The partial government shutdown has forced closures and reductions in staffing and services at some of the iconic national parks in California.

From the rugged Santa Monica Mountains to the dramatic landscape of Yosemite National Park and the towering trees of Redwood National Park, visitors are likely to notice the changes. The parks have been left without most of the rangers and staff members who help maintain and protect the state's natural wonders.

"We're afraid that we're going to start seeing significant damage to the natural resources in parks and potentially to historic and other cultural artifacts," John Garder, senior budget director of the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association, told The Associated Press. "We're concerned there'll be impacts to visitors' safety.

"It's really a nightmare scenario." 

Minimally supervised campgrounds, reduced visitor services and the elimination of maintenance services at restrooms are some of the ways the shutdown has taken a toll. At Sequoia and Kings Canyon parks, overflowing trashed and human waste forced a complete closure Thursday.

Below, a look at how the parks have been affected by the shutdown as it continues for nearly two weeks. 

Note: Information below is updated as of Thursday Jan. 3, 2019. 

Cabrillo National Monument

Access is closed to all visitors, including pedestrians and cyclists. Click here for updates.

Channel Islands National Park

The park islands, with the exception of San Miguel Island, are open to visitors. Park concessions are operating. Mainland and island visitor contact stations are closed. Restrooms are open, but they won't be maintained during the shutdown. Click here for updates. 

Death Valley National Park

Some roads are closed due to flooding, damage or construction. Salt Creek Road and Natural Bridge Road are closed during the shutdown for resource protection. All ranger programs are cancelled. Privately-operated resort remain open. The NPS will not pick up trash during the shutdown. Click here for updates.

Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Ocean Beach, Crissy Field, Lands End, the Marin Headlands, Alcatraz Island and Muir Woods area open. Fort Point is closed. Visitor services will not operate, and parking lots and restrooms may be closed.

Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park is open, but no visitor service will be provided. All campgrounds were closed Jan. 2. Lost Horse Mine Road, Keys View Road, and Rattlesnake Canyon are closed. Click here for updates. 

Lassen Volcanic National Park

The Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center is closed. Park entrances are open, but NPS-provided services will be unavailable.

Pinnacles National Park

The west entrance is open. The east entrance is open to campers only. No visitor services will be provided. Click here for updates.

Redwood National Park

There will be no visitor services, and the NPS warned that dangerous conditions might exist in the park. Restrooms and parking lots may be closed.No permits will be issued for Tall Trees Access Road.  Click here for updates.  

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation

Open trails include Paramount Ranch, Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa and Cheeseboro/Palo Comado canyons. The visitor center is closed, and other sites are closed due to damage from the Woolsey Fire. Click here for updates.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park

Sequoia and Kings Canyon closed Jan. 2. There are NPS services. Call 559-565-3341 for closure updates and road conditions.

Yosemite National Park

The park is open and concessions are operating. Orientation and information programs provided by the NPS will not be available. Visitor centers and the Yosemite Museum are closed. Restrooms at or near concession areas remain open, but others are closed. The NPS will not pick up trash during the shutdown. Click here for updates.

The Holidays Are Fa, La, Over: If you're thinking of leaving your Christmas lights up year-round, well, go for it, we say. But a number of attractions will soon pack the bulbs away, for another 11 or so months. Sunday, Jan. 6 is the final day of this holiday season to soak in Holidays at Disneyland Resort, LA Zoo Lights, A Nostalgic Christmas at Santa's Village, Moonlight Forest at LA Arboretum, Enchanted: Forest of Light at Descanso Gardens (it's sold out), Knott's Merry Farm in Buena Park, and Christmas in the Wizarding World at Universal Studios Hollywood. Wrapping on Jan. 5? Holiday in the Park at Six Flags.

Pageant of the Masters tryouts: July is still several hops, skips, and jumps away, but if you'd like to play a volunteer role in the famous Laguna Beach summertime spectacular, you best stop any hopping and skipping and jumping. For the long-running "tableaux vivant" pageant is all about people holding still while occupying recreated paintings and sculptures, to the delight of a marveling audience. Dream of doing this one day? Here's your chance: The pageant producers will be looking at prospective participants on Jan. 4, 5, and 6, so best practice your best statue poses ASAP.

Aquarium Discounted Late Nights: Still haven't visited the Long Beach fish castle, all to admire beasties rocking fins, gills, claws, and other amazing appendages and features? You can, and you can save money by doing so, if you go between 5 and 8 p.m. through Saturday, Jan. 5. For admission to the harborside aquatic institution is $14.95, after 5 o'clock, a discount from the venue's traditional entry prices. Use those three hours to commune with the seals, the sharks, or another favorite, but do note: The lorikeets'll be tucked up for the night.

Christmas Piglets Reign Cute-preme: How does one get crowned as the most cute-preme, as in the being that's most supreme among all cute things? That's a toughie, truly, but the little floppy-earred bundles born on Christmas Eve at Centennial Farm, in Costa Mesa, might be the cute-premest of them all. It's free to get into the OC Fair & Event Center agra-destination to admire these curly-tailed, adorbs-beyond-belief wonders, and to wave at their sweet mom Clover, too. But best do so before Jan. 6, oink oink.

Flashlight Safari: The critter love continues, in Sylmar, on a special Flashlight Tour of the Wildlife Learning Center. There are only 20 spots on each of the three half-hour tours, so do book your $15 ticket pronto. What will you see? You may get up-close with a North American porcupine, or a chinchilla at a meet-and-greet. You may sip hot cocoa, as this is outdoors, and a warming beverage would be nice. And will you see Lola, the superstar sloth, or Zeus, the center's regal, cosmic-eyed owl? Ohhh, what a start to 2019 that would be. Get details now.

Universal Studios and NBC-owned TV stations operate under the same parent company NBCUniversal.

Food is magic, it is often said, but we still haven't invented a magical portal that allows us to eat at restaurants on the other side of the planet, with a moment's notice, nor can we journey back through the decades to early eateries that have now become legendary.

Good thing that we won't need an insta-portal to globetrot our way to Pasadena, but we will need a time-travel door if we want to return to the Rite Spot, circa 1924, which served fast but hearty fare to the residents of the Crown City.

It is said that Lionel Sternberger, the son of the Rite Spot's owner, created the cheeseburger, right there, on Colorado Boulevard, in that very year, and the rest, as they say, is cheddar-topped, mozzarella-melted history.

How, though, to best honor this fabled moment, now that we're around 95 years in the future?

By taking part in Cheeseburger Week, of course.

That's right: This particular Restaurant Week is fully devoted to all things cheeseburgerian, and Pasadena restaurants truly embrace the theme with relish (and mustard and ketchup and carmelized onions, oh yeah).

Several local burger-mastering spots will participate during the Jan. 6-11 event, with a few offering "specially created burgers" during Cheeseburger Week, including Dog Haus and El Portal. 

And at Pie 'n Burger, one of the most historic burger joints in all of Pasland? You'll want to stop by. "Special deals" will flourish at a number of Pasadena spots, including, yep, the ol' P'nB.

Finally, don't miss the Cheeseburger Challenge, which gives you the chance to sound off on your favorites.

Might you win a "cheeseburger meal" at one of the area restaurants? Perhaps. Best study up before the challenge officially opens on Jan. 6.

As for the one essential outing that isn't related to sinking your chompers into a bun, but rather paying tribute to the memory of the cheeseburger's inventor?

There's a plaque at W. 1520 Colorado Boulevard, in honor of Mr. Sternberger and his memorable and meaty contribution to popular cuisine.

So take snaps of your meals, of course, but don't forget to snap the spot where it all started, next to the location where the Rite Spot, the first home of cheeseburgerdom, once stood.

After Wells Fargo agreed to fork over $5 million in fines for signing up consumers for accounts they never opened, an Orange County family who fell victim to the misconduct recovered a chunk a money after the NBC4 I-Team helped out.

Lois and Richard Dawson say they've been Wells Fargo customers for 30 years; a relationship they just ended because they say the bank cheated them.

"I feel swindled, that's how I feel. Swindled," Lois said.

The Dawsons caught a monthly $350 payment coming out of their checking account. They didn't know what it was for, where it was going, or how long it'd been happening. And they say the bank dodged their questions.

The I-Team learned the payments were for a life insurance policy.

"Well I just knew it was bogus. Because I knew we didn't sign up for anything like that," she said.

And the Dawsons aren't alone. California's Attorney General and Department of Insurance both recently reached settlements with Wells Fargo - a combined $158 million - for signing up consumers for life insurance and other products without their permission. This after the bank paid a $1 billion federal fine last year for defrauding customers.

"I think this case shows very clearly that we still have not uncovered all the fraudulent activity that occurred at Wells," said Consumer Watchdog's Carmen Balber.

After the I-Team reached out to Wells Fargo about the Dawsons' issue, the bank refunded the couple all the premiums they'd paid over the years -- nearly $40,000.

The bank didn't answer NBC4's requests for answers, but they did say in a statement: "...A decision was made to refund the Dawsons .... We are pleased to resolve the matter."

The Dawsons have switched banks, and they say this is money they desperately needed.

"It means that I can actually retire and live in my house awhile," Lois said.

The reason it took the Dawsons so long to catch these automatic payments was because they had several auto payments set up, with most going into investment accounts. They thought this payment was one of those.

The Department of Insurance said Wells Fargo has pledged to give refunds to anyone who didn't authorize a policy.

Check your bank statements thoroughly, and make sure you know where every auto payment is going.

Women who are victims of domestic assault, stalking, rape or other forms of sexual violence are among the people who could be affected if the partial shutdown of the federal government stretches on, NBC News reported. 

Amid the budget impasse between President Donald Trump and Congress over his demand for border-wall funding, lawmakers failed to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, a landmark 1994 law that allots federal money to organizations that serve female victims of violence across the country.

As the shutdown drags on, money for these nonprofits, many of them on a shoestring budget, could run dry.

The General Attorney's Office of Baja California, Mexico announced the arrests of three men in the November killing of three teenagers in Tijuana, including two from San Diego.

Seventeen-year-old Christopher Alexis Gomez, a high school senior at O'Farrell Charter School in Encanto, and Juan Suarez Ojeda, 18, a recent graduate from Ingenuity Charter School in Skyline, and a Mexican teenager were killed Nov. 25, 2018, in an apartment in the Loma Verdes neighborhood.

Angel Said Robles Ibbara, 17, was identified as the third victim.

The GA's Office said the three teenagers were assaulted by three men who entered the apartment unexpectedly. The victims were physically assaulted for about two hours before they were shot in the head and killed.

According to the GA's Office, Alejandro N., nicknamed "El Orejas," Fabricio N., and Esteban Manuel N. were named as suspects in the case and arrested.

Johnathan Dean, the superintendent of O'Farrell and Ingenuity charter schools, confirmed the deaths to NBC 7 in November and said the schools created a GoFundMe page to assist Gomez' and Ojeda's families with funeral arrangements. 

Both Ojeda and Gomez had attended the charter schools since they were in middle school. Dean said the weeks following their deaths were trying time for their schools. 

Gomez was on his school's football team and had relatives that attend the school with him, Dean said.

Dean described him as “Real lighthearted, never a discipline problem, just a really good kid."

Dean said Ojeda was visiting one of his parents, who lives in Tijuana, when the shooting occurred.

He said Ojeda was never in trouble as a student and had frequent conversations with his teachers about planning his future. Dean said Ojeda's mother pushed him to earn his high school diploma, part of the reason he enrolled at Ingenuity.

“That’s what’s so tragic. Their lives ended so young," Dean said.

No other information was available.

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

A fast-moving fire ripped through a factory in Tijuana, Mexico, near a major border crossing Thursday afternoon, sending thick smoke into the air visible from the San Diego side of the border.

Crews with the Tijuana Fire Department, also known as the Direccion de Bomberos Tijuana, rushed to the B&B Plastics factory at around 11:30 a.m. to investigates reports of a fire burning at the business.

The factory is located on Calle 12 Norte in CD Industrial area, less than a mile away from the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.

Plumes of thick, black smoke quickly filled the air around the factory. San Diegans reported seeing the smoke from the United States side of the border.

An NBC 7 viewer in the Eastlake area snapped a photo of the smoke, taken more than a dozen miles away from the site of the fire.

The smoke was also captured by SDG&E cameras and UC San Diego's cameras overlooking areas such as Otay Mountain West.

In a message posted to Twitter just after 12 p.m., Cal Fire San Diego confirmed the blaze was not a threat to the U.S.-Mexico border.

By 2:10 p.m., the fire had been knocked out.

Preliminary reports from the Tijuana Fire Department said scrap on the factory's patio may have caused the fire.

The official cause of the blaze remains under investigation; no injuries were reported.

To see more images from the fire, scroll through the gallery below.

No other information was available.

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

A man accused of abducting and sexually assaulting a woman in San Diego's Mount Hope area has a lengthy criminal record that includes a similar kidnapping case in 2002, a prosecutor said Thursday.

Phillip McLeod, 47, allegedly attacked a woman on Dec. 20, at around 11:30 p.m., as the victim walked along Delta Street near Balboa Elementary School.

According to the San Diego Police Department (SDPD), McLeod pulled up to the woman in his white, two-door pickup truck, got out and threatened to use a Taser on her. He then allegedly forced the victim into his truck and drove her to a secluded area near 39th Street and Broadway where he sexually assaulted her.

At McLeod’s arraignment Thursday, Deputy District Attorney Patrick Espinoza said the 27-year-old victim fought back after the first attack.

Following the struggle, McLeod drove the victim to the Logan Heights area where he tried to rape her again. The woman pleaded with him to let her go, and McLeod eventually released the victim near 32nd Street and National Avenue, police said.

McLeod was arrested on Dec. 29 in connection with the crime.

Espinoza asked a judge to set McLeod’s bail at $2 million and called him a danger to the community.

The prosecutor said McLeod has a rap sheet that includes a 1990 burglary, a 1992 robbery and a 2002 kidnapping involving similar circumstances as the recent Mount Hope attack. Espinoza said McLeod was also charged with sexual crimes in that 2002 case but it was ultimately "resolved as a kidnapping."

In 2009, McLeod had another felony conviction, for which he spent time in prison, the prosecutor said.

Based on the suspect’s prior criminal history, a judge agreed to set McLeod’s bail at $2 million. He was also told to stay away from his victim.

McLeod, who stood behind a glass window during court proceedings, pleaded not guilty to the charges. He only spoke to confirm his name and date of birth to the judge.

He is scheduled to appear in court again on Jan. 14.

In one week, the silly squad of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" will make their debut on NBC. We caught up with cast members Terry Crews and Stephanie Beatriz and showrunner Dan Goor at a fan event in LA to see what's in store for the new season.

"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" was cancelled by another network last May, but just hours later was picked up by NBC.

"Everything went black. It was gone. And then 31 hours later NBC brought us back." Crews said. "I'm just so happy! It's making my chest happy!" Crews said as he made his signature chest-jiggle move.

The Nine-Nine follows the exploits of Detective Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) and his diverse, loveable colleagues. Executive Producer Dan Goor says they are thrilled to get another chance to bring B99 back on television.

"It's been incredibly fun for us to create this world and that anybody loves it as much as we do is so gratifying." Goor said.

So what can fans expect to see when the show debuts on NBC? 

"There's some epic fight scenes this season and I've gotten to do some amazing stunts that I'm really excited about." Beatriz said. 

The show also stars Andre Braugher, Melissa Fumero, Joe Lo Truglio and Chelsea Peretti. Season 6 of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" airs January 10th.

The Department of Homeland Security has requested more U.S. troops to be deployed at the border to add 160 miles of concertina wire on top of existing border fencing, according to three U.S. officials.

If approved by Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, the addition of troops to enhance the fencing could extend the military's current deployment at the border until the end of September, based on the rate of construction, according to two officials. The military mission, which began two months ago, was set to end on Jan. 31, NBC News reported. 

The fencing that is to be reinforced with concertina wire is not new. The troops currently deployed at the border have already added concertina wire at ports of entry in Arizona, Texas and California. The request for troops to add an extra 160 miles of wire was first reported by NPR.

A man arrested on Christmas Eve after police say he secretly filmed a teenage girl in a Virginia store dressing room is now accused of filming at least 60 other women and girls. 

Mumtaz Rauf, 39, is accused of using tiny cameras to film dozens of women and girls at the Forever 21 and H&M stores in the Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax, plus the Old Navy store nearby, Fairfax County police said Thursday. 

It is early in the investigation, and other stores may be identified in the more than 100 videos seized by police. 

Many of the victims are young girls recorded in states of undress with their mothers, police said.

"This is a massive case," Col. Edwin Roessler Jr. said at a news conference.

The recordings were made between Dec. 15 and Dec. 24. 

Rauf was arrested on Dec. 24 and charged with unlawful filming of a minor, which is a felony because of the victim's age.

The victim was inside the Forever 21 store at about 4 p.m. when she saw a black device pointing down from the wall of her dressing room.

"This young lady, on Christmas Eve, saw something that didn't seem right and took the right step," Maj. Ed O'Carroll said. 

The girl told police she believed photos may have been taken of her. 

A store employee then saw a man leave the store. Officers later found the suspect inside a dressing room of the H&M store. 

Both stores are known for having young customers. 

Officers found a pinhole camera, black tape and a battery-powered Bluetooth transmitter in Rauf's possession. Investigators believe he was using the transmitter to remotely gather video and photos. 

Police are investigating whether the images were shared or put online. 

Robbie Stark, the general manager of the Fair Oaks Mall, said mall officials and store employees are keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. Mall officials are working to educate employees and make sure they're in touch with police, Stark said. 

Rauf is being held pending trial. It's unclear whether he has an attorney who could comment.

Police believe that some of the recordings were made at the following places, at the following times:

Dec. 22, 2018:

1:15-2:10 p.m., Fair Lakes Old Navy

2:50-3:20 p.m., Fair Oaks Mall H&M

3:40-4:15p.m., Fair Oaks Mall Forever 21

4:25-5:45 p.m., Fair Oaks Mall H&M

Dec. 24, 2018:

12:30-2 p.m., Fair Oaks Mall Forever 21 and H&M

Also, police believe recordings were made 9:15-10 p.m. Dec. 22, possibly at the H&M and Old Navy at the Tysons Corner Center mall.

The list of locations and times is likely to grow, according to police. 

If you think you may have been a victim of illegal filming, call police at 703-246-4600.

Stay with News4 for more details on this developing story. 

Hours after being sworn in, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., appeared to tell a cheering crowd of supporters that the Democrats “are gonna impeach the motherf---er," NBC News reported.

The comments about President Donald Trump were captured in video posted online by an immigration activist, who also posted a group selfie with the new representative.

NBC News has not verified the authenticity of the video, but has reached out to the representative and activist for comment.

“When your son looks at you and said ‘Mamma look you won, bullies don’t win,’” Tlabib appears to tell a cheering crowd. “And I said baby they don’t, because we’re gonna go in there and we’re gonna impeach the motherf---er.”

Tlabib is one of the first two Muslim women and the first Palestinian-American woman in Congress. She has called for Trump's impeachment before, including in an op-ed published Thursday by the Detroit Free Press.

A South Florida student is speaking out to defend her SAT score after testing officials say a 300-plus point increase could be evidence of cheating.

In the span of seven months Dr. Michael Krop Senior High School student Kamilah Campbell took her score of 900 and turned it into a 1230 in hopes of attending Florida State this fall. To her, it's evidence of her hard work, but the Educational Testing Service, which administers the SAT, is skeptical of its validity.

The ETS recently wrote Campbell a letter saying her scores are invalid because some of her answer patterns were too similar to those of others who took the test. Campbell challenged the allegation, submitting a letter from her tutor as well as the names of the books and online materials she used to prepare.

Campbell says it's not just an attack on her intelligence, but on her integrity and character.

"Students go through a lot, you guys may not see it but in high school it's a lot of pressure especially with classes, homework, and then on top of that you have to study for this test on top of your other homework, on top of other tests that you get while you're already in school, so you're putting forth a lot of hours," Campbell said at a news conference Wednesday. "And to have your effort taken away from you and them saying, 'Oh, well we think you cheated.' It's not fair."

The timing is important. Florida State's deadline for scores was Tuesday, but Campbell will remain in limbo until the issue is figured out. It's unknown how long the process will take but Campbell said she feels like her shot at school is in jeopardy as most of her friends have submitted their scores.

The College Board, which works with ETS to administer the SAT, said they can't comment on the specific facts of an individual student's scores that are under review.

"Working with ETS, our test security and administration provider, we place test scores under review when statistical analyses and other factors determine it is necessary," The College Board said in a statement. "When scores are under review, we work directly with students to collect relevant information and make determinations about the validity of the test scores following a comprehensive investigation of the evidence. We do not cancel scores based on a score gain alone; we will only cancel scores after we are confident that there is substantial evidence to do so."

A skateboarded accused of beating a San Francisco security guard is expected in court Friday morning.

Jesse Vieira, 24, is in custody for assault with a deadly weapon after video shows him attacking security guard Dan Jansen on Nov. 25 in the financial district.

Security footage shows Jansen putting up barricades in place to block the boarders and they were removing them. As the guard worked, the group attacked, knocking the 57-year-old to the ground and leaving him unconscious.

Jansen’s family said the blow to the head with a skateboard changed the avid fisherman’s life forever.

"He's conscious now able to have conversations with us," said Jensen’s niece Amanda Jensen.

He needed emergency brain surgery and is now in a rehab facility where he is learning how to talk and walk again. More than a month since the attack, he still doesn’t recognize loved ones.

"He can’t walk yet, he can feed himself and is starting to brush his teeth, huge accomplishment," said Amanda.

Though the family said eight people attacked Jensen, only Vieira is in custody.

His attorney said he has the video that will prove he was not the aggressor.

“Alea iacta est.” (The die is cast). – Julius Caesar, 49 B.C.

Julius Caesar knew taking his army across the Rubicon into Northern Italy was a move that would change history. Fast-forward a couple of thousand years and Caesar is making another bold move.

OK, it’s Caesars Entertainment Corporation and not the legendary leader but still, the actions announced on Thursday will undoubtedly have far-reaching effects on life as sports fans know it.

The National Football League announced a partnership making Caesars, the parent company for dozens of casinos and hotels across the country, the league’s first official casino sponsor.

The deal is worth a reported $30 million a year over the next three years and gives Caesars properties the exclusive rights to NFL trademarks in the U.S. and United Kingdom. There are already plans for the gambling giant to promote the partnership during the upcoming NFL playoffs. It will host elements of the 2020 NFL Draft at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

On the surface it seems this is an inevitable wedding: the nation’s largest casino operator and the nation’s most popular sports league getting together to create a money-generating behemoth.

“There is no sports entity in the world that’s better at creating sponsorable, brandable inventory than the NFL,” said Steve Gera, a San Diego State University Sports MBA Lecturer who also spent a decade as a coach and analyst for the San Diego Chargers and Cleveland Browns. “They’re always looking for brand new ways to engage corporate partners.”

Of course this development comes with a whole lot of questions, not the least of which is how far the partnership extends into Caesars Entertainment’s operations. In a press release the NFL stated the partnership is for the casino only and does not include sports betting or daily fantasy games.

Yet.

Logic would dictate this is a step in that direction, the NFL being directly involved with legalized sports betting. According to the American Gaming Association the most popular North American sports entity could make $2.3 billion a year from such an agreement.

Another potential issue is something NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has talked about many times himself: the integrity of the game.

Many fans, especially those who throw down a few dollars on games, likely think a professional sports league being involved with legalized sports gambling opens an even greater possibility for impropriety or “rigged” games so this agreement may well diminish the NFL’s ability to claim its product is as clean as can be. Or, maybe it has the opposite effect.

“I don’t think it diminishes it. I just think it makes it more transparent,” said Gera. “At the end of the day they are changing with the times. I mean let’s be honest; at some point most corporations at some point in time take a hard stance on something and then later on, as times change, they soften their stance to a certain degree.”

A 2018 ruling by New Jersey’s Supreme Court legalized sports betting in that state and helped accelerate the spread of the practice. As of this writing eight states allow legalized sports betting … two more (New York and Arkansas) are close to joining them … and 17 more, including California, have introduced bills to do the same.

As sports gambling becomes more mainstream the NFL is positioning itself to get a huge slice of the revenue pie.

“The underlying economics basically dictate that if the NFL doesn’t get into it they’re going to be leaving money on the table and they’re not in the habit of leaving money on the table,” said Gera or a league who has stated publicly that its goal is to reach $25 billion in annual revenue by the year 2027. “None of these sports leagues are. At the end of the day they’re profit-driven businesses and they’re going to have the change and innovate and keep up with the times if they’re going to continue to grow and continue to try and put a quality product out on the field.”

Caesars is already a partner on the new stadium for the Raiders near the Las Vegas strip and has a deal with seven individual NFL teams … the Falcons, Ravens, Bears, Colts, Saints, Raiders, and Eagles. All of those teams except Atlanta are located in states that have legalized sports gambling or introduced a bill working towards it.

If you were to say that there's a pig year ahead, well, no one would dare raise a snort or a grunt or twirl a curly tail over your proclamation.

For the Year of The Boar is on its auspicious, forward-looking way, and while most Lunar New Year parades and parties are still a few weeks out, as 2019 begins, you can find your pig, er, big celebration at the Japanese American National Museum.

How big will the Oshogatsu Family Festival, a yearly happening at the Little Tokyo destination, be?

Let's start first with one of the biggest headlines dancing around the Sunday, Jan. 6 festivity: It's free, which is a word that feels incredibly auspicious and lucky and lovely, and few would quibble with that.

Also big?

The roster of things to do, watch, jump into, and enjoy. You can visit Ruthie's Origami Corner to fold a paper boar, snap a pic in the NerdBot Photo Booth, join a scavenger hunt, observe a rice-pounding demonstration, and take part in a number of other events.

Are they "boar"-ing events?

They won't be boring, but they will have the strong and sweet spirit of the boar to them, a wonderful thing, indeed.

Don't forget to eat your lucky soba noodles, to start the new year in a fortune-filled way. And if you want to purchase fukubukoro, or lucky grab bags, you can find them in the museum store.

And, you bet: You'll want to don a pair of pig ears, via a headband, to show your boar-beautiful outlook for the months still to come.

Happy Year of the Boar!

There's still new year's confetti here and there, and the pointy paper hats we donned to welcome 2019 haven't yet made it off the coffeetable, along with various beads, balloons, and light-up eyeglasses.

And yet?

Signs of springtime are unfolding their petals around Southern California. Literally, in some cases.

No, the blossom-iest season isn't nearly here. We are, after all, only two weeks deep in wintertime, meaning winter is only up to our ankles, and not even our knees.

The rainiest part of the SoCal year hasn't yet arrived, and nights are notably nippy in every 9-starting zip code.

But there's this one hearty blossom, in Carlsbad, at The Flower Fields, and it was discovered by Jess Williams, a grower at the expansive agricultural attraction.

A photo was taken of the early arrival, and it was shared on social media, all to let fans of The Flower Fields know that it won't be long.

That's right: The first ranunculus of the season has popped at the well-known bloom-laden location, about two months ahead of opening day.

Yes, opening day at The Flower Fields, as always, is March 1. Closing day, as always, is Mother's Day.

And during that multi-week stretch?

Thousands of incredibly bright ranunucus flowers, in a range of eye-popping colors, will open up, much to the delight of thousands of camera-wielding visitors, visitors who plan weekend getaways and Spring Breaks around visiting the famous Carlsbad locale.

No need to wield your camera just yet, though, even though, yes, there is a flower, one flower, a single blossom at The Flower Fields.

Many more will follow in the weeks to come, for sure.

This, though, is how we do early January is some SoCal quarters.

Our mountains are still snow-laden, and we're still rocking our light parkas, but, hey there: Gorgeous flowers do pop up, even before the new year's confetti is swept up.

After a video went viral on Twitter showing a college-age Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dancing on a Boston University rooftop, the new House representative defended herself from her would-be ridiculers by breaking out a new set of moves.

In the original video, Ocasio-Cortez is seen dancing exuberantly alongside other students and wearing a Boston University T-shirt with her hair flowing in the wind. The 2010 clip was part of a larger music video showing BU students dancing on the College of Arts and Sciences building to the song "Lisztomania" by the band Phoenix, according to the school's BU Today website.

The clip surfaced when an anonymous Twitter account shared it to try to insult the New York Democrat, calling her a nitwit. The video went viral Thursday, the day Ocasio-Cortez was sworn into office. Some attempted to mock the politician with the video, the original poster later deleted the account, and others rallied to Ocasio-Cortez's defense.

Comedian Ike Barinholtz wrote that Ocasio-Cortez was "being fun and cool," and actor George Takei said he wants her to "give me dance lessons."

Ocasio-Cortez fired back Friday with a smile and twirl, tweeting a video of herself cutting the rug in front of her new Capitol Hill office. This time, she sported a dark pantsuit, red lipstick and pulled-back hair.

"I hear the GOP thinks women dancing are scandalous. Wait till they find out Congresswomen dance too! Have a great weekend everyone :)" she wrote on the post.

Fellow Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) supported Ocasio-Cortez's groove, tweeting, "If we can't dance it's not our revolution."

The 2010 clip even received its own tribute Twitter account: @aoc_dances. The user posts the video with various songs playing in the background, including One Direction's "Best Song Ever" and Toto's "Africa."

Hold onto your mouse ears: Disneyland is kicking off 2019 with a ticket deal for Southern California residents.

But it's only for a limited time.

Starting Jan. 7, SoCal residents -- who will have to provide proof that they live in the designated zip codes -- can get multi-day tickets for the following prices:

• 3-day, 1-park per day ticket for $179
• 3-day Park Hopper ticket for $234

A one-day regular park-hopper ticket usually goes for $185 during peak days, and $147 on regular days. Weekends and high-volume days are considered "peak" days.

The ticket deal also includes one day where you get to experience a Magic Morning; early entry starting an hour before they open up the gates - sing it in your Elsa voice! 

Imagine what you can get done before it gets really crowded. 

SoCal residents can buy the three-day bundle from Jan. 7 through May 20, 2019.

But the really awesome perk is park-goers can use the tickets on a consecutive three-day visit or go on three different days within the travel period.

It's important to note tickets expire on May 23, 2019.

April 14 through April 22, 2019 are considered block-out dates.

Guests can purchase tickets online or at the booths.

And when you go, don't forget to check out Disneyland Park's new The Tropical Hideaway, which may be found just steps away from the widely known, widely visited Dole Whip stand in front of the Tiki Room.

Here are the valid zip codes:

• ZIP codes 90000-93599
• Northern Baja California residents within ZIP codes 21000-22999