Los Angeles County is facing one of its worst West Nile virus seasons in nearly a decade. Health officials have confirmed 100 cases so far this year — the highest count this early in mosquito season since 2017 — and five people have already died.

Nearly all reported patients have suffered severe illness affecting the brain or spinal cord, with almost all requiring hospitalization. Officials note that milder cases frequently go undiagnosed, meaning the true number of infections is likely much higher.

"West Nile virus can cause serious illness, and the number of severe cases and deaths we are seeing this year is concerning," said Los Angeles County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis, who urged residents to take protective steps now.

The county remains in peak transmission season, which typically runs from June through November. Local vector control agencies have ramped up surveillance and mosquito-control treatments in response.

Residents are advised to apply EPA-registered insect repellent, wear long sleeves and pants outdoors, and eliminate standing water from flowerpots, birdbaths, and other containers weekly. People over 50 and those with underlying health conditions face the greatest risk of serious illness.

Alcohol consumption among American adults has dropped for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began — but the good news comes with an important caveat, according to a new study from Keck Medicine of USC.

Published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the research analyzed responses from more than 114,000 U.S. adults collected between 2018 and 2024. Overall alcohol use fell by nearly 2% from 2022 to 2024, and heavy drinking declined by more than 8%.

Younger generations led the shift. Gen Z adults cut their alcohol use by more than 5%, while millennials saw heavy drinking fall by 17% over the same period.

However, adults between the ages of 50 and 64 bucked the trend sharply — their overall alcohol use climbed nearly 4% across the full study period, while heavy drinking surged by more than 36%.

Dr. Brian P. Lee, the study's principal investigator and a hepatologist at Keck Medicine, called the overall decline encouraging but cautioned that use still exceeds pre-pandemic levels. He stressed that prevention efforts must be tailored to specific groups, as the data reveals starkly different patterns across generations.

California law enforcement is urging parents and caregivers to review their child safety seat practices during National Child Passenger Safety Week, held September 21–27. Officials statewide are using the campaign to highlight both existing rules and a significant change coming in 2027.

Under current law, children under 2 must ride rear-facing, and all children under 8 must be secured in a car seat or booster in the back seat. Children 8 and older, or those at least 4 feet 9 inches tall, may use a standard seat belt — though booster seats are still recommended until the belt fits correctly.

Starting January 1, 2027, Assembly Bill 435 will raise the bar for older kids. Children ages 8 to 16 will need to pass a Five-Step Test before moving from a booster seat to a seat belt alone. The test checks that the child sits fully back, knees bend comfortably at the seat edge, and the belt crosses the shoulder and chest — not the neck — while the lap belt rests low across the thighs.

The stakes are real: nearly 46% of car seats are installed or used incorrectly, according to federal data. Proper use cuts fatal injury risk by more than half for young children. Authorities encourage families to start applying the Five-Step Test now.

A real estate agent was showing a property in Antelope Valley and said, "The good news is you'll have stunning desert views, dramatic sunsets, and complete solitude." The buyer asked, "What's the bad news?" The agent replied, "You'll have stunning desert views, dramatic sunsets, and complete solitude."

The nearest coffee shop agrees — it's a 40-minute drive away.

Your iPhone does a lot more than you probably realize — and most of the hidden features require zero extra apps to unlock.

Back Tap lets you double- or triple-tap the back of your phone to trigger actions like taking a screenshot or opening Control Center.

Visual Look Up can identify plants, dog breeds, landmarks, and even suggest recipes — just by analyzing a photo already in your camera roll.

Live Text lets you copy, translate, or dial a phone number directly from text inside a photo, which is a genuine time-saver when someone sends you an address or confirmation code. Need to digitize paperwork? The Notes app has a built-in document scanner that saves multi-page scans as PDFs — no third-party app needed.

Feeling creative? Press and hold on any subject in a photo to cut it out from the background and paste it into a message or save it as a sticker. The Measure app uses your camera to estimate object dimensions, handy for a quick furniture check. And Apple's ownership of Shazam means music recognition is baked right in — just ask Siri or tap the icon in Control Center.

All seven features are already sitting in your pocket, waiting to be discovered.

Special Community Spotlight: Josh and His Critters

Tahar Garage Door Services

A garage door is one of those things most homeowners rarely think about — until it suddenly stops working. That is where Tahar Garage Door Services comes in.

Based in Palmdale and serving communities throughout the Antelope Valley, Tahar specializes in garage door repair, opener service, spring replacement, off-track repairs, cables, rollers, sensors, remotes, and complete garage door installations. The company serves Palmdale, Lancaster, Quartz Hill, Littlerock, Acton, Lake Los Angeles, Rosamond, Mojave, and surrounding areas. Tahar Garage Door Services -

What stands out about Tahar is the emphasis on straightforward service. Their website highlights free estimates, no service-call fees, upfront pricing, warranties on parts and labor, and same-day availability in many cases. They also advertise emergency support for situations where a garage door is stuck, off track, or simply will not open. Tahar Garage Door Services -

That can make a big difference when a broken spring traps a vehicle inside the garage or an opener suddenly quits working before work in the morning.

Tahar also handles complete replacement projects when a garage door is beyond repair. Their approach is to diagnose the problem first, explain the options, and provide pricing before the work begins rather than surprising customers afterward. Tahar Garage Door Services -

Customer feedback available online reinforces that approach. Tahar Garage Door Services currently carries a 5.0 rating in local business listings, with reviewers mentioning quick service, attention to detail, honest options, and repeat business. Tahar Garage Door Services

Why locals should know them: Garage doors are both a convenience and a security issue, and having a local company that serves communities across the AV can be valuable when something suddenly breaks.

Good for: Broken springs, garage door opener problems, off-track doors, worn cables and rollers, noisy doors, new garage doors, and emergency repairs.

Service Area: Throughout the Antelope Valley

Local Insider Take: Tahar Garage Door Services is the kind of local service business you may not need every day — but when that garage door will not open, having their number handy could save you a lot of frustration.

Senator Suzette Martinez Valladares (R-Santa Clarita) has announced more than $10 million in state investments headed to communities across California's Senate District 23, secured as part of a state budget package recently signed by Governor Newsom.

The funding spans a wide stretch of Southern California — from the Santa Clarita Valley to the Antelope Valley and the Victor Valley — and covers a broad range of local needs.

The largest single allocation is $5 million for boat ramp repairs at Castaic Lake, followed by $2.7 million for storm damage repairs in Phelan and Pinon Hills. Other projects include storm repairs for the Hesperia Recreation and Park District, a plaza upgrade in Victorville, renovations to a Palmdale American Legion post, electric vehicle infrastructure, a fire station HVAC upgrade, and small-business micro-grants in the Antelope Valley.

A modest but meaningful allocation provides clean drinking water stations for students and teachers at Hughes Elizabeth Lakes Union Elementary School. The budget package also keeps a gymnasium replacement project at Antelope Valley College on track by reappropriating its remaining balance.

"Too often, our communities feel overlooked by Sacramento," Valladares said, pledging to keep fighting for the district's fair share of state resources.

Lancaster, California is bracing for the arrival of a sexually violent predator after officials approved his placement in a local home. Harold Wachter is expected to move into the community by October 16, according to local reports.

The decision has ignited fierce pushback from residents and local leaders, and for good reason — this marks the fourth such placement in the Lancaster area within just five years.

Sexually violent predator placements are governed by state law, which often limits how much input local communities have in the process, leaving residents feeling powerless over who moves into their neighborhoods.

The repeated approvals in this one area have raised serious questions about whether the state is concentrating these placements unfairly — and whether enough is being done to keep surrounding communities informed and safe.

Local leaders are speaking out, but whether their opposition can slow or halt the placement remains unclear. Community members are watching closely as the October 16 deadline approaches.

A Palmdale street is set to bear the name of a fallen deputy killed in a shocking ambush shooting in 2023. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to rename a stretch of Avenue Q as Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer Avenue, honoring the 30-year-old Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department officer who was shot and killed while waiting at a red light near the Palmdale sheriff's station on September 16, 2023.

Clinkunbroomer, a fourth-generation law enforcement officer who was recently engaged to be married, had dedicated his life to a family tradition of service. The city of Palmdale had already approved renaming a portion of Avenue Q within city limits, and the county's action extends that tribute to the unincorporated section of the road between Sierra Highway and 10th Street East.

It is not the first posthumous honor for the young deputy. Earlier this year, the Castaic Sports Complex was renamed in his memory.

A 32-year-old man was convicted of first-degree murder in connection with the killing, and sentencing in the high-profile case is scheduled for October 1. The street renaming stands as a lasting reminder of Clinkunbroomer's sacrifice and his community's determination not to forget him.

Lancaster, California is opening the door to homeownership for eligible low-income residents through its First-Time Home Buyer Program — and the opportunity is worth up to $100,000 in zero-interest, deferred-payment assistance.

Starting September 28th, 2026, at 9:00 AM, the City will accept the first 30 completed applications through its online portal, which closes automatically once that cap is reached.

From there, an auditable lottery determines the order in which applications are reviewed — results are published using only anonymous PIN numbers to protect applicant privacy. Lottery selection does not guarantee approval; eligibility requirements still apply, and funds are limited.

To qualify, households must fall within 80% of the Los Angeles County Area Median Income — ranging from roughly $93,300 for a single-person household up to $175,900 for a household of eight. Applicants must also contribute at least 3% toward a down payment and cover their own closing costs.

A thorough documentation package — including tax transcripts, pay stubs, and bank statements — is required at the time of submission, with no exceptions.