Los Angeles, Ca
Disneyland removing stereotypes from classic ride
Disney is planning to update one of the oldest rides at Disneyland to correct stereotypical depictions of Indigenous people.
Peter Pan’s Flight was one of the original rides when Disneyland opened in Anaheim, California, in 1955. It has now come under scrutiny for its racist portrayal of Tiger Lily and her tribe.
The current scene shows tribal members — including the chief with his arms crossed — sitting around a campfire. Some Reddit users complained the current ride characters are “problematic” and called them “caricatures” of native people.
The update was inspired by a recently revised Never Land Tribe scene at the Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The company says riders can expect to see those revisions at all its locations globally, but did not provide a timeline.
Before the update in Orlando, Tiger Lily and her tribe were also depicted sitting around a fire with crossed arms while others drummed. The tribesmen have exaggerated features such as broad noses and large feathered headdresses. The updated figures show Tiger Lily and her grandmother dancing around the fire and men drumming in the background.
“We consider ourselves constant learners and as we identify ways that can make our attractions and experiences more authentic and relatable, and our stories connect more deeply to our guests, we make thoughtful changes,” Disneyland officials said in a statement.
The update received praise from many on social media.
“Drum circle and dancers, I love it. Someone put a lot of thought into the update rather than just removing it,” a Facebook user commented.
However, not everyone was impressed with the change.
“Go woke go broke,” another user commented.
Disneyland officials said in their statement that the company has a “longstanding history of making updates and enhancements to attractions and experiences, so they remain fresh and relevant.”
Back in 2018, the park’s Pirates of the Caribbean ride was updated to remove the scene of tied-up women being presumably auctioned off to pirates, The San Bernardino Sun reported. The scene now shows a female pirate overseeing an auction.
Disneyland is also working to reimagine Splash Mountain into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
In recent years, Splash Mountain has drawn heat since it featured characters and music from the 1946 animated feature “Song of the South,” a movie criticized for its stereotypes of Black men and its romanticized view of the post-Civil War South. The ride’s new storyline focuses on Princess Tiana, Disney’s first Black princess, and the events that took place after the 2009 animated hit “Princess and the Frog.”
KTLA’s Imam Palm contributed to this report.
Los Angeles, Ca
Fort Irwin soldier allegedly murdered comrade
A soldier from Fontana has been charged with murder in the death of another soldier at Fort Irwin in San Bernardino County.
Spc. George Cornejo, 26, is accused of killing Spc. Andrew P. Smith on Oct. 28, military officials said in a press release.
Smith, 27, was found injured in his residence that day and later succumbed to his wounds, officials said when announcing his death. The Rye, New York, native had been stationed at Fort Irwin for more than two years.
The manner and possible motivation for the alleged murder were not released.
Cornejo has been in pre-trial custody since Oct. 29, and he’s expected to be transferred to the Naval Consolidated Brig in Miramar.
A preliminary hearing will be held to determine if Cornejo will be tried by court-martial.
Los Angeles, Ca
Vehicle, 2 occupants plunge into crowded Southern California harbor
Two people were taken to the hospital after a vehicle they were inside plunged into the harbor Sunday night in Marina Del Rey, officials confirmed to KTLA.
Details are limited and It’s unclear exactly how the incident occurred, but authorities with the Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to 4675 Admiralty Way just after 6 p.m. on reports of the vehicle in the water.
L.A. County Fire Department Public Information Officer Marco Rodriguez said the two occupants were able to get themselves out of the vehicle after it went into the water.
Both were examined by medical personnel with the fire department and taken to a nearby hospital in unknown condition.
Rodriguez said that two L.A. County Lifeguard divers were deployed to ensure there were no other occupants trapped in the vehicle.
A witness, Johnny Hamcheck, told KTLA that a third person, a woman, exited the vehicle before it went into water, though officials did not confirm that detail.
Footage of the recovery effort showed crews attaching large yellow floating devices to the vehicle as it was anchored to a crane and eventually pulled out of the water and loaded onto a tow truck.
The vehicle showed heavy front-end damage, presumably from crashing through the steel railing and into the water.
An investigation into the crash is ongoing and no further details were provided.
Los Angeles, Ca
Armed robbers hit couple in broad daylight on high-end Beverly Hills street
Two people were hospitalized after a broad daylight armed robbery on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills Sunday, police confirmed to KTLA.
Officers with the Beverly Hills Police Department responded to the 400 block of North Rodeo Drive, at the intersection of Brighton Way just before 1:30 p.m. on reports of the incident.
According to a BHPD news release, a man and a woman were waiting outside a boutique when they were approached by four suspects, one of whom pulled out a gun during a physical altercation between the victims and the suspects.
“During the altercation, the suspects forcibly took two designer handbags – one from each victim – containing cash and cellphones,” police said. “One cellphone was recovered nearby. The suspects also attempted to steal the male victim’s jewelry but were unsuccessful.”
In video of a portion of the incident obtained by KTLA, four suspects all wearing dark clothing and hooded sweatshirts can be seen running from the scene. At least one of the suspects has an item, possibly one of the handbags, in his hands.
The crew was last seen running up Rodeo Drive and ducking into an alleyway.
It is unclear if anyone was injured, but the male victim was seen on the ground as the victim and another person knelt over him, one of which was yelling for help.
Medical personnel with the Beverly Hills Fire Department responded to the incident, but authorities said the man and woman sought their own medical attention at a local hospital.
Their conditions were not immediately available.
An investigation into the robbery remains ongoing and anyone with information is urged to contact BHPD at 310-285-2125. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-222-8477 or leave tips online at www.lacrimestoppers.com.
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