Hello and glad tidings, busy people of Southern California.

Despite your running to and fro and further afield, we know that you like to pick up some snazzy skillz, and learn new crafty tips, and maybe enjoy a seasonal snack or two, even as you wade through the hubbub that always hovers over the holidays.

That hubbub will get even hubbub-ier as December grows older, but over the very first weekend of the month? On the first and second days? Which also happen to be a Saturday and a Sunday?

All will be fresh and unrushed. And your schedule, fingers crossed, will be open enough for a quick trip downtown.

Or not so quick trip, if you find yourself brush-deep in an oil-painting lesson or working with felt during a craft demonstration. 

Grand Central Market is the place for the Holiday Marketplace, a weekend-long learn-and-see gathering which is celebrating its first half-decade in 2018.

That weekend? Saturday, Dec. 1 and Sunday, Dec. 2 are the dates.

Beyond the demos on the roster, there shall be pop-ups to shop, from artisanal outfits like Bad Pickle Tees, Brown Bag Books, and Los Angeles County Store. Stocking stuffers?

If that's your preference, or you can just show with the friend you want to buy for, because she or he might like a day out at the market, too.

Music from Klezmer Juice, Tres Souls, and a number of other artists will raise the festive factor considerably.

Look also for "seasonal specials" for purchase around Grand Central Market, like tamales from Chile Secos and the Reindeer Tracks Sundae at McConnell's Fine Ice Creams.

And Birch & Bone'll be wielding the boughs of fir, all to make amazing and door-worthy wreaths.

Doing a DTLA day as December inches through the door? Swing by GCM for an early showing of holiday splendid-tude, from demos to desserts to buy to a general overall upping of cheer.

Entry to the market is free, but show with some funds if you'd like to nosh or stock up on potential gifts.

A Beverly Hills Police Department Captain who said he was effectively stripped of his responsibilities and rank because of his age and religion -- agreed to settle his lawsuit against the city and its police chief for $2.3-million.

Capt. Mark Rosen said in legal filings his role in the department was marginalized after he and other officers allegedly heard Police Chief Sandra Spagnoli make insensitive remarks about Jews, Catholics, and lesbians. Rosen cleared out his desk Friday and agreed to retire immediately.

"The City of Beverly Hills has agreed to pay 2.3 million dollars based on our claims of discrimination and retaliation, and based on the evidence that I have seen it was a bargain," said Rosen's attorney Bradley Gage. "The Police Department has significant issues concerning discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of its employees, which undermines public safety and employee morale."

Gage has filed lawsuits on behalf of six other Beverly Hills Police employees and anticipates filing three more. A jury trial in Rosen's case had been set to begin this week. Spagnoli could not immediately be reached for comment.

"While the city of Beverly Hills continues to deny allegations in the Mark Rosen and other lawsuits, a decision was made by the city's insurance company to settle the lawsuit brought by Captain Rosen," the city said in a statement released by a spokesperson. "The city of Beverly Hills has always upheld its unwavering commitment to maintaining a respectful work environment free from harassment, retaliation and discrimination and will continue to do so," the statement said.

Rosen's case was one of at least 10 lawsuits filed against the city by Beverly Hills Police employees. More than 20 police employees, including those who sued, have filed workplace complaints about the Chief, according to court records. The city, which declined to discuss Rosen's case in detail, said repeatedly this year the City Council had full confidence in Spagnoli to institute a series of reforms and modernizations described in a 2015 consultant's report.

Earlier this year Spagnoli declined an interview when NBC4 first reported on the Rosen case several other lawsuits in March.

A city spokeswoman said in a written statement the chief could not discuss the cases, "because of unresolved legal and personnel issues."

The statement said Spagnoli was hired as a reformer, "to implement change and contemporary policing practices."

In another statement in August the Beverly Hills City Attorney said the city was, "deeply disappointed by the personal attacks on the integrity of our police department."

Members of the City Council did not respond earlier this year to written requests for comment on the lawsuits.

NBC4 first reported in March that in addition to Rosen two lieutenants had sued: Renato Moreno and Michael Foxen.

All three claimed they missed out on promotions or professional advancement after they allegedly heard the chief and other officials use insensitive language to describe Jews, African-Americans, lesbians, Mexican-Americans, and Catholics.

Moreno and Foxen said they faced workplace retaliation after giving depositions in Rosen's case. Since April several more lawsuits were filed against the city that name the police chief:

An African-American parking enforcement supervisor for the police department, Gregory Routt, claimed in a court complaint he was the victim of racial discrimination; a police sergeant, David Tomlin, said in civil court filings the chief improperly withheld the findings of an internal affairs investigation that cleared him of wrongdoing; a police department business manager sued, alleging she was marginalized and lost merit pay after she repeatedly warned Chief Spagnoli was being careless with public funds.

"On a regular and continuous basis Plaintiff warned or complained that Chief Spagnoli was not following the legal requirements of the municipal code, financial rules, or regulations," Tania Schwartz said in a legal complaint.

"Spagnoli would mock Plaintiff when she noted the inappropriateness and legal irregularities of Spagnoli's budget expenditures," the complaint said.

Many of the Rosen, Moreno, and Foxen allegations were echoed in a lawsuit filed in August by Officer Anne Marie Lunsman, who said she was passed-over for promotions and special assignments as a result of an alleged, "hostile work environment."

Lunsman claimed she was pushed aside because of her gender, age, race, and religion.

Several additional workplace complaints have also been filed, including a claim filed last week by an anonymous male police officer who said he faced retaliation after refusing Spagnoli's alleged sexual advances.

The Trump administration cannot withhold millions of dollars in public safety grants from "sanctuary" states, a federal judge in New York ruled Friday.

The "court concludes that defendants did not have lawful authority to impose these conditions," Judge Edgardo Ramos wrote in his 43-page decision.

The attorneys general of New York and six other states had filed suit against the Department of Justice earlier this year, charging the agency had improperly tacked on three immigration-related conditions they had to comply with in order to get grants for criminal justice initiatives.

The judge ordered the DOJ to release more "than $29 million in grant funds that plaintiffs would otherwise use for law enforcement and public safety purposes."

Desis Gonzales Jr. is a 17-year-old San Gorgonio High School football player who's showing his teammates and others that anything is possible when you love what you do and put work into it.

The Spartans linebacker can't hear any play calls or the whistle because he's deaf. But that's not stopping him playing his favorite sport.

"I am proof that anyone can play football," he said through an interpreter. "I'm the first deaf person that won championships, and there has never been someone else who has won championships that's been deaf before."

He was rejected from other teams when he was a young boy because people didn't believe that he was capable of playing football. But his coach Rich McClure believes in him.

"The biggest challenge was understanding how to teach him, how to use his interpreter and how to use sign language," said McClure.

One of his players was inspired to learn sign language to help him during football practice and games. "I'm learning something all the time," said Leo Avalos, a fellow player.

His mom, Heidi, is proud.

"The other players have been wonderful," she said. "Everybody is so proud of him."

It's true that a small act of kindness can go a long way.

Gail Cook, a resident of Ferndale, Maryland, said one such act brightened her day when she came home on Wednesday.

She discovered strong winds had brought down her family's flagpole.

But when she reached her doorstep, she saw that someone had neatly folded their American flag and placed it in a box that sits on their front porch.

When she pulled up the video from her Nest camera to see who she could thank, she saw her FedEx delivery driver Mike King.

But the Cooks didn't have any packages delivered that day. King had gone out of his way to fold the flag.

"I was like, 'Oh my gosh, I have to share this so people know what he's done,'" Cook said.

She posted the video on Facebook and also reached out to King to thank him.

"It's the Marine way," King said in the comments on her post. "I couldn't just drive by and do nothing."

The post has garnered dozens of shares and positive comments from the Ferndale community.

"How extremely thoughtful!" said one commenter.

"Awesome act of patriotism," commented another.

Cook said King has delivered packages to their home for several years.

She said she and her husband got their Nest camera a few years ago as a way to keep tabs on the neighborhood and make sure their two children are safe.

She said she never expected such a nice moment to come from having the camera.

"We're just very grateful to him for stopping and, you know, taking the time out of his day because I'm sure this is a busy week for him," Cook said. "You know, Cyber Monday - I'm sure he had a ton of packages to deliver and he took the time to fold the flag and fold our other flag ... he even came back to make sure he put them in a safer place so the wind didn't continue to blow them that day."

Cook said she reached out to FedEx and hopes they recognize King for his good deed.

News4 has reached out to King for comment, but has not yet heard back.

Federal agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement since April have conducted at least three   major  raids across New Jersey, arresting nearly 190 people suspected of being undocumented immigrants.

That followed a 12-month period during which ICE's Newark, New Jersey, field office increased its arrest rate 42 percent during fiscal year 2017, according to an analysis by the Pew Research Center.

Now, a day after New Jersey's attorney general announced new rules restricting local law enforcement officers' interaction with immigration agents, ICE is threatening even more raids.

A spokesman for the Newark office said in a statement Friday to NBC Philadelphia that New Jersey should expect increased arrests because of the new rules.

"The probability is that at large arrests and worksite enforcement operations, which already exist, will likely increase due to the fact that ICE ERO will no longer have the cooperation of the jails related to immigration enforcement," ICE spokesman Emilio Dabul said in an email.

He added that since the agency's "highest priority is public safety and enforcing immigration laws, we must pursue that to the best extent possible, which will likely involve more at large arrests and worksite enforcement operations."

The threat is apparently in response to state Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal's "Immigrant Trust Directive" announced Thursday. It limits the type of voluntary assistance that law enforcement agencies provide to immigration authorities, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The new rules are meant to strengthen the trust between local law enforcement and immigrants in the state, Grewal said.

New Jersey has one of the highest undocumented immigrant populations in the nation, with an estimated 500,000 people living without legal citizenship as of 2014, according to the Pew Research Center.

The new rules, the attorney general said, will encourage immigrants to come forward when crimes are committed.

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"With this directive, we hope to draw immigrants out of the shadows and into our communities. We hope to create an environment where residents feel safe around our officers, whether they're reporting a crime or simply striking up a conversation," he said.

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement official initially criticized the new directive.

"The New Jersey Attorney General's decision to further limit law enforcement's ability to cooperate with ICE undermines public safety and hinders ICE from performing its federally-mandated mission," ICE Deputy Director Matthew Albence said in a statement.

"Ultimately, this directive shields certain criminal aliens, creating a state-sanctioned haven for those seeking to evade federal authorities, all at the expense of the safety and security of the very people the NJ Attorney General is charged with protecting," Albence added.

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Though Grewal emphasized that the new policies will not make New Jersey a so-called sanctuary state for undocumented individuals who commit crimes, the change does mimic actions by other cities and states that have moved to limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement agents since President Donald Trump took office.

Police departments and corrections officers will not be allowed to hold those arrested for minor offenses past their original release dates, even if ICE submits an immigration detainer request.

Agencies will still be allowed to notify ICE of inmates' pending release if they have committed a serious crime like murder, rape, arson, assault or domestic violence, but officers will only be allowed to keep those inmates in custody until 11:59 p.m. the day of their scheduled release.

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Unless granted permission by the state attorney general, however, law enforcement agencies are also prevented from entering into or renewing Section 287(g) agreements with federal authorities, which allow state local agencies to enforce federal civil immigration laws.

Officers also cannot stop, question, arrest, search, or detain a person simply because they believe that person may be undocumented.

Officers are also barred from asking people about their immigration status unless doing so is necessary while investigating a serious crime.

The directive goes into effect March 15, 2019.

George Herbert Walker Bush, who as the 41st president guided the United States out of the Cold War and led an international coalition into the Gulf War, has died. He was 94. 

In a statement from former President George W. Bush reads: "Jeb, Neil, Marvin, Doro, and I are saddened to announce that after 94 remarkable years, our dear Dad has died. George H. W. Bush was a man of the highest character and the best dad a son or daughter could ask for. The entire Bush family is deeply grateful for 41’s life and love, for the compassion of those who have cared and prayed for Dad, and for the condolences of our friends and fellow citizens."

Bush was a World War II naval pilot who survived being shot down over the Pacific, led the CIA and spent eight years as vice president before taking the Oval Office. He was the father of the 43rd president, George W. Bush.

His wife of 73 years, Barbara Bush, who used her time as first lady to advocate for literacy, died on April 17. 

George H.W. Bush became the first former U.S. president to turn 94 on June 12. The nation's 41st president was receiving calls and taking it easy at his seaside home in Maine eight days after being released from a hospital where he was treated for low blood pressure, said Chief of Staff Jean Becker.

Bush's office shared a letter from the president in which he said, "My heart is full on the first day of my 95th year."

"As many of you know, for years I have said the three most important things in life are faith, family and friends. My faith has never been stronger," the former president wrote in the letter.

Several of his children were in town, including former President George W. Bush, who posted a smiling photo of the two of them on Instagram.

"I'm a lucky man to be named for George Bush and to be with `41' on his 94th birthday," wrote Bush, the nation's 43rd president.

Another son, Neil Bush, called on people in a newspaper opinion piece to volunteer and "to become a point of light."

Bush, a Republican who served as President Ronald Reagan's vice president for two terms, was elected to the country's highest office in 1988. He beat Democrat Michael Dukakis in an electoral landslide and with 54 percent of the popular vote.

In his inaugural presidential address, Bush spoke of "a thousand points of light" across the country, community organizations that were doing good and with which he promised to work. He pledged in "a moment rich with promise" to use American strength as "a force for good." 

A member of a longtime politically influential American family, Bush led the United States during a time of intense international change, including the fall of Communism in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, and turmoil in the Middle East. His public approval rating soared to 89 percent after he presided over a U.S.-led coalition of 32 countries that drove Saddam Hussein's Iraqi army from Kuwait in 1991. After signing a strategic arms reduction agreement to reduce nuclear weapons with the Soviet Union's Mikhail Gorbachev, Bush accomplished a second agreement in early January 1993 with Russian President Boris Yeltsin after the USSR collapsed. 

"Even as president, with the most fascinating possible vantage point, there were times when I was so busy managing progress and helping to lead change that I didn't always show the joy that was in my heart," Bush said in his final State of the Union address. "But the biggest thing that has happened in the world in my life, in our lives, is this: By the grace of God, America won the Cold War." 

Despite his strength in foreign policy, Bush was ultimately limited to a single term as president over a sputtering U.S. economy. The unemployment rate, at 5.3 percent during his first year in office, rose to 7.4 percent in 1992. Confronted with rising deficits, Bush famously signed a bill that raised taxes despite the Republican's earlier campaign vow: "Read my lips: no new taxes." His public approval, once sky high, plummeted in his final year in office to below 50 percent. 

While he lost re-election to Bill Clinton in 1992, his work laid a foundation for his son George W. Bush to win the White House in 2000.

"Two presidents in one family, that's pretty good," George H.W. Bush told his granddaughter Jenna Bush Hager for a "Today" interview on his 88th birthday. 

Another son, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, lost a bid for the Republican nomination in 2016 to Trump. Bush even saw his grandson, George P. Bush, enter politics. The Fort Worth resident won the position of Texas land commissioner in March 2014. 

Bush was born June 12, 1924, in Milton, Massachusetts, the youngest of five children. He was raised in Connecticut by his mother Dorothy Walker Bush, and his father, Prescott Bush, who served as a U.S. senator. 

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Bush enlisted in the military on his 18th birthday and became the Navy's youngest pilot at the time. He flew 58 combat missions in World War II before being shot down by the Japanese in 1944. Bush was rescued by a submarine and awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery in action. 

Back home, Bush married Barbara Pierce on Jan. 6, 1945, and the couple went on to have six children; George, Pauline (who was known as Robin and who died as a child of leukemia), John (known as Jeb), Neil, Marvin and Dorothy. 

Bush was accepted to Yale University before enlistment, and once stateside, enrolled in an accelerated program that allowed him to graduate in two and a half years instead of four. While at Yale, the left-handed first baseman played in the first College World Series. 

In 1948, Bush graduated from the university with a bachelor of arts degree in economics. He moved the family to west Texas and achieved success in the oil industry, but like his father, he was drawn to politics. 

After an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate in 1964, Bush won a House seat in 1966 representing Houston. He was re-elected in 1968 but gave up his seat two years later to run for the Senate again, and lost to Democrat Lloyd Bentsen.

Bush was appointed to a string of government positions in the 1970s, including: United Nations ambassador, Republican National Committee chairman, envoy to China, and CIA director. At the CIA he was credited with boosting morale. 

In 1980, Bush made a run for the White House, but the Republican Party nominated Reagan, who selected Bush as his running mate. The match was a good one. The pair went to Washington in 1981 and won a landslide re-election victory four years later.

As vice-president, Bush traveled the world, pushing his anti-drug programs and became the first vice president to stand in as president while Reagan underwent surgery in 1985. Bush spent most of the eight hours on the tennis court. 

Then, after eight years of loyalty, Bush tried again for the Oval Office. 

Bush chose Indiana Sen. Dan Quayle as his running mate. At the Republican National Convention in New Orleans, Bush made the "no new taxes" pledge that would spark a backlash among some Republicans when he later reversed course.

In 1988, Bush defeated Michael Dukakis and his running mate, Texas nemesis Lloyd Bentsen. He was sworn in as president on Jan. 20, 1989. 

Bush’s high popularity in the wake of a decision to send American troops into Panama to bring General Manuel Noriega to face drug charges in the U.S, and later the Persian Gulf War, would prove ephemeral. 

Bush described his defeat in his re-election bid as having given him a "terrible feeling, awful feeling."

"I really wanted to win and worked hard. And later on people said, 'well he didn’t really care', which is crazy," he told his granddaughter Jenna Bush Hager on "Today." "I worked my heart out and it was terrible to adjust. Well then you figure life goes on." 

After leaving office, Bush returned to private life by splitting his time between Kennebunkport, Maine, and Houston. It was not uncommon to see Bush 41 at a Houston Astros baseball game.

In 2005, he teamed up with his former rival, Bill Clinton, to raise money for relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina and the Asian tsunami.

His son George W. Bush published "41: A Portrait of My Father," in 2014, a wide-ranging and intimate biography of his father. In an interview on "Today" with his son and his granddaughter Bush Hager, the elder Bush talked about the intersection of family memories and key political events in their lives. 

Asked about his presidential legacy, Bush said that he'd banned use of "the legacy word." 

"I think history will get it right, and point out the things I did wrong, and perhaps some of the things we did right," he said. 

In recent years, Bush was hospitalized because of various ailments. He broke a bone in his neck when he fell in his home in Kennebunkport, Maine, and suffered from shortness of breath and a bronchitis-related cough and other issues in Houston.

Bush also made headlines in recent years for skydiving on at least three of his birthdays, according to The Associated Press, the last on his 90th, when he made a tandem parachute jump in Kennebunkport, Maine. In the summer of 2016, Bush led a group of 40 wounded warriors on a fishing trip at the helm of his speedboat, three days after his 92nd birthday celebration.

And he made headlines in July 2013 when he shaved his head in support of a little boy — the son of a member of his Secret Service detail — battling leukemia. Later that summer, he was honored at a White House event celebrating volunteerism. 

Bush put his presidential library at Texas A&M University in College Station and his name now is on the CIA headquarters, Houston's largest airport and a North Texas tollroad.

There is also an aircraft carrier that bears his name. In 2009, Bush 41 and Bush 43 attended the commissioning of the USS George H.W. Bush, the 10th and last Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in the U.S. Navy. 

Bush had the distinction of being one of only three U.S. presidents to receive an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II. He was awarded the Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor, by President Barack Obama in 2011. 

Bush is survived by his five children, 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

He told Bush Hager that he was happiest while spending time with his family at sea. 

"Aging is all right," he said in June 2012. "It's better than the alternative, which is not being here."

Bush is survived by his five children and their spouses, 17 grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, and two siblings. He was preceded in death by his wife of 73 years, Barbara; his second child Pauline Robinson “Robin” Bush; and his brothers Prescott and William or “Bucky” Bush.

No word yet on funeral arrangements.

King Kong, ain't got anything on this list.

Academy Award winning actor, Denzel Washington, visited the Los Angeles Lakers facility recently as part of the team's "Genius Series." 

The idea, which is the brainchild of Lakers president Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka, is a series of lectures where guest speakers visit the Lakers to address and help inspire the team.

Well on Wednesday, it was Washington's turn and after the talk, a hyped up LeBron James listed his favorite films that Washington has starred in.

James listed "Man on Fire," and "He Got Game," as his top two, followed by "Remember the Titans" and "John Q." A member of the media suggest "Training Day," to which James agreed was in the top five as well.

"Who could forget about him? Alonzo. Of course," said James. "So, there's so many. So many."

Sure, LeBron's list was spur of the moment and off the top of his head, but his rankings (in our opinion) are questionable at best, and it got us thinking: What are Denzel Washington's greatest movies?

So without further ado, here is our list of Washington's Top 10 best films:

(Honorary mentions to "The Hurricane," "He Got Game," "The Manchurian Candidate," "Philadelphia," and "Antwone Fisher.")

10. American Gangster
9. Training Day
8. Unstoppable
7. Courage Under Fire
6. Inside Man
5. Devil in a Blue Dress
4. Malcolm X
3. Crimson Tide
2. Fences
1. Glory

In the midst of battling leukemia, a San Pedro mother pregnant with twins received good news after her story went viral.

Susie Rabaca, a mother of three and expecting twins next week, was devastated with the news that she developed an aggressive form of acute leukemia a few months ago.

“I was devastated. Emotionally devastated,” Rabaca said.

Doctors informed Rabaca that she would require a bone marrow transplant to save her life.

Rabaca turned to the world-wide registry to find a match. However, due to her mixed heritage, Latina and Caucasian, Rabaca struggled to find a perfect match.

Desperate, Rabaca made a plea that went viral. Country music singer Carrie Underwood even shared her story on social media.

Over the past week, more than 50,000 people joined the Be The Match registry. Wednesday afternoon, Rabaca discovered the registry found her a perfect match.

Although more testing is still required, Rabaca was delighted with the news.

“To me it’s beyond amazing,” Rabaca said. “It’s an overwhelming feeling of joy and happiness.”

Rabaca is scheduled to give birth next week and hopes to schedule a bone marrow transplant soon after.

“It’s so exciting. It’s the best Christmas gift. It’s everything,” Rabaca stated.

Over 17,000 people are in need of a bone marrow transplant in the United States. To become a potential blood stem-cell donor, register here.

After former President George H.W. Bush died Friday night, he was remembered as a humble patriot and man of character by other presidents, including his son, and others in the political world. 

"George H. W. Bush was a man of the highest character and the best dad a son or daughter could ask for," said former President George W. Bush, who served in the Oval Office eight years after his father, in a statement. "The entire Bush family is deeply grateful for 41’s life and love, for the compassion of those who have cared and prayed for Dad, and for the condolences of our friends and fellow citizens." 

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump said they join the nation in mourning Trump's inspiring and faithful predecessor, according to a statement released early in the morning in Argentina, where they are attending the G-20 summit. 

"President Bush guided our Nation, and the world, to a peaceful and victorious conclusion of the Cold War," they said. "As President, he set the stage for the decades of prosperity that have followed. And through all that he accomplished, he remained humble, following the quiet call to service that gave him a clear sense of direction."

Former President Barack Obama had visited with Bush in Houston earlier in the week, and he and Michelle Obama called Bush a "patriot and humble servant" of his country with "a legacy of service that may never be matched" in a statement released shortly after his death.

"George H.W. Bush’s life is a testament to the notion that public service is a noble, joyous calling. And he did tremendous good along the journey," they said, citing his role in bringing the Cold War to an end, saving Kuwait from Saddam Hussein and legislative achievements. 

Former President Bill Clinton also paid tribute to Bush with a statement made with his wife Hillary, saying "he never stopped serving." 

"Few Americans have been—or will ever be—able to match President Bush’s record of service to the United States and the joy he took every day from it; from his military service in World War II, to his work in Congress, the United Nations, China, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Vice Presidency and the Presidency, where he worked to move the post Cold War world toward greater unity, peace, and freedom."

Many others, from former leaders to celebrities, paid their respects to Bush. 

"It was a time of great change, demanding great responsibility from everyone. The result was the end of the Cold War and nuclear arms race said former Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev. Gorbachev said he and his wife "deeply appreciated the attention, kindness and simplicity typical of George and Barbara Bush, as well as the rest of their large, friendly family" said former Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev."

Bush tried to "create a new international order based on justice and equality among nations" ... he never "forgot the Kuwaiti people and will remain in their memory." said Kuwait's ruling emir, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah. Bush led a 35-nation coalition into Kuwait after Iraq annexed and invaded the country. 

"I will never forget George H.W. Bush and President Clinton meeting me in my old hometown of New Orleans to show support and raise money after Hurricane Katrina. I send my love to his family tonight" said Ellen DeGeneres via Twitter.

"Texans are genuinely honored that he called the Lone Star State home and we collectively grieve this monumental loss" said Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

Rina Cervantes had told herself she would never speak of it.

Thirteen years ago, she was a 16 year old Norwalk High school junior with a schoolgirl crush on one of her teachers, only to have her innocence shattered after school when, she said, he inappropriately touched her beneath her clothing.

"I made a mistake to think it was an isolated event," Cervantes says.

Trying to put the episode behind her, she had gone on to get her bachelor's degree at UCLA, and began building a career as a singer and songwriter known as Rain Bisou, while working as a substitute teacher in several districts.

Her #MeToo realization came this past week, she said, when she found herself assigned back at her high school alma mater. As is her practice in a new classroom, she began by telling students a little about herself -- in particular that she's a product of Norwalk High.

She did not initially mention her unsettling experience, but said students brought up that teacher and their concerns about him, wanting to know if when she was a student he was already a "creep" who they told her invaded the space of female students and made sexualized comments.

"I started to grow very concerned, because it gave me a different perspective on what my abuse was," Cervantes says.

She decided to confront the episode again, put it in writing, and Wednesday she posted it on her blog and on social media.  

It came to the attention of educators at Norwalk High, and Friday morning Cervantes met with officials at the headquarters of the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District. She said Norwalk's principal urged her also to speak to law enforcement. She went to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Norwalk station to file a report and speak with an investigator.

Cervantes was informed the teacher had been removed from his classroom Thursday, she said.

This was confirmed in a statement issued Friday by the district.

"The teacher in question has been placed on administrative leave and a thorough internal investigation has begun," stated Robert Jacobsen, general counsel. "Additionally, administrators from the District and Norwalk High School will be working closely with law enforcement officials until their investigation has been completed."

NBCLA was unable to contact the teacher on leave, and is not naming him while the allegation is under investigation.

In response to Cervantes's blog, several people online have asserted that they too were also subjected to inappropriately sexualized behavior by the teacher, in some cases allegedly including physical contact. Cervantes has agreed to help connect them with investigators.

"I'm comfortable with the knowledge that by sharing my story, I'm giving other women the courage to do the same thing," says Cervantes. She added that she was encouraged by the responses of the district and the sheriff's investigator.

While speaking with the students, Cervantes says, she decided not to go into detail, but did want let them know she also had an uncomfortable experience.

"I just wanted to show them: yes, this also happened to me, you know, me too."

Full text of November 30 statement from Norwalk-La Mirada School District:

"Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District officials were notified on November 30, 2018 regarding allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior by a current Norwalk High School teacher against a former student which purportedly occurred approximately twelve years ago. The District was notified that an incident report was filed today with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The safety of our students and staff is our highest priority and has our unwavering commitment. Upholding the District's zero-tolerance policy, we take all allegations of misconduct of any kind very seriously. The teacher in question has been placed on administrative leave and a thorough internal investigation has begun. Additionally, administrators from the District and Norwalk High School will be working closely with law enforcement officials until their investigation has been completed. We appreciate the swift action of all involved once the allegations became known. Because this is a personnel matter, we are not able to make any additional comments regarding the case at this time."

Leaders among the migrant caravan in Tijuana, Mexico are distributing flyers in an attempt to organize a march to the border Saturday morning, according to the city's mayor.

Mayor Juan Manuel Gastélum said he has asked Mexican federal police and Mexican immigration authorities to do whatever is necessary to stop the group from forcing Customs and Border Protection to shut down the San Ysidro Port of Entry.

Citing an economic study, Mayor Gastélum said a Sunday incident that forced an hours-long closure of the port, one of the world's busiest land border crossings, cost his city 129 million pesos, or roughly $6.3 million, in revenue.

According to Jason Wells, executive director of the San Ysidro, California Chamber of Commerce, there was an estimated one-day loss of $5.3 million for the more than 700 businesses that are members of the chamber.

In that incident, a large group entered a fenced area that separates the U.S. and Mexico after pushing past a blockade of Mexican police. CBP officers fired tear gas at the crowd of men, women and children. The agency reported that some officers were hit by rocks thrown over the fence.

The clash led CBP to shut down both vehicle and pedestrian traffic at the port.

“Bad people, not the good people, some of them, not all of them, came in and [participated in this], walking disorderly, trying to cross the border without [the United States’] permission. I mean, that’s a criminal way of doing things,” Mayor Gastélum said.

A Department of Homeland Security source told NBC 7 the department, as well as the CBP and other allied agencies, are aware of Saturday's planned march and are discussing preparations.

Friday afternoon, the CBP said it would briefly shut down the Otay Mesa West Port of Entry for an "operational readiness drill." The exercise is planned for 6 a.m. and will last approximately 10 minutes, the CBP said.

A similar exercise was he held at the San Ysidro POE on Thanksgiving. It lasted around 40 minutes.

The agency said that exercise was designed to "evaluate readiness and assess the capabilities of CBP facilities to make sure necessary preparations."

No other information was available.

Please refresh this page for updates on this story. Details may change as more information becomes available.

If a person can "leg it" in a certain direction, and put "feet to sidewalk," and "find their roll," we will also assert that "hoofing it," or "hooving it," if you prefer, is entirely acceptable.

Especially when you're off to see splendid, furry, antler-rocking critters that, yes, do boast hooves.

Should such a nice notion be-hoove you, then best fly, like the beasties that lead Santa's sleigh, directly for the LA Zoo and Botanical Gardens, where Reindeer Romp is now romping.

Well, reindeer, like all living creatures, aren't always in mid-romp. You might catch one snoozing, or chowing down, or enjoying the breeze as it flitters by, ruffling reindeer fur.

But the entire experience is a bit of a romp, especially since it only happens once a year, to coincide with the holiday season. And Reindeer Romp is staying rompful, right through to Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, with a day off on Dec. 25.

Which makes sense, since reindeer generally need their well-deserved rest on the 25th day of December.

While you can see the reindeer every day of their zoo stay, weekends get rather more activity-filled, with a craft station devoted to the fashioning of antlers, twice-a-day keeper talks themed to the reindeer, and lots more.

So hoof it in this direction, to get the reindeer-delightful details on this educational and adorable annual visitation.

Decades ago, News4's own Jim Vance got the chance to spend six hours fishing with then-President George H.W. Bush. "President Bush is one heck of a fisherman," Vance said. "I will never forget that day."

A woman was arrested in Tustin after pretending to be a police officer.

Denise Latta entered a local bar in Tustin, approached a woman and asked for her identification card and then cut it into pieces.

After forcing her to leave the bar, Latta ordered the woman to put her hands on the wall and spread her feet. Latta searched the victim, touched her breasts and groin area and told her she wasn’t going to arrest her, but told her to leave and never go back to the bar.

Latta was arrested by the Tustin Police Department’s Investigation Unit and the Special Response Team and was booked for kidnapping, robbery, false imprisonment, sexual battery and impersonating a police officer.

When she was arrested, she had fake badges, identification cards that read “agent” and clothing that read “fugitive recovery agent.

Tustin Police investigators are asking that any additional victims contact Detective R. Newton at 714-573-3249.

A tribute to former President George H.W. Bush was held at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley. Christine Kim reports for Today in La on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018.

Southern California natives Katy Perry and Gwen Stefani are among the list of household names scheduled to appear at the One Love Malibu festival on Sunday, with proceeds going to aid those affected by the Woolsey Fire.

Other performers include Joe Walsh, Robin Thicke, Natasha Bedingfield, Rick Springfield and members of the band Incubus. One Love Malibu - organized by the Malibu foundation – will be held at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas.

The Woolsey Fire burned nearly 97,000 acres, destroyed 1,643 structures and resulted in three deaths in November. As many as 295,000 people were evacuated due to the fire.

One Love Malibu will also an auction with items including a motorcycle ride with actor Orlando Bloom. Tickets for the event have sold out, according to the foundation’s website.

While former President George H.W. Bush was known for his political and foreign policy achievements, many will also remember him for his flashy footwear.

Bush, who died at the age of 94 on Friday, had a well documented love of socks. His fancy for colorful ankle-wear popularized the hashtag #sockswag after former President Bill Clinton used it in a 2013 Twitter post.

"Enjoyed my annual lunch with President and Mrs. Bush in Maine. Envious of his 'western cactus'-themed socks.#sockswag," Clinton wrote during a visit to Bush’s home in coastal Kennebunkport, Maine.

He later donated the socks to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland with a letter of authenticity that joked "I Absolutely love a crazy pair of socks. Barbara, on the other hand, has had enough."

Bush's penchant for colorful, flamboyant socks became one of his trademarks in his elder years. In an interview with granddaughter and "Today" correspondent Jenna Bush Hager, the former president said "I love a good sock." 

At Barbara Bush’s funeral in April, he donned socks decorated with stacks of colorful books to honor her long devotion to literacy. The socks were a gift from 22-year-old John Cronin, a New York man with Down syndrome who, along with his father, launched a sock business in 2016. John’s Crazy Socks now donates 100 percent of the book-themed socks’ proceeds to the Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation.

In a 2014 interview with Buzzfeed, Bush said that when picking out a pair of socks, one must "assess the prevailing mood. Sometimes a good sock can give those around you a lift like a catchy tune or a post-convention bounce in the polls."

He also has one important piece of advice on #sockswag: "The first rule of sock club is there is no sock club."

Here’s a look back at some of the whacky and notable socks worn by the dapper late former president: