USC blames athletics, health system, for deficit
Tomo Chien
February 09, 2026
Good morning. It’s Monday, and these are the five USC, Los Angeles, and California stories you need to know for today.
1.
USC said last year’s $195 million operating deficit was driven by shortfalls in athletics, the health system, and administrative operations, in a new report. Other highlights: USC issued roughly $14 million more in institutional scholarships than it did last year, while the health care system saw its first decrease in revenue since 2020.
2.
The LAPD identified the man who officers fatally shot in Exposition Park last week as 39-year-old Holman Gomez. Police said that Gomez pointed an air rifle at officers — not a firearm, as some media reports initially suggested. Air rifles can cause fatal injuries, depending on the model.
3.
Nithya Raman, the progressive LA City Council member, shocked the city’s political circles this weekend when she announced she’s running for mayor. The entry by Raman — a rising star who has been compared to Zohran Mamdani — shook up a race that had appeared all but settled for the incumbent, Karen Bass.
4.
It’s no secret that students are using AI to cheat on homework. But Clay Shirky, vice provost at NYU, argues there’s a more pernicious problem: “emotional offloading.” “Students are using the tools not just to reduce effort on homework but also to avoid the stress of an unscripted conversation with a professor,” Shirky wrote.
5.
A beloved LA taqueria landed a cameo in Bad Bunny's halftime show. Villa’s Tacos, which has locations in Highland Park and Grand Central Market, appeared toward the start of the Super Bowl performance. “This one is for all the immigrants who paved the way before us to make this moment possible,” the taqueria wrote on Instagram.
