Update: Sept. 29 – 3.5 magnitude earthquake reported near Piru in Ventura County

• September 30, 2026

VENTURA COUNTY, CALIF. — A 3.8 magnitude quake shook near Piru, about 37.9 miles northwest of Los Angeles, on Tuesday evening, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The tremor rattled at 8 p.m., with its epicenter roughly 2 miles southeast of Piru and a depth of 7 miles. Seismologists first reported it as a 3.5 event, but later upgraded it to 3.8.

Did you feel it?

If you experienced the earthquake, you can report it through the USGS Felt Report form. So far, the agency has collected 166 online responses from people indicating they felt weak shaking. Residents reported experiencing the quake in multiple cities, including Ventura, Ojai and Camarillo according to the USGS DYFI report.

Last week’s tremor

A magnitude 3.6 quake was recorded nearby in the past week; it jolted close to Hermosa Beach on Sep. 27.

Source: The U.S. Geological Survey

​ Orange County Register 

Endorsement: Re-elect Austin Lumbard as mayor of Tustin

• September 30, 2026

Since his election as the city’s first directly-elected mayor in 2022, Austin Lumbard has provided steady, competent leadership in Tustin.

We endorse his re-election.

Lumbard, who was previously on the city council and before that the city’s planning commission, is a sensible fiscal conservative who has helped keep the city on a sustainable trajectory. California Policy Center’s Local Fiscal Health Dashboard grades the city’s finances an “A,” with top marks for the city’s relatively low debt burden and healthy level of reserves, among other measures.

“Tustin consistently ranks among the top cities in Orange County for fiscal management and financial strength. That is not by accident,” he told us. “Cities can maintain solvency by using realistic revenue projections and conservative cost forecasts. This can and should be done without raising taxes. Instead, cities should focus on excelling at the basics: public safety, reliable infrastructure, and cost-neutral customer service. This is exactly what Tustin has done by prioritizing law enforcement and emergency services, making smart capital investments in roads, parks, and public spaces, and providing efficient services to business and residential customers.”

These common sense instincts were reflected in his response to Assembly Bill 1383, a push by public safety unions to allow cities to boost pensions and lower the retirement age. “Cities across the state are still struggling from the financial burdens realized through heightened pension benefits,” Lumbard noted. “And while many cities in Orange County are facing fiscal uncertainty, or worse, Sacramento (in its “wisdom”) has introduced a measure that will likely exacerbate poor city finances.”

Fortunately, Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed AB 1383, so cities across the state are safe, for now.

Lumbard is also rightly proud of his city’s ability to attract businesses of all sizes to set up shop. “Tustin is increasingly attracting regional and national businesses. We have welcomed corporate headquarters (Virgin Galactic, Advantech, and Schools First) and other dynamic companies to town (Anduril and Rivian) and continue to strive to support our existing businesses,” he told us.

And, while he’s no fan of the state ordering cities how many housing units they must plan for, he’s embraced the opportunity to revitalize the city with an array of new housing, saying, “In Tustin, we have leveraged new and vibrant housing as an opportunity for refreshed and revitalized corridors in town.”

But perhaps Lumbard’s leadership was on its best display during the 2023 north hangar fire, which resulted in debris strewn across the city. “The city was not required to step in,” he pointed out. “But if the city would have waited for the Navy, and relied on legal authority to do nothing while we waited, our community would have suffered even more than it did. We decided to act. We were able to expedite immediate response, get personnel on the ground, and manage a long-term recovery process that best met the needs of our residents and businesses.”

We remember well Lumbard’s determination to clean up the city and try to get help from foot-dragging state and federal authorities, and think he earned re-election with those efforts.

Lumbard does have a serious challenger in Letitia Clark, who previously served on the council and as mayor under the prior process by which council members named a fellow council member the mayor. She vows to promote economic opportunity, fiscal responsibility and public safety in the city.

Like Lumbard, she argues the city must maintain its conservative revenue forecasts and remain committed to structurally balanced budgets. However, she wasn’t as concerned about AB 1383 as Lumbard. “It’s a serious response to a recruitment and retention problem cities across California are facing,” she told us. “I understand why [the Tustin Police Officers Association] and other public safety organizations back it as a tool to negotiate retirement benefits that fit their workforce.”

Ultimately, we don’t see a plausibly convincing case for ousting Lumbard in favor of Clark.

Re-elect Austin Lumbard as mayor of Tustin.

​ Orange County Register 

Orange County scores and player stats for Tuesday, Sept. 29

• September 30, 2026

Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now

Scores and stats from Orange County games on Tuesday, Sept. 29

Click here for details about sending your team’s scores and stats to the Register.

The deadline for submitting information is 10:45 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 p.m. Saturday.

GIRLS TENNIS

ORANGE COAST LEAGUE

Calvary Chapel/SA 17, Ocean View 1

SAN JOAQUIN LEAGUE

Western Christian 17, Capistrano Valley Christian 1

GIRLS GOLF

COAST LEAGUE

Estancia 280, Savanna 386

Dad Miller GC (par 35)

Low round: (Est) Nina Berhow 44, Dora Alliman 44

EMPIRE LEAGUE

Valencia 146, Ocean View 214

Garden Grove 276, Katella 319

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Northwood 190, St. Margaret’s 213

TRINITY LEAGUE

Santa Margarita 161, Orange Lutheran 177

NONLEAGUE

Brea Olinda 166, Villa Park 213

Downey 256, Oxford Academy 257

BOYS WATER POLO

COAST LEAGUE

Western 20, Estancia 12

Anaheim 16, Savanna 7

CRESTVIEW LEAGUE

Brea Olinda 11, Crean Lutheran 6

EMPIRE LEAGUE

Fullerton 10, Buena Park 8

Valencia 21, Laguna Hills 12

FREEWAY LEAGUE

El Dorado 14, Esperanza 5

GOLDEN WEST LEAGUE

Garden Grove 16, Tustin 10

GROVE LEAGUE

La Quinta 8, Bolsa Grande 3

NORTH HILLS LEAGUE

Villa Park 20, Cypress 3

El Modena 10, Sonora 9

ORANGE COAST LEAGUE

Costa Mesa 20, Godinez 12

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Sage Hill 12, Woodbridge 5

Laguna Beach 16, University 10

Northwood 14, Irvine 8

SOUTH COAST LEAGUE

Beckman 23, Capistrano Valley 11

SEA VIEW LEAGUE

Trabuco Hills 9, El Toro 5

GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL

TRINITY LEAGUE

JSerra 34, Santa Margarita 20

Mater Dei 22, Orange Lutheran 0

​ Orange County Register 

‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Orange County’ sets its premiere date

• September 30, 2026

The Orange County-based spinoff of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” will premiere on Thursday, Nov. 12.

“The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Orange County” is the first new version of the series that originated in Utah in 2024 and has aired five seasons so far on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.

Unlike “The Real Housewives of Orange County,” which airs a new episode once a week, “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Orange County” will drop all 10 episodes of its debut season on Nov. 12, making it a bingeable alternative to the traditional style of weekly episodes.

The series includes Jen Affleck, who was a cast member of the original “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” series. The other eight wives include Bobbi Althoff and Aspyn Ovard, both of whom are well-known influencers, as well as McCall DaPron, who is the sister of Mayci Neeley, another of the original “Mormon Wives.”

Salomé Andrea, Madison Bontempo, Chandler Higginson Brooks, Ashleigh Pease, and Avery Woods round out the Orange County cast members.

It’s likely that the arrival of “Mormon Wives: Orange County” will collide briefly with “Real Housewives of Orange County.” If the housewives keep to the 20-episode seasons of recent vintage they should be smack in the middle of a trio of reunion shows when the “Mormon Wives” land in O.C. on Nov. 12.

​ Orange County Register 

This week’s bestsellers at Southern California’s independent bookstores

• September 30, 2026

The Southern California Independent Booksellers Association Bestsellers List for the week ended Sept. 27 is based on reporting from the independent booksellers of the Southern California Independent Booksellers Association. For an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound.org.

HARDCOVER FICTION

1. Hollywood, Ending: John Green

2. Exit Party: Emily St. John Mandel

3. The Disappearers: Marlon James

4. Whistler: Ann Patchett

5. The Things We Never Say: Elizabeth Strout

6. Dead Beat (Ninth House Series #3): Leigh Bardugo

7. The Pirate Queen: Ariel Lawhon

8. John of John: Douglas Stuart

9. Taipei Story (Deluxe Limited Edition): R.F. Kuang

10. Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel: The New Miss Marple Mystery: Lucy Foley, Agatha Christie

HARDCOVER NONFICTION

1. An Unexpected Life: A Memoir: Gloria Steinem

2. Swan Song: Diana, my sister: Charles Spencer

3. Roll the Calls: A Memoir: Ari Emanuel

4. End Times Fascism: And the Fight for the Living World: Naomi Klein, Astra Taylor, Farrar

5. Protocols: An Operating Manual for the Human Body: Andrew D. Huberman, Ph.D.

6. Profiles in Cowardice: A Study of Collaboration in the Trump Era: Jacob Weisberg

7. The Eureka Machine: Why AI Is the Key to Unlocking a New Era of Scientific Discoveries: Richard Socher

8. The Land and Its People: Essays: David Sedaris

9. Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage: Belle Burden

10. Never Say Die: A Memoir: Ke Huy Quan

PAPERBACK FICTION

1. Theo of Golden: Allen Levi

2. Dungeon Crawler Carl: Matt Dinniman

3. The Wedding People: Alison Espach

4. Wild Dark Shore: Charlotte McConaghy

5. Circe: Madeline Miller

6. Project Hail Mary: Andy Weir

7. East of Eden: John Steinbeck

8. Piranesi: Susanna Clarke

9. Martyr!: Kaveh Akbar

10. The Buffalo Hunter Hunter: Stephen Graham Jones

PAPERBACK NONFICTION

1. Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea: Journeys Through Ancient Literature: Emily Wilson

2. Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly: Anthony Bourdain

3. Bread of Angels: A Memoir: Patti Smith

4. Mother Mary Comes to Me: Arundhati Roy

5. The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession: Michael Finkel

6. Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It: Cory Doctorow

7. All About Love: New Visions: bell hooks

8. An Architectural Guidebook to Los Angeles: Updated Sixth Edition: David Gebhard, Robert Winter, Robert Inman

9. I’m Glad My Mom Died: Jennette McCurdy

10. Kitchen Confidential Annotated Edition: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly: Anthony Bourdain

​ Orange County Register 

Dodgers not letting historic ‘three-peat’ chase add pressure

• September 30, 2026

LOS ANGELES — It’s not a three-peat. It’s a series of one-peats.

As they head into the postseason trying to become the first team since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees to win three consecutive World Series championships – and the first National League franchise to ever do it – the Dodgers prefer to break the historic achievement into smaller bites.

“Obviously it’s there. But it’s not something we’re really focused on,” third baseman Max Muncy said Tuesday as the Dodgers began their bye-week workouts ahead of a best-of-five NL Division Series that will begin Saturday. “We’re trying to focus on ourselves getting ready this week, paying attention to whoever we might be playing and just trying to get ready for a postseason series the same way we’ve always gotten ready for it.

“We don’t need to be adding any extra pressure on to ourselves. We’ve been saying that for a long time. When you talk about three-peating, you’re putting that extra pressure on it that doesn’t need to be there. Winning a World Series is already hard enough as it is. So for us, we’re just trying to focus on what we have ahead of us and without the added noise to it.”

Though he has alluded to his team’s chances to do something “historic” and “special” when he addressed them during spring training and after clinching the NL West division title, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he has largely left any “three-peat” talk unmentioned.

“I don’t. I really don’t,” he said. “I think that for me, it’s a fallout of winning this year. This year is different. This team’s different, although I understand that there’s still a lot of the same players. It’s still a different season. There’s going to be different challenges.

“Our guys understand what’s at stake, and I think for me, it’s balancing the importance, the opportunity that we have versus trying to add more pressure than is there already.”

It’s not a difficult mental trick for his team to put history aside, Roberts said.

“I think that with our guys, I think that they’re pretty well trained to just focus on the here and now,” he said. “What’s done is done the last couple years. Yeah, we’re all aware that we have a chance to do something that’s never been done in the National League, and what it would mean for this franchise, this fan base. But it just makes life more difficult when you don’t focus on the job, and that’s winning this next series, right? So I think our guys are pretty focused on that.”

FREDDIE’S PLAN

First baseman Freddie Freeman ended the season trying to fight his way out of a slump (a .184 batting average in September with just two extra-base hits in his last 24 games) brought on at least, in part, by patellar tendinitis in his right knee.

The 2024 World Series MVP said he no longer has pain in that knee and wouldn’t use it to explain his poor finish to the regular season – so Roberts did it for him.

“I think that the mechanics have changed because they were compromised because of his right knee,” Roberts said Tuesday. “So now that his right knee is getting back to full health, I think he’s got to recalibrate the swing, and that’s where we’re at.”

Freeman did acknowledge that his swing got out of whack over the final month of the season.

“I’ll never blame anything physical-wise of why I didn’t play well. I just didn’t play well the last couple months of the season. That’s what I’m going to go with,” he said. “Did I have some ailments in my knees? Yes, I did. I don’t know how much that contributed to subconsciously trying to do stuff where it didn’t hurt as much because there were times during the course of the last couple months, maybe a three- or four-day span where the knee was a problem and I couldn’t get into the front side. So maybe I created bad habits. But I won’t blame it on that. I just played bad.

“My knee is in a good spot now – that’s why the bye week is huge. Personally, it’s huge for me that I got five days to really work on mechanics of my swing, and my knee’s in a good spot where I feel like I will be able to do that.”

Freeman, a 10-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger, has a very specific four-day plan to rediscover his proper swing mechanics.

“I’m going to hit on the field every day,” he said going into the bye week. “I already know how my Tuesday is going to go. There’s going to be a lot of blocked balls to left, a lot of flares into left. I’m hoping as Tuesday goes Wednesday I’ll come back and those will be put down a little more. Thursday they’ll be moved over to shortstop and by Friday I will be feeling good. That is how my head is thinking right now.”

ALMOST READY

Right-hander Edgardo Henriquez finished the season on the injured list with lower back pain but he is eligible for the NLDS roster. He has already faced hitters in live batting practice.

“He’s trending really well at this point,” General Manager Brandon Gomes said. “His last live BP went well. He’s responding positively after he throws and isn’t feeling any lingering discomfort.

“We’ve still got a few steps to go. But if that all goes well, then yeah, the expectation is he’ll be on the roster.”

Getting Henriquez back for the NLDS could have “a huge impact” on the Dodgers’ bullpen, Roberts said.

“I think he’s one of those guys that getting the bye has really benefited,” Roberts said. “He’ll throw another live (BP) or sim game to some hitters … probably tomorrow. Then he should be ready to go. And given the body of work, what he’s done, the unique skill set could be huge for us, will be huge for us.”

GAME TIMES

The start time for the Dodgers’ series opener on Saturday will depend on the outcome of the Wild Card Series between the Chicago Cubs and the San Diego Padres.

If the Cubs win that series and advance to play the top-seeded Milwaukee Brewers, the Dodgers’ game against either the Philadelphia Phillies or Atlanta Braves will start at 6 p.m. If the Padres win and face the Brewers, the Dodgers’ Game 1 would start at 1 p.m.

Regardless, Game 2 on Sunday will start at 5 p.m. at Dodger Stadium.

​ Orange County Register 

Powerful drill roars to life to dig Hudson River tunnel connecting New York and New Jersey

• September 30, 2026

By TED SHAFFREY and PHILIP MARCELO

NORTH BERGEN, N.J. (AP) — Powerful cutters have whirred to life on a giant drill that will begin boring a new train tunnel under the Hudson River connecting Manhattan to New Jersey.

Officials gathered in North Bergen, New Jersey, on Monday to ceremonially flip the switch on the Gateway tunnel, one of the largest U.S. mass transit projects in generations.

“Our region is the beating heart of America, generating 20% of the nation’s GDP,” declared Democratic New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill. “And this 10-mile stretch of track is its main artery.”

New York and New Jersey officials said the tunnel is vital because the existing 116-year-old passage serves about 200,000 passengers daily. U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer said the “whole national economy could collapse” if the new tunnel isn’t built.

“Did this matter to New York and New Jersey commuters? Yes,” the New York Democrat said. “But it mattered to all of America as well.”

The 1,680-ton tunnel-boring machine unveiled Monday is nearly the length of two football fields and armed with cutters harder than diamonds. It was custom made in Germany and sent in parts to the U.S., where it has been carefully reassembled on site in North Bergen the last few months.

Officials on Monday said the machine is still undergoing final testing but is expected to begin cutting through the Palisades Cliffs in New Jersey in the coming days.

The machine is one of two that are expected to carve a roughly 1-mile stretch through the dense, volcanic rock of the cliffs at a pace of about 30 feet a day. A second set of machines will then take over to carve the tunnel section under the Hudson River.

The $16 billion project is expected to take around a decade to complete but has already weathered years of political and financial setbacks.

President Donald Trump’s administration froze federal support last year, leading to a brief construction suspension before a federal judge ordered the payments restored while the legal fight continued.

“Nothing will stop us from digging this tunnel,” said New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, also a Democrat. “When you see New York and New Jersey working together, get out of our way.”

The U.S. Department of Transportation, the federal agency involved in the litigation, responded Tuesday that its appeal “against the possible use of taxpayer dollars for unconstitutional, discriminatory contracting practices is ongoing.”

Marcelo reported from New York.

​ Orange County Register 

Carney accuses US steelmaker of betraying Canadian workers after layoffs tied to Trump tariffs

• September 30, 2026

By ROB GILLIES

TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney accused the U.S. owner of steelmaker Stelco, a subsidiary of Cleveland-Cliffs, of betraying Canadian workers Tuesday after it announced layoffs it attributed in part to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs — tariffs Cleveland-Cliffs’ chief executive has publicly championed.

Carney singled out Cleveland-Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves, noting that he had applauded Trump’s steel tariffs. Goncalves has called the 50% tariffs “a necessary step” to protect U.S. steelmakers.

“Our thoughts are with the workers and the families who have been betrayed by the company,” said Carney, who noted he wanted to be blunt.

Carney also threatened legal action against Cleveland-Cliffs, saying the Ohio-based company has binding employment obligations stemming from its C$3.4 billion ($2.4 billion) takeover of Stelco in 2024.

Stelco said up to 500 workers could be affected as it indefinitely idles cold-rolled and coated operations at its Hamilton, Ontario, plant and shifts production to its Lake Erie facility in Nanticoke.

In a memo to employees, Stelco said U.S. tariffs had “significantly shrunk the market” for its cold-rolled and galvanized products. The company said demand in markets it traditionally serves fell almost 25% in the second quarter compared to the 2024 quarterly average, including a 10% decline in Canada.

The layoffs come amid an escalating Canada-U.S. trade war in which Trump has imposed 50% tariffs on Canadian steel and other goods and Canada has retaliated with tariffs of its own. At a White House event Monday announcing a new $15 billion steel plant in Iowa, Trump credited his tariffs with reducing foreign steel imports and attracting investment to the United States, saying companies were building plants there “because they don’t want to pay tariffs.”

Carney said the federal government had offered financial assistance to preserve jobs but did not disclose the amount or terms.

“There’s money on the table from the federal government,” Carney said. “The company made representations and has legal obligations for employment. We intend to use all powers that we have and pursue them to the fullest extent of the law.”

The Canadian government approved Cleveland-Cliffs’ takeover of Stelco in October 2024 on the condition that it meet legally binding five-year employment commitments, including maintaining at least the same number of unionized workers and the vast majority of nonunion employees.

Cleveland-Cliffs did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Carney’s remarks.

​ Orange County Register