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<\/a>\nIntroducing Spectrum News+
Watch the latest news from across the country.<\/p>\n
Today’s Big Stories<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0LA councilmember’s push to let non-citizens vote in elections sparks debate<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n In a Boyle Heights apartment lined with decades of newspaper clippings, 77-year-old Carlos Montes is doing what he has done for more than half a century: organizing.<\/p>\n Montes flipped through a yellowed page and points to a photo of himself as a teenager.<\/p>\n \u201cIt has a picture of me at Roosevelt High School,\u201d he said. \u201cA boy who busted the gate open to let the students walk out for the East LA walkouts.\u201d<\/p>\n Montes, an organizer with Centro CSO, has spent his life pushing for immigrant rights in Los Angeles. Now, on the heels of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gutted a key section of the Voting Rights Act, he sees a new front in that fight close to home.<\/p>\n Los Angeles City Council member Hugo Soto-Mart\u00ednez has introduced a proposal that would ask voters this November to amend the city charter to allow non-citizen residents to cast ballots in municipal and school board elections. The measure has reignited a debate over what it means to be a citizen \u2014 and who gets a say in how a city is run.<\/p>\n 2.\u00a0LA County begins CalFresh awareness campaign<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n Los Angeles County officials began a monthlong outreach campaign Friday to raise awareness about upcoming eligibility changes and new work requirements for the CalFresh food benefit program.<\/p>\n The effort by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services coincides with CalFresh Awareness Month and is aimed at helping residents understand how provisions in what President Donald Trump has dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill” could impact enrollment, reporting and renewal requirements, officials said.<\/p>\n CalFresh, California’s version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, provides food assistance to low-income individuals and households. County officials said about 1.5 million residents are enrolled, though an estimated 320,000 more may be eligible but are not receiving benefits.<\/p>\n The campaign will focus on providing information to help residents apply for CalFresh and maintain their benefits, including reminders to respond promptly to department requests and complete renewal requirements on time.<\/p>\n 3.\u00a0Oscars organization expands international film eligibility, addresses AI in new rules<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n The organization behind the Oscars is for the first time addressing the use of artificial intelligence in performances and scripts for the 2027 Academy Awards. New rules emphasize human authorship but do not ban AI.<\/p>\n The academy released updates Friday across many categories. Significant changes include expanding the international film category to include films that won top awards at prestigious festivals like Cannes and Venice. The academy also stresses that humans must be at the center of the creative process. Screenplays must be human-authored to be eligible.<\/p>\n The academy will review AI-related cases individually.<\/p>\n The academy says the updates reflect its global focus and commitment to honoring filmmakers.<\/p>\n A general view of atmosphere inside the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell\/Invision\/AP)<\/p>\n Around the Nation<\/p>\n 1.\u00a0An Oscar is lost, then found, after director forced to check it on a flight out of JFK<\/a><\/p>\n 2.\u00a0Trump gives go-ahead to major new Canada-U.S. oil pipeline<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26074656122068_crop_crop_crop.jpeg\")
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