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(NEW YORK) — Former President Donald Trump is on trial in New York in a $250 million civil lawsuit that could alter the personal fortune and real estate empire that helped propel Trump to the White House.

Trump, his sons Eric Trump and and Donald Trump Jr., and other top Trump Organization executives are accused by New York Attorney General Letitia James of engaging in a decade-long scheme in which they used “numerous acts of fraud and misrepresentation” to inflate Trump’s net worth in order get more favorable loan terms. The trial comes after the judge in the case ruled in a partial summary judgment that Trump had submitted “fraudulent valuations” for his assets, leaving the trial to determine additional actions and what penalty, if any, the defendants should receive.

The former president has denied all wrongdoing and his attorneys have argued that Trump’s alleged inflated valuations were a product of his business skill.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Nov 14, 2:49 PM EST
Expert says property valuations can be ‘wildly different’

Taking the witness stand as an expert witness for the defense, accountant Jason Flemmons offered testimony in support of Donald Trump’s approach to valuing his Mar-a-Lago property, which has been the subject of debate throughout the seven weeks of the trial.

In his summary judgment decision, Judge Engoron found that Trump overvalued the estate by at least 2,300% because the Palm Beach County Assessor appraised the property’s market value between $18 and $27.6 million after Trump signed a deed that restricted its use to a social club, potentially limiting its resale value as a residence but ensuring a tax cut. Trump, in contrast, listed its value in his financial statement between $426 million and $612 million, and during his appearances in court and online he has repeatedly attacked Engoron’s finding.

Flemmons argued that Trump’s approach to valuing his assets gave him latitude to consider his property’s future revenue streams. That approach, according to Flemmons, could result in “wildly different values” between the numbers listed on a personal financial statement and a tax assessed value.

“Tax assessed values are typically on the lower end of the spectrum,” Flemmons said, while Engoron looked on attentively.

While he never mentioned Mar-a-Lago by name, Flemmons was asked by defense attorney Jesus Suarez about a hypothetical property assessed at $18 million but valued closer to $500 million using a comparable sales approach — the same approach used to value Mar-a-Lago.

“It would not be unusual to have a value in the hundreds of million using projected cash receipts,” Flemmons said.

Engoron then turned his chair toward Flemmons and began asking his own questions.

“I am trying to get to the order of magnitude we are talking about here,” Engoron said. “What is the highest value you have ever seen legitimately placed on such a property?”

Flemmons could not provide a specific example to answer Engoron’s question but reiterated that a massive discrepancy could be appropriate.

Nov 14, 2:04 PM EST
House Republicans call for probe of Cohen after his testimony

House Intelligence Committee Chair Rep. Michael Turner and House GOP Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik have requested that the Department of Justice investigate Michael Cohen for perjury following his testimony in the trial last month.

During his trial testimony, Cohen said that he lied to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in 2019 when he said that Donald Trump and Allen Weisselberg did not ask him to inflate Trump’s personal statement.

“So, you lied under oath in February of 2019? Is that your testimony?” defense attorney Alina Habba asked in court.

“Yes,” Cohen responded.

Shown his 2019 testimony in court, Cohen subsequently reversed himself and said that his 2019 testimony was truthful, explaining the contradiction by clarifying that Trump speaks like a “mob boss” and that he indirectly asked for his statement to be inflated.

In a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland sent today, Stefanik and Turner requested that the Department of Justice open an investigation into Cohen potentially committing perjury.

“That Mr. Cohen was willing to openly and brazenly state at trial that he lied to Congress on this specific issue is startling,” they wrote. “His willingness to make such a statement alone should necessitate an investigation.”

Last week, Stefanik sent a separate judicial complaint to the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct related to the conduct of the judge overseeing Trump’s trial. In a statement to ABC News, a court representative said in response that the judge’s actions “speak for themselves.”

Nov 14, 1:18 PM EST
Judge stops expert’s testimony following state’s objection

Donald Trump’s lawyers abruptly stopped the testimony of their first expert witness — who was expected to testify for a full day or two — after Judge Engoron limited the topic areas of his testimony.

Steven Witkoff, a real estate investor and longtime friend of Trump’s, was brought into court by the defense team to testify that Trump’s Doral golf club was undervalued in Trump’s financial statements.

But Judge Engoron sustained an objection from the state barring any testimony about the valuation of Doral, significantly limiting Witkoff’s testimony and appearing to hamper the defense strategy proposed by Trump’s attorney Chris Kise.

Kise argued that the inaccuracies in Trump’s statement of financial condition can cut both ways: Even if some properties were overvalued, other properties like Doral were significantly undervalued and balanced out the statement, according to Kise.

“It is highly, extraordinarily relevant if there are assets that are undervalued substantially on those same statements,” Kise said. “They can’t look at this one-sided.”

State attorney Andrew Amer fiercely rebutted that argument, telling Engoron he should not take the defense’s position that the inconsistencies “come out in the wash.”

That argument appeared to convince Engoron, who said that overvaluations would not “insulate” a false valuation. He promised to sustain any objection that related to the value of Doral — an approach Kise described as “lunacy.”

“The reader of the financial statement has the right to know whether each particular number was accurate,” Engoron said. “They are looking for accuracy.”

Nov 14, 10:26 AM EST
Judge doesn’t address post Trump shared calling for his arrest

As court got underway this morning, Judge Engoron — who has said he has received harassing messages regarding his role in the trial — did not address Trump’s sharing of a post on his Truth Social platform calling for his arrest.

The former president yesterday shared a user’s post calling for the “citizens arrest” of Engoron and Attorney General Letitia James “for blatant election interference and harassment.”

When he expanded the case’s limited gag order earlier this month, Engoron said that his chambers had received hundreds of “harassing and threatening phone calls, voicemails, emails, letters, and packages” since the start of the trial.

The gag order does not prohibit attacks against Engoron himself or the New York attorney general.

Nov 14, 9:40 AM EST
Defense to call first expert witness

Donald Trump’s defense team plans to call their first of several expert witnesses to the stand today.

Steven Witkoff, a New York-based real estate investor and developer, is set to testify about his expert opinion that the Trump National Doral golf course in Miami was undervalued in Trump’s financial statement, despite the attorney general’s claim to the contrary.

The expert report Witkoff prepared for the case also criticized the finding from the state’s expert regarding the value of Trump’s 40 Wall Street property.

During a 2018 roundtable on tax reform, Trump called Witkoff a “pal” who he inspired to enter the real estate industry.

“You know, people don’t realize Steve started out as a lawyer — a very good lawyer, a top lawyer in New York. And then he said, ‘I’m going to go into the real estate business because I can do this, too,” Trump said. “He saw me do it, and he said, ‘If Trump can do it, I guess I can do it, right?'”

Nov 14, 9:02 AM EST
James, Trump respond as defense begins its case

In a video statement posted to social media, New York Attorney General Letitia James said that the testimony of Donald Trump Jr. yesterday failed to refute any of her case against Donald Trump and his adult sons.

“After spending a full day walking through a marketing presentation to sell us all on the greatness of the Trump Organization, the defendants did not make a single point to refute the case we brought against them,” James said of Trump Jr., who led off the defense’s case.

Trump’s eldest son, an executive VP with the family firm, functionally served as a summary witness to explain the history and notable assets of the Trump Organization, repeatedly using words like “spectacular” and “incredible” to spell out the details of Trump’s properties.

James, meanwhile, drew the ire of Donald Trump for appearing to smile in court.

“A.G. Letitia James is smirking all day long from her seat in Court, as New York continues to set records in murder and other violent crimes, and businesses flee to other States,” Trump wrote on Truth Social this morning, despite murders in New York City being down nearly 10% this year, according to the NYPD.

Nov 13, 5:55 PM EST
Court adjourns for day after tax lawyer’s testimony

The defense wrapped up the first day of its case with testimony from Donald Trump’s former external tax lawyer, Sheri Dillon, who returned to the witness stand to clarify her actions related to conservation easements at Trump’s properties.

Dillon previously testified during a lengthy and combative portion of the state’s case.

“Welcome back. I feel like I am at a reunion — Trump trial reunion,” Judge Engoron joked when Dillon returned to the courtroom.

Dillon, explaining a potential gap in email communications about specific deals, testified that she often communicated with Eric Trump over the phone.

“If I picked up the phone and talked to him, I would know he knew what he needed to know,” Dillon testified.

She also said she advised Trump’s appraiser, David McArdle, that the company could add 40 additional residential units at Trump National Golf Club in New York’s Westchester County by filing a new offering plan, according to an email shown in court. The clarification challenges the New York attorney general’s allegation that a $101 million increase in the value of undeveloped land was based on an unfounded plan by Eric Trump to add units to the property.

During a short cross-examination, state attorney Louis Solomon attempted to challenge Dillon’s authority to provide such legal information to McArdle.

“Do you know if a sponsor has a right to have an offering plan accepted for filing merely because the development meets the requirements for zoning?” Solomon asked.

“No, I do not,” she responded.

Dillon concluded her testimony, and court then adjourned for the day.

Nov 13, 5:41 PM EST
Trump Jr. acknowledges positive rapport with judge

Speaking outside the courthouse following his testimony for the defense, Donald Trump Jr. told ABC News that he seems to have a positive relationship with Judge Engoron.

“Perhaps there’s a New York personality there, but no I think he understood,” Trump Jr. said when ABC News suggested he and the judge appeared to get along. “I can’t help myself even in this very serious situation. If you take yourself too seriously the world sort of sucks. You got to have a little bit of fun with it, so I did.”

His relationship with the judge appears to stand in contrast to that of his father, who has accused Engoron of bias and insulted him from the witness stand.

“We had some quips in the courtroom the first time I was here,” Trump Jr. said of Engoron. “Sort of gave me a fist bump on the way out. I guess I had a rather snappy response to something that was — I can’t even remember what it was right now. He said, ‘That was really funny.'”

Asked by ABC News whether Trump Jr. shared his father’s views about the judge being biased, the son demurred.

“Listen, I don’t even know how far the gag order applies, so I don’t need to do that and put myself — I’m in enough crosshairs, guys,” he said.

Nov 13, 4:56 PM EST
Trump Jr. says aunt’s death made for a ‘rough day’

Following the completion of his testimony, Donald Trump Jr. made the first family comments acknowledging the death of his aunt, Maryanne Trump Barry, calling it “a rough day.”

“Obviously, a little bit of a rough day, but I’ve still got to deal with this stuff. We’ve got to keep doing it. That’s the nature of all of this. But no, it’s a rough day for myself and my family,” Trump Jr. said of the news that former President Trump’s sister had passed away at 86.

Trump Jr. also slammed New York Attorney General Letitia James for bringing the civil fraud case despite what Trump Jr. said was “no actual person complaining other than the attorney general herself.”

“Hopefully, one day the people of this great city will realize what’s going on. They’ll realize the destructive practices here. They’ll realize just how insane that is. And they’ll be begging for guys like Donald Trump to come back to New York City to reshape the skyline as he’s done for decades,” Trump Jr. said.

He said he does not plan to return to court for the continuation of the defense’s case tomorrow.

Nov 13, 3:43 PM EST
Donald Trump Jr. concludes testimony

Donald Trump Jr. stepped off the witness stand after roughly three hours of testimony.

His own attorney, Clifford Robert, concluded his direct examination by asking Trump Jr. about the fate of the Trump Organization.

“I guess a lot of that depends on what happens next November,” Trump Jr said, speculating that the company might be “sued into oblivion.”

Assistant New York Attorney General Colleen Faherty cross-examined Trump Jr. for less than ten minutes about the deterioration of Trump’s assets, including financial problems at 40 Wall Street and Trump’s licensed hotel in Hawaii. Trump Jr. appeared unfamiliar with the 40 Wall Street issues and said he was happy with the Hilton’s deal to buy out the Trump Organization’s Hawaii hotel licensing deal.

Nov 13, 2:54 PM EST
Trump Jr. says golf course site was ‘old-school New York mob job’

Donald Trump Jr., in testimony for the defense, touted the work of the Trump Organization to convert a landfill in the Bronx, New York, into a “absolutely incredible” golf course.

“It was raw dirt. It had been that way for a long time,” Trump Jr. said of the original site of Trump Links Ferry Point near the Whitestone Bridge.

“People were supposedly trying to build a golf course for years,” Trump Jr. said about previous efforts to build the facility, describing it as an “old-school New York mob job” where people got paid to move dirt around but not build anything.

Trump Jr. said that once his father got involved in the project, the site was successfully transformed in a matter of months.

Nov 13, 1:42 PM EST
Trump Jr. to get new and improved sketch

When he was last in court, Donald Trump Jr. took a particular interest in his courtroom sketch.

“He said, ‘Make me look sexy,'” the sketch artist Jane Rosenberg told ABC News. By some accounts, the result was underwhelming.

Rosenberg has another opportunity to draw Trump Jr. with his return to court, and she thinks the new iteration is coming along well.

“I think they get better every time,” she told ABC News.

Earlier in his testimony, Trump Jr. joked about a photo of his brother Eric Trump.

When the slideshow Trump Jr. was narrating displayed a professional headshot of his brother, Trump Jr. took a job at his younger sibling.

“A lot of Photoshop,” Trump Jr. joked.

Nov 13, 1:12 PM EST
Trump Jr. assails judge’s finding on Mar-a-Lago

In presenting a slideshow chronicling the Trump Organization’s properties, Donald Trump Jr. highlighted many of their luxury features and iconic views — implicitly suggesting their value.

That’s particularly true of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club, which Judge Engoron in a pretrial ruling determined was worth only a fraction of the amount claimed by Donald Trump, because Trump signed a deed that restricted its use to a social club, thereby limiting its resale value.

Describing how he took “umbrage” to the judge’s determination that Mar-a-Lago was worth between $18 and $28 million, Trump Jr. highlighted specific features to challenge that finding. Showing an aerial photo of the property, Trump Jr. said that a nearby home whose size was dwarfed by the social club has been on sale for $50 million.

“You couldn’t build that atrium for $18 million today,” Trump Jr. said while presenting a photo of the building’s historic atrium.

Nov 13, 12:53 PM EST
With glossy slides, Trump Jr. recounts firm’s story

Donald Trump’s testimony in the defense’s case has so far centered around a slide show being presented by the defense, entitled “The Trump Story,” that paints a timeline of Donald Trump’s real estate acquisitions. When state attorneys objected to the glossy presentation — which Trump Jr. acknowledged was created by his marketing team — the judge allowed the slides, and thus permitted Trump Jr. to testify unrestrained about the company’s properties.

“He’s an artist with real estate. He sees the things other people don’t,” Trump Jr. said at one point when describing his father.

As he narrates the slide show, Trump Jr.’s testimony resembles a lecture on real estate, sprinkled with details about his family’s properties — such as the individual stones used to construct the Seven Springs estate or the bank safes at 40 Wall Street, which he said once stored gold from the Federal Reserve.

“They’re actually spectacular … it’s truly a mechanical work of art,” Trump Jr. said of the safes.

Referencing broken down historic properties that the company has transformed back to their former glory, Trump Jr. called such properties the “canvas” for his his “father’s art.”

“He understands and has an incredible vision that other people don’t,” Trump Jr. said.

After a particular lengthy response, Trump Jr. referenced his father’s own tendency to speak in prolonged monologues, joking, “I got half the genes.”

Nov 13, 11:06 AM EST
Trump Jr. details history of Trump Organization

Testifying for the defense, former President Trump’s eldest son described his father as a real estate “visionary” who “sees the sexiness in a real estate project,” creating value for the family business that cannot be captured on paper.

Donald Trump Jr. began his testimony with a quip after Judge Engoron welcomed him back to the stand following his testimony earlier in the month.

“I’d say it’s good to be here, but the attorney general would probably sue me for perjury,” Trump Jr. joked.

In his testimony, Trump Jr. described the Trump Organization as “a large family business,” with Trump and his eldest children at the top and other executives handling many of the details.

“If there were numbers and things, I would rely on them to give me that,” Trump Jr. said.

He recounted the history of the Trump Organization, beginning with his great-grandfather who he said built hotels in the Yukon Territories of Canada. His grandfather, Fred Trump, “started working on job sites around Queens, learned the trades” and eventually “created an incredible portfolio, by the time of his passing, of rental apartments in Brooklyn and Queens.”

A state attorney jokingly objected that references to the 1800s were outside the statute of limitations — then more seriously objected to the history lesson’s relevance.

“I think it is relevant to get the historical perspective — I find it interesting,” Judge Engoron said in overruling the objection. “Let him go ahead and say how great the Trump Organization is.”

Trump Jr. obliged.

“My father learned a lot of the business from him, but had some flair and saw New York City and Manhattan as the ultimate frontier,” he said. Speaking of Trump Tower, he said, “I think it would have been one of the first, I think great, ultra-luxury real estate emerging in Manhattan.”

Nov 13, 10:20 AM EST
Donald Trump Jr. takes the stand for the defense

“Would you like to call your first witness, defense?” Judge Arthur Engoron asked to begin court this morning.

“The defense calls Donald Trump Jr. to the stand,” defense attorney Clifford Robert responded.

Like his last time on the witness stand when he was called by state attorneys, Trump Jr. appears comfortable on the stand, punctuating his testimony with lighthearted remarks.

Robert began his direct examination with some questions about Trump Jr. ‘s biography, starting with his graduation from the University of Pennsylvania.

“Was a bartender for about 18 months,” Trump Jr. said about his first job out of college.

“Did you enjoy that?” Robert asked.

“I did,” said Trump Jr., joking that he had a challenging conversation with his father when he began that job.

Nov 13, 9:45 AM EST
Trump Jr., arriving in court, met with chants of ‘crime family’

Donald Trump Jr. and his defense lawyers arrived at the New York State Supreme Courthouse this morning to be met with a small crowd of protestors chanting “crime family.”

Trump Jr. did not make a statement before entering the courthouse, but offered a brief response to a question about his expected testimony.

Asked what he plans on saying today on the stand, he replied, “We’ll see what I’m asked.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James arrived at court shortly after Trump Jr. and took a seat in the courtroom with her staff.

Nov 13, 9:06 AM EST
Donald Trump Jr. attends UFC event ahead of testimony

Donald Trump Jr. took in some ultimate fighting ahead of his scheduled return to the witness stand this morning.

Trump Jr. attended a UFC doubleheader at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night with his father, in addition to Tucker Carlson, Kid Rock, and UFC president Dana White.

“I legitimately can’t think of a better squad to roll with,” Trump Jr. posted on social media.

Earlier that day while speaking at a campaign rally in New Hampshire, Donald Trump appeared to joke about appointing White to a position in a potential future administration.

“He’s a guy I’d like to make my Defense Chief. I wouldn’t call him my defense chief. I’d call him my ‘Offense Chief.’ He’d be my Offense Chief,” Trump said.

Nov 13, 8:32 AM EST
Defense to begin presenting its case

As Trump’s legal team prepares to begin presenting its case this morning, defense attorney Alina Habba says responsibility for the financial statements that the New York attorney general says are fraudulent lies with Trump’s external accounting firm.

Previewing the defense’s case during an appearance on Fox’s Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, Habba also said the banks that loaned money to the Trump Organization were responsible for conducting their own due diligence regarding Trump’s financial statements.

The state rested its case last week in the sixth week of the trial. The defense has said they expect their case to wrap up by Dec. 15.

Habba also suggested that Donald Trump plans to file a motion seeking a mistrial.

While Habba declined to comment on alleged misconduct by Judge Arthur Engoron’s clerk — which she is prohibited from doing due to the limited gag order handed down by the judge — she said the issue would be addressed in their mistrial motion “very soon.”

“I actually can’t tell you why, because I am gagged. I can tell you that we will be filing papers to address all of those issues,” Habba said.

However, Habba downplayed the chance the motion would be favorably decided Engoron.

“The problem we have is the judge is the one who is going to make those decisions, and he has proven himself to be quite motivated by the other side,” Habba said.

Nov 11, 1:51 PM EST
Court administrator responds to Stefanik’s complaint

In response to Rep. Elise Stefanik’s letter of complaint against Judge Engoron that she filed Friday with the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct, a spokesperson for New York State Office of Court Administration has issued a statement.

“Judge Engoron’s actions and rulings in this matter are all part of the public record and speak for themselves,” said Office of Court Administration communications director Al Baker. “It is inappropriate to comment further.”

Nov 10, 8:17 PM EST
Rep. Stefanik files complaint against Judge Engoron

Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York has filed a judicial complaint against Judge Arthur Engoron.

The letter, addressed to the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct, largely concerns the judge’s rulings in the case and his public statements, and is unlikely to impact the proceedings of the trial.

“Judge Engoron’s bizarre and biased behavior is making New York’s judicial system a laughingstock,” Stefanik, a staunch Trump supporter, wrote.

The lengthy letter echoes some of Trump’s attacks on the trial, criticizing Engoron’s limited gag order in the case, the actions of his legal clerk, his summary judgment ruling, and his comments during Trump’s testimony this week.

“Simply put, Judge Engoron has displayed a clear judicial bias against the defendant throughout the case, breaking several rules in the New York Code of Judicial Conduct,” Stefanik wrote.

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(NEW YORK) — A large section of the I-10 freeway near downtown Los Angeles will remain closed to traffic for three to five weeks to repair damage caused by a massive fire that investigators allege was started by an arsonist, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said at a news conference Tuesday.

Newsom said an analysis of samples taken from the deck of the freeway showed the damaged roadway will not have to be torn down and replaced and that crews will work to complete the work of shoring up one of the nation’s most congested traffic arteries as fast as they possibly can.

“That suring work will continue 24/7 and will allow us to reopen, for traffic, the I-10 in a matter of weeks. The estimate currently is three to five weeks,” Newsom said.

The governor said 100 columns that hold up the freeway were damaged by the fire, nine to 10 of them severely damaged.

He said transportation crews would work around the clock, seven days a week, to speed up the repairs.

“We’re going to do everything in our power to move that into a more immediate future and not extend it to that five-week period,” Newsom said.

Had it been determined that the freeway needed to be demolished and replaced, it would have taken five to six months before the I-10 could be reopened.

“This is good news under the circumstance,” Newsom said, standing near the crippled freeway. “And I’ve got to say on the basis of the preliminary assessment, news that, frankly, a lot of the folks, particularly the experts you see behind me, didn’t expect to share.”

Newsom also updated the public on the investigation of the fire. He said investigators are still working to identify the “individual or individuals responsible for this act, this intentional act of arson.”

Due to the I-10 — a major east-to-west artery in Los Angeles — being shut down in both directions, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass suggested locals take other routes, work from home or take the Metro.

“We’re getting the 10 freeway up and running as fast as possible,” she said during the news conference Monday.

Over the weekend, commuters in Los Angeles began bracing for a traffic nightmare for the highway that has more than 300,000 drivers daily.

Bass told commuters earlier on Monday to expect epic traffic jams akin to what was seen after the 1994 Northridge earthquake, a 6.7 magnitude shaker that collapsed several freeways in the Los Angeles area.

“For those of you who remember the 1994 Northridge earthquake, Caltrans [the California Department of Transportation] worked around the clock to complete emergency repairs to the freeways — and this structural damage calls for the same level of urgency and effort,” Bass said.

The fire broke out underneath the I-10 just after midnight Saturday, ripping through numerous wooden pallets, trailers and vehicles stored below the raised interstate, officials said. The fire sent thick smoke and towering flames into the sky and dealt a challenge to more than 160 firefighters who responded to put out the blaze.

The out-of-control fire burned for three hours and spread over what authorities described as the equivalent of six football fields before it was extinguished. About 16 homeless people living underneath the highway were evacuated to shelters, officials said.

Bass said Monday afternoon that no information is known beyond arson being the suspected origin of the fire. She also urged people not to jump to conclusions.

“There is no reason to assume that the origin of this fire or the reason this fire happened was because there were unhoused individuals nearby,” she said, adding, “I want you to know we are working urgently to address this crisis.”

California Department of Transportation officials said crews are still assessing the damage caused to columns and support beams under the freeway. Hazardous materials teams are also clearing burned material from the site.

Newsom said Tuesday that 250 truckloads of debris had been removed from the site. He said preliminary tests showed that none of the material stored under the freeway was toxic.

“We’re seeing a lot of … concrete that’s flaked off the columns. The underside of the bridge deck may be compromised,” said Lauren Wonder, a California Department of Transportation spokesperson.

Newsom declared a state of emergency to help facilitate cleanup and repairs to the freeway.

“Remember, this is an investigation as to the cause of how this occurred, as well as a hazmat and structural engineering question,” Newsom said earlier. “Can you open a few lanes? Can you retrofit the columns? Is the bridge deck intact to allow for a few lanes to remain open again?”

Rafael Molina, deputy district director for the division of traffic at the California Department of Transportation, said Monday that there were early indications that commuters were heeding the warnings.

“In looking at the traffic data earlier this morning, I am somewhat pleased to say that the congestion was a little bit lighter than normal,” Molina said. “However, please, if you don’t need to be in downtown Los Angeles, please avoid those trips.”

Transportation officials said a private company leases the storage area that caught fire.

California Secretary of Transportation Toks Omishakin said officials are reevaluating whether to continue allowing storage yards under highways but noted that such places are common across the state and nation.

 

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(NEW YORK) — Five vehicles — including a charter bus carrying Ohio high school students — were involved in a fatal crash on an Ohio highway Tuesday morning, officials said.

The incident occurred on Interstate 70 in Etna shortly before 9 a.m. local time, according to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine.

A Pioneer Trails charter bus transporting students from Tuscarawas Valley School was among the five vehicles involved in the crash, the governor said.

“Let me just say that this is our worst nightmare when we have a bus full of children in a crash,” DeWine said during a press briefing Tuesday.

Gov. DeWine confirmed the crash was fatal but said no other details will be released until all the proper notifications have been made. Eighteen people were transported to seven area hospitals, he said.

Tuscarawas Valley Local Schools superintendent Derek Varansky said students and chaperones were traveling to the Ohio School Boards Association conference in Columbus when their charter bus was involved in a “very serious accident.”

“We understand from law enforcement that there may be multiple serious injuries and we are working to learn the details,” Varansky said in a message to the school community.

In addition to high school students, parents and teachers were among those on board, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Tuscarawas office.

ABC News’ Alexandra Faul contributed to this report.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

 

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(NEW YORK) — Even the most meticulous host may still be finalizing their Thanksgiving plans, and with the help of retailers, restaurants and brands like Butcher Box or Williams Sonoma, the holiday meal can be ordered ahead so all you have to focus on is heating, plating, serving and saying what you’re most thankful for.

There is absolutely no shame in the order-ahead game, so stop stressing about learning to spatchcock — although if you really want to, see how Martha Stewart does it here. Especially if it’s your first time hosting the holiday feast, look to one of these delicious and easy options to tackle turkey day with ease.

Where to order ready-to-eat Thanksgiving turkey and dinner

Check out these online options that will ship direct to your dining room, or at least to your doorstep.

Be sure to check each vendor individually for updates on order cut off times and other local shipping or delivery information.

ButcherBox

Tuesday is the final day to order a high-quality turkey from ButcherBox, and through the end of the day, any first time customers will be able to claim a free turkey in their box.

The all-natural, no artificial ingredients turkeys are available in three sizes: Small, 10-14 pounds; Medium, 14-18 pounds; and Large, over 18 pounds. For those who don’t want a whole bird, ButcherBox also offered just the turkey breasts this season.

ButcherBox told “Good Morning America” that small turkey sales are up 150% so far this year and that more customers have ordered multiple turkeys, which the meat purveyors predict is a result of increased table sizes, multiple celebrations or a desire for more leftovers.

The monthly meat delivery subscription service also has an entire guide to Thanksgiving dinner complete with planning advice, timelines and recipes for the perfect turkey, plus even more ideas for what to make with any delicious leftovers.

For fans of other proteins instead of poultry, ButcherBox also offers ham, lamb and ribeye roasts, which the brand said has doubled in sales compared to this time last year. More than 40% of customer survey feedback said they will be serving ham this year either their primary protein or an additional option.

Pricing varies based on the chosen subscription plan, protein and size. See the site for additional ordering details.

Blue Apron

Customers of the subscription meal box can order a Classic Thanksgiving Box, which includes fully roasted turkey breast, homemade gravy, sides and dessert for just $131.98. It serves six to eight people.

The Thanksgiving box order must be placed by 12 p.m. EST on Wednesday, Nov. 15 for delivery by Thanksgiving.

Plus, first time customers can receive free shipping and discounts on future orders.

Williams Sonoma

Get a pre-brined, pre-roasted whole turkey and let your oven take a break until it’s time to reheat on Thanksgiving with an all-natural turkey from Willie Bird ranch in Sonoma County, California.

The bestselling and time-saving bird can be ordered directly through Williams Sonoma, available in two sizes: 7-10 pounds or 10-13 pounds for $149.95 to $179.95.

The pre-roasted turkey ships chilled with ice packs to be refrigerated or frozen upon receipt, and should be placed in the fridge 48 hours before reheating with full instructions from the culinary team at Williams Sonoma when it comes time to serve.

Another great option for hosts looking to skip a whole bird this year is the Willie Bird Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast, a boneless breast infused with basil, thyme, fennel and lavender, which serves 10 to 12 people and is available for immediate or Thanksgiving delivery windows.

Grocery stores selling fully cooked Thanksgiving dinner

Whole Foods Market

The supermarket chain has a variety of fully made Thanksgiving dinner options: a roast turkey meal for four people complete with gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberries and gravy, coming in just shy of $100; roast turkey dinner for eight people with a bit larger bird at $169.99; and a feast for 12 people that adds more sides and a spiral cut ham for just under $400.

There are also fully cooked, ready-to-serve a la carte options for various turkeys, including their heirloom roasted turkey, which comes in medium or large, to serve 8 or 12 people.

The grocery store noted that orders must be placed a minimum of 48 hours ahead of the pickup date and time, and by Nov. 21. Cancellations require a 48-hour minimum notice and menu items, prices and availability may vary by store type and location.

Pickup for pre-orders begins Nov. 17 through Thanksgiving Day.

Restaurants, fast food and other easy Thanksgiving dinner options

Boston Market

The fast food chain is offering a variety of holiday menus with hot and ready-to-serve buffets, as well as individually plated meals from now through Dec. 31, 2023.

Boston Market has three platters available: Premium, Deluxe, and create-your-own, with customizable options to choose from, including turkey, rotisserie chicken and glazed ham. Prices vary.

All catering orders can be made by phone and more information is available at local restaurants and online.

GoldBelly

With a variety of restaurant partners, the delivery platform has an entire section dedicated to turkey day.

The Cajun Turkey Company, for example, will ship its fully-cooked famous Cajun fried turkey meal for eight people that will arrive ready-to-heat-and-eat three days from time of ordering.

Deadlines for shipping and pricing vary by restaurants and location, so check each offer before purchase.

 

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(NEW YORK) — Americans are on pace for record setting holiday travel this season, and while all the major airlines say they’re ready, passengers don’t want a repeat of last year.

Airlines and airports across the U.S. have started to brace for what’s expected to be the busiest holiday travel rush ever.

Nick Calio, CEO of Airlines for America, formerly known as Air Transport Association of America, told “Good Morning America” that “this is shaping up to be a record setting year.”

The Transportation Security Administration said it expects to screen 30 million passengers between Nov. 17-27, or approximately 2.7 million passengers per day, up 10% from the same time last year.

Over the holiday travel rush last year, there were widespread flight cancellations and massive meltdowns that left thousands stranded.

So far this year, cancellations have dropped dramatically, down to just 1.6% of flights. But delays have ticked up to their highest level in a decade, affecting around 1 in 5 flights, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, which has been largely led by discount airlines such as JetBlue, Frontier, and Spirit.

Consumer complaints about airlines have also soared, with nearly double the amount in the first three months of 2023, compared to the same time last year, according to the Department of Transportation.

Another concern bubbling up ahead of the holidays is a shortage of air traffic controllers. Last week on Capitol Hill, the lead investigator of the National Transportation Safety Board partially blamed the shortage for 23 close calls this year, where planes nearly collided on takeoff or landing.

“While these events are incredibly rare, our safety system is showing clear signs of strain that we cannot ignore,” Jennifer Homendy, chair of the NTSB, said in a statement at the time.

David Seymour, COO of American Airlines, told ABC News this week, “We certainly need to see more air traffic controllers in place. We’re managing through the events on good days like we’re having today — we just have to be mindful that when weather hits certain parts of the country, there are going to be constraints.”

Still, with the holidays looming, airlines believe they’re ready and have hired on tens of thousands of new employees.

American Airlines has both expanded its schedule for the busy holiday period and enlisted larger planes to handle the high volume of travelers.

“We’re going to carry more customers than we ever have before, about a half a million more than last year,” Seymour said.

United has also added more than 550,000 seats to meet the increased demand of the holidays.

“My No. 1 recommendation to people would be pray for good weather. That is always the key,” Calio told “GMA.” “Get to the airport early. If you don’t have your airlines app, get it, because you get constant notifications about your gate, any delay, any type of cancellation or anything like that.”

While each airline is different, if passengers do run into issues this season, the DOT has a dashboard where travelers can read what each airline will give you if the delay or cancellation is their fault.

 

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(NEW YORK) — When Nisa Betancourt graduated college in May 2020, it was an unusual time.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Betancourt was unable to accept her diploma in person and the federal government placed a pause on student loan repayments and set interest rates to 0%.

Despite her disappointment at not walking across the stage, Betancourt said the pause in repayments felt like a blessing in disguise.

“I definitely felt a sense of relief because I felt like I was finally on my own without worrying about that additional expense that would have come way earlier than it did,” Betancourt said. “I would not have been able to move out and I probably would still be at home had they not been paused.”

Three years later, student loan repayments have resumed, and Betancourt is one of over 28 million borrowers who have begun or restarted their payments, a process that has been marred by administrative errors, such as incorrect bills and late notices to borrowers.

Betancourt, an account executive for a public relations firm, knew the day would come when she would have to make payments. She also knew she had to make lifestyle changes to accommodate the shift — everything from meal prepping and cutting back on social activities to taking on freelance work on the weekends, facilitating Zoom meetings for a company that offers equity, diversity and inclusion workshops for companies across the country.

“The money that I make from my freelance gigs goes straight towards my student loans. It’s specific to that and it’s budgeted to go towards those payments,” Betancourt explained.

Today, Betancourt submits payments that total nearly $600 per month to chip away at her student loan debt, which is approximately $52,000.

“I’m afraid that I’m not going to be able to pay them back, even though I have been taking these extra measures and taking these extra steps to make sure that I have it under control,” Betancourt said of how she feels about her student debt.

In June, the Supreme Court overturned President Joe Biden’s attempt at student debt relief, a sweeping student loan forgiveness program, but the administration recently released a draft of a narrower policy that could take effect next year, which aims to help student loan borrowers who are the most affected by their debts. Student loan borrowers also currently have a yearlong grace period if they miss a payment until September 2024 although interest will continue to accrue.

Mary Ryan, a senior wealth adviser with Vanguard Personal Advisor Services, told “GMA” borrowers should consider what they can control instead of what they can’t when it comes to student debt payments.

“You want to think about, ‘What can you control?’ And that control is what you spend,” Ryan said. “You need to focus on what’s going on in your house, what payments you need to make and be prepared for what you have to do, because we don’t know what’s going to be happening in Washington. But you do know what you have to do, and I would stay focused on that.”

Despite her daunting debt, Betancourt said she is hopeful about paying it all off.

“Making that first payment, I saw I was able to see how much I actually have in debt but also feel like I can get it done and [hope] that all of the steps that I’ve taken and all of those measures that I’ve taken will eventually pay off in the end,” she said.

 

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(LOS ANGELES) — California Gov. Gavin Newson said Monday afternoon that the fire that shut down the I-10 freeway in Los Angeles is being investigated as arson.

Newsom broke the news at a press conference about the incident alongside Mayor Karen Bass.

Due to the I-10 — a major east-to-west artery in Los Angeles — being shut down in both directions, Bass suggested locals take other routes, work from home or take the Metro.

“We’re getting the 10 freeway up and running as fast as possible,” she said during the news conference.

Over the weekend, commuters in Los Angeles began bracing for an all-day traffic nightmare Monday after the I-10 was shut down indefinitely by a massive fire that erupted in a storage yard underneath the raised freeway.

The I-10, traversed by more than 300,000 drivers daily, remained closed in both directions as authorities suggested a series of detours and announced there is no timeline on when the thoroughfare through downtown Los Angeles will reopen.

“As we made clear yesterday, this was a huge fire, and the damage will not be fixed in an instant,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said during a news conference Monday morning. “Engineers have worked all night and are working right now to determine our path forward.”

On Sunday, Bass said, “There’s no reason to think this is going to be over in a couple of days.”

“We cannot give you an estimate of time right now,” Bass said of when the freeway might reopen.

Bass told commuters earlier on Monday to expect epic traffic jams akin to what was seen after the 1994 Northridge earthquake, a 6.7-magnitude shaker that collapsed several freeways in the Los Angeles area.

“For those of you who remember the 1994 Northridge earthquake, Caltrans [the California Department of Transportation] worked around the clock to complete emergency repairs to the freeways — and this structural damage calls for the same level of urgency and effort,” Bass said.

The fire broke out underneath the I-10 just after midnight Saturday, ripping through numerous wooden pallets, trailers and vehicles stored below the raised interstate, officials said. The fire sent thick smoke and towering flames into the sky and dealt a challenge to more than 160 firefighters who responded to put out the blaze.

The out-of-control fire burned for three hours and spread over what authorities described as the equivalent of six football fields before it was extinguished. About 16 homeless people living underneath the highway were evacuated to shelters, officials said.

Mayor Bass said Monday afternoon that no information is known beyond arson being the suspected origin of the fire. She also urged people not to jump to conclusions.

“There is no reason to assume that the origin of this fire or the reason this fire happened was because there were unhoused individuals nearby,” she said, adding, “I want you to know we are working urgently to address this crisis.”

Caltrans officials said crews are still assessing the damage caused to columns and support beams under the freeway, but could not say when it would be cleared to reopen. Hazardous materials teams are also clearing burned material from the site.

“We’re seeing a lot of … concrete that’s flaked off the columns. The underside of the bridge deck may be compromised,” said Lauren Wonder, a Caltrans spokesperson. “It’s sort of a waiting situation right now. We don’t have an estimated time of opening, but Caltrans wants to ensure that this bridge is safe to put traffic back on it.”

Newsom declared a state of emergency to help facilitate cleanup and repairs to the freeway.

“Remember, this is an investigation as to the cause of how this occurred, as well as a hazmat and structural engineering question,” Newsom said earlier. “Can you open a few lanes? Can you retrofit the columns? Is the bridge deck intact to allow for a few lanes to remain open again?”

Rafael Molina, deputy district director for the division of traffic at the California Department of Transporation, said Monday morning that there were early indications that commuters were heeding the warnings.

“In looking at the traffic data earlier this morning, I am somewhat pleased to say that the congestion was a little bit lighter than normal,” Molina said. “However, please, if you don’t need to be in downtown Los Angeles, please avoid those trips.”

Transportation officials said the storage area that caught fire is leased by a private company.

California Secretary of Transportation Toks Omishakin said officials are reevaluating whether to continue allowing storage yards under highways, but noted that such places are common across the state and nation.

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