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Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Another right-wing White House aide from liberal Santa Monica?
When people analyze Stephen Miller's rise as a hard-right advisor to President Trump, they marvel that he could emerge from left-leaning Santa Monica. They see a political mutation. I see a throwback. That's because Miller is not the first polarizing advisor to a Republican president to emerge from the town at the western terminus of the 10 Freeway. It's the town that was once the political base of Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden and birthplace of one of California's most liberal rent control laws. But long before Miller (and that lefty tilt) came another Santa Monica High School graduate — John Ehrlichman, President Nixon's chief domestic policy advisor. Ehrlichman graduated with the Santa Monica High class of 1942, 61 years before Miller left the campus at 4th Street and Pico Boulevard. He, too, would come to be depicted as one of the villainous advisors to a controversial Republican president. But back in his day, Ehrlichman was less of an outlier. Republican-leaning homeowners and the town's right-of-center Evening Outlook newspaper dominated Santa Monica politics in the 1940s and '50s. The onetime Eagle Scout went from 'Samohi' (also my alma mater) to UCLA and Stanford Law School. During his time at UCLA, Ehrlichman befriended H.R. 'Bob' Haldeman, and the duo soon hitched their futures to another Southern Californian, Nixon. The former congressman and vice president lost in the 1960 presidential campaign and the 1962 California governor's race. When he finally took the White House in 1968, Haldeman and Ehrlichman followed, the former as chief of staff and the latter as another key member of Nixon's inner circle. Ehrlichman also helped Nixon cover up Watergate, the scandal that began to unravel when police caught burglars bugging Democratic Party campaign offices at the Watergate hotel, office and apartment complex in Washington. Ehrlichman's role in the scandal got him bounced out of the Samohi Hall of Fame, though sentiment about giving him the boot was not universal. Most students and residents said Ehrlichman had disgraced the school and deserved to go, according to a New York Times story in 1973. But some others said he should not lose his spot of honor in the Hall of Fame until he had been put on trial. A jury soon convicted Ehrlichman of obstruction of justice, conspiracy and perjury. He went to federal prison for 18 months. 'Although he went on to write novels, work with Native Americans and become involved in environmental issues, his role in Watergate continued to define and haunt him,' said his L.A. Times obituary in 1999, when he died at 73. And he never got back in the Santa Monica High School Hall of Fame, an honor bestowed on dozens of others, including Dodgers star Rick Monday, writer and comedian Sandra Tsing Loh and Olympic shot put gold medalist Parry O'Brien. Miller was also nominated for the Hall of Fame, during Trump's first term in office. But the board of the school's alumni association decided it was premature to judge the Republican, said alumni association President Phil Brock. 'We accept nominations from any Samohi graduate for another Samohi graduate for the Hall of Fame,' said Brock, who is also a past mayor of Santa Monica. 'I think it was premature to consider [Miller] at the time and I would still say that. Let's see how his lifetime accomplishments play out.' The Times' Deborah Vankin explores the luxury world of dog wellness in her latest story. Now we want to know how you pamper your furry best friends. Email us at essentialcalifornia@ and your response might appear in the newsletter this week. Today's great photo is from Times photographer Genaro Molina at the Los Angeles Zoo during a visit from some L.A. Unified migrant summer school students. The Trump administration wants to slash federal funding for programs supporting migrant children — including programs that allow some of California's most vulnerable children to visit the L.A. Zoo twice a week. Jim Rainey, staff writerDiamy Wang, homepage internIzzy Nunes, audience internKevinisha Walker, multiplatform editorAndrew Campa, Sunday writerKarim Doumar, head of newsletters How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@ Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on
New York Post
6 days ago
- New York Post
10-year-old Cub Scout knocked out of his shoes by deadly NJ lightning strike: ‘He's still in shock'
A 10-year-old Cub Scout is 'still in shock' after he was literally knocked out of his socks by the deadly lightning strike at a New Jersey archery range on Wednesday. Eleven boys and two girls from Jackson Cub Scout Pack 204 were learning to fire arrows at Black Knight Bowbenders when a bolt of lightning struck a tree near the shooting range at 7:13 p.m., according to the Jackson Police Department. 'I turn around and look, and there's bodies on the ground. Adults, kids, burns, just other parents and kids screaming,' Tom Coopey, father of scout Ryan, told CBS. Advertisement 4 10-year-old Cub Scout Ryan Coopey had his socks and shoes knocked off by the lightning strike Wednesday, leaving him with second-degree burns on his heels. CBS Ryan was knocked out of his socks and shoes by the blast, the father said, adding his don's footwear was torn to shreds by the force of the electric charge. The amateur arrow-slinger suffered second-degree burns on his heels from the strike and is recovering from the brush with death. Advertisement 'He's still in shock. Anxiety is still up,' Coopey told the outlet. Despite the scare, the dad relayed that Ryan will continue to pursue becoming an Eagle Scout. 4 Father Tom Coopey said the chaotic and deadly scene has not deterred Ryan from wanting to become an Eagle Scout. CBS Wednesday's lightning strike was so powerful that one person was shot up into a tree, witnesses told CBS. Advertisement Cooley, along with 14 others were injured, and 61-year-old instructor Robert Montgomery was killed by the strike. The Cub Scouts announced that all but one of the members taken to local hospitals were released as of Thursday, CBS reported. 4 Witnesses said the strike was so powerful that one person was shot up into a tree. CBS 'I thought it was a bomb. And that was it, I was on the ground,' Black Knight Bowbender instructor Mike Luster told CBS. Advertisement 'It knocked me to the ground, and I'm like, what happened? Am I dead?' Luster, a 25-year member of the Garden State archery institution, mourned the loss of his fellow instructor. 'I'm still shaken. I'm still very upset, crying. It should've been me. That was my position,' Luster said. 4 Black Knight Bowbenders lost 61-year-old volunteer Robert Montgomery during the tragic blast. CBS A benefit event for the first responders is currently being organized by Scout Troop 204, CBS reported.
USA Today
11-07-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Man charged with trying to assassinate Trump in Florida wants to represent himself
Ryan Routh, the man charged with trying to assassinate President Donald Trump in Florida before the 2024 election, is asking to represent himself in his September trial, which prosecutors say Routh wants to turn "into a circus." Florida federal trial Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee assigned to Routh's case, considered the request at a July 10 hearing, but hasn't issued a ruling. Routh was arrested Sept. 15, 2024, after a Secret Service agent allegedly saw him holding a rifle through a fence at the Trump International Golf Club. Trump was playing on the green about a hole behind Routh's location. Federal prosecutors initially brought gun charges against Routh, but later elevated his case with a charge of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate. Cannon has set aside two weeks starting Sept. 8 for Routh to have a jury trial. At the July 10 hearing to determine whether Routh's publicly financed lawyers would be terminated from the case, Routh reaffirmed to Cannon that he wanted to represent himself, according to an order she issued later that day. Routh, 59, is not a lawyer. He previously worked as a roofer and contractor, and has advocated on social media for Ukraine to get assistance in defending against Russia's invasion. Even as she considers his request, Cannon told Routh's lawyers to stick to their current responsibilities, including responding to a government request to keep certain evidence out of the trial. That request may become even more important to prosecutors if Routh is speaking and making arguments for himself at his trial. According to a July 8 motion from prosecutors, "Routh has been very explicit in his desire to turn this trial into a circus where his supposed good character is weighed against the President's." They say Routh has given them evidence that he wants jurors to hear that isn't relevant to whether he committed the alleged crimes. "He even has provided us with four-decades-old Eagle Scout applications," prosecutors said in their motion. Cannon said in her order that if she does allow Routh to represent himself, she will give him a chance to make his own arguments about the prosecution's motion. It's not the first high-profile case for Cannon, who previously dismissed a federal criminal case against Trump over his handling of classified documents. The Justice Department appealed that ruling, but then dropped its prosecution following Trump's November election victory. Contributing: Rick Jervis and Will Carless
Hindustan Times
16-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Who is Mitzi Perdue? Heiress of $12 billion Sheraton hotel empire still rides the subway
Mitzi Perdue, the 84-year-old heiress to not one, but two American business empires, Sheraton Hotels and Perdue Farms, is an anomaly in a world where wealthy individuals often show off their fortune through private jets and couture wardrobes. Perdue chooses hand-me-downs over designer threads and prefers fixing her old shoes to buying new ones. She could have spent her life floating above it all in first class. Instead, she stands firmly on the ground, living in a middle-class apartment and taking the subway like any regular commuter. And she insists it's not for show. In a recent interview with Perdue opened up about why she chooses a modest, service-oriented life despite her billionaire legacy. 'I'm unaware of getting praise for wearing really expensive clothes- you get praised like heck for being an Eagle Scout, or working for Habitat for Humanity. You get praise for serving others,' she says. Mitzi's story begins in 1941, as the fifth child of the Henderson family, the founders of the Sheraton hotel chain. She grew up during wartime in hand-me-downs and attended public school for a time before going on to earn a Harvard education. Her father, Ernest Henderson, passed away when she was in her late twenties, leaving her and her siblings with controlling stakes in the $12 billion hospitality business. Later, she married Frank Perdue, the man behind Perdue Farms, America's largest chicken producer which is now worth over $10 billion. The double inheritance could have easily led to a life of luxury. But Mitzi never saw wealth as a reason to stop working or contributing. She's had access to a sizable trust and immense privilege, yet she has always chosen to live simply. Her one-bedroom flat in Salisbury, Maryland, shares walls with nurses, police officers and even a few Perdue employees. The annual rent, she notes, is about the same as what her New York friends pay in a month. Mitzi could have stayed out of the spotlight, letting her wealth work quietly in the stock market. Instead, she leaned into agriculture. After buying land near the University of California, Davis, she managed a rice farm that supported research experiments. Later, she moved into journalism, covering farming practices and mental health. Then came the Ukraine war. In 2022, she started reporting on the conflict and sold her $1.2 million engagement ring to support humanitarian efforts. She now devotes time to developing an AI trauma therapist for Ukrainian victims in need of mental health care. Also read: Seeking unity, G7 meets amid escalating Ukraine, Middle East conflicts For all her travels, economy class remains her seat of choice. Even in New York City, she skips the black cars and rides the subway. 'If you're always going on private jets, what inkling do you have about the real world?' she asks. So why does a woman with unimaginable wealth choose frugality? For Mitzi, it's simple. A life of service brings her joy-far more than luxury ever could. She believes the key to sustaining a legacy lies in stewardship, not splurging. In both the Henderson and Perdue families, she says, the emphasis was always on looking after the wealth for the next generation. Mitzi may have inherited billions, but the way she lives suggests something richer: a deep understanding that meaning comes not from what you have, but from what you give. 1 Who is Mitzi Perdue?Mitzi Perdue is the heiress to both the Sheraton hotel empire and Perdue Farms. She is also a journalist, author, and philanthropist known for her modest lifestyle. 2 How is she connected to Sheraton and Perdue Farms?She inherited the Sheraton legacy through her father, Ernest Henderson, and married Frank Perdue, the man behind Perdue Farms. 3 Why does she live frugally despite her wealth?Perdue believes in service over indulgence. She says her family never encouraged extravagance and taught her to be a steward of wealth rather than a spender.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Yahoo
Veteran Found Dead in Cornfield After Leaving Home Without Phone, Wife Confirms
Jonathan 'Scotty' Roach, 43, went missing on Saturday, June 8, in Arlington, Tenn. Volunteers, Homeland Security, Emergency Management Agency, Shelby County Sheriff's Office patrol deputies, and search and rescue units searched for him in the following days His body was discovered in a cornfield on Thursday, June 12, around 1:45 p.m. local timeAn Iraqi War veteran who went missing on Saturday, June 8, was found dead, his wife told Action News 5. Jonathan 'Scotty' Roach, 43, was reported missing after he went for a walk on Saturday afternoon. When the father of two departed his house, he left his phone and truck behind. His body was discovered nearly a week later on Thursday, June 12, in a cornfield/wooded area near the 4000 block of Airline Road around 1:45 p.m., the Shelby County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) said, per Action News 5. SCSO patrol deputies, search and rescue units, Homeland Security, the county's Emergency Management Agency, and volunteers all aided the search. The SCSO said the body has not been formally identified by the medical examiner. However, Scotty's wife, Tracey, told the local news outlet that the body discovered is her husband's. It is still unknown the manner and cause of his death. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 'My husband is an Eagle Scout. He's 14 years Air Force, lots of training there,' Tracey told the outlet. 'He is white water rescue trained. He does kayaking, and nature is his place. At our home, we have bees, chickens, and a garden. That's where you'll find Scott, outside. That's his place where he processes all of the stuff that is going on.' 'There is a song by Adele that says, 'You feel like home, you sound like a song, you feel like a movie,' or something like that... that's my husband,' Tracey said. 'Very loving and compassionate.' 'We've been married 13 years, and he's never yelled at me one time, he's never said a bad word in our house, he's constantly there for people who need him,' she continued. 'There's nobody who meets him who doesn't fall in love with him.' A representative for the Shelby County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for more information on Friday. Read the original article on People
