A single pumpkin on the porch? A plastic skeleton on the door?

There are those houses in the neighborhood that acknowledge the final day of October via a few small details of scary merriment.

And then? There is that rare and amazing abode that takes a different dastardly path.

Starting in September, walls begin to rise in the front yard, creepy castle walls or a structure depicting a haunting old West town. Other elements come in, and soon? What looks like a theme park funhouse is standing on a quiet neighborhood street.

What you're admiring is a full-fledged home haunt, a made-by-hand, made-with-love creation that serves as a pop-up, walk-through experience for anyone who wants to swing by. 

Swing by, that is, on Halloween night, or on the nights ahead of Halloween, depending upon opening hours. The home haunt is, in short, a specifically late-October curiosity.

Southern California happens to boast a number of these annual sights, and filmmaker Josh Quillin called upon a quartet of them, all to find out how they come together each year, what the creators' inspirations are, and all of the elbow grease that goes into these labors of love.

The documentary's name?

"Epic Home Haunts," which captures what these enter-if-you-dare creations are all about. They stand in front of and around private homes, and they rock a ghosty, monstrous Halloween-fun theme.

Boot Hill in Irvine, Beware the Dark Realm in Santa Clarita, Restless Souls Manor of Palmdale, and Rotten Apple 907 in Burbank are all featured, and each receives a thorough, behind-the-scenes look at how home haunts come together, from inception to opening night.

Those opening nights tend to fall just before Halloween, and run over a few weekend evenings before the holiday, with neighbors, friends of neighbors, and haunt lovers from all over the area journeying to see the homespun-at-heart but incredibly tech-forward and polished final results.

Also nice: Home haunts, as a rule, are often free or donation-driven, and there's often a food-drive associated with the place, meaning it is giving back to the community as it delightfully frightens people.

Know these four home haunts? Did you grow up near one, or do you make the drive each year to see your favorite, or all four? 

Our region, home also to large haunts like Knott's Scary Farm and Disneyland's Haunted Mansion, has proven to be fertile ground for those scare fans who love making fantastical experiences, fans who want to bring their own visions to the public, right there, via their own front yards.

Where to catch "Epic Home Haunts"? It debuted on Friday, Oct. 26 on Amazon Prime, and it is available for rent or to buy.

Lanes on the southbound 170 Freeway are closed in the San Fernando Valley due to police activity.

The road is closed just south of Sherman Way in the North Hollywood area, where officers responded to a report of an individual threatening to jump from a pedestrian overpass. 

Los Angeles firefighters set up an air cushion on the freeway below the overpass. The person was seated on a fence over the walkway. 

Refresh this page for updates. 

A 34-year-old man sought in connection with the discovery of human remains unearthed on a property in the High Desert is wanted for questioning in a double murder investigation, officials said Wednesday.

Jesus "Chuy" Guzman is wanted in the slayings Feb. 20 of Gerardo "Jerry" De Luna and Mariano Campos, officials said.

He's also being sought in a grim discovery of skeletal remains found Oct. 11 in the 30000 block of 106th Street East in Littlerock.

The causes of death were unknown but were considered suspicious, officials said.

The LA County Coroner's Office said it was working to verify the number of people dead and their identities.

The sheriff's department did not disclose how the remains came to light, nor say whether the grisly find was related to the disappearance of two men and a woman in the area in January.

A $20,000 reward was offered by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in April for information in the case of the three people who were presumed dead after they disappeared.

Jose Lara, 65; Cuauhtemoc Lara, 39; and 49-year-old Julieta Arvizu left behind what seemed to be all their possessions, according to authorities. The elder Lara's vehicle was found abandoned on Feb. 5 in Littlerock, an unincorporated area of the Antelope Valley where all three lived.

Their cellphones were turned off and had not been used since the date they vanished.

Guzman, described as armed and dangerous, previously lived at the location. He was known to drive a black 2009 Toyota Corolla, California License Plate 6SCD663, officials said.

Anyone with any information about the case was asked to call Detective Louie Augilera or Detective Marc Boisvert at (323) 890-5500.

Tipsters can also call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477).

City News Service contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday slammed House Speaker Paul Ryan for opposing his plan to sign an executive order that would end birthright citizenship, ripping the Wisconsin Republican as someone who knows "nothing about" the issue, NBC News reported.

"Paul Ryan should be focusing on holding the Majority rather than giving his opinions on Birthright Citizenship, something he knows nothing about!" Trump tweeted six days before the midterm elections Tuesday. "Our new Republican Majority will work on this, Closing the Immigration Loopholes and Securing our Border!"

Trump's lashing out came just one day after Ryan had rejected comments made by Trump about wanting to sign an executive order that would end birthright citizenship for the children of many immigrants to the U.S. Ryan said that "the 14th Amendment's pretty clear" and ending birthright citizenship "would involve a very very lengthy Constitutional process."

A spokesperson for Ryan, who is not seeking reelection, did not immediately respond to questions from NBC News about Trump's latest remarks about him.

These aren't your papa's puppets. The puppets and stories in new Henson Alternative projects are aimed at a more adult audience who want to see edgier, funnier felt on-screen and in person.

During a live interview on the NBC LA Facebook page, Brian Henson tells NBC4 with Henson Alternative they are pushing the boundaries of what people are used to when it comes to the Henson brand.

"Initially we weren't thinking adult, it just turned out to be really, really funny to allow the content to be mature and allow it to be blue."

Henson Alternative produces a show just released on Netflix called "The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell." It's a gothic, quirky look at baking and DIY with the star Christine McConnell and her ragtag housemates, who also happen to be murderous puppets. The show has already had a ton of critical and fan praise for its unique take on homemaking.

And for people who want to see puppets behaving badly in real life, Henson says they can attend Puppet Up on the Henson lot. It's an improvised puppet show that takes place a few times a year and is your only chance to be on the normally closed Henson Studios Lot.

Puppet Up features 80 original puppets brought to life by comedian puppeteers and is never the same show twice. Henson says the next shows are Nov. 3 and 4 and there are tickets still available.

Ghosts, for the most part, are about the same size as we humans, as depicted in films and television shows and stories.

After all, what we're looking at, when we're gazing upon some sort of spirit, is the afterlife embodiment of a formerly living person. So it makes sense that this newest incarnation would be, oh, about as tall as a person.

But sometimes, in some special places, ghosts can grow to be very large, and astoundingly illuminated, and they can even sport some twinkle which, as a rule, visitors from beyond the veil typically do not (preferring, or so we're told, the shadowier lifestyle).

One such special place is Pacific Park, at Santa Monica Pier, where the famous solar-powered Ferris wheel is going "full phantom" on the nights of Wednesday, Oct. 31 and Thursday, Nov. 1.

That means if you're in Santa Monica, by the ocean, on either of those nights, you're bound to see "... a high-flying ghost, not-so-scary smiling vampire, grinning jack-o-lantern, and more," shimmering thanks to the power 174,000 LED lights.

The Pacific Wheel is 90 feet in height, meaning that these will be, truly, some of the biggest jacks, vamps, and wraiths you'll come across this Halloween.

If you'll be out trick-or-treating on Oct. 31, and at Day of the Dead festivities on the first of November, take haunted heart: You can check out the Pacific Wheel, live, via its webcam.

The supernatural sights'll shimmer from about six p.m., or sunset, through to midnight on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.

For much of her life, Jacqueline Koski considered herself a Democrat. The Minnesotan almost always backed the party down the ballot. She voted for President Barack Obama twice. During the 2016 primary she threw her support behind U.S. Sen Bernie Sanders, an independent vying for the Democratic nomination.

But after Hillary Clinton won the nomination, the 52-year-old store owner started to rethink her longtime political allegiances. She was tired of what she saw as a cloud of controversy trailing the Clintons. And while she didn't like Donald Trump much either, she deemed him the lesser of two evils.

"We really didn't vote for Trump," Koski explained. "We voted against Hillary."

This year, Koski once again found herself facing a difficult choice in a heated campaign. She lives in Duluth, a port city on Lake Superior in the heart of one of the most competitive House races in the country. 

Up for grabs is Minnesota's Eighth Congressional District, where Democrat Joe Radinovich and Republican Pete Stauber are jockeying to succeed outgoing Democratic Rep. Rick Nolan. The race is seen as one of the GOP's best and only hopes for flipping a seat held by Democrats this year and has attracted national headlines, along with more than $7 million in spending from outside groups.

Whether voters like Koski swing back to Democrats or stick with the GOP this November could have consequences that go beyond who represents the district's residents.
 

This article, part 6 in a series, examines one of the key battleground races for control of the House of Representatives in the Nov. 6 midterm elections. Carried by grassroots momentum, Democrats must take 23 seats from Republicans to win the balance of power. They are contending with Republicans' experience and organization, and an outspoken but polarizing president.

The Eighth District covers a vast swath of rural northeastern Minnesota that stretches from the Canadian border through the iron ore deposits of the Iron Range to the Twin Cities' northern suburbs. Strong labor ties forged through the mining and shipping industries rendered the region reliably blue for most of the past seven decades. But Trump and his message of economic populism struck a chord. He won the district by about 15 points in 2016.

Nolan, the Democratic congressman, managed to eke out a victory that year, but the president's landslide win put the already-targeted seat on the radar of national election handicappers, who predicted the midterms would deliver another tight race. Nolan's decision not to seek another term promised to make it even closer.

"The Iron Range used to be solidly Democrat," said David Schultz, a professor of political science at Hamline University in St. Paul. "Now, it's become 'Trump Democrats.'" 

This year's race pits Radinovich, a 32-year-old former state legislator and Nolan campaign manager, against Stauber, a 52-year-old county commissioner, retired police officer and minor league hockey player. Skip Sandman, an independent candidate who ran for the seat as the Green Party nominee in 2014, is also on the ballot.

As in many swing districts nationwide, the economy, health care and trade have been the subject of intense debate.

Both candidates have pledged to keep Medicare and Social Security intact — positions crucial for winning over the district's sizable aging population — and voiced support for Trump's steel tariffs, which helped raise the price on local iron ore and steel. 

But they diverge on other key issues, like health care and the Trump tax cuts, both of which Stauber supports.

"He's got really good business sense and he's propelling it with his administration," Stauber said of the president's performance on jobs and the economy in a recent debate hosted by Minnesota Public Radio.

Democrats believe those issues give them an edge. Radinovich's embrace of progressive policies, like a "Medicare for All"-type system and a $15 minimum wage, helped him sail through a five-way primary, and he has criticized Trump's tax cuts as overwhelmingly helping the rich, not the district's voters. Just last week, the pro-Democrat House Majority PAC announced a six-figure TV ad buy hitting Stauber on health care costs and claims that the GOP's proposals would raise prices for seniors.

Stauber, who has criticized the Affordable Care Act, says he would not roll back protections for pre-existing conditions. He often cites his own experience raising a child with Down Syndrome, which is considered a pre-existing condition by insurance companies. 

"Health care, the economy, social security, all of these issues are still at the forefront of this election," said Tamara Jones, a 41-year-old Democratic operative in Duluth. "I think people are looking for someone who can solve these problems." 

But the race has taken a deeply personal turn. Republican-allied groups ran TV ads hitting Radinovich over past traffic tickets and a drug paraphernalia arrest when he was 18. Radinovich, whose campaign did not agree to an interview for this article, responded to those attacks in a heartfelt video in which he opened up about losing his mother in a murder-suicide committed by another relative when he was a teen.

"These millionaires and billionaires and Washington special interests flooding our airwaves with negative ads want you to believe we should be forever defined by our mistakes, by our lowest moments, by our struggles," Radinovich said in the video. "What I know is my struggles have made me stronger and given me a deeper understanding of what community's about and what's at stake in this election."

Democrats have countered with attacks on Stauber's integrity, accusing him of flouting the law and county ethics policy by using his government account to communicate with the National Republican Congressional Committee. The Minnesota arm of the Democratic Party this week won a judge's order, making those exchanges public.

The onslaught of ads, most of which are attacks on Radinovich, appears to have left a mark on voters. A recent New York Times/Siena poll showed Stauber leading by double digits, a major shift from a month before, when the two were running neck-and-neck.

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report moved the race from a toss-up to leaning toward vote Republican. Cook only rates two other seats currently held by Democrats as toss-up or better for Republicans: one in Pennsylvania where court-mandated redistricting will likely benefit Democrats statewide, the other a toss-up race along Minnesota's southern border. 

In the Eighth District, Democrats hope an energized base and advantages in the state's gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races (both Senate seats are up for a vote due to former Sen. Al Franken's resignation last year) will lift them to victory, despite the odds.

"I think this will be a referendum on this administration," Jones said. "The Democrats are fired up to win. They're out knocking doors. They've got a field program."

But if it does indeed come down to a referendum on the administration, the president himself may be a trump card for Stauber. While his approval ratings have plummeted statewide, Trump's numbers remain strong across Northern Minnesota.

He drew large crowds at his two campaign stops in Minnesota this year, including one in Duluth to stump for Stauber. Other White House surrogates, including Vice President Mike Pence and Lara Trump, have also come to the GOP nominee's aid.

"The popularity of President Trump in Minnesota's Eighth Congressional District is as intense, if not more, than on election night," Stauber, whose campaign did not agree to interview requests, told The New York Times. "He's fighting for our way of life, mining, manufacturing timber harvesting, low unemployment." 

Whether support for Trump in the district translates into a win for Stauber will be closely watched by political strategists, and not just because of what's at stake on Nov. 6. The results in the Eighth and across Minnesota might also forecast what's to come in the 2020 presidential race, according to Schultz.

"Is 2016 an indictment of Clinton in the upper Midwest or a sign that an area that used to be pretty reliable for the Democrats — and the state that's been the most reliable state in the country for the Democratic presidential candidates — is changing?" said Schultz, who wrote a book on presidential swing states.

Koski, the swing voter, has few regrets about her support for Trump. She's happy with the economy and fed up with what she sees as personal attacks against the president coming from Democratic lawmakers like Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif. 

Koski also sided with Republicans during the Supreme Court confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanuagh, whom she believes faced unfair and politically motivated allegations of sexual assault. 

Still, deciding which congressional candidate to support this year wasn't easy. While she was drawn to Stauber's experience, she had reservations over his response to a long-running personal issue she's had with officials in the county involving deaths in her family and a custody dispute. 

And while she worries Radinovich's policy positions are "reckless," she didn't appreciate the GOP "kicking a dead horse" by attacking the Democrat over traffic fines.

"More often than not people have trouble paying their bills," Koski said. "More people are going to relate to Joe on that."

In the end, she decided to continue her Republican streak and support Stauber over Radinovich. But even more than seeing her candidate win, Koski is ready for the heated midterm fight to be over.

"It's no doubt that this is a really important race," she said. "When you can cut tension with a knife between neighbors because of lawn signs, it's insane."

A toddler's headless girl costume is creeping out people across the globe for Halloween.

Maya, just 2 years old, is enjoying her new-found fame after the costume her mother made is circulating around the world on social media.

Krystel Hwang, who lives in Manila, Philippines, said she made her 2-year-old's creepy costume using a $3 dress she purchased. 

"I wanted to do something different and unique for my girls this year. Charlie, my 6-year-old, was a zombie bride last year," Hwang told NBC4. Maya was Chucky last year!

She said she's gotten reqeusts from all over the world to share her video, including from Ireland, Poland, Spain, Japan, Vietnam, and Poland.

"Everyone seems so amazed, like, 'How is that even possible?'" she said.

She also has quite a talent for costume-making -- she hand-made Supergirl and Wonderwoman costumes for her girls two years ago.

Treat swaps?

They've become a sugary staple of November's earliest days, that caramel-covered, sugar-dusted time that immediately follows Halloween trick-or-treating.

And while kids are invited to swap out candy for a variety of fun experiences and prizes nowadays, there's an especially tender treat swap just ahead that truly puts the "awww" in "swap" and the "sweet" in the treat.

It's happening at the Helen Woodward Animal Center, in Rancho Santa Fe, and it works like this: Kids who are age 12 and under, "with approval of their parents," natch, may turn in 50 pieces of candy to receive $10 off a pet adoption fee at the fur-loving location.

Turn in 100 pieces and receive $20 off. Have 150 bits o' candy to give? That's $30 off.

In fact, the maximums are fairly substantial for this treat swap: Up to 400 pieces of candy can go towards a dog adoption and 250 pieces towards adopting a cat.

And the pup or kitty you go home with?

Both are far sweeter than any sucker or caramel chew. Bonus? No potential cavity issues come with this treat swap program, though plenty of kisses and cuddles are practically guaranteed.

Also something sweet to consider? The candy collected by the center will be donated to homebound seniors participating in the AniMeals drop-off program, after being gathered into cute gift bags.

Just get to the center before they close for the day on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018, and be sure to have those candies in tow. (The swap opens on Nov. 1.)

How often do you count out candy before meeting a new fur-ever pal? Truly, this is a treat swap plan that has legs (and a wet nose, and maybe whiskers, and a cute tail, and a lot of love to share, too).

After a student was assaulted in the bathroom of a California State University building, classes were canceled and authorities were asking students to stay away from campus Wednesday.

The university sent out an emergency alert to students around noon.

Any students who were off-campus were told to not come to class.

University police said a student was physically assaulted in a second-story bathroom of the Bell Tower building.

The attacker was described as a woman, 24 or 25 years old, wearing a gray shirt, black pants, and gray Converse sneakers. She had a silver handgun and was last seen running from Bell Tower.

Students were asked to call 911 if they spot the woman as opposed to calling CSUI police.

University police said more updates were to come.

Frankly, buying a gift for a building, on the auspicious and pomp-filled occasion of its 90th birthday, can set a person on edge.

After all, what does a building need? Windows? It has plenty. Doors? Ditto. Loads of memories created over the decades by the thousands of humans who passed along its hallways?

Any structure that is a brand-new nonagenarian can claim all of those, and more.

The only thing required, then, if a famous building is having a 90th birthday party, is your sparkly presence, and admission to the grand hullabaloo, too.

And the Oviatt Building, one of Southern California's stand-out Art Deco gems, is about to enjoy just that, at the stylish Cicada Club and Restaurant on Friday, Nov. 2.

Must you dress like it is 1928 all over again for the DTLA-based bash? You mustn't, if you don't fancy such a prospect, but bet a lot of revelers will be swanning about in their wayback finery.

The wayback-ness of the event will continue with informative presentations, including ghost stories related to haberdasher James Oviatt's namesake building, as well as "old secrets, recent revelations," and more, courtesy of historian Marc Chevalier.

If you know your onions, er, your stuff about the nifty events presented by the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles, which this one is, you know that vintage-style live music and a whizbang of a get-together will follow, which it shall. 

The Jennifer Keith Sextet will be on the stage and bringing the crowd to its dancing feet.

For more on the '20s-flavored party, the Oviatt, the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles, and scoring an advance ticket for $20 — it'll be $25 if you buy it there — best boop-boop-bi-doop over to the event page now, for more information on this 90th-nice night.

Election Day is fast-approaching, and there are ballot measures that could change the way you eat, how much you pay for gas, and even change the time of day in California.

Here's a comprehensive guide to all 11 propositions to help you make an informed decision come Nov. 6.

Prop 1: Veterans' Home Loans

This proposal allows the state to sell general obligation bonds for $4 billion to finance affordable housing for low-income people, including war veterans.

Its financial impact in California is an increase in state costs to reimburse the average amount of these bonds of about $170 million per year over the next 35 years.

Those for the measure say the best part is it finds a solution, while not raising taxes. 

Those against the measure say there are better ways to fix California's housing crisis. They also argue it would waste taxpayer money on interest payments.

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Prop 2: Homelessness Prevention

This proposal would allow the state to use funds from county mental health programs to fund housing for the homeless with mental issues.

The approval of this proposal would not increase state taxes and makes the existing legislation that establishes the program official.

Homeless advocates, social workers, doctors and emergency responders urge voters to say yes to Prop 2.

Those against it however, say it makes no sense to take money away from mental health services to build homes with that money. 

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Prop 3: Water and Environmental Projects

The proposition authorizes the use of $8.877 billion in general obligation state bonds to finance aquifer and environmental projects.

The fiscal impact for the state would be the increase in costs to pay bonds of $430 million as an annual average for more than 40 years. However, the state government could save hundreds of millions of dollars annually in water-related projects in the coming decades.

Proponents say it is a measure that will guarantee safe drinking water and drought protection. But those against it say it hands money over to a lot of different organizations, but doesn't provide a new way of getting clean water. 

They also say "interest payments on the bonds will double the amount that has to be repaid." They say it does nothing to solve our water shortage problems. 

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Prop 4: Children's Hospitals

It would allow the state to sell $1.5 billion in general obligation bonds to finance the construction, expansion, renovation and equipping of children's hospitals.

The fiscal impact for the state would be the increase in costs to reimburse bonds of $80 million per year over the next 35 years.

Those for the measure argue the hospital systems are like cellphones -- think of how much they've increased in technology over the last 10 years. They argue the demand for specialized pediatric care has only gone up, and hospitals are needed to meet that demand.

Those against say the proposition really only benefits the hospitals backing the measure, and that the money could be spent in a better way. 

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Prop 5: Homebuyers Taxes

The approval of this prop would allow all homeowners over 55 years of age, of any property contaminated or affected by a natural disaster, and severely disabled owners, to be eligible for property tax savings should they move to another home.

The fiscal impact would be for schools and local governments, which would lose more than $100 million per year in property taxes.

It essentially the "moving penalty."

Those against it say it cuts "$1 billion in local revenue from public schools, fire, police, health care and other services" but doesn't build any new housing. They say it's going to make it harder for cities to pay for schools while giving a nice tax break to the wealthy.

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Prop 6: Gas Tax

Prop 6 would repeal a 12-cent gas tax and an increase in vehicle registration that was approved last year to fund road fixes and better transit programs. The aim was to pay for $5 billion a year in improvements, and raise $52 billion over a decade for road repairs. The gas tax took effect last November.

Construction industry and firefighter unions oppose repealing the measure.

Former Republican councilman Carl DeMaio proposed it, saying the cost of living in California is outrageous enough as it is.

"Everything in California is so much more expensive and the question is why," he once said.

Voting no keeps the tax right where it is.

Opponents say since cars are becoming more energy efficient and using less gas, there won’t be enough funds to support the program.

Opponents contend there aren't enough funds to keep up with the transit needs of California's 40 million people. Over the last two decades, automobiles have become more fuel efficient — a boon for the environment but a challenge to transportation budgets as drivers need less gasoline.

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Prop 7: Daylight Saving Time

Daylight saving time may not seem that big of a deal to most Californians, but it’s a divided issue.

If Californians vote yes, they’d be asking to end daylight saving time, meaning no “spring forward” nor “fall back.” But voting yes wouldn’t make it a done deal -- the measure would still need to clear the hurdle in the federal government. The measure would need a two-thirds vote from the Legislature.

Basically, the time wouldn’t change, like in other states that don’t follow Daylight Saving Time: Hawaii and Arizona (except for in Arizona’s Navajo Nation).

Voting no would mean that everything would stay how it is – you lose an hour in spring, and gain an hour in fall.

Some proponents say the idea is very outdated. It all started during WWI as an energy saving program. They argue that studies have shown that daylight saving time may actually increase electricity use in the summertime. They also argue that daylight saving time would cause more pedestrian crashes because the sun sometimes doesn’t rise until 8 a.m. in winter.

Those who are against the measure say it’s too much change, and Californians are used to switching their clocks back and forth.

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Prop 8: Dialysis Clinics Refunds

Proposition 8, while at first glance is not as controversial as the gas tax or daylight savings props, actually is a source of heated debate. If passed, it would cap profits at kidney dialysis clinics by using a formula.

Proponents of 8 say big dialysis companies are netting monster profits without putting enough money back into sanitation and patient care. Those in support, like the Democratic Party and veterans, say the proposition would stop the companies from overcharging, and would help provide quality care for patients.

But those against the prop – which includes nurses, doctors and physicians – say many clinics would be forced to close if the prop passes. Many people without functioning kidneys depend on the clinics, and those against the prop say it would increase costs for tax payers, and reduce access to care because clinics would have to close.

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Prop 10: Regulating Rent

This is set to be a big source of debate in November. Voting yes means state law would not limit rent control laws in cities and counties. What that means is it would establish rent control authority in communities, in hopes to keep people in their homes and reduce the homeless population.

But those opposing the measure say that if state law is not allowed to continue overseeing rent control, it would actually make the housing crisis worse. They argue Prop 10 is bad for homeowners because it allows the regulation of single family homes and would allow more fees on top of rent.

Those against it say it will hurt homeowners because it will lower real estate values. They also say it would limit new construction and cut the already-choked housing supply in California. Opponents also say landlords who managed smaller properties would struggle or be pushed out.

Prop 10 repeals Costa-Hawkins Housing Act, and it is one of the most expensive propositions on the ballot.

According to the state, renters in California already spend more than half their income on rent.

Those in favor say Prop 10 would help people getting pushed out of their homes, because it would control how much landlords increase rent per year as well as regulate how much they are asking of new renters.

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Prop 11: On Call Ambulances

If Prop11 passes, ambulance workers would have to stay on call during their paid lunchbreaks so they could respond to 911 calls. It would also give them more training. Proponents argue it’s a proposition that would save lives.

Voting no means EMT’s and paramedics would have to remain unreachable while on a paid break, and cannot provide care, even if they are the closest ambulance available.

State Assembly Member Freddie Rodriguez argues however that the proposition is not what it seems.

Rodriguez says it would allow private companies to get out of paying millions in wages.

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Prop 12: Ban Selling Meat From Confined Animals

A yes vote would require farmers to provide more space to caged animals used for meat or food, like egg-laying hens, pigs, and calves. It would ban the sale of meat and eggs from animals in cages that do not meet

If it sound familiar, it’s because in 2008, Prop 2 was passed preventing caged animals from being raised in confinements so small they couldn’t move.

But it’s back in the form of Prop 12, because out-of-state farmers aren’t subjected to the same requirements. Also, there were no specific measurements in Prop 2.

Hens would also have to be totally cage free by 2022.

Starting in 2020, a calf would have to be given at least 43 square feet of floor space.

Pigs would need 24 square feet starting in 2022.

In 2020, egg-laying hens, would need 1 square foot of floor space each – the cages would be totally gone by 2022.

Costs would probably rise for the foods produced by using meat and eggs from these animals, the state's nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office found.

The Association of California Egg Farmers says it could cause a shortage of eggs for sale because farmers would have to make a lot of unforeseen changes to structures.

Giants great and baseball Hall of Famer Willie McCovey died Wednesday afternoon, according to a team official. He was 80.

The Giants released a statement announcing McCovey's death, saying he passed away peacefully after losing his battle with ongoing health issues.

“San Francisco and the entire baseball community lost a true gentleman and legend, and our collective hearts are broken,” said Giants President and CEO Larry Baer. “Willie was a beloved figure throughout his playing days and in retirement. He will be deeply missed by the many people he touched. For more than six decades, he gave his heart and soul to the Giants – as one of the greatest players of all time, as a quiet leader in the clubhouse, as a mentor to the Giants who followed in his footsteps, as an inspiration to our Junior Giants, and as a fan cheering on the team from his booth."

McCovey played 22 seasons in the majors, 19 with the Giants. He won the National League Rookie of the Year award in 1959 and the NL Most Valuable Player award in 1969. The six-time all-star was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986.

“Willie’s greatest passion was his family and our thoughts and prayers are with his beloved wife, Estella, and his daughter, Allison, and her children Raven, Philip, and Marissa,” Baer added.

McCovey had health issues in recent years and was confined to a wheelchair, but he was still a regular at AT&T Park, where the cove beyond right field has taken his name. In his playing days, McCovey was one of the most feared hitters in the game, and he put together a career that is nearly unmatched by left-handed hitters in MLB history.

He hit 521 home runs and drove in 1,555 runs during his career. He slugged .515 across more than 8,000 career at-bats

McCovery's daughter Allison also released a statement.

“I am grateful that my father passed peacefully surrounded by his family and friends while listening to his favorite sports channel,” she said.

His wife Estella McCovey added: “Every moment he will be terribly missed. He was my best friend and husband. Living life without him will never be the same.”

McCovey is also survived by his sister Frances and his brothers, Clauzell and Cleon.

NBC Sports Bay Area contributed to this story.

A commercial fisherman is being hailed a hero after he jumped into the water off the Central California coast to free a humpback whale entangled in a rope, a rescue that was captured on video in September.

When whales become entangled in fishing lines and equipment from other maritime activities, fishermen oftentimes are able to help. In this case, one fisherman literally risked his life to free the whale.

Sam Synstelien leaped onto the massive humpback whale that had a rope wrapped around its back and tail.

"(The whale) was just swimming in counter-clockwise circles," said Nicholas Taron, who shot the video of the rescue. "You could tell he was stressed and being held to the bottom."

Synstelien and Taron are commercial eel fishermen who spotted the humpback whale struggling off Morro Bay. It was trying to free itself from a buoy attached to a rope.

Initially, the crew reported the distressed whale to the Coast Guard.

"The Coast Guard kind of finally said there’s nothing else you can do," Taron said.

That’s when the crew took matters into their own hands. Taron said they cranked up the volume on the boat’s radio and blasted a message to the whale: "We were screaming at the whale, you’re either going to help us out and quit swimming away or else, like, good luck."

Synstelien believes the whale got the message loud and clear.

The apparent happy ending could have turned out much worse for the fishing crew, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Pacific Fisheries.

"We’ve had people die trying to get in the water, and just last year, we lost one of our responders," spokesman Justin Veizbicke said.

The NOAA says there’s a common misconception that distressed marine animals will die within hours.

"Even though it seems like it’s a very stressful situation, we usually have days, weeks, sometimes even months to find these animals and get this gear off," Veizbicke said.

The NOAA said those out on the water who see an animal in distress should call the Coast Guard or NOAA’s SOS Whale Hotline at 877-SOS-WHALE or 877-767-9425. The Coast Guard also can be reached on VHF Ch. 16.

A 10th child has died at a medical center hit by a viral outbreak, the New Jersey Department of Health said late Wednesday.

Nine other "medically fragile" children at the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Passaic County have died recently after being exposed to an adenovirus outbreak at the center.

A total of 27 children have been sickened in this outbreak, the Department of Health said. A staff member at the facility, who has since recovered, also became ill as part of the outbreak.

The New Jersey Department of Health said additional laboratory tests confirmed the additional cases. 

The medical center has been grappling with a “severe outbreak” of adenovirus, a family of viruses that can otherwise cause mild illness, according to the state's Department of Health.

The facility has been instructed not to admit any new patients until the outbreak ends and they are in full compliance.

The Wanaque Center established a 24/7 hotline for families impacted by the outbreak.

“The loss of these young lives is heartbreaking, and our thoughts are with the families who are affected,” Health Commissioner Dr. Shereef Elnahal said. “We are working closely with the facility to conduct respiratory illness surveillance and ensure all infection control protocols are continuously followed. We are also engaging in discussions with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on standards for these facilities.”

Adenoviruses are common viruses that can cause a range of illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The viruses cause cold-like symptoms, sore throat, bronchitis, pneumonia, diarrhea, and pink eye. Adenoviruses can pose serious complications to certain people, particularly those with weakened immune systems, respiratory issues and cardiac disease.

According to the CDC, adenoviruses are typically spread from an infected person to others through close personal contact such touching or shaking hands; through the air by coughing and sneezing; or by touching an object or surface with adenoviruses on it, then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes before washing your hands.

The state’s Department of Health said they were informed of the outbreak on Oct. 9. State health officials later found handwashing discrepancies.

The I-Team has uncovered inspection reports for the center dating back to 2015. During that time the facility was cited for 14 violations, including infection control.

The state Department of Health is monitoring the situation “very closely” and has been in contact with the staff at the center “providing guidance on infection control and cleaning procedures.”

The Wanaque Center is a for-profit facility that, according to its website, works with "with medically fragile children" from newborn to 22 years of age. The center also serves as an adult nursing home and rehabilitation center for short- and long-term care.

Hundreds of Google employees from the main campus and the Google X lab in Mountain View are expected to walk out Thursday because they’re not happy with the way the company has handled sexual misconduct in the workplace.

The employees say it's a protest and a push for change.

"We’re here. We’re all here together," Google employee Amy Vernetti said. "We can fix this. We’re Google. If we can’t fix this, who can?"

The planned walkout comes after bombshell allegations published in the New York Times last week, accusing Google of protecting certain executives and paying them millions as an exit package after they were accused of sexual misconduct.

"We think there’s a layer of transparency that can go on while protecting privacy," Vernetti said.

In an email to employees after the Times article was published, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said the company has fired 48 people in the past two years for sexual misconduct.

But Meghna Virick, who has a background in human resources and is San Jose State’s associate dean of the School of Business, told NBC Bay Area it can be tricky to balance employee privacy and transparency.

"We have to protect the privacy not just of the victims but of other people who may be involved," Virick said. "And they have to do it out of respect."

Vernetti and her colleagues think the company can definitely do better.

"Our aspiration is that they will go above and beyond, be as transparent as they possibly can to protect us," she said.

In Pichai's message to employees, he said, "We are dead serious about making sure we provide a safe and inclusive workplace."

The walkout is slated for Thursday morning and could involve other Google offices across the country.

Clothes make a statement. Costumes tell a story.

The Los Angeles Lakers celebrated Halloween night with a win over the Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center, 114-113, but they also celebrated with some creative costumes that had their teammates in tears.

As the Lakers players arrived at Staples Center before tip-off on Wednesday night, many made their locker room entrance in costumes that embraced the Halloween spirit.

LeBron James arrived first, and kicked off the Halloween holiday by bringing back one of the greatest movie villains, Jason Vorhees from Friday the 13^th.

Adding to the fright fest, James had an axe in hand, and slashed it at the cameras waiting outside the Lakers locker room. 

Another Lakers player trying to put the scare in everyone at Staples was guard Lance Stephenson, who sported an all black outfit complete with some Satanic Joker mask.

I asked Stephenson after the game where he got the mask and what it was from, and he said he didn't know, but he knew it was terrifying.

Next up was 7-foot center, JaVale McGee, who rocked a custom-made Grinch costume that he said came courtesy of his agent and NBC Universal, just in time for the new Grinch movie that is in theaters now.

Notice the fanny pack he's wearing as well.

All teammates agreed that the most creative costume of the night went to guard Josh Hart, who visited Staples Center all the way from Scranton, PA, dressed like Dwight Schrute from the hit NBC TV Show, The Office.

Earlier in the day, Lonzo Ball dressed up as Batman at the team's practice facility in El Segundo, even doing his best Christian Bale impression as he greeted teammates like Brandon Ingram.

Ball was joined by teammates Ivica Zubac, who dressed as Frankenstein, and Sviat Mykhailuk, who dressed as a demonic clown, as the trio led kids on a trick-or-treat trail through the team facility.

Outisde of the Lakers, there was some other NBA players getting in the Halloween spirit as Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, fresh off his NBA record 14-three-pointers, dressed as Jackie Moon from the Will Ferrell movie Semi-Pro.

Indian Pacers guard Victor Oladipo rocked a Black Panther costume for his team's game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

Tell us what you think of all the Halloween costumes in the comments section below.

If you can't view the embedded videos, click "VIEW THE FULL MOBILE SITE"  at the bottom of this page.

Democrats looking to win over the U.S. House of Representatives in November have a keen eye on Florida's 26th Congressional District, where a well-liked Republican who agrees with Democrats on plenty of issues is struggling not to be defined by two positions where the parties dramatically disagree: health care and taxes.

Republican Rep. Carlos Curbelo is seeking a third term in a district that runs from Miami's Hispanic southern suburbs down to the Florida Keys. He's out in front on some progressive issues not typically embraced by his fellow Republicans, like climate change and protecting "Dreamers," young immigrants brought to the U.S. as children without documentation.

"These are local issues for us in South Florida. We don't debate these issues in theory, we see them," Curbelo said.

Curbelo's a political rarity: a moderate Republican in the middle of a district that heavily supported Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. She beat President Donald Trump by 16 percentage points but Curbelo won by 12 points.

"This is a community that I think wants representatives to get things done," said Curbelo, who has regularly distanced himself from Trump on issues from immigration to trade and said he did not vote to elect him.

But the congressman has real opposition in the election. Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, an immigrant and former medical school administrator who lost her bid to win a seat in Florida's Senate in 2016, is making another run at politics, ready to jump into the partisan divide that is Washington, D.C.

This article, part 7 in a series, examines one of the key battleground races for control of the House of Representatives in the Nov. 6 midterm elections. Carried by grassroots momentum, Democrats must take 23 seats from Republicans to win the balance of power. They are contending with Republicans' experience, organization and an outspoken but polarizing president.

Health care, including Curbelo's position on "Obamacare," is the main reason Mucarsel-Powell is running for Congress, she said.

"When I saw that Congressman Curbelo took that vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act in a district that has the second largest number of people that get their health care through the ACA ... I knew that at that moment I had to step in," she said.

Health care is a prominent issue for tens of thousands of people in the district, which did have the second-most enrollees in "Obamacare" as repeal was being debated, according to data compiled by the nonprofit health policy anaylsis and news outlet Kaiser Family Foundation. (It has since dropped to third, behind two other Miami-area districts.)

"Mucarsel-Powell trying to hit him on the health care issue is probably a smart idea ... probably the one issue that might resonate with those Democratic voters," Florida International University political science professor Kathryn DePalo said.

While Curbelo's vote helped the House pass the Affordable Care Act repeal effort, which was narrowly defeated in the Senate, the congressman did see positive aspects to the law, like keeping young people on their parents' plan until they're 26 and guaranteeing coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.

Many Democrats in tough races across the country are campaigning on Republicans' attempted health care repeal, and many are also campaigning on the Republicans' successful tax reform bill, including Mucarsel-Powell.

Curbelo and other Republicans argued it would boost the economy and help the middle class but Democrats said it would help the rich more than the middle class or the poor.

"There is nothing moderate about being on the Ways and Means Committee and writing a tax bill that benefits the wealthiest Americans in this country while leaving middle-class families behind," Mucarsel-Powell said.

Democrat Maria Luisa Castellanos, who lives in Kendall, said Curbelo's vote for the tax cut made her so mad she volunteered for Mucarsel-Powell's campaign.

"I called his office and I told him that if he voted for that bill that I would make it my purpose to help whatever opponent he was up against when the elections came because I thought it was so outrageous,” she said, adding that she was equally outraged over his vote on the Affordable Care Act.

"He doesn't really care about his constituents, he only cares about big business and the people that contribute to his campaign," Castellanos said.

Curbelo defends his votes on both taxes and health care.

"Shame on anyone who defends the status quo on health care in this country," he said, adding his vote was part of a bipartisan push to build a more accessible, more sustainable health care system.

And Curbelo insisted his challenger is out of touch when it comes to tax reform, because members of the community appreciate keeping more of their money in their pockets.

"I understand if you are wealthy, if you live in a mansion like my opponent does, all this tax relief may not be that important to you," he said.

West Kendall resident Tony Figueroa said that Curbelo's bipartisanship is what he likes most about him. 

"He understands his district, so he really makes an effort to listen to all sides," he said.

A publicist and board member of the Miami Young Republicans, Figueroa said Curbelo's first term in office helped him show voters "how he was just that much different from Trump."

The voters of the 26th District are almost evenly split between Democrats, Republicans and independents, and the nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the race as a toss-up.

DePalo sees it as the Democrats' best opportunity to pick up a seat in the area, more so than neighboring District 27, where Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is vacating her seat, leaving a free-for all between Democrat Donna Shalala and Republican Maria Elvira Salazar.

But Curbelo is likable, DePalo noted. "When you have somebody who is trying to paint him as this 'Trump-light,' or doesn't care about the folks in the district, it doesn't really ring true."

Unlike most Republicans in tough races this year, Curbelo has held himself at arm's length from Trump. Nov. 6 will determine whether that's enough to keep him in Congress.

NBC's Asher Klein and Gavrielle Jacobovitz contributed to this report.

Most fundraisers, in general?

They happen on a single day of the year, or perhaps over a weekend or week. All important, yes, and mostly confined to a few hours, each year.

Whatever the length of time involved, however, there are those rare examples of a charitable drive that pops up on the first day of the month and then again on the last (or, indeed, the first day of the following month).

That's only one of the elements that sets Movember apart.

The name of this famous fundraising event strongly (and correctly) suggests it happens in November, and the "M" part can be interpreted to stand for men and for mustaches (and, indeed, mojo and moxie and all of the strength-related "m"-starting words).

Here's the upshot/lowdown on what Movember is about: Participants will shave their mugs on November 1, clean clean clean, all with the purpose of growing a mustache over the next four weeks.

Yes, it can be fanciful. Yes, it can be a huge '70s-glam 'stache, or something a bit more subtle.

And people will back these mustache-growing fundraisers, all to draw attention and funds to a host of men's health issues. 

"As the only global charity tackling men's health issues year-round, the Foundation supports the following causes: prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health, and suicide prevention," says the Movember Foundation, which is headquartered in Culver City.

You can start by shaving at home, or you can make for the Movember & Co. barbershop for a straight razor shave. Here's where to book, and all of the prices for the various services.

Are you a Mo Sista? Definitely, you can participate, too. Start here.

Are you into attending the beginning and end-of-Movember parties? They do pop up in solid numbers around Southern California. And, yes, the mustache bearers do love showing off their furry-fabulous looks come the close of November.

Watch this site, but, for now, best get to 'stache-ing up, all in the name of men's health.