Swanson: Angels need more veteran leadership by example

• May 7, 2025

ANAHEIM – Baseball is hard.

Or it can be.

The way the Angels have been playing it.

Baseball is like life, too, we know; you’ve got to go through it to get through it.

Whether the Angels get through it this season, well, we’ll see. The long game is afoot.

Whether they can, well, that is going to depend on the club’s “veteranism,” as Manager Ron Washington dubbed the thing that every team needs but that’s been in short supply so far for the mostly hapless Halos.

After starting the season 8-4, the Angels went on a slide that became a slump that turned into an absolute free fall. They won only five of their next 21 games and two of their previous 12 before showing some inclination that they could pull out of the nosedive, with Tuesday’s 8-3 victory against the Toronto Blue Jays.

The result was astonishing for the Angels’ abrupt offensive onslaught – their six runs in the eighth inning was more than they’d scored in a game since April 10 – and also for the maturity the club displayed, the discipline and demeanor, keeping cool on a chilly spring night at the Big A.

The victory might prove to be a blip, but it didn’t feel like it in the moment. It felt like a hint. Or, a hint of a hint? A taste, a tease. A peek around the corner at what could be possible if the guys on this Angels roster stopped pressing. At the plate, on the mound, overthinking or thinking about it wrong, everyone putting more pressure on each another in the self-defeating cycle.

That’s where the veteranism is supposed to come into play.

Why the Angels need their guys who’ve gone and gotten through it to come through.

Why they needed Taylor Ward, a 31-year-old with seven-plus years of major league experience, to be a teammate-teacher by example. To remind everyone that, more often than not, the work works.

To be a professional hitter who tackles a dismaying 0-for-27 slump by showing up early and take an extra 35 or 40 pitches from a live minor-league arm, replica at-bats and a “skull session” afterward, as Washington coined that, to analyze the batting session.

And, importantly, to show results – so that Washington might, in fact, get “the whole team out here” doing the same.

Gratification came instantly Tuesday for Ward. In the first inning, when he launched a two-run laser 419 feet over the centerfield wall, his longest home run of the season tying the game 2-2. He finished the night with two hits and a walk. “Hopefully,” Washington said, “it’s more to come.”

The Angels need more of that from Ward and the other adults in the locker room, because as impressive as Logan O’Hoppe, 25, and Zach Neto, 24, have been, hitting .294 and .290, respectively, entering play Wednesday – respectfully, the kids aren’t supposed to carry their elders.

The Angels really could use Luis Rengifo – 28, with six-plus years of major league experience and a current batting average of .214 before Wednesday’s game – to work out his issues at the plate. And for 33-year-old Mike Trout to get healthy and get on track; the Angels’ biggest star was hitting .179 in 121 at-bats before a bone bruise in his left knee sat him down for at least 10 days.

They’d love more of the same from Yoán Moncada, the Cuban infielder who will turn 30 later this month and who played his first game Tuesday since going on the injured list with a thumb injury, just before the Angels offense stalled.

Washington was eager to welcome back his “presence,” which is to say, his patient example, the fact that nearly 20% of all his plate appearances result in walks – though on Tuesday night, experience told him he had to go with a different plan: “I was not going to take any pitches, I was going to swing, attack; that’s how you get your timing back.”

Moncada saw only seven pitches in his return to work, including the only one he got in the eighth, when he smashed a four-seam fastball 407 feet off reliever Jeff Hoffman to drive in three runs and build a 7-3 buffer that felt like a small miracle.

The Angels knew they need to arm themselves with some extra savvy in the bullpen too, which is why on Tuesday they called up right-handers Hector Neris and Connor Brogdon to a group of relievers that has, for the past few weeks, seemed to fail every time they were set up for it.

Neris, 35, comes packing 12 seasons of major league experience, including a 4.10 ERA in 59⅓ innings last season for the Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros. Brogdon, 30, brings five years of big league experience, and boasted a 3.36 ERA in 101⅔ innings with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2021 and 2022.

“We’ve been using our kids and, you know, I don’t say we’ve been destroying ’em, but we certainly been hurting their hearts and their brains,” said Washington, the Angels’ 73-year-old skipper, taking stock of the residual damage that blowing nine of 15 save opportunities might have wrought.

“Because they’ve been coming up here, and some of them just haven’t been successful. And when you got a kid that has the ability to do something, and then it comes to the big leagues, and he don’t get it done, it destroys him. …

“When you’re young, inexperienced, and you come up here and things don’t happen the way you want it to happen, it can beat you down. You got to be mentally strong, and that’s what Neris and Brogdon brings, because they have been through the war. Now, I’m not saying they’re gonna come up here and be perfect, but the things that they may experience when they touch that rubber, they have experienced quite a few things, a little different than what our young kids have been through.”

Experience, the stuff that can’t be taught, that guys have to learn for themselves.

That intangible ingredient that is supposed to help navigate a way through – and that will have to, if the Angels are going to get through this dry spell and turn the season into something more than a campaign that will make the kids stronger only because it didn’t kill them.

​ Orange County Register 

3 former Memphis officers acquitted in fatal beating of Tyre Nichols after he fled a traffic stop

• May 7, 2025

By ADRIAN SAINZ

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Three former Memphis officers were acquitted Wednesday of state charges, including second-degree murder, in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols after he ran away from a traffic stop, a death that sparked nationwide protests and prompted renewed calls for police reforms in the U.S.

A jury, which appeared to be all white, took about 8 1/2 hours over two days to find Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith not guilty on all charges after a nine-day trial in state court in Memphis. After the jury’s verdict was read, the defendants hugged their lawyers as relatives of the former officers cried. One relative yelled, “Thank you, Jesus!”

The three defendants still face the prospect of years in prison after they were convicted of federal charges last year, though they were acquitted of the most serious charges then, too.

Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, fled a traffic stop after he was yanked out of his car, pepper-sprayed and hit with a Taser. Five officers who are also Black caught up with him and punched, kicked and hit Nichols with a police baton, struggling to handcuff him as he called out for his mother just steps from his home. Nichols died Jan. 10, 2023, three days after the beating and the incident directed intense scrutiny of police in Memphis, a majority-Black city.

Footage of the beating captured by a police pole camera also showed the officers milling about, talking and laughing as Nichols struggled.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents Nichols’ family, issued a statement expressing outrage at the verdict.

“Today’s verdicts are a devastating miscarriage of justice,” the statement reads. ”The world watched as Tyre Nichols was beaten to death by those sworn to protect and serve.”

Memphis District Attorney Steve Mulroy said he respects the jury but thinks the evidence was there for every charge that prosecutors brought. He said he spoke to Nichols’ family briefly and, “They were devastated. … I think they were outraged, and we can understand why they would be outraged, given the evidence.”

Prosecutors said the officers beat Nichols out of frustration

Former Memphis officer Desmond Mills Jr., who was also charged in Nichols’ death, testified as a prosecution witness.

Mills and another officer involved in the beating, Emmitt Martin, have agreed to plead guilty to the state charges and did not stand trial under deals with prosecutors. They also pleaded guilty in federal court, where sentencing for all five officers is pending.

The officers had been charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression.

The officers were accused of using unnecessary force during the arrest of Nichols. They were frustrated, angry and full of adrenaline after Nichols fled the traffic stop, prosecutor Paul Hagerman said in opening statements.

They were “overcome by the moment,” the prosecutor said.

“Nobody is going to call them monsters,” Hagerman said. “It doesn’t take monsters to kill a man.”

Prosecutors argued that the officers used excessive, deadly force in trying to handcuff Nichols and were criminally responsible for each others’ actions. They also said the officers had a duty to intervene and stop the beating and tell medical personnel that Nichols had been hit repeatedly in the head, but they failed to do so.

Defense attorneys said Martin was responsible for the most violence

Defense attorneys attempted to refute accusations that the officers used excessive force to subdue Nichols and followed police policies and standards. Defense attorneys have said the officer who acted with the most violence was Martin, who kicked and punched Nichols several times in the head but is not standing trial.

The defense also seemed to score points with their use-of-force experts, who testified that officers on trial acted in compliance with police department policies and widely accepted law enforcement standards. Attorneys for Bean and Smith called character witnesses who testified that the men were good men and officers who did their job the right way.

Mills testified that he regrets his failure to stop the beating, which led to Nichols’ death from blunt force trauma. Nichols suffered tears and bleeding in the brain, Dr. Marco Ross, the medical examiner who performed the autopsy, said in court testimony.

As Nichols struggled with Bean and Smith, who were holding him on the ground, Mills tried to pepper-spray Nichols, but he ended up spraying himself, he said.

After stepping away to try to recover, Mills then walked up to Nichols and hit his arm three times with a police baton. Mills told prosecutor Paul Hagerman that he hit Nichols with the baton because he was angry over the pepper spray.

The defense argued that Nichols was resisting arrest

Mills acknowledged on the stand that he had a duty to intervene to stop the beating, but didn’t.

But Mills also said Nichols was actively resisting arrest and not complying with orders to present his hands to be cuffed.

During the trial, defense attorney John Keith Perry asked Mills if he would have struck Nichols with the baton if Nichols had just put his hands behind his back. Mills said no.

Martin Zummach, Smith’s attorney, asked Mills if an officer is safe if a suspect is not handcuffed and searched for a weapon. Mills said they were not safe in that circumstance. Nichols was not searched before he ran from the traffic stop.

Mills acknowledged that the officers were afraid and exhausted, but said some of the methods used on Nichols complied with police department policies, including using wrist locks and hitting with a baton.

Zummach noted in closing arguments that credit and debit cards that did not belong to Nichols were found in his car when it was searched after the beating and said it was likely why Nichols ran from the traffic stop. Defense lawyers have argued that the fatal beating would not have taken place if Nichols had just allowed himself to be handcuffed.

“This is Emmitt Martin’s and Tyre Nichols’ doing,” Zummach said.

The defense also suggested Nichols was on drugs, giving him the strength to fight off five strong officers. Some mushrooms containing the hallucinogenic psilocybin were also found in his car, a TBI agent testified. However, a toxicology report showed Nichols only had alcohol and a small amount of marijuana in his system.

Mills admitted Nichols never punched or kicked any of the officers.

Defense lawyers also claimed Bean and Smith could not see the strikes to Nichols’ head because they were blinded by pepper spray and they had tunnel vision as they tried to restrain Nichols.

But prosecutors sowed doubt on that claim by pointing to comments the defendants made after the beating. According to footage from the scene, Bean said Nichols was “eating” the blows and Smith said they hit Nichols with “so many pieces,” or punches. Smith also said “hit him” and Haley said “beat that man,” prosecutor Tanisha Johnson said.

In December, the U.S. Justice Department said a 17-month investigation showed the Memphis Police Department uses excessive force and discriminates against Black people.

​ Orange County Register 

Logistics giant DHL laying off 346 workers at Ontario facility

• May 7, 2025

DHL Supply Chain is laying off 346 workers and closing a package handling facility this summer near the Ontario International Airport.

The company announced its plans in a May 1 letter to the state’s Employment Development Department that indicated the layoffs would begin July 1 and end Aug. 31.

Also see: Southern California business owners get creative as tariffs, surcharges hit

Janet McGrath, senior director in charge of DHL’s human resources department, wrote that workers at the company’s DHL Supply Chain facility would be laid off permanently, according to a federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification.

A WARN is required when an employer lays off more than 50 employees or a significant percentage of its staff.

DHL Supply Chain is a division of DHL Group, which provides logistics and supply chain management for warehousing, transportation and e-commerce fulfillment.

Also see: Mediator in Southern California grocery labor talks laid off by DOGE

In a May 7 email to the Southern California News Group, DHL spokeswoman Marcia McLaughlin attributed the warehouse closure and job cuts to a client that will be relocating a part of their distribution operations.

McLaughlin declined to identify the customer or provide details on where that client is relocating its distribution operations.

“As a result, the warehouse facility that supports our customer’s operations in Ontario, Calif., will begin phasing down July 2025 and will close August 2025,” she said. “DHL has notified its associates and is working closely with impacted team members to identify opportunities to continue their careers as valued members of DHL Supply Chain.”

The facility is located about 8 miles south of the Ontario airport at 5331 S. Carpenter Ave.

The WARN notice said that jobs being eliminated include the general manager, inventory control supervisor, training supervisor, inventory control clerks, mechanics and order filler pickers, the latter of which includes 222 positions.

During the pandemic, DHL hired a few hundred workers throughout Southern California to help ship products faster. In 2023, the shipper moved its Carson operations to a larger 40,000-square-foot service center in Redondo Beach.

​ Orange County Register 

Travel: Step back into Southern history in Natchez, Mississippi

• May 7, 2025

Southern hospitality is alive and well in Natchez, Miss. On a trip in April to tour Natchez’s famous historic pre-Civil War mansions, my husband, friend Lana and I arrived at our hotel, the Linden Historic Bed & Breakfast, about 4 p.m. A party with food and wine was underway in the lush garden. As soon as we parked our rental car, the dozen guests who lived in town immediately asked us to join them. We walked over to say hello and within minutes, the three of us had a full wine glass in hand and were offered dinner from the food table. Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson arrived and warmly greeted us with a quick talk about what to see in town.

“Once you come here to Natchez, you will realize that it is a one of a kind place,” said Gibson, who moved to Natchez in 2016 and is in his second term as mayor.

“We are the oldest city on the highest bluff of the mightiest river. Our history goes back very far, to the very early beginnings of our country. That said, a lot of our history is a checkered history. We unfortunately have much here because of the institution of slavery. We were home to the nation’s second-largest slave market in the Deep South after New Orleans, Forks of the Road, which is now a part of the National Parks system,” he said. Gibson noted that the growth of Natchez is due to the contributions and talents of formerly enslaved people as well as the Spanish, French and British.

The garden party at Linden was a charming introduction to Natchez, a town of about 14,000 people located on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. After chatting over breakfast the next day with tourists from Britain, France and Holland who were staying at our B&B, we discovered that Natchez is a frequent stop along a Southern driving route frequented by music lovers and Europeans who like to visit New Orleans, Memphis and Nashville.

But few American cities offer an in-depth look at the lives of pre-Civil War Southerners like Natchez, formerly the home of the native Natchez Indians, Civil War soldiers, Southern belles, enslaved Africans and civil rights pioneers.

Natchez is also unusual because its antebellum mansions and many of their original furnishings survived the Civil War intact. These grand homes were built as the pre-Civil War cotton industry and slavery made many plantation owners extremely wealthy. By 1840, the Natchez region was producing most of the world’s cotton; by the time the Civil War broke out in 1861, Natchez had three generations of millionaires.

While these mansions — initially built as seasonal second homes for wealthy plantation owners and Northerners – are Natchez’s main draw, the city’s dark side is also on display. Information about enslaved Africans and slavery’s role in Natchez is displayed throughout the city. Tourists also can learn about the pre-Civil War conflicts between the Natchez Indians and French colonials. After a major rebellion at Fort Rosalie in 1729 when the Natchez destroyed French settlements and killed more than 200 colonists, French soldiers defeated the Natchez, killing the remaining natives, deporting them, or selling them into slavery in the Caribbean. Some Natchez fled and sought safety with other tribes as their former lands were taken over by colonists.

There are several ways to tour the mansions. While many are private homes closed to the public, others are owned and operated by families or organizations like the Natchez Garden Club and the Pilgrimage Garden Club and offer multi-house tours throughout the year or during specific months. Or, you can visit individual mansions on your own. Visitors should check the days and schedules for tours in advance.

My husband, Lana and I toured three homes: the Linden Historic Bed & Breakfast (where we stayed), Stanton Hall and Rosalie Mansion & Gardens. Each house has a fascinating story to tell about the original owners, slaves and those who lived in them in later years.

Rosalie was built between 1820 and 1823 in the Federal architectural style (popular from about 1760 to 1830) and is located at the former Fort Rosalie, on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. Ninety percent of the furnishings in Rosalie, from Bavarian crystal chandeliers to grand pianos to the Wedgewood China and expensive European furniture, are original. The house is surrounded by towering, centuries-old magnolia trees, dogwoods, pecan trees, and Southern live oaks, and has a pretty shaded garden. There are no bathrooms or kitchen. Cooking was done in a detached cookhouse, which also is open for viewing.

Rosalie was occupied in 1863 by Union soldiers and remained occupied for several years after the Civil War. When first occupied, 60 slaves worked there. Unlike homes that were burned down in other Southern cities where Confederates were hostile to occupying Union soldiers, the mansions in Natchez were protected because the women left at home while the men were gone fighting were cooperative and invited the Union soldiers in. (Natchez did not vote for succession.) Natchez’s mansions and personal belongings from toys to clothing were spared and frozen in time.

Stanton Hall, one of the most visited National Historic Landmarks, was built in 1857-1858 on an entire city block in downtown Natchez, with no expense spared. Built in the Greek Revival style and five stories tall, Stanton Hall showcases massive French gold-leaf mirrors, Italian marble fireplace mantles, ornate grillwork and elaborate furniture. The original owner was Frederick Stanton, an Irish immigrant who became a prominent cotton planter with five plantations in Louisiana. When Stanton died in 1859, he owned about 600 enslaved people. Stanton Hall includes an informative display about his slaves, their lives, and how their existence was documented through probate and business records. There’s also a gift shop in the detached cookhouse.

Linden Historic Bed & Breakfast is owned by Marjorie Feltus Hawkins, an interior designer, and her architect husband David Hawkins. Marjorie is a sixth generation family owner of the Linden house which features newly renovated guest rooms and lush gardens. Linden was built in 1790 as a small Federal style home on property that was once a Spanish land grant. Several additions were completed in the 1800s. The shaded exterior porches exude Southern charm with rocking chairs, colorful floral pillows in sitting areas, large blooming flower pots and lush grounds. Home tours showcase rare antiques collected by Marjorie’s late mother.

Other interesting attractions in Natchez include:

The Forks of the Road, at the intersection of Liberty Road and St. Catherine Street. This is the site of one of the nation’s largest slave markets from the 1830s until 1863. Today, it’s a park with information panels discussing the slave trade in Natchez and around the South, and a rendering of slave chains on the ground in concrete.

Fort Rosalie, 528 S. Canal St. Founded in 1716, this French colonial site is now a green space maintained by the National Park Service with picnic tables.

Grand Village of the Natchez Indians, 400 Jefferson Davis Blvd. This 128-acre site has three prehistoric Native American mounds, a reconstructed Natchez Indian house, a visitor center and a museum.

Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture, 301 Main St. Exhibits tell the story of Natchez-related African American historic sites, important citizens and events.

Natchez also is home to several historic churches, art galleries, restaurants and live music venues, plus the Magnolia Bluffs Casino overlooking the Mississippi River. The Natchez Trace Parkway is a scenic parkway and cycling route that extends 444 miles to Nashville and includes historic markers, lush forests and rolling hills.

Information: www.visitnatchez.org

Getting to Natchez: Check flights to Alexandria International Airport in central Louisiana and Baton Rouge International Airport in Baton Rouge, La. Many travelers opt to fly to a larger city in the region like Nashville or New Orleans and rent a car for a multiday road trip through the South to several cities including Natchez.

​ Orange County Register 

Nevada hearing may give first public view into legal spat over control of Murdoch media empire

• May 7, 2025

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — A hearing Wednesday before Nevada’s high court could provide the first public window into a secretive legal dispute over who will control Rupert Murdoch’s powerful media empire after he dies.

The case has been unfolding behind closed doors in state court in Reno, with most documents under seal. But reporting by The New York Times, which said it obtained some of the documents, revealed Murdoch’s efforts to keep just one of his sons, Lachlan, in charge and ensure that Fox News maintains its conservative editorial slant.

Media outlets including the Times and The Associated Press are now asking the Nevada Supreme Court to unseal the case and make future hearings public. The court is scheduled to hear arguments in the afternoon in Carson City, the capital.

Murdoch’s media empire, which also includes The Wall Street Journal and New York Post, spans continents and helped to shape modern American politics. Lachlan Murdoch has been the head of Fox News and News Corp. since his father stepped down in 2023.

The issue at the center of the case is Rupert Murdoch’s family trust, which after his death would divide control of the company equally among four of his children — Lachlan, Prudence, Elisabeth and James.

Irrevocable trusts are typically used to limit estate taxes, among other reasons, and can’t be changed without permission from the beneficiaries or via a court order.

Rupert Murdoch has attempted to alter the trust, however, and Prudence, Elisabeth and James have united to try to stop that. James and Elisabeth are both known to have less conservative political views than their father or brother, potentially complicating the media mogul’s desire to keep Fox News’s political tone.

The dispute has had many twists and turns, including a probate commissioner ruling against Rupert Murdoch in December.

In a 96-page opinion, the commissioner characterized the plan to change the trust as a “carefully crafted charade” to “permanently cement Lachlan Murdoch’s executive roles” inside the empire “regardless of the impacts such control would have over the companies or the beneficiaries” of the family trust, according to the Times.

Adam Streisand, a lawyer for Rupert Murdoch, told the newspaper at the time that they were disappointed with the ruling and intended to appeal. Another evidentiary hearing is scheduled for this month.

​ Orange County Register 

Taste the organic tequila Orange County is buzzing about: AgaveLuz

• May 7, 2025

Orange County has a new favorite tequila — and it’s not just about taste. It’s about wellness, sustainability and a return to craftsmanship. AgaveLuz Organic Tequila is the clean, consciously crafted spirit turning heads from coastal bars to intimate backyard gatherings.

With only two ingredients — certified organic blue agave and natural water — AgaveLuz is tequila the way it was meant to be: pure, flavorful and honest. Combined with its small-batch production, sustainable farming practices and dedication to animal welfare, this spirit is becoming the go-to sipping tequila for Orange County’s health-conscious crowd.

Image by Daniel Franco

Clean ingredients, full flavor

AgaveLuz keeps it simple: organic agave and natural water. That’s it. Nothing artificial — just pure tequila made with care.

When agave is grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers, it’s not only better for your body — it’s better for the planet. These chemical-free methods protect the soil, preserve biodiversity and keep local ecosystems thriving.

“I’m bringing back the tequila I grew up respecting — clean, honest and deeply connected to its roots,” says founder Pamela Maria De La Luz, who spent nearly 20 years in the tequila industry before launching AgaveLuz. “Tequila that’s not just delicious, but made with care.”

Image by Daniel Franco

Sustainably farmed, artfully crafted

At AgaveLuz, sustainability isn’t just a buzzword — it’s the foundation. The agave is grown using regenerative farming methods that avoid chemical runoff and support long-term soil health.

Once harvested, the agave hearts are slow-cooked in traditional ovens, naturally fermented and double-distilled. Each small batch is handcrafted and individually numbered, a nod to the precision and pride behind every bottle.

“We don’t cut corners,” says De La Luz. “We honor nature’s rhythm — and the result is a tequila that feels clean in your body and alive in your glass.”

The AgaveLuz collection: Four distinct expressions

Image by Daniel Franco

AgaveLuz offers four expressions, each with its own personality — designed for sipping, savoring and celebrating.

Blanco

Unaged and crystal clear, the Blanco is vibrant and expressive, with floral and earthy notes, hints of basil and olive and a touch of citrus. It’s tequila at its purest — ideal for sipping neat or mixing into an elevated Paloma.

Reposado

Aged six months in American white oak barrels, the Reposado brings a mellow richness. Expect layers of vanilla, toasted agave and caramel — smooth enough for sipping, versatile enough for cocktails.

Añejo

After 18 months of aging, the Añejo reveals deeper character: roasted agave, dark chocolate and oak. A refined choice for those who appreciate the structure of whiskey but the soul of tequila.

Extra Añejo

The crown jewel, AgaveLuz Extra Añejo is aged for an exceptional 12 years — a true rarity in the tequila world. With only 500 bottles produced, it offers complexity, warmth and a luxurious finish for special occasions.

Every bottle gives back

AgaveLuz is more than a spirit—it’s a brand with purpose. With every purchase, a portion is donated to animal welfare programs in Los Angeles, including the Humane Society’s Pets for Life initiative, which helps underserved communities care for their pets.

Image by Daniel Franco

Why Orange County is embracing AgaveLuz

From clean eating to sustainable shopping, OC consumers are seeking products that reflect their values. That’s why AgaveLuz is finding its place in boutique liquor stores, upscale cocktail lounges and private events across the county.

AgaveLuz stands apart not because of flashy branding or celebrity backing — but because of its authenticity, quality and mission.

“This isn’t about hype,” says De La Luz. “It’s about honoring the craft and creating something worth sipping—something real.”

Where to find it

AgaveLuz Organic Tequila is available at select retailers throughout Southern California and online at AgaveLuz.com. With limited production across all four expressions — especially the rare Extra Añejo — bottles are in high demand.

The final sip

For those who care about what they drink and how it’s made, AgaveLuz offers something rare: a tequila that’s clean, consciously crafted and rooted in something deeper. Made from only organic agave and natural water, it reflects Orange County’s evolving values — wellness, sustainability and craftsmanship with purpose.

AgaveLuz Organic Tequila

• Only organic agave and natural water

• Handcrafted, small-batch and slow-aged

• Every bottle supports animal welfare

Shop now at AgaveLuz.com

​ Orange County Register 

Israeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 92 as Israel prepares to ramp up its offensive

• May 7, 2025

By WAFAA SHURAFA and TIA GOLDENBERG

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli strikes across Gaza killed at least 92 people, including women, children and a local journalist, officials said Wednesday, as Israel prepares to ramp up its campaign in the strip, with the devastating war now entering its 20th month.

Two Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday in central Gaza killed at least 33 people and wounded 86, including several children, though the actual death toll is likely higher, according to health officials.

The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the strikes.

The new bloodshed comes days after Israel approved a plan to intensify its operations in the Palestinian enclave, which would include seizing Gaza, holding on to captured territories, forcibly displacing Palestinians to southern Gaza and taking control of aid distribution along with private security companies.

Israel is also calling up tens of thousands of reserve soldiers to carry out the plan. Israel says the plan will be gradual and will not be implemented until after U.S. President Donald Trump wraps up his visit to the region later this month.

Any escalation of fighting would likely drive up the death toll. And with Israel already controlling some 50% of Gaza, increasing its hold on the territory, for an indefinite amount of time, could open up the potential for a military occupation, which would raise questions about how Israel plans to have the territory governed, especially at a time when it is considering how to implement Trump’s vision to take over Gaza.

The Israeli offensive has so far killed more than 52,000 people in Gaza, many of them women and children, according to Palestinian health officials who do not distinguish between combatants and civilians.

Israel blames Hamas for the death toll, saying it operates from civilian infrastructure, including schools. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union.

Strikes target crowds in Gaza City

Wednesday’s strikes included two attacks on a crowded market area in Gaza City, health officials said.

Footage posted online reportedly showed the aftermath with men found dead, including one still seated in a chair inside a Thai restaurant, used by locals as a gathering spot, and several children lying motionless on the ground, covered in blood.

Journalist Yahya Sobeih, who freelanced for several local outlets, was among those killed, according to Gaza’s media office. He had shared a photo on Instagram of his newborn baby girl.

Victims of the blasts, some with severe injuries, were taken to nearby Al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza health ministry spokesperson Zaher al-Wahidi told The Associated Press.

An attack Tuesday night on a school sheltering hundreds of displaced Palestinians killed 27 people, officials from the Al-Aqsa Hospital said, including nine women and three children. The school has been struck repeatedly since the war began. Earlier, a strike on another school turned shelter in Gaza City killed 16 people, according to officials at Al-Ahli Hospital, while strikes in other areas killed at least 16 others.

In Bureij, an urban refugee camp, paramedics and rescuers rushed to pull people out of a blaze after a large column of smoke and fires pierced the dark skies above the school shelter.

Trump jars Israelis with remark on hostage figures

The war began when Hamas-led terrorists attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages.

Trump on Tuesday stunned many in Israel when he declared that only 21 of the 59 hostages remaining in Gaza are still alive. Israel insists the figure stands at 24, although an Israeli official said there was “serious concern” for the lives of three captives. The official said there has been no sign of life from those three, whom the official did not identify. He said that until there is evidence proving otherwise, the three are considered to be alive. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive details related to the war, said the families of the captives were updated on those developments.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group representing the families of the captives, demanded from Israel’s government that if there is “new information being kept from us, give it to us immediately.” It also called for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt the war in Gaza until all hostages are returned. “This is the most urgent and important national mission,” it said on a post on X.

Since Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas in mid-March, it has unleashed fierce strikes on Gaza that have killed hundreds and captured swaths of territory. Before the truce ended, Israel halted all humanitarian aid into the territory, including food, fuel and water, setting off what is believed to be the worst humanitarian crisis in 19 months of war.

Key interlocutors Qatar and Egypt said Wednesday that mediation efforts were “ongoing and consistent.” But Israel and Hamas remain far apart on how they see the war ending. Israel says it won’t end the war until Hamas’ governing and military capabilities are dismantled, something it has failed to do in 19 months of war.

Hamas says it is prepared to release all of the hostages for an end to the war and a long-term truce with Israel.

The US-Houthi deal does not appear to cover Israel

Against the backdrop of the plans to intensify the campaign in Gaza, fighting has also escalated between Israel and Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The Houthis fired a ballistic missile earlier this week that landed on the grounds of Israel’s main international airport. Israel responded with a series of airstrikes over two days, whose targets included the airport in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa.

The Houthis have been striking Israel and targets in a main Red Sea shipping route since the war began in solidarity with the Palestinians. On Tuesday, Trump said the U.S. would halt a nearly two-monthlong campaign against the Houthis in Yemen, after the rebel group agreed not to target U.S. ships.

Israel does not appear to be covered by the U.S.-Houthi agreement.

The Israeli official said the deal came as a surprise to Israel and that it was concerned by it because of what it meant for the continuation of hostilities between it and the Houthis.

Goldenberg reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press reporter Fatma Khaled in Cairo contributed to this report.

Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

​ Orange County Register 

Two Anaheim high schools to install vape sensors for pilot program

• May 7, 2025

Two high schools in the Anaheim Union High School District will install sensors to discourage students from using vaping devices on the campuses.

Cypress and Loara high schools will install the sensors in their student bathrooms and locker rooms.

“The sensors are connected to apps on our administrators’ phones,” Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Jaron Fried said at a March board meeting approving the sensors. “So if something alerts, they notice right away — they can go to the restrooms. If they don’t get there in time, they have access to cameras to see when students entered or left the restrooms.”

The HALO smart sensors the district will buy and install can give school officials alerts on their phones when they detect vaping or other tobacco products and certain loud noises such as gunshots or fights. The company behind the sensors says it can detect when they are tampered with and when vaping is attempted to be masked with aerosols such as cologne.

Robert Saldivar, the district’s executive director of educational services, said all bathrooms have cameras outside them. Because the sensors integrate into the existing camera system, school officials will be able to identify who was in the restroom when the sensor went off by seeing who entered or left.

The sensors don’t record audio or video, according to the company’s webpage.

The equipment will cost the district $75,120 to install. The district will spend about $4,000 annually on the systems at both schools.

Fried said if the program is successful, and if the board wishes, the district will be able to install the sensors throughout its campuses. Fried said the district once used dogs, but those were only on campuses once a month.

“This is every day,” Fried said.

John Bautista, a spokesperson for the district, said the sensors have not been installed yet at the schools and there is no additional information to share at this time.

The HALO sensors have been installed at schools throughout the country over recent years to crack down on vaping use.

E-cigarettes remain the most commonly used tobacco product among children in the United States, according to a survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, and about 1.2 million U.S. students in high school use e-cigarettes or almost 8% of all students.

​ Orange County Register