LOS ANGELES—A former dean of the University of Southern California’s (USC) School of Social Work pleaded guilty Sept. 19 to a federal bribery charge in a political corruption case, admitting she funneled $100,000 through the university on behalf of then-County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas in hopes of earning his support for a lucrative county contract that…

LOS ANGELES—A former dean of the University of Southern California (USC) School of Social Work has agreed to plead guilty to a federal bribery charge in a political corruption case involving suspended Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, prosecutors announced Sept. 15. Marilyn Louise Flynn, 83, of Los Feliz, is expected to plead guilty in…

LOS ANGELES—One day after discussing the matter behind closed doors, the University of California Board of Regents demands a full assessment of UCLA and USC’s planned move from the Pac-12 Conference to the Big Ten’s influence on the UC system July 21. The assessment will be conducted by the UC system president Michael Drake and…

LOS ANGELES—A Superior Court judge July 19 again blocked Herb Wesson from acting as a temporary replacement for suspended Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, adding more confusion to the representation of the 10th District. The ruling by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mary Strobel prevents Wesson from performing any council functions. The decision effectively…

LOS ANGELES—The federal criminal trial for suspended Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas on bribery and conspiracy charges has been delayed until November. Ridley-Thomas, who was suspended from the council following his indictment in October, faces trial along with former dean of the University of Southern California School of Social Work Marilyn Flynn. The pair…

A 29-year-old Chapman University cinematography student was killed in a dune buggy crash during a shooting in Imperial Valley on April 15. Peng Wang, a third-year graduate student, was partially ejected from a 2022 Can-Am Maverick UTV in the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area when the vehicle overturned while moving along the side of a…

A 29-year-old Chapman University cinematography student was killed in a dune buggy crash during a film shoot in Imperial Valley, California, on April 15. Peng Wang, a third-year graduate student, was partially ejected from a 2022 Can-Am Maverick UTV in the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area located in the southeast corner of California when the vehicle…

LOS ANGELES—University of Southern California (USC) obtained on April 8 a court order banning two men from campus as they have allegedly barged into classrooms during live lectures and created disturbances they record for YouTube videos. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James C. Chalfant issued a temporary restraining order against Ernest Kanevsky and Yuguo Bai,…

LOS ANGELES—A new study reveals two indigenous groups in the Bolivian Amazon have among the lowest rates of dementia in the world, according to an international team of researchers, including those from the University of Southern California (USC). The researchers found among older Tsimane and Moseten people, only about 1 percent have dementia. By comparison,…

LOS ANGELES—Newly announced Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick J. Caruso said on Feb. 15 he will step down as chairman of the University of Southern California (USC) Board of Trustees as he turns his focus to campaigning. The shopping-mall magnate became chair of the USC Board of Trustees in 2018 and served through what he…