Democratic members of Congress get bomb threats on Thanksgiving
Daniel SLIM / AFP via Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — The homes of multiple Democratic members of Congress in Connecticut were targeted by bomb threats on Thanksgiving Day.
Reps. Joe Courtney, Jahana Hayes, Jim Himes, and John Larson all said their homes were targeted on Thursday.
“This morning, I was notified of a bomb threat targeting my home where I was celebrating Thanksgiving with my family,” Himes said in a statement. “Thankfully, after a swift and thorough response from the United States Capitol Police, the Greenwich Police Department and the Stamford Police Department, no evidence of a bomb was found.”
Hayes said in a statement she was notified by local police that it received a threatening email stating a pipe bomb had been placed in her mailbox at home. Police did not find any evidence of a pipe bomb in his mailbox and said there’s no place for political violence in the country.
“State police, U.S. Capitol Police, and the Sergeant at Arms were immediately notified. The Wolcott Police Department and State Police responded and no bomb or explosive materials were discovered and the scene was cleared. At this time the investigation is ongoing. I thank law enforcement for their swift attention to this matter, their actions demonstrate there is no place in our country for political violence.”
Local outlets in Connecticut reported that Larson and Courtney have received similar threats. ABC News has reached out for comment.
Threats against multiple members of Connecticut congressional delegations come following several of Trump’s cabinet nominees receiving threats, including Rep. Elise Stefanik, former Rep. Lee Zeldin, and Pete Hegseth.
It’s unclear, though, if the threats against some of Trump’s cabinet picks are connected to the threats against many of Connecticut’s congressional delegation.
An ABC News graphic shows weather in the United States on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. Via ABC News
(NEW YORK) — The eastern half of the United States is enduring the latest arctic blast from Minnesota down to northern Florida and up to New England.
Lake-effect snow brought 3.5 feet of snow to western NY and up to 20 inches to northern Lower Michigan. Winds gusted to near 40 mph, creating whiteout conditions in heaviest lake-effect snow bands.
A Lake-Effect Snow Warning continued Friday morning for Ohio, Pennsylvania and western New York, where some areas could get additional 6 inches to 12 inches of snow.
The wind chills early Friday are below zero in Minneapolis, near zero in Chicago and in the teens and single digits above zero in the Northeast.
The temperature is near freezing in northern Florida and southern Georgia, where a Frost Advisory is posted.
Ice storm warning for Midwest
A new storm system is moving into the Plains and the Midwest on Friday evening into Saturday morning, with an Ice Storm Warning issued for Iowa and Icy Alerts issued from Kansas to Minnesota.
Freezing rain could glaze roads to more than a half an inch creating treacherous driving conditions.
Des Moines, Iowa, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Omaha, Nebraska, are all under alerts later today and into Saturday morning. It will be raining with temperatures below freezing, and travel is strongly discouraged in the region through early Saturday.
West Coast flooding and heavy snow threat
A serious of storms will move into the West Coast through this weekend into next week, producing feet of snow in the mountains and several inches of rain along the coast.
Already, first storm brought up to half a foot of snow to I-80 in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, creating a mess, with lots of accidents and major backups.
A new storm, even stronger, will move into the West Coast later today into Saturday from Washington to California, with heavy rain and mountain snow.
Locally 4 feet of snow is possible for California mountains, where Winter Storm Warning has been issued.
Heavy rain with up to 5 inches possible for northern California, where Flood Watch has been issued.
Areas north of the San Francisco Bay Area could see 2 inches to 3 inches of rain.
(LOS ANGELES) — At least two people are dead and many more injured as several fires broke out across Southern California amid historically dry and windy conditions.
Tens of thousands were evacuated as more than 5,000 acres burned in the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood in Los Angeles. At least 1,000 structures are estimated to have been destroyed in the fire.
Meanwhile, the Eaton Fire — which broke out miles away from the Palisades Fire, in Altadena — had grown to 2,227 acres with 0% containment.
Another blaze, the Hurst Fire, has also erupted and spread northeast of San Fernando, burning at least 500 acres.
5th fire now burning in Los Angeles County
A fifth fire is now active in Los Angeles County.
The Lidia Fire, which started Wednesday afternoon, has grown to 50 acres in Acton and has spread to the Angeles National Forest with 0% containment, officials said.
LA district attorney addresses looting, scams: ‘You will absolutely be punished’
Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman had a message for those considering taking “criminal advantage” of the devastating wildfire event through looting or scams.
“If you think for a moment that you can take advantage of this right now or over the next weeks, months or years, you are wrong,” Hochman told ABC Los Angeles station KABC on Wednesday. “If you go ahead and you want to loot, if you want to steal, if you want to engage in scams on vulnerable people who have just lost their house and their businesses, we’re going to arrest you, we’re going to prosecute you and you will absolutely be punished.”
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department already arrested two individuals for looting Wednesday morning, the district attorney said.
“Again, the thought that they would want to take advantage of people in their most vulnerable situation when they’ve just lost a house or business, when they’re literally evacuating for their lives, is despicable,” Hochman told the station.
More than 1.5 million customers without power in California
More than 1.5 million customers are without power in California, including over 956,000 in Los Angeles County.
1 person in critical condition
UCLA Hospitals said it treated and released 21 people suffering from fire-related injuries and has admitted one victim who is in critical condition.
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services said it’s treating patients suffering from smoke inhalation, but did not confirm how many.
Critics Choice Awards postponed
The Critics Choice Awards, which was set to be held on Sunday, has been postponed.
The ceremony will be held on Jan. 26 in Santa Monica.
“This unfolding tragedy has already had a profound impact on our community. All our thoughts and prayers are with those battling the devastating fires and with all who have been affected,” Critics Choice Awards CEO Joey Berlin said in a statement.
Palisades Fire spreads to nearly 16,000 acres
The Palisades Fire has spread to 15,832 acres with 0% containment, according to Cal Fire.
The fire has destroyed at least 300 structures, with 13,306 other structures at risk.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
‘I’ve never seen the winds in my 25-year career’: LA fire chief
During the briefing with President Joe Biden, Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley spoke of how unprecedented this fire event is.
“We knew there was a potential for significant threat to our constituents due to the weather event. High-high-high winds. I’ve never seen the winds in my 25-year career,” Crowley said.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell echoed that sentiment.
“What we saw here in the last 24 hours is unprecedented. I’ve never seen anything like this,” he said.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone told Biden they are now getting out-of-state resources, specifically from Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. They also have requested 250 more fire engines and 1,000 personnel to help respond, he said.
-ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart
Water tankers positioned to protect Griffith Park
Water tankers and rangers are “positioned and ready” to protect Los Angeles’ iconic Griffith Park if needed, a park attendant told ABC News.
The park, home to Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood Sign, is closed until further notice due to the weather conditions.
The Hollywood sign is not in fire danger at the moment, according to Elizabeth Johnson, a member of the Hollywood Sign Trust.
-ABC News’ Samira Said
NHL postpones tonight’s Los Angeles Kings game
The NHL has postponed Wednesday night’s game between the Los Angeles Kings and Calgary Flames, which was scheduled to be held at LA’s Crypto.com arena, due to the wildfires.
“The thoughts of the entire NHL family are with the Kings, hockey fans and the people of the Los Angeles area during this difficult time,” the NHL said in a statement.
A makeup game will be scheduled.
The NFL is also monitoring wildfires ahead of Monday night’s NFC wild card game in Los Angeles, ESPN reported.
-ABC News’ Karyn Rodus
Residents urged to conserve water amid ‘tremendous demand’
Residents in Los Angeles were urged to conserve water, as firefighters battle multiple wildfires.
“We had a tremendous demand on our system and the Palisades,” Janisse Quiñones, the head of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, said during a press briefing Wednesday. “We pushed the system to the extreme.”
She said they saw four times the normal demand for 15 hours straight, which lowered the water pressure. Two tanks ran out of water on Tuesday, and a third early Wednesday morning, as firefighters battled the Palisades Fire.
“We were not able to fill the tanks fast enough,” Quiñones said.
She said they were sending approximately 20 water tanks to support the fire department.
“If there’s a message to take away from me today it’s I need our customers to really conserve water — not just in the Palisades area, but the whole system. Because the fire department needs the water to fight the fires, and we’re fighting a wildfire with urban water systems, and that is really challenging,” Quiñones said.
Biden signed emergency declaration over fires
After being briefed on the four wildfires ablaze in Southern California, President Joe Biden said he signed a major disaster declaration over the California fires on Wednesday.
Biden said he has directed the Department of Defense to provide more firefighting needs and discussed the other resources that are being brought in to help.
He pledged that the federal government will continue to provide support for “as long as it takes.”
“We’re prepared to do anything and everything, as long as it takes, to tame these fires and help … make sure they get back to normal,” Biden said, adding, “It’s going to be a hell of a long way.”
Palisades Fire spreads to 11,802 acres
The Palisades Fire has spread to 11,802 acres with 0% containment, according to Cal Fire.
Over 400,000 without power in California
Over 400,000 customers are without power in California, including 260,000 in Los Angeles County.
Jimmy Kimmel Live, Grey’s Anatomy among shows suspending production
Jimmy Kimmel Live as well as the dramas Grey’s Anatomy and Doctor Odyssey have suspended production amid the fires, according to ABC.
2 Canadian air tankers helping fight fires
Two Canadian air tankers are helping fight wildfires in California, according to Quebec Minister of Public Security Francois Bonnardel.
Bonnardel said in a post on X that California Gov. Gavin Newsom can “count on the government of Quebec” and Quebec’s forest fire protection agency for more support if needed.
-ABC News’ Victoria Beaule
2 California National Guard teams activated
Two highly trained, 22-person teams from the California National Guard have been called up to assist with the Los Angeles area fires.
“These hand crews have enduring relationships with CAL FIRE throughout the year,” Maj. Robert Woodson of the National Guard said in a statement. “As always the California National Guard stands by to support.”
Eaton Fire spreads to 10,600 acres
The Eaton Fire has spread to 10,600 acres with 0% containment, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
At least two residents have been reported dead due to the fire. Officials are urging residents to follow evacuation orders.
Nearly 2 dozen school districts close due to fires
Twenty-two of Los Angeles County’s 80 school districts are closed Wednesday due to fires and weather conditions in the region, according to the Los Angeles County Office of Education.
These school districts are reporting closures, according to the office:
Alhambra Unified School District Arcadia Unified School District Azusa Unified School District Baldwin Park Unified School District Bonita Unified School District Burbank Unified School District Duarte Unified School District El Monte City School District Glendale Unified School District Glendora Unified School District La Canada Unified School District Las Vírgenes School District Monrovia Unified School District Mountain View School District Pasadena Unified School District Rosemead School District San Gabriel Unified School District San Marino Unified School District Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District South Pasadena Unified School District Temple City Unified School District Valle Lindo School District
Additionally, several schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District are closed, officials said.
Newsom cancels trip to Carter’s funeral
California Gov. Gavin Newsom canceled his trip to Washington D.C., for former President Jimmy Carter’s memorial service amid the continued spread of multiple fires in Southern California.
President Joe Biden spoke to Newsom by phone on Wednesday to “receive the latest update on the wildfires across Los Angeles.” Biden is still expected to get a briefing later from Cal Fire officials.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell also spoke with Newsom to get an update on the wildfires, according to a FEMA spokesperson. FEMA’s regional office in California is in constant communication with California Office of Emergency Services and the agency has deployed a FEMA liaison to their offices as the agency continues to monitor the situation closely.
The regional administrator for FEMA Region IX approved Fire Management Assistance Grants for the Palisades Fire to support the state with the control of the fires.
Vice President Harris’ LA neighborhood under evacuation order
Vice President Kamala Harris’ Los Angeles neighborhood is under an evacuation order, according to her office.
No one was in the home at the time, Ernie Apreza, a spokesperson for her office, said.
“She and the Second Gentleman are praying for the safety of their fellow Californians, the heroic first responders, and Secret Service personnel,” Apreza said on X.
Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, own a home in Brentwood, which Emhoff purchased in 2012 for $2.7 million.
-ABC News’ Molly Nagle
Actor Steve Guttenberg says he’s moving cars to allow fire trucks in
Actor Steve Guttenberg told “GMA3” he’s been moving abandoned vehicles to allow fire trucks in as the fire ravages the Pacific Palisades.
“It’s like a parking lot,” Guttenberg said. “When people abandon their cars, you’ve got to leave your keys in there, so guys like me can move them.”
Guttenberg said he’s been staying at a friend’s house, where they have no electricity but is otherwise “doing OK.”
“It’s just the biggest fire I’ve ever seen in my life,” Guttenberg said. “I got a lot of smoke in my lungs.”
While in the Palisades on Tuesday, he said it looked like there was a “volcano” on the sides of the hills.
“Now I never think I’m going to die, but this is one of those moments where I said, ‘Oh man, these could be the place I’m going to go,'” he said.
Air quality alert issued for Los Angeles due to wildfire smoke
An air quality alert has been issued for the Santa Monica Mountains, San Gabriel Valley and the Los Angeles County coastal areas due to increased fine particle pollution from wildfire smoke.
The alert will remain in effect until 5 p.m. PST.
“Particles in wildfire smoke can get deep into the lungs and cause serious health problems such as heart attacks, strokes, asthma attacks, and difficulty breathing. Everyone can be affected, but people with lung or heart disease, older adults, people who are pregnant, children, and those who spend a lot of time outdoors are at greater risk,” according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
Los Angeles ‘not prepared for this type of widespread disaster’
Los Angeles County and all 29 fire departments in the county “are not prepared for this type of widespread disaster,” despite officials prepositioning resources from northern California, according to LAPD Chief James McDonnell.
“There are not enough firefighters in LA County to address four separate fires of this magnitude,” McDonnell said.
“The LA County Fire Department was prepared for one or two major brush fires, but not four — especially given the sustained winds and low humidities. Like our director of emergency management said, this is not a normal red flag alert,” McDonnell said.
Over 245,000 customers without power in LA County
At least 245,000 customers were without power as of 8:40 a.m. local time in Los Angeles County, according to poweroutage.us.
Officials urge residents to follow evacuation orders
California officials urged residents to follow evacuation orders to keep themselves and first responders out of danger as the fires continue to grow.
“There is nothing worth your life,” LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said at a press conference Wednesday.
Officials said there has been a high number of injuries among those who did not follow evacuation orders.
Palisades Fire spreads to 5,000 acres
The Palisades Fire has spread to 5,000 acres with 0% of the fire contained.
At least 1,000 structures are estimated to have been destroyed in the fire.
2 dead, over 1,000 structures destroyed across LA County
Two civilians are dead and there have been a high number of injuries due to the Eaton Fire, LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said at a press conference Wednesday.
The cause of death for the two people has not yet been determined.
There have also been about 100 structures destroyed in the Eaton Fire.
The cause of the fire is currently unknown and it is under investigation.
Meanwhile, an estimated 1,000 structures have been destroyed in the Palisades Fire, which has grown to 5,000 acres, officials said.
While there are no known deaths, officials said there were injuries due to the fire.
“When they ask you to evacuate, evacuate. This is not a drill,” Kathryn Barger, the LA County chair supervisor, said at the press conference.
Eaton Fire grows to 2,227 acres
The Eaton Fire in Los Angeles has grown to 2,227 acres with 0% containment, according to Cal Fire.
Wind gust of 100 mph recorded near Eaton Fire
A wind gust of 100 mph was recorded at 5 a.m. PST at Mountain Lukens in the San Gabriel Mountains, northeast of La Canada Flintridge — very close to the Eaton Fire — on Wednesday morning.
It is not only the winds creating dangerous conditions on Wednesday morning, it is also very dry.
In the last eight months, Los Angeles downtown has seen only 0.16 inches of rain. This makes May 6 to Dec. 31 the second-driest period on record.
-ABC News’ Max Golembo, Ginger Zee and Kenton Gewecke
Universal Studios Hollywood closed on Wednesday due to fires
Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal CityWalk will be closed on Wednesday due to extreme winds and fire conditions.
“We will continue to assess the situation and expect to open for business tomorrow. The safety of our team members and our guests is our top priority,” Universal Studios said in a statement on X.
Over 150,000 customers without power in LA County
At least 150,000 customers were without power as of 6:45 a.m. local time n Los Angeles County, according to poweroutage.us.
Extreme winds making wildfire fight ‘extremely difficult,’ fire chief says
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Battalion Chief Brent Pascua told “Good Morning America” Wednesday that the “extreme fire activity” and winds of the Palisades blaze is unlike anything he had ever seen.
“For the local residents that may be in the area that are thinking about evacuating, if it’s a thought, I would say do it,” Pascua said. “The earlier the better. Have that go bag ready, have that emergency plan ready with your family and execute it so you’re all safe.”
Extreme and “erratic” Santa Ana winds of up to 40 mph are exacerbating the situation, Pascua said. “That makes this fire fight extremely difficult,” he added.
The winds, Pascua added, are “spreading fire faster than our crews can get in front of it. Our most important priority is life safety. We’re trying to get everyone out of the way. That way we do not have anyone hurt or killed.”
Asked if he had ever seen such conditions, Pascua replied, “I have not.”
“I have seen a lot of Santa Ana fires get up to 40, 50 miles an hour,” he continued. “Last night I saw light poles being blown over, utility poles being blown over just from the wind, not even from the fire.”
Santa Ana winds expected to coincide with growing fires
A damaging Santa Ana wind event is set to continue through to Wednesday afternoon coinciding with several growing wildfires in the Los Angeles County area.
Wind gusts of up to 99 mph were recorded in the eastern San Gabriel Mountains, 98 mph in the Santa Monica Mountains and 84 mph at Hollywood Burbank Airport.
An “extreme” fire warning is currently encompassing Malibu, Burnbank, Simi Valley and San Fernando. A “critical” fire danger extends to the east of San Diego.
Los Angeles and Orange Country are subject to “Particularly Dangerous Situation” red flag warnings until 4 p.m. PST Wednesday.
Relative humidity levels also remain below 10% in the area. Los Angeles recorded its sixth driest October to December period on record to close out 2024.
Winds are expected to weaken and relative humidity to climb from Thursday into Friday.
-ABC News’ Max Golembo
Hurst Fire expands to 500 acres
The Hurst Fire in Sylmar had expanded to 500 acres as of 1:50 a.m. PT, per an update from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The fire northeast of San Fernando was at zero percent containment, Cal Fire said, with the cause of the blaze still under investigation.
-ABC News’ Marilyn Heck
Harris promises more support for California to fight ‘devastating’ fires
Vice President Kamala Harris said her “heart goes out to all those being impacted by the devastating wildfires in Southern California.”
In a Wednesday morning statement, Harris said she and her husband “are praying for our fellow Californians who have evacuated and we are thinking of the families whose homes, businesses and schools remain in harm’s way.”
“We are deeply grateful for the heroic first responders who are risking their own safety to fight the flames and help keep communities safe,” Harris added.
The vice president said she had been briefed on the situation and was receiving “regular updates” on the fires. “I am also urging residents in the affected areas to listen to local officials, remain vigilant and evacuate immediately if told to do so,” she added.
The White House is “committed to ensuring that no community has to respond to this disaster alone,” Harris said, noting the mobilization of federal resources to suppress the fires and assist those affected.
“As a proud daughter of California, I know the damage that wildfires have on our neighbors and communities,” Harris said.
“I also know that the impact is often felt long after the fire is contained. As we respond and as Californians recover, I will ensure that our administration is in constant contact with state and local officials.”
-ABC News’ Justin Gomez
James Woods recounts ‘losing everything at once’ in Palisades Fire
Actor James Woods documented the spread of the Palisades Fire into homes in the hills around Los Angeles on Tuesday, writing in posts to X that “all the smoke detectors are going off in our house” as the blaze approached.
“I couldn’t believe our lovely little home in the hills held on this long,” Woods wrote. “It feels like losing a loved one.”
“It tests your soul, losing everything at once,” he added.
-ABC News’ Marilyn Heck
1,400 firefighters deployed to ‘unprecedented’ fires, Newsom says
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said more than 1,400 firefighting personnel and hundreds of “prepositioned assets” have been deployed to battle the “unprecedented fires” ravaging parts of Los Angeles.
“Emergency officials, firefighters, and first responders are all hands on deck through the night to do everything possible to protect lives,” Newsom said in a post to X.
Hurst Fire burns 100 acres in Sylmar
The Hurst Fire — burning in Sylmar, north of San Fernando — expanded to 100 acres as of early Wednesday morning, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.
Santa Clarita City issued mandatory evacuation orders for four areas of the city — Newhall Pass, Wildwood, Eternal and Calgrove.
-ABC News’ Lissette Rodriguez
Los Angeles schools to close amid fire threat
The Los Angeles County Office of Education reported Wednesday school closures in 19 districts due to spreading wildfires and related weather conditions.
Among them was the Los Angeles Unified School District, which announced that six schools will close on Wednesday “due to the fire activity across the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area.”
In a statement, the district said Kenter Canyon Charter Elementary, Canyon Charter Elementary School, Marquez Charter Elementary School, Palisades Charter Elementary School, Paul Revere Charter Middle School and Topanga Elementary Charter School would all be closed.
Los Angeles’ Griffith Park will also be closed, while classes at the North Hollywood High School’s Zoo Magnet are cancelled, the district announcement said.
“Students at the six closed schools will pivot to continuity of learning where they will have access to academically enriching digital resources,” the district said.
Los Angeles Unified said it would “continue monitoring the situation” and, if necessary, extend online learning into Thursday.
“The high winds and red flag warnings will remain through Wednesday and Thursday,” it added.
“We urge everyone to be careful and cautious when commuting to school or work, especially in areas with extreme wind and heavy smoke. Please make the right decision for you and do not compromise your safety or security.”
Eaton Fire spreads to 1,000 acres
The fire that broke out at about 6:12 p.m. near Eaton Canyon in Pasadena had spread by midnight to about 1,000 acres, the Angeles National Forest said in an update.
-ABC News’ Marilyn Heck
Pasadena issues mandatory evacuation orders
The City of Pasadena issued mandatory evacuation orders for the area north of Orange Grove and Rosemead Boulevard, east of Lake Avenue and west of Michillinda Avenue as the nearby Eaton Fire continued to grow.
The city earlier said on its X account that those subject to emergency evacuation orders should go to the Pasadena Convention Center.
The Eaton Fire is burning in the hills northeast of the city, posing a direct threat to the northern suburb of Altadena.
Firefighter injured, ‘multiple’ people burned in Palisades Fire Erik Scott, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department, said that a 25-year-old female firefighter “sustained a serious head injury” during the response to the devastating Palisades Fire in Los Angeles County on Tuesday evening.
“She received immediate treatment at the scene and was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation,” Scott said in a statement posted to X.
Scott also said that “multiple burn victims” were identified “walking toward a nearby restaurant,” which he later identified as Dukes.
“Incident operations redirected medical resources to the location to provide evaluation and treatment,” he added.
-ABC News’ Marilyn Heck
Palisades Fire burning at 5 football fields per minute
With the winds picking up Tuesday evening, the Palisades Fire is burning at the rate of five football fields per minute, according to CalFire.
The winds around the fire are expected to increase to up to 80 miles per hour through the night.
Eaton Fire grows to 400 acres
The Eaton Fire is now at an estimated 400 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
“Firefighters are working aggressively to slow the spread and protect critical infrastructure under extreme conditions,” CalFire said in a statement.
Fifteen streets in Altadena are under mandatory evacuation.
LAFD summons off-duty firefighters to help combat multiple fires
The Los Angeles Fire Department called on all of its firefighters to report for duty on Tuesday night as multiple brush fires relentlessly raged on in Southern California.
In a post on X, the LAFD wrote, “All #LAFD members currently off-duty are to call [in] with their availability for recall.”
The summons came at approximately 6:30 p.m. local time.
New fire breaks out in eastern Los Angeles
A second fire broke out Tuesday evening, in Altadena, California, located in eastern Los Angeles County.
Fueled by rapid winds, the Altadena-based brush fire quickly grew from 10 acres to 200 acres in just 30 minutes.
The Eaton Fire prompted evacuations as high winds are set to continue overnight, the Angeles National Forest said in a post on X.
Biden urges residents to heed evacuation warnings
President Joe Biden is urging Los Angeles residents to heed evacuation warnings as two wildfires burn out of control.
Biden, who is in Los Angeles, was briefed twice throughout the day Tuesday as the flames spread and “encourages residents in the affected areas to remain vigilant and heed the warnings of local officials—especially if ordered to evacuate,” the White House said in a statement.
Biden traveled to California for a ceremony to designate two new national monuments.
Evacuation order issued in Santa Monica
The City of Santa Monica issued an evacuation order for all areas of the city north of San Vicente Boulevard.
There is an “Immediate threat to life” in the area due to the Palisades fire, the order warned.
Paul Bersebach/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images
(LOS ANGELES) — Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for MLB star Shohei Ohtani, is set to be sentenced Thursday on federal charges related to stealing nearly $17 million from the Dodgers player, nearly a year after the gambling controversy first surfaced.
Mizuhara, 40, admitted to fraudulently transferring the money from Ohtani’s account for more than two years to pay his gambling debts, including impersonating the athlete on two dozen occasions in calls to the bank, according to a plea agreement in the case.
Prosecutors called the scheme “deep” and “extensive” fraud and that Ohtani was “harmed substantially” by Mizuhara’s actions.
Mizuhara pleaded guilty last year to one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum of 30 years in prison, and one count of subscribing to a false tax return, which carries up to three years in prison. A sentence of 48 months was recommended by the probation officer.
Mizuhara, a permanent resident of the U.S., also faces a risk of deportation back to his native Japan upon completion of the federal sentence, prosecutors said.
Mizuhara asks judge for mercy
In a three-page letter to Judge John Holcomb filed ahead of Thursday’s hearing, Mizuhara asked for a “merciful and not punitive” sentence and set out to explain why he committed the fraud.
He described mounting financial stresses that he said led him to use an online sports betting website run by Mathew Bowyer starting in 2021. He said that due to his “ignorance to the gambling industry,” he did not realize it was an illegal gambling business until early 2024.
“Being desperate for money at the time, I stupidly thought this might be an opportunity to help myself out financially and started to use his website for sports betting. And before I knew it, the results were the complete opposite,” Mizuhara wrote. “My gambling debt had grown so much that I could not find any way to pay it but to use Shohei’s money … I felt terribly guilty about putting my hands on his money but this was the only solution I could think of at the time.”
Mizuhara also said that the offseason was “physically and mentally” harder while detailing some of his errands for Ohtani, such as driving him to trainings, taking his dog to the vet and fixing his bicycle — saying he had “almost no true days off.”
“I felt like I was getting severely underpaid but I was afraid to speak up for myself as I was on a one year contract every year and I didn’t want to upset them and end up getting fired,” he wrote.
Mizuhara said he hopes to use his experience to help others dealing with gambling problems. He also outlined the impact a prison sentence would have on his wife.
“I understand that I have made a decision that will impact my entire life and I am not making excuses for what I have done. I am not trying to justify my actions in any way. I am asking that you will look at me as a man and believe change can happen,” he said. “I don’t believe an apology will fix my wrong. I am prepared [to] accept my consequences. I am asking for a little mercy from the court concerning my sentence you will hand down.”
He lastly said he is “truly sorry” for violating Ohtani’s trust in him.
Defense, government make case for sentence
Mizuhara’s attorney asked the judge to impose an 18-month sentence, arguing in a memorandum that the interpreter was devoted to his work for Ohtani but suffers from a “longstanding gambling addiction, which was uniquely exacerbated by his grueling work and exposure to high-stakes bookmakers in the world of professional athletes.”
Mizuhara “made a terrible mistake as a result of his serious gambling addiction, an anomaly in an otherwise law-abiding life in which he was dedicated to his career as an interpreter for Mr. Ohtani and other baseball players,” his attorney, Michael Freedman, wrote.
The defense attorney also said Mizuhara’s reputation here and in Japan has been “irretrievably stained” and that he “will continue to suffer as a result of harm to his reputation and career in the global press and through certain deportation.”
Prosecutors, meanwhile, asked the court to impose a prison sentence of 57 months while disputing what they called “unsupported claims” by the defense on the extent of Mizuhara’s gambling problem and the financial problems he had said led him to Bowyer’s illegal sports betting business.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Mitchell wrote in a response to the defense’s sentencing filings that the government could find no proof of a long-standing gambling addiction, and that Mizuhara did not have “such a ‘tremendous debt’ that it forced him to steal millions of dollars from Mr. Ohtani, as he claims.”
Mitchell also questioned whether Mizuhara is “truly remorseful or whether they are just sorry they were caught” and highlighted portions of Mizuhara’s letter to the judge, in which he detailed his offseason duties for Ohtani.
“The government does not question defendant’s work ethic, but only his characterization of the work and his true intention,” Mitchell wrote. “Instead of using this opportunity to apologize and show true remorse, he has used it, in a public filing, to complain about his work and Mr. Ohtani.”
In addition to the prison sentence, the government asked for three years of supervised release, restitution of $16,975,010 to Ohtani and $1,149,400 to the IRS.
Sentencing comes nearly year after firing
Mizuhara worked with the Angels as Ohtani’s interpreter and then in the same capacity with the Dodgers, until the team fired him nearly a year ago, in March 2024, after the gambling controversy surfaced.
Ohtani addressed the scandal at the time during a press briefing, saying in a prepared statement through an interpreter, “I am very saddened and shocked that someone who I trusted has done this.”
Mizuhara pleaded guilty to the federal charges in June 2024.
According to the plea agreement, from November 2021 to March 2024, Mizuhara transferred nearly $17 million from the account to associates of the bookmaker in more than 40 wires without Ohtani’s permission.
Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers prior to last year, the richest deal in sports history.
Bowyer pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges for running an illegal gambling business that took unlawful sports bets from hundreds of customers, including Mizuhara, the Department of Justice said. He is scheduled to be sentenced in April.
Mizuhara also admitted in the plea agreement to falsely claiming that his total taxable income for 2022 was $136,865 when, in fact, he failed to report an additional $4.1 million in income.
“The source of the unreported income was from his scheme to defraud the bank,” the DOJ said, noting that he owes approximately $1,149,400 in additional taxes for the tax year 2022, plus additional interest and penalties.
His sentencing has been postponed several times after the defense asked for more time to prepare and for a forensic psychologist to complete a report about Mizuhara’s gambling.