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  • Supervisor didn't disclose family connection
    A man speaks on a stage into a microphone in front of a logo for Warner Wellness Center
    O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do has allocated millions of county dollars to his daughter’s group, Warner Wellness Center, without publicly disclosing his family connection.

    Topline:

    Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, one of the county’s most powerful elected officials, has allocated millions of dollars to an organization led by his daughter, without publicly disclosing his close family connection, an LAist investigation has found.

    Key findings: 

    • Without publicly disclosing his family connection, Supervisor Do has approved funding that included $3.1 million for a mental health center led by his daughter.
    • The county-funded subcontracts with the daughter’s center drew such concern among a group of community nonprofit leaders that it led to contacting the FBI, according to the leader of L.A.’s top Asian American civil rights group. 
    • Do’s daughter graduated from high school four years ago, undergraduate college two years ago and is currently a law student at U.C. Irvine, according to her LinkedIn
    • The center led by Do’s daughter is located on the same floor of the same office building as Do’s private law office in Huntington Beach.

    Keep reading... for details about the investigation and for what other supervisors and ethics experts had to say.

    KEY FINDINGS

    • Without publicly disclosing his family connection, Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do approved funding that included $3.1 million in two subcontracts for a mental health center led by his daughter.
    • The nonprofit contractors that manage the subcontracts said the idea of hiring his daughter’s center didn’t originate with them. One said the center was suggested to them during negotiations with the county, and the other said they were provided a list of county-vetted organizations. Orange County spokespeople have not answered LAist’s questions about Do’s role in the process. 
    • A group of community nonprofit leaders were so concerned about the handling of the subcontracts that they held a meeting about it with the leader of L.A.’s top Asian American civil rights group, who told LAist she followed up by contacting the FBI.
    • Do’s daughter graduated from high school four years ago, undergraduate college two years ago and is currently a law student at U.C. Irvine, according to her LinkedIn. She lists no other work experience on LinkedIn, aside from a four-month internship this summer at a business law firm. She also was a legislative intern at a mental health advocacy group, according to that group’s website.
    • Do’s daughter’s mental health center, Warner Wellness Center, is the DBA of the nonprofit Viet America Society. A DBA is a name an organization uses to operate that’s different from its legal name.  
    • Warner Wellness operations and Viet America Society are located on the same floor of the same office building as Do’s private law office in Huntington Beach.
    • Viet America Society received a warning letter in April 2023 from the state Attorney General that it was delinquent and could not legally seek or spend funds because it still hadn’t yet filed required financial disclosures.
    • Do takes credit in budget summaries for allocating $4.2 million across two years to Viet America Society during a period it was not registered as a nonprofit with the state. An ethics expert told LAist state law prohibits operating an unregistered nonprofit.

      Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, one of the county’s most powerful elected officials, has voted to fund millions of dollars to an organization led by his daughter without publicly disclosing his close family connection, an LAist investigation has found.

      Do voted twice to award contracts that, according to county agenda records, included subcontracts to Warner Wellness Center, his daughter Rhiannon Do’s group. Warner Wellness is the DBA of the nonprofit Viet America Society. (A DBA is the name an organization uses to operate that’s different from its legal name.)

      During public discussion of one of those votes, Do said he had two years of conversations with the top county health official leading up to the vote.

      Both of Do’s votes to fund the subcontracts happened with no public mention that his daughter was working as Warner Wellness’ president.

      Do, his daughter, and Do’s chief of staff Van Tran haven’t returned multiple phone and email requests for comment.

      A group of community nonprofit leaders were so concerned about the handling of the subcontracts that they held a meeting about it with Connie Chung Joe, the leader of L.A.’s top Asian American civil rights group.

      Joe, who is CEO of Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, told LAist she followed up by contacting the FBI.

      When asked about this, FBI spokesperson Laura Eimiller told LAist her agency doesn’t confirm or deny the existence of investigations.

      Conflicts of interest have previously emerged during Do’s time as a supervisor. Last year, Do paid the largest conflict of interest fine in California since 2019, according to state records.

      Part of the fine was for Do not disclosing his role in fundraising that ultimately paid for work done by the founder of Viet America Society.

      A nonprofit 'not in good standing'  

      Over a two-and-a-half-year span, Do was involved in directing $3.1 million to Warner Wellness, as well as an earlier $4.2 million to Viet America Society before it took on the Warner Wellness name as a DBA.

      Viet America Society was incorporated in 2020 by Peter Pham, who previously worked on a high-profile statue project led by Do.

      In budget records, Do took credit for Viet America Society’s county funding. And in a recent video touting Pham’s work, Do said he came up with the idea of expanding Viet America Society’s meal distribution.

      “I approached Peter and said ‘Look, why don’t we blow this up, make it bigger and we can help more seniors,’ and that’s how we started working with him,” Do said in the video.

      By the end of 2020, Viet America Society started receiving its first of several county contracts. By April 2022, it had received $4.2 million in contracts to prep and deliver hot meals to seniors, people with disabilities and others facing food insecurity in Do’s district.

      Throughout those years, Viet America Society was not a legally registered nonprofit with the state — despite state law requiring registration within 30 days of receiving funds. Even after it registered in January 2023, the state warned the group in April that it was out of compliance. The AG’s office wrote that Viet America Society was “not in good standing and is prohibited from engaging in conduct for which registration is required, including soliciting or disbursing charitable funds.”

      All along, county records show Viet America Society received funding approvals from the county anyway. It ultimately filed the required financial disclosures in June 2023.

      County spokespeople have not answered whether the supervisors and county staff knew the county was approving millions in funding to a group the state had declared was unable to legally seek or spend funds .

      “If they’re not registered and they’re operating, that’s illegal,” said Sean McMorris, the transparency, ethics and accountability program manager at California Common Cause.

      If they’re not registered and they’re operating, that’s illegal.
      — Sean McMorris, transparency, ethics and accountability program manager at California Common Cause

      Pham, the founder and president of Viet America Society, initially told LAist he would be available for an interview, but has not returned multiple follow-up calls to schedule it.

      A family connection

      O.C. Supervisors Vicente Sarmiento and Katrina Foley, who participated in a key vote on the center’s funding this May, told LAist they were not aware of Do’s family connection until LAist contacted them this month. Sarmiento said such family connections should be disclosed before votes.

      The May vote approved an expansion of the county’s hotline contract with the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI OC) to add services in Spanish and Vietnamese.

      That expansion included a $2.5 million subcontract for Warner Wellness — outlined in county agenda documents for the vote — to provide Vietnamese language services for the WarmLine, the county’s emotional support hotline for people struggling with mental health challenges.

      When that item came up for a vote, Do discussed being involved in conversations to expand the WarmLine’s services.

      “I want to thank Dr. Chau,” Do said. He was speaking of Clayton Chau, attending the meeting in his role as the county’s top public health official. Chau’s department recommended the item for supervisors’ approval.

      “To see this coming, now, after you and I have talked about it for over two years,” Do said to Chau. Do then voted with the other supervisors to approve the item, without disclosing his family relationship to the subcontractor.

      It was not the first time Warner Wellness received funding through a county subcontract Do voted to fund.

      County supervisors previously approved funding for a $625,000 subcontract with Warner Wellness in November 2022. Do, who voted for it, made no mention of his family connection. The funding was part of a contract with Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA), one of Orange County's best-known Asian American community organizations, to provide mental health outreach in local communities.

      Offices marked for Warner Wellness and Viet America Society are located on the same floor of the same office building as Do’s private law office in Huntington Beach. Until LAist contacted her this month, his youngest daughter Rhiannon Do listed herself on LinkedIn as president of Warner Wellness since July 2021.

      After LAist contacted Rhiannon Do for comment, her title was updated to vice president. A week later, the person who answered the phone at Warner Wellness told LAist that Rhiannon Do was still the organization’s leader. The center’s website says it’s “a nonprofit, outpatient mental health center” but does not name anyone involved in the organization, including its leadership.

      Do’s daughter is a law student at U.C. Irvine. She graduated from high school four years ago and then earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from U.C. Davis in December 2021. While at U.C. Davis, she interned at the Steinberg Institute, which advocates for statewide mental health policy changes. Her LinkedIn resume lists another internship at a law firm and no other work experience.

      Rhiannon Do is seated in a black chair with a white wall behind her wearing large glasses and a white shirt. A lower third graphic says "Rhiannon Do Fall 2020-Spring 2021 Legislative Intern."
      Rhiannon Do in a YouTube video posted in August 2021 by the Steinberg Institute where she was an intern.
      (
      Screenshot via YouTube
      )

      How Warner Wellness became a subcontractor

      NAMI OC President Steve Pitman oversees Warner Wellness’ $2.5 million WarmLine subcontract. In written responses to LAist’s questions, he described Warner Wellness as a natural partner choice that was suggested to them as “county-vetted.”

      OCAPICA’s executive director, Mary Anne Foo, told LAist that Warner Wellness was not part of her organization’s proposal to the county. Instead, the center was later suggested to her group during negotiations with the county after OCAPICA won the main contract. OCAPICA added Warner Wellness as a subcontractor before supervisors voted to approve the contract.

      Chau, who no longer works at the county, didn’t return phone calls and text messages for comment to his cell phone or messages left with his new boss. Orange County CEO Frank Kim also didn’t return phone calls and text messages.

      A web of names

      Warner Wellness Center has been registered with the state and used as a name for two different California entities: one private company and one nonprofit organization.

      • Warner Wellness was originally registered in 2021 as the business name of Behavioral Health Solutions, Inc., a company led by Viet America Society founder Peter Pham and Rhiannon Do, according to state records.

      • Last October, as the first county funding for Warner Wellness was about to be approved, Pham registered the names Behavioral Health Solutions and Warner Wellness Center as business names for the nonprofit Viet America Society.

      • Then, in early January 2023, Pham notified the state that Behavioral Health Solutions had been dissolved as a company. That left Viet America Society as the only remaining organization using Warner Wellness as a registered business name in Orange County. 

      OC’s ethics code

      County staff have not answered whether the handling of the Warner Wellness subcontracts complied with Orange County’s ethics policies, which state:

      “No County official or employee shall grant any special consideration, treatment, or advantage to any person beyond that which is available to every other person in similar circumstance. No person shall be favored or discriminated against with respect to any appointment in the County service because of family or social relationships.”

      The code of ethics also says that county officials cannot participate in any activities that “would tend to impair independence of judgment or action in the performance of official duties.”

      The code itself doesn’t describe consequences for any violations of these provisions, and county staff haven’t answered questions about whether any consequences exist.

      Orange County has a five-member ethics commission, appointed by the five county supervisors. It has jurisdiction over some ethics code provisions, but not the ones listed above.

      Tracy Westen, a government ethics expert, said the votes by Do raise ethical questions about why he didn’t publicly disclose his close family connection and recuse himself. Those factors, he said, lead to questions that should now be answered: How was the group was chosen? How is it performing? Was it given preferential treatment?

      I think it’s always a mistake for a public official to vote on something that can affect him, her or their family.
      — Tracy Westen, government ethics expert

      “I think it’s always a mistake for a public official to vote on something that can affect him, her or their family,” said Westen, who previously ran the L.A.-based Center for Governmental Studies.

      “It’s one thing to vote on things that affect his family if it’s disclosed openly, candidly,” Westen said. “But it’s another to vote on something that affects your family positively, without disclosing it.”

      Spokespeople for the county Health Care Agency have yet to answer questions submitted nearly two weeks ago about whether Do had a role in the selections of his daughter’s group as a subcontractor, whether county ethics policies were followed, and how Warner Wellness has been performing.

      Instead, a spokesperson for the agency responded that responsibility for overseeing Warner Wellness’ work under the subcontracts lies with the contractors, NAMI OC and the Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA).

      Is it legal to steer government contracts to your child? 

      State law currently limits elected officials from approving contracts that benefit the official’s spouse — or child if they’re under 18 and can be claimed as a dependent.

      Past controversies over children of elected officials getting contracts

      There’s been controversy in the past about the children of SoCal elected officials benefitting from official actions. In L.A. County, former Supervisor Don Knabe faced questions in 2006, 2011, 2012 and 2016 over regularly voting on contracts that financially benefited companies that paid his son to lobby the county on their behalf.

      In one instance where 13 companies competed for a contract, Knabe voted to award the $7 million in work to a firm that his son was paid to lobby the county for, according to the L.A. Times. After the company got the contract, it hired Knabe’s wife to arrange a major event for the company, the Times wrote.

      In interviews, Knabe said he was doing nothing wrong and that his votes weren’t influenced by who was paying his son.

      In an extreme case, a 2015 audit of the City of Industry found more than $326 million in city contracts to companies controlled by the small city’s former mayor and his family, according to the L.A. Times.

      In some instances, the city was charged six times as much for lawn mower rentals and street cleaning as a competitor’s rates, the audit found.

      The audit prompted an L.A. County District Attorney investigation. It was not clear if an outcome was reached.

      But those conflict of interest rules do not apply when officials’ children are over 18.

      Back in 2016, the Legislature had a lot of momentum to change that.

      Then-Senator Tony Mendoza introduced a bill that year to expand the conflict definition to officials’ adult children, parents and siblings. Violations would result in “disqualification from ever holding any office in California in addition to prison time and/or a fine” of up to $1,000, he said in a news release at a time.

      That ban would have applied only when officials were aware of a conflict.

      It had major momentum — winning unanimous approval in the State Senate followed by unanimous yes votes by two Assembly committees. But it died before reaching a full Assembly vote, state records show.

      The bill was inspired in part by a City of Industry audit that found more than $300 million in contracts with its former mayor’s family.

      There’s a strong argument that conflict of interest laws should include officials’ adult children — as well as siblings and parents — said McMorris, the ethics advocate at Common Cause.

      “I mean, you’re still blood relatives,” he said.

      “The natural inclination of mothers and fathers is to want to assist their sons and daughters. So I’m not sure that exempting sons and daughters once they turn 18 years old necessarily passes the smell test when it comes to things like this.”

      The NAMI OC subcontract

      The NAMI OC subcontract with Do’s daughter’s group for $2.5 million — to provide Vietnamese language services for the WarmLine — was the larger of the two county-funded subcontracts with Warner Wellness.

      NAMI OC is one of the best-known mental health organizations in Orange County.

      Pitman, the NAMI chapter’s president, initially agreed to an interview through the group’s executive director but later provided written answers to questions from LAist instead.

      Pitman wrote that it was the county that suggested expanding the WarmLine, and that county officials suggested Warner Wellness as a subcontractor for Vietnamese-language services.

      A person sits in an office with facing a TV screen showing a computer screen, with a logo by the door that says Warner Wellness Center
      Warner Wellness Center’s office in Huntington Beach on Nov. 8, 2023. It’s a few doors down from O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do’s private law office in the same building.
      (
      Nick Gerda
      /
      LAist
      )

      “We were provided a short list of community-driven, county-vetted organizations to provide NAMI OC WarmLine sub-contract services,” Pitman wrote.

      “Warner Wellness is a natural partner choice because we have bilingual volunteers who previously helped with Vietnamese community outreach efforts for the WarmLine now connected to Warner Wellness. Those volunteers are well versed in NAMI OC WarmLine functions.”

      He did not directly answer whether Do’s daughter has been paid under the county-funded subcontract or specifically how her group has been performing over the six months since the county funding was approved.

      “NAMI OC works closely with Warner Wellness and [Spanish-services provider] Abrazar to ensure quality interactions to best serve the community,” Pitman wrote.

      “We review and process payments for services laid out in the sub-contract agreement. Subcontractors must provide appropriate documentation to support invoices .”

      The OCAPICA subcontract

      On Nov. 29 of last year, Do was among the five supervisors who voted for a contract with Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA), which included a $625,000 subcontract to Warner Wellness Center for mental health outreach. Warner Wellness was named in the county agenda documents as receiving the subcontract funding, though Do did not publicly disclose his immediate family relationship to the group.

      OCAPICA, a well-respected group run by Foo, oversees 16 subcontractors to perform outreach to Asian communities under the county contract.

      Do’s daughter’s group was one of two groups to receive the largest subcontracts given, for $625,000. Most of the other 16 subcontractors received $100,000 or less, according to the county’s summary of the OCAPICA contract, which was attached to the agenda for the supervisors’ vote.

      Foo declined to say who recommended Do’s daughter’s group during county negotiations, saying she doesn’t want to get that person in trouble.

      “In any subcontracting case, we do really strong monitoring to make sure they’re successful,” she said, speaking generally.

      “And if there’s any issues, we would definitely do corrective actions and make sure that everyone’s doing what they’re supposed to be doing.”

      A pay-to-play fine

      Last year, Do paid a $12,000 fine for violating the state’s “pay-to-play” laws on government contracts and for failing to disclose his role in nonprofit fundraising by required deadlines. That fine is the largest conflict of interest fine statewide since 2019, according to online records of the Fair Political Practices Commission, which enforces these laws.

      The fine was based on two distinct issues.

      One had to do with Do’s fundraising for the high-profile statue project at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley. The project placed statues of President Ronald Reagan, Vietnamese General Trần Hưng Đạo and Spanish priest Miguel Hidalgo in 2015 and 2016.

      Pham led construction work at the park for two of the statutes in 2015 and 2016, before founding Viet America Society in 2020 and creating Warner Wellness Center in 2021. His partner on the statue work was Le Dan Hua, who also later was a board officer at Viet America Society and Warner Wellness.

      Do filed a required disclosure about his role requesting $40,000 in donations for the statues over two years late, after investigators contacted him, according to a report by state investigators.

      During their probe, state investigators also determined that Do falsely told them — under penalty of perjury — that he never directly asked for donations into the nonprofit he was using to fund the statues.

      “Do submitted false information to [FPPC] Enforcement under penalty of perjury — casting serious doubt on his credibility, such that any denials by him may be disbelieved, entirely,” the state enforcement agency wrote in a report last year.

      State investigators found that the nonprofit that collected donations and paid for the statues — including Pham’s work — was being used as “a money holding company” controlled by Do and one of his top county aides.

      Peter Pham was paid $20,800 for construction work at Do’s behest, according to a state investigation report. Pham was not accused of any wrongdoing.

      The second type of violation cited in the fine was issued for votes he made as a county-appointed board member of the public health insurance plan CalOptima, to award lobbying contracts to two of his campaign donors.

      “Do made, participated in making, and attempted to use his official position to influence governmental contracting decisions involving a participant who contributed to his campaign,” read the findings from the state Fair Political Practices Commission.

      At the time, Do blamed agency staff for not notifying him about the potential conflicts of interest. But state investigators noted Do has extensive experience in law and government office.

      Do is married to Cheri Pham, one of Orange County's highest ranking judges. Before being elected to the O.C. Board of Supervisors in a special election in 2015, Do served on the Garden Grove city council and worked as a prosecutor with the O.C. District Attorney’s office.

      “In light of this background, it is fair to say that Do is a sophisticated public official who had ample reason to know and understand the requirements of the Act,” FPPC investigators wrote in their description of the fine.

      As part of his $12,000 settlement, Do agreed that he violated the pay-to-play law and failed to file donation disclosures on time about his role in the statue fundraising.

      He did not admit to making false statements, which were not part of the ultimate fine.

      Mailings by Do prompted a change to state law

      A few years before the $12,000 ethics fine, state law was changed in response to Do’s use of taxpayer money to send mailers from his supervisorial office during the 2016 re-election campaign.

      Do sent out 1.2 million mailers to voters in his supervisorial district — many of which prominently showed his name and photo — shortly before Election Day. Do’s taxpayer-funded mass mailings helped prompt the state Legislature to ban county supervisors from sending out county-funded mailers featuring themselves within 60 days of elections where they’re on the ballot.

      “There’s been some abuse by some elected officials who use public funds to mail what seems to be and look like political mailers,” Mendoza, the then-state senator who sponsored the bill, said when the new law was passed in 2017, citing Do in particular.

      Response from O.C. supervisors

      LAist called all five current county supervisors for this story, and spoke with the three who responded. Two said they weren’t aware of Do’s family connection to the subcontractor.

      “This is the first I’m hearing about this,” said Supervisor Foley, who voted to fund both of the Warner Wellness subcontracts. She said she would be following up with her staff to look into it.

      “That is news to me,” said Supervisor Sarmiento, who voted in favor of the WarmLine expansion that included the Warner Wellness subcontract after he joined the board this year. He said supervisors should disclose their family relationships with vendors, even if it’s not legally required.

      O.C. Supervisor Don Wagner said he sees nothing wrong with what Do did, because there’s no legal requirement for officials to disclose or recuse themselves when their votes would financially benefit their adult children.

      “I don’t find any fault with Supervisor Do’s conduct,” he told LAist. Wagner did not respond to questions from LAist about whether he knew about Do’s daughter’s involvement prior to his vote for the contracts.

      Supervisor Doug Chaffee, who also voted for the contracts, didn’t return LAist’s requests for comment.

      Do’s outside income

      The front of an office with no markings, with the number "166" at the top of the door..
      The outside of O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do’s law office in Huntington Beach, a few suites away from Warner Wellness Center and Viet America Society’s offices.
      (
      Nick Gerda / LAist
      )

      Among the county supervisors, Do is an outlier in how much money he’s received from undisclosed sources for outside work, according to an LAist review of public disclosures for recent years.

      As a supervisor, Do made $231,000 last year in pay and benefits, according to public records posted by Transparent California. As one of five supervisors in a county of 3.1 million residents, he helps to oversee billions in government programs.

      Starting in 2020, state-mandated disclosures show, Do began receiving outside income through a new law office he created.

      On the disclosures for 2021 and 2022, Do selected a box on the forms stating that he received between $100,000 and $1 million per year in income for "law services.”

      State law requires local elected officials to disclose all outside income sources of $500 or more per year, which would include specific clients if they pay the official directly. But if the official creates a company — like a law firm — that they control and receive money through, disclosure is only required for clients who paid $10,000 or more.

      Do did not disclose in his filings where any of the money paid to his law office came from.

      That’s in contrast to other elected officials. For example: When Michelle Steel was a county supervisor, each year she disclosed the names of dozens of clients who paid her husband’s law firm more than $10,000.

      Do is the only O.C. supervisor making more than $100,000 per year in outside income who did not make more detailed disclosures about who was paying their company, according to LAist’s review of disclosures.

      What’s next 

      Orange County supervisors are currently in the midst of updating the county’s rules around contracting, including what kinds of conflicts of interest to ban. They’re scheduled to vote on the new contract policy manual on Tuesday, Nov. 28, at their regular Board of Supervisors meeting.

      How to Watch

      • The meeting starts Nov. 28 at 9:30 a.m. You can watch the meeting online, by visiting this page while the meeting is in session. The video recording also will be posted online after the meeting, on the same page.

      Right now, the county’s conflict of interest rules adhere to the state law definition of “immediate family,” which restricts officials from being involved in steering taxpayer money to their own children who are under 18.

      It doesn’t apply when they’re adults.

      Do was one of the two county supervisors who oversaw the drafting of the contract policy updates, as an ad-hoc committee member.

      The proposed changes to the manual keep the current definition of “immediate family” in place.

      Last year, Do ran unsuccessfully for statewide office, seeking to become California’s treasurer who oversees $3 trillion in annual banking transactions and manages over the state’s $100-billion-plus investment pool.

      He later opened a campaign fundraising committee for the next state treasurer election, in 2026.

      Credits

      This story was reported over several weeks, involving dozens of interviews and the review of thousands of pages of public records.

      More on the LAist team behind this investigation:

      Reporting

      Editing

      Other support

      • Ted Rohrlich, On-Call Senior Reporter
      • Erin Hauer, Visual Designer

      The Jane and Ron Olson Center for Investigative Reporting helped make this project possible. Ron Olson is an honorary trustee of Southern California Public Radio. The Olsons do not have any editorial input on the stories we cover.

    • Win over Czech Republic makes 3 in a row
      A man in a white uniform points into the air on a soccer pitch.
      Mateo Chavez of Mexico celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group A match between Czechia and Mexico in Mexico City.

      Topline:

      Mateo Chávez and Julián Quiñones scored in a six-minute span early in the second half, and Mexico beat the Czech Republic 3-0 tonight to win all three of its World Cup group-stage matches for the first time.

      How it went down: The 22-year-old Chávez, in his first World Cup, opened the scoring in the 55th minute and Quiñones scored his second goal of the tournament in the 61st. Alvaro Fidalgo added a goal in second-half stoppage time.

      The backstory: Mexico’s previous best group-stage performance was two wins and one draw, done in 1986 and 2002 and both featuring Javier Aguirre, the first as a midfielder and the second as El Tri’s coach. Aguirre is back as coach this year, his third stint leading the team.

      MEXICO CITY — Mateo Chávez and Julián Quiñones scored in a six-minute span early in the second half, and Mexico beat the Czech Republic 3-0 on Wednesday night to win all three of its World Cup group-stage matches for the first time.

      The 22-year-old Chávez, in his first World Cup, opened the scoring in the 55th minute and Quiñones scored his second goal of the tournament in the 61st. Alvaro Fidalgo added a goal in second-half stoppage time.

      Mexico’s previous best group-stage performance was two wins and one draw, done in 1986 and 2002 and both featuring Javier Aguirre, the first as a midfielder and the second as El Tri’s coach. Aguirre is back as coach this year, his third stint leading the team.

      Already the winner of Group A, Mexico will play again at Estadio Azteca on Tuesday in a round-of-32 match against an opponent to be determined.

      Mexico is undefeated at nine World Cup matches at the massive stadium, which was packed with 80,824 fans on Wednesday. El Tri has only two losses at Azteca, most recently in World Cup qualifying against Honduras on Sept. 6, 2013.

      The match included nods to Mexico’s past and future. Gilberto Mora, at age 17, became the youngest Mexico player to start in a World Cup. And 40-year-old goalkeeper Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa entered in the 77th minute, joining Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo as the only players to appear in six World Cups.

      Mexico’s triumph was marred, however, by the return of a homophobic chant by fans that has previously led to fines and other sanctions against its soccer federation. The chant, a one-word slur that literally means male prostitute in Spanish, was heard near the end of the first half when Czech goalkeeper Matej Kovar took a goal kick.

      The Czech Republic was eliminated, finishing with one point in three games.

      Mexico is unbeaten in 11 games dating to a friendly loss against Panama last November. And Aguirre has made the most of his roster, using 25 of 26 players in the tournament. Chávez was one of five starters Wednesday who did not start last Thursday’s 1-0 win over South Korea.

      Ochoa makes history in his likely farewell

      Ochoa, who wears No. 13, played the last 13 minutes, plus stoppage time, in what’s likely to be his final appearance for Mexico. He turns 41 on July 13 and has said he plans to retire from international competition after the World Cup.

      He was a substitute in the 2006 and 2010 tournaments and started for Mexico in 2014, 2018 and 2022.

      Raúl Rangel is the starter this year, stepping in for the injured Luis Ángel Malagón, who helped Mexico win the CONCACAF Nations League and Gold Cup last year. Malagón’s injury opened the door for Ochoa’s return.

      Ochoa became the oldest Mexican to play in the World Cup. The previous record holder was Cuauhtémoc Blanco, who was 37 when he played in South Africa in 2014.

    • Sponsored message
    • Infected plane passenger traveled through Burbank
      A tower marked BUR is visible in a photo taken from an airport tarmac.
      A traveler who had measles flew on Southwest Airlines through Burbank Airport on the morning of June 17. L.A. County health officials are warning people at the location of possible exposure to the highly contagious virus.

      Topline:

      L.A. County health officials today confirmed the seventh case of the measles this year in a passenger who was traveling through Hollywood Burbank Airport on the morning of June 17.

      Why it matters: They're warning people who may have come in contact with the person of possible exposure to the highly contagious virus.

      What you should know: Public health officials say the infected traveler arrived on Southwest Airlines Flight 4245 Gate A4 on June 17 at the Hollywood Burbank Airport. Anyone who was at that gate between 8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. may have been exposed. In addition, people who were at the Thrifty Rental Car Service on June 17 from 9:20 to 10:20 a.m. and on June 18 from 10:25 to 11:25 a.m. may have been exposed. That's located at 2627 N. Hollywood Way in Burbank.

      L.A. County health officials Wednesday confirmed the county's seventh measles case this year — a traveler who passed through Hollywood Burbank Airport on the morning of June 17.

      They're warning people who may have come in contact with the person of possible exposure to the highly contagious virus.

      What you should know: Public health officials say the infected traveler arrived on Southwest Airlines Flight 4245 Gate A4 on June 17 at the Hollywood Burbank Airport. Anyone who was at that gate between 8:45 to 9:45 a.m. may have been exposed.

      Officials also noted that people who were at the Thrifty Rental Car Service on June 17 from 9:20 to 10:20 a.m. and on June 18 from 10:25 to 11:25 a.m. may have been exposed. That's located at 2627 N. Hollywood Way in Burbank.

      What if I was on the flight? Public health officials say passengers sitting next to the traveler will be notified by local health departments and should monitor for symptoms. Keep in mind those symptoms could appear up to three weeks after you were exposed.

      Symptoms to look out for: Common symptoms include runny nose, fever cough, or a rash. It's also important if you develop these symptoms, don't just walk into a health care center without calling ahead first.

      For people exposed on June 17, the last day to monitor for symptoms is July 8. For those exposed on June 18, the last day to monitor for symptoms is July 19.

      How can I protect myself?: It's important to check if you are vaccinated against the measles. As health officials noted in the news release reporting the latest case: "The most effective way to protect yourself and your family is with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine."

      Why measles is so dangerous

      Some context on the measles via our partner newsroom CalMatters:

    • Longtime administrator takes the top job
      A man with medium light skin tone and a goatee wears a dark gray suit and a blue and green striped tie. He smiles and looks to the side.
      Andres Chait, acting superintendent, at a March 2026 LAUSD board meeting.

      Topline

      The Los Angeles Unified Board voted unanimously to appoint Andres Chait, a longtime district administrator, as superintendent days after his predecessor resigned.

      Why now: The board met privately to discuss the district’s top job three days after Alberto Carvalho resigned. Carvalho wrote in a letter that he was leaving “because I believe our schools must remain focused on students and learning without distraction.”

      Who is Andres Chait? Chait rose through the ranks from teacher to administrator at LAUSD over nearly three decades. The responsibilities of his most recent role, chief of school operations, included overseeing school safety, athletics and the district’s office of emergency management.

      Why it matters: LAUSD is the country’s second largest school district, employs 83,000 people and enrolls more than 400,000 students across more than 1,000 schools.

      Read on ... for more on what the new administrator will face.

      The Los Angeles Unified Board voted unanimously to appoint Andres Chait, a longtime district administrator, as superintendent days after his predecessor resigned.

       “This board's decision reflects the confidence in Mr. Chait's leadership, his decades of service to Los Angeles Unified, and his demonstrated ability to guide the district during this period of transition,” said board President Scott Schmerelson.

      The board met privately to discuss the district’s top job three days after Alberto Carvalho resigned. Carvalho wrote in a letter that he was leaving “because I believe our schools must remain focused on students and learning without distraction.”

      The board placed Carvalho on paid administrative leave following FBI searches of his home and district office in February and appointed Chait acting superintendent. Carvalho has not been charged with a crime and has maintained his innocence.

      Who is Andres Chait?

      Chait rose through the ranks from teacher to administrator at LAUSD over nearly three decades. The responsibilities of his most recent role, chief of school operations, included overseeing school safety, athletics and the district’s office of emergency management.

      Chait thanked the board, the community and his family after the announcement Wednesday and reflected on his first day as a kindergarten teacher 30 years ago. “ I was probably more nervous than the kids were, but I knew then that this was a place where I could make a positive difference in the lives of students and families,” Chait said. “I've always known that there is no greater accelerator of change and opportunity than the schoolhouse, and that is still true today.”

      Under Chait's interim leadership, the district successfully negotiated new contracts with its largest labor unions — avoiding a massive strike by teachers, principals and staff — and passed a significant reduction-in-force plan and fiscal stabilization plan.

      Chait is the first district staff member to be selected as full-time superintendent since Michelle King in 2016.

      What is the superintendent responsible for?

      LAUSD is the country’s second-largest school district, employs 83,000 people and enrolls more than 400,000 students across more than 1,000 schools. Despite recent gains in student test scores, the majority of students are not proficient in reading and math skills for their grade level. The district also faces looming financial challenges from declining enrollment — which is tied to state funding — and federal investigations into programs designed to help underserved students succeed.

      LAUSD Superintendents (1990-present)

      • Bill Antón (July 1990-Sept. 1992)
      • Sidney Thompson (Oct. 1992-June 1997)
      • Ruben Zacarias (July 1997-Jan. 2000)
      • Ramón Cortines* (Jan. 2000-June 2000)
      • Roy Romer (July 2000-Oct. 2006)
      • David Brewer (Nov. 2006-Dec. 2008)
      • Ramon Cortines* (Jan. 2009-Apr. 2011)
      • John Deasy (Apr. 2011-Oct. 2014)
      • Ramon Cortines* (Oct. 2014-Dec. 2015)
      • Michelle King (Jan. 2016-Sept. 2017)
      • Vivian Ekchian* (Sept. 2017-May 2018)
      • Austin Beutner (May 2018-June 2021)
      • Megan Reilly* (July 2021-February 2022)
      • Alberto Carvalho (February 2022-June 2026)
      • Andres Chait* (February 2026-June 2026)
      • Andres Chait (June 2026-present)

      * Denotes interim

    • Ex-parks chief allegedly targeted male lifeguards
      The sun rises in the distance while in the foreground, there's a concrete wall that says Bolsa Chica State Beach with paintings of gulls.
      Bolsa Chica State Beach at sunset.

      Topline:

      A former Orange County state parks superintendent has been charged with secretly filming naked male lifeguards in the locker room at Bolsa Chica State Beach.

      What allegedly happened? Kevin Pearsall retired last year shortly after officials executed search warrants in the case against him. He was charged Wednesday with taking secret footage and is also accused of sending the images to two other men. Efforts to reach Pearsall were unsuccessful Wednesday.

      Read on ... for more about the allegations and the pending case.

      A former state parks superintendent who oversaw Orange County beaches was charged Wednesday with secretly filming naked male lifeguards and other workers inside the locker room at Bolsa Chica State Beach. The former superintendent, Kevin Pearsall, is also accused of sending some of the images to two other men.

      What charges does he face?

      Pearsall, 59, of Long Beach, faces five felony counts of eavesdropping, 23 misdemeanor counts of secretly filming another and three misdemeanor counts of unlawful dissemination of private recordings. If convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum sentence of 18 years and eight months behind bars.

      Scott C. Thomas, a defense attorney representing Pearsall, declined to comment in the wake of the charges being announced by the Orange County District Attorney's office. Pearsall is scheduled to be arraigned Aug. 6 and could enter a plea at that time.

      Details of the investigation

      In July 2025, a California State Parks officer discovered a USB stick with a hidden camera in the men's locker room at Bolsa Chica State Beach Lifeguard Headquarters. The officer contacted California Highway Patrol, which launched an investigation.

      The investigation found Pearsall allegedly had recorded numerous secret videos in the locker room over an 11-month period beginning in August 2024, according to the DA's announcement. Pearsall retired from his job shortly after CHP served search warrants in the case. He turned himself in earlier this week.

      State Parks reaction

      Marty Greenstein, a spokesperson for California State Parks, told LAist the agency “takes these charges very seriously and has fully cooperated with law enforcement through every step of the investigation.” Greenstein declined to comment further, citing the active criminal investigation.