West
Silent on arrival: LA Mayor Karen Bass refuses to answer questions for her absence as wildfires ravage city
An expressionless Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass refused to answer reporters’ questions after being pressed on her initial absence as wildfires raged across her jurisdiction.
“Do you owe citizens an apology for being absent while their homes were burning? And do you regret cutting the Fire Department budget by millions of dollars, Madame Mayor?” Sky News reporter David Blevins asked as Bass waited to deplane Wednesday following her trip to Ghana.
“Have you absolutely nothing to say to the citizens today?” he added.
CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES RAGE ACROSS LOS ANGELES COUNTY, FORCING THOUSANDS TO EVACUATE
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass listens as Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks while touring fire damage in the city Wednesday. (Mayor Karen Bass / X)
Bass refused to acknowledge the reporter, continuing to ignore questions as she looked at the ground.
“No apology to them? Do you think you should have been visiting Ghana while this was unfolding back home?” he said.
“Madam mayor, let me ask you just again, have you anything to say to the citizens today as you return?” he said.
The Palisades Fire burns a structure in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Wednesday. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia)
On Wednesday, during a late-afternoon news conference in Los Angeles, Bass said that she took the “fastest route back,” adding that she used a military plane for her speedy arrival.
“I took the fastest route back, which included being on a military plane, which facilitated our communications,” she said, acknowledging that she was thousands of miles away when the first wildfires broke out Tuesday. “So I was able to be on the phone the entire time of the flight.”
LOS ANGELES MAYOR SLASHED FIRE BUDGET LAST YEAR, PRIORITIZED HOMELESS POPULATION
“We are fighting for you and everyone in Los Angeles,” she said, appearing to be reading prepared remarks.
At one point during the news conference, the mayor’s notes appeared to bewilder her, and she mistakenly said: “Emergency information, resources and shelter is available. All of this can be found at URL.”
Bass’ leadership has been in the spotlight as many have blamed her for the disaster, pointing to the massive budget cuts she made to critical firefighting forces that she poured into spending on the city’s homeless population.
For the 2023-2024 fiscal year, Los Angeles budgeted $837 million for the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), which was roughly 65% the size of the homeless budget of $1.3 billion.
From the 2023-2024 to the 2024-2025 budgets, the LAFD’s budget was reduced by $17,553,814 from $837,191,237 to $819,637,423.
Vehicles and a house burn as powerful winds fueling devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area force people to evacuate, at the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., Wednesday. (Reuters/David Swanson)
Bass’ arrival on the scene comes as wildfires continue to rage in Los Angeles County, leaving hundreds of thousands of residents under evacuation orders.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna told Fox News that five people have been killed in the Eaton Fire, as of Wednesday afternoon.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Bass’ office for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Breck Dumas contributed to this report.
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HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Police have arrested a suspect in a violent attempted robbery on Oahu’s North Shore. Another suspect still has not been located.
Police said the two men approached another man in Mokuleia Friday night. One of the men allegedly assaulted the victim while the other one threatened him with a handgun.
According to police records, the suspects ran off when the victim called police.
Officers later identified one of the suspects as a 50-year-old man. He was arrested Tuesday and faces possible charges of robbery in the first degree.
Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — A man wanted in connection with a robbery at a Meridian home where a firearm was allegedly stolen has been arrested after investigators tracked him to eastern Idaho.
The U.S. Marshals Service located and arrested Francisco Salazar on an arrest warrant issued May 7, 2026, in Ada County. Salazar was wanted in connection with a robbery that occurred at a Meridian, Idaho, residence on March 16, 2026. During the robbery, it was alleged that a firearm had been stolen.
On May 11, 2026, the Meridian Police Department forwarded the arrest warrant to the U.S. Marshals Service for investigation. Investigators determined Salazar had fled the Treasure Valley area.
On June 29, 2026, the U.S. Marshals Task Force received a tip about Salazar’s location in the Idaho Falls area. The U.S. Marshals Service said it maintains a network of agencies throughout Idaho as members of the Greater Idaho Fugitive Task Force.
During the operation, task force members from the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, Chubbuck Police Department, Rexburg Police Department and Idaho Falls Police Department joined with U.S. marshals to locate and arrest Salazar.
On June 30, 2026, investigators said task force members were led to a residential area of Idaho Falls, where they positively sighted Salazar. After brief surveillance, they followed him to an unoccupied area adjacent to the Walmart in Ammon, Idaho.
Authorities said an arrest action was initiated as Salazar was exiting a vehicle. Task force members detected Salazar may have been about to flee on foot and deployed a distraction device, which authorities said de-escalated the situation and allowed Salazar to be taken into custody safely.
MISSOULA, Mont. — The University of Montana officially welcomed Dr. Jeremiah Shinn on Tuesday as the university’s 20th president.
Shinn’s tenure begins July 1.
“It’s my goal to lead UM in a way that makes this state proud,” Shinn said. “Together, we will build on our strengths to make UM even more aligned with the needs of students and the realities of today’s workforce.”
He joins the university after serving as interim president of Boise State University, where he led efforts aimed at enhancing student engagement, strengthening campus partnerships and expanding access to affordable education opportunities for students.
“President Shinn is a proven leader whose commitment to the success of students is unwavering,” said Clayton Christian, Montana commissioner of higher education. “He is a strong addition to the Montana University System, and I am confident he will maintain UM’s positive momentum while also steering the institution in new ways that will serve our state.”
The following was sent out by the University of Montana:
The University of Montana today officially welcomed Dr. Jeremiah Shinn as the 20th president of the flagship institution.
Shinn’s tenure leading UM begins July 1.
“It’s my goal to lead UM in a way that makes this state proud,” Shinn said. “Together, we will build on our strengths to make UM even more aligned with the needs of students and the realities of today’s workforce.”
Shinn joins UM after a successful tenure as the interim president of Boise State University, where he led efforts to enhance student engagement, strengthen campus partnerships and expand access to affordable education opportunities for students.
“President Shinn is a proven leader whose commitment to the success of students is unwavering,” said Clayton Christian, Montana commissioner of higher education. “He is a strong addition to the Montana University System, and I am confident he will maintain UM’s positive momentum while also steering the institution in new ways that will serve our state.”
Shinn takes the helm at UM during an important time, as the University prepares to welcome the class of 2030 to campus next month.
“Our students deserve a university built for the world they’re entering, not the one we’re leaving behind,” Shinn added. “At a time when the value of higher education is being questioned, UM will meet this moment. Not with arguments, but with proof. In our work, in our graduates and in our service to Montana.”
Prior to serving as Boise State interim president, Shinn was vice president for student affairs and enrollment management. He also served as vice president for student affairs at Louisiana State University. Shinn earned a Ph.D. from Eastern Michigan University, a Master of Arts from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Science from Arkansas Tech University.
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