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Firefighters hope to take advantage of a break in high winds early Thursday morning as they continue to battle the Ventura County wildfire that has already burned thousands of acres and destroyed dozens of homes. The fire broke out just before 9 a.m. Wednesday near Balcom Canyon Road and Bradley Road, north of Highway 118. Initially, brush and Santa Ana winds were reported to have caused the 50-acre fire, but the fire jumped the highway and exploded to more than 14,000 acres by Wednesday night. As of 4 a.m. Thursday, the fire was mapped at 14,187 acres with no fire…

California voters decided this week to roll back criminal justice reform, ousting progressive prosecutors in Los Angeles and Alameda counties and effectively reversing decisions they made in 2020 and 2022. It seems so.Voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 36, which treats some misdemeanor thefts and drug possession as felonies and increases jail and prison sentences. Voters in Los Angeles County rejected a second term for the district. Atty. President George Gascón has reversed some of the incumbent’s reforms and selected former federal prosecutor Nathan Hockman, who has promised to prosecute defendants to the fullest extent of the law. And in Alameda County,…

The pilot of the small plane that crashed on Santa Catalina Island, killing five people, has been warned not to take off after dark in dangerous conditions. Now, a new report reveals why he waited until after dark to depart. The twin-engine Beechcraft 95-B44 plane crashed about a mile from Catalina Airport just after 8 p.m. on Oct. 8. A preliminary National Transportation Safety Board report found the plane had insufficient power and needed to be recharged just before takeoff. It also said that because the plane did not have takeoff clearance, airport management made it clear to the pilots…

The CEO of Palm Springs-based nonprofit organization Queer Works has been charged in a fraud scheme that stole more than $940,000 in public funds, officials announced Wednesday. A Riverside County grand jury indicted Jacob Joseph Aaron Rostofsky, 33, on 53 felonies, including fraudulent claims, grand theft, misappropriation of public funds, insurance fraud, perjury, and money laundering. The district attorney’s office announced that the charges include “an enhancement of white-collar crime due to the significant financial loss resulting from this scheme.” According to the Queer Works website, the nonprofit organization aims to provide accessible mental health services and “promote health equity…

President Joe Biden is set to appear in front of cameras and address the nation for the first time following Donald Trump’s decisive victory over Kamala Harris. Biden is scheduled to speak in the Rose Garden at 11 a.m. ET, and said in a post on X that he would discuss the election results and the transition. On Wednesday, the White House announced that Biden spoke with the president-elect and expressed his determination to ensure a smooth transition of power while emphasizing the importance of efforts to unite the country. Mr. Biden invited the man he ousted from the White…

A 43-year-old Orange County man could face 70 years in federal prison after being found in possession of a machine gun and nearly 1,000 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). authorities announced on Wednesday. In a news release, prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office said they investigated Santa Ana resident Arhit Tanjapatkul in March 2023 when he sold a government-regulated military-grade laser to police that was originally stolen by a military member. He said it was brought to the attention of authorities. buyer. Months later, in October 2023, law enforcement searched the 43-year-old’s home and discovered and seized dozens…

California voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure Tuesday that reverses progressive criminal justice reforms to crack down on property crimes and the use of the deadly drug fentanyl.Prop. 36 would amend a law approved a decade ago that reduced some felonies to misdemeanors, and was seen as a milestone in California’s attempt to end the tough-on-crime policies of the past. was. Support for Prop. 36 comes amid growing concerns about crime, homelessness and drug use in the state, an issue that Republicans and Democratic mayors in some large cities took up during the 2024 elections. “California voters have been voting…

President-elect Donald Trump’s victory in an election that focused heavily on abortion rights raises big questions about the future of abortion access in the United States. In the final stages of his campaign, Trump said he believed each state should decide its own abortion policy. However, his positions on the issue vary widely, with an interview in March suggesting support for a nationwide ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, and as president he announced support for a nationwide ban on abortions after 20 weeks. sponsored a House bill to do so. During his 2016 campaign, Trump promised to…

At a press conference Wednesday at 4 p.m., Ventura County officials updated the public on the status and speed of the wildfire, as well as crews’ plans to prioritize lives and safety in dangerous conditions. Cal Fire reported that as of 5:45 p.m. Wednesday, the fire had spread to 10,500 acres in Ventura County, destroyed homes and structures, and remained 0% contained. Key takeaways from the press conference include: Please follow evacuation instructions. Fire Chief Dustin Gardner emphasized the importance of following these orders, saying, “Homes can be replaced, but lives can’t be replaced.” “This fire is moving dangerously fast.…

Tens of thousands of Southern California Edison customers are without power amid dangerous fire weather and fierce Santa Ana winds that sparked a devastating 10,400-acre wildfire in Ventura County. As a precautionary measure, SCE implemented public safety power outages in parts of Los Angeles, Ventura, Riverside and San Bernardino counties on Wednesday, leaving many residents and businesses in chaos. High winds also made roads particularly dangerous, with a big rig flipping over on Highway 210 earlier in the day, causing a major traffic jam. National Weather Service officials extended a red flag warning until 9 a.m. Thursday after observing wind…