana Valley football defeats La Quinta with field goal on final play

• October 9, 2026

GARDEN GROVE — After a pair of winless seasons the past two years, the Santa Ana Valley football team looks primed to earn a spot in the CIF-SS postseason in 2026.

Robert Torres kicked a 27-yard field goal as time expired to give Santa Ana Valley a 10-7 victory over La Quinta on Thursday at Garden Grove High.

The Falcons (6-2 overall, 4-2 league) are tied for third place in the Tango League with league games remaining against Loara and Century.

There are nine teams in Tango League and the top four will receive guaranteed playoff berths.

For Santa Ana Valley coach Alfredo Macias, the team’s success this season is a product of the hard work the players have put into the program.

“It’s big for us, you know? Like you said, 0-9-1 (last season),” Macias said. “And to come back from that and to just keep fighting all the way through. It’s great, it’s great for the kids. And it’s mostly about the kids and all the hard work they’ve been putting in.

“I love what they do. Stay together. Next play mentality, and they follow through. I’m happy for them.”

The low-scoring game appeared to be headed for overtime when La Quinta tied the score, 7-7, in the fourth quarter on Lelan Latu’s touchdown catch, off a pass from his brother, quarterback Isley Latu.

Lelan Latu picked off Falcons quarterback Angel Garcia on the following possession and the momentum clearly shifted toward the Aztecs.

La Quinta coach Luc Alexander said he thought his team would prevail after the interception, but the Valley defense held strong and kept the score even.

“They were really disciplined tonight on defense,” Alexander said of Valley’s defense. “They’re really stout, too. We had a hard time stringing plays together, but I still thought from 30 yards we’d be able to chip at it. And then we just made a couple huge mistakes.”

The pivotal play came late in the fourth as the Aztecs lined up to punt deep in their own territory.

Punter Khristian Heredia did his best to corral a low snap, but his punt was partially blocked by the Falcons and they took over at the La Quinta 29.

Five plays later, which featured some tough runs by Fernando Dircio, Torres lined up for the potential game-winning attempt.

“I knew our kid Robert (Torres) has a leg, and if we got it inside the 20-25, we practiced this all week,.” Macias said. “You know, in the huddle, I told everybody to take a deep breath, don’t let the moment get too big. We practiced it, snap it, hold it, kick it.”

The Falcons’ lone touchdown of the game came when Garcia found Jason Valencia for a 20-yard TD pass.

The Aztecs (4-3, 3-2) have three league games remaining — against Savanna, Century and Bolsa Grande. They have a solid opportunity to earn a postseason berth.

​ Orange County Register 

Mission Viejo football holds off Yorba Linda in Alpha League thriller

• October 9, 2026

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YORBA LINDA — Mission Viejo’s football team won an important Alpha League game Thursday. Yorba Linda won respect after a controversial nine days.

Mission Viejo’s Jack Junker broke a tie in the fourth quarter with a 73-yard touchdown run with 8:29 left and the Diablos stopped a 2-point conversion attempt with 1:31 remaining to hold on for a 27-26 victory at Yorba Linda High.

Players from Mission Viejo (6-1, 2-0), ranked No. 4 in Orange County, were quick to acknowledge the effort by the No. 14 Mustangs (0-7, 0-2).

Yorba Linda forfeited four wins last week for CIF-SS rule violations. Two days later, the Mustangs suffered their first shutout since 2015 in a 28-0 loss against No. 6 San Clemente.

Yorba Linda shifted the narrative onto the field Thursday.

“The Yorba Linda coaching staff did a phenomenal job. Hats off to them,” Mission Viejo coach Chad Johnson said. “I thought the offensive lines on both sides were dominating. On to San Clemente.”

Mission Viejo plays at San Clemente (6-0, 1-0) next week on Friday, Oct. 16.

“We’re just got to buckle down as a team and go watch the film,” said Junker, who scored on a 77-yard TD run in the first quarter. “Our whole offensive line had our backs this game.”

Yorba Linda’s Isaiah Trujillo scored on a 5-yard touchdown run with 1:31 left in the fourth quarter to cut Mission Viejo’s lead 27-26. The Mustangs quickly signaled their intention to attempt the 2-point conversion to take the lead but the Diablos stuffed a run up the middle.

Yorba Linda sophomore Connor Mackay make a spectacular diving catch for a 42-yard gain to the Diablos 5 to set up Trujillo’s third touchdown run. Sophomore Andrew Churney lofted the pass.

“The power of family is a very big deal to us,” first-year Yorba Linda coach John Domen said. “We were going for (the win) no matter what.”

“The kids fought all game,” he added. “The message was don’t listen to external factors. Focus at practice.”

Both team ran the ball well.

Junker, a San Jose State commit, rushed for a season-high 187 yards on 11 carries.

The senior moved to primarily running back this fall after earning All-County honors at wide receiver in 2025.

He carried the load Thursday in the absence of leading rusher Carson Vandermade. Johnson said Vandermade, another converted running back, would return for the Tritons.

Junker praised left tackle Amaziah Siale and left guard Dylan Felli for clearing him a path on his long scoring runs on zone read plays.

Yorba Linda’s duo of Aiden Gutierrez and Trujillo racked up the yards. Gutierrez rushed for 113 yards and one TD on 22 carries. Trujillo added 82 yards and three scores on 15 carries.

Special teams and extra-points loomed significant.

Mission Viejo’s Kiingbaraka Kizzee blocked an extra-point in the first half.

Caleb Sylvia kicked two field goals, including a 40-yarder early in the second half that opened a 20-12 lead.

After Trujillo scored on a 6-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-1 early in the fourth quarter, offensive lineman Colt Pace jumped on a fumble on the 2-point conversion to tie the score 20-20.

Junker scored on the next play from scrimmage but Yorba Linda kept charging.

“We fought our hearts out against one of the best teams in California,” said Pace, a sophomore. “Continue doing this, we’ll be set.”

Mission Viejo led 17-12 at halftime thanks to a 24-yard field goal by Sylvia on the final play.

The Diablos needed the late kick to cool off Yorba Linda.

Trujillo scored on a 3-yard touchdown run with 1:01 left in second quarter as the Mustangs trimmed Mission Viejo’s lead to 14-12.

The 2-point conversion failed.

Trujillo’s run capped a 50-yard scoring drive after the Mustangs’ defense forced its first punt.

Yorba Linda’s best drive of the first half came earlier in the second quarter. Gutierrez scored on a 7-yard run to punctuate an eight-play, 80-yard scoring march.

The Mustangs ran the ball with Gutierrez and Trujillo on all eight plays.

Mission Viejo blocked the extra-point after the scoring run by Gutierrez.

The Diablos achieved the fast start Johnson wanted.

Junker broke a 77-yard TD run on the second series. Sophomore QB Brett Burnor added a 35-yard touchdown run on a draw play late in the first period for a 14-0 lead.

Next week on Thursday, Oct. 15, Yorba Linda plays host to San Juan Hills (5-1, 1-0) on its Senior Night.

​ Orange County Register