By JAIMIE DING, Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Menendez brothers will make their cases for parole starting Thursday, marking the closest they’ve been to winning freedom from prison since their convictions almost 30 years ago for murdering their parents.

Erik and Lyle Menendez were sentenced in 1996 to life in prison for fatally shooting their father, Jose Menendez, and mother, Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills mansion in 1989. While defense attorneys argued the brothers acted out of self-defense after years of sexual abuse by their father, prosecutors said the brothers sought a multimillion-dollar inheritance.

They became eligible for parole after a Los Angeles judge in May reduced their sentences from life in prison without the possibility of parole to 50 years to life, making them immediately eligible under California law because they were under the ages of 26 when they committed their crimes.

But even if the board grants their parole, it could be months before the brothers walk free — if at all.

Hearing for Erik Menendez is first, followed by Lyle Menendez

A panel of parole hearing officers will evaluate the brothers individually. Erik Menendez will have his hearing Thursday morning, followed by Lyle Menendez on Friday. They will appear over videoconference from prison in San Diego.

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The board will assess whether the brothers pose an “unreasonable risk of danger to society” if released, considering factors such as criminal history, motivation for the crime, signs of remorse, behavior while in prison and plans for the future, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

If the board grants each brother’s parole, the chief legal counsel has 120 days to review the case. Then Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has 30 days to affirm or deny the parole. Newsom had previously ordered the state parole board to conduct a risk assessment of the brothers in response to a clemency request. He hasn’t said if he’s likely to support parole, but he has denied recommendations in high-profile cases in the past — most notably for Sirhan Sirhan, who assassinated presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy in 1968.

Erik and Lyle Menendez have the support of their relatives, who are expected to deliver statements at their hearings.

“For more than 35 years, they have shown sustained growth,” their family said in a statement. “They’ve taken full accountability. They express sincere remorse to our family to this day and have built a meaningful life defined by purpose and service.”

Case is featured in documentaries, TV specials and dramatizations

The case has captured the attention of true crime enthusiasts for decades and spawned documentaries, television specials and dramatizations. The Netflix drama “ Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story ” and a documentary released in 2024 have been credited for bringing new attention to the brothers. A greater recognition of the brothers as victims of sexual abuse has also helped amass a legion of supporters who seek their release. Some have flown to Los Angeles to hold rallies and attend court hearings.

FILE – Lyle, left, and Erik Galen Menendez sit in a Beverly Hills, Calif., courtroom, May 14, 1990. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, File)

The previous LA County district attorney first opened the door to possible freedom for the brothers last fall by asking a judge to reduce their sentences. The judge’s decision to ultimately resentence the brothers followed months of pushback from current prosecutors.

LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said ahead of the parole hearings that he opposes parole for the brothers because they have “not demonstrated full insight into their crimes,” comparing them to Sirhan. Newsom denied him parole in January 2022 because of his “deficient insight.”

Insight means taking full responsibility for a crime and understanding the factors that led you to commit the crime, such as anger, inability to handle stress, and substance abuse, said Michael Beckman, a lawyer specialized in parole hearings.

Recent rules violations could have consequences for the brothers

Erik and Lyle’s college degrees, participation in volunteer programs and support groups, and the fact that Lyle has not been in a single fight in prison are all positive factors for their release, he said.

But recent rules violations could have major consequences for the brothers. In May, Hochman revealed details from a confidential risk assessment report that said Lyle was cited for having a cellphone several times in 2024, and Erik was found with a cellphone this January.

“The board is really big on the philosophy that if you can’t follow the rules in prison, you can’t follow the rules in free society,” Beckman said. “Add to that that cellphones are one of the three big bad rules violations along with violence and substance abuse.”

Ultimately, Beckman noted that parole decisions come down to individual commissioners, who might weigh the brothers’ cases based on factors like their celebrity status or family members’ support.

The state corrections department has selected one media representative to view the proceedings virtually and share notes with the rest of the press at set intervals.

By ALLEN G. BREED and JOHN SEEWER, Associated Press

RODANTHE, N.C. (AP) — Hurricane Erin battered North Carolina’s Outer Banks with strong winds and waves that flooded part of the main highway and surged under beachfront homes as the monster storm slowly began to move away from the East Coast on Thursday.

Forecasters predicted the storm would peak Thursday and said it could regain strength and once again become a major hurricane, Category 3 or greater, but it was not forecast to make landfall along the East Coast before turning farther out to sea.

Tropical storm conditions were in effect over parts of the Outer Banks and the coast of Virginia, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. In Bermuda, residents and tourists were told to stay out of the water with rough seas expected through Friday.

As Erin’s outer bands brushed the Outer Banks, water poured onto the main route connecting the barrier islands and a handful of stilted homes precariously perched above the beach. By Wednesday evening, officials had closed Highway 12 on Hatteras Island as the surge increased and waves rose. The road remained closed Thursday. Ocracoke Island’s connection to its ferry terminal was cut off.

Authorities predicted that the largest swells during high tide would cut off villages and homes on the Outer Banks and whip up life-threatening rip currents from Florida to New England.

Beaches were closed to swimming Wednesday and Thursday in New York City, and some others in New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware were temporarily off-limits. Widespread, moderate coastal flooding was forecast for low-lying areas of Long Island and parts of New York City.

Off Massachusetts, Nantucket Island could see waves of more than 10 feet this week. But the biggest threat remained along the Outer Banks where longtime residents didn’t seem too concerned.

This image provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows Hurricane Erin on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (NOAA via AP)

“I remember taking canoes out of my front yard to get to school, so I don’t think it’s gonna be that bad,” said Jacob Throne, who lives on Hatteras Island and works for surf shops.

Despite beach closures elsewhere, some swimmers continued to ignore the warnings. Rescuers saved more than a dozen people caught in rip currents Tuesday at Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina, a day after more than 80 people were rescued.

Bob Oravec, a National Weather Service forecaster, said that even if someone thinks they know how to handle a rip current, it’s not safe.

“You can be aware all you want,” he said. “It can still be dangerous.”

A combination of fierce winds and huge waves estimated at about 20 feet could cause coastal flooding in many beachfront communities, North Carolina officials warned.

“Dangerous conditions can be felt far from the eye, especially with a system as large as Erin,” said Will Ray, the state’s emergency management director.

Dozens of beach homes already worn down from chronic erosion and protective dunes could be at risk, said David Hallac, superintendent of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

Most residents decided to stay despite evacuations ordered on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands.

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“We probably wouldn’t stay if it was coming directly at us,” said Rob Temple, who operates sailboat cruises on Ocracoke.

His biggest concern was whether the main route would wash out and if tourists and delivery trucks may be cut off from the thin stretch of low-lying islands, which are increasingly vulnerable to storm surges.

Erin has become an unusually large and deceptively worrisome system, with tropical storm-force winds spreading across 500 miles — roughly the distances from New York City to Pittsburgh.

It remained a Category 2 hurricane early Thursday with maximum sustained winds around 105 mph, the hurricane center said. Erin was about 205 miles east-southeast of Cape Hatteras and moving north-northeast at 17 mph.

The hurricane center was also watching two tropical disturbances far out in the Atlantic that could develop into named storms in the coming days. With thousands of miles of warm ocean water, hurricanes known as Cape Verde storms are some of the most dangerous that threaten North America.

Climate scientists say Atlantic hurricanes are now much more likely to rapidly intensify into powerful and catastrophic storms, fueled by warmer oceans.

Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press journalists Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina; Gary Robertson in Raleigh, North Carolina; Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia; Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut; Hallie Golden in Seattle; and Julie Walker in New York contributed to this report.

Don’t mock Mississippi, learn from it

The Ciresi Walburn Foundation, whose mission is to promote educational and equitable opportunities for all Minnesota children, launched a new billboard campaign last week that misses the mark. The ad reads: “Minnesota Nice. Mississippi Smarter. Let’s teach kids to read!”

There’s no denying the problem the foundation seeks to highlight. Reading proficiency in Minnesota has dropped sharply since COVID-19. Today, only about half of students are reading at grade level. High school proficiency is at a decade low, and Minnesota has slipped in national rankings. Even more troubling are the persistent achievement gaps: Black, Hispanic, and American Indian students are far less likely to meet reading standards than their white peers. These inequities demand urgent attention.

But mocking Mississippi is not the way forward. Mississippi is one of the poorest states in the nation and has the highest percentage of Black residents. Suggesting it’s somehow “embarrassing” that Mississippi students outperform ours carries racist undertones, as if the state’s demographics should automatically predict failure. That message is not only offensive — it’s wrong.

Decades of research show that race and poverty are not destiny when it comes to achievement. Mississippi has made real progress by investing in evidence-based literacy instruction and teacher training. Their students are improving because of intentional policies, not in spite of who they are. Rather than belittling them, Minnesota should be learning from their example.

We cannot afford to waste energy on stereotypes or smug comparisons. Our children deserve real solutions. That means facing the data honestly, closing opportunity gaps, and adopting proven practices. If we truly want every Minnesota child to read at grade level, we need leadership and investment — not billboards that punch down on other states.

Charlie Braman, Edina

Ukraine attacks. too

A headline in Wednesday’s paper, “Before diplomatic meetings, Russia keeps bombing,” shows the liberal bias and leaves us with misleading information unless you read the entire article. Yes, Russia continues to bomb, but you have to get to the second-to-last paragraph to see that Ukraine has also “escalated attacks”. It only makes sense that if you are negotiating, that you continue your current position and operation.

Ron Wobbeking, Hastings

Appeasement

We just witnessed one of the most embarrassing acts of appeasement and capitulation since Neville Chamberlain allowed Hitler to annex part of Czechoslovakia leading up to WWII. For the tough-guy image Donald Trump likes to portray, he looked like a flabby lap dog next to the strutting Vladimir Putin.

We watched as a murdering, kidnapping war criminal and dictator received a red-carpet reception on American soil. Let that sink in. Our president just welcomed a former KGB officer turned dictator who murdered several of his opponents, kidnapped Ukrainian children, and ordered the bombing of civilian targets, with all the lavish hospitality and courtesy of someone deserving of our country’s honor and respect.

This international pariah, whose goal is to destroy American democracy and the NATO alliance, just outmaneuvered our president at every level and regained legitimacy on the world stage at our nation’s expense. I was embarrassed for our military personnel who had to stand by while our president humiliated himself and our country before America’s number one adversary.

Greg Kvaal, Mendota Heights

The value of a single human being

The picture of a woman holding her severely malnourished daughter at a hospital in the Gaza Strip (Aug. 15) is heart-breaking beyond words and epitomizes the horrors and utter madness of the conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere around the world that victimize the most innocent among us.

Is this what life is all about, an unending struggle for basic human needs amidst a constant barrage of bombs, bullets and the acrimonious threats and accusations from the powers that be?

With daily stories giving updates on the deaths, injuries and destruction, it’s easy to become numb, even indifferent, to the carnage and suffering from the raging conflicts. But seeing the picture of that sweet girl clinging to her mother with a look of haunting sadness makes us realize the value of a single human being.

English poet John Donne famously wrote, “Any man’s death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind. And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.”

Louis DiSanto, St. Paul

An homage to Coach Thole

On Aug. 6 legendary Stillwater Area High School football coach George Thole passed away. Coach Thole came to Stillwater in 1971, and to the then-quaint, small St. Croix River town community he brought a whole new attitude and approach to high school athletics.

Prior to George’s arrival, the Ponies had enjoyed modest success in several sports … golf, tennis, swimming, to name a few, but wins on the gridiron had always been elusive. Coach Thole, along with assistants like Coaches Foley, Meyer, Drommerhausen and Klancher, immediately instilled a new work ethic in the team … along with then-relatively-new weight training, and the famous “Bayport Veer” offense, which was taught to area youngsters coming up in the program to develop the continuity required to operate it once they became varsity players.

Coach Thole also had high expectations for each new team he welcomed in the fall, and made sure his team shared those high expectations. Hard work and winning weren’t just hoped for, they were expected. Coach Thole and the Ponies won their first of four state championships just four years after his arrival in Stillwater, beating Richfield High School at Parade Stadium on a surprise halfback-option pass involving players Butterfield and De St.Aubin, and suddenly Pony football was on the map. What to do on a fall Friday night in Stillwater was no longer in question, and crowds of upward of 5,000 fans would pack Miller Field. It was a regular occurrence when the Ponies played an away game for the home team to be dramatically outnumbered by the traveling Pony faithful.

As the Stillwater football team began its dominant run, other school sports teams seemed inspired, and under coaches like Christiansen and Podolske in track and field, Olson and Johnson in soccer, Luke and Madeline in swimming and diving, Pavlovich in softball, Parchetta in skiing , Michels in baseball, and Mutschler in basketball, conference and state titles have been won.

Coach Thole has been inducted into several sports Halls of Fame, he has left a lasting impression on those he coached, and his record will be difficult to surpass. To this writer, however, one of his most significant accomplishments was how through his coaching and teaching he managed to raise the level of self-esteem of an entire community. So proud to be a Stillwater Pony.

Mike Miller, Lakeland

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Two east metro sites known to be tainted with petroleum and other contaminants will soon be on the mend thanks to grant funding.

More than $1.6 million in Contamination Cleanup and Investigation grants were awarded to eight communities across the state last week, including one in St. Paul and one in South St. Paul, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

The grant program, which started in 1993, helps fund the assessment and cleanup of contaminated sites for private redevelopment, according to a news release from DEED.

“Cleaning up contaminated sites helps attract private investments, increase local tax bases, support job growth, address housing needs and promote community growth and vitality,” said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek in the release.

This grant round is expected to support the investigation or cleanup of over 184 acres of contaminated land, adding nearly $2.2 million to local tax bases and leveraging more than $50 million in private investment, according to DEED.

St. Paul

Undated courtesy rendering, circa Aug. 2025, of The Beasley, a planned 20-unit affordable condominium development from the Rondo Community Land Trust. The Beasley site at 642 Selby Ave. received a cleanup grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development for nearly $103,000 on Aug. 12, 2025. (Courtesy of Rondo Community Land Trust)

The city of St. Paul was awarded nearly $103,000 for the cleanup of the Beasley site, a 0.3-acre property near the intersection of Selby Avenue and Dale Street.

Historically developed for residential and commercial uses, including the longtime neighborhood service E&J Drycleaners, the site at 642 Selby Ave., next to Mississippi Market, is planned to be redeveloped into 20 affordable condominium units with ground floor retail and will be known as The Beasley.

Leading the project is the Rondo Community Land Trust, a Selby Avenue organization that has sought to preserve affordable housing and local ownership in the historically Black Rondo neighborhood. The name of the housing complex is a nod to James Beasley, the longtime owner of E&J Drycleaners, according to the land trust.

The condos will be affordable to households earning 80% of the area’s median income, which equates to $104,200 annually, Finance and Commerce reported. Designed by LSE Architects, the new building is planned to include a rooftop garden, a community room, electric vehicle charging stations and an outdoor patio with a fireplace.

Construction of the housing complex, which still hinges on a successful funding application to the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, is planned for next spring.

If all goes according to plan, the project is anticipated to create nine new jobs, increase the local tax base by nearly $142,000 and leverage $6.5 million of private investment, according to DEED.

South St. Paul

South St. Paul took home the lion’s share of the funding – approximately $660,000 – for the clean up of the 36-acre Wakota Crossing site.

The site, formerly home to the South St. Paul Municipal Wastewater Treatment Works and used as an uncontrolled dump, will be redeveloped to add over 180,000 square feet of light industrial space with two stormwater ponds.

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Awarded to the South St. Paul Economic Development Authority, the project is expected to create 89 new jobs and retain 15 existing jobs, increase the local tax base by nearly $88,000 and leverage $8.4 million of private investment, according to DEED.

The other six grants were awarded to the cities of Duluth, Mankato, Virginia, Wabasha, Floodwood and Two Harbors, according to grant size in descending order.

“This grant program helps Minnesota communities explore and pursue ways to convert contaminated properties into functional sites for business or housing development,” Varilek said in the release.

Since 1993, the grant program has awarded more than $212 million in grants that has helped assess and clean up over 4,300 acres of land, resulting in over 26,000 new housing units and the creation or retention of more than 52,000 jobs, per the release.