Teams outshine competition from 47 states and the District of Columbia to win the National ProStart Invitational 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The culinary and restaurant management stars of tomorrow took center stage this weekend at the 2025 National ProStart® Invitational hosted by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation The high school students showed off their talent and skills with the San Dimas High School team from San Dimas winning first place in the culinary competition and Chalmette High School team from Chalmette taking first place in the restaurant management competition More than 400 of the nation's best and brightest culinary and restaurant management students on 96 teams from 47 states and the District of Columbia competed for top billing and their share of $200,000 in scholarships The 2025 National ProStart Invitational theme and dedication of the competitors who have spent the school year preparing for competition Teams earned their spot in the national showdown after winning their respective state level competitions The San Dimas High School team won the culinary competition by creating and executing three menu-ready recipes that included detailed cooking instructions and menu cost analysis and analyzed by a panel of industry judges Their menu included an appetizer of pan seared Chilean sea bass resting in a coconut and chive oil broth; an entre of lamb strip loin with truffle pommé puree and blueberry port wine sauce featuring a brûléed poached shallot and salad; and coconut mouse encased in a chocolate shell for dessert The Chalmette High School team captured the national title in the restaurant management segment presenting and defending their La Strada concept that honors the Sicilian lineage that has shaped the greater New Orleans' culinary scene for over a century Their menu is filled with dishes centered on simplicity and po'boys for lunch and table-side pasta prepared in a Parmigiano Reggiano cheese wheel at dinner The restaurant also has a strong social good component supporting their community with food drives and sponsored community refrigerators and pantries across their area The restaurant is also committed to reducing waste and supporting a greener future through sustainable operations practices During their hour-long presentation to a panel of industry professionals the students pitched their full business plan "The National ProStart Invitational competition is a tremendous spotlight on our nation's most talented restaurant culinary and management students," said Michelle Korsmo president & CEO of the National Restaurant Association and CEO of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation "ProStart students have talent, skills and dedication and the restaurant industry can offer them unlimited opportunities in the more than 70 career paths among the more than 200,000 jobs added in the restaurant industry each year These students are a clear indication that the future of the restaurant industry is bright."  "As America's second-largest private sector employer and a places where millions of people gather and eat restaurants rely on the kind of innovation and teamwork displayed by ProStart competitors this weekend," said Rob Gifford president of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation "I can't wait to watch how these young culinarians and business minds continue to burn bright no matter where their futures take them."   Following are the top five teams in the culinary and restaurant management competitions: Maynard Teacher of the YearIn addition to culinary and restaurant management competition winners the ProStart educator at Worcester Technical High School in Newark the award is part of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation ProStart Educator of Excellence program which recognizes the country's top educators who demonstrate classroom excellence and an unparalleled commitment to helping their students make the most of the program's opportunities ProStart – the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation's nationwide career and technical education program – has equipped more than 1 million high school students with career-ready culinary and restaurant management skills the program is designed to equip students with restaurant-specific certifications and competencies over 400 hours of practical work experience and access to restaurant and hospitality apprenticeship and scholarship opportunities Students complete the ProStart program ready to join a professional kitchen or advance to higher education the program reaches 222,000 students at 2,200 schools The 2025 National ProStart Invitational was made possible by many donors and sponsors About ProStart®ProStart® two-year high school career and technical education program uniting the classroom and restaurant industry reaches nearly 222,000 students at almost 2,200 high schools throughout all states ProStart gives students a platform to discover and develop new interests and talents while teaching employability skills like teamwork SOURCE National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation is proud to celebrate National Apprenticeship Day alongside the U.S The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) will expand its restaurant and hospitality focused training Restaurants Education Food & Beverages Awards Do not sell or share my personal information: https://youtu.be/LofU0m8OsJ4 Every second counts during an emergency response emergency vehicles rely on drivers to do their part and clear the… See the most recent messages from LASD - San Dimas Station, Los Angeles County Sheriff, powered by Nixle Sign up to receive messages by email & text message The primary Mission of Parking Enforcement Detail (PED) is to ensure the residents of the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County are provided with expeditious vehicle movement to help alleviate parking congestion improve the availability of parking choices and to assist the communities in addressing all parking related matters apportion scarce parking spaces for all legitimate vehicles by insuring those who violate parking regulations are properly addressed through the California Vehicle Codes (CVC) the Los Angeles County Vehicle Codes (LACoVC) and other various municipal codes Each Los Angeles County Sheriff's Station has a Parking Enforcement unit Please visit the Stations page to find your local Sheriff's Station Station Locations Please visit the LA county Sheriff's Department Pay by web site Pay by web For more street services in LA County please report your problem here: Public Works Los Angeles County To contact the proper Sheriff's station for your parking concerns and to send an email request for service; first determine who services your address by entering the area location address and click the "Find" button San Dimas Sheriff’s Station is one of seven stations within Field Operation Region III The station encompasses approximately 276 square miles in its patrol area In addition to serving the City of San Dimas the station serves the unincorporated communities of Azusa and a large portion of the Angeles National Forrest The population for the areas policed by San Dimas Station is approximately one hundred and five thousand (105,000) nearly sixty-nine thousand (69,000) in the unincorporated areas and more than thirty-six thousand (36,000) in the City of San Dimas San Dimas Sheriff’s Station is located in the eastern portion of Los Angeles County adjacent to the cities of La Verne and Pomona The station serves the City of San Dimas and the unincorporated communities of Covina The station also provides law enforcement for the Azusa Canyon and Mount Baldy areas of the Angeles National Forest (State Route 39) Traeger assisted in the establishment of the original San Dimas Sheriff’s Station to serve the fruit growers and poultry raisers in the eastern section of Los Angeles County The first station consisted of a large frame house located on San Dimas Avenue near downtown a new “modern” Sheriff’s station opened on the same site San Dimas became the 70th city to incorporate and contracts with the Sheriff’s Department and the Los Angeles County Fire Department for law enforcement and fire services the Walnut Sheriff’s Station opened in the City of Walnut (located approximately 8 miles S/W of San Dimas) The command of San Dimas Sheriff’s Station was then consolidated with that of Walnut Sheriff’s Station San Dimas Sheriff’s Station opened a new station and it is currently under the command of Captain Don Slawson San Dimas Sheriff’s Station is noted for its outstanding Mountain Rescue Team which performs technical rescues and searches in the rugged terrain of the nearby Angeles National Forest consists of highly trained and dedicated men and women volunteers and Reserve Sheriff’s Deputies They currently respond to an average of seven rescue calls per month involving lost hiker searches and rescues of injured persons The station is also supported by Patrol and Posse Reserve Units San Dimas Sheriff’s Station has a fully staffed Detective Bureau which investigates burglaries The city of San Dimas contracts for three Special Assignment Deputies who are also bicycle patrol certified They provide specialized “problem-oriented policing,” which addresses quality of life issues within the city of San Dimas A crime prevention officer coordinates Business and Neighborhood Watch Programs It’s a proven fact that if graffiti is quickly removed the offender is less likely to tag in that area again All area cities try to remove graffiti as quickly as possible The following phone numbers apply to the areas near San Dimas To report graffiti in public rights-of-way within city limits Please provide the following information: The address where the graffiti is located – For example “125 E College St.” or “At the intersection of Main St The location of the graffiti (be as detailed as possible) – For example “On the south-west block wall,” or “On the stop sign facing east.” Your phone number – This information is needed in case the graffiti removal staff needs more information For graffiti found on private property or property not owned or maintained by a municipality or they may contact the property owner with a request to remove it Unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County  (800) 675-4357 Railroad Tracks or easement – Metrolink (909) 392-4427 basins or washes – LA County Flood Control (626) 458-4091 Public school property – contact the appropriate school district office Gated community – contact the HOA or property management firm shopping centers – contact the owner or property manager Waste Management – Any vandalized WM containers may be reported to 800-796-9696 between the hours of 8 a.m Annual Overnight parking permits are available from the San Dimas City Hall for residents who cannot accommodate all their registered vehicles in the available parking spaces on their property Temporary overnight parking permits are available for residents and guests who wish to leave vehicles parked on city streets between 2-5 a.m can be obtained from San Dimas City Hall or automated permit machines Automated permit machines are located outside of the San Dimas Sheriff Station at 270 S Walnut Avenue and at Century 21 at 1100 Via Verde Av contact the city’s Parking Division at (909) 394-6210 The San Dimas Station offers free vacation security checks for residents a deputy or Volunteer on Patrol will check your home for broken windows Woodbridge players and coaches celebrate after winning the Ryan Lemmon Invitational Wednesday night Woodbridge High School’s baseball team captured a tournament championship Wednesday night defeating San Dimas 8-4 in the final on a chilly night at the Great Park stadium But it’s not just any tournament title the championship of the 2025 Ryan Lemmon Invitational was extra special for the players and because of who the tournament is named after an All-CIF Woodbridge outfielder who died in a traffic accident in 1994 The tournament has had a few different names and sponsors but it was eventually named in the memory of Ryan Lemmon Ryan Lemmon’s father and tournament director Dick Owens “I’ve actually been a part of the final three times,” said Woodbridge Coach Ryan Brucker who used to play at Irvine “Once as a player with Coach (Bob) Flint and we lost in the final and two years ago we lost to El Modena so I guess the third time is a charm.” Woodbridge won the spring tournament when it was called the OC Nissan Classic defeating El Modena 4-3 under Coach Tim Murray in 2010 Woodbridge lost to Palm Desert in 2011 in the tournament final and to El Modena 7-1 in 2022 under Brucker “San Dimas is always a good team and coming in we would have to play well tonight to be able to win I’m really happy with how we performed throughout the whole tournament,” Brucker said “To get this one and win the invitational and we’re the host school is the first one for me but the first one for the school since it’s been the Ryan Lemmon Invitational I’m old enough to remember Ryan Lemmon when he played at Woodbridge this means a lot to our team and the school and our Woodbridge community so it’s a pretty neat thing.” DeMarco hit .636 during the week with nine RBI and on Wednesday was 3 for 4 with three runs scored and four RBI one coming in Woodbridge’s five-run third inning when the Warriors moved ahead 5-0 San Dimas cut the lead to 5-1 in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Jayden Medina But the Warriors countered in the fifth inning on DeMarco’ s two-run double driving in Caden Camacho and Nolan Stottlemyer he’s really come alive at the bat,” Brucker said of DeMarco capping a week in which the Warriors (14-5) went 4-0 “I’m really honored to be the MVP,” he said after receiving the trophy from Guy Lemmon Alex Johnson (starting pitcher) shoved on the mound for five or six innings that’s all we can ask out of a guy and Kyle Underwood did a great job coming in and closing it out it’s the middle of the season and I’m just really stoked for the team.” going 2 for 3 with two runs scored capping a week in which he batted .600 “We play at Ryan Lemmon Stadium every day and just being able to win this tournament is just so huge for these guys,” Stottlemyer said “I think we’re going to rally past it and make a good run this year We represent it (the Ryan Lemmon name) every day and I feel like we really showed it today.” Caden Camacho had a big game as well going 2 for 4 with two runs scored and an RBI single in the third inning Henry Uhrik also reached on a bad-hop single that scored two runs in the third inning and Nevan Namgoong had a double in the inning Johnson (4-2) pitched the first 5 2/3 innings allowing four runs three coming in the sixth inning when San Dimas cut the lead to 7-4 San Dimas (10-6) got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Jayden Medina a hit batter and a balk to score three runs and cutting the lead to 7-4 in the sixth inning Woodbridge moved out to an 8-4 lead in the seventh went to second on a wild pitch and scored on DeMarco’s RBI single Reliever Kyle Underwood came on in the sixth inning and got out of the jam striking out Jason Almeda to end the inning then pitched a scoreless bottom of the seventh to earn the save “Alex Johnson gives a good performance a really strong performance for him and he’s just getting better every time he goes out there,” Brucker said “I think the sky is the limit for these guys they’re a young team and they’re starting to come together and we’re hoping to make a run in league.” The Aquinas High School boys basketball team etched its name into the record books on March 1st, capturing the CIF-Southern Section Division 3A championship with a hard-fought victory over San Dimas at Toyota Arena The win marks the Falcons’ first CIF title since 2021 and the first under head coach Daryl Pegram “This season has been all about consistent growth,” Pegram said Despite entering the playoffs with a 16-16 record Aquinas battled through a challenging postseason proving that early-season adversity helped prepare them for the championship stage The Falcons finished second in league play behind Arrowhead Christian Academy but turned their season around when it mattered most “We played a lot of Division 1 and 2 schools early in the year it helped us get ready for league and the playoffs,” Pegram said “Competing against high-level teams put us in a position to succeed when it counted.” Led by standout seniors Laron Hall and Malachi Jones the Falcons delivered a championship performance backed by a strong sense of unity both on and off the court “Our first goal was to win the league title and we had the opportunity to accomplish that this past Saturday,” Pegram said “But the ultimate goal is always about growth and development and this team has truly embraced that mindset.” The championship journey was bolstered by unwavering school spirit with the Aquinas community rallying behind the team widely regarded as one of the best in the Inland Empire packed the stands alongside dedicated parents and fellow student-athletes and we easily have the best student section in the Inland Empire,” Pegram said “The baseball and football teams come out to support us and we’re fortunate to have such a committed parent group It’s a blessing to be part of a school where there’s that level of support.” highlighted the emotional impact of the team’s journey it’s been incredible to watch the energy at these games,” Williams said “There’s so much excitement and passion from the players You can really feel how much effort and heart these kids are putting into every game.” She credited teamwork and coaching as key factors in the Falcons’ success and trust one another and the coaching staff,” Williams added “It’s not just about individual talent; it’s about teamwork Watching them grow together and achieve these victories has been such a rewarding experience.” In recognition of their historic achievement Pegram is requesting the City Council to honor the team at its upcoming meeting Patricia Ortiz to celebrate the championship and asked the mayor’s office to prepare certificates for the players Aquinas was one of only three Inland Empire schools to compete in a CIF-SS championship game this season The championship victory reinforces Aquinas’ standing as a formidable basketball program and sets the stage for continued success under Pegram’s leadership The Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority has announced the substantial completion of the A Line’s extension to Pomona The $1.5-billion project includes 9.1 miles of new track and four stops in Glendora Five years of construction have also brought about new bridges "The Kiewit-Parsons team did an outstanding job designing and constructing the light rail project despite significant and unprecedented challenges," said the Construction Authority's chief executive officer Habib F "It is unusual for a large infrastructure project to come in on time and on budget but KPJV was partners with the Construction Authority from the start and found ways to innovate and keep the project moving through the COVID-19 Pandemic I am pleased to say that we not only completed the project on time and on budget - we ended as partners." Next up for the project is testing by Metro, with final approvals to be granted by the California Public Utilities Commission. An opening date for the project has not been announced, though it is anticipated in either July or August the A Line will officially span 49 miles between Pomona and Downtown Long Beach With 44 stations and a route that also travels through Pasadena and Downtown Los Angeles the A Line is already the longest light rail line in the world It is also expected to grow even longer in the years to come. Last year, state transportation officials announced the release of $500 million in previously frozen funds for the next phase of the Foothill Extension which calls for the construction of an additional 3.2 miles of track with stops in Claremont and Montclair Those elements were cut from the current extension due to swelling construction costs but are now expected to commence work before the end of 2025 An extension to Montclair is also notable in that it will make the A Line the first in the Metro rail network to reach outside of Los Angeles County borders into neighboring San Bernardino County. The Daily News reports that San Bernardino County is prepared to spend $80 million to pay for the one mile of new rail which would be located within its borders Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn / Threads / Instagram / Bluesky San Dimas Mountain Rescue Team is recruiting new members and will host free informational sessions Saturday Image/courtesy of San Dimas Mountain Rescue Team San Dimas Mountain Rescue Team, the volunteer search and rescue team overseen by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department SDMRT has served Eastern Los Angeles County the San Gabriel Mountains and surrounding areas since 1955 Applications for the class of 2025 are due Friday The team does search and rescue missions for missing or injured hikers and car accident victims in the mountains; provides evacuation assistance during fires and floods; and rescue missions in technical situations and have the opportunity to become reserve deputy sheriffs and emergency medical technicians No experience is needed and training is provided be a full-time student or have steady employment and be able to pass a background investigation Mountaineers should also be able to work well under intense pressure and a commitment to a rigorous training program and ongoing training “Team members continuously train in search and tracking helicopter extraction and other types of evacuation techniques Informational meetings will be held from 4 to 6 p.m Learn more at sdmrt.com You must be logged in to post a comment © 2024 Claremont CourierAll Rights Reserved Print Edition Latest News Obituaries City Government Homes & Apartments Police Blotter Real Estate News Privacy Policy Subscribe / Renew the La Cañada High School Spartans Varsity Boys Basketball team secured an impressive victory in the Glendora Tournament Facing off against the San Dimas High School Saints from San Dimas the Spartans showcased their skill and determination winning the game with a final score of 63-48 This strong performance further highlighted the Spartans’ competitive edge as they continue their season in pursuit of further successes La Cañada High School, 4463 Oak Grove Drive, La Cañada, (818) 952-4200 or visit www.lchsspartans.net Learn more about the Pasadena area's finest private schools Clockwise from left: A barn owl sits in its cage; a poster of owls; Olivia Miseroy holds an animal ambassador barn owl named Ghost Schaben / Los Angeles Times) As I turned the corner around a walled-off enclosure at a nature center in San Dimas yellow eyes that would meet me on the other side At least 22 great horned owls were staring at me — or usually hearing their unmistakable call long before I spot them high in a tree Seeing that many owls all at once perched in a 50-foot flight cage outside a county building was remarkable Los Angeles County launched its raptor rescue center at the San Dimas Canyon Nature Center The space is a collection of enclosures: a large one where the owls have enough space to fly and other smaller spaces for additional birds of prey (including separate areas for those that hunt one another) The county plans to build another 50-foot flight cage in a nearby field for raptors thanks to $200,000 it received from Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s office County Parks and Recreation officials opened the center to fill a tremendous need we can’t plant new trees and then not look at the sky and also support our birds of prey,” said Norma Edith García-Gonzalez Before this center, L.A. County partnered with bird rescue Wild Wings of California to look after raptors in need. The nonprofit was shut down by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in 2023, meaning there was only one licensed raptor rescue But people kept calling the San Dimas Canyon Nature Center and officials realized they had to step up a regional park superintendent who oversees the center and adjacent park park aid with San Dimas Canyon Natural Area and Nature Center Schaben / Los Angeles Times) The center anticipates that it will take in 250 raptors — including owls It will be busiest in the spring during what Navar calls “baby season,” when it will take in dozens of great horned owlets who have been found starving and need to be nursed back to health before being released the center already had about 70 birds in rehab Raptors are brought in for several reasons They might be suffering from infections or injuries or starvation Maybe they were harmed during severe weather the center saw birds of prey injured from hitting windows; hit by vehicles; shot by pellet or BB guns; sickened by pesticides or rat poison; or stuck in glue traps Birds are also frequently injured when their nests are destroyed by tree-trimming crews County Department of Animal Care and Control impounded more than 1,200 sick or injured raptors Her team will now work with the county’s raptor center to bring injured birds to them “As humans encroach on the native habitats the number of injured and orphaned raptors increases and rehabilitating them fulfills our ethical duties to mitigate harm caused by human activities and to promote wildlife welfare,” Mayeda said The center just so happens to be in need of volunteers Helping out involves working with great horned owls the center will see a kestrel or screech owl center staff and volunteers find out where the bird came from so they know where to take the fledgling back to its home territory post-recovery The bird is isolated and evaluated by trained staff and veterinarians it joins its new pals in an enclosure or cage Some have mites and need to be sprayed with treatments and they have to learn how to feed on their own,” Navar said The center starts the young birds off with frozen rats staff and volunteers work up to releasing live rats in the pen watching from a distance to make sure the birds can catch their dinner and it’s extremely important that they stay wild and that we’re doing our part to stay out of their way Becoming a volunteer at the center is no easy feat You’ll also take a written and practical exam you’ll be ready to join the team in all volunteer tasks “This is a lot of work all the time,” Navar said as long as somebody is committed to come and work with us and volunteer we are happy to take as many that are willing to give their time.” But if you have an open schedule and open mind Laura Dugan with the Pomona Valley Audubon Society said at Saturday’s launch that your volunteering hours will have a real impact in the local ecosystem “Each bird that soars back into the skies represents not just a triumph of rehabilitation but also a step toward restoring the natural balance of our ecosystems,” Dugan said “And studies show that rehabilitation works — banded rehabilitated birds have been recorded successfully breeding for many years after release.” To learn more about volunteering, visit parks.lacounty.gov California’s state parks boast thousands of miles of trail. (Photos by Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times and John McKinney) Can you list five of California’s state parks? Most residents cannot, writes outdoors journalist John McKinney, in this guide to 10 magnificent hikes in some of California’s state parks where you can take the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to hike from Mountain Station (8,516 feet) to the summit of Mt “Imagine hiking in Switzerland while gazing down at the Sahara,” McKinney wrote of the view from this peak near charming Idyllwild More than 100 of California’s state parks offer nature walks, family hikes and all-day adventures on about 3,000 miles of trail. This piece will help you tick some of those miles off your must-hike list P.S.Sometimes when I start a hike, I wonder to myself how at risk I am that day of a sunburn — especially if I’ve forgotten to apply sunscreen Thanks to the fine folks at Joshua Tree National Park, I recently learned “the shadow rule.” Turns out and thus are at higher risk of getting burned For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here. California Travel & Experiences Lifestyle Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map The new Downtown Specific Plan would span east to west on Bonita Avenue between Gaffney Street and the 57 Freeway and north to south between First Street and Arrow Highway located on the east side of San Dimas Avenue to the south of Bonita would be the centerpiece of the specific plan area The proposed specific plan would include six different districts each with distinct development standards and goals The plan also includes the Public and Open Space zones which encompasses San Dimas Civic Center and Civic Center Park properties and are not intended to foster commercial development The draft specific plan identifies a pair of large shopping centers along either side of Arrow Highway between Bonita and Cienega Avenues as an opportunity site for development Potential new construction could include buildings of up to four and five stories in height A full buildout of the specific plan, which is assumed to occur over a roughly 20-year period, could generate up to 3,687 new homes. The city's 2021-2029 Housing Element update requires San Dimas to rezone to accommodate 1,248 new homes - nearly half of which must be affordable to low- and very low-income households The plan will require the approval of a general plan amendment Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn / Threads / Instagram LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio Los Angeles County’s first raptor rescue is now open at the San Dimas Nature Center and is already rehabilitating sick The wildlife facility hopes to help hundreds of great horned owls and other animals each year until they’re healthy enough to survive on their own and be released back into the wild “They're a crucial part of our ecosystem and they help with biodiversity and rodent control,” she said “So it's really important that we take the time to understand that they are part of us and that we can do whatever we can to support them in their ecosystem.” The rescue has adopted more than 70 birds since it received permits from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S Barger said in a statement that raptors are a "majestic sight" across all our urban and rural skies “I’m proud that our County is stepping up to provide raptors the care they need to thrive in the wild," she said in a statement "The San Dimas Raptor Rescue professional rehabilitative staff will heal these incredible native birds and release them back to the wild where they belong.” Navar said they typically take them in for two main reasons — natural or human caused A bird that’s struggling with being orphaned or severe weather conditions are all considered natural reasons “But we also get mainly a lot of them for man-made reasons,” Navar said and nesting destruction from tree trimming are also common causes the center will check in with a veterinarian feed the birds until they’re eating on their own “So all of this is done at a distance,” Navar said “We try the best as possible to have minimal interaction with them as we do want to make sure that they stay wild Once the birds are healthy and self-sustaining they’ll be released back into the area where they were found which she noted helps the county’s gene pool and biodiversity You can donate $35 to feed a raptor for a week support a baby until it's released for $900 you can call (626) 559-5732 to connect with the center They also care for nearly a dozen “animal ambassadors” that cannot be released back into the wild either due to lasting injuries or too much human contact “We use our animal ambassadors as education so that the community can connect more with these beautiful creatures and will be more willing to protect them and to make sure their habitat is safe,” Navar said it’s a hard-rocking double-cut that harks back to the golden age of the genre Great playability combined with classic looks Slightly limited in places when it comes to features It’s a crowded table in the Fender household Outside of the obvious Fender and Squier-branded instruments sit its ‘specialist’ brands which wears its unmistakable niche indelibly you might think that the latter three brands present quite the overlap: three very well-respected names that all have their roots in hard rock and metal and we think it’s pretty clearly delineated.  The EVH brand is very pointedly an execution of Eddie Van Halen’s ethos, which appears to be continuing faithfully under the watchful eye of Wolfgang Van Halen Jackson has things covered at the more contemporary Wayne Charvel himself started his career as a luthier at Fender before leaving to set up his own modding and repair shop which offered refinishes and upgrades to out-of-warranty Fender instruments Grover Jackson bought the brand in the late ’70s and thanks to its OEM parts business and later its own instruments Charvel became a leading light in the hot-rodding trend of the ’80s svelte guitars aimed at players with licks so hot they’d melt your platforms as well as your face Fender acquired Jackson and thus Charvel around 20 years ago Because while Charvel has dabbled in various alternative designs over the years – such as the PRS-looking Questar slightly pointier LS shape and Jazzmaster-inspired Skatecaster – it’s the SuperS shapes and configurations that we really associate with classic Charvels.  With the threat of lawsuits out of the way, this meant we could now benefit from proper Fender-approved shred machines that didn’t look out of place (Fender Heavy Metal Strat it’s culminated in the Pro Mod import line featuring Charvel’s San Dimas and So-Cal designs in Dinky Which brings us to our review guitar.  This San Dimas is identifiable by the sans-scratchplate body and direct-mounted pickups, and its Style 1 tag refers to the fact that this guitar features a Strat-style double-cut body (Style 2 is Tele-shaped) While Charvel’s pedigree might conjure images of metallic primary-coloured finishes covered in glossy lacquer this version of the San Dimas shows us what becomes of Sunset Strip-dwelling rock tools after the smoke machine has long depleted the relic finish has undergone treatment in the same facility as Fender’s Road Worn series and as well as our review model’s Orange tint this guitar also comes in Black and White with the same ageing But don’t let the 40-year throwback look fool you because while there’s a lot of tradition going on here – including a Strat-style square heel a Floyd Rose and a classic Seymour Duncan JB/’59 pairing – it’s met by some modern features These come in the form of a 305mm to 406mm (12- to 16-inch) compound radius fingerboard with rolled edges ‘speed neck’ profile and a body-end truss rod adjustment wheel and the satin neck (rubbed urethane gel finish) matches the wear with a lot of darkened/faux-grubby spots It’s apparently built for comfort as well as speed with the thin profile feeling forgiving to our fretting hand as we anchor our thumb for barre chords while also allowing us to put our foot down for single‑note runs up the neck But our Charvel has the benefit of having an additional humbucker wired in from the factory It’s a pickup pairing we’ve seen countless times over the years – and for very good reason The bridge-position JB and neck-position ’59 work seamlessly together with the ’59 delivering a punchy example of a neck humbucker: slightly hollowed without being too scooped and light enough on the bass end to maintain some clarity.  the JB gives us a shift in gain and a bump to the midrange There’s enough of a contrast that our clean setting turns crunchy by simply changing the pickup selection and the sometimes-overlooked middle position combines both voices nicely in a way that we think will see it get a lot of use given the sparse single volume control.  It would have been nice to see some extra options this is something that could be an aftermarket addition We can’t help but think that this San Dimas Relic is caught a little between two eras. On the one hand, it’s a very nice-playing and sounding beefed-up Strat-style guitar There’s a lot to love – from the feel sounds and response to the overall quality.  if you take a look at the Charvel catalogue there are multiple San Dimas Style 1 HH models available in their ‘pristine’ form except they come with a less bare-bones electronic layout (a tone control and pull-push coil-split) Some players might also miss the additional two frets to make a two-octave fingerboard (you’ll need to look at Charvel’s DK range for that) and while the San Dimas’s traditional leanings are heavily stylised a more contemporary contoured heel might have been the icing on the cake.  it’s a hard-rocking Superstrat that harks back to the golden age of the genre "A very cool guitar with a lot of style, and fortunately, it has the substance to match its good looks": Squier Limited Edition Paranormal Offset Telecaster SJ review Fender Japan assembles all-star group of elite Masterbuilders for its most ambitious builds yet – the Deck O’ Cards Stratocasters Free Eddie Van Halen mini-documentary explores the origins of Eruption and his two-hand tapping technique – and it’s partly narrated by the man himself Print Celebrity sightings are to be expected in Los Angeles but not by a search and rescue crew scouring the San Gabriel Mountains for a missing hiker The San Dimas Mountain Rescue team ran into former “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno shortly before finding 78-year-old hiker Ki Soo Yang who had been missing for 30 hours after he became separated from a group climbing Mount Waterman on Saturday afternoon Someone saw Yang’s missing person’s flier and found the hiker between Mount Waterman and Twin Peaks. The individual contacted authorities and Yang was transported to a local hospital, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release. Yang, who was described as “very fit,” was in “good health but dehydrated” after spending more than a day in the Angeles National Forest, the department said in a social media post. He was reunited with his family. “We are incredibly grateful to everyone involved in the search, especially the good Samaritan whose quick thinking and action played a critical role in this rescue,” according to the Sheriff Department‘s post. “This outcome is a powerful reminder of how important our hiking community members are in helping us achieve successful missions.” While searching for Yang, the San Dimas crew ran into Leno at Newcomb’s Ranch, according to the social media post. Leno and his friends hadn’t seen Yang but were “grateful” for the rescue team’s efforts and posed for a group picture. World & Nation If you’re heavy metal-inclined with a penchant for guitars that look like they’ve been worn through years of road use When it comes to guitars built for speed, Charvel has been at the front of the pack for the better part of 50 years now. The company has changed a lot since Wayne Charvel started repairing and modding old Fender guitars in his California shop, of course, and nowadays the Fender-owned brand has earned a reputation for making some of the best electric guitars for shredders at a variety of price points It’s weird that we don’t see more shred-focused guitars with artificial ageing – Eddie Van Halen set the template for the whole thing using a series of beaten up and heavily modded instruments Despite the relic thing becoming commonplace at almost every price bracket the vast majority of high-performance instruments on the market are factory fresh and pristine Charvel is starting to redress this somewhat though – starting with the Henrik Danhage limited-edition signature model but now in a wider and more accessible fashion with the new ‘Weathered’ series of finishes on its Mexico-made Pro-Mod San Dimas guitar Inspired by the SuperStrat guitars that Grover Jackson popularised when he bought the company in 1978 the San Dimas is a Seymour Duncan-loaded metal-ready axe with minimal controls and now It’s a guitar that looks and feels as if you’ve spent hundreds of hours woodshedding on it the whole morality of artificially ageing new guitars has been a huge bone of contention in guitar culture for decades now and for many this instrument will be tantamount to sacrilege if people didn’t like and want to buy this sort of thing companies wouldn’t have spent 30 years gradually getting better at the process Josh stated that the relic job Fender’s Ensenada craftspeople had done on the Mike McCready Strat was the best he’d seen on a non-Custom Shop instrument and I’m similarly taken with the work done on the San Dimas’s alder body here we’re dealing with a templated pattern of ageing here as all three nitrocellulose finishes – the black shown here plus white and orange – have the same pattern with very minor differences the appeal of a relic’d guitar to many is that it’s uniquely battered and weathered so this may steer more avid relic’d guitar lovers away from this model But for those who just want something that looks authentically beaten up (at least without close inspection) Plus the nitro finish should mean that the guitar will keep ageing and wearing in a visually pleasing manner that is unique to your playing style – you could see this more as a head start More disappointing from a material perspective is the presence of a pau ferro fingerboard – with Fender moving most of its Mexico-made instruments back to rosewood the specs are much more encouraging – the bolt-on maple neck sports graphite reinforcement rods and a hand-rubbed urethane gel finish that feels like it’s been nicely sanded down and oiled The whole thing is designed for “lightning-fast playing and completely unhindered position shifts” and you get rolled fingerboard edges for greater playing comfort and a 12-16” compound radius fingerboard for maximum fluidity while you also get the always welcome truss-rod adjustment wheel at the end of the board itself Electronics include a pair of Seymour Duncan humbuckers – a JB TB-4 in the bridge position and a ‘59 SH-1N in the neck – controlled via a three-way selector switch and the simplicity of a single volume control and nothing else Another key component of the classic shred recipe is a Floyd Rose of course and here we get a double-locking 1000 Series unit for all your whammy-wiggling needs It’s pretty hard to find any fault at all in how the Charvel Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 feels to play fretboard action is the most important test in this department – although string spacing guitar weight and other factors come into play – but here this guitar passes with flying colours The Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 is naturally geared towards players dabbling in quick leads and rapid sweeps so perfectly dialled action – which the guitar certainly delivers – is a must Playing technically demanding styles is enough of a physical challenge without a heavy guitar putting strain on your neck and back and so I was equally pleased with the San Dimas’ weight – even with the mass of a Floyd added to things the guitar carried me through long playing sessions with little to no fatigue I’ve always been a sucker for a double-locking trem but haven’t spent quality time with one in a while – as a result I probably spent an inordinate amount of time giving the Floyd Rose 1000 Series bridge a workout Having to meaningfully retune a Floyd guitar is also a notorious pain so I was impressed that after literally hours of some of the most gratuitous divebombs I could muster the guitar has stayed perfectly in tune throughout – impressive stuff Even though there’s a limited set of controls on the guitar itself – there’s no tone pots at all and just one master volume knob – the classic set of Seymour Duncan JB TB-4 and ‘59 SH-1N humbuckers is such a well sorted and iconic sonic pairing it’s easy to see why Charvel decided that there was no need to be able to tweak things any further you’ll be spending a large proportion of your time – the bridge JB TB-4 offers an articulate tone with a savage bite while the neck ‘59 SH-1N offers a luscious warmth that brings emotion and articulation to any lead line It should also be noted that both pickups perform wonderfully with clean tones maintaining top-quality articulation and an impressive dynamic range the San Dimas Style 1 would be a fine and fun guitar for guitarists wanting a serious instrument for shred and heavy guitar styles but it undoubtedly suits the pedigree and heritage of Charvel guitars and SuperStrats in general – and provides a cool and vibey bedrock for you to write your own story on The world’s leading authority and resource for all things guitar. Weichien Huang, 44, was booked on suspicion of the murder of Chen Chen Fei, 47, on July 18. Huang attacked Fei with the weapon during an argument in the couple’s home, the Sheriff’s Department said in a statement. She also allegedly attacked and injured Fei’s mother, who despite her injuries was able to wrest the sword away from Huang and run into the street for help. County men were arrested Tuesday in a series of armed robberies of 7-Eleven stores and a CVS last year that they later allegedly posted about on Instagram Deputies responding to the couple’s home in the 300 block of South Huntington Avenue first encountered a bloodied woman in the street holding a sword who approached deputies as they drove up in their police cruiser, according to reporting from news station KTLA She complied with directions to put down the sword and directed deputies to the residence, where they discovered Fei’s body and a second uninjured woman. Fei’s mother remains in stable condition at a local hospital. Corinne Purtill is a science and medicine reporter for the Los Angeles Times. Her writing on science and human behavior has appeared in the New Yorker, the New York Times, Time Magazine, the BBC, Quartz and elsewhere. Before joining The Times, she worked as the senior London correspondent for GlobalPost (now PRI) and as a reporter and assignment editor at the Cambodia Daily in Phnom Penh. She is a native of Southern California and a graduate of Stanford University. Friedman's Megadeth-era guitar is also reportedly one of the first 500 guitars Jackson ever built Marty Friedman's 1985 Jackson Kelly San Dimas which was used on Megadeth's iconic Rust in Peace (1990) and Countdown to Extinction (1992) albums It's also reportedly one of the first 500 guitars Jackson ever built which probably explains why it could eventually sell for as much as $125,000 In addition to the two mammoth Megadeth albums the storied guitar was also Friedman's axe-of-choice for Cacophony's Speed Metal Symphony (1987) and Go Off as well as his solo albums Dragon's Kiss (1988) and Scenes (1992) “I purchased it in Hawaii around 1985 while I was in the band Hawaii,” Friedman states in the certificate of authenticity. “It originally had a black-and-white tiger-striped graphic, along with two humbuckers and 2 tone pots it was re-painted black and converted into a single humbucker with one volume pot (Image credit: Guitar Shredder/Reverb)(Image credit: Guitar Shredder/Reverb)(Image credit: Guitar Shredder/Reverb)“I did several Hawaii recordings and concerts with it it even had a flame thrower on the headstock This was my #2 touring guitar for most of my Megadeth years Like Kelly #1 this guitar was featured in many '90s magazines the guitar shows “all the signs of a well-loved heavily played instrument” and “scratches it still promises to deliver a tone that is “pure Marty Friedman with those mids that cut through any mix” The guitar is already set up with Friedman-preferred 10-46 strings and is therefore ready to play The rare guitar is being sold by Friedman’s longtime manager who purchased it in a 2011 eBay auction benefiting the Jason Becker Special Needs Trust and the ALS Therapy Development Institute According to the certificate of authenticity the guitar has been kept in climate-controlled storage and maintained by one of the world’s top luthiers since Friedman’s time with Megadeth it has the substance to match its good looks": Squier Limited Edition Paranormal Offset Telecaster SJ review A woman was stabbed to death in California, with media reports suggesting she was attacked with a sword The fatal incident took place around 3:30 p.m the Los Angeles County Sheriff's said in news release The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene adding that the remaining parties were transported to a local hospital where they are in stable condition as of Friday afternoon Authorities did not specify how many people were involved in the incident. However, KTLA5 reported three people adding an investigation into the incident is ongoing and no further information is available at this time Los Angeles-based media outlet KTLA5 reported that a domestic dispute sparked the "Samurai-style sword" attack between two women at a residence in San Dimas The reason behind the dispute is not yet known they encountered a woman on the street with blood on her legs and arm holding a sword she laid down the object and directed authorities towards the residence where the deceased and another person were Video footage captured by KTLA5 shows a sword lying next to a U-Haul truck parked on the street ABC7 also reported that a sword was involved the incident according to video footage they obtained from the incident Authorities, meanwhile, have requested anyone with information about this incident to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477), via “P3 Tips” mobile app or on the Crime Stoppers website Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X @saman_shafiq7 a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Deputy assigned to San Dimas station was involved in a traffic stop that was caught on body-worn camera video the driver of the vehicle in question filed a personnel complaint against the Deputy The traffic stop video was seen on social media which garnered overwhelming public and media interest Online stories were generated wherein speculation of the complainant’s identity and work location was being discussed Although the person in the video identified themselves as a teacher it should be noted they have not been employed with the Los Angeles Community College District since 2017 there are numerous names wrongfully being associated with the individual’s identity We caution others about the dangers associated with these false accusations An investigation was completed wherein the complainant was interviewed it was determined the traffic stop was conducted within department policy and procedures Please note – some sections of the video have been blurred and some audio has been redacted to protect the identity of the individual who was cited The instrument – which was used on Rust in Peace and Countdown to Extinction – is rumoured to be one of the first 500 Jackson guitars Marty Friedman‘s rare 1985 Jackson Kelly San Dimas is currently up for sale The guitar can be heard on Megadeth‘s iconic albums Rust In Peace and Countdown To Extinction It is also reportedly one of the first 500 guitars Jackson ever built and its rarity means it could potentially sell for up to $125,000 Friedman also used the guitar on Cacophony’s Speed Metal Symphony (1987) and Go Off alongside his solo albums Dragon’s Kiss (1988) and Scenes (1992) “I purchased it in Hawaii around 1985 while I was in the band Hawaii,” Friedman says in the certificate of authenticity “It originally had a black-and-white tiger-striped graphic “I did several Hawaii recordings and concerts with it Like Kelly #1 this guitar was featured in many ’90s magazines the guitar is as roadworn as you can expect it still possesses a tone that is “pure Marty Friedman having already been set up with Friedman-preferred 10-46 strings The rare Jackson Kelly San Dimas is being sold by his longtime manager who bought it in a 2011 eBay auction benefiting the Jason Becker Special Needs Trust and the ALS Therapy Development Institute the guitar has been kept in climate-controlled storage and maintained by a top luthiers since Friedman’s time with Megadeth KTLA and two others were hospitalized after what appears to be an attack with a Samurai-style sword Thursday afternoon in San Dimas Details: https://ktla.com/news/local-news/1-killed-2-injured-in-samurai-style-sword-attack-in-southern-california/ Flight delays and cancellations persisted at Newark Liberty International Airport Monday and the Federal Aviation Administration says some air traffic controllers were taking time off to destress from recent equipment and telecommunications outages President Trump is threatening to rewrite the script on how Hollywood does business with his talk of 100% tariffs on film productions that take place anywhere outside the United States KTLA's John Fenoglio reports live on May 5 Details: https://ktla.com/hill-politics/trumps-hollywood-tariff-threat-greeted-with-skepticism/ A disturbing discovery was made at a dance studio in Hermosa Beach where several cameras were found in a bathroom concealed in wicker baskets killed by a suspected DUI-driver earlier this month remembered the dynamic teen who on the threshold of a successful life Details: https://ktla.com/news/local-news/driver-accused-of-killing-teen-in-manhattan-beach-crash-had-previous-dui-arrest/ Rescue crews with the San Bernardino County Fire Department hiked approximately two miles to a remote area in the San Bernardino Mountains to extract an injured hiker over the weekend The countdown is on to the start of the Papal Conclave some 133 Cardinals are convening in secret in Vatican City to elect a successor to Pope Francis and the influence that Pope Francis might have over the proceedings Micah Ohlman and Cher Calvin are joined by Father Tom Gibbons Filmmakers and Hollywood studios left shaken Sunday as President Trump called for a 100% tariff on films made overseas The President writing on Truth Social that "the movie industry in American is dying a very fast death.. This is a concerted effort by other Nations a National Security Threat." With more on the proposal and efforts to bring production back to the U.S. Cher Calvin and Micah Ohlman are joined by film critic Scott "Movie" Mantz President Donald Trump is eyeing Hollywood for his next round of tariffs threatening to levy all films produced outside the U.S and nine others are unaccounted for after a suspected smuggling boat capsized off Del Mar early Monday morning Details: https://ktla.com/news/california/suspected-smuggling-boat-capsizes-in-southern-california-at-least-3-dead/ KTLA 5 News takes a look at the top stories impacting Southern California Newly released audio captured the last communication between a pilot and air traffic control moments before a plane crashed into a Simi Valley neighborhood KTLA's Jennifer McGraw reports live on May 5 Details: https://ktla.com/news/local-news/the-plane-keeps-turning-on-me-audio-released-from-deadly-simi-valley-plane-crash An elderly man was arrested on Monday afternoon after he crashed through the front gates of actress Jennifer Aniston’s home in Bel Air according to police and multiple media outlets Details: https://ktla.com/news/local-news/elderly-man-crashes-into-jennifer-anistons-l-a-property-while-shes-home-report/