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Obama calls Los Angeles homelessness an ‘atrocity,’ criticizes ‘losing’ political strategy

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Obama calls Los Angeles homelessness an ‘atrocity,’ criticizes ‘losing’ political strategy

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Former President Barack Obama criticized the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles, calling it an “atrocity” given the billions of dollars elected officials have thrown at the problem over the years. 

Obama was speaking with YouTuber Brian Tyler Cohen when he touched on criticism local residents and business owners have voiced for years.

“I think it is morally — ethically speaking — it is an atrocity that in a country this wealthy, we have people just on the streets, and we should insist on policies that recognize their full humanity — people who are houseless — and be able to provide them with the help and resources that they need,” Obama said.

DAVID MARCUS: I’VE SEEN ENOUGH HUMAN SUFFERING IN HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS TO KNOW TRUMP’S NEW POLICY IS RIGHT

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Former President Barack Obama called the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles County an “atrocity” during a podcast appearance. (Getty Images)

“We should recognize that the average person doesn’t want to have to navigate around a tent city in the middle of downtown,” he added. “That’s a losing political strategy.”

Obama noted that building support for programs and resources to assist those living on the streets needs to come with some level of accountability for those being offered the help. 

“We’re not going to be able to generate support for it if we simply say, ‘You know what, it’s not their fault and so they should be able to do whatever they want,’ because that’s a losing political strategy,” he said. 

FORMER OBAMA OFFICIAL FREAKS OUT AT CALIFORNIA DEMOCRAT OVER HER RECORD AMID HOUSING CRISIS DEBATE

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A person walks amid large trash piles at a sprawling homeless encampment near East 14th Street in downtown Los Angeles on Sept. 25, 2025. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

“That doesn’t mean that we care less about those folks,” he added. “It means if we really care about them, then we got to try to figure out how do we gain majority support and be practical in terms of what we can get through at this moment in time and build on those victories,” he added. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. 

California has spent billions to combat homelessness. In his State of the State address last month, California Gov. Gavin Newsom touted a 9% statewide drop in homelessness.

In January, he announced new investments to create more shelters and services.

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A homeless encampment in Koreatown on Sept. 12, 2025, in Los Angeles. (Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

“No one in this country should be without a place to call home. In California, we’re proving there is a solution,” Newsom said in January. “The strategies we’ve put in place are working, and they’re turning this crisis around — but we’re not done. We won’t stop until everyone has a safe, stable place to call home.”

Newsom spokesperson Tara Gallegos told Fox News Digital that the governor agrees with Obama and was working to create a model to combat the problem that should be replicated nationwide. 

“That’s why Governor Newsom is the first governor in California history to make addressing homelessness a statewide priority,” she said. “He is turning around a crisis that was decades in the making by building supports and systems of care to help people exit homelessness for good.”

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“That’s also why, for the first time in decades, California saw a 9% decrease in unsheltered homelessness in 2025,” she added. “California is a creating a model that should be replicated nationwide — building more housing, reforming mental health systems, removing encampments, and creating stronger support and accountability.”

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Utah

Multiple earthquakes detected near Kanosh

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Multiple earthquakes detected near Kanosh


KANOSH, Utah — The United States Geological Survey recorded multiple earthquakes near Kanosh Sunday morning, each of them having an average magnitude of 3.0.

The first earthquake, magnitude 3.0, was detected just after 12:30 a.m., with the epicenter located half a mile south of Kanarraville.

The second quake, magnitude 3.2, was detected around 5:45 a.m., with the epicenter nearly five miles south-southwest of Kanosh. This was followed by two more quakes in the same area, a magnitude 2.5 quake coming in around 6:35 a.m., followed by a third around 7:45 a.m, which measured at magnitude 3.3.

This has since been followed by another quake, measuring at magnitude 3.7, being detected around 8:45 a.m. The geographic location in the USGS report places the epicenter approximately over two miles south of the Dry Wash Trail, about six miles south-southwest of Kanosh.

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FOX 13 News previously spoke with researchers at University of Utah, who said that earthquake swarms are relatively common. A study published in 2023 posits that swarms may be triggered by geothermal activity. The findings came after a series of seismic swarms were detected in central Utah, within the vicinity of three geothermal power plants.

The study also says that the swarms fall into a different category than aftershocks that typically follow large quakes, such as the magnitude 5.7 earthquake that hit the Wasatch Fault back in 2020.





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Wyoming

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon won’t seek a third term. He won’t rule out running for other offices, either

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Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon won’t seek a third term. He won’t rule out running for other offices, either


(WYOFILE) – Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon will not seek a third term, his office announced Thursday. However, the two-term Republican governor has not ruled out running for another office.

“He’s still kind of exploring his options,” Amy Edmonds, Gordon’s spokesperson, told WyoFile.

As candidates across Wyoming have announced bids for various statewide offices in recent months, Gordon has been tight-lipped about his own plans, leading to speculation that he would put the state’s gubernatorial term limits to the test.

In two opinions about a decade apart, the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled that term limits on legislators as well as on most top elected positions in the state were unconstitutional. While the high court has not addressed the qualifications for governor, it’s been widely suggested that a court challenge would be successful. Such was the discussion in 2010, when Democratic Gov. Dave Freudenthal ultimately chose not to seek a third term.

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There’s also been speculation that Gordon may run for Congress, which he’s done in the past. In 2008, Gordon ran for the U.S. House of Representatives. He was ultimately defeated by Cynthia Lummis in the primary election. If Gordon seeks the seat in 2026, he’ll join a crowded field that has already attracted at least 10 Republicans. It’s possible he could also be eyeing a run for Wyoming’s soon-to-be open U.S. Senate seat — a choice that would pit him against Rep. Harriet Hageman, whom he defeated in the governor’s race in 2018.

Wyoming’s candidate filing period opens for two weeks at the end of May.

As for the rest of Gordon’s final term in the governor’s office, his “focus remains on essential pillars like supporting core industries, growing Wyoming’s economy, strengthening local communities and families, and safeguarding Wyoming’s vital natural resources,” according to the Thursday press release.

Starting in June, Gordon will set out on a series of community visits to “engage directly with citizens,” the release states, and is particularly interested in having discussions about “protecting our resilient property tax base that funds local services like education, fire protection, police services and others, as well as honoring local control, investing in our future through smart saving and continued stewardship of our wildlife, land, and water.”

The governor also pointed to the Aug. 18 primary election.

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“You don’t have to be Governor to make a difference in Wyoming,” Gordon wrote. “Participating in elections is something all of us can do to make a real difference, and these conversations are important to have to ensure everyone makes informed decisions about the future of Wyoming.”

Whether Gordon will run for office is one lingering question — to what degree he will support other candidates is another.

In 2024, Gordon personally spent more than $160,000 on statehouse races, backing non-Wyoming Freedom Caucus Republicans who generally aligned with his positions on energy, economic diversification, mental health services and education.

While many of those races did not go Gordon’s way — the Freedom Caucus won control of the House — the governor is coming off a legislative budget session where lawmakers largely approved his proposed budget.

More specifically, the Legislature’s final budget came in about $53 million shy of the governor’s $11 billion recommendations after significant cuts were floated by the Freedom Caucus lawmakers ahead of the session. Many of those notable cuts — including to the University of Wyoming and the Wyoming Business Council — were ultimately rejected.

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While Gordon applauded the final budget, he also said in March he was “saddened by some of the reductions,” including the Legislature’s decision to nix SUN Bucks, the summer food program that fills the gap for kids when there are no school lunches. Wednesday, however, the governor signed an executive order that will start delivering food benefits to Wyoming families as early as June.

Details for Gordon’s upcoming community visits will be posted to the governor’s website, according to the press release.

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San Francisco, CA

Eastbound I-80 closure in San Francisco snarls traffic, slows business

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Eastbound I-80 closure in San Francisco snarls traffic, slows business


One of San Francisco’s busiest freeways remained shut down Saturday, creating major traffic delays and dampening business for some local restaurants and shops.

All eastbound lanes of Interstate 80 just before the Bay Bridge are closed as crews work around the clock to rehabilitate the roadway. The 55-hour shutdown, which began on Friday night, is scheduled to last until Monday morning in time for the commute.

The closure has forced drivers onto detour routes, leading to heavy congestion for those trying to reach the East Bay, including Oakland and Berkeley. 

The impact is being felt beyond the roadways.

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At MoMo’s, a restaurant across from Oracle Park, staff found business noticeably slower.

“A little bit more mellow than usual. We usually see a little bit more foot traffic, a little bit more people on Saturdays,” said Daniel Bermudez, executive chef at MoMo’s.

Bermudez believes the freeway closure may be discouraging visitors from coming into the city this weekend, despite favorable weather.

“The weather is beautiful today. It’s nice and sunny. So we have plenty of tables outside,” he said.

With the San Francisco Giants playing an away game, the restaurant had hoped fans would still gather to watch, but turnout during game time remained light.

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“This is kind of like our off-season Saturday. A lot slower than our baseball weekend,” said Casandra Alarcon, general manager at MoMo’s.

Other small businesses in the Mission Bay and South of Market neighborhoods reported similar trends, saying most of their customers are regulars who live nearby rather than visitors.

“A little bit slower for sure. Before, we had tourists come and walk to the baseball park,” said Ajaree Safron, manager at Brickhouse Cafe & Bar.

Caltrans has shut down eastbound lanes between 17th and 4th streets to repave the 71-year-old roadway. The goal is to extend the life of the Bayshore Freeway by another decade.

City and transportation officials said the timing of the closure was intentional, noting fewer major events scheduled in San Francisco this weekend, aside from the Cherry Blossom Festival.

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Westbound lanes remain open, and officials said traffic heading into San Francisco from the East Bay has not been significantly affected.

“Getting into the city, it wasn’t too bad.  Regular [traffic], what we expect on a Saturday morning,” said visitor Andrea Inouye.

While the closure has posed challenges for businesses, some workers said they are taking it in stride.

“Hopefully, it’s not for too long and we get past it, and get back to our normal routine,” Bermudez said.

Despite early concerns about widespread gridlock, transportation officials said the region has avoided the worst-case scenario. Traffic remains heavy in areas near detours, but the anticipated “carmageddon” has not materialized, in part because many drivers chose to avoid the area or take public transit.

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