Latest news with #ArroyoGrande
Fox News
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Mel Gibson slams California leadership after ‘rampant lawlessness and civil unrest'
Mel Gibson blasted California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for their handling of the violent protests that erupted in Los Angeles last weekend. The 69-year-old actor previously denounced Newsom and Bass for their involvement in the Palisades and Eaton fires that devastated Southern California communities in January. The "Braveheart" star vented his frustration over the local government's response to the ongoing protests on Fox News contributor Raymond Arroyo's "Arroyo Grande" podcast. "Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass have already proven their incompetence and poor leadership during the Los Angeles wildfires," Gibson said. "Now, as we experience rampant lawlessness and civil unrest, it's never been more clear," he added. "They're unable to respond effectively and responsibly during calamity. Whether it's sheer incompetence or outright malevolence, the reality is stark. "California's in a state of turmoil," Gibson added. "And I ask my fellow Angelenos, 'Why are Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass still in office? How much more of their destructive decision-making masquerading as leadership are we going to tolerate?' "It's time to take back our community and our state and put the power and the privilege in the hands of competent leaders whose goals are to protect us and the way of life this nation was founded upon and promises to offer." Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom and Bass for comment. WATCH: MEL GIBSON SLAMS CALIFORNIA LEADERSHIP AFTER 'RAMPANT LAWLESSNESS AND CIVIL UNREST' Gibson, who was appointed a special ambassador to Hollywood by President Donald Trump, lost his home in the Palisades Fire that broke out Jan. 7. In February, Gibson joined the Saving California movement in its efforts to recall Newsom. The "Passion of the Christ" director appeared at a press conference in Altadena Feb. 27. "We deserve much more and much better, and there is absolutely no adequate excuse the governor or mayor can make for this gross mismanagement and failure to preemptively deal with what they knew was coming," Gibson said, referring to Newsom and Bass, according to KTLA. "Was it incompetence? Was it indifference, complacency, carelessness? Was it negligence? Absolutely," Gibson added. The LA protests, which began as demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) June 6, escalated into street violence, rioting and theft last weekend. In response, Trump authorized the deployment of 4,000 National Guard troops and 7,000 U.S. Marines to the nation's second most populous city. Trump took control of California's National Guard without the permission of Newsom, the first time in 60 years a president had federalized National Guard troops without a governor's request. Newsom, leading the resistance to Trump's moves, took legal action to try and reverse the order. A federal district court judge this week ruled that Trump's moves were illegal and ordered him to return control of the National Guard troops to Newsom. However, a federal appeals court temporarily blocked the lower court judge's ruling. The federal appeals court granted a stay, which left the National Guard in Trump's control until a hearing scheduled for Tuesday. Newsom and Bass have criticized Trump's deployment of the National Guard and expressed their support for immigrant communities while urging peaceful protest and condemning violence. On Tuesday, Bass ordered a curfew for parts of downtown Los Angeles, which was later extended through Saturday. Newsom, who is serving his second term as California governor, will not run again in 2026. Bass has announced she plans to seek re-election in 2026. New episodes of the "Arroyo Grande with Raymond Arroyo" podcast are released every Wednesday.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
SLO County school sets record with 20 valedictorians. Here's how
This story is part of SLO Tribune's Parents Central, our expanding coverage for local parents. We're tackling issues that matter to you the most, explaining the "what it means," from school budgets to children's health. We also want to have fun: Send us your best tips for local parents and things to do. Email tips@ Many hard-working high-schoolers dream of the chance to stand on stage at graduation as the valedictorian — a title typically given to the one, maybe two students at the top of their class. But this year, the honor went to 20 graduating seniors at Arroyo Grande High School. While Arroyo Grande has had a high number of valedictorians in the past, district spokesperson Amy Jacobs told The Tribune she believes that number is the highest in school history. 'We usually have a lot ... but we think this is a record,' Jacobs wrote to The Tribune in an email. The group of 20 valedictorians is well above those from other schools in the district. Nipomo High School named five valedictorians, while Central Coast New Tech High School named three. Districts like Atascadero named only one valedictorian and one salutatorian. Arroyo Grande High's list included: Spencer Joichi Arrivee Karis Noelle Brokaw Kinsie Leanne Colbourn Jack Judah Folkrod Marissa Kathleen Fugitt Giana Grace Gunasayan Tiffany Susan Hyun Dylan Vaughn Junghandel Sofia Jorgen Kardel Emme Mary Faye Landers Lucas Lehman Symphony Hallel Lozano Jocelyn Martinez Luiz Molly Catherine McLaughlin Amelie Eleonore Moustirats Benjamin Yoshio Pedrotti Tessa Lauren Pettit Scarlett Ann Salter Julia Reese Sidun Ella Quinn Snyder Why does Arroyo Grande have so many? It's because the school has the largest graduating class in the county, and Lucia Mar uses a unique formula to determine who qualifies as a valedictorian. According to district policy, valedictorian status is based on both weighted and unweighted GPAs. The formula takes 48 classes total into account for valedictorianship. That includes a maximum of 10 weighted classes — typically AP or college-level courses. Any additional weighted classes beyond 10 aren't given extra value. If a student took more than 48 classes, then the district uses the student's lowest 48 letter grades, the policy says. Pass-fail classes or classes without a letter grade are not used in the calculation. Students must maintain average or above average attendance and must have attended the same campus for their last two years of high school. Students who were found to have violated academic honesty or had an expulsion on their record are not eligible for the honor. The valedictorians are determined by June 1 of each year, the policy states. In the graduation program, the district also provided a list of the top 10 students, which included many of the valedictorians' names — but also some who weren't part of the valedictorian list. Jacobs said that was the case because the formulas used to calculate the top 10 and valedictorians are different. The list of top 10 students is calculated using all AP classes at their weighted GPA levels, while the valedictorian list includes only 10 AP courses. Because of that difference, some in the top 10 were not named valedictorians. According to Jacobs, all of this year's valedictorians took at least 10 weighted courses and received all A's during their high school careers. The valedictorians did not have the same GPAs, but each had a GPA of 4.35 or above, Jacobs said. She added: 'We love celebrating the many students who achieved at such high levels.'
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Yahoo
SLO County home was being fumigated. That's when burglars struck
At least $6,000 worth of items were stolen from an Arroyo Grande home while it was being fumigated, and while one arrest has been made, other suspects may still be at large. On March 28, it was reported that multiple items including several firearms, jewelry and cash were stolen from a home in the 1300 block of Sierra Drive in Arroyo Grande while the home was unoccupied and tented for fumigation, Arroyo Grande Police Officer Dave Culver told The Tribune on Friday. According to a Facebook post by a neighbor in the Arroyo Grande Current Affairs group, 'part of a respirator' was found in the back yard, indicating the burglars had 'carefully prepared to enter the toxic environment' of the fumigated home. Officers were able to determine through surveillance footage that a burglary occurred on March 28 in the early morning hours, Culver said. Later, while conducting a traffic stop on on April 9, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office contacted two individuals in possession of two of the stolen firearms, Culver said. One of the individuals, a prior felon from Oceano, was arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen property but could not yet be tied to the burglary, Culver said. The man was also in violation of possessing ammunition and additional drug charges, Culver said. The Arroyo Grande Police Department learned of the arrest from the Sheriff's Office on April 10, Culver said. While the man has not yet been charged in relation to the burglary, the Police Department's investigative unit was then able to obtain a search warrant for his vehicle and phone, which they are currently examining as a part of their ongoing investigation, he said. So far, the vehicle has been searched and the cell phone is awaiting a forensic search, Culver said. 'We are investigating to see if that individual was the person who committed the burglary in our city, or if they are somehow connected to the individuals that committed the burglary in our city,' Culver said. 'We are still investigating to determine our suspects in the burglary case. The individual that's been arrested was arrested because he was found to be in possession of stolen firearms.' Culver noted there are still potentially additional suspects and encouraged anyone with information to come forward. 'As far as it is still an active and ongoing investigation, and as always, we would encourage anyone with any information (to) please contact the Police Department detective unit, and we will be following up on any leads that come in,' Culver said. 'We're investigating all individuals who we think might be associated with this.' Anyone with information can contact the Arroyo Grande Police Department at 805-473-5110.
Fox News
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Oscars' new AI rule could lead to ‘diminishing return' in nominated films: expert
The Oscars announced several changes and updates to their rules for next year's 98th ceremony, including permission for generative artificial intelligence to be included in consideration for nominations. "With regard to Generative Artificial Intelligence and other digital tools used in the making of the film, the tools neither help nor harm the chances of achieving a nomination. The Academy and each branch will judge the achievement, taking into account the degree to which a human was at the heart of the creative authorship when choosing which movie to award," the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) shared in a statement. "You're putting your finger on the scale when you're using this type of technology and, yes, humans are involved, but not in the outcome. What's involved here is the AI is doing the heavy lifting," Raymond Arroyo, Fox News contributor and host of the "Arroyo Grande" podcast, told Fox News Digital. He continued, "This is fine for some parts of filmmaking: production design and even script[s] [making] alterations and plot lines, but there's a human element that you're going to want to rely on. Because humans are imperfect, and that's what makes art, and that's what makes the human experience. In many ways, it's our striving for perfection and missing that fascinates." AI was already used in an Oscar-winning film this year, "The Brutalist." The film's editor, Dávid Jancsó, told tech magazine Red Shark News in January that AI tools from Respeecher, a Ukrainian software company, were used to improve the Hungarian dialogue spoken by stars Adrien Brody, who won for best actor at this year's Oscars, and Felicity Jones. "I am a native Hungarian speaker, and I know that it is one of the most difficult languages to learn to pronounce," Jancsó told Red Shark. "It's an extremely unique language. We coached [Brody and Jones] and they did a fabulous job, but we also wanted to perfect it so that not even locals will spot any difference." According to Jancsó, Brody and Jones recorded their voices into the AI software, and he used his own voice for some of the dialect. That kind of perfection isn't necessary, in Arroyo's opinion. "Every great story is about the hero trying to achieve something that's really out of his grasp, beyond him," he said. "But for AI, everything is within its grasp. And I do worry that some of the craftsmanship and the artistic choices will be delegated to a computer rather than to another level of human interaction and collaboration." Arroyo doesn't see AI completely replacing creatives entirely, a common fear across Hollywood, but he does believe it could negatively impact the artistic process. "You're always going to have a director, but if your set designs are being done by AI, and your costume design's being done by AI, your background music is being done by AI … you see the diminishing return. That human interaction where art is made is cut off, because you have one prime mover and a computer." The Oscars also announced another rule change that surprised many. Beginning with the upcoming ceremony, Academy members will be required to watch all nominated films in each category to be eligible to vote in the final round. Over the years, anonymous Oscar voters have shared their ballots in trade publications, often admitting that they haven't watched some films or finished longer nominees. Arroyo speculated that that may lead to fewer members voting. "I know a number of members of the Academy who don't vote at all, and they don't because they hate most of the films being offered and don't want to sit through them," he said. "So, it's kind of their own personal defection in place." "But I mean, on the whole, it's a good idea people at least consider the nominees in total that they're voting on. But I think they're nominating too many people. You can't have 10 movies nominated for best movie. It's too much. And so it can't also become a second career for members of the Academy to vote with knowledge on your nominees. And so they may have to readjust the sheer volume [of] the awards." According to AMPAS, most categories are voted on by eligible members of their respective branch (costuming votes for costuming, editors for editors, etc.) while certain categories "may be open to members across all voting branches." For the final round, all eligible members may vote in all categories. AMPAS has not yet laid out any methodology on how to enforce this new system, leaving a gray area for how well it will work. "I don't know how professionals are going to have that much time," Arroyo said. "If they're directors and producers and, actors, designers, and they're working constantly, that's a big time suck. So how the Academy patrols it, I don't know." He suggested sending screener links that can indicate whether someone has watched it, or possibly a questionnaire about what happens in the film, but, "there's so much busy work that I think it defeats its own purpose, so they may have to walk that back." "It's a good idea, but the answer is: Nominate less, curtail your categories so you have 10 rather than 30," Arroyo added. As of 2024, there are 23 categories, with two new ones added for upcoming ceremonies. In 2026, members will be able to vote on achievements in casting, and in 2028, a long-awaited stunt category will be available.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mel Gibson warned Jesus actor in ‘Passion of the Christ' role could cost him Hollywood career
Mel Gibson warned Jim Caviezel when they first discussed "The Passion of the Christ" that if he took the role of Jesus it could ruin his career, the 56-year-old actor said this week. Caviezel said he originally met with Gibson's producer about doing a surfer movie, but "the script wasn't there yet." About 40 minutes into the meeting with Steve McEveety, Gibson showed up. "We were talking about surfing movies and everything, and then it pivots into Christ movies, you know, Jesus movies. Well, that's not a surfing movie. It's not Jesus on a surfboard. How's that going to work?" Caviezel told Fox News contributor Raymond Arroyo on his "Arroyo Grande" podcast on Wednesday. Caviezel said he remembered back to when he was 19 years old, and he believed the voice of God spoke to him and told him to be an actor. "I went, 'Oh my God,' I mean, I'm not blaspheming God, I'm not taking his name in vain," he said about the meeting with Gibson. "I literally said, 'Oh my God, this is it,' and I said, 'You want me to play Jesus, don't you?" He said Gibson almost swallowed the cigarette he was smoking, and he choked out, "Yeah." "And I said, 'OK, I'm in,' and because of the movie theater [incident], I said, 'I'm supposed to do this. I don't need anybody to tell me to do this.'" Gibson called him two days later to warn him. "He goes, 'You really want to do this?' He goes, 'If you do this movie, you may never work in this town again,' and I went, 'What?'" Caviezel said, "What I wanted to make was what really happened, so I was OK with that." While making the film, Caviezel said he went to confession every day to "keep my temple as pure as I can so that he could come through me." He also went through severe physical anguish while working on the movie, which included contracting double pneumonia, hypothermia, separating his shoulder and being struck by lightning while on the cross. "The pain was excruciating," he said of his time on the cross, adding that in the last shot in the movie, "I got ripped right in half from that lightning bolt." He said he also had atrial fibrillation while he was on the cross and that a set doctor turned to Gibson after listening to his heart through a stethoscope and said, "He could die." After the shoot, Caviezel underwent two heart surgeries that he said stemmed from all that he went through in the movie. The cross was rigged with a bike seat that he could sit on during the shoot, and Caviezel said he was so exhausted that he would sleep while up there. "I couldn't stay awake," he said of the exhausting shoot. He even slept in his makeup that took around eight hours to put on. "It was constant torment," he said, adding that he felt that brought him closer to the suffering of Jesus. By the time they got to the crucifixion scenes, he said he wasn't sure he could pull it off because of his shoulder separation. "It forced me into the arms of my God because I had nowhere else to go," he told Arroyo. But he said once he realized how much God "loves me, I wanted to do it for him." "It was OK though, because it was part of the purpose of why I was born," he added. He added, "The films that we make are controlling the world's narrative, and the world didn't like this film, and that's a good thing, so we did a good job." Caviezel is preparing to play Jesus once again in "The Resurrection of the Christ," and while he's "scared" to take on the role again, he said he knows he wouldn't be ready if there wasn't some fear. Gibson invested tens of millions of his own money into 2004's "The Passion of the Christ," and the film was a huge success, grossing more than $600 million worldwide. It is the highest-grossing religious film at the global box office, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. "The Resurrection of the Christ" is expected to be released in 2026.
