The most important stories for you to know today
: In December, the U.S. National Park Service eliminated free admission for MLK Day and Juneteenth — two of the country’s major civil rights holidays. Instead, Trump added his own birthday, June 14, to the list of free admission days.
: Free entry is valid for one vehicle with no more than nine passengers. A full list of participating parks is. Visitors are encouraged to arrive early, pack out what they pack in when they leave, and follow ‘Leave No Trace’ principles to help protect park resources.: Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement that the Trump administration is attempting to whitewash civil rights history. “Dr. King taught us that ‘darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that,’” Newsom said. “I’m encouraging all Californians to get outside on MLK Day, spend time in nature, reflect on Dr. King’s legacy, and reaffirm our commitment to advancing civil rights for all.”In Newsom’s announcement, funding for free admission was made possible by the California State Parks Foundation –not taxpayer dollars.In L.A., there is no shortage of events to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, observed this year on January 19.honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. that will culminate with a performance by the Inner City Youth Orchestra of L.A., which is billed as the largest majority Black youth orchestra in the country.The orchestra will also perform at the Skirball Cultural Center on Saturday evening. The free event is already at capacity, but you can try your luck by signing up for the waitlistscavenger hunthonoring King that will culminate with a performance by the Inner City Youth Orchestra of L.A., which is billed as the largest majority Black youth orchestra in the country.The orchestra will also perform at the Skirball Cultural Center on Saturday evening. The free event is already at capacity, but you can try your luck by signing up for the waitlistCedric the Entertainer will be the grand marshal of this year’s official L.A. MLK Day Parade on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard between Western and Crenshaw avenues on. If you’re looking for a parade earlier in the weekend, you can head to Long Beach’s MLK Day parade onIn 1994, President Bill Clinton officially decreed MLK Day as a day of service. If you’re looking for opportunities to volunteer, grab free tickets to Monday’s. The move comes after the Trump administration eliminated MLK Day and Juneteenth from the list of days when it’s free to access national parks. There are 12 free state parks on the list in L.A. County, including Los Angeles and Will Rogers State Historic Parks, as well as Topanga and Malibu Creek State Parks. See the full listabout the tragic story of a terminally ill woman who killed her 18-year-old son, who’d been diagnosed with schizophrenia.It’s a carefully reported story by journalist Frank Shyong about a family, about the shame and stigma that can surround mental illness in Asian American communities, and how media portrayals of people with mental disorders can perpetuate harmful Shyong had some concerns when he was first approached about the idea of adapting the story into a narrative film, but found that it ended up"sort of completing the circle a little bit. It added parts to the story that I wanted to see depicted."tells the tragic story of Lai Hang, a terminally ill woman who killed her 18-year-old son George, who’d been diagnosed with schizophrenia. It’s a carefully reported story by journalist Frank Shyong about a family, about the shame and stigma that can surround mental illness in Asian American communities, and how media portrayals of people with mental disorders can perpetuate harmfulwas first approached about the idea of adapting the story he wrote into a narrative film, he had some “very intense” concerns about whether a film would get the story right. But after conversations with the filmmakers, and thinking through the potential value of telling fictionalized stories based on real-life events, Shyong says, “ I think I realized that my story was in a lot of ways incomplete.”, is finished. Directed by Eric Lin and written by Marilyn Fu, the film stars Lucy Liu as Irene, a character based on Hang, and Lawrence Shou as Joe, who’s based on George. And Shyong, who is credited as an executive producer and served as a consultant on the film, says “it’s sort of completing the circle a little bit” — fleshing out Hang and George as “full 360 degree human beings” and giving glimpses of how their story might have ended differently.happened, the breaking news coverage revealed the basics of what was known at the time — that a woman had fatally shot her son in a Rosemead motel and turned herself in. “ I think a lot of people probably realized there was more story there,” Shyong says. But the only person who knew the details, Hang’s longtime friend Ping Chong, had declined to talk to the media. Still, Shyong kept following up because the court records hinted at a story that he thought should be told. The court records revealed that Hang had been dying of cancer, and that Chong continued to visit her after she turned herself in, performing Buddhist rituals for her. “Just knowing those two facts,” Shyong says, “and knowing Asian American families, and how complete and terrifying the sense of responsibility that a parent can feel toward a child, I just thought there's gotta be something there.” He would visit Chong’s shop, a traditional Chinese pharmacy, leaving notes for her and talking to her about why he wanted to know more. And he gained her trust. ”You just have to say, ‘This is story I think is here. And do you think that story is true? And if so, can you help me tell it?’ And that's all I did,” Shyong says. “I think that's all any journalist ever does.”. “When you are a caregiver in these communities,” Shyong says, “you can find and name a tragic story like this in probably every zip code.”Shyong’s article ends with this poignant quote from Chong, about her friend: “People will only know her as the mother who killed her son But she was more.” The piece itself goes a long way toward dispelling Chong’s concern, including details about Hang’s life — that she was a talented graphic designer, that she was “beautiful, smart and ambitious,” that she’d lost her husband to cancer, and that she deeply cared about her son. But “in this case fiction,” Shyong says, “could give closure to characters in a way that I couldn't in reality. It could tell the fullness of this family story.” The film shows Liu’s character Irene having fun with her son at the beach, and joining his therapy sessions at the urging of a psychiatrist, despite being visibly uncomfortable doing so. It shows George with his friends, who come to visit him after he has an intense schizophrenic episode at school. The sound design gives a sense of what it’s like to experience schizophrenia, and a part of the film where Joe runs away shows how quickly a boy with a mother and friends who care about him can become an unhoused person who someone might fear on the street. Ultimately, the film ends on a note of hope, which grew out of something that Shyong learned from Chong after the article was published. In a way that he couldn’t do in print, “It added parts to the story that I wanted to see depicted.”If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.covers Orange County and its 34 cities, watching those long meetings — boards, councils and more — so you don’t have to.The Anaheim Ducks had a 9-game losing streak before they finally beat the Dallas Stars 3-1 Tuesday night. Social media has been awash with fans blaming the removal of the beloved Wild Wing statue for the team’s losing streak.“I mean, sure, it’s an inanimate object.... but they took it down mid December, and the team hasn't looked right since. Obviously, this is the problem... right?,” one person wrote on Reddit.The bronze statue was temporarily removed from its perch in front of the Honda Center as construction ramped up for the OCVibe project, a 92-acre, $4 billion entertainment expansion project around the Honda Center.The Anaheim Ducks had a 9-game losing streak before they finally beat the Dallas Stars 3-1 Tuesday night. There must be a plausible, sensible reason for the losing streak right? Well, social media has been awash with fans blaming the removal of the beloved Wild Wing statue for the team’s losing streak. “I mean, sure, it’s an inanimate object.... but they took it down mid December, and the team hasn't looked right since. Obviously, this is the problem... right?,” one person wrote on Reddit.“My delusions will allow me to believe anything at this point,” someone else chimed in.So, what happened to the beloved duck? The bronze statue was temporarily removed from its perch in front of the Honda Center as construction ramped up for the OCVibe project, a 92-acre, $4 billion entertainment expansion project around the Honda Center. “It’s not goodbye. It’s see you later,” the Ducks posted on social media. “As progress continues for OCVIBE and renovations at Honda Center, the Wild Wing statue located outside of the Team Store will be temporarily relocated …. The statue will return to OCVIBE as construction nears completion.". The Honda Center's South Plaza is expected to be finished in 2027, though the full project won't be done until at least 2029.And I had to kick every flagpole every time I walked to the Coliseum to watch the USC Trojans play.California law S.B. 1137, which required a safety buffer zone of 3,200 feet around homes and schools for new oil and gas drilling, was suspended after the petroleum industry collected enough signatures in a petition campaign to place a referendum on the 2024 general election ballot. The bill was originally signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom last year and also banned new drilling near parks, health care facilities, prisons and businesses open to the public.The Trump administration is suing California over a law that prevents oil and gas drilling within 3,200 feet of homes, hospitals and schools — the latest in the power struggle between the state and federal government over energy rights.Filed Wednesday by the Department of Justice, the complaint argues that a law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2022 — SB 1137 — violates longstanding federal law allowing the government to lease public lands for oil, gas, coal, and other minerals. The law, which creates one-kilometer “health-buffer zones” around “sensitive spaces,” according to the California Department of Conservation website, will shut down one-third of all federally authorized oil and gas leases in the state.The guidelines were developed based on recommendations from a 15-person expert panel to effectively protect residents from harmful emissions. About 8% of California’s population lives within this distance to an oil or gas well. Low-income people are disproportionately affected by resulting health risks. Anthony Martinez, a spokesperson for Newsom said,"SB 1137 creates a science-based buffer zone so kids can go to school, families can live in their homes, and communities can exist without breathing toxic fumes that cause asthma, birth defects, and cancer.”The Trump administration is suing California over a law that prevents oil and gas drilling within 3,200 feet of homes, hospitals and schools — the latest in the power struggle between the state and federal government over energy rights. The complaint, filed Wednesday by the Department of Justice, argued that a law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2022 —The law, which creates one-kilometer “health-buffer zones” around “sensitive spaces,” according to the California Department of Conservation website, will shut down one-third of all federally authorized oil and gas leases in the state.“The Trump administration just sued California for keeping oil wells away from elementary schools, homes, day cares, hospitals, and parks. Think about that,” said Anthony Martinez, a spokesperson for Newsom. The Valero Benicia Refinery in Benicia, on May 8, 2025, which processes up to 170,000 barrels of oil a day, making gasoline, diesel, and other fuels for California. Valero plans to shut down the Benicia refinery by April 2026, citing high costs and strict environmental rules. “SB 1137 creates a science-based buffer zone so kids can go to school, families can live in their homes, and communities can exist without breathing toxic fumes that cause asthma, birth defects, and cancer.”the Justice Department to target state laws that banned or limited the production of energy, “particularly oil, natural gas, coal, hydropower, geothermal, biofuel, critical mineral, and nuclear energy resources”. Trump has claimed that increasing the use of these resources domestically will make energy more affordable, and has said his administration is committed to “unleashing American energy.” “This is yet another unconstitutional and radical policy from Gavin Newsom that threatens our country’s energy independence and makes energy more expensive for the American people,” U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said. “In accordance with President Trump’s executive orders, this Department of Justice will continue to fight burdensome regulations that violate federal law and hamper domestic energy production — especially in California, where Newsom is clearly intent on subverting federal law at every opportunity.”, passed in 1920. The law’s text states: “Prior to issuance of any coal lease, the Secretary shall consider effects which mining of the proposed lease might have on an impacted community or area, including, but not limited to, impacts on the environment, on agricultural and other economic activities, and on public services.” President Donald Trump arrives to deliver remarks about American energy production during a visit to the Double Eagle Energy Oil Rig on July 29, 2020, in Midland, Texas. Kassie Siegel, director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute, suggested the Trump administration was working on behalf of the oil lobby, which “Big Oil backed down from their deceitful referendum campaign because Californians wouldn’t stand for it,” Siegel said. “This is a last-ditch attempt to overturn the law’s critical health protections. I’m confident this historic law will stand.” Siegel added that if the Trump administration’s attempt to strike down California’s law is successful, it would set a “terrible precedent” for environmental protections nationwide.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Xbox Makes 4 Huge Games Free For 48 Hours, No Game Pass NeededAustin King is ScreenRant Gaming's Senior Editor and has been working for the site since 2020. He's the author of several books and a podcast host.
Read more »
LaMelo Ball says the Hornets are in a 'free-flow state' after beating the LakersCharlotte's young core impressed, leading to an 18-point win over the Lakers.
Read more »
MLK Day 2026: Free entry announced for 200+ California State ParksCalifornia Governor Gavin Newsom waives fees at 200+ state parks for MLK Day 2026, offering a free alternative to new entry fees at federal National Parks.
Read more »
Where to watch #1 Penn State vs. #4 Iowa wrestling tonight on free streams, TVCael Sanderson and a loaded, top-ranked Penn State wrestling team hit the road in Big Ten action Friday night for a matchup with the No. 4 Iowa Hawkeyes.
Read more »
There’s a Key Reason Why Trump Hasn’t Invoked the Insurrection Act YetThe president’s position is an extraordinary threat to free speech and state sovereignty.
Read more »
Free admission to California state parks Monday for MLK DayCity News Service is one of the largest regional news services in the country, serving the Southern California region.
Read more »