Measles has returned to Southern California; here’s what you need to know

• March 13, 2025

Measles? That’s a disease medical science conquered long ago, right?

Not quite right. While modern vaccines have the disease largely under control, frightening — sometimes deadly — outbreaks still occur. And cases are on the rise this year, alarming officials nationwide.

Measles outbreaks in West Texas and New Mexico now total more than 250 cases, and two unvaccinated people have died from measles-related causes. Recently, measles cases were reported in Orange County — an infant returning home after international travel on Feb. 19 — and in Los Angeles County a person returning to LAX from China on March 11.

Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that’s airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated in the U.S. since 2000. But outbreaks still arise like the cases that erupted in the Southwest U.S. this week. And, though not that common, so do deaths — a school-age child died of measles in Texas last month, and New Mexico reported its first measles-related death in an adult last week.

While most people afflicted experience complete recoveries, it’s not a disease to be taken lightly, experts say.

Measles cases reported in the U.S. this year — including five in California — are likely to increase given the ongoing outbreak in West Texas and bordering New Mexico, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Outbreaks have grown in these states in recent weeks, particularly in communities where vaccination levels are lower.

“To prevent an outbreak from happening, you need to vaccinate about 95% of the susceptible population because measles is so contagious. It’s just about the most contagious pathogen that we know,” said Dr. Timothy Brewer, a professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and of epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.

“In California, our vaccination rates are about 95%,” Brewer said. “In Texas, they’re below that — and at least as of 2023, it was running around 90-94% in Texas. I suspect they’ve dropped even further since then, that’s definitely what’s contributing to the outbreak in Texas.”

Even a small decline in vaccination can significantly increase the likelihood of an outbreak. Measles can “easily cross borders” in any community where vaccination rates are below 95 percent, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

“Measles is the most contagious infectious disease, and is easily spread person to person through the air, so there is a concern of an outbreak whenever we see an increase in cases,” said Dr. Anissa Davis, Long Beach health officer.

All measles cases diagnosed in California this year involved recent international travelers. Prior to this case, the last case of measles in a Los Angeles County resident was reported in February 2024.

Here’s what you need to know about the measles and how to protect yourself:

What are the symptoms?

Measles can cause a fever, cough, runny nose, watery eyes and tiny white spots in the mouth, called Koplik spots. As the disease progresses, some may experience a measles rash generally appearing three to five days after the first symptoms. The measles rash typically starts on the face and then spreads down the body, and looks like small, raised bumps or flat red spots.

Measles can cause serious complications, leading to hospitalization for about 1 in 5 unvaccinated individuals in the United States, the Long Beach health officer said. Common complications are ear infections and diarrhea. It can also cause serious illness, such as pneumonia, encephalitis (swelling of the brain), and even death.

Who is most vulnerable to get measles?

Young children and people who are pregnant or have weakened immune systems are at a higher risk for life-threatening complications from infection, said Davis.

People who have not had measles before and have not yet obtained the measles vaccine are also at risk of contracting measles if they are exposed.

What should I do if I think I may have measles?

If you think that you or someone in your family has been exposed to or has measles, contact your doctor’s office immediately. Tell them that you might have measles before you go, so they can take steps to prevent other patients and staff from being exposed.

Health officials recommend that those at risk are advised to speak with a health care provider about receiving immunization, monitor themselves for signs of illness from seven days to 21 days after their exposure, and if symptoms do develop, to stay home and avoid school, work and gatherings.

“If you’ve been exposed to someone with measles and you’re not sure of your vaccination status, again, reach out to your healthcare provider because getting vaccinated within 72 hours of being exposed to measles can help to reduce the risk of serious disease,” Brewer said.

Long Beach’s Davis also recommends people wear a facemask that covers the nose and mouth; frequently washing hands with soap and water; and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, such as doorknobs and counters.

How can measles be prevented?

Getting vaccinated is the best way to keep from getting and spreading measles, Brewer said.

“The most important thing you can do to protect yourself is to get vaccinated,” he said.

The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is very safe and is more than 95% effective in preventing disease, according to the health department. People should get the MMR vaccine if they haven’t been vaccinated, or do not know if they got the MMR vaccine before.

Kids should be vaccinated at 12-15 months of age, and again at 4-6 years of age.

Do adults need a measles vaccine booster?

A “booster” or third dose of measles vaccine is not recommended, according to the L.A. County Department of Public Health. Two doses of live measles vaccine (MMR or MMRV) are considered to provide long-lasting immunity. However, adults who do not have presumptive evidence of immunity to measles should get vaccinated.

Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?

Measles cases have been reported in Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines an outbreak as three or more related cases — and there have been three clusters that qualified as outbreaks in 2025.

In the U.S., cases and outbreaks are generally traced to someone who caught the disease abroad. It can then spread, especially in communities with low vaccination rates.

Why do vaccination rates matter?

In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”

But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.

The U.S. saw a rise in measles cases in 2024, including an outbreak in Chicago that sickened more than 60. Five years earlier, measles cases were the worst in almost three decades in 2019.

Why is there rekindled debate over vaccines?

The new Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., among others, stoked uncertainty about vaccines during his brief presidential run and has sent a mixed message since taking office.

Last week, Kennedy outlined a strategy for containing the measles outbreak in West Texas that endorsed vaccinations in the affected community, but said the choice was a personal one and concurrently embraced fringe theories about prevention and treatments.

He suggested that measles vaccine injuries were more common than known, contrary to extensive research from experts. He cheered treatments such as cod liver oil, and said that local doctors had achieved “almost miraculous and instantaneous” recoveries with steroids or antibiotics.

Local officials and medical leaders, while acknowledging vaccines are never perfect, still urge people to get their shots.

“With measles outbreaks happening both in the United States and internationally, this recent case in our county highlights how important it is for anyone who has not been immunized to get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine,” said Dr. Muntu Davis, L.A. County health officer.

What do I need to know about the most recent case in L.A. County? Could I have been exposed?

In collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, passengers assigned to specific seats who may have been exposed on China Airlines flight CAL8/CI8 that arrived in Los Angeles on March 5 will be notified by local departments of health, according to the county Department of Public Health.

Additionally, individuals who were at the following locations on the specified dates and times may be at risk of developing measles due to exposure to this individual:

— Wednesday, March 5 between 7 p.m. to 10:40 p.m.: Tom Bradley International Terminal (Terminal B) at LAX;

— Friday, March 7, between 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Cloud 9 Nail Salon, 5142 N. Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood;

— Monday, March 10 between 8:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.: Superior Grocery Store, 10683 Valley Blvd., El Monte.

If exposed individuals have not had measles in the past and have not yet obtained the measles vaccine, they are at risk of contracting measles, officials said.

The Associated Press, City News Service and New York Times contributed to this report 

​ Orange County Register 

Heavy rain expected across Southern California could bring flood risks

• March 13, 2025

Strong storms are expected to move in across the region Wednesday through Friday, bringing flooding risks particularly in recent burn scars.

Some road closures have been announced in anticipation of flooding risks.

Pacific Coast Highway closed at noon Wednesday, March 12, between Chautauqua Boulevard and Carbon Beach Terrace until further notice because of the risk of mud and debris flow in burn scar areas, according to CalTrans. Highway 330 outside of San Bernardino will close beginning at 2 a.m. Thursday, March 13, because of potential debris flows from the Line fire burn scar, Caltrans said.

Los Angeles police distributed address-specific evacuation orders Tuesday to residents in burn areas of the Palisades, Sunset and Hurst fires, which are expected to be “susceptible to heavy rain.”

Los Angeles County

Heavy rain is expected to start Wednesday evening and last through early Thursday morning, and it will switch to lighter, scattered showers around 6 or 7 a.m., according to National Weather Service meteorologist Rose Schoenfeld.

Thunderstorms are possible across the area Wednesday evening through Thursday afternoon, potentially bringing flooding, gusty winds, heavy downpours, hail and even a small tornado.

Meteorologists expect coastal areas to receive around one to two inches while mountains and foothill community could see between two and four inches of rain, Schoenfeld said.

Flood watches are in effect for most of L.A. County, with the possibility for flooding across the area. Schoenfeld said there’s a 30% to 50% chance of major flooding impacts in burn scar areas with concerns for mudslides, road erosion, debris flows and cars being stuck in mud.

Evacuation warnings and orders are in place for Sierra Madre through 6 a.m. Thursday. No one should park on the street in affected areas, but all overnight parking restrictions will be lifted in non-evacuation warning or order zones.

Anyone living in areas that typically flood should prepare with sandbags and anything else they may need to protect their property, Schoenfeld said.

Residents who live near recent burn scars, like the Eaton and Palisades fires, should stay vigilant and listen to their local officials as the storm moves in.

“Prepare for power outages, roadway blockages that will make it difficult to travel in and out of that area,” Schoenfeld said. “We’d urge people to avoid traveling during the peaks of rain.”

Residual flooding could continue Thursday morning, so commuters should remain cautious even as the rain lessens. Light rain will continue Friday, with totals remaining under a quarter of an inch.

Temperatures will remain cool through the rest of the week, with highs in the mid-50s across the county Thursday and Friday. Highs should warm up a bit over the weekend but will likely remain cooler than normal.

Inland Empire and Orange County

The heaviest precipitation is expected to hit the area between about 3 a.m. and 9 a.m. Thursday morning, bringing heavy rain and occasional thunder, according to National Weather Service San Diego meteorologist Paul Steward.

Rain totals will vary, with some parts of Riverside seeing about half an inch to an inch of rain, while areas like Lake Elsinore, Temecula and Hemet could see an inch to an inch and a half of rain. In Orange County, areas like Anaheim, Irvine and San Clemente could see between an inch and an inch and a half of rain, and Huntington Beach could see around half an inch to an inch at most.

Coastal areas will see lower totals because strong westerly winds will push the rain inland towards the Santa Ana Mountains. Communities around the mountains in Orange County and the Inland Empire could see between two and two and a half inches.

“If you’re planning to travel or commute to work in the morning, just be prepared,” Steward said. “It can be pretty messy out there.”

A flood watch is also in place for much of Orange County and the Inland Empire, with officials paying special attention to recent burn scar areas.

In Orange County, officials issued evacuation warnings for areas in the Trabuco Canyon, Hot Springs Canyon, Bell Canyon, Long Canyon and Modjeska Canyon due to possible debris flows along or near the Airport Fire burn scar.

Light rain will continue Friday through Saturday morning, bringing about a tenth of an inch at most in some areas, Steward said.

Temperatures will stay chilly over the next few days, with highs in the mid to low-50s across the Orange County and Inland Empire areas and windy conditions making it feel colder. Around the Santa Ana Mountains, highs could drop as low as 37 degrees.

Staff writer Nathaniel Percy and City News Service contributed to this report.

​ Orange County Register 

Successful petition forces special election in Newport-Mesa Unified after school board appointment

• March 12, 2025

Kirstin Walsh, appointed in late January to the Newport Mesa Unified School Board, has been ousted following a successful petition campaign to force instead a special election to fill the vacant seat.

The Orange County Registrar of Voters announced on Tuesday, March 11, a special election will be held June 10, with a very tight window for anyone in the district’s Trustee Area 5 interested in running as a candidate to fill the remaining term of the open seat to file with the elections office.

The deadline to file is Friday, March 14. To be a candidate, you must live in the district’s Area 5, be a registered voter and complete the filing packet with the Registrar of Voters Office — find more information and details at ocvote.gov or call 714-567-7600.

Area 5 encompasses the neighborhoods feeding Newport Elementary, Ensign Intermediate and Newport Harbor High School.

The Orange County Superintendent of Schools ordered the election on Monday, after the Registrar of Voters verified enough signatures — 361 — had been submitted on a petition to require the special election and terminate Walsh’s provisional appointment by the school board – there was a 30-day window to submit the petition signatures for validation.

The seat is vacant as of March 6, according to a district spokesperson.

Walsh was chosen by a school board majority in January to fill the Area 5 seat left vacant when former Trustee Michelle Barto was elected to the Newport Beach City Council. The winner of the special election will fill the seat until Barto’s term would have been up in November 2026, when the seat will again be on the ballot for a full four-year term.

Walsh, 53, a mother of a sophomore and senior attending Newport Harbor High and the school PTA president, said she was stunned by the effort to force the special election. She said she isn’t taking it personally, though, and will mount a campaign to win her seat back in June.

“I was there for five weeks and my heart was in it,” she said. “Based on principle, I’m going to fight for this. I’m truly in this because I believe in this.”

Walsh said what upsets her most is the district will be out “almost half-a-million dollars” paying for the special election to be held.

The Registrar of Voters gave the district cost estimates of $445,000 to $494,000 for a special election with a vote center and $282,000 to $332,000 for just mail-in balloting.

“I talked to Superintendent (Wesley) Smith and said, ‘If I don’t go forward with this, then does the district still get the money,’ and he said no. Regardless, they still have to do the election even if there is only one person (running),” Walsh said. “That’s also what’s driving me so heavily. It’s the students’ money.”

Walsh said she had no idea the petition drive was going on and, at first, didn’t realize it was an option. After she was appointed, she said she started to hear that some people were unhappy with her selection.

​ Orange County Register 

From soup cans to airplanes, steel and aluminum are a fundamental part of American life

• March 12, 2025

By DEE-ANN DURBIN and ANNE D’INNOCENZIO, Associated Press

Steel and aluminum are ubiquitous in Americans’ lives. A stainless steel refrigerator holds aluminum soda cans. A stainless steel drum tumbles inside an aluminum washing machine. They’re the metals used in cars and airplanes, phones and frying pans, skyscrapers and zippers.

That’s why President Donald Trump’s 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports — which went into effect Wednesday — could have widespread impact on manufacturers and consumers.

Here are some of the industries and products that rely on aluminum and steel:

Construction

The construction industry uses about one-third of all U.S. steel shipments, more than any other industry, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. The industry depends on a global supply chain to build everything from airports to schools to roads, according to Associated Builders and Contractors, a trade group with more than 23,000 members.

The group says some contractors were able to lock in prices on steel or aluminum ahead of the tariffs. But if they are prolonged, the import taxes will ultimately raise prices at a time when the construction industry is already struggling with higher costs for labor and materials. And uncertainty around the tariffs will make it less likely that companies will commit to big building projects, the group said.

Annie Mecias-Murphy is the co-owner and president of JA&M, a contractor for commercial buildings based in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Some of the main materials her company uses are rebar, or reinforced steel, and post-tension cables, which reinforce concrete after it’s poured.

“In attempts to get ahead of the tariffs, we do try to lock in our prices and work with our trade partners and clients on different strategies,” Mecias-Murphy said. “But ultimately, the rising costs make it difficult for small business owners like myself to contemplate large-scale multi-year projects.”

Steel cans

Tin mill steel is used for a wide variety of packaging, from soup cans to hairspray. And the U.S. currently imports 70% of its tin mill steel, according to the Can Manufacturers Institute.

The institute said the more limited tariffs Trump imposed in 2018 resulted in the closure of nine tin mill lines in the U.S. as manufacturers shifted to other types of steel or simply shut down. As a result, only three U.S. tin steel lines remain open.

Mick Beekhuizen, the president and CEO of The Campbell Co., said in an earnings call last week that his company imports tin mill steel from Canada. Beekhuizen said Campbell is working with its suppliers to mitigate the impact of tariffs, but it may need to raise prices.

The Consumer Brands Association, which represents packaged food makers, said it’s urging the Trump administration to exempt aluminum and steel products that aren’t available in adequate quantities in the U.S. Otherwise, consumers will likely see higher grocery prices.

“We encourage the Trump administration to recognize the different needs of different U.S. manufacturing sectors,” said Tom Madrecki, vice president of supply chain resiliency at the Consumer Brands Association.

Autos

Most of Ford, GM and Stellantis’ steel and aluminum already comes from the United States, reducing the direct impact the companies would feel from higher duties.

But experts have warned that tariffs might mean the three Detroit automakers have to raise their prices. Domestic steel and aluminum producers will have to increase their capacity to meet demand or risk a short supply in the near term, making these products more expensive and driving up vehicle costs.

Another automaker who could feel the pain from tariffs: Elon Musk’s Tesla. During a January earnings call, Tesla’s Chief Financial Officer Vaibhav Taneja noted the uncertainty around tariffs.

“The imposition of tariffs, which is very likely… will have an impact on our business and profitability,” Taneja said.

This could be detrimental to an already inflation-sensitive American car buyer. The average transaction price for a new vehicle was just over $48,000 last month, according to Kelley Blue Book.

And as with the steel and aluminum tariffs of Trump’s first term, automakers are likely to have to revisit their financial outlooks for the year as they brace for impact.

Appliances

Makers and sellers of products ranging from microwaves to dishwashers are having to navigate cost increases.

Some like Whirlpool, which produces 80% of what it sells in the U.S. domestically, appear to be more insulated from the tariffs. Whirlpool executives told analysts at an investor conference earlier this month that Whirlpool has locked in contracts for a minimum of one year for most of its raw materials, including steel.

“We are in a pretty good position as of right now,” said Roxanne Warner, a senior vice president and controller at Whirlpool.

But Abt, a family-owned appliance and consumer electronics store in Glenview, Illinois, received notices this week from manufacturers that said they would raise the suggested retail price of countertop products like espresso makers and toasters anywhere from 10% to 15% starting April 1, according to Richie Palmero, the store’s small appliance buyer.

Abt sells coffee makers that range from $100 to $500, as well as espresso makers priced from $1,000 to $5,000.

Palmero said that putting another $250 on the price of a $2,500 is a lot, but she said she doesn’t think sales will suffer significantly.

“I think customers would still buy it because it’s good quality,” she said. “But they might think about it. They might take longer to buy it. It might not be an impulse buy. I don’t think they’re going to go down to Mr. Coffee or a $20 coffee maker.”

During Trump’s first term, tariffs were slapped in early 2018 on washing machines, and prices for the appliances spiked 12%, according to the American Economic Review, an academic journal. Clothes dryers became pricier as well, even though they weren’t targeted. The median price of washing machines and dryers increased by about $86 and $92 per unit, respectively, according to the academic journal.

Aluminum cans

U.S. beverage companies use more than 100 billion aluminum cans each year, according to the Can Manufacturers Institute. Most of the thin rolled sheets of aluminum alloy that are used for cans are made in the U.S., but can makers do import a small percentage, the institute said.

The Brewers Association, which represents 9,500 independent U.S. craft beer makers, estimates that 10% of U.S. cans are made from Canadian aluminum. Aluminum tariffs will force small brewers to pay more for cans, the association said, even as steel tariffs drive up the cost of equipment like kegs and fermentation tanks.

But not all manufacturers are worried about aluminum tariffs. Molson Coors says it shifted production in recent years and now gets “almost all” of its aluminum for U.S. consumption from U.S. sources.

Coca-Cola Chairman and CEO James Quincey said during a recent earnings call that if aluminum cans get more expensive, Coke can shift to other materials like plastic bottles. Quincey told investors he didn’t want to exaggerate the cost of aluminum tariffs.

“You should not conclude that this is some huge swing factor in the U.S. business,” he said. “It’s a cost. It will have to be managed. It would be better not to have it relative to the U.S. business, but we are going to manage our way through.”

Aviation

Airplanes have a mixture of metal parts, from aluminum frames, wings and door panels to steel landing gear and engine parts. Many are extremely specialized and sourced from overseas.

The Aerospace Industries Association, which represents nearly 300 aerospace and defense companies, says tariffs put their industry — and national security — at risk.

“We are concerned about additional downward pressure on an already stressed American supply chain,” Dak Hardwick, the association’s vice president of international affairs, said. “We are investigating mitigation strategies that would minimize the impacts of new tariffs on our industry, and we hope to work with the Trump Administration to highlight the critical role we play in America’s economic prosperity, national defense and deterrence.”

AP Climate reporter Alexa St. John in Detroit contributed reporting.

​ Orange County Register 

Trump says Ireland cheats the US as its leader joins him to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day

• March 12, 2025

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE, Associated Press

President Donald Trump welcomed Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin on Wednesday for the annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration at the White House, where he added Ireland to the list of countries he says are taking advantage of the United States.

Martin countered by noting Ireland’s contributions to the U.S.

It was Trump’s first Oval Office meeting with a foreign leader since his recent sit-down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which morphed into a shouting match as they jousted over ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The session ended with Zelenskyy being asked to leave the White House.

Martin, who offered only gentle pushback to some of Trump’s comments, is set to return to the White House in the evening to present Trump with a bowl of shamrocks at an early St. Patrick’s Day celebration. The duo also attended an annual luncheon at the Capitol.

The president’s banter during the Oval Office meeting also touched on Vice President JD Vance’s shamrock-themed socks and Trump nemesis Rosie O’Donnell’s recent move to Ireland.

The Republican president has been sparring with U.S. allies and adversaries alike over trade, slapping double-digit tariffs on imports from countries from Canada to China and in between. During the appearance with Martin, Trump repeated his claim that the European Union was created just to stick it to the U.S.

Asked if Ireland, a member of the EU, was taking advantage, too, Trump said, “of course they are. I have great respect for Ireland and what they did and they should have done just what they did, but the United States shouldn’t have let it happen.” He was referring to the concentration of U.S. pharmaceutical companies in Ireland, due to the country’s tax policies.

“We had stupid leaders. We had leaders that didn’t have a clue or let’s say they weren’t businesspeople, but they didn’t have a clue what was happening and all of a sudden Ireland has our pharmaceutical companies,” Trump said.

Martin countered that the trade relationship is “a two-way street,” adding that Ireland’s two largest airlines buy more aircrafts from Boeing Co. than anyone else outside of America.

More than 700 Irish companies are also based in America, creating thousands of jobs, Martin said. “That’s a little known fact that doesn’t turn up in the statistics,” he added.

“I understand where you’re coming from, fully,” Martin told Trump, “but I think it’s a relationship that we can develop and that will endure into the future.”

At one point, Trump became distracted as he talked about inflation in the U.S.

“By the way, I love these socks. What’s with these socks? I’m trying to stay focused, but I’m very impressed with the VP’s socks,” Trump said, drawing chuckles from others in the room.

Vance had worn socks patterned with small green shamrocks as a nod to Martin’s visit.

When a reporter asked Martin why his country would let O’Donnell move there, Trump jumped at the opening.

“I like that question,” the president said, adding that Martin was ”better off not knowing” about O’Donnell.

O’Donnell, a comedian and former talk-show host, and Trump have feuded for years. O’Donnell, who is gay, recently announced that she moved to Ireland in January, citing a lack of equal rights in America.

Trump found a way to sneak his penchant for professional fighting into the discourse.

As the meeting wrapped, Trump was asked to name his favorite person in Ireland. Trump referred to Irish mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor, partly because “he’s got the best tattoos I’ve ever seen.”

Trump is well known for his support of Ultimate Fighting Championship and attended bouts during the 2024 presidential campaign.

He noted that Martin’s father was an acclaimed boxer, but motioned to Martin saying, “You’re so smooth,” suggesting he did not look like a boxer.

“I’m a pretty good defensive boxer,” Martin joked in reply.

Associated Press writer Tom Beaumont in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report.

​ Orange County Register 

OC Fair 2025: Oliver Anthony, Jeff Dunham and Tribal Seeds are coming to Pacific Amphitheatre

• March 12, 2025

Pacific Amphitheatre has announced three additional shows for the OC Fair 2025 season lineup.

Viral country singer Oliver Anthony will take the stage on Aug. 1, with support to be announced at a later date. Tickets range from $37.50 to $77.50 and will go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 15 at pacamp.com.

Comedian and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham will bring his signature act to the venue on Aug. 6, while reggae group Tribal Seeds will perform on Aug. 10, joined by The Expendables, The Mike Love Band, and Common Sense.

Tickets for all newly announced shows will go on sale at 10 a.m. on March 15 at pacamp.com. Tickets include same-day admission to the OC Fair, which runs July 18–Aug. 17 at the OC Fair & Event Center.

These additions join a growing list of previously announced performances at Pacific Amphitheatre. Rapper Ludacris will take the stage on Aug. 7 with support from the Ying Yang Twins. Other highlights include Fitz & The Tantrums co-headlining with Aloe Blacc on July 25, and a stacked lineup featuring Dispatch, John Butler Band, G. Love & Special Sauce, and Donavon Frankenreiter on July 26. Latin music fans can look forward to Pancho Barraza and Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán on July 27, while ‘90s rock legends Blues Traveler, Gin Blossoms, and Spin Doctors will perform on Aug. 15.

In addition to Pacific Amphitheatre’s lineup, The Hangar will feature a variety of tribute acts throughout the OC Fair, including The Monkee Men on July 24, Led Zepplica on July 25, and Yachty By Nature on July 27. Tickets for these shows, which include same-day fair admission, are on sale now.

The OC Fair Box Office will be open on March 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for in-person ticket purchases.

​ Orange County Register 

Lakers confident they’ll have more ‘juice’ entering game-heavy stretch

• March 12, 2025

MILWAUKEE — Energy, or as two-way guard Jordan Goodwin put it, “juice” has been available at a premium for the Lakers over the last couple of months.

The consistent high-level effort helped the Lakers win 20 of their previous 26 games entering Thursday’s road matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum.

So for that effort to take a dip in Monday’s loss to the Brooklyn Nets, a game when the Lakers were without several frontcourt players, wasn’t too much of a concern in the locker room.

Forward Dorian Finney-Smith will be available against the Bucks after missing Monday’s game because of left ankle soreness. Guard Luka Doncic is questionable with right ankle soreness.

Forwards LeBron James (left groin) and Rui Hachimura (left knee) and center Jaxson Hayes (right knee) remain out.

“It’s always frustrating losing games like that, especially when everybody’s energy is kind of low,” Goodwin said. “But I don’t think it’s a problem for us. We’ll find it and be back. The next game, we’ll have more juice than we had [on Monday].

“So I don’t think it’s a problem. We’ll be OK.”

But Monday’s loss was the second consecutive game when Coach JJ Redick expressed confusion regarding the execution he saw from his team in ways that playing harder don’t simply fix.

Not setting ball screens in the proper spots.

Allowing the Nets, who made 40% (18 for 45) of their 3-point attempts, to take “dare” shots. All but two of Brooklyn’s 3-point attempts were classified as “wide open” (29) or “open” (14) on the league’s official website.

Not communicating at the same level they have been over the last several weeks.

“We just gotta be better,” Redick said, “And we’ll use practice to clean things up and make sure everybody’s on the same page.

The Lakers also struggled against Brooklyn’s defensive pressure, with the Nets often guarding the Lakers’ ball handlers full court or three-fourths of the court.

Doncic, who had five of the Lakers’ 15 giveaways, turned the ball over three times in the second half after the Nets blitzed/double-teamed him – a coverage Doncic has faced often during his seven seasons in the NBA.

Doncic has at least five turnovers in each of the last six games.

“I am comfortable with that,” Doncic said about playing against double-teams. “You could see it in the other games. [Monday] wasn’t a good example of it [with] me.

“But you could see it in the other games, when they’re blitzing, we’re in great spots. And that’s what JJ said about communication, that was important. That’s my fault and we should have done better at that.”

The Lakers, who have dropped their last two games, are entering a stretch of six games in eight days, which could be critical for their playoffs seeding push.

They slipped down to the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference standings with the loss to the Nets and the Denver Nuggets’ victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, with the Nuggets taking possession of the No. 2 spot.

The Lakers will wrap up their four-game trip against Denver on Friday, which will be the second night of a back-to-back, before playing two more back-to-back sets at Crypto.com Arena:

• Phoenix Suns (Sunday) and San Antonio Spurs (Monday).

• Nuggets (Wednesday) and Bucks (Thursday).

The Lakers (40-23) entered Wednesday ahead of the Memphis Grizzlies for No. 3 by percentage points and were just one game ahead of the Houston Rockets for No. 5.

“You definitely think about all the losses, especially the ones like this. The one in Boston. Every loss you take is a big loss,” Goodwin said. “Like you said, the conference, everybody is right there trying to battle for a spot. So we gotta win. If not, everybody is moving up and we’re moving down. So we gotta keep winning.”

LAKERS AT BUCKS

When: Thursday, 7 p.m.

Where: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee

TV/radio: TNT, Spectrum SportsNet/710 AM

​ Orange County Register 

A breakdown of major EPA deregulatory moves around water, air, climate

• March 12, 2025

By MICHAEL PHILLIS, ALEXA ST. JOHN and JACK BROOK, Associated Press

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin on Wednesday announced nearly three dozen deregulatory moves that he said would spur the U.S. economy by rolling back rules that have unfairly burdened industry. Many of the moves would affect landmark regulations aimed at protecting clean air and water.

Here’s a look at some of the 31 regulatory changes Zeldin announced:

Reconsider power plant emissions standards

The Biden administration set limits on planet-warming emissions from existing gas and coal-fired power plants – a major step in the administration’s effort to reduce greenhouse gases from the heavily polluting energy sector. Trump has long opposed such tough, climate-friendly limits and has instead promoted oil and gas development. Zeldin said the agency would reconsider the Biden administration standards to avoid constraining energy production.

Reconsider toxic emission limits on power plants

Coal plants emit toxic metals like mercury and the Biden administration issued a rule to severely limit those pollutants. Officials at the time said technology had progressed enough for these plants to do better. The EPA on Wednesday said nearly two dozen states had sued, arguing the rule was costly and a major burden, especially to coal plants. They also considering offering industry a two-year compliance extension while officials reconsider the rule.

Reconsider wastewater rules for coal and other power plants

Hazardous metals like mercury and arsenic end up in the wastewater of steam-powered electric generating power plants like coal. These can have serious health effects including increasing cancer rates and lowering childhood IQ scores. The Biden administration tightened regulations of this wastewater. The EPA said it will revisit those “stringent” rules that are costly to industry and therefore may raise residential energy bills.

New uses for oil and gas wastewater

Currently, treated wastewater generated from oil and gas drilling can be used in limited ways in certain western lands, such as for agriculture. Environmentalists say there can be a broad range of contaminants in the wastewater, some of which might not be known. The EPA said it will reconsider those rules and look at how the treated water could be used for other purposes like cooling data centers, fighting fires and other ecological needs. They say the current rules are costly, old and don’t reflect the capabilities of modern treatment technologies.

​​Reconsider petrochemical emergency planning

The Biden administration tightened safeguards against accidents for industrial and chemical plants that millions of people live near. The agency’s risk management program added planning and reporting requirements for facilities and forced some to implement new safeguards. Accidents at these plants can be severe – a 2019 explosion at a Texas facility, for example, forced tens of thousands to evacuate, for example. Industry associations have criticized parts of the rule, such as requirements to publicly report sensitive information.

Zeldin said Biden administration officials “ignored recommendations from national security experts on how their rule makes chemical and other sensitive facilities in America more vulnerable to attack.” The EPA is reconsidering the rule.

Reconsidering greenhouse gas reporting requirements

The EPA said it was reconsidering its mandatory greenhouse gas reporting program, which requires thousands of major industrial polluters to tell the agency about its emissions. Zeldin said the “bureaucratic government program” costs hundreds of millions of dollars and doesn’t help air quality. Until now, the EPA said the data helped businesses compare their emissions to competitors and find opportunities to reduce them and lower costs.

Reconsider light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty vehicle regulations

Zeldin vowed to review his agency’s emissions standards for cars and trucks, calling the tightened emissions rules the “foundation for the Biden-Harris electric vehicle mandate.” Nothing the Biden administration implemented required automakers to make and sell EVs or for consumers to buy them. Loosening standards would allow vehicles to emit more planet-warming greenhouse gases, but many automakers have already been investing in making their vehicles more efficient.

Reconsider 2009 Endangerment Finding and regulations that rely on it

The scientific finding, under the 2009 Clean Air Act, determined that planet-warming greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare. It has been at the core of the nation’s action against climate change. Trump had already directed the EPA to consider the finding’s “legality” in an executive order. Experts say the impacts of climate change on human health and the environment are already clear, and that upending the finding would be devastating.

Reconsideration of technology transition rule

This program enforced strict rules to reduce the use of hydrofluorocarbons, highly potent and planet-warming greenhouse gases used in refrigerators, air conditioners, heat pumps and more. HFCs, as they are known, are thousands of times more powerful than carbon dioxide and leak through equipment that uses compressed refrigerants. Dozens of countries around the globe have pledged to slash their use and production of the chemicals.

Ending ‘Good Neighbor Plan’

This rule was intended to limit air pollution by restricting power plant smokestack emissions, and those from other industrial sites, across 11 states. Eliminating it would especially impact downwind neighborhoods that are burdened by pollution from ground-level ozone, or smog, that is out of their control. However, the Supreme Court had already put a hold on the rule last summer, ruling that states challenging it were likely to prevail.

Reconstitute Science Advisory Board and Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee

These seats have long been politicized given how influential they can be in setting national environmental policy. The board reviews “the quality and relevance of the scientific and technical information being used by the EPA or proposed as the basis for Agency regulations” and agency research programs. Congress directed the agency to establish the board to provide the Administrator science advice in 1978. The committee can give “independent advice” to the agency’s Administrator specific to the nation’s Ambient Air Quality Standards.

Reconsider Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards

Power plants and industrial facilities release particulate matter, or soot, that can easily pass through a person’s lungs and into their bloodstream. Last year, the Biden administration tightened standards regulating soot in response to scientific research indicating existing regulations were insufficient. At the time, the EPA estimated its stronger regulations would save thousands of lives and prevent hundreds of thousands of cases of asthma and lost workdays annually. The Trump administration’s EPA says these regulations are “a major obstacle” for companies and that the U.S. has low levels of soot.

Reconsider national emission standards for air pollutants for American energy and manufacturing

These EPA standards apply to pollutants known or suspected to cause cancer, birth defects or other serious health problems, such as asbestos and mercury. Industrial facilities are required to follow strict standards to monitor, control and limit the amount of these chemicals they release into the air.

Restructure the Regional Haze Program

For decades, this EPA program has required states to reduce pollution that threatens scenic views in more than 150 national parks and wilderness areas, including in the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. Zeldin said that the U.S. has made strides in improving visibility in national parks and that the program is being used as justification for shutting down industrial facilities and threatening affordable energy.

Overhauling ‘Social Cost of Carbon’

The social cost of carbon is an EPA tool to weigh the economic costs and benefits of regulating polluting industries by putting a price tag on climate-warming carbon dioxide emissions – set at $190 per ton under the Biden administration’s EPA. That calculation is used in cost-benefit analyses, and was intended to account for greenhouse gas emissions’ impacts including natural disasters, crop damage, health problems and sea-level rise. Under the first Trump administration, carbon was pegged at around $5 per ton. An executive order Trump signed on his first day in office directs the EPA to consider eliminating this calculation entirely to advance his “Unleashing American Energy” policy.

Prioritizing coal ash program to expedite state permit reviews and update regulations

After coal is burned, ash filled with heavy pollutants including arsenic, lead and mercury is left behind and typically stored in giant pits under federal regulation. The EPA says it is now seeking to rapidly put regulation “more fully into state hands,” which environmental groups fear could lead to weaker standards. Last year, the Biden administration closed a gap that had allowed companies to avoid responsibility for cleaning up inactive coal ash pits – a policy that environmental groups say could now be repealed.

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

​ Orange County Register