The Brief

Republican state Sen. Brian Jones has been trying to block sex offenders from being released from prison through California’s elderly parole program for several years. Last week, for the first time, his bill to do so made it out of its first committee.

It was just one of many votes Senate Bill 286 will have to survive in a long road ahead in the Capitol, but it caught Jones’ attention. In a Legislature dominated by Democrats who often shelve Republican tough-on-crime proposals, the approval from the Senate Public Safety Committee was unanimous.

“I don’t think it would have passed a committee last year,” said Jones, the Senate minority leader.

California’s Democratic legislators — who for years have been passing progressive measures designed to reduce sentences and lessen mass incarceration by emphasizing more rehabilitative solutions to crime — were dealt a blow last fall when an overwhelming majority of voters approved Proposition 36.

The measure backed by business owners, police and Republicans, increased sentences for some drug and theft crimes, partially undoing more lenient measures that voters approved just 10 years ago. Though many Democrats opposed the measure, they’re now tasked with providing funding to carry it out.

Jones, of San Diego, said he’s seeing Democrats inching toward stricter incarceration measures as a result. He said he saw a window to bring back the legislation this year.

“The smart Democrats are getting it,” he said. “The voters spoke overwhelmingly.”

The Public Safety Committee also gave unanimous approval this month for another bill Jones authored, SB 379, that would add regulatory guardrails before the Department of State Hospitals releases sexually violent predators. It’s his fourth year in a row pushing that measure; the proposal passed the Senate and died in the Assembly last year, after failing to clear a single committee both years before that. SB 432, authored by a different Republican senator to increase penalties for selling or giving fentanyl to minors, also got unanimous approval in the committee this month.

Freshman Sen. Jesse Arreguín, an Oakland Democrat who chairs the committee, said his fellow Democrats don’t intend to return to an era of overcrowded prisons or harsh penalties for lower-level crimes. But he acknowledged they’re also shifting their thinking in response to their voters, and called that approach “pragmatic.”

“That was the direction I was given as chair of the Public Safety Committee, was that we need to provide more balance in terms of how we look at criminal justice policy,” he said, referring to the Democratic caucus. “Just focusing specifically on restorative justice and prevention, and not focusing on accountability (for offenders), that's not where the voters are now.”

Criminal justice reforms still advancing

So far, the shift hasn’t been enough to worry Tinisch Hollins, executive director of Californians for Safety and Justice, a group that advocates for reduced imprisonment and pushed for the 2014 sentencing changes that voters approved.

She pointed to bills her organization has sponsored that are also advancing through the Legislature, including legislation to expand the state’s efforts to clear criminal records to give past offenders second chances, and to require that the California Department of Corrections apply more good behavior credits to reduce prisoners’ time served. With the state tight on cash, she said she doesn’t believe lawmakers will be eager to significantly increase imprisonment and sees a “consensus that we shouldn’t go back that way.”

“Even Prop. 36 wasn't a referendum on reform,” Hollins said. “There's still plenty of support for different approaches to public safety that really address the root cause and prevent crime from happening in the first place.”

Any stricter measures the Legislature approves this year will ultimately be narrow, with Republicans pointing to extreme examples to push their case.

State Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, a San Diego Republican, during the state Senate Appropriations Committee session in Sacramento on Sept. 1, 2023.

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Rahul Lal

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CalMatters

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Jones’ elderly parole bill targets a program the Corrections Department first created in 2014, in response to a court order to reduce prison crowding, that allows prisoners who are older than 60 and have served at least 25 years of their sentences to petition for release.

He tried in 2019 to restrict those convicted of sex offenses from being eligible; the bill never got a hearing. In 2020, lawmakers quietly lowered the eligibility for some prisoners to age 50, if they’ve served at least 20 years, though many have not been approved for release. The following year, Jones proposed a bill undoing that change for sex offenders, which went nowhere.

Between January 2021 and June 2024, the Board of Parole Hearings released 1,762 people through the elderly parole program, corrections spokesperson Emily Humpal wrote in an email. Department data analyzed by CalMatters show that while more people have been released under the elder program since 2021, the rates at which the board grants parole fluctuate between 14% and 20% each year, hovering just above the board’s overall parole-granting rate. The department would not immediately provide a breakdown of their convictions, nor of how many of those released were between the ages of 50 and 60.

Now, 12,303 people currently imprisoned – nearly 14% of the prison population – are eligible for either form of elderly parole, Humpal said.

Jones’ bill would bar those convicted of sexual felonies such as rape and child sexual abuse from parole eligibility at age 50. It would not affect their eligibility upon turning 60, or the parole eligibility date in their original sentences.

He also proposed blocking the earlier eligibility from people convicted of murder, but Arreguín’s committee removed that provision with Jones’ agreement before voting to advance the bill.

Proponents of the measure, including San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan, say victims shouldn’t be forced to relive the trauma of parole hearings and the prospect of their abusers’ release before the end of their original sentences.

They point to Mary Johnson, who identified herself as the childhood victim of rape and sexual abuse by her uncle. The abuser, Cody Klemp, was originally sentenced in the 1990s to 170 years. In 2023, under the elderly parole program, the Board of Parole Hearings recommended his release — then rescinded the decision last year. His next hearing is scheduled for 2029.

“Suddenly, I was no longer a 49-year-old woman, but I was a 13-year-old trapped and powerless and fighting again,” Johnson said in a press conference. “No victim’s family should have to fight over and over again to ensure that a dangerous predator serves the sentence that they were given.”

Closing the doors on the rehabilitated?

A group of criminal justice reform and civil rights advocates including the American Civil Liberties Union opposes the legislation, arguing it would close the door on those who have been rehabilitated in prison and pose less of a public safety risk. Studies have found the chances of re-offense decrease as a defendant ages.

Gary Harrell, who was given a life sentence for his participation in a murder, testified that despite becoming eligible for parole in 1984, he wasn’t released until about 40 years later, after he had gone before the parole board about 20 times. He said in the last two decades of his incarceration, he turned his life around, and now works a day job while in his spare time giving homeless Sacramento residents food and hygiene products.

“I have taken so much from others and now it’s time to give back and do my part to make the world a better place,” he said. “I hope you can see that the people who will be impacted by this bill are people like me who have changed and want to give back.”

Arreguín said he proposed removing Jones’ exclusion of people convicted of murder to focus the bill on sex offenses.

That tactic has yielded bipartisan backing in the last legislative session.

In 2023, Republican Sen. Shannon Grove of Bakersfield pushed a bill to increase penalties for child sex trafficking. Democrats in the Assembly Public Safety Committee resisted but, after a public outcry, Gov. Gavin Newsom stepped in with rare public comments in support of the legislation, which ultimately won more Democratic support and his signature.

Last year Grove’s bill to increase penalties for soliciting a minor for prostitution — targeting the buyers of sex — also prevailed. Senate Democrats carved out exclusions for 16- and 17-year-olds who are allegedly solicited, out of concern it would inadvertently rope in older teenagers who aren’t actually involved in or victims of trafficking. (The legal age of consent is 18.) This year, Grove is turning heads with a bill, Assembly Bill 379, co-authored with an Assembly Democrat, to undo those exclusions and apply the changes to all minors.

Jones acknowledged the tactic of focusing on sexual offenses is an incremental step toward tightening criminal sentences overall.

“We’re smart enough to know how far we can go,” he said.

This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.

The Justice Department has published additional Epstein files related to allegations that President Donald Trump sexually abused a minor after an NPR investigation found dozens of pages were withheld.

They include 16 new pages that cover three additional FBI interview summaries with a woman who accused Trump of sexual abuse decades ago when she was a minor. Also included are two pages of an intake form documenting the initial call to the FBI from a friend who relayed the claims.

NPR's investigation previously found 53 pages that appeared to be missing from the public database.

Now that these documents are published, there are still 37 pages of records missing from the public database, including notes from the interviews, a law enforcement report and license records.

The Justice Department has repeatedly told NPR that any documents withheld were "privileged, are duplicates or relate to an ongoing federal investigation."

Last week, after NPR's initial story, the Justice Department said it was determining if records had been mistakenly tagged as duplicates and if any were found, "the Department will of course publish it, consistent with the law."

More detail, but less context

The interview documents are part of more than 1,000 new pages published to the Epstein files public database Thursday that also include what appears to be the complete case file from the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell initiated in 2006.

The new documents go into more detail about the allegations made against both Trump and Epstein when the woman was between 13 to 15 years old.

An FBI email summarizing the claims and a Justice Department PowerPoint slide deck note the woman claimed that around 1983, when she was around 13 years old, Epstein introduced her to Trump, "who subsequently forced her head down to his exposed penis which she subsequently bit. In response, Trump punched her in the head and kicked her out."

In the newly-published documents, the woman's described how Trump allegedly put her head "down to his penis" and she "bit the s*** out of it." She alleged that Trump struck her and said something to the effect of "get this little b**** the hell out of here."

During the final interview the woman had with the FBI in 2019, when asked whether she "felt comfortable detailing her contacts with Trump," she reportedly asked "what the point would be of providing the information at this point in her life when there was a strong possibility nothing could be done about it."

The new files do not shed any more light on how credible federal investigators viewed her claims or how they were resolved. Still unanswered, too, is why the allegations were included in a Justice Department slide presentation last year summarizing the cases against Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.

Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein. The White House and Justice Department have warned that the raw files released to the public include "untrue and sensationalist claims."

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to NPR Friday that Trump has been "totally exonerated by the release of the Epstein files."

"These are completely baseless accusations, backed by zero credible evidence, from a sadly disturbed woman who has an extensive criminal history," Leavitt wrote. "The total baselessness of these accusations is also supported by the obvious fact that Joe Biden's department of justice knew about them for four years and did nothing with them — because they knew President Trump did absolutely nothing wrong. As we have said countless times, President Trump has been totally exonerated by the release of the Epstein Files."

The White House also noted a Justice Department statement posted Thursday on X that said there were 15 documents it discovered were "incorrectly coded as duplicative" and there were five prosecution memos that the Southern District of Florida determined could be published while protecting privileged materials.

Democrats and Republicans on the House Oversight Committee have demanded answers from the Justice Department regarding the missing files and the department's handling of the release of Epstein documents. This week, the committee voted to subpoena Attorney General Pam Bondi to answer questions about the files.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Have information to share about the Epstein files? Reach out to Stephen Fowler through encrypted communications on Signal at stphnfwlr.25. Please use a nonwork device.
Copyright 2026 NPR

For live updates of Rev. Jesse Jackson's service, head to WBEZ and the Chicago Sun Times' live blog.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson's loved ones will celebrate his life in Chicago on Friday, as his family hosts a memorial homegoing service that's open to the public, but will also be attended by dignitaries and celebrities.

Former Presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Bill Clinton are scheduled to speak at the service at the House of Hope, a megachurch on Chicago's South Side. Former Vice President Kamala Harris will also speak.

The service will also feature performances by Chicago native Jennifer Hudson, along with gospel singers Bebe Winans and Pastor Marvin Winans.

The event is slated to begin at noon ET and is expected to run for several hours. You can watch streaming video of the service here, along with live coverage from WBEZ in Chicago.

Other speakers include Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, along with the Rev. Al Sharpton and former NBA star Isiah Thomas.

The service — and another, private service on Saturday — will be officiated by faith leaders Pastor Charles Jenkins and Rev. James T. Meeks.

Program for Friday's memorial

Below is the order of service, as planned:
 
Musical Prelude: Legacy Mass Choir 
 
Call to Order: Officiants Rev. James T. Meeks, pastor emeritus of Salem Baptist Church of Chicago, and Pastor Charles Jenkins, pastor emeritus of Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church of Chicago
 
Scripture: Matthias Jackson, Old Testament; Atticus Jackson, New Testament
 
Acknowledgements & Resolutions
 
Prayers: Rev. Michael I. Pfleger, pastor emeritus of Faith Community of St. Sabina (Chicago); Rabbi Sharon Brous, founder of IKAR (Los Angeles); Rev. Otis Moss III, Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago)
 
Musical Selection: Hezekiah Walker, "Every Praise"
 
Expressions: Rabbi Steven Jacobs, Progressive Faith Foundation; Pastor Steve Munsey, Family Christian Center; Judge Greg Mathis
 
Opening: Yusef Jackson; Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker; Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson
 
Musical Selection: Opal Staples
 
Expressions: James Reynolds, Jr., chairman and CEO, Loop Capital; C.K. Hoffler, board chair, Rainbow PUSH Coalition; Thomas S. Ricketts, chairman, Chicago Cubs; Isiah Thomas, NBA Hall of Famer; former President Barack Obama
 
Musical Selection: Jennifer Hudson, "A Change Gonna Come"
 
Expressions: Rev. Al Sharpton, founder, National Action Network; James Zogby, founder, Arab American Institute; Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego, president of the Republic of Colombia; former President Bill Clinton

Video Tribute: Amadou Janaeh (Gambia); Andre Ramirez (former POW)

Musical Selection: Le'Andria Johnson, "We Shall Overcome"

Family Expression: Former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.

Expressions: John Nichols; Rep. Chuy Garcia (IL-04); Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-35); Pastor Jamal Bryant, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church (Stonecrest, Ga.)
 
Musical Selection: Marvin Sapp, "Never Would Have Made It"

Expressions: Former Vice President Kamala Harris; former President Joe Biden

Musical Selection: Bebe Winans, "Stand"

Family Expressions: Jacqueline Jackson; Ashley Jackson

Musical selection: Santita Jackson, "To God Be The Glory"

Family Expression: Rep. Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01)

Musical Selection: Marvin Winans, "Let the Church Say Amen"

Benediction: Charles Jenkins

Recessional

Civil rights leader fought segregation in his home state

Jackson died on Feb. 17 at age 84. His death has brought an outpouring of tributes to the civil rights leader and politician who devoted his life to pushing for equality and change. His early efforts to fight segregation included insisting on access to the "white library" in his hometown of Greenville, S.C., in 1960.

Dorris Wright, a former classmate of Jackson's who was one of the "Greenville Eight" along with him, told Here & Now that after their action, "the library was shut down, I think, for about a week or ten days. And then when they reopened, they reopened it to everybody."

Five years later, Jackson marched alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and others in Selma, Ala. His advocacy continued in the decades that followed, leading Jackson to run for president in 1984 and 1988.

The Chicago ceremonies bookend a week that began with Jackson's body lying in state at the South Carolina Capitol on Monday. There, he was honored in events that drew luminaries such as Rep. Jim Clyburn, former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young, and University of South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley.

Last week, Jackson's body lay in repose at the headquarters of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the Chicago-based civil rights organization he founded. His body will return to the group's headquarters on Saturday, for a celebration that will be private, but streamed online.

Jackson will be laid to rest in Chicago's venerable Oak Woods Cemetery. There, as WBEZ reports, Jackson will join civil rights icons such as journalist Ida B. Wells-Barnett, who died in 1931, and Olympian Jesse Owens, who died in 1980.
Copyright 2026 NPR

Don't forget to moisturize because the Santa Ana winds are here for the weekend.

Today we're looking at highs in the upper 60s to mid-70s for the beaches, valleys and the Inland Empire. Meanwhile in Coachella Valley, expect temperatures to reach 74 to 78 degrees.

Wind advisories are in effect for most of the valleys and mountains, including the Malibu Coast where gusts could reach up to 45 mph.

Looking ahead, it's going to warm up this weekend with highs from the coasts to the valleys potentially reaching the mid-80s.

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

A stretch of Pico Boulevard near the Convention Center has been closed for months as the site goes through a major expansion ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics. The construction has rerouted traffic and limited access into a busy area for the neighborhood.

While the city touts the construction as a potential job generator, it’s also a closure that has been affecting small business owners and neighbors in Pico Union.

For many businesses, there are few answers about where they fit into the plans for the Convention Center’s expansion.

Flor Osorio at Salvadoran restaurant “Taco Bravo” on Pico and Albany Street, said they’ve seen a drop in customers since Metro buses no longer stop on Pico and Figueroa Street.

Customers coming from near California Hospital Medical Center at Grand Avenue and Venice Boulevard are also no longer making the walk over.

“We used to have a lot of seniors as customers. Business has gone down significantly. But I’m not sure we can do anything about it,” Osorio said, who has been at the restaurant for 34 years and continues to work after her niece took over.

At a nearby Subway, employee Julio Vasquez has been making sandwiches in the same strip mall for the past four years and also noticed a dip in foot traffic.

Pico Boulevard, a major artery around the Los Angeles Convention Center, will remain closed through spring 2029 as the city undertakes a multi-billion project.

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Marina Peña

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The LA Local

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“There’s a lot of people not coming anymore because they don’t want to go all the way to Olympic or some other street just to get here,” he said. “By the time they’re trying to get here, they say they already found tacos or something else, so they don’t come anymore.”

Since the closure began in December, Aurora Corona, a longtime Pico Union resident, explained the road shutdown has especially impacted Metro’s 30 Bus line because it now has to detour down Union Avenue. That forces more cars and the DASH bus into a bottleneck.

“It’s a big mess. There’s congestion and a traffic jam in the morning and afternoon because of two schools’ drop-off and pick-up on Union and 11th and Union and Pico,” Corona said.

Miguel Garcia with the Pico Union Neighborhood Council encourages local businesses to advertise that they’re still open during the construction. He added there’s little a neighborhood council can do to help ailing businesses in this situation.

Representatives for the Los Angeles Convention Center did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the impact to local businesses.

The Los Angeles Tourism Department says the expansion is projected to create more than 15,000 jobs, generate $652 million in general tax revenue for the city over the next 30 years and bring in more than $150 million in additional visitor spending each year.

Others don’t share the same positive outlook.

City Controller Kenneth Mejia’s office said it will take more than five decades for the city to truly break even on the project.

While the expansion project is estimated to cost $2.7 billion, the total cost to taxpayers will be closer to $5.9 billion with borrowing and other costs, according to Mejia’s office, who recommended the city not take on the project.

Pico Boulevard between LA Live Way and S. Figueroa Street is expected to remain closed until March 2028.

Construction crews will work throughout the week, specifically Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This will include demolition, underground utility upgrades, as well as street and sidewalk improvements, according to the project description.

Crews have demolished and cleared parts of the existing structure around the center. Foundation and grading work are set to begin along Pico Boulevard in between the West and South Halls.

Construction will temporarily pause during the 2028 Summer Olympics, then pick back up afterward, with the project expected to wrap up by spring 2029.