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Republicans’ odds of maintaining control of the House took a blow over the weekend, after the deadline passed for the GOP to replace Rep. Max Miller on the ballot in his Ohio House seat. A Miller spokeswoman confirmed to The New York Times that Miller is staying in the race, meaning Republicans are now stuck with an accused domestic abuser whose personal scandals—and his abysmal effort to…

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⚡ Quick Take

• House of the Dragon is back and bloodier than ever for season three, which features a lot of major deaths in a battle for the Iron Throne.

House of the Dragon is back for season three and whoa did it not waste any time diving right into the action. Rhaenyra’s continuous quest to sit upon the Iron Throne and claim her place as her father’s rightful heir and Alicent’s cold, villainous decisions to attempt to clean up her royal messes are at the forefront of this season as battles rage on. As is customary with any story of war and revenge, there will be a lot of bloodshed and big deaths in House of the Dragon season three. So, who ends up losing their life in this conflict between Team Black and Team Green? Here is every major death that happens in House of the Dragon season three. 

Note: We are only counting main and important named characters. Sorry to all the ancillary soldiers and random people who are caught in the line of fire between Rhaenyra’s rage and Alicent’s boneheadedness. 

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What Is HOUSE OF THE DRAGON’s Battle of the Gullet? (Spoiler Free) Jump To: HOTD Season 3, Episode 1 Deaths // HOTD Season 3, Episode 2 Deaths // HOTD Season 3, Episode 6 Deaths // HOTD Season 3, Episode 8 Deaths House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 1 Major Deaths Prince Jacaerys Velaryon and His Dragon Vermax HBO

Believing in Alicent’s offer to let her come into King’s Landing and take power, Rhaenyra sends her naval forces, led by the Sea Snake Lord Corlys Velaryon, in that direction to control the city. Her wise son Jace strongly advises against this, saying that it is likely a trap. This decision leads to the Battle of the Gullet when the Triarchy shows up and Admiral Sharako Lohar is determined to take the Sea Snake down. Rhaenyra gets word of this and hastily decides that she will ride Syrax into battle; however, Jace comes up with a plan to protect his mother’s life. 

He conspires with Sir Lorent to lock Rhaenyra in her room, and Jace instead rides off with Baela on their respective dragons, Vermax and Moondancer. Unbeknownst to them, Rhaena rides a very untamed Sheepstealer into battle, who begins to burn everything and tries to attack the other dragons. This leads to Vermax being harpooned for a second time. Vermax drowns and Jace manages to unhook himself, but is shot down with several arrows, ending the first episode of House of the Dragon season three with a very major and sad death. Now, Rhaenyra will have to deal with losing two sons in her journey towards the Iron Throne. 

Admiral Sharako Lohar  Ollie Upton/HBO

Sure, she’s not necessarily the most “major” character in this show. But Admiral Sharako Lohar made quite the splash with her appearance at the end of season two, and fans were ready to see more from her. The Battle of Gullet features much bloodshed and fire, much of it fueled by Admiral Sharako Lohar’s hatred of Lord Corlys. She wishes to exact revenge on him, saying that he led the persecution and slaughter of her mates for 20 years. She doesn’t care what the King’s mission is, nor is she Team Green. She is driven by hatred, and after much tense battle and chase, finally gets her one-on-one fight against Lord Corlys.

Interestingly, Lohar’s drowning at the hands of Alyn of Hull was a creation of the show. In George R.R. Martin’s Fire and Blood, the Lyseni admiral survived the Battle of the Gullet. His ship was one of the 28 out of 90 not to burn or sink. Lohar’s survival, and the fact that 25 in total hailed from Lys, helped lead the three Free Cities of the Triarchy to go to war with one another two years later.

As the ship splits, it throws Corlys into the sea, a sight that makes his illegitimate son Alyn of Hull incredibly angry. Alyn tackles Sharako into the seas and attempts to drown her before finally stabbing her in the neck. It’s kinda sad because she was lit but she also dug her own grave by going rogue against the Sea Snake.

House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 2 Major Deaths Ser Simon Strong  HBO

After delivering news to Daemon about Jace’s death, Ser Simon Strong returns to Harrenhal. Little did he know that he’d meet his demise at the hands of Aemond, who continues to operate in a state of chaos. Alicent convinces Aemond to leave King’s Landing and to go to Harrenhal to secretly get him and Vhagar away so that Rhaenyra can take the throne and she can finally escape with her daughter, he arrives there in a fiery fashion. Vhagar cooks most of the soldiers and Aemond goes inside to confront a shocked Ser Simon.

He asks for Daemon before telling Simon to draw his sword, which is just plain cruel. Simon is certainly not a fighter and he’s also an older man. Simon comes close and tries to tell him that the army has decamped, but Aemond stabs him and kills the others in the room. However, Aemond is stabbed in the back and collapses in front of an unsympathetic Alys. We already know she wants control of Harrenhal, so she has no inclination to help Aemond. 

Otto Hightower  HBO

Otto finally came back after being locked away in King’s Landing for a long time. But his return was short because he lost his head to Rhaenyra. After Rhaenyra and Daemon slay their way to the Iron Throne, he goes with a band of soldiers and finds Grand Maester Orwyle, who quickly bends the knee and offers up a prisoner to literally save his own neck. That person is Jasper Wylde, the same man who tried to sexually assault Alicent. But, another man says there is a gift left for him by Lord Larys Strong, yet another prisoner to kill. 

That person is none other than Otto Hightower, whom we haven’t seen in a very long time. We knew that he was replaced as the King’s Hand when Aegon took the throne. After Ser Criston Cole took his place, he left to gather allies in the Reach but disappeared. Last season, we saw him in a dark jail but it wasn’t clear where he was. Well, it seems he was in King’s Landing the entire time, and Alicent didn’t have a clue. 

Otto and Wylde are brought to Rhaenyra. Daemon tells her that she must take their heads to assert her authority, but she hesitates. To be fair, she’s not a soldier like he is and, at one point, she did care for her former best friend’s father. But she finally did what needed to be done and chopped both of their heads off. Predictably, Alicent is captured and she’s brought into the room to see her father’s lifeless body on the floor. Welp! 

House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 6 Major Deaths Ser Criston Cole

We’ve seen quite a few deaths transpire in the last couple of episodes with City Watch, hired assassins, and more dying. But it wasn’t until episode six when we got another shocking death in House of the Dragon when Ser Criston Cole died. His army is ambushed by Tully soldiers and they fight back valiantly. Roderick and Oscar arrive, and Criston challenges him to a duel. However, Alysanne Blackwell shoots him with three arrows. It’s a death that we don’t love for many reasons.

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Somehow, the finale of House of the Dragon is in the world and season three is a wrap. We know that the series will have a fourth and final season, and that we had to go into it with more demises. The Battle of Tumbleton brought plenty of deaths, but that wasn’t the only place that it happened.

The High Septon

Determined to have the High Septon’s blessing as the true Queen, Rhaenyra pays his holy abode a visit with Alyn and a full escort in tow. But that does not sway the High Septon from sticking to his decision to not do as she wants, especially in light of the news about Aegon being alive.

She calls the High Septon a traitor and orders Alyn to kill him, and he hesitates because harming the High Septon is basically damning your soul to Hell. Rhaenyra is able to influence Alyn, saying his Old Valyria blood answers to higher gods. Alyn kills the High Septon and the others kill the holy men around him. 

Ormund Hightower HBO

Ormund Hightower met his fiery death at the battle in Tumbleton in the season three finale. After convincing Ulf the White to turn on Rhaenyra’s forces, Ormund and Ser Roderick get into a one-on-one battle. He manages to lob Roderick’s arm off, but gets a sword up his butt in return.

Ulf burns many of Daemon’s forces, then redirects his dragon’s attention to Orumund, showing that he has no loyalty to anyone but himself. It remains to be seen if Daeron is alive or dead, but we know that Gwayne is looking for him. 

Helaena Targaryen

This is certainly one of the saddest deaths in House of the Dragon overall. When Rhaenyra sends Mysaria away, she crosses paths with Helaena and gives her a dark warning. Mysaria tells Helaena not to trust the queen and that Aegon lives and her unborn child will be a political pawn, just like Helaena feared. Her dreams of having freedom with her children and getting away from all of this chaos (none of which is her fault) were completely crushed.

She finished her needlework, which displays her death as well as Rhaenyra’s potentially fiery ending, and jumped from her window. Of course, Alicent isn’t back yet and will have to deal with the ramifications of leaving her daughter alone to attempt to kill her son. You deserved better, Helaena. 

Roderick Dustin HBO

Ser Roderick went into the battle at Tumbleton fully willing to die for his Queen, and that’s exactly what happened. After forcing his way into the city and allowing forces to flood in, Roderick found Ormun and they got into a swordfight atop a wall. Roderick lost his arm but didn’t lose his wit nor spunk.

Roderick takes his sword and sticks it right up Ormund’s butt, a fitting consequence for a jerk. The duo die when Ulf flies over and cooks them with his dragon.

Tai Gooden is the Features Editor for Nerdist, a fictional villian apologist, and a horror aficionado who is forever waiting for her trip in the TARDIS.

Originally published June 21, 2026.

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⚡ Quick Take

• The Five Nights at Freddy’s universe is opening a real Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza in 2027.
• The location will be in East Rutherford, NJ, and it is not clear if other locations will pop up in the future.
• The pizza joint will have food, two animatronic shows, and horror games for Five Nights at Freddy’s fans.
• Nerdist’s Take: Five Nights at Freddy’s new Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza location will be nostalgic fun for Gen Z.

As an adult, one of the scariest places that you can go is Chuck E. Cheese. There’s a ton of mostly unsupervised children running around with an unhinged amount of energy. Everyone is yelling and there’s a ton of flashing lights, expensive yet cheap games, and food that isn’t great. And, of course, Charles Entertainment Cheese and his weird animatronic band are chilling, too. Perhaps that’s why Five Nights at Freddy’s is so frightening, and why we are a little concerned that a real Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza is coming in 2027. 

Universal Pictures

According to Variety, this location will be in East Rutherford, NJ. It will mimic the infamous pizza joint from the games as well as the ongoing film franchise. The real-life Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza will have two animatronic stage shows: one with Freddy and the Fazbear band and the Pirate Cove featuring Foxy the Pirate. Hopefully, they are just there to entertain attendees and not for more sinister reasons. Those who are brave enough to attend can play games, eat pizza, and even play survival horror multiplayer games. 

“The only way this experience succeeds is if it’s created by a team that knows Five Nights at Freddy’s inside and out,” said Atreyu Alcantar, creative manager, licensing & location-based entertainment at American Dream and creative lead for the attraction. “The animatronic show has to be authentic. The food has to be high quality. And above all else, we’re not building a set that looks like Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza – we’re building Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. This experience will immerse longtime fans in the world they’ve imagined for years while welcoming an entirely new audience to discover it for the first time.” 

Nerdist’s Take: A Five Nights at Freddy’s Real Life Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza Is Gen Z Heaven

FNAF, as the youths call it, is a relatively newer franchise that got its start in 2014. While there are likely younger Millennials who were playing the game, it probably resonates more with Gen Z. And right now, Gen Z is out and about in the world, hanging out with friends, going to movies, and spending money. This location will give them that nostalgia of their youth, especially if they are elder Gen Z and in their late 20s.

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Even for the younger Gen Z crowd, Five Nights at Freddy’s was a part of their elementary school experience and they have basically grown up with this franchise as their gateway into gaming and horror. So while I, a Millennial who is almost 40, do not wish to go to the weird animatronic pizza place, my almost 17-year-old is excited and will surely end up planning a trip against my will.

We will have to see when the real Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza comes to life in 2027 to give us a full Five Nights at Freddy’s experience.

The post FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S Will Open Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza in 2027 appeared first on Nerdist.

Companies that rely on Ceva Logistics for shipping their physical goods to customers say their personal data was taken during a recent cyberattack.

Anti-datacenter sentiment appears to be hardening in the US and UK, with more American jurisdictions blocking new builds and protesters marching against a planned facility in London's historic Brick Lane. A burst of new projects on both sides of the Atlantic has brought concerns about electricity bills, water supplies, and massive warehouse-like structures looming over nearby homes. More than 200 datacenter bans and moratoriums took effect in the US over the past 30 days, bringing the number of active restrictions nationwide to more than 550, according to The Information. New York became the first state to enact a moratorium last month, citing growing worries over the impact on utility rates and public health of the server farms, but its ban specifically targets large hyperscale facilities capable of consuming at least 50 MW. More recently, Texas governor Greg Abbott paused approvals for datacenter projects seeking access to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid until state regulators have audited their connection requests. The trend was already visible earlier this year, when figures showed that data hall capacity under construction in primary US markets had declined during the second half of 2025 as community opposition increasingly disrupted planning approvals. A recent Gallup survey found the majority of Americans are now opposed to datacenters being built in their area, many so strongly opposed that they would sooner see a nuclear power plant built nearby. President Trump appears to be in two minds over the increasing antipathy towards giant server farms. Last month, he expanded his Ratepayer Protection Pledge, whereby companies agree to protect American consumers from any price hikes due to the extra energy and grid infrastructure needed. However, he also spoke out about the Texas decision, saying it would be a mistake to push back on datacenters, as "taxes are going to go way down because this is a tremendous source of income." That argument sits awkwardly alongside a report earlier this year that found datacenter tax breaks cost Texas at least $1 billion a year in forgone revenue, with other states also unable to show that their subsidies paid off. Like the Trump administration, the UK government sees building new datacenters as a vital part of its ambitions to grow the AI industry. Last year, it unveiled its AI Opportunities Action Plan, which includes setting up "AI Growth Zones" with streamlined planning processes to boost the building of more facilities. But last weekend, protesters marched along Brick Lane, just east of the City of London, over a wider redevelopment of sites on and around the former Truman Brewery. One element would replace derelict buildings on Grey Eagle Street with a 5,200 sq m (56,000 sq ft) datacenter designed for 5.2 MW of IT capacity. Tower Hamlets council failed to determine the applications within the required period, prompting the developers to appeal. Despite opposition from local campaigners, the government allowed all four appeals following a public inquiry. The decision found that the proposals broadly accorded with existing development plans, while acknowledging some conflicts with local planning policies and limited harm to heritage assets. It also took account of the National Planning Policy Framework, which directs local authorities to identify suitable sites for datacenters. That policy has already helped overturn at least one council's decision to refuse planning permission for a server farm at a site near Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire. More recently, there have been protests against a massive facility planned for the Devon countryside, near the town of Great Torrington, while a meeting held by Google with residents close to its newly built facility at Waltham Cross north of London revealed the level of anger and mistrust felt by many local people. Elsewhere, protesters in Amsterdam threw acid at a datacenter under construction there, while opposition to a proposed project in Indianapolis saw gunshots fired at the home of a councilor who backed the plans. The datacenter industry is well aware it has an image problem. An entire session was devoted to discussing what to do about it at the Datacloud Global Congress event in Europe last year. ®

If you’ve been around Daily Kos for a while, you know we appreciate a well-placed eye roll, a clever comeback, and the occasional perfectly timed “seriously?” That’s the inspiration behind our newest merch drop: “Snark for Good.” Whether you’re doomscrolling, getting out the vote, surviving another news cycle, or just letting the world know you’re not here for nonsense…

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A bug in the tech giant's website mistakenly shared users' sign-up information, including personal data and their password, to third-party companies.

Levi Strauss is investigating a data breach after attackers used social engineering to access three employees' work computers. In a regulatory filing, the jeans maker said the intruders accessed and exfiltrated what it described only as "certain corporate information." Levi's said it spotted the intrusion, kicked off its incident response procedures, brought in outside cybersecurity experts, and managed to cut off the unauthorized access. Its investigation remains ongoing. There is some good news for anyone worried that their trouser-buying habits might now be circulating on the dark web: Levi's said its preliminary investigation indicates that no consumer data was affected. The company also said the attack caused no disruption to its operations and, based on what it knows so far, isn't expected to have a material impact on its business. Affected parties and regulators will be notified where required. While Levi's isn't sharing much else about the incident, Reuters reports that the company was also among more than 200 targeted over the past five weeks by ransom-seeking hackers using decidedly old-school social engineering techniques. Google researchers have been tracking several crews involved in the wider campaign, which it believes may sit under an umbrella group dubbed UNC6671. The attackers have been phoning employees on their personal mobiles while posing as colleagues or IT support staff, then directing them to spoofed login pages designed to harvest credentials and multi-factor authentication codes. Their targets have included financial and legal firms handling the sort of information that can make for particularly effective extortion fodder, although Google says the attackers have previously gone after organizations across manufacturing, healthcare, insurance, technology, and hospitality too. There's no confirmation that UNC6671 was behind the successful Levi's intrusion, nor has the denim dealer said exactly what was stolen or whether anyone tried to extort it. For now, Levi's appears to have contained the breach before its attackers could get any deeper into its pockets. ®

Unless you’re a billionaire, a Trump crony, or both, President Donald Trump’s economy sucks. But he has no interest in any policies that would actually fix that, so he’s resorted to increasingly pathetic, desperate measures, like propping up a couple dozen East Coast gas stations with artificially low prices. But as that stopgap measure stretches on, we’re learning more and more about the…

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President Donald Trump admits he lied about having proof of alleged vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool while still refusing to drop his claims. 

In a post on Truth Social Sunday evening, Trump claimed that a National Park Service career employee, “a highly credible witness,” watched former U.S. Olympian David Hearn “‘violently’ ripping and tugging at the Pool’s somewhat delicate coating.”

“There was substantial other damage to the Reflecting Pool, also but, unfortunately, there is no video or proof, other than the damage, itself,” Trump wrote.

“Security cameras have been, and are being, installed,” he added.

Trump included an excerpt from the government’s initial criminal complaint—a claim that was walked back in a later filing. The government admitted that its witness “could not identify any additional cost caused by Mr. Hearn’s alleged conduct. Indeed, the witness did not even say or suggest that the alleged conduct had compromised the liner at all.”

A week ago, Trump claimed during a press conference that the government possessed photographic and video evidence proving that multiple individuals had vandalized the Reflecting Pool. Shortly after, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro hauled a crate of evidence to the Oval Office in order to explain to the president why that wasn’t actually true. The Department of Justice had previously been forced to admit that damage to the Reflecting Pool was caused by the contractor’s “flawed” installation of the pool lining, not vandals. 

Still, the next day, the president ranted to the press about a supposed “tape,” and one or two witnesses who could confirm his narrative.  

Trump’s latest post indicates that some of the truth may have gotten through to him—but it was too little, too late. A judge officially tossed the felony charges against Hearn on Thursday. 

This week, Representative Jamie Raskin—the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee—will formally demand that the Justice and Interior Departments turn over a wealth of documents related to the charging decisions made in this case.

Wetherspoons has stopped short of banning Meta-style smart glasses from its pubs, but told The Register that customers should switch off their cameras and refrain from filming. "Like many hospitality companies, Wetherspoon has CCTV cameras for security reasons, but their use is strictly controlled by data legislation," a spokesperson said. "Apart from that, the general code that applies in our pubs, and most pubs, is that you can't film customers or employees without their permission. "Meta glasses seem to breach this code, and common sense, by enabling surreptitious surveillance, so our instinct is to say turn off the cameras. This is akin to our efforts to stop audible playing of videos in our pubs, which also invades people's space." The Register asked whether customers who refused to stop recording would be ejected, but Wetherspoons declined to elaborate. Wetherspoons' statement suggests that recording, rather than merely wearing the glasses during a wallet-friendly session, would attract the attention of security staff. The policy is therefore less strict than those adopted by venues and events that have banned recording glasses outright over privacy concerns. DEF CON, which concluded last week, was the latest in a series of organizations to issue outright bans on Meta-style recording glasses, even for those who use them with prescription lenses. Conference organizers told delegates to pack "non-violating eyewear" if they needed them. Monopoly Events, which runs UK Comic Cons among other events, recently imposed a ban after talent agencies and guests raised concerns about privacy and the effect of covert recording on personal interactions. Scottish ferry operator CalMac also temporarily suspended unplanned visits to ships' bridges after a passenger made crew members feel uncomfortable during a crossing in June. Restaurateur Jeremy King, who owns London's Arlington, The Park, and Simpson's in the Strand, has said the glasses should not be worn in his establishments. Similarly, private members' club Soho House does not allow recording inside its venues, a policy that extends to Meta-style glasses. Brighton's Yellow Book Bar called the glasses "creepy and intrusive" when announcing its ban, and theatre companies ATG Entertainment and Trafalgar Entertainment do not permit them either. Meta's smart glasses have become shorthand for the wider category of camera-equipped eyewear. Google unveiled Glass in 2012 but failed to turn it into a mainstream consumer product. Meta and EssilorLuxottica launched their first Ray-Ban Stories glasses in 2021, followed by the second-generation Ray-Ban Meta range in 2023 and an expansion into Oakley-branded models. Meta's glasses have become the most prominent products in the category, prompting other tech companies to work on rivals. The next-gen eyewear has proven especially popular among social media users, allowing them to record high-res, hands-free, and first-person footage with ease. Unlike Google Glass, however, the wearables are largely indistinguishable from their analog counterparts, which makes their recording capabilities all the more problematic. The camera in Meta's specs is small and embedded neatly inside the glasses' frame. The company routinely highlights that each pair is fitted with a recording light, which activates when the user begins shooting video, and that if this light is covered up, then recording immediately stops. The feature has done little to appease those who feel the cameras are an invasion of privacy. UK law does not generally prevent individuals from filming in public, although pubs are private premises and may set their own rules. Smart glasses make those rules harder to enforce because recording is far less conspicuous than when someone points a smartphone at the scene. Researchers have shown that Meta's glasses can be paired with apps that can dox passersby in seconds. Others have worked up projects that inform Android users of nearby glasses-wearers using Bluetooth signals. Meta faces a UK data protection probe concerning the cross-border data flows of its glasses' footage after Kenyan reviewer teams reported seeing footage from wearers' more intimate moments. ®

President Donald Trump may be willing to end the Iran war without a nuclear deal. 

The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday that the president floated declaring victory in the war if Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz without a deal on the country’s nuclear program. But that seems increasingly unlikely with Iran now demanding that U.S. soldiers leave the area, as well as an end to the American blockade and billions of dollars in payment. 

Trump has repeatedly threatened to escalate the war with more intense bombing of Iranian targets, but he hasn’t followed through, claiming that a deal is imminent. In reality, the America’s allies in the Middle East urged Trump not to ramp up bombing, and U.S. commanders have told him that missile and bomb stockpiles have dwindled. 

Iran’s stronger conditions for a deal signal it is digging in and willing to wait out Trump for a more favorable agreement, knowing that he has few options. Iran has proven that throttling maritime traffic through the strait is an effective way to secure leverage, causing gas prices to skyrocket worldwide and badly hurting the global economy. 

The longer the war drags on, causing the U.S. economy to suffer in the process, the worse it looks for the president and the Republican Party ahead of November’s midterm elections. Trump is desperate to end the war, but has backed himself into a corner by repeatedly pushing the talking point that he will never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon.

One White House official told the Journal that the U.S. has completed all of its military objectives against Iran, and that Trump is only focused now on the free flow of oil through the strait. Trump himself told Axios on Sunday that he is “low-keying it” when it comes to negotiating with Iran. 

“We are only semi-negotiating with them,” Trump said. “We are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact they have no money.”

“It will work out. It always works out. It’s like a chess game.”

That seems to indicate that the president is willing to swallow a deal that doesn’t mention Iran’s nuclear program, no matter how bad it makes him look.  

This post is updated throughout the day to reflect the latest incidents. It was last updated at 6:31 a.m..

Here’s what’s happening on the roads this morning…

▼︎ new incidents   ▼︎ long-term incidents

Road incidents as of 6:30 a.m. on August 10

• A man was seen standing between lanes on Freedom Blvd. near Shadowmere Way in Aptos, swinging his backpack at cars. No weapons were seen and no vehicles were involved. The incident was reported as a traffic hazard today.
   
• A traffic hazard was reported at Salinas Rd and Hilltop Rd in Watsonville / Pajaro at 4:47 a.m. today. A vehicle hit a long piece of metal or possibly a 2×4 in the road near a park/ride and bus stop. The fire department checked the vehicle before it was towed.
   
• There is one-way traffic on Highway 9 at Cascade Avenue in San Lorenzo Valley because of ongoing work. This closure will last until August 31 at 7:01 a.m.
   
• Alternating lanes are closed on Highway 9 at Riverdale Park in San Lorenzo Valley because of bridge work. The closure is expected to last until 6:59 a.m. on April 30, 2027.
   

Long-term projects

These have been going on for a while, but are still worth keeping in mind.

• Elsie Mae Drive at 940 Elsie Mae Dr in San Lorenzo Valley will be closed today from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and again from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. while crews replace a utility pole and transformer and trim trees nearby.
   

Disclosure: Traffic incidents are partially generated by artificial intelligence. We are constantly working to improve the accuracy and quality of our AI-generated content. However, there may still be errors or inaccuracies. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.

The post Monday morning traffic: Backpack-swinging man on Freedom Blvd.; Hwy 9 lane closures appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

The changes would effectively strip the program of the unique features that have defined it since the 1960s. By Carolyn Jones for Stateline The Trump administration appears poised to gut the central policies that shape Head Start, a popular and long-established early childhood education program that serves the country’s neediest children. The Department of Health and Human Services…

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Cameras aboard Royal Navy drone boats were found phoning home to an IP address in China during a routine cyber vulnerability assessment. The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed the discovery, describing it as "an issue affecting a Kraken Unmanned Surface Vessel sub-system used by the Royal Navy." The Register understands that the data consisted of a "heartbeat" signalling that the camera was online and functioning normally. Even so, an unexpected transmission from military equipment to an IP address in China will rattle nerves. We contacted unmanned surface vessel supplier Kraken for more information, but have yet to receive a reply. An MoD spokesperson told The Reg: "A thorough investigation found no evidence of MoD data or systems being accessed, compromised or transmitted externally." "Our assurance and testing processes are designed to identify and address potential vulnerabilities early, and we continue to undertake routine security activity across our systems and equipment." According to reports, the talkative components were cameras sourced by Kraken from a third-party supplier. The incident raises questions about supply chains, audits, and cybersecurity in the British armed forces. The spokesperson said: "The first duty of government is national security, and we take the security of our equipment, networks, and data extremely seriously." Concerns about China-linked cyber activity have risen sharply in recent years. In April, the National Cyber Security Centre issued a security advisory regarding covert networks, built from compromised routers and other edge devices. Beijing is also rarely far from the headlines when spying and covert operations are involved. In January, a China-linked group was accused of spying on the phones of aides to UK prime ministers. An unexpected connection from military hardware to China is therefore concerning, even if it carried little more than an "I'm alive!" heartbeat. The incident also demonstrates why every component in a defense supply chain needs testing rather than relying on a supplier's assurances. ®

Discovered Materials raised $9 million to fund the hunt for more novel materials to build more efficient chips.

The ability to add Venmo to Google Play comes as people are spending more money on apps and games.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how elder care services will be devastated by the end of the Temporary Protected Status program that has offered legal status to about 350,000 Haitians living in the US, many of them healthcare workers.

Since then, I’ve heard some harrowing anecdotes from sources following the Supreme Court decision to end the TPS program, and President Donald Trump’s administration’s efforts to target Haitian immigrants. Real estate agents report that many in the community are considering selling their properties or placing another relative on the title of their homes. The Haitian American Chamber of Commerce of Florida told me that employers are reluctantly letting go of employees now that their work permits are no longer valid. 

As several immigration policy experts explained recently, Haitian TPS holders will either try to remain in the US as undocumented immigrants or find another pathway to legal status. Many will likely be deported.

But there’s another option many TPS holders are considering: voluntarily returning to the island. In recent years, the country has faced growing instability due to gang violence that has ravaged much of Haiti, including the capital of Port-au-Prince. The US Department of State has warned Americans to avoid travel to the country, citing armed conflict between these gangs, the risk of kidnappings and other violent crimes, and a ban on US commercial flights to the main airport in Port-au-Prince after several planes were struck by gunfire.

But in more rural communities, building a life is still possible, MarieGuerda Nicolas, a Haitian American psychology professor at the University of Miami and co-founder of Ayiti Community Trust, told me. For many Haitians, they may prefer to leave the US on their own terms instead of living under the growing fear of deportation.

MarieGuerda Nicolas, a psychologist, counsels Haitians returning to the island from the US. Photo courtesy of MarieGuerda Nicolas

Nicolas has been thinking about creating options for returning Haitians for years. When thousands of Haitians were deported during the Biden administration, Ayiti Community Trust partnered with several organizations in the US and Haiti to create a program that would assist them in safely and compassionately returning to the island. Called Ayiti Home Link, the program is basically a case management system that assists in accessing employment, housing, and other community resources. There’s also a resource guide that helps them navigate the nation’s bureaucracy—think driver’s licenses and passports—as well as listing available hospitals and health care clinics. Each region of the country also has a “hub,” as Nicolas calls it, a nonprofit on the ground that serves as the point of contact for someone just arriving in that area, should they need help settling in.

Ayiti Community Trust and its partner organizations have helped nearly 200 people return to Haiti. Now, with TPS protections gone, Nicolas anticipates many more will reach out for guidance. I talked to her on the phone last month about how this program works and what she’s hearing from the Haitian community during such a tumultuous time. Our interview has been lightly condensed and edited for clarity.

Can you tell me about the Ayiti Community Trust and the different ways the organization is helping TPS holders?

“What does resettlement of Haitians going back home look like? What are the models of resettlement across the globe so that we don’t have to reinvent the wheel? “

Clearly, TPS and people really thinking about coming back home have been a central part of what the community foundation engages in. We’ve been really working around this idea of, what does resettlement of Haitians going back home look like? What are the models of resettlement across the globe so that we don’t have to reinvent the wheel? One of the things we learned is how important it is to make sure that it doesn’t feel like a crisis response or humanitarian crisis response. There are about eight organizations that have been working on a resettlement plan and process for the country. And the first thing we put out was the resource guide in English and Creole that allows people to know: how do you get your identification card? Where do you go to get your passport? How do you enroll your kids in school? Where are the clinics? And so on.

There is a lot of instability and gang violence in Haiti that has been highlighted in the media as well as by human rights organizations. Despite these challenges, is it still possible to build a life in the country?

Port-au-Prince doesn’t represent the entire country. Whatever happens in Port-au-Prince permeates the narrative of the whole country, and that’s just not the case. So somebody who’s from Cap-Haïtien, of course they can go back home. They had homes there. They have communities there. The cost of living is not the same as it is in the US, in terms of being able to go back. Would people like to be in a country that feels sovereign, where the political situation is stable, where there are more economic opportunities? Absolutely. But I don’t think that the people who are back home are feeling like, “Oh my God, I’ve made the worst decision.” I haven’t seen that because I think the stress of being here and of being in a space where you don’t know what could happen to you…I think removing that stress has been a huge part of it as well.

“We never want anybody to come back to their home feeling like they’re going to hell. We want them to feel like they’re going home with dignity and a sense of humanity.”

We never want anybody to come back to their home feeling like they’re going to hell. We want them to feel like they’re going home with dignity and a sense of humanity. As part of this process, we have to recognize the sheer amount of struggle and difficulties and challenges for people to leave one country and go to another country, even if it’s their native country. We are supporting people through that process in a way that is dignified, considering that the experience that they just had in the United States is an undignified, inhumane experience.

In the last few weeks, what are some of the things that you’re hearing from people here with TPS who are just now assessing their options?

It’s incredibly stressful. I’m a psychologist, and I’ve seen 12 domestic violence cases and eight suicide attempts. People are stressed about this situation. So it’s incredibly difficult for people who are feeling the impact of all of this.

At the same time, not all TPS holders are the same or have the same options. I’m talking to a family where the mom is in the middle of chemotherapy right now. So that looks very different from this other person who I spoke to whose husband has TPS, and she’s a US citizen. They have two kids, but he went back to Haiti to situate himself and get things settled for the family to join him. It’s very different for different people in terms of figuring out what they need to do. How do I need to do it? Do I go back to Haiti or take my chances in Canada? Do I take my chances in the United States and live with the stresses of not being able to leave my house for fear that I might get picked up?

How are organizations in Haiti stepping up to help TPS holders?

They are thinking about welcoming them and making sure that people come back home in a really meaningful way. I was in a meeting a couple of weeks ago, and one of the organization’s leaders said, “The Haitian diaspora has been incredibly good to Haiti. It’s our turn to return the favor and be good to them.” How powerful is that? I want people to know that it’s not like people in Haiti are not thinking about the need to support people coming back home. They are dedicating their time and energy to that.