Saturday, October 10, 2026 · Laguna Woods today: mostly cloudy, high near 81. Tonight showers likely, mainly after 11 p.m., low around 64, with a quarter to half an inch of rain possible. Sunday showers likely, mainly before 11 a.m., high near 72. Monday, Columbus Day, showers with a 90 percent chance, high near 69.
★ Five things to know today
❤ Health
1Medicare Open Enrollment begins Thursday, Oct. 15: check the new 2027 Part D drug cost limits
Medicare Open Enrollment runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, 2026, and the plan must get your request by Dec. 7. Medicare.gov says no Medicare drug plan may have a deductible above $700 in 2027, up from $615 in 2026. You pay 25 percent of drug costs until your out-of-pocket spending reaches $2,400 in 2027, up from $2,100 in 2026, and after that you pay nothing for covered Part D drugs for the rest of the year.
What to do: Write down every medicine you take and compare plans at Medicare.gov. Medicare: 1-800-633-4227.
2Tropical Storm Rachel floods Newport Beach streets; more rain is likely here tonight and Sunday
Voice of OC reports that Newport Beach declared a state of emergency Friday after high surf pushed seawater onto the Balboa Peninsula, and seawater covered part of Pacific Coast Highway in Laguna Beach. A Coastal Flood Advisory covers the whole Southern California coast until Tuesday. The National Weather Service forecast for Laguna Woods, updated early today, gives a 60 percent chance of showers after 11 p.m. tonight and 60 percent on Sunday morning, with a quarter to half an inch of rain possible each time, and a 90 percent chance on Monday, Columbus Day.
Why it matters: This is the first big rain after a long hot, dry stretch, so roads will be slick.
What to do: Avoid flooded streets, clear gutters, and move cars away from flood-prone spots. Drive slowly tonight, Sunday and Monday. Newport Beach residents can pick up sandbags at the City Yard and fire stations.
3Gate 4 exit closes for a full day on Monday, Oct. 19
The Gate 4 exit onto Paseo de Valencia will be closed all day Monday, Oct. 19. El Toro Water District is doing utility investigation work for its emergency pressure improvement project.
What to do: Plan to use another gate that day. Village information line: 949-597-4600.
4Three candidates are running for two Laguna Woods City Council seats on Nov. 3
The City of Laguna Woods lists Sue Quam, Mayor Annie McCary and Council Member Carol Moore as the nominees for two four-year City Council seats in the Tuesday, Nov. 3 municipal election. Each candidate's statement is posted on the city website.
What to do: Read the candidate statements at lagunawoods.gov before you vote. City Hall is at 24264 El Toro Road.
5RSV vaccine: the CDC says late summer to October is the best time for older adults
The CDC recommends one dose of an RSV vaccine for all adults 75 and older, and for adults 60 to 74 at higher risk, such as those with heart or lung disease, a weak immune system, or who live in a nursing home. It is not a yearly shot, so anyone who already had it does not need another now. The best time is late summer and early fall, August to October, and one dose protects for at least two years.
Why it matters: A minor illness like a cold is not a reason to wait, but wait until you recover from a moderate or severe illness.
What to do: Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether you have had the RSV vaccine and whether you should get it now.
Fire authority plans a permanent Station 12 for Laguna Woods, to open by the end of 2029
The Orange County Fire Authority has dropped its plan for a temporary Station 12 and will build a permanent station on a proposed site off Moulton Parkway, across from the Village golf course. Design is planned for the 2026-27 fiscal year and construction for 2027-28, with the station to open by Dec. 31, 2029.
Why it matters: Until then, Engine 12 serves Laguna Woods from Fire Station 19 near the Lake Forest border, and the authority says this gives uninterrupted fire and medical coverage.
California adds three e-bike safety laws; the first rules start Jan. 1, 2027
Gov. Newsom signed three e-bike laws, CalMatters reports. Starting Jan. 1, 2027, local governments can set speed limits of 10 to 20 mph on bike paths and trails, and the state sets a default 10 mph limit on sidewalks. By Jan. 1, 2029, all e-bikes must have front and rear lights, Class 2 e-bikes must have a speedometer, and stores must tell buyers each bike's class, top speed and age limits. A third law targets stores that sell faster electric motorcycles as e-bikes.
Why it matters: Walkers, including older adults, are at risk when fast bikes share paths and sidewalks.
Brea approves $60 million in bonds for an 85-unit affordable senior apartment building
The Brea City Council unanimously approved $60 million in bonds for a five-story, 85-unit apartment building at Mercury Lane and Berry Street, Voice of OC reports. Of the units, 84 are reserved for lower-income seniors earning less than 70 percent of the area median income, with preference for seniors, veterans and local residents. The developer, not the city, must repay the bonds, and the developer estimates the project will cost about $44 million.
New California law makes large old companies disclose any profits from slavery
Assembly Bill 2599, the Truth in Disclosure Act, requires companies with more than $100 million in yearly worldwide revenue that operate in California, and that existed in 1964 or earlier, to disclose financial ties to slavery, CalMatters reports. The first sworn statements are due by Jan. 15, 2029, and the Civil Rights Department will publish them in a searchable database.
Trump creates a White House committee to weigh removing Fed Governor Lisa Cook; hearing set for Nov. 5
President Trump signed a memorandum creating a three-member "committee of inquiry" into allegations that Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook made false statements on mortgage documents, CBS News reports. The committee will advise him on whether there is cause to remove her, after a private, transcribed hearing at the White House on Nov. 5. The Supreme Court ruled 5 to 4 in June that Cook may keep serving while her challenge continues, and she denies the allegations.
Pentagon plans to livestream the Dec. 3 firing-squad execution of the Fort Hood shooter; senators object
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that the execution of Nidal Hasan, the former Army major convicted of killing 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009, will be public and livestreamed, CBS News reports. It is set for Dec. 3 by Army firing squad. Republican Sen. Thom Tillis called the plan "beyond disgusting," and Sen. John Curtis urged Hegseth to reconsider, while a survivor who supports the sentence said it is not something to view for entertainment.
Justice Department memo lets top appointees campaign in a personal capacity
A new Justice Department memo lets Senate-confirmed appointees, including the attorney general, the deputy attorney general, assistant attorneys general, the FBI director and U.S. attorneys, speak at rallies, canvass for votes and serve as party delegates or officers in their personal capacity, CBS News reports. A 2024 Biden-era memo had barred them from attending any partisan political event. Attorney General Todd Blanche, who has spoken at Republican events, says he is "not in any way violating any rule or law."
Trump names Katie Zacharia as the next White House press secretary
President Trump announced Friday that conservative commentator Katie Zacharia will be the next White House press secretary, CBS News reports. She is a California native who briefly worked as a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security this year and is now a senior communications adviser for Truth Social. The job has been vacant since Karoline Leavitt left in late August, and the briefing room has had no press briefing since Sept. 3.
How election workers test vote-counting machines before any real ballot is counted
In Davis County, Utah, workers run pre-marked test ballots through the counting machines, some marked wrongly on purpose, to confirm that the machines count correctly and catch mistakes such as voting for too many candidates, PBS NewsHour reported. The county clerk said mail ballots go out about three weeks before Election Day, are processed in batches of 200, and each signature is compared with as many as five on file.
Putin agrees to release Russian diesel after a call with Trump; U.S. temporarily eases some sanctions
Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to release 300,000 tons of diesel immediately, 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons in December, CBS News reports. The Treasury Department said it will temporarily waive sanctions on Russia's energy sector to let the fuel reach world markets, and Ukraine's President Zelenskyy called the easing a "weakness." The national average for diesel is $6.28 a gallon, against $3.68 a year ago.
Why it matters: Diesel fuels the trucks that bring groceries and other goods to stores.
Kremlin says Putin passed Iran's peace position to Trump; Guards say they hit another tanker
The Kremlin said Saturday that Putin told Trump on Friday about Iran's position on a possible peace deal, but did not say how Trump responded; diplomacy has been at an impasse since summer, CBS News reports. Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it struck the LPG tanker NV Sunshine near the Omani coast for using what it calls an illegal route. Germany will release up to 15 million barrels of diesel, crude and heating oil, and Sri Lanka says 19 Iranian tankers are anchored off its coast.
Two strong earthquakes, magnitude 7.7 and 6.6, shake Panama; no deaths reported so far
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck near Panama's southern tip on Friday morning, followed about two and a half hours later by a magnitude 6.6 quake, CBS News reports. President José Raúl Mulino said no deaths or injuries had been documented by Friday evening. Damage was concentrated in the central provinces, where the cathedral in Penonomé partly collapsed. Tocumen airport briefly suspended operations, the Panama Canal kept running, and the tsunami threat passed.
What to do: If you have family in Panama, check in with them. If you plan to travel there, check with your airline.
Lufthansa, Emirates and Etihad suspend flights to Riyadh as Houthi attacks continue
Lufthansa, Emirates, Etihad and other airlines have suspended flights to Riyadh, and Britain, France, Germany, Australia and Canada advise against travel to parts of Saudi Arabia, CBS News reports. The Saudi-led coalition said Saturday it destroyed 136 military targets in Houthi-controlled areas. The United States now requires government employees to get special permission to use Riyadh airport.
What to do: If you or your family are flying through the Gulf, check with the airline before you leave for the airport.
U.S. imposes sanctions on the International Criminal Court itself
The Trump administration put new sanctions on the International Criminal Court as an institution, after earlier penalizing more than a dozen of its judges and prosecutors, CBS News reports. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, "Either the ICC will end its threats, or we will end the ICC." The court called the sanctions an attempt to intimidate people who cooperate with it, and foreign ministers of Canada, Germany, France, Japan, Britain and others said they regret the move.
Ceiling falls in a Daegu building where kitchenware was being sold to elderly customers; at least 36 hurt
A section of ceiling finishing material fell on the second floor of a four-story building in Daegu's Buk District at about 10:16 a.m. Saturday, where a vendor was selling kitchenware to elderly customers, the Korea Times reports. At least 36 people had minor injuries and nine went to hospitals, none in life-threatening condition. All 66 people inside got out on their own, and the cause is still being investigated.
Suspect charged with murder 15 years after the killing of an 81-year-old Korean man in Anaheim
Prosecutors charged Mike Carrillo Nunez, 34, with murder on Oct. 8 in the Dec. 14, 2011 killing of Kim Il-jae, 81, at a senior apartment complex in Anaheim, Korea Daily reports. Anaheim police reopened the case in March and, working with the Orange County Crime Lab, used advanced DNA analysis that tied the suspect to the crime. The motive and cause of death have not been disclosed.
Court rules a Korean-born man's 14 years in a U.S. prison exempt him from military service
The Seoul Administrative Court ruled that a Korean-born man who moved to the United States as a child, served 14 years in a U.S. prison for robbery and aggravated assault, and was deported last year is exempt from peacetime military duty. The Military Manpower Administration had argued that only inmates transferred to Korea to finish their sentences qualify. The court said a foreign sentence counts only if the crime would also be a crime under Korean law.
Kim Daesoon, founder of the Kim's Electric store in Koreatown, dies at 92
Kim Daesoon, who opened the first Kim's Electric store at VIP Plaza in Los Angeles Koreatown in 1979, died on Oct. 7 at age 92, Korea Daily reports. Born in 1935 in Okcheon, he came to the United States in 1972 and wrote the lyrics of the store's well-known advertising jingle. His eldest son, Dani Kim, and grandson Scott Kim now run the business. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.
Korean schools in Southern California shift to teach more speaking and listening
Korean-language schools in Southern California are changing as more parents are 1.5- or second-generation Koreans who are more comfortable in English, Korea Daily reports. Fullerton Korean School, the largest of 11 schools in its association with more than 400 students, started a homework club that grew from 5 to 40 students and uses bilingual teaching assistants. Teachers say lessons now focus more on speaking and listening, plus Korean history and culture.
FTC: after a storm, scammers pose as officials, charities and contractors
The Federal Trade Commission warns that after emergencies scammers often pose as government officials, charities or contractors. It advises checking now whether your home or other insurance would pay for temporary shelter or replacement items, and keeping a household inventory with photos to help with a claim.
Why it matters: More rain is expected this weekend, and storm repairs and flooding bring out fake helpers.
What to do: Choose repair companies by asking people you trust, then search the company name with the words "scam" or "complaint." Report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
FTC: before giving to hurricane relief, check the charity first
The Federal Trade Commission says scammers set up official-sounding charities or copy the names of well-known ones after disasters. It advises not trusting a request just because a friend shared it on social media, checking the charity at Charity Watch or Give.org, and being wary of anyone who demands cash, gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency.
Why it matters: Hurricane Isaias has left about 884,000 customers without power across the Southeast, and donation requests are spreading.
What to do: Search for the disaster name plus "relief," give only to charities you have checked, and report impostors at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Grandparents' Halloween Fun Day is Saturday, Oct. 31; wristbands must be bought ahead
The Village holds a Halloween event for grandparents and grandchildren on Saturday, Oct. 31, with Trunk or Treat from 10:30 to 11 a.m. and the main event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. It has a 60-foot indoor inflatable obstacle course, bounce houses and crafts. Wristbands are free for adults and children 2 and under, and $10 for older children.
Why it matters: Personal candy is not allowed. The Village provides the candy, so just bring a treat bag.
What to do: Buy wristbands at the Clubhouse 5 office, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., by credit card or check. None are sold on the day. Information: 949-597-4382.
Comedian Dana Carvey performs at the PAC on Thursday, Nov. 5
Dana Carvey, known from Saturday Night Live and Wayne's World, performs one night only at the Performing Arts Center on Thursday, Nov. 5, at 7:30 p.m., with special guest Jann Karam of Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Tickets start at $35.
What to do: Sign in at tickets.lagunawoodsvillage.com to buy tickets.
Earth, Wind & Fire tribute 'Kalimba Spirit of EW&F' plays the PAC on Saturday, Nov. 7
The nationally touring tribute show Kalimba Spirit of EW&F, part of the Club Legends series, plays the Performing Arts Center on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $25.
What to do: Sign in at tickets.lagunawoodsvillage.com to buy tickets.
Simon & Garfunkel tribute 'The Graduates' plays the PAC on Saturday, Nov. 14
The Graduates celebrate the music of Simon & Garfunkel, with songs such as "Scarborough Fair," "The Sound of Silence," "Mrs. Robinson" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water." The show is Saturday, Nov. 14, at 7:30 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center.
What to do: Sign in at tickets.lagunawoodsvillage.com to buy tickets; the price is not listed in the preview.
Daylight saving time ends Sunday, Nov. 1: clocks go back one hour
Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1, when clocks move back to 1 a.m., giving you an extra hour of sleep. Daylight saving time returns on March 14, 2027.
What to do: Set your clocks back before bed on Saturday, Oct. 31, and replace smoke alarm batteries if they are due.
Dodgers will start Tarik Skubal in NLCS Game 1 and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 2
MLB.com reports that the Dodgers have named Tarik Skubal to start Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto going in Game 2. Game 1 is Sunday at 5 p.m. Pacific in Milwaukee, on Fox.
Two Renoir paintings stolen from a French museum a month ago have been found
The mayor of Cagnes-sur-Mer, in southern France, said Friday that two Renoir paintings stolen about a month ago from the Renoir Museum have been recovered, calling it "an immense relief," CBS News reports. The museum is in the artist's last home, near Nice. Police had not yet issued a statement.
The Anaheim Ducks beat the Winnipeg Jets 5-1, according to NHL.com. Judd Caulfield scored his first NHL goal, Mikael Granlund scored the 200th goal of his career, and Nikita Nesterenko added an empty-net goal.
