Ducks host Predators looking to reverse fading postseason hopes

• March 14, 2025

It will be a battle between a team that’s exceeded expectations and another that has underperformed when the Ducks open Honda Center’s doors for the Nashville Predators on Friday night.

The Ducks slipped two games below a .500 points percentage with consecutive regulation losses on Tuesday and Wednesday to the Eastern Conference’s most improved team, the formidable Washington Capitals, and the NHL’s newest club, Utah HC. Though the Ducks’ playoff hopes might be flickering, they could finish the season as the Western Conference’s biggest riser-over-year, having accumulated a meager 59 points last season.

Of their 17 remaining games, they’ll face Nashville twice and the San Jose Sharks once, with every other opponent they’ll confront placed higher in the standings than the middling Ducks. Mixed in will be 10 matchups against Western Conference teams either in the playoffs or right on the bubble, including the Ducks’ final eight dates.

“We play a lot of teams that we’re trying to overcome in the standings, but there’s a lot of opportunities to make some strides with our team and also in the playoff race,” forward Alex Killorn, who scored a goal in Utah on Wednesday and won two Stanley Cup titles in Tampa Bay in 2020 and 2021, told reporters.

The pivot after playing the beefy Capitals at home before contending with a speedy Utah roster on the road made for tough sledding, aided in part by a strong performance from veteran Ville Husso in his Ducks debut after being traded from Detroit. Coach Greg Cronin, who was travel-ready in his golf shirt immediately after the Washington slugfest, said his group got in “wicked late,” as the club’s 3:30 a.m. arrival further complicated matters.

If only late arrivals and maintaining sartorial flare were the Predators’ main issues. Nashville made the playoffs last season, with Coach Andrew Brunette, all-world defenseman Roman Josi, sniper Filip Forsberg, 2019 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Ryan O’Reilly and a chemistry-charged cast of mostly lesser-known names. They figured adding marquee players – Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei, specifically – would take them to the next level.

Instead of jockeying around with the contenders, they find themselves fighting tooth and nail with the perpetually purposeless Buffalo Sabres – they’ve missed the playoffs for more years than any North American pro franchise other than the NFL’s New York Jets – for the third-best odds in this year’s draft lottery.

Nashville has sprinkled some cayenne pepper on more than just its fried chicken of late though, spicing up its game and winning four matches in a row to reach the cusp of a season-long string of victories. They won five straight in January, but lost five straight to start the season, and later meandered through a chain of eight consecutive losses, five of them in regulation.

Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett’s hit sidelined Josi with an upper-body injury last month, sending him to injured reserve with the dreaded “week-to-week” designation. Forsberg paces the Preds in scoring with 59 points in 64 games.

NASHVILLE AT DUCKS

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Where: Honda Center

TV: Victory+, KCOP (Ch. 13)

​ Orange County Register 

Johns Hopkins to slash nearly 2,000 jobs after losing $800 million in federal grants

• March 14, 2025

More than 2,000 positions related to global health are being cut from the Johns Hopkins University after the Baltimore institution saw $800 million in federal grants disappear, a spokesperson confirmed Thursday.

Hopkins’ medical school; the Bloomberg School of Public Health, including its Center for Communication Programs; and JHPIEGO, the university’s health initiative that focuses on global public health, will be affected by the cuts. USAID was the main funder for both JHPIEGO and CCP.

“This is a difficult day for our entire community. The termination of more than $800 million in USAID funding is now forcing us to wind down critical work here in Baltimore and internationally,” Hopkins’ spokesperson said in a statement.

The Trump administration, through advisor Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency, is slashing federal spending across agencies in an effort to end wasteful spending. Such cuts have an outsized effect on Hopkins, which comes in first of all universities in federally funded research. By extension, those cuts affect Baltimore and Maryland, where Hopkins is the city and state’s largest largest private employer. Hopkins says it accounts for more than $15 billion in economic output in the state.

“It is difficult to overstate the significance of Johns Hopkins University as a cornerstone of Maryland’s economy,” Carter Elliott IV, spokesman for Gov. Wes Moore, said in a statement to The Baltimore Sun earlier this week. “Its influence extends far beyond Baltimore, shaping industries across the state and driving Maryland’s reputation as a global leader in research, healthcare, and education.”

In the statement, the Hopkins spokesperson said “the elimination of foreign aid funding has led to the loss of 1,975 positions in 44 countries internationally and 247 in the United States in the affected programs. An additional 29 international and 78 domestic employees will be furloughed with a reduced schedule.”

Employees in the United states will have at least two months advance notice before their positions are cut or furloughed, and the university said it is “providing comprehensive support with additional benefits, assistance, and resources to help employees navigate this transition and explore new opportunities.”

For international employees, the university said it “will be complying with local employment laws.”

With almost half its funding coming from the federal government, the university’s president warned earlier this month that Hopkins faced drastic cuts in its research and medical work at home and abroad as a result of the Trump administration’s slashing of spending.

Referencing a “cascade of executive orders and agency actions,” Johns Hopkins President Ron Daniels wrote in a letter that the Baltimore-based institution, the nation’s first research university, was bracing for “systemwide shocks.”

“Cuts to federal research will affect research faculty, students, and staff and will ripple through our university,” Daniels wrote. “Budgets, personnel, and programs” could all be impacted, he said.

In its statement Thursday, the Hopkins spokesperson said the university “is immensely proud of the work done by our colleagues in Jhpiego, the Bloomberg School of Public Health, and the School of Medicine to care for mothers and infants, fight disease, provide clean drinking water, and advance countless other critical, life-saving efforts around the world.”

Have a news tip? Contact The Baltimore Sun at 410-332-6100 or newtips@baltsun.com

​ Orange County Register 

More shots fired at Oregon Tesla dealership in ongoing vandalism since Musk began advising Trump

• March 14, 2025

TIGARD, Ore. (AP) — Gunshots were fired at a Tesla dealership in Oregon on Thursday for the second time in a week in ongoing vandalism and protests around the country since CEO Elon Musk became a key figure in the Trump administration.

Around 4:15 a.m., more than a dozen shots were fired around the electric vehicle dealership in the Portland suburb of Tigard, according to the Tigard Police Department. The shooting caused extensive damage to cars and showroom windows, police said. No one was hurt.

A similar shooting happened on March 6 at the same location. Police said they continue to work with federal partners at the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives to thoroughly investigate. An ATF explosive detection dog has been used after both shootings to help search for shell casings, police said.

Tesla has been a target for demonstrations and vandalism in the U.S. and elsewhere this year. People have protested Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, which has been moving to slash the size of the federal government.

Police said over the weekend that six Tesla Cybertrucks at a dealership in the Seattle suburb of Lynnwood were spray painted with swastikas and profanity directed at Musk, KING-TV reported.

On Sunday, four Cybertrucks were destroyed in a blaze in Seattle, but investigators have not said if the fire, or fires, were intentionally set. On Tuesday, the Seattle Police Department said it was working with federal partners to investigate the incident.

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he was buying a new Tesla to show his support for Musk as the billionaire’s company struggles with sagging sales and declining stock prices.

​ Orange County Register 

Boy-girl fight at Colton middle school, caught on video, prompts investigation

• March 14, 2025

A chaotic scene played out in front of Jehue Middle School on Thursday, March 13, as civil rights leaders called on the Colton Police Department to arrest a boy who fought with a girl in an incident captured partly on video that was shared widely on social media.

The news conference started only minutes after hundreds of students spilled out of the classrooms after the final bell of the day and were shocked to see a phalanx of news cameras set up on a street corner.

The video shows a male student restraining a much smaller Black female student, pressing his hand against her head and face and holding her down. He releases her and pushes her into a table. The girl then grabs a laptop computer off the table, spins around and throws it at the boy, who then grabs the girl and slams her, head first, into a table, and she falls to the floor, momentarily lying still before she is helped up by another student. Students are heard shouting racial epithets during the pandemonium.

“She’s knocked out, bro,” one student is heard saying, as the boy who slammed the girl into the table picks up his glasses from the ground, smiles and walks away.

The video was posted to various social media accounts on Wednesday and Thursday.

“What happened to her should not happen to anyone,” said Najee Ali, a social and political activist who appeared at the news conference. “Expel him.”

As the community leaders spoke Thursday, Colton police issued a news release announcing that both 14-year-old combatants had been cited. The release described the boy as the victim, and said he was struck in the head multiple times with a metal object before the video was shot.

“We’re calling immediately for those citations, especially to the young lady, to be rescinded,” said Samuel Casey, senior pastor of the New Life Christian Church and first vice president of Inland Empire Concerned African-American Churches.

As he and others spoke, referring to the girl as a victim, dozens of students with their phones out shooting images formed a circle around the gathering.

Some people expressed concern that the substitute teacher in the classroom did not intervene. A student in the science class, Angel Rivera, said the teacher was instead calling security.

Rialto Unified spokeswoman Syeda Jafri said “quick and decisive action” has been taken against the teacher, but did not say what that was or why. Jafri said she would research the district’s policy on intervening in fights.

Rivera said the video does not show what happened before the recording: the girl struck the boy on the head repeatedly with a metal flask, causing him to bleed.

Jafri said the district’s investigation is continuing.

“Hate has no place in our world, hate has no place in our country, hate has no place in the state of California and hate has no place in Rialto Unified School District,” Jafri said.

Officers responded to the school Monday morning and obtained statements from the teacher, who was present at the time of the fight, and multiple other witnesses, police said.

While Jehue Middle School is within Colton city limits, it is part of the Rialto Unified School District, which posted a safety bulletin on its social media sites Thursday after the video went public on social media.

“This disturbing and unfortunate incident is under investigation by the district and local authorities,” said the bulletin, which noted that the district “acted promptly and contacted the parents of the students involved, and medical aid was also provided.”

The bulletin states that “corrective measures” were taken, but does not provide specifics.

Jehue Middle School serves students in grades 6-8 and has an enrollment of 1,460 students. It’s racial/ethnic makeup is 91% Latino, 4.6% Black and 1.9% White, according to California Department of Education data.

Police are working in collaboration with the school district, and the case will be forwarded to the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office, Juvenile Division, for review, police said in the news release.

Anyone who witnessed or has information regarding the incident is encouraged to contact the Colton Police Department at 909-370-5000. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the We-Tip at 1-800-78-crime or visit http://www.wetip.com.

​ Orange County Register 

SoFi Stadium’s grass soccer field ready for its World Cup dress rehearsal

• March 14, 2025

INGLEWOOD — SoFi Stadium’s continued renovations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup were on display Thursday and will be again during next week’s CONCACAF Nations Leagues games.

SoFi Stadium officially unveiled its new grass field, a test for next year’s biggest stage. The venue will host eight games in next year’s World Cup.

The grass was grown in Washington, shipped to Los Angeles and rolled out earlier this week.

“What you’re now seeing is phase two (of SoFi Stadium’s renovations),” Otto Benedict, the Senior Vice President, Facility and Campus Operations at SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park, said on Thursday. “We have installed a FIFA-quality pitch into our building. This is our test pitch. It is a 64-meter by 100-meter pitch which will we utilize for the Nations Leagues semifinals and finals and we will also host our women’s (USWNT) match on this field (April 5).

“It is a fully irrigated, fully operational system that meets the requirements of FIFA, on a FIFA-specified grass blend. In 2026, we will build this again, to the exact dimensions, specifications and requirements. This is really a great opportunity for us to put together, test and learn and then apply those learnings to next year and really create an incredible experience.”

@the.socal.local

L.A. takes another step toward FIFA World Cup 2026! SoFi Stadium debuted its new test pitch as part of preparations for the tournament. Check out our link in bio for more. #FIFAWorldCup #LosAngeles #SoFiStadium

♬ original sound – The SoCal Local

The grass will be down until after the USWNT game. FIFA prohibits artificial turf in its major events. SoFi Stadium’s traditional turf field is still down, but not in use or immediately below the new grass field.

“We have gone through, we’ve prepared it and prepped it so that it can sustain being underneath cover and underneath this weight all the way until we’re ready to take it apart in late July, early August,” Benedict said of the football turf field the Rams and Chargers play on. “Then we’ll be ready to go back, do the maintenance and preparation and we’ll go right into the NFL season. That’s something that we’re expecting to be able to do here in ’25, that’s why we’re testing it, do it ’26 of course. After ’26, we go right into the Super Bowl in ’27 and after ’27, we’re the swimming venue for the (2028 Summer) Olympics, so we’ll build swimming pools in here where we have now built a world-class soccer pitch.”

FIFA also required fields be at least 74 yards wide. In the final phase of renovations, SoFi will eliminate use of field-level suites in the four corners, to widen the playing field. Benedict said that process will remove 400 seats.

SoFi Stadium is also one of the host venues for this summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup.

​ Orange County Register 

Update: Thunderstorms with pea-sized hail in Los Angeles County Thursday

• March 14, 2025

Los Angeles County is under an updated weather alert for strong thunderstorms by the National Weather Service on Thursday at 4:04 p.m. The alert is in effect until 4:30 p.m.

Wind gusts of up to 40 mph and pea-sized hail (0.25 inches) are expected.

“At 4:04 p.m., Doppler radar tracked a strong thunderstorm 11 miles southeast of Mettler, or 31 miles south of Bakersfield, moving southeast at 35 mph,” states the NWS Hanford CA. “Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is possible.”

Locations impacted by the alert include Lebec, Frazier Park, Grapevine and Interstate 5 over the Grapevine.

The NWS said, “If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.”

The full list of affected locations includes:

• 5 Freeway through Grapevine
• South End San Joaquin Valley
• Tehachapi
• Frazier Mountain Communities
• Mojave Desert Slopes
• Mojave Desert

Staying safe as lightning approaches: Expert advice

Each year, lightning strikes the United States approximately 25 million times, with the majority of these electrifying events occurring during the summer months. Unfortunately, lightning is responsible for claiming the lives of approximately 20 people annually, as reported by the NWS. The threat of lightning becomes more pronounced as thunderstorms draw nearer, peaking when the storm is directly overhead and gradually waning as it moves away.

To ensure your safety during a thunderstorm, keep these recommendations in mind:

Lightning safety plan:

• When venturing outdoors, it’s vital to establish a clear plan for seeking shelter in case of lightning.
• Monitor the sky for threatening signs and listen for the sound of thunder. If thunder is audible, it’s an indication that lightning is nearby.
• Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.

Indoors safety measures:

• Once you’re indoors, avoid using corded phones, electrical devices, plumbing fixtures, and stay away from windows and doors.
• Lightning can follow conductive pathways, and these precautions reduce the risk of electrical surges.

Wait for the all-clear:

• After the last lightning strike or thunderclap, wait at least 30 minutes before resuming outdoor activities.
• Lightning can strike even when a storm has seemingly passed, so exercise caution.

When indoor shelter isn’t available:

If you find yourself outdoors without access to indoor shelter during a thunderstorm, take these steps to maximize your safety:

• Avoid open fields, hilltops, or ridge crests, which expose you to greater lightning risk.
• Steer clear of tall, isolated trees and other prominent objects. In wooded areas, stay close to lower stands of trees.
• If you’re with a group, ensure individuals are spread out to prevent lightning current from transferring between people.
• Camping in an open setting during a thunderstorm is strongly discouraged. If no alternative exists, set up camp in a valley, ravine, or other low-lying areas. Remember that a tent offers no protection against lightning.
• Do not approach water bodies, wet objects, or metal items. While water and metal don’t attract lightning, they conduct electricity effectively and can pose significant risks.

In summary, when facing the threat of lightning, vigilance and preparedness are your best allies. By following these guidelines, you can significantly reduce the chances of lightning-related accidents and prioritize your safety.

Rainy roadways ahead: Essential safety tips for heavy rain

When heavy rain strikes, safety is paramount. Equip yourself with these guidelines from the NWS to navigate wet roads and avoid hazards:

Beware of rapid water flow:

Avoid parking or walking in close proximity to culverts or drainage ditches, as the swiftly moving water during heavy rain can potentially carry you away.

Maintain safe driving distances:

Use the two-second rule to maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you and allow an extra two seconds in heavy rain.

Slow down and stay cautious:

On wet roads, reducing your speed is crucial. Ease off the gas pedal gradually and avoid abrupt braking to prevent skidding.

Choose your lane wisely:

Stick to the middle lanes on multi-lane roads to minimize the risk of hydroplaning, as water tends to accumulate in outer lanes.

Visibility matters:

Turn on your headlights and be careful of other vehicles to the rear and in blind spot areas as they are especially difficult to see through rain-spattered windows.

Watch out for slippery roads:

The first half-hour of rain is when roads are slickest due to a mix of rain, grime, and oil. Exercise heightened caution during this period.

Keep a safe distance from large vehicles:

Large trucks and buses can reduce your visibility with tire spray. Avoid tailgating and pass them swiftly and safely.

Mind your windshield wipers:

Heavy rain can overload the wiper blades. When visibility is so limited that the edges of the road or other vehicles cannot be seen at a safe distance, it is time to pull over and wait for the rain to ease up. It is best to stop at rest areas or other protected areas.

When stopping by the roadside is your only option, position your vehicle as far off the road as possible, ideally beyond guardrails. Keep your headlights on and activate emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position.

By following these safety measures, you can significantly reduce risks and ensure your well-being when heavy rain pours down. Stay informed about weather conditions and heed advice from local authorities to make your journey safe and sound.

​ Orange County Register 

Forever 21 weighs closing all stores ahead of bankruptcy

• March 14, 2025

By Eliza Ronalds-Hannon and Reshmi Basu | Bloomberg

The US-based operator of retailer Forever 21 is preparing to potentially close down its stores as part of a bankruptcy filing in the coming days, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

Efforts to find a buyer for the fast-fashion retailer to avoid a liquidation have so far failed, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private information. Talks with one potential bidder are ongoing, they said.

Also see: Forever 21 closing at least 13 more stores in Southern California

At its height, Forever 21 operated more than 500 locations in the US and at least 800 worldwide. Its US footprint has since shrunk to about 350 stores. Bloomberg previously reported Forever 21 was looking to close almost two-thirds of its locations as part of a bankruptcy process.

The Forever 21 trademark and intellectual property are owned by apparel and lifestyle label empire Authentic Brands, which licenses them to the operating company that would undergo a Chapter 11 process. Authentic plans to continue licensing the brand through new operating and e-commerce partners.

Job cuts: Forever 21 laying off 358 employees as it closes L.A. headquarters

Representatives for Authentic and the Forever 21 operator declined to comment.

The Forever 21 operating company became a unit of Catalyst Brands, which also owns JCPenney and Lucky Brand, through an acquisition in January.

Previously, it was owned by Sparc Group, a joint venture formed by Authentic and the mall owners Simon Property Group and Brookfield Properties, both large Forever 21 landlords, to help keep the chain alive after its first bankruptcy in 2019.

​ Orange County Register 

Columbia University says it expelled some students who seized building last year

• March 14, 2025

By JAKE OFFENHARTZ, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Columbia University says it has expelled or suspended some students who took over a campus building during pro-Palestinian protests last spring, and had temporarily revoked the diplomas of some students who have since graduated.

In a campus-wide email sent Thursday, the university said its judicial board had issued its sanctions against dozens of students who occupied Hamilton Hall based on its “evaluation of the severity of behaviors.”

The university did not provide a breakdown of how many students were expelled, suspended or had their degree revoked.

The culmination of the monthslong investigative process comes as the university’s activist community is reeling from the arrest of a well-known campus activist, Mahmoud Khalil, by federal immigration authorities this past Saturday – the “first of many” such arrests, according to President Donald Trump.

At the same time, the Trump administration has stripped the university of more than $400 million in federal funds over what it describes as the college’s inaction against widespread campus antisemitism.

The takeover of Hamilton Hall came on April 30, 2024, an escalation led by a smaller group of students of the tent encampment that had sprung up on Columbia’s campus against the war in Gaza.

Students and their allies barricaded themselves inside the hall with furniture and padlocks in a major escalation of campus protests.

At the request of university leaders, hundreds of officers with the New York Police Department stormed onto campus the following night. Officers carrying zip ties and riot shields poured in to the occupied building through a window and arrested dozens of people.

At a court hearing in June, the Manhattan district attorney’s office said it would not pursue criminal charges for 31 of the 46 people initially arrested on trespassing charges inside the administration building — but all of the students still faced disciplinary hearings and possible expulsion from the university.

The district attorney’s office said at the time that they were dismissing charges against most of those arrested inside the building due in part to a lack of evidence tying them to specific acts of property damage and the fact that none of the students had criminal histories.

More than a dozen of those arrested were offered deals that would have eventually led to the dismissal of their charges, but they refused them, protest organizers said, “in a show of solidarity with those facing the most extreme repression.” Most in that group were alumni, but two were current students, prosecutors said.

​ Orange County Register