Amtrak offering Auto Train sale, free kids fares

• May 29, 2024

Kristen Hess | (TNS) TravelPulse

As part of Amtrak’s summer sale, adult travelers can book coach class aboard the Auto Train for as low as $75. In addition, children under 12 can ride free on both coach class and first-class private rooms.

Currently, the sale is valid from May 21 through July 24 on any booking made to or from Lorton, Virginia, and Sanford, Florida, on May 24 through Sept. 2, at least three days in advance. Auto Train is an 855-mile scheduled daily train service for passengers and their automobiles between the two cities.

Accommodations and services aboard the Auto Train include vehicle transport as well as varying accommodations.

First-class accommodations feature a choice between a roomette that features two seats that transform into beds or a bedroom option that offers twice the space of a roomette as well as an in-room sink, restroom, and shower.

First class also features Priority boarding, complimentary meals, and a dedicated attendant.

The Auto Train also includes coach class accommodations, which include wide, reclining seats with plenty of legroom, a scenic large window and a complimentary continental breakfast.

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©2024 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. Visit at travelpulse.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

​ Orange County Register 

Israel says offensive in Gaza could last for seven months

• May 29, 2024

By Mike Schwartz and Christian Edwards | CNN

The war in Gaza will likely continue through at least the end of the year, an Israeli official warned Wednesday, seeming to dismiss the idea that fighting would end after the military offensive against Hamas in Rafah.

Israel’s national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, said the year 2024 has been “defined as a year of combat” by Israel’s war cabinet.

“We are now in the fifth month of 2024, which means we expect another seven months of fighting to deepen our achievements and achieve our goal of destroying the military and governmental capabilities of Hamas and Islamic Jihad,” Hanegbi said.

The comments came as Israeli tanks – seen Tuesday in central Rafah for the first time since the operation began earlier this month – continued to probe the southern Gaza city on Wednesday, despite mounting global pressure to stop the offensive.

The Israeli government had previously signaled that entering Rafah would be the final stage of its war against Hamas, which attacked Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking some 250 people hostage. In response, Israel launched a devastating offensive in Gaza which has killed more than 36,000 people, according to Palestinian officials.

Despite the prospect earlier this month of striking a ceasefire-for-hostages deal with Hamas, the more extreme wing of Israel’s war cabinet had urged that the Rafah offensive go ahead, arguing that destroying the group was more urgent and of greater importance than returning the hostages believed to still be alive in Gaza.

But Hanegbi’s comments suggest that the Rafah operation may not mark the end of hostilities, raising questions about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to wind down Israel’s campaign and his plans for the post-war governance of Gaza.

While Netanyahu has portrayed Rafah as Hamas’ “last bastion” his forces have been operating in northern areas the military previously said it dismantled the militants’ command structure.

In a radio interview on the Israeli station Reshet Bet, Hanegbi said “it was honestly stated in the first days of presenting the plans to the cabinet that the war would be long.”

“You need to have patience and know how to stand strong. This resilience is what has allowed this nation to survive for 75 years, and even for 3,000 years before that. Just don’t use a stopwatch on ourselves or set ultimatums,” he said.

Israel is pressing ahead with its military offensive in the face of growing global outrage, after an Israeli airstrike on Sunday killed at least 45 people and injured 200 others in Rafah at a camp for displaced people, which Israel had designated as a safe zone.

Video from the Tal al-Sultan camp showed scenes of horror: charred bodies being pulled from the rubble, a man holding the headless body of a child, fire raging from tents in the background.

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A CNN analysis of video from the scene suggests that munitions made in the United States were used in the strike.

But US President Joe Biden is not altering his policy towards Israel, suggesting the strike on Rafah had not yet crossed a red line that would force changes in American support, despite him telling CNN earlier this month he would not allow certain US weapons to be used in a major offensive in Rafah.

The strike came days after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to “immediately halt” its offensive in Rafah, or any actions “which may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.”

The ICJ said the humanitarian situation in Rafah can now be described as “disastrous” and could worsen still if Israel’s operation in the city continues.

​ Orange County Register 

ConocoPhillips buying Marathon Oil for $17.1 billion

• May 29, 2024

By Michelle Chapman | The Associated Press

ConocoPhillips is buying Marathon Oil in an all-stock deal valued at approximately $17.1 billion as energy prices rise and big oil companies reap massive profits.

The deal is valued at $22.5 billion when including $5.4 billion in debt.

Crude prices have jumped more than 12% this year, and the cost for a barrel rose above $80 this week. Oil majors put up record profits after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and while those numbers have slipped, there has been a surge in mergers between energy companies flush with cash.

“We never know when these opportunities come available, and this one certainly came available, or to our attention, here a few weeks ago,” Chief Executive Officer Ryan Lance told analysts and investors Wednesday on a conference call. “We weren’t necessarily out looking for something, but it was an opportunity that presented itself.”

Chevron said last year that it was buying Hess in a $53 billion acquisition, though that deal faces headwinds. The company warned the buyout may be in jeopardy because it will require the approval of Exxon Mobil and a Chinese national oil company, which both hold rights to development of an oil field off the coast of the South American nation Guyana where Hess is a big player.

In July of last year, Exxon Mobil said that it would pay $4.9 billion for Denbury Resources, an oil and gas producer that has entered the business of capturing and storing carbon and stands to benefit from changes in U.S. climate policy. Three months later, Exxon announced the proposed acquisition of shale operator Pioneer Natural Resources for $60 billion.

All the proposed acquisitions could face pushback from the U.S. which, under the Biden administration, has stepped up antitrust reviews for energy companies and other sectors as well, such as tech.

The Federal Trade Commission, which enforces federal antitrust law, asked for additional information from Exxon and Pioneer about their proposed deal. The request is a step the agency takes when reviewing whether a merger could be anticompetitive under U.S. law. Pioneer disclosed the request in a filing in January.

As part of the ConocoPhillips transaction, Marathon Oil shareholders will receive 0.2550 shares of ConocoPhillips common stock for each share of Marathon Oil common stock that they own, the companies said Wednesday.

ConocoPhillips said Wednesday that the transaction will add highly desired acreage to its existing U.S. onshore portfolio.

“This acquisition of Marathon Oil further deepens our portfolio and fits within our financial framework, adding high-quality, low cost of supply inventory adjacent to our leading U.S. unconventional position,” ConocoPhillips Chairman and CEO Ryan Lance said in a prepared statement.

The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter. It still needs approval from Marathon Oil stockholders.

Separate from the transaction, ConocoPhillips said that it anticipates raising its ordinary dividend by 34% to 78 cents per share starting in the fourth quarter. The company said that once the Marathon Oil deal closes and assuming recent commodity prices, ConocoPhillips plans to buy back more than $7 billion in shares in the first full year. It plans to repurchase more than $20 billion in shares in the first three years.

Shares of ConocoPhillips declined 3.3% before the market open, while Marathon Oil Corp.’s stock rose more than 7%.

​ Orange County Register 

13 acts coming to Southern California casinos in June

• May 29, 2024

June is packed with big names in entertainment heading to Southern California casinos, including several stand-up comedians, political commentators, rock stars, Latin acts and more.

Be sure to check the official websites for the latest event information.

Marisela

Mexican-American singer and queen of romanticás Marisela is on tour supporting her latest album, “Dos Almas.” 8 p.m. Saturday, June 1 at Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City, 32-250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage. $50. 800-514-3849. aguacalientecasinos.com.

Heather McDonald

Standup comedian, bestselling author and actress Heather McDonald is bringing her pop culture comedy podcast, “Juicy Scoop with Heather McDonald,” to a live audience where she’ll dish about the latest scoops from her celebrity friends. 8 p.m. Saturday, June 1 at Pechanga Resort Casino, 45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula. Tickets start at $39.50. 877-711-2946. pechanga.com.

Bill Maher

“Real Time with Bill Maher” host, comedian and political commentator Bill Maher is bringing his nationwide “WTF?” comedy tour to Southern California for one night only. 8 p.m. Saturday, June 1 at Spotlight 29 Casino, 46-200 Harrison Place, Coachella. Tickets start at $45. 760-775-5566. spotlight29.com.

Jon Stewart

Best known for his politically charged late-night hit “The Daily Show” and the current affairs series “The Problem with Jon Stewart on Apple TV+,” Jon Stewart is returning to his comedy roots with a special standup show in Temecula. 8 p.m. Saturday, June 8 at Pechanga Resort Casino, 45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula. Tickets are sold out, but select tickets are available on Stubhub.com. 877-711-2946. pechanga.com.

Walker Hayes

“Fancy Like” country hitmaker Walker Hayes is on tour with new music from his latest EP, “Sober Thoughts,” where he examines his past battles with alcoholism. 8 p.m. Saturday, June 15 at Harrah’s Resort Southern California, Harrah’s Rincon Way, Valley Center. $54.50-$163. 760-751-3100. harrahssocal.com.

Mike Epps

Mike Epps got his big break on HBO’s “Def Comedy Jam” in the ’90s and kept people laughing with roles Day-Day in “Next Friday” and “Friday After Next.”  8 p.m. Saturday, June 15 at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino, 777 San Manuel Blvd., Highland. Tickets start at $65; 21-and-older only. 909-864-5050. yaamava.com.

Tesla

Tesla, not to be confused with the automotive company, has been rocking out since the early ’80s. Last year, the “What You Give” hitmakers released a live album recorded at a Sturgis Bike rally in 2022. They’ll be playing a mix of their greatest hits and their latest studio albums. 8 p.m. Sunday, June 16 at Harrah’s Resort Southern California, Harrah’s Rincon Way, Valley Center. $56.50-$99.50. 760-751-3100. harrahssocal.com.

Switchfoot

The alt-rock San Diego group did something a little different to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut record, “The Beautiful Letdown” and rereleased a version in September that includes covers of its tracks performed by the Jonas Brothers, Jon Bellion, Twenty One Pilots’ Tyler Joseph and others. The show will include hits from their latest album and the rest of their catalog. 8 p.m. Friday, June 21 at Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, 49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon. $49-$79. 951-849-3080. morongocasinoresort.com.

Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood

Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood, the duo known for their shenanigans and skits on “Whose Line is it Anyway?,” will take over The Show with audience suggestions for an interactive evening of laughs. Saturday, June 22 at Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs, 401 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs. $40-$100. 888-999-1995, aguacalientecasinos.com.

Deon Cole

Actor and standup comedian Deon Cole, best known for his recurring role as Charlie Telphy in the ABC sitcom “Black-ish,” is hitting the stage for a night of standup. 8 p.m. Saturday, June 22 at Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, 49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon. $39-$69. 951-849-3080. morongocasinoresort.com.

Todd Rundgren

Musician and songwriter Todd Rundgren, a previous member of the psychedelic band Nazz and the prog-rock act Utopia, is bringing his solo show to the Coachella Valley. 8 p.m. Saturday, June 22 at Spotlight 29 Casino, 46-200 Harrison Place, Coachella. Tickets start at $25. 760-775-5566. spotlight29.com.

Grace Potter

Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Grace Potter, who often draws comparisons to Bonnie Raitt and Janis Joplin, is touring to promote her fourth album, “Mother Road.” 8 p.m. Saturday, June 29 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84-245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio. $49-$99. 800-827-2946. fantasyspringsresort.com.

Intocable

Intocable, the norteño and Tejano supergroup that’s topped Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay charts again and again with hits including “Si Me Duele, Que Duela” is on tour celebrating its 30th anniversary together and supporting their latest accordion-driven album, “Modus Operandi.” 8 p.m. Sunday, June 30 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84-245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio. $49-$99. 800-827-2946. fantasyspringsresort.com.

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​ Orange County Register 

Santiago Canyon College helps utilities technician map out a career

• May 29, 2024

By Greg Hardesty, contributing writer

Teresa Hodges recalls seeing surveying data on maps while working for the City of Carlsbad and wondering what the numbers meant.

One day, she told herself, I’m going to learn about that.

And so, at 62 years old, she is.

Last year, Hodges took her first surveying course at Santiago Canyon College in Orange. The tough 90-minute, one-way commute from her office in San Diego County a couple of times a week for three-hour evening classes didn’t deter her.

Things got easier, driving-wise, the next semester, when Hodges took a follow-up course on advanced plane surveying.

Now, she’s also taking classes in SCC’s water utility science program with the goal of becoming a wastewater treatment operator or water treatment operator.

“The instructors are all encouraging,” Hodges said. “It’s been a fabulous and wonderful journey.”

The same could be said of Hodges’ life.

Encouraging upbringing

A former Marine with a varied professional career that has included managing a women’s athletic clothing store, Hodges, along with her husband, Joseph, has raised four children who now are in their 30s.

Two decades ago, Hodges overcame two extended and potentially debilitating illnesses to return to college. Her thirst for learning comes from her parents.

“They always encouraged us to be avid readers and to get a good education,” said Hodges, who grew up in Dayton, Ohio. A utilities engineering technician for the City of Carlsbad’s Municipal Water District, .

Hodges started with the city as an engineering technician in the transportation engineering department in 2018 but made a lateral move to her current job in 2021.

Teresa Hodges at her job with Carlsbad Municipal Water District. (Photo courtesy of RSCCD Communications)

In her current position, she uses computer tools such as Autodesk Civil3D to work with civil engineers in a 3D model-based environment to produce such things as location maps for complex infrastructure projects.

Serious health issues

In high school, Hodges became interested in fashion merchandising as well as drafting.

She was 17 when she entered the military on the delayed-entry program. Hodges served four years in the Marines, working in supply and later as a chaplain’s assistant, and settled in Macon, Ga., after being honorably discharged in 1984.

She got married while working as a store manager and taking business courses at a junior college. In the early 1990s, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and, after that, polymyositis, an autoimmune disorder.

Those serious health issues brought her family to Southern California so she could be treated at Naval Medical Center San Diego (her husband works for the U.S. Navy).

After doctors got those diseases in check with no serious lingering issues, Hodges started taking college courses in 2005 — first at MiraCosta College in Oceanside.

“Going back to school was a marker, a signifier of me regaining my life back from these illnesses,” Hodges said.

She went on to earn an undergraduate degree in history at Cal State San Marcos, where she was on the honor roll, and she also took water technology and wastewater technology classes at Palomar College in San Marcos.

“I’ve always been interested in history,” Hodges said, “and when I took my first wastewater class, I simply fell in love with the history of it and the microorganisms that help clean up the water. I was just fascinated by that.”

She found out about SCC’s surveying course while attending a water education seminar there in 2021.

“Oh, my goodness!” Hodges recalls thinking. “There’s a surveying program here? I couldn’t believe it.”

High-level education

Hodges, who lives in Oceanside, plans to continue taking classes at SCC through 2025 and then work on becoming certified in wastewater and water treatment.

She said all the professors at SCC have been very approachable.

“You can ask them any questions,” she said, “and they’re always available.”

Hodges is grateful for the high level of education she’s receiving at SCC.

“I can’t believe I’ve been afforded the opportunity to learn surveying and water utility science at Santiago Canyon College,” she said. “There are so many aspects to both. It’s blown my mind.”

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Last Remaining Seats series revives historic theaters with classic films this summer

• May 29, 2024

The glory days are coming back for a trio of classic theaters in downtown Los Angeles thanks to a film series that will take people back in time to the golden age of cinema with the return of the Los Angeles Conservancy’s Last Remaining Seats series.

“For people who may not know about L.A. history or its historic buildings but who love film and film history, or who love architecture, this is something you have to experience,” said Sarah Lann, director of education for the Conservancy.

The popular summer series features classic films screened in historic theaters in downtown Los Angeles with double features at three movie houses on June 1, 8 and 15. The venues this year are the Orpheum, the Palace and the Los Angeles theaters.

“There are so few opportunities to come into theaters as glorious and magnificent as these ones are and to sit down and see a classic film. It’s like stepping back in time to a period when Los Angeles was home to this new and innovative industry called the movies,” she said.

Here’s what you need to know about the classic venues and the films that will be screened there as part of the Last Remaining Seats.

The Orpheum Theatre

The Orpheum opened at 842 S. Broadway in 1926 and was renovated a few years ago. It was built in the Beaux-Arts architectural style. “It’s opulent, it’s fancy. It has all of the architectural details that you could possibly want,” Lann said. The theater is decked out in marble-clad walls, stained-glass rose windows and two huge chandeliers. “It really does make you feel like you should be going in to attend some grand opera instead of just watching a movie,” she said. The theater also houses a Mighty Wurlitzer organ, which will come in handy for the opening film of the series.

The Films

The Orpheum will open the series at 2 p.m. on June 1 with the 1920 silent classic “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.” The German horror classic tells the story of an insane hypnotist who uses a sleepwalker to commit murders. “We always do a silent film at the Orpheum because it has an intact original Mighty Wurlitzer organ. So you can’t miss the opportunity to watch a silent film with a live organist to accompany the film,” she said.

The second film of the day at the Orpheum is the 1955 Marylin Monroe film “The Seven Year Itch,” which will screen at 8 p.m. on June 1 also happens to be Monroe’s birthday. “It’s going to be really fun to be in that space celebrating Marylin with that film,” Lann said.

The Los Angeles Theatre

Located just up the street from the Orpheum at  615 S. Broadway, this is the youngest of the three theaters in the series and perhaps the most opulent. It opened in 1931 and was the last theater built on Broadway. “It was designed to look similar to a French baroque palace, and it does not disappoint,” Lann said. “There are crystals, fountains, massive chandeliers, and there are red walls with golden gilded columns. It’s just dripping in ornamentation,” Lann added.

The Films

Get ready for an action classic because on June 8 at 2 p.m. the theater will screen the 1968 Steve McQueen film “Bullitt,” where he plays a stylish and cool San Francisco cop assigned to protect a key witness. The film has one of the greatest car chase scenes ever and for the series screening actor and car aficionado Michael Spellman will be there to talk about his Mustang, which is a replica of the one that McQueen drives in the film.

The day will close with the 8 p.m. screening of “Gaslight.” The 1944 film is a psychological and creepy thriller that gave us the term “gaslighting.” “It’s a great theater for ambience. It’s a black and white film, filled with that film noir shadow and light feel. It’s the perfect setting for it,” she said.

The Palace Theatre

The doors to the Palace Theater opened in 1911 at 630 S. Broadway. It is the oldest theater on Broadway and was built for the Vaudeville circuit before movies were common. It became a silent movie house in 1926. “I always think of the Palace as being a jewel box. It’s like you’ve opened this perfect little jewelry box and stepped inside,” she said. It was designed to look like a Renaissance palazzo with multi-colored terra cotta and decorations like flowers and fairies.  “It is absolutely picture perfect inside,” Lann said.

The Films

The series closes June 15 at the Palace starting the 2 p.m. James Bond film “To Russia with Love,” and the 1994 film “Mi Vida Loca,” which will screen at 8 p.m. The movie takes place in Echo Park and tells the story of how a group of friends survive gang life in the neighborhood. “For a lot of people this is a real cult classic so this felt like a great opportunity to bring it back, especially because it’s such an L.A. story,” Lann said.

Tickets are $25 for general admission. For more information go to laconservancy.org

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Nissan warns owners of older vehicles not to drive them

• May 29, 2024

By Tom Krisher | The Associated Press

Nissan is urging the owners of about 84,000 older vehicles to stop driving them because their Takata airbag inflators have an increased risk of exploding in a crash and hurling dangerous metal fragments.

Wednesday’s urgent request comes after one person in a Nissan was killed by an exploding front-passenger inflator, and as many as 58 people were injured since 2015.

“Due to the age of the vehicles equipped with defective Takata airbag inflators, there is an increased risk the inflator could explode during an airbag deployment, propelling sharp metal fragments which can cause serious injury or death,” Nissan said in a statement.

Nissan said the “do not drive” warning covers certain 2002 through 2006 Sentra small cars, as well as some 2002 through 2004 Pathfinder SUVs, and 2002 and 2003 Infiniti QX4 SUVs. Owners can find out if their vehicles are affected by going to nissanusa.com/takata-airbag-recall or infinitiusa.com/takata-airbag-recall and keying in their 17-digit vehicle identification number.

The company says owners should contact their dealer to set up an appointment to have inflators replaced for free. Nissan also is offering free towing to dealers, and in some locations mobile service and loaner cars are available.

“Even minor crashes can result in exploding Takata air bags that can kill or produce life-altering, gruesome injuries,” the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statement. “Older model year vehicles put their occupants at higher risk, as the age of the air bag is one of the contributing factors.”

Nissan originally recalled 736,422 of the vehicles in 2020 to replace the Takata inflators. The company said around 84,000 remain unrepaired and are believed to still be in use.

Nissan said it has made numerous attempts to reach the owners with unrepaired Takata inflators.

The death was reported to NHTSA in 2018, the company said. The person killed was in a 2006 Sentra, according to Nissan.

The death is one of 27 in the U.S. caused by the faulty inflators, which used volatile ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate airbags in a crash. The chemical can deteriorate over time when exposed to high temperatures and humidity. It can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and spewing shrapnel. More than 400 people in the U.S. have been hurt.

Worldwide at least 35 people have been killed by Takata inflators in Malaysia, Australia and the U.S.

Potential for a dangerous malfunction led to the largest series of auto recalls in U.S. history, with at least 67 million Takata inflators involved. The U.S. government says many have not been repaired. About 100 million inflators have been recalled worldwide. The exploding airbags sent Takata into bankruptcy.

Honda, Ford, BMW, Toyota and Stellantis and Mazda have issued similar “do not drive” warnings for some of their vehicles equipped with Takata inflators.

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Crean Lutheran hires Kyle Rouse as girls basketball coach after Ziemann sisters resign

• May 29, 2024

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Crean Lutheran has hired Westcliff University’s Kyle Rouse as its girls basketball coach, the school announced.

Rouse led Westcliff’s women’s basketball team the past four seasons. Westcliff, an NAIA program, finished 13-13 this past season, falling to Embry-Riddle of Arizona in the first round of the Cal Pac Conference tournament.

Rouse replaces twin sisters Bianca and Rachael Ziemann, who resigned earlier this month after five seasons.

“With careful thought, prayer, and seeking counsel from our inner circle, we have decided to step down,” Bianca Ziemann posted on social media. “It’s been an honor to serve and mentor so many amazing young women past and present.”

The sisters, who played at Edison, compiled a 102-34 record at Crean Lutheran with a pair of Empire League titles, including one this past season.

The duo continues to coach Flames Basketball Club for youth girls and operate their family-owned Body Technology personal training business.

Crean Lutheran also made five consecutive playoff appearances under the twins, including a runner-up finish in CIF-SS Division 3AA to Santa Monica in 2019-20.

Crean Lutheran is set to the join the Century Conference for the next two years.

Please send girls basketball news to Dan Albano at [email protected]

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