USC shows a sense of humor
Tomo Chien
April 03, 2025
Good morning. It’s Thursday, and I’m reading about every Cheesecake Factory in Los Angeles, ranked. Onto the five USC, LA, and California stories you need to know for today.
1.
USC apparently opted not to punish pranksters Levi Elias and Josh Wolk, and instead temporally disabled their USC accounts, wiped the fake announcement from school servers, then put out a cheeky statement. “This was a clever April Fool’s joke,” a spokesperson said. “Campus can participate in the real USC presidential process by taking the survey.”
2.
Just when it seemed like the prank couldn’t get any better, it did. KTLA fell for the email in an early-morning TV segment, then later had to walk it back. “We have to correct a story we reported to you earlier,” the anchor said. “Rick Caruso is not going to be the next president of USC.”
3.
LA County took the first step toward creating a registry of elderly and disabled residents, a database that could in theory help first responders evacuate them faster during natural disasters. The move is a response to January’s wildfires, where the median age of those killed was 77 and at least a third suffered physical impairments.
4.
Xavier Becerra, the former health secretary under Joe Biden, joined California’s crowded race for governor. Notably, he said he won’t drop out if Kamala Harris — who is considering her own campaign — decides to run for the office in 2026, potentially setting up a testy contest between two high-profile Democrats who once served in the same cabinet.
5.
The Trump tariffs aren’t the only thing hiking prices this week. A new LA County sales tax that’s meant to fund homeless services went into effect Tuesday, thanks to a ballot measure voters approved in November. The precise increase varies by city, but you can expect to pay an extra 25 to 75 cents for every $100 you spend.
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