Both of L.A.’s professional men’s soccer clubs will join 18 other teams – including six women’s teams – for the 2025 Coachella Valley Invitational. 

Preseason matches at the Empire Polo Club in Indio begin on Feb. 1, 2025, as part of the largest integration between major men’s and women’s professional sports leagues in North America. It will run until Feb. 22.

Angel City FC, Los Angeles’ professional women’s team, will be participating, as will San Diego FC, who will be playing their first season in the MLS in the upcoming 2025-2026 season. 

A list of the MLS clubs that will play in the 2025 CVI can be found below: 

• Austin FC
• Charlotte FC
• Chicago Fire FC
• LA Galaxy
• LAFC
• Minnesota United FC
• New York City FC
• New York Red Bulls
• Portland Timbers
• Real Salt Lake
• San Diego FC
• San Jose Earthquakes
• St. Louis City SC
• Sporting Kansas City

The six NWSL clubs participating in the 2025 CVI are:

• Angel City FC
• Bay FC
• Houston Dash
• Portland Thorns
• San Diego Wave FC
• Seattle Reign FC

LA Galaxy will play four matches at the invitational against Austin FC, Charlotte FC, Minnesota United and Chicago Fire. The games are scheduled for Feb. 5 at 11 a.m., Feb. 9 at 10 a.m., Feb. 12 at 11 a.m. and Feb. 15 at noon, respectively.

LAFC’s sole match at the tournament against Chicago Fire is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 5.

Angel City FC will play against Portland Thorns FC at 11 a.m. on Feb. 16 and against Seattle Reign FC at noon on Feb. 22.

All passes and ticket packages are available starting Wednesday. Early bird pricing begins Wednesday and ends on Jan. 9.

For additional ticketing information, visit www.coachellavalleyinvitational.com

A suspect wanted for allegedly driving under the influence Monday night is in custody after a short police pursuit.

Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department were chasing the suspect, reportedly behind the wheel of a white Dodge Durango, in southbound lanes of the 5 Freeway in the area of Silver Lake before he transitioned onto the 2 Freeway and exited onto surface streets.

The driver was clocked at speeds in excess of 80 miles per hour as police pursued him.

Near the intersection of De Garmo Avenue and Lanark Street, the suspect came to a stop, exited the vehicle and attempted to flee in the neighborhood.

He was taken into custody after a short search.

Sky5 was overhead.

Many residents in the San Jacinto Mountain community of Reche Canyon are pushing back against San Bernardino County’s plan to remove a portion of the areas famous and beloved wild burro population.  

Nearly 70 of the wild animals have already been rounded up after the county’s contract with Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, a Texas-based organization, went into effect on Dec. 1.  

“We really embrace them as a part of our community,” Reche Canyon resident Brandi Augenstein told KTLA’s Shelby Nelson. “It’s kind of fun sometime to watch them from your porch, just watch the donkeys roll through.”  

Donkey watching in Reche Canyon is something that many residents and visitors cherish.  

“They’re part of the wildlife,” Augenstein added. “That’s part of living in a rural area, being able to surround yourself with nature’s beauty. I don’t believe removal is the answer. We have hundreds of thousands of acres back here in Reche Canyon.”  

In recent years, though, the donkey population has caused some problems, such as car accidents and traffic backups in the heavily traveled canyon.  

“People will pull over, they’ll feed and try to interact with the donkeys,” Robert Kochis who lives in the area told KTLA. “You don’t want to do that. Because of that, they get used to coming up to cars expecting food.”  

What some residents are arguing for is proper county enforcement where the burro population is concerned and say the animals provide the much needed service of feeding on the brush and keeping it under control.  

“If this brush keeps growing and drying out, this is going to be a real handful for firefighters,” Kochis added. “Without them, it’s not really the same canyon.”  

The area is also home to DonkeyLand, one of the nation’s largest facilities for wild burros founded by the late Bob Barker of “Price is Right” fame.  

Officials at DonkeyLand released a lengthy statement about the issue, saying the county notified them of the donkey removal only after they started rounding them up.  

“Unfortunately, all our efforts to help the wild burros stay in the area they have called home for the past 75 years wasn’t successful enough for the County of San Bernardino,” the statement read in part.  

As for the 68 wild burros already captured by officials, they are currently being held on county lands and are likely awaiting shipment to Texas.