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
Saturday will start off very cold again across the high deserts where Freeze and Frost advisories will expire by 9 a.m.
The rest of the day will be mild to warm from the coast to the desert.
Santa Ana winds may have ended, but smoke from the Mountain Fire in Ventura County may still linger in the air.
Tomorrow's Highs
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Today's Big Stories
1. Mountain Fire grows; several road closures in effect
Crews from Los Angeles and Orange counties and across the state are among the hundreds of firefighters working Friday to battle a massive wildfire in Ventura County that has forced thousands of people from their homes, left at least five people and one firefighter injured and destroyed more than 100 structures amid fierce Santa Ana winds.
As of 7:20 a.m. Friday, Cal Fire put the size of the blaze at 20,596 acres, with 7% containment and an estimated 11,768 structures threatened.
Ventura County fire officials announced Thursday evening that inspections of the burn area determined that 132 structures had been destroyed and 88 others were damaged.
About 10,000 people were evacuated. Evacuation shelters were set up at Padre Parish, 5205 Upland Road in Camarillo, for large animals at the Ventura County Fairgrounds at 10 E. Harbor Blvd. in Ventura, and for small animals at the Camarillo Airport at 600 Aviation Drive in Camarillo.
2. Beyoncé leads the 2025 Grammy noms, becoming the most nominated artist in the show’s history
Welcome to Beyoncé country. When it comes to the 2025 Grammy Award nominations, "Cowboy Carter" rules the nation. She leads the nods with 11, bringing her career total to 99 nominations. That makes her the most-nominated artist in Grammy history.
If Beyoncé wins the album of the year, she'll become the first Black woman to do so in the 21st century. Lauryn Hill last won in 1999 for "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill," joining Natalie Cole and Whitney Houston as the only Black women to take home the Grammys' top prize.
Post Malone also received his first ever nominations in the country categories this year, having released his debut country album "F-1 Trillion" in August. That one is up for country album and "I Had Some Help," his collaboration with Morgan Wallen, is nominated for country song and country duo/group performance. They are Wallen's first ever Grammy nominations.
Malone is just behind Beyoncé, with seven nominations, tied with Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar and Charli XCX, who earned her first nominations as a solo artist.
3. USC President Carol Folt to step down in July
USC President Carol Folt, who took over the university nearly five years ago to bring stability following a sweeping admissions scandal but came under fire last year like many other U.S. academic leaders during pro-Palestinian campus protests, announced Friday she will retire as president in July at the end of the academic year.
Folt joined USC in 2019 after leading the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for six years. She previously worked at Dartmouth College, where she served as interim president, provost, dean of faculty and a professor of biological sciences.
She was hired by USC at a time the university was reeling from a nationwide college-admissions cheating scandal that enveloped parents, athletic officials and coaches at various institutions, with students purportedly being admitted to colleges with athletic scholarships despite having never played their claimed sports.
The university had also been rocked by the criminal case involving longtime campus gynecologist George Tyndall, who was accused of sexual misconduct by hundreds of students. Many sued the university, contending campus leaders took no action in response to complaints about his actions. USC agreed to pay out hundreds of millions of dollars to settle class-action lawsuits against the university. The scandal led to the departure in 2018 of USC President C.L. Max Nikias.
4. LA County launches Office of Food Equity
A new county office focused on addressing the root causes of food-system issues in the greater Los Angeles area will be led by a former senior advisor to ex-LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, officials announced Friday.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors recently approved an initiative to form the Office of Food Equity, which will be a public-private partnership between the county, Annenberg Foundation, California Community Foundation and the Weingart Foundation.
According to the county, this multi-sector effort began in response to the global pandemic, when “tons of food from the supply chain went to waste and many farmers faced financial crisis even as vulnerable populations sought greater access to health and nutritious food.”
The Office of Food Equity will seek to improve affordable healthy food options, build market demand and consumption of nourishing food, and support more resilient food systems, officials said.
Your Notes for this Weekend
- On Saturday, U.S. premiere of “Wicked” movie adaptation starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande
- Shaquille O'Neal to be honored at Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards on Saturday
- World Freedom Day, which marks anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall (1989), is Saturday
- The MTV Europe Music Awards to take place Sunday
- Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards also set for Sunday
- Veteran’s Day is Monday
- 71st annual Presidential Armed Forces Full Honor Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and National Veterans Day in Arlington National Cemetery will take place Monday
- New York City Veterans Day Parade is also Monday
- All national parks have free entry to mark Veterans Day on Monday
- Calendar call hearing for Ryan Routh, charged with attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, is Monday
- U.N. Climate Change Conference is Monday
In Case You Missed It
LeBron James scores his age, but effort and results were lacking in Memphis
JJ Redick was not pleased as the Los Angeles Lakers dropped four of five games on their road trip, getting little help for LeBron James, who scored 39 points in their loss to the Grizzlies.
Could the shorthanded Lakers make some changes now that they’re back home?
Mike Trudell joins "Lakeshow" hosts Allie Clifton and Mike Bresnahan to discuss their level of concern from the unsuccessful trip and any changes that may be coming. Plus, they rank their top five NBA cities on the road.
Click the link above for the full episode.