This is an LA Times Studios podcast.

Hi, I'm Faith Pino, and you're listening to Headlines from LA Times Studios.

Here's some of today's top stories from the Los Angeles Times.

The race for LA's next mayor is heating up.

Former L.A.USD Superintendent Austin Butner kicked off his campaign Monday.

According to LA Times reporters, Butner announced his bid in a video, where he took aim at both his opponent, Karen Bass, and President Trump.

He called Los Angeles a city, quote, under attack from Trump's immigration crackdown and

accused City Hall of failing to address things like homelessness, wildfires, and affordability.

In defense of his own leadership, Butner pointed to his time leading L-A-USD through the pandemic,

framing himself as, quote, a problem solver,

not a politician. In the meantime, Bass's campaign already fired back, saying the city's crime

rates and homelessness continue to decline under her leadership. Boutner is now Bass's first

serious challenger for her second term, as the two square off for a long campaign ahead of next summer's election.

And a new round of layoffs is gutting the Education Department.

According to reporters, the Trump administration fired nearly 500 workers Friday, cutting the agency's staff by almost 20%.

Since taking office, Trump has slashed nearly half of the department, placing enormous pressure on the remaining staff while vital programs fall by the wayside.

A local union representing the employees say this round of cuts will have serious consequences, hurting offices

that handle civil rights, special education, and funding for low-income schools.

The sweeping cuts play into the president's plan to shut down the education department entirely,

with the intention of moving its programs to other agencies. Union leaders called the move, quote, devastating,

warning it will harm students with disabilities and first-generation college students.

In the meantime, labor groups have filed suits to stop the layoffs,

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