Author: Kathleen Untalan

Los Angeles
Kathleen Untalan

Clippers Have Lottery Chance, Lakers Seek Value as NBA Draft Nears

The 2026 NBA Draft will be held over two nights, with the first round set for June 23 on ABC and ESPN and the second round scheduled for June 24 on ESPN. The Washington Wizards hold the No. 1 overall pick after winning the draft lottery. 

Los Angeles
Kathleen Untalan

Dodgers Find Their Edge in a Tight, Testing Week

The Dodgers’ past week offered a little bit of everything: late-inning stress, uneven pitching, missed opportunities, and enough star power to steady the club as it moved through a demanding June stretch.

Local
Kathleen Untalan

Bakersfield News Observer Takes Center Stage at Beale Library Juneteenth Event

In honor of Juneteenth, Beale Library hosted a celebration of Black newspaper history in Bakersfield on the first Saturday in June. Held in the library’s Local History section, the event titled Telling Our Stories: The Legacy of Black Newspapers in Bakersfield featured two keynote speakers – Katherine Jordan Morris, a historical researcher, who spoke on the history of older Black-owned newspapers in Bakersfield, and James Luckey Jr., who discussed the 50-year legacy of the Bakersfield News Observer. The event was organized by Lynnet Kemmer, the Local History Librarian at Beale.

Features & Profiles
Kathleen Untalan

Are We Giving Enough Attention to the People Around Us Who Quietly Influence Lives Every Day?

Before spending another hour immersed in the lives of strangers online, look around. Call the friend you have not spoken to in years. Check on a family member. Reach out to a colleague who seems withdrawn. Communities are not built by algorithms or celebrities. They are built by ordinary people who choose, day after day, to care for those within their reach.

Entertainment
Kathleen Untalan

FIFA Fan Festival 2026 held at the Historic Los Angeles Coliseum

 Los Angeles — It’s a wrap, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. The first weekend of the FIFA World Cup 2026 is one for the records/history books. Hundreds of thousands of soccer fans, foodies, and cultural connoisseurs descended on the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum at Exposition Park for the FIFA World Cup Fan Festival, June 11-14, 2026.

Bakersfield
Kathleen Untalan

“This Roadside Worker Appreciation Week, Make the Move to Save a Life”

Roadside workers put their lives on the line every day to help people traveling on California’s roads. Their work allows us to arrive at our destinations and return home safely. Many of these people are tow truck drivers, Freeway Service Patrol teams, and Caltrans crews who stop to assist drivers. To mark their valuable service, every third week in June is Roadside Assistance Worker Appreciation Week, dedicated to honoring roadside workers and the critical work they accomplish. This year, we also want to urge drivers to uphold California’s Slow Down, Move Over law.

Health
Kathleen Untalan

The Imported Doctors

Kern County built its healthcare system on foreign medical talent. What happens if the international pipeline breaks?

General Sports
Kathleen Untalan

Coliseum Set for Four-Day International Football Festival

LOS ANGELES — Football fans from across Southern California will have the opportunity to experience a unique international celebration of sport, culture and community when the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum hosts a four-day football festival from June 11-14.

Los Angeles
Kathleen Untalan

Bruins’ WCWS Run Ends in Extra-Inning Heartbreaker

The Bruins saw their season end in dramatic fashion Sunday evening, falling 8-7 to Texas Tech in nine innings in an elimination game at the Women’s College World Series at Devon Park. UCLA finished the season 53-10 after going 1-2 at this year’s WCWS. Texas Tech improved to 59-8 and advanced for a chance to face Alabama in the semifinals.

Los Angeles
Kathleen Untalan

Bruins Headed to WCWS for NCAA-Record 34th Time

The Bruins defeated UCF 14-4 on Saturday night at Easton Stadium to sweep the NCAA Los Angeles Super Regional and punch their ticket to the Women’s College World Series for the third straight season. With the win, UCLA advanced to the WCWS for the 10th time in the last 11 tournaments and for an NCAA-record 34th time overall.