Surprise! Universal’s ‘Fast & Furious’ coaster is open, unofficially

Todd Martens is a features columnist at the Los Angeles Times who writes about theme parks and West Coast Experiences, among other topics. His weekly newsletter, Mr. Todd’s Wild Ride, covers the ever-changing world of theme parks from SoCal. Martens joined the Los Angeles Times in 2007 and has covered a mix of interactive entertainment as its game critic and pop music as a reporter and editor. Previously, he reported on the music business for Billboard Magazine.

Kayla Bartkowski is a photojournalism fellow at the Los Angeles Times. Originally from Rochester, N.Y., she graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 2024 with a degree in photojournalism and a minor in international relations. After college, she spent the summer as a photography intern at the Boston Globe, followed by six months in Washington, D.C., where she covered politics and breaking news as an intern with Getty Images. Her work is driven by a deep interest in stories that explore the intersection of climate and the human experience. Outside of journalism, Bartkowski loves spending time outdoors, hiking, climbing and traveling, as well as hanging out with friends and playing music.

Mark E. Potts is a former senior editor for video at the Los Angeles Times. A native of Enid, Okla., Potts graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a master’s degree in broadcast journalism. He has created and edited video for DreamWorks, YouTube, Microsoft, Sony and BET.