When Vietnamese refugees made their new homes in America, they built Little Saigon communities across the country

• April 25, 2025

The fall of Saigon 50 years ago prompted a mass exodus of Vietnamese over the next months and years.

Many were evacuated by the United States military and brought to America to resettle. And as more people fled in the years after the war, and governments stepped in to address the humanitarian crisis, even more found themselves starting new lives in the U.S.

Around the country, “Little Saigons” grew, here is a little bit about some of the larger communities to have blossomed.

DALLAS-FORT WORTH

Where will I find the Little Saigon community?

In the area of Garland, Arlington and Halton City is the largest concentration of the Vietnamese community in the region. The largest concentration of shopping centers, restaurants, temples, and churches is in Garland along Walnut Street between Audelia and Jupiter roads.

What’s the story behind the congregation of Vietnamese refugees in that area?

Many refugees in the 1970s heading to North Texas had previously worked with the American government, according to the Oral History Association in Tennessee.

After securing jobs or higher education, many people wanted to move to the suburbs around the larger Dallas area, said Jimmy Tran, of Garland, who started VN United, a soccer-focused nonprofit.

What makes this Little Saigon community special?

In 2019, Tran hosted the first Dallas-Fort Worth Area Asian American Soccer Tournament in cooperation with the city of Garland. The event is now in its sixth year and draws Vietnamese and other Asian soccer teams from as far away as Canada, he said.

Other highlights in Garland include the Cali-Saigon Mall and its Dallas Superstore, which offers international groceries, especially fresh produce, seafood and meats, the mainstays of Vietnamese cooking, said Huy Trieu, the mall’s general manager. “It’s a place that they like because it’s one-stop shopping. We’ve also got a food court where everyone likes to hang out, especially when we have promotions.”

Arlington is home to Martyrs Catholic Church, the largest Vietnamese Catholic Church in the country.

What are the demographic trends involving the area’s Vietnamese community in the last 50 years?

The area is home to more than 110,000 Vietnamese residents, making it the fourth-largest Vietnamese community in the U.S. The community grew significantly, according to the U.S. Census, following the passage of the Refugee Act of 1980. According to recent estimates, within the broader Asian American population in DFW, Vietnamese Americans represent approximately 15.3%, making them the second-largest Asian subgroup in the region.

Vietnamese is the third most spoken language in the Garland school district.

What’s its future looking like for the community as we get further away from the initial exodus of refugees who arrived in the U.S.?

In the last decade, Tran and Trieu said they have seen more and more people coming into the community, especially from California and Arizona, where housing is more expensive.

Some have also come to take advantage of a better job market as more technology companies have opened their headquarters in the area, Tran said.

With the influx of newly arriving residents, though, Tran said there are some clashes between the earliest refugees who came just after the fall of Saigon and those who have more recently settled and aren’t familiar with the hardship and aftermath of war. There is less interest in preserving the South Vietnamese culture, and instead, some want to move on from the past, he said. “But my dad’s generation says no.”

“They come here for economic reasons, where we came as refugees,” he added.

— Erika I. Ritchie

DENVER

Where will I find the Little Saigon community?

The Little Saigon Business District can be found along Federal Boulevard in Denver’s southwest area.

What’s the story behind the congregation of Vietnamese refugees in that area? 

After the fall of Saigon, about 10,000 Vietnamese refugees were resettled in Denver to build new lives, according to History Colorado. Initially, there were no established Vietnamese enclaves, as the state’s program scattered refugees. But a community started to form in 1978, when Thanh Luong, now 74, opened a small Asian grocery store in southwestern Denver to serve the nearby Vietnamese residents. That area would later transform into the Little Saigon Business District.

What makes this Little Saigon community special?

Today, the Vietnamese community’s influence can be seen throughout the district, which includes restaurants, bakeries and an Asian gift shop.

The Far East Center is the gem of the Little Saigon Business District. Built in 1987 by Luong’s family, the shopping center is a landmark where celebrations take place for annual events such as the Saigon Azteca Night Market, Mid-Autumn Festival and Lunar New Year – an official state holiday.

What are the demographic trends involving the area’s Vietnamese community in the last 50 years?

The metro Denver community gradually expanded from about 10,000 refugees after April 1975 to around 14,000 people of Vietnamese descent by 2000, according to the local historical society.

Statewide, nearly 34,000 Vietnamese people live in Colorado, according to 2021 census data cited by the Colorado Lotus Project.

What’s its future looking like for the community as we get further away from the initial exodus of refugees who arrived in the U.S.?

As generations of Vietnamese families have been raised in Colorado, older immigrants have watched their descendants embrace new customs and forget traditions, including their language, according to a report by the Denver Public Library.

Some original refugees have accepted that they cannot return to their home country. Father Joseph Dang, 50, lives in Denver now after fleeing Vietnam in 1986. Although he has applied for a visa twice, the Vietnamese government rejected both attempts.

By escaping, “I paid the price,” Dang said, with tears in his eyes. “I’m not able to go back to Vietnam freely.”

— Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton

HOUSTON

Where will I find the Little Saigon community?

The Vietnamese community is spread out in clusters throughout Houston. The original Little Saigon popped up in the city’s Midtown neighborhood in the 1980s. However, rising rent costs and redevelopment forces in the 1990s and 2000s pushed many in the city’s Vietnamese community out of the area and into Southwest Houston along Bellaire Boulevard, where Chinatown is located.

What’s the story behind the congregation of Vietnamese refugees in that area? 

Houston was not near any of the resettlement camps at military bases where many in the first wave of Vietnamese refugees went. But with the city’s warm weather, affordability, opportunities for fishing and shrimping, manufacturing jobs and organizations and families sponsoring Vietnamese refugees who needed to be resettled, Houston has grown to be home to the second-largest Vietnamese population in the nation at more than 140,000 people.

“It was natural to settle in Houston, in the Gulf region,” said Roy Vu, a former Houston resident whose parents were refugees. He is a teacher at Dallas College

What makes this  Little Saigon community special?

Today, Southwest Houston has a thriving amalgamation of Asian businesses, including Vietnamese restaurants and stores at the Hong Kong City Mall, nonprofits, media organizations and other Vietnamese shopping centers. Nearby, a Vietnam War memorial was erected in the center of a strip mall.

The largest Vietnamese festival in the state, the Viet Cultural Fest, is held annually in September at NRG Park. A predominantly Vietnamese Catholic church in Southeast Houston holds a large annual crawfish festival, blending Cajun and Vietnamese cuisines that delight thousands.

What are the demographic trends involving the area’s Vietnamese community in the last 50 years?

After rapid growth in the first few decades following the fall of Saigon, the Vietnamese community has a stable and aging population. When refugees came to the area, they tended to be younger. Now, the median age is 40 years, older than other Asian American populations in the region.

What’s its future looking like for the community as we get further away from the initial exodus of refugees who arrived in the U.S.?

The economic situation for the community has improved over the decades, with more people having the means to buy a home and help support family members going to college. Though, the Vietnamese community’s median household incomes lag behind other Asian communities.

— Michael Slaten

NEW ORLEANS

Where will I find the Little Saigon community?

In Eastern New Orleans, around the community of Versailles, also referred to as the Village de L’Est.

What’s the story behind the congregation of Vietnamese refugees in that area?

In the mid-1970s, thousands of Vietnamese refugees settled in New Orleans through the city’s resettlement agencies, particularly through the Associated Catholic Charities. Today, more than 14,000 Vietnamese residents call New Orleans their home.

What makes this Little Saigon community special?

Versailles quickly became the center of the growing Vietnamese community, where people lived and started their own businesses. It is also where the city hosts an annual Tết Festival and other events celebrating the Vietnamese heritage.

In 2009, Anh “Joseph” Cao was elected to the US Congress from the New Orleans area, the first Vietnamese American to serve in the House of Representatives.

What are the demographic trends involving the area’s Vietnamese community in the last 50 years?

While the Vietnamese community has historically been mostly centered in eastern New Orleans, younger generations are moving outside of the neighborhood.

What’s its future looking like for the community as we get further away from the initial exodus of refugees who arrived in the U.S.?

The coronavirus pandemic brought to light the poverty and food insecurities faced by many Vietnamese residents, resulting in the creation of mutual aid organizations to address the social needs of the Vietnamese community.

— Destiny Torres

ORANGE COUNTY

Where will I find the Little Saigon community?

The heart of the Little Saigon community originates on Bolsa Avenue in Westminster, but the enclave has grown in the neighboring cities of Garden Grove, Fountain Valley and Santa Ana, all in central OC.

What’s the story behind the congregation of Vietnamese refugees in that area?

Vietnamese refugees began to gather in central Orange County in 1975 after arriving to America at the nearby El Toro Marine air base and being processed through the resettlement center at Camp Pendleton further south. By 1980, nearly 20,000 Vietnamese people lived in Orange County.

What makes this Little Saigon community special?

Today, more than 215,000 Vietnamese Americans live in Orange County, making it the largest hub of Vietnamese people outside of Vietnam.

In 1988, Governor George Deukmejian officially declared Orange County’s Little Saigon a distinct commercial district. He did so from the newly built Asian Garden Mall, which remains a landmark shopping center and home to 300 Vietnamese-owned storefronts.

The community’s large Tết parade is broadcast around the country, an annual flower market draws shoppers from around the region ahead of the Lunar New Year, as does a summertime night market. There are art installations dedicated to the Vietnamese American experience throughout the Little Saigon.

What are the demographic trends involving the area’s Vietnamese community in the last 50 years?

Little Saigon has a larger share of the population in middle or older ages than the rest of Orange County, meaning it has higher needs for elder care and health care services. But, the birth rate in Little Saigon also is slightly higher compared to the rest of Orange County, signaling the need for continued investment in youth services and public education. Little Saigon households are more likely to be multigenerational, with grandparents often living with their grandchildren.

What’s its future looking like for the community as we get further away from the initial exodus of refugees who arrived in the U.S.?

Many businesses are changing hands between first-generation and second- and third-generation owners, offering new opportunities for economic growth and to market the region as a destination. New shopping centers such as Westminster’s Bolsa Row will offer goods and services targeting not only Vietnamese consumers, but the pan-Asian community as well as younger consumers looking for trendy dining and shopping experiences.

— Jonathan Horwitz

PHILADELPHIA

Where will I find the Little Saigon community?

Philadelphia’s Little Saigon originated in Passyunk Square in south Philadelphia, though in recent years many Vietnamese families have moved further out to the suburbs. There are also areas of northern Philadelphia and along Rising Sun Avenue that have a strong Vietnamese presence, said David Oh, the Asian American Business Alliance’s interim chairman.

What’s the story behind the congregation of Vietnamese refugees in that area?

More than 30,000 Vietnamese refugees fleeing with the help of Americans following the fall of Saigon were taken to Fort Indiantown Gap in Pennsylvania. The base served as one of the four resettlement centers in the United States. As families were sponsored, they migrated out into the greater region. Years later, as more Vietnamese people immigrated, they joined the growing Philadelphia community.

What makes this  Little Saigon community special?

Events will be held for Black April, which marks the fall of Saigon, with a flag raising at City Hall and other gatherings at the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial, at Penn’s Landing, which includes tributes for both Vietnamese and U.S. military service members killed during the war.

But the regular gatherings are becoming more infrequent, Oh said.

“There was a point where the Vietnamese community was really present, that’s just not the case anymore. It’s changed,” he said. “I remember going to Vietnamese celebrations at our big Vietnamese restaurants five times a year, they would be jam packed. They don’t seem to have that these days.”

What are the demographic trends involving the area’s Vietnamese community in the last 50 years?

The Vietnamese American community has very much integrated to a point where the young people are more and more involved in their local communities, and don’t feel a need to mix in with the Vietnamese-speaking population like their parents did when they first arrived. The older generation, which grew wealthier, are leaving the city.

“They are a very successful immigrant community” that has “transitioned” from the initial stages of settling into the community, from opening businesses to becoming professionals, “enough so that they could buy a better house and move to better neighborhoods, integrating their kids – and they’ve dispersed,” Oh said.

What’s its future looking like for the community as we get further away from the initial exodus of refugees who arrived in the U.S.?

Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, there were 20,000 Vietnamese Americans living in Philadelphia.

“I think a lot of the Vietnamese businesses got hit hard, because of the isolation and maybe because (shoppers) had other choices,” Oh said. “I think the Vietnamese community was very successful and able to move.”

But as people choose to move, “you do lose something,” Oh said. “From my perspective, I really enjoy the experience that the Vietnamese community brings to our city.”

— Laylan Connelly

SAN JOSE

Where will I find the Little Saigon community?

In the eastern region of San Jose. The community started downtown on East Santa Clara and 5th streets where City Hall stands today, but quickly moved east to Lion Plaza at the intersection of South King and Tully roads. Now, San Jose’s Little Saigon includes the one-mile stretch of Story Road from the Grand Century Mall to the Vietnam Town mega business complex.

What’s the story behind the congregation of Vietnamese refugees in that area?

A nascent Silicon Valley, populated by companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Atari, Intel and Apple, needed manufacturing labor when refugees were fleeing the aftermath of the Vietnam War. Vietnamese refugees from all over the state and country answered the call, flooding into San Jose to fill the jobs, building community and often springboarding into advanced careers in technology for years to come.

The downtown where City Hall stands today was also full of vacancies after a movement out to the suburbs and its malls. Refugees starting back at zero, scraped together earnings to take advantage of the spaces and built the beginnings of Little Saigon.

What makes this Little Saigon community special?

Many things make Little Saigon special – right now, a seasonal night market open from spring through the end of summer showcases the hundreds of Vietnamese-owned shops, restaurants and businesses at the Grand Century Mall and Vietnam Town along Story Road.

San Jose is also a place where Santa Clara County Supervisor Betty Duong points out people built a particular flavor of San Jose Vietnamese American identity by living closely alongside groups originating from all over the world who speak 100 different languages and dialects. One of her favorite examples Los Arcos, a Mexican restaurant that keeps a vestigial phở menu integrated within its own, in memory of Phở Bang, the iconic Vietnamese noodle soup shop that was there before it and burned down in 2022.

What are the demographic trends involving the area’s Vietnamese community in the last 50 years?

The increasing political voice of the Vietnamese American community is such that laws have enshrined recognition of the three-striped flag of South Vietnam (also commemorated as the Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom Flag) as the only official flag representing the Vietnamese American diaspora within the jurisdiction and property of the city, as well as Santa Clara County.

New immigration continues from overseas, and transplants seeking community keep moving to San Jose from elsewhere in the state and country. Though, an overall crisis of unaffordability has prompted some people to find better values outside of the city, such as in Morgan Hill.

What’s its future looking like for the community as we get further away from the initial exodus of refugees who arrived in the U.S.?

The future for the Vietnamese diaspora in San Jose is marked by a passionate bridge generation working to unite and motivate its diverse community despite political, generational and experiential differences. Community members of all ages and backgrounds cite loss of memory of an aging refugee generation, loss of the Vietnamese language, and loss of connection to Vietnam and its affairs in the inevitable progression toward an evolving Vietnamese American identity as major challenges ahead.

At the same time, state law is pushing forth a new curriculum that will teach Vietnamese American history and refugee experiences in all public schools in California. And both long-standing cultural initiatives such as the Vietnamese-English dual immersion programs in some of San Jose’s schools and relatively new organizations such as the Vietnamese American Roundtable and the 100% county-funded Vietnamese American Service Center find ways to engage different members of the community with their history, their culture, their language and with one another.

— Jia H. Jung

NORTHERN VIRGINIA/DC AREA

Where will I find the Little Saigon community?

Nowadays, the Eden Center, a strip mall in Falls Church, bills itself as Washington, D.C.’s “premier destination for Vietnamese cuisines and specialties.” It underwent a major transformation in 1996, adding a 32,400-square-foot space called “Saigon West,” and it boasts a clock tower that replicates downtown Saigon. A yellow and red South Vietnam flag waves over the parking lot.

Today, the Eden Center holds Vietnamese bakeries and coffee shops, health stores, jewelers and restaurants.

What’s the story behind the congregation of Vietnamese refugees in that area?

The Washington, D.C., area — particularly the Clarendon neighborhood of Arlington — was a destination for people who already had familial connections established before the fall of Saigon. But it was also a place close to the embassy, the State Department and the American Red Cross, where refugees could find out more about their family still in Vietnam.

What makes this Little Saigon community special?

This Little Saigon is made up of a community that lost its home base more than once.

At the time that refugees settled in Clarendon, expansion of the Washington Metro was underway, and construction in Clarendon had thrown the area into a bit of a disarray, said Elizabeth Morton, an expert in urban planning and historic preservation.

That meant rents were more affordable — albeit, leases were only given for short periods of time, a quarter of a year, or six months, one refugee recalled in “Echoes of Little Saigon,” a documentary about the area.

It wasn’t long before the neighborhood blossomed with Vietnamese-serving businesses.

The Vietnamese community’s shift from Clarendon — where Vietnamese shops and restaurants have been replaced by chain retail stores and expensive cocktail bars in more recent years — wasn’t a sudden exodus as soon as the metro was completed, said Morton, a lecturer at George Washington University.

But eventually the rents did skyrocket — and those short-term leases ended.

And that’s where the Eden Center, a strip mall in nearby Falls Church, came in.

What are the demographic trends involving this Vietnamese community in the last 50 years?

Like many communities, the Eden Center is in the midst of diversifying. There have been efforts to woo younger generations of Vietnamese Americans and expand to non-Vietnamese Asian and non-Asian clientele.

According to the latest U.S. Census statistics, 9.1% of the population in West Falls Church is of  Vietnamese descent.

What’s its future looking like for the community as we get further away from the initial exodus of refugees who arrived in the U.S.?

More redevelopment pressure.

A few years ago, the Falls Church City Council started to explore redevelopment projects for the area — and while the plans ultimately included cultural and business protections for the Eden Center, there are still concerns about gentrification and its impacts, Arlington Magazine recently reported.

But that’s where Viet Place Collective comes in. A volunteer group formed when redevelopment talks first began, it works to preserve the Vietnamese community’s legacy in the D.C. area.

“It’s not just about the Eden Center,” said Binh Ly, an organizer with the Viet Place Collective. “For us, it’s advocating for our small businesses that are the ones on the ground, day to day, trying to make sure that we have those familiar tastes and sounds and stuff that make the community what it is.”

— Kaitlyn Schallhorn

​ Orange County Register 

Orange County preview of the CIF-SS boys, girls lacrosse playoffs

• April 25, 2025

Orange County boys lacrosse teams have won the last three CIF-SS championships in Division 1, but the county teams may have a tough hill to climb this season.

Corona del Mar (2022), Foothill (2023) and St. Margaret’s (2024) took home championship plaques and the latter two teams narrowly beat Loyola by one goal in the title game.

This is the season top-seeded Loyola is the heavy favorite to win its first CIF championship since 2021. A prominent Orange County coach said the gap between Loyola and the next best team is the biggest gap between the top two teams since CIF took over the playoff system in 2021.

Santa Margarita is the top-seeded Orange County team despite finishing second place in the Trinity League behind Mater Dei. St. Margaret’s transfer Brody Booen leads Santa Margarita in goals with 46 and Kevin Ratzloff is one of the better face-off specialists in the county.

CIF-SS boys lacrosse playoffs: Updated first-round schedule for all divisions

Mater Dei went 6-0 this season against teams in the bracket and is the best team in the county. The Monarchs beat Santa Margarita 10-6 this season in a game where Brendan Strader had four points. Both Mater Dei and Santa Margarita have byes in the first round and could meet in the semifinals.

There are two fun county matchups in the first round. St. Margaret’s beat Foothill 11-9 on April 12 and will play again in the first round. Servite beat Corona del Mar 13-6 on Feb. 27 and the two teams play again in the first round.

South Coast League co-champions San Clemente and Aliso Niguel were awarded byes in the first round of Division 2 and could meet in the semifinals. The two teams beat each other once this season.

Crean Lutheran went 17-3 this season and was competitive in a 9-7 loss to Foothill. The Saints feature Brody Wallace, who has 109 points this season and is the school’s all-time leading scorer.

San Juan Hills and University were awarded first-round byes in Division 3. The Stallions won their first Sea View League championship. Dana Hills had its first winning season since 2019 and was awarded an at-large spot.

Foothill is the No. 2 seed in the girls Division 1 bracket and has a bye in the first round. The Knights could meet the county’s second best team, San Clemente, in the semifinals. Foothill beat San Clemente 9-7 this season in a game where Brynn Perkins and Ava Pistone combined for seven points.

Santa Margarita plays defending champion Marlborough in the second round. The Eagles beat Marlborough 17-10 earlier this season and Paige Peters had six goals in that game.

CIF-SS boys lacrosse playoffs: Updated first-round schedule for all divisions

San Juan Hills reached the Division 2 championship game last season and earned a first-round bye this season. The Stallions have three players with over 70 points this season: Caitlyn Enright, Sierra Chen and Olivia Jarvis.

St. Margaret’s has a first-round bye and could play Laguna Beach in the second round. Scarlett Welsome has 105 points for St. Margaret’s, who beat Laguna Beach 17-8 in the final regular season game of the season.

Miikka Oda of El Dorado has the most points in the nation with 168. The Golden Hawks play Temecula Valley in the first round and would play Corona del Mar in the second.

Trabuco Hills is the top seed in Division 3 after being the third-place team in the South Coast League. The Mustangs have potential matchups against the top three Sea View League teams on their side of the bracket. Trabuco Hills could play Mission Viejo in the second round, Beckman in the quarterfinals and Aliso Niguel in the semifinals.

University has a first-round bye after winning the Pacific Hills League and could play league foe Sage Hill in the second round. Freshman Ava Pattock leads University in points with 58 and senior Yashika Singh has 54.

​ Orange County Register 

How to watch Pope Francis’ funeral: Where to stream and what to expect

• April 25, 2025

The world will bid a final farewell this weekend to Pope Francis, who leaves behind a legacy shaped by his efforts to revitalize the Church—from addressing clerical abuse to expanding dialogue around climate change, migration, and inclusion.

The Argentine pontiff died at the age of 88 on Monday from a stroke that resulted in a coma and irreversible heart failure, according to the Vatican’s top doctors.

It came after Francis —who suffered from chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed when he was younger — was admitted to Gemelli hospital on February 14, for a respiratory crisis that evolved into double pneumonia. He spent a total of 38 days there before he was released to recover in his apartment, and he made his final public appearance on Easter Sunday, delivering a blessing and greeting followers from his popemobile as he looped around St. Peter’s Square.

Until his funeral this weekend, Francis’ body, adorned in his papal vestments, will lie in state at St. Peter’s Basilica.

Here’s how to watch:

When is the Pope’s funeral?

Pope Francis’ funeral is in Vatican City on Saturday at 10 a.m. local time, which means American viewers will have to tune in during the early hours of the morning — 4 a.m. ET, 3 a.m. CT, 2 a.m. MT and 1 a.m. PT — to catch the mass. It is slated to be held in St. Peter’s Square or inside the Basilica, depending on the weather.

Where to watch Pope Francis’ funeral:

The majority of major television network across the United States will be airing the funeral, including, NBC, CBS, CNN and ABC. Some streamers are also slated to air coverage of the service live, among them  Peacock, Paramount+, Disney+ and Hulu.

International viewers should also be able to watch the proceedings with popular broadcasters, like BBC in the United Kingdom as well as Globo News and CNN Brasil in Brazil. And those in Canada should be able to watch on CTV and CBC while Spanish viewers can catch the ceremony on Televisión Española

The Vatican said it will also provide live coverage on  the Vatican’s news channel, which has also been streaming much of the rites this week.

What to expect at the funeral — and who will be in attendance:

The service, which will be led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the college of cardinals, is expected to draw dignitaries from 170 foreign delegations — including at least 50 heads of state and 10 reigning sovereigns — as well as tens of thousands of ordinary people hoping to pay their respects.

President Trump and first lady Melania Trump are slated to be among those in attendance, as are former President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden.

The ceremony on Saturday will begin with a procession, held only after the Pope is sealed inside his coffin on Friday, marking the end of the public viewing period. It will, however, be significantly more humble than those held for popes past; Francis last year simplified the rules for papal funerals and requested a simple wooden casket for his own burial.

What happens after the funeral?

After the mass, the Vatican said the pope’s body “will be taken into St. Peter’s Basilica and then to the Basilica of St. Mary Major,” bout 2.5 miles away. He chose it as his burial site because it is where he prayed before and after each trip out of Rome, as well as in challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Most live coverage will end when the burial begins.

​ Orange County Register 

Stagecoach 2025: Mumford & Sons a last-minute addition to the Friday festival lineup

• April 25, 2025

British folk-rock band Mumford & Sons were announced Friday as a last-minute addition to the Stagecoach Music Festival, playing that same day on the Palomino Stage before Lana Del Rey’s previously announced set.

The band will play 6:55 p.m. to 7:40 p.m. with Del Rey following them from 8:10 p.m. to 9:10 p.m.

Mumford & Sons, which released its fifth album “Rushmere” in March, recently announced a summer tour that includes a stop at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on June 12.

Despite the band’s British roots, its music has often shared a kinship with the Americana genre, with close harmony vocals often accompanied by acoustic guitar, banjo, double bass and fiddles.

Mumford & Sons formed in London in 2007 – the Rushmere of the new album’s title was the pub where the members met and performed in those earliest day. Its 2009 debut, “Sigh No More,” included the American and English hit singles “Little Lion Man” and “The Cave,” and reached No. 2 on the album charts in both the United States and United Kingdom.

In 2011, Mumford & Sons played the Coachella Music and Arts Festival, making the Friday lineup on the Palomino Stage all veterans of both Coachella and Stagecoach. Lana Del Rey, who plays after Mumford & Sons at Stagecoach tonight headlined Coachella in 2024. T-Pain, who plays after here, played Coachella earlier this month.

Marcus Mumford, the band’s singer-guitarist, also has a special connection to Southern California. He was born at an Anaheim hospital in 1987, where his parents lived in Yorba Linda and worked as leaders in the international Vineyard Churches, though the family moved back to the United Kingdom before his first birthday.

​ Orange County Register 

Justice Department to resume issuing subpoenas to journalists as part of leaks crackdown, Bondi says

• April 25, 2025

By ERIC TUCKER and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is poised to crack down on leaks of information to the news media, authorizing prosecutors to issue subpoenas to news organizations as part of leak investigations, serve search warrants when appropriate and force journalists to testify about their sources.

New regulations, announced by Attorney General Pam Bondi in a memo to the workforce obtained by The Associated Press on Friday, rescind a Biden administration policy that protected journalists from having their phone records secretly seized during leak investigations — a practice long decried by news organizations and press freedom groups.

The new regulations assert that news organizations must respond to subpoenas “when authorized at the appropriate level of the Department of Justice” and also allow for prosecutors to use court orders and search warrants to “compel production of information and testimony by and relating to the news media.”

The memo says members of the press are “presumptively entitled to advance notice of such investigative activities,” and subpoenas are to be “narrowly drawn.” Warrants must also include “protocols designed to limit the scope of intrusion into potentially protected materials or newsgathering activities,” the memo states.

“The Justice Department will not tolerate unauthorized disclosures that undermine President Trump’s policies, victimize government agencies, and cause harm to the American people,” Bondi wrote.

The regulations come as the Trump administration has complained about a series of news stories that have pulled back the curtain on internal decision-making, intelligence assessments and the activities of prominent officials such as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, said Wednesday that she was making a trio of referrals to the Justice Department over disclosures to the media.

The policy that Bondi is rescinding was created in 2021 by then-Attorney General Merrick Garland in the wake of revelations that the Justice Department officials ls alerted reporters at three news organizations — The Washington Post, CNN and The New York Times — that their phone records had been obtained in the final year of the Trump administration.

The new regulations from Garland marked a startling reversal concerning a practice that has persisted across multiple presidential administrations. The Obama Justice Department, under then-Attorney General Eric Holder, alerted The Associated Press in 2013 that it had secretly obtained two months of phone records of reporters and editors in what the news cooperative’s top executive called a “massive and unprecedented intrusion” into newsgathering activities.

After blowback, Holder announced a revised set of guidelines for leak investigations, including requiring the authorization of the highest levels of the department before subpoenas for news media records could be issued.

But the department preserved its prerogative to seize journalists’ records, and the recent disclosures to the news media organizations show that the practice continued in the Trump Justice Department as part of multiple investigations.

​ Orange County Register 

Judge blocks Trump administration from nixing collective bargaining for most federal employees

• April 25, 2025

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from implementing an executive order that a labor union says would cancel collective bargaining rights for hundreds of thousands of federal employees.

U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman ruled that a key part of President Donald Trump’s March 27 order can’t be enforced at roughly three dozen agencies and departments where employees are represented by the National Treasury Employees Union.

The union, which represents nearly 160,000 federal government employees workers, sued to challenge Trump’s order. The union said it would lose more than half of its revenue and over two-thirds of its membership if the judge denied its request for a preliminary injunction.

Friedman said he would issue an opinion in several days to explain his two-page order. The ruling isn’t the final word in the lawsuit. He gave the attorneys until May 2 to submit a proposal for how the case should proceed.

Some agencies, including the FBI, are exempt from a law requiring federal agencies to bargain with labor organizations over employment matters. Presidents can apply the exemption to agencies that have a “primary function” of performing intelligence, counterintelligence, investigative or national security work.

But no president before Trump tried to use the national security exemption to exclude an entire cabinet-level agency from the law’s requirements, according to the employees’ union. It said Trump’s order is designed to facilitate mass firings and exact “political vengeance” against federal unions opposed to his agenda.

“The President’s use of the Statute’s narrow national security exemption to undo the bulk of the Statute’s coverage is plainly at odds with Congress’s expressed intent,” union attorneys wrote.

Government lawyers argued that the court order requested by the union would interfere with the president’s duty to ensure federal workers are prepared to help protect national security.

“It is vital that agencies with a primary purpose of national security are responsive and accountable to the American people.” Justice Department attorneys wrote.

The IRS is the largest bargaining unit represented by the National Treasury Employees Union. A day after Trump signed his order, the administration sued a union chapter in Kentucky to seek a ruling that it can terminate the collective bargaining agreement for the IRS.

The union says the administration has “effectively conceded” that its members don’t do national security work. The union members affected by the executive order also include employees of the Health and Human Services Department, the Energy Department, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Communications Commission.

The union said it will lose approximately $25 million in dues revenue over the next year. Some agencies, it says, already have stopped deducting union dues from employees’ pay.

“In the absence of preliminary injunctive relief, NTEU may no longer be able to exist in a manner that is meaningful to the federal workers for whom it fights,” union lawyers wrote.

Government attorneys argued that the courts typically defer to the president’s judgment on national security matters.

“Executive actions that are facially valid — that is, within the lawful authority of the executive — are entitled to a presumption of regularity,” they wrote.

​ Orange County Register 

19 states sue Trump administration over push to end diversity programs in public schools

• April 25, 2025

By HOLLY RAMER

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Nineteen states that refused to comply with a Trump administration directive aimed at eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs in public schools went a step further Friday, filing a federal lawsuit challenging what they consider an illegal threat to cut federal funding.

The lawsuit filed in Massachusetts by Democratic attorneys general seeks to block the Department of Education from withholding money based on its April 3 directive ordering states to certify their compliance with civil rights laws, including the rejection of what the federal government calls “illegal DEI practices.” States also were told to gather signatures from local school systems certifying their compliance by April 24.

Instead, the plaintiffs informed the government that they stand by their prior certifications of compliance with the law but refuse to abandon policies that promote equal access to education.

“Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are legal efforts that help students feel safe, supported and respected. The Trump administration’s threats to withhold critical education funding due to the use of these initiatives are not only unlawful, but harmful to our children, families, and schools,” said Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell.

The new lawsuit comes a day after judges in three states ruled against the Trump administration in separate but related cases.

A Maryland judge postponed the effective date of a Feb. 14 memo in which the education department told schools and colleges they needed to end any practice that differentiates people based on their race. A judge in Washington, D.C., granted a preliminary injunction against the April certification letter. And in New Hampshire, a judge ruled that the department can not enforce either document against the plaintiffs in that case, which includes one of the nation’s largest teachers’ unions.

All three lawsuits argue that the guidance limits academic freedom and is so vague that it leaves schools and educators in limbo about what they may do, such as whether voluntary student groups for minority students are still allowed.

The new lawsuit accuses the administration of imperiling more than $13.8 billion, including money used to serve students with disabilities.

“Plaintiffs are left with an impossible choice: either certify compliance with an ambiguous and unconstitutional federal directive — threatening to chill polices, programs and speech – or risk losing indispensable funds that serve their most vulnerable student populations,” the lawsuit states.

In addition to Campbell, the plaintiffs are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.

The education department did not respond to a request for comment Friday. President Donald Trump’s education secretary, Linda McMahon, has warned of potential funding cuts if states do not return the certification forms.

In a Tuesday interview on the Fox Business Network, McMahon said that states that refuse to sign could “risk some defunding in their districts.” The purpose of the form is “to make sure there’s no discrimination that’s happening in any of the schools,” she said.

​ Orange County Register 

First look at 4 new Star Wars destinations on Disneyland’s Millennium Falcon ride

• April 25, 2025

Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run will let the crew decide which Star Wars planets to visit when the rebooted Disneyland ride embarks on a journey to four new destinations with the Mandalorian and Grogu.

The refreshed Smugglers Run ride in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will visit Tatooine, Endor, Bespin and Coruscant when the updated attraction debuts on May 22, 2026 at the Anaheim theme park.

“In this new thrilling storyline, Hondo Ohnaka has gotten wind of a deal going down on Tatooine between ex-Imperial officers and a band of pirates,” according to Walt Disney Imagineering. “There’s a generous bounty for their capture, so you’ll borrow the iconic ship and team up with Mando and Grogu to track them down and explore the galaxy.”

ALSO SEE: Disneyland drops strict Star Wars timeline in Galaxy’s Edge

Riders flying the Millennium Falcon from Batuu to Tatooine will get to choose their own adventure and select from three possible destinations: Coruscant, Bespin or Endor.

The engineers sitting in the rear two seats of the six-seat cockpit will be able to communicate with Grogu during the mission.Concept art of the new adventure aboard Smugglers Run released during Star Wars Celebration 2025 in Japan shows a Sandcrawler on the desert planet of Tatooine, the bustling skyways of the city-planet Coruscant, the Death Star disintegrating in orbit near the Endor moon and the Millennium Falcon racing toward the Cloud City of Bespin.

Tatooine is best known as a base for smugglers and a hive of scum and villainy in the original 1977 “Star Wars” movie. The harsh desert world on the Outer Rim of the Star Wars galaxy was once home to both Anakin and Luke Skywalker.

Endor is best known as the home of the Ewoks in 1983’s “Return of the Jedi.” The lush forest moon is where the Galactic Empire met its downfall and is the site of Darth Vader’s funeral pyre.

Bespin is best known for its floating mining complexes that extract valuable gasses from deep within the Star Wars planet. Lando Calrissian was the administrator of Cloud City on the giant gas planet during 1980’s “Empire Strikes Back.”

Coruscant is best known as a city planet with hundreds of levels that served as the capital of the galaxy during the age of the Empire in “Return of the Jedi” and as the central hub of Jedi training for over a thousand generations.

ALSO SEE: Disney to make a welcome switch in its Star Wars land

The Star Wars galactic calendar marks time on either side of the attack on the Death Star, known as the Battle of Yavin. Dates fall before the Battle of Yavin (BBY) or after the universe-saving attack (ABY).

Galaxy’s Edge is currently set between 34 ABY when “The Last Jedi” takes place and 35 ABY when “The Rise of Skywalker” film is set.

“The Mandalorian” takes place in 9 ABY a few years after “The Return of the Jedi” — more than two decades before the time period for Galaxy’s Edge.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland rolls out 12 Star Wars popcorn buckets and collectible novelties

Disneyland has recently signaled that old school characters from the original Star Wars trilogy can now appear in Galaxy’s Edge. A young Luke Skywalker meet-and-greet character appeared during the Season of the Force seasonal event at Disneyland.

That means Darth Vader, Han Solo and Obi-Wan Kenobi may soon be joining Luke Skywalker in the Black Spire Outpost village on the Star Wars planet of Batuu, the setting for the 14-acre themed land at the Anaheim theme park.

Up until now, Galaxy’s Edge has been stubbornly stuck in the Star Wars timeline of the sequel trilogy between 2017’s “The Last Jedi” and 2019’s “The Rise of Skywalker.”

ALSO SEE: When can you watch Disneyland’s new Star Wars show? It’s complicated

The new Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run mission tied to the release of the “The Mandalorian and Grogu” film coming out on Memorial Day weekend 2026 will be introduced on the twin rides at Disneyland and Disney Hollywood Studios in Florida.

Imagineering and Lucasfilm have been working together to come up with a new mission for Smugglers Run that ties into the new film’s narrative.

Imagineers captured scenes on the movie set of “The Mandalorian and Grogu” that will be used in the updated Smugglers Run attractions.

“This isn’t going to retell what happens in the movie,” Mandalorian creator Jon Favreau said at SXSW in Austin. “It’s more like participating in something that’s happening just off-camera from what you see in the film.”

ALSO SEE: Best thing I ate at Disneyland this week: Star Wars cheese skewer

Star Wars creative executive Dave Filoni told the crowd at the D23 fan event in Anaheim in August that the Epic Games Unreal Engine used to create the virtual sets for “The Mandalorian” television show on Disney+ will also be used to update the Smugglers Run attractions in the Galaxy’s Edge themed lands.

“Just imagine it,” Filoni said during D23. “You’ll be able to fly alongside Mando and Grogu on thrilling and dangerous missions.”

The digital nature of the Millennium Falcon ride at Disneyland will let Walt Disney Imagineering change the storyline of the Star Wars attraction from a Smugglers Run to a Mandalorian Mission with a simple flip of a switch.

​ Orange County Register