Felony vandalism charges against Stanford protesters dismissed in agreement with attorney general

• September 21, 2026

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced today his office will dismiss felony vandalism charges against five Stanford activists, if they complete 100 hours of community service each and pay almost $52,000 in restitution.

The  defendants — German Gonzalez, Maya Burke, Taylor McCann, Hunter Taylor Black and Amy Zhai — stood trial earlier this year at Santa Clara County Superior Court for felony vandalism and conspiracy charges that carried potential prison sentences of up to three years. The jury in February was deadlocked 9-3 and 8-4 in favor of conviction for the respective counts.

The restitution of $51,973 already has been paid among the five. Two defendants, Gonzalez and McCann also have already finished their 100 hours, and are waiting to have it cleared by the Attorney’s General Office. according to Santa Clara County Deputy Public Defender Avi Singh.

The case was among the most serious prosecutions tied to pro-Palestine campus protests nationwide. Following the mistrial, District Attorney Jeff Rosen, who was running for reelection at the time, said he would retrial the case.

But Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Kelley Paul in May removed Rosen from the case, ruling that Rosen’s campaign fundraising and public comments had created a conflict of interest to continue prosecuting the politically charged case. Rosen won reelection in June over Daniel Chung.

As a result of the ruling, the state Attorney General’s Office, which represented the DA’s office for the recusal motion, became the prosecuting agency for any retrial.

The case stemmed from a Stanford office takeover and barricading that occurred on June 5, 2024. A dozen people, consisting mostly of Stanford students and alumni, entered the university’s president’s office by breaking a window and using ladders, furniture and other items to block doorways. It occurred as campus protests called on the school to divest its holdings from companies linked to Israel over the war in Gaza.

Seven of those arrested settled their cases prior to trial; three pleaded to misdemeanors, three agreed to pretrial diversion arrangements, and one opted for a youth diversion resolution.

​ Orange County Register 

Are the Dodgers finding the best version of themselves just in time?

• September 21, 2026

LOS ANGELES — The energy emanating from the steamroller heading up I-5 on Monday radiated for miles.

Fuel was used to power the buses the San Diego Padres used to make the trip north for a three-game series that starts Tuesday night, but only because they didn’t try adrenaline.

Winners in 13 of their past 14 games, the Padres are poised to accomplish team history over the next few days. Never in their existence have they made the playoffs in three consecutive seasons.

San Diego has a magic number of two to clinch a National League wild-card spot, although the Padres intend to run through the finish line with a chance at ascending to the top of the wild-card heap in the NL.

“I feel like the whole team is in a good spot right now,” San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr. told the San Diego Union-Tribune on Sunday. “We’re playing really good baseball. We’re checking in when we have to. The entire lineup is in a good spot right now. So when it’s going like that, it’s … a good time.”

The Dodgers already have another NL West title secured (their 13th in the past 14 years), but they also have a magic number of three to clinch a top-two seed in the NL playoffs and a bye into one of the best-of-five Division Series.

“I think it’s going to be a good kind of (playoff) primer,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of the upcoming series. “They’re a very talented team. They’re playing as good as anyone in all of baseball. I’m looking forward to playing those guys and just kind of ramping it up a little bit more for our guys.”

With the Dodgers on a 14-3 run since Sept. 3, they are on a familiar final month charge toward the playoffs. Second-half lulls in each of the past two seasons have transformed into Septembers when the group has discovered the best version of itself.

Last season, the Dodgers were swept in a three-game series by the Angels in August then opened September with a three-game dud in Pittsburgh. A disastrous loss in Baltimore lit the fire after Yoshinobu Yamamoto lost a no-hitter with two outs in the ninth inning and the Dodgers never recorded another out while losing the game.

The wide-awake Dodgers went 15-5 the rest of the way, stormed through the NL playoffs – going 9-1 against the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers – then came out on top in a dramatic seven-game World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Earlier this month, it was a brutal 8-6 loss in 10 innings to the St. Louis Cardinals on Sept. 2 that was the wake-up call. It included a four-strikeout night from Shohei Ohtani, who played just one more game before taking his current spot on the injured list.

Properly motivated, the Dodgers have gone on a tear ever since, but it has come at the expense of teams that were not in playoff contention like the Washington Nationals, Reds, Miami Marlins and San Francisco Giants.

This week marks the Dodgers’ first chance to face a team playing at the peak of its powers since they faced the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers and Atlanta Braves all in a recent 25-game stretch. They flubbed that test by going 1-12 in those games.

Mookie Betts, Kyle Tucker and Will Smith all have put a charge into the resurgence, while the arrival of rookie Josue De Paula has given the lineup another hitter who can extend at-bats with a discerning eye, along with Max Muncy.

Betts went 0 for 4 in Sunday’s 3-1 victory over the Giants, yet he still is hitting .373 with six home runs, 20 RBIs and a 1.215 OPS in 17 games since the start of September.

Far from content with an offense that has averaged 5.8 runs per game this month, Betts said the Dodgers can do even more. After all, Andy Pages is set to return Tuesday, while Ohtani could be back later this week.

“Some guys are hitting, some guys are not,” Betts said. “I think that’s the beauty of the lineup. You get a couple guys going, and a couple guys here can carry a team, and you never know. You just never know who’s it going to be, it’s different guys every day.”

Amid a brutal first season with the Dodgers, Tucker has done his part lately by going 15 for 36 (.417) over his past 11 games with five home runs and 11 RBIs. He was limited to coming off the bench on Sunday after he fouled a ball off his right knee on Saturday.

Tucker was not with the club for last year’s September revival, but he has helped power this one. When it comes to team potential, Tucker is a big-picture guy.

“I think our potential is winning the World Series,” Tucker said. “So (when) we do that, then I can say we reached it. But we feel like we’re in a good spot right now. Our pitching staff’s done a great job all year giving us an opportunity to win every single night. Our defense has played pretty well behind them and then offensively we’ve done a solid job as well.”

“Right now, we got a few guys that are feeling good. A few guys that are banged up. But we’re still out there grinding trying to win as many games as possible before the season ends and just trying to carry it all the way to the playoffs.”

At the very least, confidence will be high this week, in both dugouts.

UP NEXT

Padres (RHP Michael King, 12-9, 3.03 ERA) at Dodgers (TBA), Tuesday, 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM

​ Orange County Register 

Rolling Loud California announces 2027 return to San Bernardino

• September 21, 2026

After two years away, Rolling Loud is bringing its massive hip-hop festival back to Southern California for a three-day celebration marking a decade since it first launched in the state.

Rolling Loud California will take over the NOS Events Center on Dec. 10-12, 2027, marking 10 years since the festival first expanded to California. The upcoming edition adds a third day and marks the festival’s first event at the San Bernardino venue since 2022.

A lineup has not yet been announced.

The festival last held a California edition in 2025, when it took place at Hollywood Park in Inglewood. That weekend featured performances from A$AP Rocky and Playboi Carti, with Rocky making his return to the stage with an entrance by helicopter, and Carti performing shortly after the release of his album “MUSIC.”

“California has always been a huge part of Rolling Loud’s story, and it feels good to be back,” Rolling Loud co-founder and CEO Matt Zingler said in a statement. “We’ve built an incredible community in Southern California over the years, and that’s something we never take for granted.”

Rolling Loud first brought its festival to Southern California in 2017 and has since staged editions across the region. The 2027 event comes as the festival continues expanding internationally and in other U.S. markets, with Rolling Loud Florida scheduled for May 7-9, 2027, in Orlando.

Tickets for the California festival will be available through a presale beginning at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, followed by a general presale at noon at cali.rollingloud.com. Three-day passes can be purchased through a layaway plan starting at $10 down.

General admission, GA+, VIP and VIP Munchies passes will be offered. General admission is open to all ages, while attendees must be at least 18 to purchase VIP passes.

The lineup and additional festival details will be announced at a later date on Rolling Loud socials.

​ Orange County Register 

Review: South Coast Repertory is well equipped to venture ‘Into the Woods’

• September 21, 2026

Highlighted by Stephen Sondheim’s final great score, South Coast Repertory’s galivanting season opening “Into the Woods” delightfully leads audiences through thickets of misadventure ensnaring the show’s fractured fairytale characters.

Directed by Peter Rothstein, SCR’s treatment is a briskly paced tramp around the forest, with a largely strong cast of 12 — half doubling up in secondary roles — in a sumptuous staging.

In their original story form, fairytale characters were 19th century simpletons, usually defined by a single characteristic. Their predicaments provided readers with moral lessons and things usually ended happily ever after.

In this seminal show, however, happily ever after only comes at the intermission.

James Lapine’s book threads together Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack of beanstalk climbing fame, a witch, two princes plus a narrator.

Additionally, and importantly, two new key figures, the baker and his wife, are introduced. Their quest to have a child — a curse must be lifted — propels the plot.

Along the way, all the characters wrestle with the psychological impacts of what their experiences have taught them. Songs that especially reveal lessons learned include “Moments in the Woods,” “Last Midnight” and the winsome finale, “No One Is Alone.”

If “Into the Woods” provides an over-arching theme, it’s that self-centered actions taken by individuals can lead to superficial happiness, but that things work out better when people band together for the greater needs of a community.

Underpinning the storyline is some of Sondheim’s most satisfying songwriting. Music director Wiley DeWeese’s offstage eight-player ensemble sets an energetic tone from the start, with an engaging, bouncy read of the quick tempo Prologue, which runs close to 15 minutes.

While the production scurries forward at an engaging pace, these first act tempos can seem occasionally harried, minimizing the impact of some of the songwriter’s lyrical wordplay. Readings of “I Know Things Now” and “A Very Nice Prince,” songs with nuanced pauses built in, felt rushed and didn’t land as well as they typically might.

This production has top-end talent delivering the score. A few performances are notable.

Mia Pinero has an extensive credit list as a Broadway and regional theater lead in major musicals. A slightly older Cinderella on first sighting, her acting and singing experience power her performance. Her deliberately timed phrases and pauses elevate the wordplay in “On the Steps of the Palace” to the show’s strongest sung solo.

Another Broadway alum, also with a strong resume in regional theater musicals, Valerie Perri makes for an amusing and versatile witch. Early on she hectors all comers in unforgiving tones, jabbing her broomstick, with smoke coming out of the end, like a bayonet. By Act 2, now transformed to the youthful version of herself, Perri has the gale force intensity that “Last Midnight” vocals require.

Christian Tyler Dorey’s Jack has the right touch of earnest youthful neediness and impetuosity. The actor wells up the childlike vulnerability that comes in loving pet cow Milky White and then, when he has clamored up that new towering beanstalk in the garden to who knows where, he packs excitement of his discoveries into an emotionally animated “Giants in the Sky.”

As Cinderella’s prince, Michael Deni deliciously summons through voice and mannerisms the arch pomposities more often encountered in the most self-infatuated local broadcast weathermen. In an additional, smaller role, he makes for an especially avuncular wolf — on sizing up Little Red Riding Hood, his deep voice purrs through the lyric in “Hello, Little Girl,” “There’s no possible way to describe what you feel/When you’re talking to your meal.”

From side to side and up into the rafters, Adam Koch’s scenic design presents on first viewing an entrancing image of verdant woods that are somehow, leaf by leaf, rustling gently in an unfelt breeze.

Lulling — deceptively so, if one knows of the deadly doings to come in these woods — and intriguing, these are, the theater notes, made up of roughly 2,000 linear feet of fabric strips (these reportedly required more than a mile of hand stitching).

The material strips hang down in various lengths and layers. As the show proceeds, they are a versatile visual source for scene setting (a chunk is amusingly low-tech, hand-cranked up and down by the narrator).

A key aspect here is that they provide a backdrop to display Greg Emetaz’s marvelous high-definition production designs, which fluidly shift ambience as well as locale in the woods.

The strips also convey Lonnie Rafael Alcaraz’s excellent lighting scheme, which includes shadow play of Cinderella’s helpful flock of birds, the wolf’s ghastly meal and then violent demise and a coach racing to the ball.

Another visual plus is Danielle Nieves’ costume design, a cheery mélange of different periods, delightfully unifying the cast as a whole.

The Narrator, for instance, in bowler hat and trim vest, in light, ice cream color pastels, looks like the narrator from a 1901 setting of “Our Town” who has strayed on stage by mistake. The baker and his wife start out in handsome, casual leisure wear. The wolf slobbering over Little Red Riding Hood wears a punky jean jacket with the words “Big Bad” garishly taped onto the back.

A fun flourish pulled off in front of our eyes is Cinderella’s costume change from rags to ballgown, a nicely accomplished presto-change-o swirl in front of our eyes.

Nieves’ most inspired design — conversely fairy tale period — is the witches’ first act look. Not predictably black, it’s a tan, burlap gunnysack, festooned with fabulously earthy sewn toadstools drooping off it … given the witch’s preoccupation with gardening, the earthy aspect is a marvelous detail.

In stark contrast, cast members briefly appear in plain, white garments during transitional points during some of the songs and following a character’s death.

Backstage, one would bet, wardrobe supervisor/dresser Jillian Pricco, and dresser Crystal Martinez, are likely very busy people.

Surprisingly, this is only the Costa Mesa theater’s fifth Sondheim musical over the decades. The absorbing production of “Into the Woods” begs for further excursions through his storied catalogue.

‘Into the Woods’

Rating: 3 ½ stars (out of four possible)

Where: Segerstrom Stage, South Coast Repertory, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa

When: Through Oct. 18. 7 p.m. Wednesdays, 7:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays (Special performance: 1 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 7).

Tickets: $56-$138

Information: 714-708-5555; scr.org

​ Orange County Register 

Google hit with $463 million fine for EU location data rule breach

• September 21, 2026

Google has been fined 403 million euros ($463 million) for breaching the European Union’s strict privacy rules because it mishandled users’ location data, the bloc’s data privacy watchdog said Monday.

Ireland’s Data Protection Commission said its investigation found Google did not lawfully or fairly process location data in users’ Web & App Activity, a Google setting that tracks browsing and search history, and in their Location History, a service that maps places they’ve been with their mobile phones.

Regulators also found the company failed to be lawful, fair and transparent when it processed personal data in its Location Accuracy feature in the Android mobile operating system.

Ireland is the lead regulator for Google in the 27-nation EU because the U.S. tech giant’s European headquarters is based in Dublin.

The investigation, which opened six years ago, examined how Google applied the EU privacy rule book, known as the General Data Protection Regulation, from the time it took effect in 2018 until February 2020.

“This case centers around historical policies that have since been updated,” Google said in a statement. “From 2019 onwards, we’ve significantly evolved our practices and launched robust tools that make managing location data simple.”

Regulators said that location data is a type of personal data that’s collected by Google and can be used to infer someone’s location.

“Location data can bring both benefits and harms to individuals,” Deputy Commissioner Graham Doyle said. “It can greatly enhance the utility of online services, but it can also reveal a significant amount of information about an individual, including information that is inherently private.”

It’s the fourth biggest EU privacy fine issued by the Irish watchdog, which has previously handed out bigger fines to TikTok and Meta, including a 1.2 billion euro fine for Meta.

The regulator said it still has three other ongoing privacy investigations involving Google.

​ Orange County Register 

Dan Albano’s biggest revelations from Week 4 in Orange County football

• September 21, 2026

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1. How concerned should Orange County’s top CIF-SS Division 1 contenders be about Sierra Canyon?

Very concerned. The Trailblazers displayed their physicality on both sides of the line of scrimmage in defeating Orange Lutheran 28-10 to move to 2-0 against Trinity League opponents this season.

With the win, Sierra Canyon climbed to No. 2 in the state behind Santa Margarita, according to hsratings. The Trailblazers are only 2.5 points behind the Eagles.

Ohio State committed defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou (6-7, 285) of Sierra Canyon is certainly a problematic matchup. The transfer from Orange Lutheran had four tackles for loss against his former team.

Sierra Canyon’s defensive line also features Texas commit Kasi Currie (6-6, 305) and sophomore Stephan Harrison (6-5, 265). Currie collected two sacks while Harrison had two sacks and 13 total tackles. Harrison has been offered by Alabama among others.

On offense, the trio rotated as tight end to block for Jaxsen Stokes, arguably the top senior running backs in the state. The Cal commit rushed for 157 yards on 20 carries and had two TDs.

The Trailblazers’ challenge for contenders such as reigning Division 1 champion Santa Margarita, Mater Dei, Orange Lutheran and Mission Viejo is clear. They need to be working on their pass protection, quick passing attack and run defense to prepare for a possible playoff game against Sierra Canyon.

Orange Lutheran’s second-half surge may holds some of the answers but the penalties by the Trailblazers played a role.

2. What score was the most surprising?

There were a few but Foothill defeating Cypress 21-7 was the most surprising.

Yes, the unranked Knights (2-3) played the tougher schedule leading into this one but their defense stood out.

Foothill blanked No. 22 Cypress for the final three quarters.

A big part of that effort were four interceptions. Junior Ford Wooton had two of the interceptions for Foothill while Aaron Strapp and Peter Thatcher added one apiece.

3. What undefeated team is the most unexpected?

Again, they are multiple candidates but Huntington Beach (5-0) edges Sonora (5-0) and El Modena (4-0) as the most unexpected.

I didn’t pick Huntington Beach to beat Yorba Linda last week but the Oilers rallied for a 29-25 triumph. Huntington Beach is 2-0 against the Alpha League this fall.

The Oilers have emerged as the favorite in the Delta League but can’t overlook El Modena (4-0), Dana Hills (5-0) and Laguna Beach (2-2).

4. What player delivered the most eye-popping performance in Week 4?

There were many top performances but El Modena dual-threat quarterback Ethan Sorenson continued to impress me as one of the most improved players in the county. The senior played a strong second half to lead the Vanguards past El Dorado 29-9.

Sorenson completed 11 of 17 passes for 173 yards and two TDs and rushed 14 times for 82 yards and one score.

For the season, he has completed 63 percent of his passes for 685 yards and eight TDs. He leads the Vanguards in rushing with 256 yards and four scores.

Sorenson has improved his completion percentage from last season (53 percent) and surpassed his total for touchdown passes (five).

His rise is one of the reasons why El Modena-Trabuco Hills (3-1) looks like top game of the week in Orange County.

​ Orange County Register 

Ex-lifeguard boss pleads not guilty to filming undressed employees in Bolsa Chica locker room

• September 21, 2026

A former high-level state parks supervisor accused of secretly recording nude or semi-nude lifeguards and park aides at a Bolsa Chica State Beach facility pleaded not guilty to criminal charges during a Westminster court appearance on Monday, Sept. 21.

Kevin Pearsall — a 59-year-old Long Beach resident who oversaw state parks across Orange County — formally entered a not guilty plea through his attorney for five felony counts of eavesdropping and more than two-dozen misdemeanor counts of secretly filming or unlawful dissemination of private recordings.

Prosecutors allege that Pearsall used a camera disguised as USB stick to surreptitiously record the “genitals or buttocks” of 23 different men without their knowledge. The recording device — which captured video and audio over 11 months through July 2025 — was discovered in an employee locker room where Pearsall had allegedly directed lifeguards and other state workers to change.

Pearsall stood next to his attorney during the brief appearance before a judge at the Orange County Superior Courthouse in Westminster and did not speak. Neither Pearsall nor his attorney commented after the hearing.

Accusers who used to work for Pearsall — more than 30 of have filed lawsuits against him — allege that he abused his position of power and that the state park department failed to protect them. Some have described feeling “betrayed” by Pearsall, who was a sworn peace officer during his time as a state park supervisor. Pearsall quit the position after being placed on leave following the discovery of the hidden camera.

At least some of the images captured by the camera were allegedly sent by Pearsall to undisclosed individuals, according to prosecutors.

“We don’t know if and when and how many videos were disseminated to others and if any of them landed on the dark web,” Gloria Allred — one of several high-profile attorneys and law firms representing the accusers — said after Monday’s hearing.

“We have more questions than answers now,” Allred added. “But we are determined to get those answers for our clients.”

If convicted, Pearsall faces up to 18 years and eight months behind bars. He is scheduled to return to court in early December.

​ Orange County Register 

Nneka Ogwumike and Sparks looking to test themselves against Las Vegas

• September 21, 2026

LOS ANGELES — Nneka Ogwumike is not going down without a fight.

Even though she’s two games away from retiring from the WNBA, she’s averaging 17.3 points and 8.9 rebounds, both above her career averages (16.8 points and 7.6 rebounds), for one of the best seasons in her illustrious 15-year career.

The Sparks (16-26) will play their final road game of the season against the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday.

“I just want to be healthy, compete, play to win,” Ogwumike said. “We leave for Vegas (Monday), and I think that’s a really great team to play at the end of the season. I think it will be a really good barometer for the future.”

Ogwumike said her legacy, which includes being the President of Women’s National Basketball Player’s Association during two historic contract negotiations, is not yet etched in stone.

“I think because people ask me about it, especially since my announcement, I do reflect on it a bit, but I think the more I get asked about it, the more I think I can’t necessarily determine what that is,” Ogwumike said. “In the same way where we experienced Lisa (Sunday), we can come out and say this is Lisa’s legacy, but her legacy was all of us. All of us here. Everybody that was celebrating her. To me, that’s what legacy is. That’s the type of throughline, that type of bloodline really that withstands the test of time. So, maybe in another 15 years we’ll know what that is for me, but today I’m an LA Spark, and I’m playing to win.”

Los Angeles is coming off a convincing 105-84 home win over the Portland Fire Sunday, which coincidentally locked the franchise into the sixth- and seventh-best lottery odds in the 2027 WNBA Draft, when USC star and Los Angeles native JuJu Watkins will be the presumed No. 1 pick if she declares.

Ogwumike, an 11-time All-Star, became the fourth player in league history to score 8,000 career points. The Sparks’ all-time leading scorer recorded her 18th double-double of the season, her most in a single season, and finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Guard Rae Burrell also scored 20 points. Guard Ariel Atkins scored 14. Rookie guard Chance Gray scored a career-high 11. Veteran forward Emma Cannon, the team’s elder stateswoman at 37, scored a season-high 10 points in the first half and started in place of interior stalwart Dearica Hamby and Cameron Brink, the team’s primary post reserve, who were both out with injuries. Hamby, Brink and guard Aaliyah Nye could also miss Tuesday’s game.

The Sparks bench against the Fire was comprised of five rookies, Gray, Tonie Morgan, Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda, Jihun Park, Shyanne Sellers, and second-year guard Monique Akoa Makani.

“The rookies and the newbies, they’re all my little babies,” Cannon said, “and it’s something about just competing every day, showing up and putting your best foot forward. That’s something that I’ve been trying to teach them and tell them that you’re not going to get all the minutes, but you have to be ready when your number is called. So you definitely go out there every day, and you practice, and you play like you are a starter so that when your number is called, you go in and you compete, and you do the best you can do. So I’m proud of them. This is just a stepping stone for them. This is their foundation. They’re just getting their feet wet, so I’m excited for their future.”

The Sparks shot 53.2% from the field on 33-of-62 attempts, 48.3% from beyond the arc (14 made 3s), and 86.2% from the free-throw line (25 of 29).

Las Vegas (29-13) is coming off a 98-77 victory over the Seattle Storm on Sunday. Four-time MVP A’ja Wilson scored a game-high 30 points. All-Star Jackie Young scored 23 points. Former Spark Chelsea Gray added 15 points.

The Sparks will host the playoff-bound Golden State Valkyries in a season finale on Thursday, which will also serve as Ogwumike’s retirement celebration and the 2016 championship anniversary night, the season when the No. 1 pick in the 2012 Draft was named the league’s MVP.

“That last game is going to be a lot,” Ogwumike explained. “It’s not just about what I got going on, but we’re also going to be celebrating the 10th anniversary of our championship, so I’m very excited about that. It’s probably going to be crazy. I have like 200 family and friends coming, so you guys will meet a lot of people, but I just want to stay grateful and present.”

SPARKS (16-26) AT LAS VEGAS (29-13)

When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Where: Michelob ULTRA Arena, Las Vegas

TV: ESPN

​ Orange County Register