Good evening, SoCal. We're wrapping up the day for you with the most important stories you need to know and your weather outlook.
Your Weather Planner
There were beautiful blue skies all around SoCal Tuesday, but it will give way to mid -and high-level clouds streaming up from the south by early evening through Wednesday morning.
Skies clear by the afternoon, and temperatures warm a little over Tuesday but will remain below average for most.
Tomorrow's Highs
Get your 7-day forecast: LA West | LA East | San Fernando Valley/Ventura County | Orange County
Today's Big Stories
1. Charges filed against couple accused in road-rage killing of Aiden Leos
The suspected gunman in a road-rage shooting that killed a 6-year-old boy on the Costa Mesa (55) Freeway was charged Tuesday with murder, while his girlfriend who was allegedly driving the car involved the roadway confrontation was charged with being an accessory to the crime.
Marcus Anthony Eriz, 24, and his girlfriend, Wynne Lee, 23, were arrested Sunday at their home in Costa Mesa following a weeks-long manhunt. Police said they recovered the weapon used in the May 21 shooting that killed young Aiden Leos. They also recovered the suspect vehicle, a white Volkswagen that was found at a Whittier home, reported to be that of Eriz's grandmother.
Eriz was charged Tuesday with murder and a felony count of discharge of a firearm at an inhabited dwelling, with sentencing enhancements for discharge of a firearm causing death. Lee was charged with a felony count of accessory after the fact and a misdemeanor count of having a concealed firearm in a vehicle.
Both made initial court appearances via video conference Tuesday afternoon, but their arraignment was postponed until June 18. Both defendants were originally being held on $1 million bail, but Orange County Superior Court Judge Larry Yellin tentatively increased Eriz's bail to $2 million, and dropped Lee's bail to $500,000.
2. COVID-19 vaccination site opening at Union Station
A COVID-19 vaccination site opened Tuesday at Union Station in an effort to equitably distribute vaccines and inoculate hard-to- reach communities with low vaccination rates.
The clinic will be open Mondays through Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the Union Station East Portal, which can be reached by taking the escalator to the top of the east portal, which faces the Patsaouras Bus Plaza.
The site will offer all three vaccines, with the Pfizer one available to anyone 12 years old or older. Minors will need a parent or guardian with them in order to receive a dose, according to LA Metro. The Johnson & Johnson and Moderna vaccines are available to people 18 years old and over.
Noting that the station is a "transit hub, not just for Los Angeles County but for all of Southern California," Garcetti said the station had 110,000 travelers pass through each day before the pandemic.
3. Police Chief says violent crimes continue to increase
Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore says violent crime continues to increase in Los Angeles.
He says 600 people have been victims of shootings in LA so far this year, compared to 378 last year, a 59% increase.
Homicides have increased by about 22% compared to this time last year, and the number of homicides involving gangs have increased 37% compared to last year and 49% compared to two years ago.
4. Trip Journal Day 2: Spending the night in Laredo
We’re spending our third night of the Driving the Border tour in Laredo, Texas. The charming town square is so close to Mexico that we can see the city of Nuevo Laredo from our hotel windows. The crossing was originally done by ferry, but is now accessible by bridge, making it one of America’s oldest border crossings with Mexico and the largest inland port of entry with our southern neighbor.
Laredo isn’t part of the lush Rio Grande Valley, but it is part of the western section of the Rio Grande Plains. Its narrow historic center streets are lined with houses, churches and other buildings, some of them dating back to the 19th century. Many of them are in need of renovation, but several, like our hotel, have been kept up and still serve as central pieces of the city.
Laredo’s population is overwhelmingly Hispanic at 95%, with a majority identifying as of Mexican descent. The strong Mexican influence, from language to architecture to the classic Mexican town square, is palpable here. Migration and cross-border trade have always played an important role in the city’s life and its economy.
Hoping to lure some revenue into the city’s ailing economy, Mayor Pete Saenz this month announced that Laredo has initiated a vaccine tourism package for Mexican citizens. The idea is for Mexican travelers to fly into the border city (there are commercial flights from Mexico City), get vaccinated and spend their money in the city, shopping and eating. (Texas does not require proof of residency to get a COVID-19 vaccine.)
5. Nun who ran Catholic school in Torrance to plead guilty to federal charges
A now-retired nun who was the principal of a Catholic elementary school in Torrance has agreed to plead guilty to fraud and money laundering charges involving the theft of more than $835,000 in school funds to pay for personal expenses, including gambling trips, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday.
Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, of Los Angeles, was charged Tuesday with one count each of wire fraud and money laundering. In conjunction with the criminal information, prosecutors filed a plea agreement in which Kreuper agreed to plead guilty to the two charges, which carry up to 40 years in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Kreuper has agreed to appear in federal court in Los Angeles for arraignment on July 1.
For a period of 10 years ending in September 2018, prosecutors allege Kreuper embezzled money from St. James Catholic School. As principal — a position she held for 28 years — Kreuper was responsible for the money the school received to pay for tuition and fees, as well as for charitable donations.
6. Biden-Capito infrastructure negotiations end without agreement
Negotiations on an infrastructure package between President Joe Biden and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito have broken down without reaching a consensus, the White House and the West Virginia Republican confirmed in separate statements Tuesday.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement that Biden spoke to Capito and informed her "that the latest offer from her group did not, in his view, meet the essential needs of our country to restore our roads and bridges, prepare us for our clean energy future and create jobs."
The president "offered his gratitude to her for her efforts and good faith conversations, but expressed his disappointment that, while he was willing to reduce his plan by more than $1 trillion, the Republican group had increased their proposed new investments by only $150 billion," Psaki continued.
President Biden will instead engage with a separate group of bipartisan lawmakers to try and reach a consensus on infrastructure, having already spoken to Sens. Sinema, D-Ariz., Cassidy, R-La., and Manchin, D-W.Va., on Tuesday.
Your Notes for Tomorrow
- DA George Gascón is scheduled to join criminal legal system experts and community members for a film screening and briefing hosted by the League of Women Voters of LA to call for a redesign of the misdemeanor system
- MLS Commissioner Don Garber is scheduled to be joined by LIGA MX Executive President Mikel Arriola, Mayor Eric Garcetti and LAFC Lead Managing Owner Larry Berg and other guests for "a special announcement"
- POTUS and FLOTUS head to London for G7 summit/meeting with Queen Elizabeth II
- Colonial Pipeline CEO virtually testifies to the House Homeland Security Committee during its continued hearing on cyber threats
- NCAA president testifies to the Senate Commerce Committee on athletes' name, image and likeness rights
- Tribeca Film Festival in New York
In Case You Missed It
Tulsa race massacre descendant discusses its impact 100 years later
This month marks the centennial of the Tulsa race massacre, one of the worst acts of racial violence in the history of the U.S.
Hundreds of Black residents of Greenwood, Oklahoma, were terrorized and murdered by white mobs who set fire to and destroyed homes and businesses in this once prosperous African American community.
In an interview for "LA Times Today," Nate Calloway — a direct descendant of one of the massacre victims — joined host Lisa McRee with more.