Luigi Mangione set for first court appearance since his arraignment in UnitedHealthcare CEO’s death

• February 21, 2025

By MICHAEL R. SISAK, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — The man accused of fatally shooting the CEO of UnitedHealthcare in New York City and leading authorities on a five-day manhunt is scheduled to be in court Friday for the first time since his December arraignment on state murder and terror charges.

Luigi Mangione, 26, is set for a hearing in state court in Manhattan. Prosecutors and Mangione’s defense lawyers are expected to provide updates on the status of the case and Judge Gregory Carro could set deadlines for pretrial paperwork and possibly even a trial date.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of murder, including murder as an act of terrorism, in the Dec. 4 killing of Brian Thompson outside a midtown Manhattan hotel. The executive was ambushed and shot on a sidewalk as he walked to an investor conference.

Mangione also faces federal charges that could carry the possibility of the death penalty. He is being held in a Brooklyn federal jail alongside several other high-profile defendants, including Sean “Diddy” Combs and Sam Bankman-Fried.

Prosecutors have said the two cases will proceed on parallel tracks, with the state charges expected to go to trial first. The maximum sentence for the state charges is life in prison without parole. A Feb. 24 hearing in Pennsylvania on charges of possessing an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police was canceled.

In a statement posted on a website for his legal defense, Mangione said: “I am overwhelmed by — and grateful for — everyone who has written me to share their stories and express their support. Powerfully, this support has transcended political, racial, and even class divisions.”

Mangione was arrested in a Pennsylvania McDonald’s on Dec. 9. Police said he was carrying a gun that matched the one used in the shooting and a fake ID. He also was carrying a notebook expressing hostility toward the health insurance industry and especially wealthy executives, authorities said.

Defense lawyer Karen Friedman Agnifilo argued at his Dec. 23 arraignment that “warring jurisdictions” had turned Mangione into a “human ping-pong ball.”

She accused New York City Mayor Eric Adams and other government officials of tainting the jury pool by bringing Mangione back to Manhattan in a choreographed spectacle involving heavily armed officers escorting him up a pier from a heliport.

Friedman Agnifilo singled out Adams’ comment on a local TV station that he wanted to be there to look “him in the eye and say, ‘you carried out this terroristic act in my city.’”

​ Orange County Register 

UnitedHealth shares dive after report of US investigation into Medicare billing

• February 21, 2025

UnitedHealth Group shares tumbled early Friday on a report that the U.S. Department of Justice has started an investigation into the health care giant’s Medicare billing practices.

The Wall Street Journal said federal officials have launched a civil fraud investigation into how the company records diagnoses that lead to extra payments for its Medicare Advantage plans. Those are privately run versions of the government’s Medicare coverage program mostly for people ages 65 and over.

The paper, citing anonymous sources, said the probe focused on billing practices in recent months.

UnitedHealth had no immediate comment on the report.

The company’s UnitedHealthcare business covers more than 7.8 million people as the nation’s largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans. The business has been under pressure in recent quarters due to rising care use and rate cuts.

Shares of the Minnetonka, Minnesota, company sank more than 10%, shedding over $52 in pre-market trading to fall below $447. Shares of other prominent Medicare Advantage insurers like Humana were down as well.

UnitedHealth Group Inc. stock has been in a rut since early December, when UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot in midtown Manhattan on his way to the company’s annual investor meeting. A 26-year-old suspect, Luigi Mangione, faces federal and state charges in connection with Thompson’s death.

Company shares shed more than $100 in value in the weeks following Thompson’s death, as the shooting gave rise to an outpouring of grievances about insurance companies.

​ Orange County Register 

How Trump’s mass layoffs raise the risk of wildfires in the US West, according to fired workers

• February 21, 2025

By MARTHA BELLISLE and CLAIRE RUSH, Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) — The termination letters that ended the careers of thousands of U.S. Forest Service employees mean fewer people and less resources will be available to help prevent and fight wildfires, raising the specter of even more destructive blazes across the American West, fired workers and officials said.

The Forest Service firings — on the heels of deadly blazes that ripped through Los Angeles last month — are part of a wave of federal worker layoffs, as President Donald Trump’s cost-cutting measures reverberate nationwide.

Workers who maintained trails, removed combustible debris from forests, supported firefighters and secured funds for wildfire mitigation say staffing cuts threaten public safety, especially in the West, where drier and hotter conditions linked to climate change have increased the intensity of wildfires.

“I’m terrified of that,” said Tanya Torst, who was fired from her position as a U.S. Forest Service partnership coordinator in Chico, California, on Feb. 14. Torst, whose probationary period was set to end in March, worked with groups to bring in nearly $12 million for removing dead trees and other fuels in the Mendocino National Forest.

“This is 100% a safety thing,” she said of her concerns, recalling the deadly Paradise blaze that killed 85 people east of Chico in 2018. “That’s why I’m speaking out.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the Forest Service, said in a statement that Secretary Brooke Rollins supports Trump’s directive to fire about 2,000 “probationary, non-firefighting employees,” which he said was for efficiency’s sake. Rollins is committed to “preserving essential safety positions and will ensure that critical services remain uninterrupted,” the statement said.

The statement didn’t address the fired workers who were responsible for removing combustible fuels and other projects aiming to lower a wildfire’s intensity.

The Trump administration has frozen funds for wildfire prevention programs supported by legislation championed by former President Joe Biden, The Associated Press reported. Programs not funded by that legislation can continue, an Interior Department statement said.

U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier, a Washington state Democrat, said on the social platform X that the Forest Service layoffs are already hurting the state, “and it is only going to get worse. Fire season is coming.”

The Washington state Department of Natural Resources said the firings forced them to develop contingency plans to deal with a “degraded federal force this coming fire season.”

Melanie Mattox Green, who was fired from her land management and environmental planning job at the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest in Montana, said their fire-prevention efforts prioritized areas where towns border forest lands. Staffing cuts put those towns at risk, she said.

“If a fire breaks out now without these projects occurring, that fire is going to be far more dangerous to our local communities,” she said.

The cuts also mean fewer people will keep trails free of fallen trees and other debris, she said. Maintaining trails is critical in remote areas that firefighters access by foot.

“Without those trails being cleared, it means that now firefighters cannot easily and more effectively get to these fires to fight them,” she said.

Many Forest Service workers who don’t occupy official firefighter positions still have firefighting certifications, known as a “red card,” that must be renewed annually. Josh Vega, who maintained 1,100 miles (1,770 kilometers) of trails as a forestry technician in the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana before being fired, said his crew was the first to arrive at a wildfire that broke out in 2023.

For about two days, Vega’s crew monitored the blaze before firefighters arrived. “We spent the next few days keeping an eye on the fire, making sure that the trailheads were all closed and that the public knew what was happening so that they wouldn’t find themselves in a predicament.”

Many Forest Service operations involve supporting firefighters beyond fire season, including surveying areas for prescribed burns or ensuring trail access, said Luke Tobin, who was fired from his forestry technician role in Idaho’s Nez Perce National Forest.

“Everybody helps with fire in some aspect, some way, shape or form,” he said.

Gregg Bafundo, who was fired last week from his post as a wilderness ranger and wildland firefighter at the Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest, said the staffing cuts came at a critical time.

“This is the time of year when they hire everybody,” he said during a press conference organized by Washington Sen. Patty Murray. “It’s the time of year when firefighters renew their red cards and practice redeploying their fire shelters. This is when they train to be ready to fight next summer’s fires.

“We can’t train while the fire is burning over the hill.”

Rush reported from Portland, Oregon.

​ Orange County Register 

Los Angeles County under a wind advisory until Friday afternoon

• February 21, 2025

Los Angeles County is included in a wind advisory issued by the National Weather Service on Friday at 4:41 a.m. The advisory is in effect until 2 p.m.

The NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA said, “Northeast winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. Local gusts of 40 to 50 mph in the favored hills and mountains.”

“Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result,” the NWS said. “Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Use extra caution.”

The full list of affected locations includes:

• Santa Clarita Valley
• Central Ventura County Valleys
• Western Santa Monica Mountains Recreational area
• Eastern Santa Monica Mountains Recreational area
• Calabasas/Agoura Hills
• San Fernando Valley
• Southeastern Ventura County Valleys
• Santa Susana Mountains
• Southern Ventura County Mountains
• Northern Ventura County Mountains
• 5 Freeway corridor near Santa Clarita
• Western San Gabriel Mountains/Highway 14 Corridor

​ Orange County Register 

Best hand blenders

• February 21, 2025

Which hand blender is the best?

From blending creamy soups to mixing up tasty smoothies, a hand blender is definitely one of the most versatile tools you can have in your kitchen.

Unlike a countertop blender, you don’t have to bring your ingredients to a hand blender. Instead, you can place a hand blender in whatever cooking container you’re using, such as a mixing bowl or pot, for plenty of added versatility in the kitchen.

What you need to know before buying a hand blender

When you’re shopping for a hand blender, you should choose a model that’s powerful enough to blend your favorite recipes. Some hand blenders offer just 100 watts of power, while others have up to 800 watts. If you want a hand blender that can chop in addition to blending, look for a more powerful motor. If you’re just mixing up smoothies, a lower wattage hand blender can usually get the job done.

You should also consider how many speeds a hand blender offers. Lower-end models often have just low and high settings, but some models offer up to 15 variable speeds. For whisking, you’ll definitely want a hand blender with more than two speeds to make sure you don’t over mix.

You can also choose between corded or cordless models. Corded models are usually more powerful, though you need to use the hand blender near an outlet. You can use a cordless model anywhere in your kitchen because it features a rechargeable battery.

Nearly all hand blenders come with a container in which to mix or chop your ingredients. Some feature a simple cup-like container that works well for liquid ingredients. High-end models have a bowl similar to a food processor, so it works well for chopping in addition to mixing and blending. The included attachments vary from model to model, too. Most models usually have a whisk and/or blender attachment, but advanced hand blenders may come with a chopper, slicer, and/or grinder attachment, too.

You can find some hand blenders for under $25, but they won’t have many special features. For a more powerful model, expect to pay at least $50, though high-end hand blenders can cost as much as $200.

Hand blender FAQ

Q. Do I need a hand blender if I have a hand mixer?

A. A hand blender and a hand mixer aren’t necessarily suited for the same tasks, so you may need both depending on the recipes you usually prepare. A hand mixer is best for combining ingredients, such as mixing up cake mix, while a hand blender can chop, blend, and liquefy ingredients for smoothies, soups, and other recipes.

Q. What can I make with a hand blender?

A. You can use a hand blender to prepare a wide variety of recipes, including smoothies, soups, milkshakes, salsas, sauces, salad dressings, dips, pancake and waffle batter, cake and brownie batters, whipped cream and eggs.

Best hand blenders

Top hand blender

KitchenAid’s 5-Speed Hand Blender

What you need to know: A longtime favorite of ours, this high-quality, multiuse hand blender is a big hit among experienced home chefs.

What you’ll love: It features a rubberized grip, so it feels comfortable in hand. It comes with a mixing/chopping cup, whisk and chopper attachment. It includes a convenient storage case.

What you should consider: It’s pricier than other hand blenders on the market.

Top hand blender for the money

Hamilton Beach’s 2-Speed Hand Blender

What you need to know: This budget-friendly blender can handle most light cooking chores. We love it as a beginner option.

What you’ll love: It features a durable stainless steel blade and can handle hard ingredients with ease. An ergonomic handle allows for a secure grip.

What you should consider: It can sometimes overheat, depending on the tasks it’s used for.

Worth checking out

Braun’s MultiQuick Hand Blender

What you need to know: Another new entry on our list, this innovative hand blender provides many useful features and blends beautifully.

What you’ll love: It features a bell-shaped top for more complete blending. It offers a TurboBoost function for extra power, and the attachments easily click into place.

What you should consider: Some report that the plastic parts have a somewhat flimsy feel.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

​ Orange County Register 

Best indoor exercise bike

• February 21, 2025

Which indoor exercise bike is best?

It can be difficult to find time to go to the gym, but indoor exercise bikes are an excellent option for exercising at home and achieving your health goals while saving the hassle and money it costs to go to a gym.

It’s important to consider the kind of indoor exercise bike you want since there are a few different types, including recumbent exercise bikes that recline, spinning exercise bikes that imitate road bikes, and traditional upright exercise bikes. You should also consider the price range and the preset programs, the resistance, the ease of use, the adjustability, and the bike’s weight limit. If you’re looking for an exercise bike with numerous features, the NordicTrack S22i Studio Cycle is the best option for you.

What to know before you buy an indoor exercise bike

Consider the display on the indoor exercise bike

Most indoor exercise bikes come with an LCD that shows you various measurements during your workout, including the length of time you’ve been pedaling, the distance you’ve traveled, your speed, and your heart rate. It’s important to search for an indoor exercise bike with a simple-to-use display since you need to be able to use the display with ease while exercising.

Think about the resistance

Before making your indoor exercise bike purchase, you should look at the number of resistance levels the bike has. While basic bike models might have fewer, the average indoor exercise bike has about 20 different resistance levels. Therefore, it’s crucial to fine-tune the resistance on your bike to your workout goals and fitness levels.

Find a bike with the right weight limit for you

All exercise bikes have a maximum weight limit, typically between 220 and 300 pounds, but some recumbent indoor exercise bikes have higher weight limits.

What to look for in a quality indoor exercise bike

Heart rate monitor

Most exercise bikes come with a heart rate monitor. The heart rate monitor helps you check your heart rate throughout your workout, as you need to be working hard enough to elevate your heart rate to get an excellent cardio workout.

Programs

Many high-end indoor exercise bikes come with preset programs to help you improve your cardio workout. These programs will switch the resistance automatically during your workout.

Height adjustability

Indoor exercise bikes usually have a recommended height range of 5 feet, 3 inches to 6 feet 3 inches. As a result, it’s crucial to find a bike that works for your height, especially outside of that range.

How much you can expect to spend on an indoor exercise bike

You can expect to spend different amounts on indoor exercise bikes, depending on the type of bike. For example, recumbent exercise bikes typically range from $130-$150 for the most basic models, while the more high-end models go for more than $500.

Spinning bikes cost about $120-$150 for the budget-friendly models, while the high-end bikes cost between $350-$400. Upright exercise bikes can cost $70-$120 for basic models and $350 to $400 for more expensive models.

Indoor exercise bike FAQ

Can cycling be your only form of exercise?

A. Cycling is an excellent option for your cardio workout, which is crucial for your health. However, most fitness experts recommend doing some strength training to keep your body in good shape. Strength training can include any kind of exercise in which you work with your body weight, including Pilates and yoga.

Can you use a separate heart rate monitor when using your indoor exercise bike?

A. Yes, you can use a separate heart rate monitor when using your indoor exercise bike to get an accurate heart rate reading during your workout. However, some indoor exercise bikes either have a low-quality heart rate monitor or no monitor at all.

Keep in mind that when you use a separate heart rate monitor, you will need to look at the display on your own monitor since it won’t pop up on the LCD of your indoor exercise bike.

Which type of exercise bike is best if you are recovering from an injury?

A. You should check in with your physician before beginning a workout routine after sustaining an injury. That being said, recumbent exercise bikes are typically a good option for people recovering from injuries since they are more comfortable to sit on and require riders to use fewer muscle groups.

What are the best indoor exercise bikes to buy?

Top indoor exercise bike

NordicTrack S22i Studio Cycle

What you need to know: This indoor exercise bike from NordicTrack is considered an excellent option for expert indoor cyclists.

What you’ll love: This superior indoor exercise bike features a 10-inch smart touchscreen, iFit technology, automatic trainer control, global rides, and a CoolAire fan. The bike also accommodates up to five individual profiles.

What you should consider: It’s important to consider that the studio classes were not as high-quality as Peloton classes in tests.

Top indoor exercise bike for the money

Marcy Recumbent Exercise Bike

What you need to know: This budget-friendly recumbent exercise bike offers a clear-cut design and straightforward instructions for beginner indoor cyclists.

What you’ll love: This affordable Marcy recumbent exercise bike offers eight levels of resistance, seat adjustability, pedals with straps, and a built-in screen that provides information like calories burned, distance, speed, and time.

What you should consider: Some customers say that the seat can be hard to adjust on a regular basis.

Worth checking out

Yosuda Indoor Cycling Bike

What you need to know: This indoor exercise bike is designed to run silently and allows people to watch exercise training and other videos on the tablet mount.

What you’ll love: This indoor cycling bike from Yosuda comes with an online instruction video for simple assembly, a tablet holder, padded seats, non-slip handlebars, and a belt rather than a chain for quieter movement.

What you should consider: Keep in mind that the data is only shown in metric measurements.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

​ Orange County Register 

UCSB hands Cal State Fullerton another lopsided loss

• February 21, 2025

SANTA BARBARA — The Cal State Fullerton men’s basketball team couldn’t slow UC Santa Barbara enough in the paint and couldn’t keep pace from the perimeter. That doomed the Titans in the Thunderdome.

Deuce Turner scored 18 points and Zion Sensley had 14 as UCSB (17-10 overall, 9-7 Big West Conference) started to take control toward the end of the first half then hammered Fullerton in the second half on its way to an 86-56 victory in a Big West Conference game on Thursday night, handing the Titans (6-22, 1-15) their eighth consecutive loss.

Things have gotten particularly rough for Fullerton as it trudges toward the end of a frustrating season. Its last six losses have been by an average of 23.7 points.

Antwan Robinson finished with a career-high 16 points and seven rebounds, and Donovan Oday had 15 points, four rebounds and four assists for Fullerton, which has four regular-season games left. Kendrick De Luna added 10 points and Kobe Young grabbed eight rebounds.

The Titans shot 38.6% from the field, 6 for 22 from 3-point range and missed half of their 12 free throws. UCSB shot 53.2% from the field, 12 for 26 from behind the arc and 8 for 13 from the free-throw line, outscoring the visitors 38-28 in the paint to go with its 18-point advantage from long range.

Robinson and Oday combined for 21 points in the first half. Robinson hit back-to-back 3-point shots to get Fullerton within 24-22 with 7:23 left, but the Gauchos closed the half on a 9-0 run for a 38-27 halftime lead.

Robinson – who shot 4 for 6 from 3-point range – hit another one during a 7-0 run that got the Titans within 40-34 two minutes into the second half, but the Gauchos delivered a dominant response.

UCSB outscored Fullerton 26-4 over the next nine-plus minutes to open a 66-40 lead with 10:45 left and coasted the rest of the way, leading by as much as 35.

Kenny Pohto added 11 points for the Gauchos, while Turner and Sensley each grabbed five rebounds.

UP NEXT

Fullerton hosts UC Irvine on Thursday at 7 p.m.

BIG WEST STANDINGS

Through Thursday, Feb. 20

UC San Diego – 23-4, 13-2

UC Irvine – 22-5, 12-3

CS Northridge – 19-7, 11-4

UC Riverside – 18-10, 11-5

UC Santa Barbara – 17-10, 9-7

UC Davis – 15-12, 9-7

Hawaii – 14-12, 6-9

CS Bakersfield – 12-16, 6-10

Cal Poly (SLO) – 10-17, 4-11

Long Beach State – 7-20, 3-12

CS Fullerton – 6-22, 1-15

​ Orange County Register 

Long Beach State can’t keep up with UC Riverside in 10th straight loss

• February 21, 2025

RIVERSIDE — The Long Beach State men’s basketball team is running out of time to grab a spot in next month’s Big West Tournament, and Thursday night’s results nudged LBSU a little closer to exclusion.

Nate Pickens scored a career-high 27 points, Barrington Hargress had 19 and host UC Riverside made 14 3-point shots to hand Long Beach State an 87-66 defeat at UCR. Isaiah Moses added 13 points for the Highlanders (18-10 overall, 11-5 Big West), who shot 50% from behind the arc to outscore the visitors 42-9 from the perimeter. They outrebounded them 39-23 as well.

Austin Johnson tied a career-high with 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting and added six rebounds, six steals and two blocked shots to lead Long Beach (7-20, 3-12), which sits in 10th place in the 11-team league. Devin Askew added 16 points, four rebounds and four assists and TJ Wainwright had 13 points.

Only eight teams advance to the conference tournament in Henderson, Nevada, and LBSU is 2½ games behind eighth-place Cal State Bakersfield (12-16, 6-10) with five games left in the regular season. Long Beach still has a home game against the Roadrunners but also has road games against first-place UC San Diego and second-place UC Irvine.

Johnson scored six of the first eight points for Long Beach, which grabbed a 14-4 lead early and was ahead 20-10 with just over eight minutes left in the first half. Hargress was the catalyst for a UCR turnround, hitting a 3-pointer that sparked a 16-0 run as the Highlanders took the lead and held a 38-30 advantage by halftime.

UCR erupted for 49 points in the second half and led by as much as 27 as it remains in the hunt for a top-two seed in the Big West Tournament, a half-game behind third-place Cal State Northridge and 1½ behind UCI.

UC Riverside was hot from long range all night, going 7 for 13 in the first half and 7 for 15 after the intermission. Long Beach shot 3 for 12 from 3-point range for the night.

Pickens shot 8 for 13 from the field, 4 for 7 from 3-point range and 7 for 7 from the free-throw line. Hargress shot 7 for 11 overall and 3 for 5 from behind the arc to go with five assists and two steals. Moses shot 3 for 4 from the 3-point line, while Niyi Olabode added 10 points and five rebounds and shot 2 for 5 from long range.

UP NEXT

Long Beach State hosts UC Santa Barbara on Saturday at 4 p.m.

BIG WEST STANDINGS

Through Thursday, Feb. 20

UC San Diego – 23-4, 13-2

UC Irvine – 22-5, 12-3

CS Northridge – 19-7, 11-4

UC Riverside – 18-10, 11-5

UC Santa Barbara – 17-10, 9-7

UC Davis – 15-12, 9-7

Hawaii – 14-12, 6-9

CS Bakersfield – 12-16, 6-10

Cal Poly (SLO) – 10-17, 4-11

Long Beach State – 7-20, 3-12

CS Fullerton – 6-22, 1-15

​ Orange County Register