Tag: Southern California

Lawmakers expected to pass law ending child marriage in California

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Judge’s gavel beside framed colorful map of California

California lawmakers are expected to pass a new law ending child marriage within the state.  Currently, California is one of three states that allow children of any age to get married if a parent or guardian signs off. The bill passing through the legislature would end underage marriage with no exceptions.  “So many survivors of child marriage have been fighting for over nine years trying to get this bill passed,” said Courtney Stodden, a staunch supporter of the new law.  Stodden spearheaded the battle to end underage marriage in California and across the country after her own experience as a child bride. When she was 16, Stodden married 51-year-old actor Doug Hutchison. 

“I was living in Washington state, and my manager at the time knew actor Doug Hutchison, who was teaching acting classes in Los Angeles,” Stodden said. “My mom signed me up for the acting classes.” Stodden said she grew closer with Hutchison after six months. They married in 2011 after her mother gave consent.  “He gained the trust of my mother,” Stodden said.  Advocates of the ban said that there were 35,000 underage marriages from 2000 to 2021, most of whom were girls. They said the ban is critical in protecting children from sexual assault.  “California must protect our kids and end child marriage once and for all,” said Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, who authored the bill.

“Notably, the age of sexual consent is 18 without exception, unless that individual is the spouse of the minor.” Thirty-three other states also allow underage marriage, but they have restrictions on the age of the child. The ban is set to reach Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk, who is expected to sign off on it. 

Source: Lawmakers expected to pass law ending child marriage in California – CBS Los Angeles

Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Hosanna in the highest!”
Matthew 21:9

A study of the Mesha Stele

The Mesha Stele, also famously known as the Moabite Stone, is a 3-foot-tall black basalt monument dating back to circa 840 BCE. It is one of the most vital archaeological discoveries…

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Moving pillowcase leads to discovery of venomous snakes, other reptiles hidden in car at border

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Several snakes emerging from beneath a patterned pillow on a bed

U.S. border agents found a collection of endangered reptiles when they noticed a pillowcase moving in a woman’s car after she was stopped at the border with Mexico due to an outstanding arrest warrant. Georgina Bribiesca Chavez, 66, of Tijuana, Mexico, was arrested earlier this month on wildlife trafficking charges after allegedly participating in a yearslong reptile smuggling scheme. She is accused of bringing exotic reptiles into and out of the U.S. with her alleged trafficking partner, Salvador Pelayo, who was arrested in July on a federal charge similar to hers, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.

Chavez was arrested while trying to cross the border from the U.S. into Mexico on Aug. 10, the office said. Realizing she had an outstanding arrest warrant related to a wildlife trafficking investigation, Customs and Border Protection officers took Chavez into custody and seized the vehicle.  As they searched the car the next day, officers discovered a hidden compartment behind one of its rear seats, which contained pillowcases that were tied and taped shut, according to the release. When one of the pillowcases appeared to move, the officers transferred them to the San Diego Zoo to be examined. Staff at the zoo opened the pillowcases. Inside, they found 60 abronia lizards, four venomous yellow-blotched palm pit vipers, three caimans, one baby crocodile and one indigo snake. Several of those species are considered endangered or threatened, and are protected by international agreements.

Stolen exotic reptiles were found inside pillowcases in a car that was trying to cross the U.S. border into Mexico. U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California

The three caimans died before they could receive care at the San Diego Zoo, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office. “Even after her arrest, Chavez never told CBP officers about the live animals in her car, leaving them abandoned for nearly 24 hours in the August heat in San Ysidro,” the news release said. Officials said all of the other stolen reptiles were considered stable and under the care of the San Diego Zoo. “These animals were not cargo — they were living creatures subjected to dangerous conditions for profit,” U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon said in a statement.

During her first court appearance on the trafficking charges on Tuesday, Chavez pleaded not guilty, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office. They said her alleged partner, 28-year-old Pelayo, has also pleaded not guilty. Citing court documents, the office said Chavez and Pelayo started trafficking exotic reptiles into the U.S. in 2023 with the intent to sell them. Their activity prompted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to open an undercover investigation into the alleged scheme, which found that the two were involved in multiple undercover sales of protected turtles. They are accused of sending and receiving wildlife at shipping centers in the San Diego area.  Authorities have alleged that Chavez and Pelayo made tens of thousands of dollars from the sales of exotic animals. More from CBS News

Source: Moving pillowcase leads to discovery of venomous snakes, other reptiles hidden in car at border – CBS News

And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.
1 John 4:21

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California scientists build robot to look for great white sharks near beaches

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From a distance, it looks like a kayak or a surfboard. But it’s not a person enjoying an afternoon at the beach — it’s a new high-tech device to look for great white sharks. Researchers at Cal State Long Beach have begun testing what they are calling a “semi-autonomous shark surveillance bot.” The unmanned craft, a prototype that is about 10 feet long and 3 feet wide, hit the water last month in Southern California. The craft can patrol near beaches for up to a week at a time, using acoustic receivers to listen for white sharks in the wild that have been fitted by scientists with tracking tags.

It also has cameras, and will soon include a drone for aerial surveillance that can send live 360-degree images back to lifeguards and biologists on the shore. “The idea is that you program it to mow the lawn — just go back and forth — in the ocean,” said Chris Lowe, a professor of marine biology and director of the Shark Lab at CSU Long Beach. “Lifeguards can drive it, or we can drive it from the lab.” Plans also are afoot by scientists at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in Moss Landing to fit the craft with equipment that can detect shark DNA in the water, picking up traces of skin, mucous and other waste that leaves clues when the famous apex predators are coming and going through a popular beach area. Shark attacks remain extremely rare.

California has recorded 236 since 1950, including 17 fatalities, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. San Diego County has the most incidents with 27, followed by San Mateo County with 22, Santa Barbara with 21, then Marin, Monterey and Humboldt with 19 each, Santa Cruz County with 17, and San Luis Obispo and Sonoma counties with 16 each. Every year, millions of people swim, surf, kayak and dive in the ocean off California. In recent years, drone footage and signals from acoustic tags have shown that sharks regularly swim near people and almost never attack. “Sharks are swimming by surfers and swimmers all the time, and the people don’t know they are there,” Lowe said. “It is happening daily.” Several high-profile deaths in recent years have drawn more attention to the issue, however.

In December, Pebble Beach resident Erica Fox, 55, was killed by a great white shark off Lovers Point in Pacifica, in Monterey County, while swimming in the ocean. Her autopsy report, released by authorities last week, showed she died from a single bite from a shark that Lowe estimates was 16 feet long. In June 2022, another member of Fox’s swimming club, the Kelp Krawlers, Steve Bruemmer, was bitten and seriously injured while swimming in the same area. Two months later, a paddleboarder and his dog were thrown into the water there but escaped unhurt after a shark bit their board from below. Before Fox, the last fatal shark attack in the Monterey Bay area occurred May 9, 2020. Ben Kelly, 26, was surfing about 100 yards offshore at Manresa State Beach, roughly 4 miles south of Aptos in Santa Cruz County, when he was bitten by a 10- to 12-foot great white shark. Authorities said the bite severed an artery in his leg.

He was helped back to the beach but died a short time later. Adult great white sharks mostly eat seals and sea lions. Juveniles eat fish, squid and rays. Researchers think that most bites are accidental; great white sharks mistake people for seals or sea lions. “We don’t smell like food to them, we don’t look like food, and we don’t sound like food. Therefore they nearly always ignore us,” Lowe said. “We are probably getting dozens of encounters a week without bites.” Lowe said he hopes to have the surveillance device finished in two years, in time for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, when triathletes will be swimming in Long Beach Harbor, an area that sharks have been known to visit. Along the way, he said, it can help provide scientists more information about where and when sharks are present, and can help the public get a better understanding that the ocean is a wild place and sharks are part of it.

At first, Lowe said, he will use the device off Southern California, in places like Long Beach Harbor, Santa Monica Bay and Huntington Beach. But he said with enough funding, others could be made and used across the state in marine waters in Central and Northern California, as well. “This is not about ‘there’s a shark in the water, let’s pull everybody out,'” Lowe said. “It’s about giving people more information so they can make decisions for themselves.” “It’s an information tool,” he added. “We aren’t trying to scare people. We are trying to inform them so they can make better risk assessments. It’s like when you go to Yellowstone, and there are signs saying stay 150 feet from the bison.” Although Lowe said he believes this is the first time they all have been placed on one craft, many of the tools on the robot have been used by shark researchers for years. Barbara Block, a professor of marine sciences at Stanford University who has done groundbreaking research on great white sharks, tuna and other ocean species for decades, called Lowe’s project “a step forward.”

She said it’s important to remember that juvenile white sharks, which are often found closer to the beach in shallower waters, don’t bite people. Block’s team also uses DNA research to study sharks in the wild. She said while there are benefits, researchers cannot yet identify individual sharks from it, and changing ocean currents can create problems. “It tells you when a shark is present,” she said. “But it comes with lots of caveats. The DNA is in the water, and the water is moving. It takes 72 hours before it degrades. You might be looking at DNA from 3 days ago or today. It’s a challenge for all of us. Did a shark pass today or two days ago? The water moves.” The best way to know in real time if a shark is present is from acoustic tags and from drones, she said. Although hundreds of sharks have been tagged in the wild, many more have not.

Jim Birch, a scientist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute who helps lead efforts to design robotic equipment and ocean sensors there, said MBARI recently has used the DNA technology to study algae blooms in Lake Huron and to track ocean species between San Francisco and the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. That information can show over time what plants and animals generally live in certain areas and how they might be shifting due to climate change. The environmental DNA technology, known as “eDNA,” also detects harmful algae blooms, can identify if endangered salmon are present in rivers, and can discover whether invasive species like zebra mussels or quagga mussels are present in lakes, he said. “Visual and acoustic will give you real-time information about sharks,” he said. “The eDNA gives you the more broad biological perspective.” The project also has support from the New York University Center for Robotics, with $300,000 in funding from the Seaver Institute.

The Seaver Institute is a private philanthropic foundation based in Los Angeles. It was founded in 1955 by Frank Roger Seaver, a San Jose native born in 1883, who became a prominent lawyer in Los Angeles, owned an oil drilling equipment company and donated millions to Pomona College, Pepperdine University and other nonprofits. Birch and Lowe said they are early in the shark surveillance robot project but that it has significant promise in the years ahead. “We don’t know enough about white sharks,” Birch said. “There is so much about the ocean we still don’t know. White sharks are fascinating apex predators, but they go away. The ocean is a big place. One of the big drivers is human curiosity. It is also about public safety, so that we can put a sign up at the beach saying, ‘White sharks are here during these months and you decide.'”

Source: California scientists build robot to look for great white sharks near beaches | Jefferson City News Tribune

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.
Isaiah 43:2

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Van Fire burns 1,100 acres in Mariposa County, is 20% contained

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Wildfire flames and smoke spreading across mountainous forest landscape at dusk

A wildfire burning in rural Mariposa County has grown to 1,108 acres and was 20% contained, officials said Wednesday evening. The Van Fire was reported Wednesday northeast of White Rock Road in Cathey’s Valley, and north of Eastman Lake. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said shortly after 2:30 p.m. that the flames were spreading at a dangerous rate, with the potential for it to burn more than 2,000 acres. There were no evacuation orders in effect, and no reports of injuries or damage have been made Cal Fire said it has assigned ground and air resources to battle the blaze as firefighters work to slow its spread.

Source: Van Fire burns 1,100 acres in Mariposa County, is 20% contained – CBS Sacramento

LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.
Isaiah 25:1

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California bans ‘sell by’ labels on perishable food, in attempt to cut down on waste

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Packaged baby spinach, shredded mozzarella, hummus, and Greek yogurt with expiration and pricing labels in refrigerated shelf

California has banned “sell by” labels on perishable products, in an attempt to cut down on food waste. The law was passed in 2024 but didn’t go into effect until Wednesday.

It standardizes such labels to try to cut food waste and reduce consumer confusion in the state, according to The New York Times.  Manufacturers can still use several terms including “best if used by” or “best if frozen by” to indicate when a food item is at its peak quality, and “use by” or “freeze by” to indicate when a food item is no longer safe to consume.

Products exempt from the law are eggs and infant formula, according to California’s Department of Food and Agriculture. State and federal officials have long said the labels confuse consumers about when to throw away aging food products. There are roughly 50 variations of date labels in the United States, The Times also reports. 

Source: California bans ‘sell by’ labels on perishable food, in attempt to cut down on waste | Just The News

Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
1 Corinthians 7:2

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Gavin Newsom opposes a California wealth tax. He’s proposing a national billionaire tax instead

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Silhouette of a man standing on a balcony looking at the lit California State Capitol building at dusk

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday proposed a national tax on billionaires that he says is the first part of an “economic reset for America” agenda, which aides explicitly say is part of his considering to launch a presidential campaign. “The system America’s founders built was designed to prevent the concentration of power in a few hands, but we have allowed that concentration to happen anyway, slowly, in plain sight, over decades,” Newsom writes. “We can reverse it together, as a country.”

It is extremely early in the presidential campaign cycle for a policy proposal — but comes as Democrats continue to embrace economic populism and moves against the wealthy. It also comes as California voters in November will decide on a billionaires’ tax after the governor and opponents of the tax late Thursday failed to reach a deal to keep it off the ballot. Newsom, who is term-limited in California and will leave office in January 2027, lays out his proposal in a Substack post that went live on Friday morning, calling for a minimum tax on anyone worth more than $100 million so that they pay at least the same rate, rather than less, than the average American worker who doesn’t have loopholes and other maneuvers to benefit from.

Various wealth tax ideas have been proposed by Democrats before, including by Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren as part of her 2020 Democratic presidential campaign. Newsom says his idea comes out of wanting to create a bulwark against how artificial intelligence will reshape the economy, also proposing what he calls a “national public equity fund” to give every American, rather than just tech companies and investors, a share in the wealth likely to be produced. That fund, an aide said, would cover worker transition benefits, universal childcare, free higher education and career training, healthcare and a national industrial strategy for AI.

Newsom also called for rewriting the rules around inheritance, arguing that with what he says will be the largest intergenerational wealth transfer in human history coming over the next 20 years, “if we do not act, that transfer of wealth among the ultra-wealthy will lock in a permanent American aristocracy of inherited wealth, with all the political consequences the founders warned us about.” Newsom explains why that he will personally vote no on the California proposal, which would levy a one-time 5% tax on residents with a net worth over $1 billion. Backers of the measure gathered more than 870,000 signatures and include progressives like Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and California Rep. Ro Khanna – himself a 2028 contender. Newsom and others fear it would drive businesses out of California, and that the revenue collected would not be spread around widely enough. “We’re competing with 50 states,” Newsom told the World Economic Forum earlier this year.

“Capital flows and move(s). That’s real. It’s not imagined. It’s very, very real.” In his Substack post, Newsom writes that while he understands “the anxiety” driving interest in the California proposed tax, it “turns a blind eye to safety-net clinics and reproductive healthcare providers that Planned Parenthood has fought for decades to protect. There is nothing for housing, nothing for childcare, nothing for public safety workers who must answer 911 calls, and nothing for our public universities that have powered California’s economy for a decade.” Khanna, however, called Newsom’s proposal a distraction, arguing in a call with reporters on Friday that it didn’t actually constitute a wealth tax. “Taxing the loans on assets is something that the tech oligarchs themselves have proposed,” he said.

“That will raise a fraction of the revenue of an actual wealth tax, the kind that Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren or I have proposed.” Long a presumed candidate for president in 2028, Newsom has begun to show his political hand more explicitly with a video last week about what he said was a Justice Department investigation into his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom: “Donald Trump isn’t just coming after me because of my mean tweets, he’s coming after me because I am considering running for president.”

Source: Gavin Newsom opposes a California wealth tax. He’s proposing a national billionaire tax instead | CNN Politics

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Matthew 6:14

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More than $2.2 million in golf balls and other stolen goods found in Anaheim warehouse

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stacked boxes in a warehouse

California Highway Patrol investigators recovered more than $2.2 million in stolen merchandise from an Anaheim warehouse while serving a search warrant last week.  In a news release, CHP officials said that the operation happened on Thursday, June 18, at around 9 a.m. While they didn’t disclose the exact location of the warehouse, they said that “multiple loads of stolen cargo linked to an ongoing investigation” were found inside.  “Recovered items included TaylorMade golf balls, Meta server switches, Tamiya hobby products, and other stolen merchandise,” the release said. “Preliminary estimates place the total value of the recovered property at over $2,223,000.”

Police said that two people were detained at the location during the execution of the warrant, but after further investigation, they were able to determine that the people were not involved in criminal activity and were released.  No arrests have yet been announced in connection with the incident.  “This recovery of more than $2 million in stolen merchandise highlights the outstanding work and collaboration of everyone involved,” said a statement from CHP Border Division Assistant Chief Michael Vargas. “Organized retail crime is not victimless, and the CHP remains committed to holding offenders accountable and protecting the public through proactive enforcement and strong partnerships.”

Source: More than $2.2 million in golf balls and other stolen goods found in Anaheim warehouse – CBS Los Angeles

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39

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Second bird tests positive for West Nile virus in Ventura County

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close up of mosquito on human skin

For the second time this year, public health staff said a bird in Ventura County tested positive for West Nile virus. The Ventura County Environmental Health Division announced the discovery on Tuesday after receiving confirmation from the California Department of Public Health. County staff said they expect more positive cases to emerge throughout this year’s mosquito season.  Public health officials said they located both birds in the City of Ventura. The first was found on May 12, and the second was located more than two weeks later, on May 28.  Ventura County staff said they will inspect and treat mosquito breeding sources surrounding the area where they found the infected bird. 

They asked residents to take the following steps to minimize exposure to West Nile virus: 

  • Eliminate all standing water sources from your property.
  • Ensure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens without holes.
  • When outdoors, wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts and limit activity, especially at dawn and dusk.
  • Use an EPA-approved insect repellent containing Picaridin, DEET, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (or PMD), or IR3535.

Ventura County Public Health confirmed that there have been no human cases of West Nile virus so far this year.

Source: Second bird tests positive for West Nile virus in Ventura County – CBS Los Angeles

Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11

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17,000 Baptized in Historic Worldwide Event: ‘Saying Yes to Jesus’

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baptism ceremony at clemson community church

17,000 Baptized in Historic Worldwide Event: ‘Saying Yes to Jesus’, Michael Foust – Read breaking news headlies with a Christian perspective and commentary from Michael Foust. A gathering at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., served as the focal point for the May 24 global event, featuring worship, personal testimonies, and live updates from participating churches around the world. Attendees watched baptisms take place across multiple nations as believers publicly professed their faith.

Baptize the World grew out of a movement led by Pastor Mark Francey of Oceans Church in California, whose previous initiatives – Baptize SoCal, Baptize California, and Baptize America – drew thousands of participants.

“This was never about one event or one location,” Francey said. “This was about the body of Christ coming together around the world to lift up the name of Jesus and publicly declare new life through baptism.”

He added, “From Washington, D.C., to nations around the world, we witnessed people saying yes to Jesus in a way that was visible, powerful, and deeply personal.”

Francey launched the movement after sensing about four years ago that God was calling him to organize a large-scale baptism event. Like its predecessors, Baptize the World was a multi-denominational effort that united churches around the public declaration of faith through baptism.

The movement began with more than 4,000 baptisms at Baptize SoCal in 2023 and grew to roughly 12,000 baptisms during Baptize California in 2024, held simultaneously in churches across the state and along the Huntington Beach shoreline.

“Psalms 133 says that where God’s people are in unity, God commands a blessing,” Francey previously told Crosswalk Headlines. “And so interdenominationally, from one side of the church world to the other side, we have some of the great Baptist churches, evangelical churches, Pentecostal churches, all linking arms together around one of the major creeds of the faith.”

Organizers received video updates and baptism reports from nations across the world, including Australia, Uganda, Pakistan, South Korea, Brazil, Romania, Switzerland, the Philippines, and Canada.

“Among the stories emerging from the global movement were baptisms in Tajikistan, where Christians make up less than 1% of the population, and in Equatorial Guinea, where nine siblings were baptized together,” a Baptize the World report said. “Organizers said additional stories from international churches are continuing to come in as more nations and churches report baptisms.”

Source: 17,000 Baptized in Historic Worldwide Event: ‘Saying Yes to Jesus’ – Michael Foust | Crosswalk.com

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23

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Riverside County beekeeper loses 80 hives, millions of bees in Verona Fire

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bee perched on flower in macro photography

A Riverside County beekeeper says that last week’s Verona Fire, which broke out near Hemet and burned hundreds of acres, caused him to lose 80 hives and millions of bees.  Brandon Teller, of BeeDoctor Bee Removal, says the loss could have a critical impact on the region’s farmers and shoppers. “As the beekeeper, that’s devastating to me,” Teller said. He said that the small number of remaining bees at the apiary  Teller usually goes across Southern California, rescuing unwanted European honeybees, which he would then bring back to his property for care. Once healthy enough to return to work, he’d then rent them out to alfalfa and almond farmers to pollinate their crops. 

“We say, ‘Hey, we’ve got plenty of hives right here. They’re ready to go, they’ve got fresh queens and they’re hungry,'” Teller said. “Farmers love it.” He says that by losing three to four million bees, the impact will be felt across Southern California.  “Keeping bees and maintaining bees at this scale is what allows the farmer to produce food at a lower cost,” Teller said.  While he knows there’s a lot of work ahead, he says the main message taken away from the loss is fire prevention and conservation of California’s natural landscape. “The saying goes: This land is my land, this land is your land. It’s all of our land and we have to conserve it, we have to preserve it, we have to maintain it, and we have to do it responsibly,” Teller said. 

Source: Riverside County beekeeper loses 80 hives, millions of bees in Verona Fire – CBS Los Angeles

You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great. You enlarged my path under me, So my feet did not slip.
Psalm 18:35-36

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California veteran known for pro-Trump display outside his home dies after assault

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man in blue crew neck t shirt standing near american flags

A southern California man has died after an assault last week in front of his San Diego area home, which was well known for its extensive collection of US flags and signs supporting Donald Trump. Authorities confirmed on Monday that Kerry Sheron, a 69-year-old US army veteran, died days after he was attacked on Wednesday outside his home in Escondido. Police have arrested Thomas Butler, a 32-year-old who media outlets have identified as a navy veteran, on multiple charges including attempted murder, elder abuse and battery.

Officers were called to the street where Sheron lived for a reported assault on the afternoon of 20 May and came upon a badly injured Sheron as well as a bystander who was injured after intervening, according to a report from Military.com. Police arrested Butler a short time later after searching the area. Ross Garcia, a deputy district attorney, said the violence against Sheron was unprovoked, CBS8 reported. “It was a single punch to the jaw. The victim then falls to the floor, and there are subsequent hits to the victim’s head area, requiring the victim to be transported to the hospital,” Garcia said. Law enforcement officials have told media the motive is still under investigation but that investigators do not yet have information suggesting the incident was politically motivated. Sheron’s family has described it as a “brutal and unprovoked attack”.

The incident has sparked outrage, and Sheron’s wife and some public officials have suggested it was a result of his political beliefs. Brian Jones, California’s senate minority leader from San Diego, called Sheron’s death “unconscionable” and said he was “ruthlessly murdered” because of his support “freedom, patriotism, and our president”. “It was callous and it was evil. To kill an elderly man over his political beliefs is not only heartbreaking, it is un-American to its core,” Jones said in a statement. The San Diego district attorney’s office said that Butler will return to court on 3 June and is currently in custody without bail.

Source: California veteran known for pro-Trump display outside his home dies after assault | California | The Guardian

Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
Colossians 4:5-6

Finding Hope in Life’s Challenges

When life turns up the heat, your faith isn’t falling apart, it’s being revealed. What feels like pressure is actually God proving that what He placed in you can’t be destroyed.  Bible…

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Crews working California chemical leak in Orange County make cautious progress in overnight operation, officials say

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workers in a city

California firefighters made cautious progress during an all-night operation Sunday to test the pressure inside a cracked tank at the center of a toxic chemical leak in Orange County, officials told CBS News, as more than 50,000 people remain under evacuation orders. In an incident update posted on X, Orange County Fire Authority Interim Chief TJ McGovern said that crews would conduct the mission overnight to confirm that the “BLEVE threat,” or Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion, was eliminated.  “The BLEVE threat is the worst-case catastrophic event that we’ve been talking about. We are not there yet; we need to run this operation tonight,” McGovern said. “The worst-case scenario is still possible.” He said that an update in the morning would reveal the results of the overnight tank inspection to determine if pressure was released or if there was a vapor buildup inside the tank. 

As of 6:40 a.m. local time Monday, OCFA has not offered an update on the status of the operation. In an earlier post, McGovern said that crews discovered a crack in the tank on Saturday night, which could be due to a pressure release. He said that it could alter the strategy as crews search for a solution to the crisis. “With this new information, it could change our trajectory and our strategy to this event,” he said at the time. “Last night was a successful operation for this emerging incident.” The Orange County Fire Authority told CBS LA on Sunday evening that multiple cracks existed in the tank. But in a post to X later that night, the agency qualified those reports, saying: “To clarify, there is one known crack on the tank. There is also peeling of weather stripping on the exterior, but this is not an additional crack.”

Source: Crews working California chemical leak in Orange County make cautious progress in overnight operation, officials say – CBS Los Angeles

Make Your face shine upon Your servant; Save me for Your mercies’ sake.
Psalm 31:16

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California Gov. Newsom declares state of emergency for Orange County chemical leak as DA launches probe into its cause

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Update headline to Orange County chemical leak emergency

California Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in Orange County on Saturday as officials desperately search for a safe resolution to a leaking toxic chemical tank at an aerospace facility. “The safety of Orange County residents is the top priority,” Newsom said. “We are mobilizing every state resource available to support local responders and make sure the community has what they need to stay safe.” Orange County Fire Authority Incident Commander and Division Chief Craig Covey said that temperatures inside the tank continue to rise, creating a “significantly dangerous” situation spurring the evacuation of more than 50,000 residents, officials said.

It was previously believed that the temperatures were cooling inside the Garden Grove industrial tank, at GKN Aerospace, estimated to contain 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate. However, after crews embarked on a risky operation inside the danger zone, they learned temperatures were increasing at a rate of about one degree per hour. It was at 90 degrees on Friday night after starting the day at 77. “We did put people in harm’s way last night … with an attempt to go in and neutralize the additional tank,” Covey said in a video posted to X on Saturday, explaining that crews entered the zone in an attempt to ensure an additional tank near the leaking tank was stable. As the situation continued developing on Saturday, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer announced that his office had launched an investigation into the cause of the tank’s failure, asking whistleblowers in the community to come forward with information.

“I am indicating to employees who work at GKN: If you want to come forward and you want to be interviewed and you want to tell us what you know, now is the time,” Spitzer said. “When we launch an investigation, and we get to the bottom of what happened and why the system failed, if you haven’t come forward, you’re not gonna be treated the same as if you come forward early and you tell us what you know.”

Source: California Gov. Newsom declares state of emergency for Orange County chemical leak as DA launches probe into its cause – CBS Los Angeles

And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.
John 10:28-30

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The tale of a Ford, a nest, and a Robin

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american robin in lush green grass

A Ford dealership in Kansas can’t let a customer take home an already-bought F-250 Super Duty, and the reason is for the birds—quite literallySee, Olathe Ford of Olathe, Kansas, which posted its conundrum to Facebook, is dealing with an unusual circumstance: a robin has decided to make a nest and lay its eggs on the tire of an F-250. Turns out, those enormous tires and mighty wheel gap make a nice spot for a bird to raise its four babies. After noticing the nest, the dealership writes that it learned robins and their active nests are federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. In other words, the dealer can’t legally relocate the nest.

Source: Federally Protected Robin’s Nest Delays Ford F-250 Super Duty Sale in Kansas

Robin Williams as the American Flag

Robin Williams portrays the American flag in “I Love Liberty,” a two-hour television special created by Norman Lear and presented by People For the American Way. Source: (630) Robin Williams…

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The Story of America: John Adams

The White House Salute to America 250 Task Force has partnered with Hillsdale College to provide a history series that tells the remarkable story of American Independence. It will highlight…

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George Washington on Freedom of Speech

George Washington never wrote a single famous statement that exactly says “freedom of speech” in the way many internet memes claim. However, throughout his writings and public addresses, he strongly…

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Bain Fire burns over 1,400 acres, injures 4 in Southern California; evacuation orders issued

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fire of forest

A fire that originated in the Santa Ana River bed in Riverside County on Tuesday morning has injured multiple people and prompted evacuations, authorities said. According to Cal Fire, the blaze, dubbed the Bain Fire, started sometime before 11:30 a.m. near Bain Street and Limonite Avenue in the Mira Loma neighborhood of Jurupa Valley. The fire burned at least 250 acres as of 2:15 p.m. and was “burning in heavy fuels with a moderate rate of spread,” Cal Fire said.  As of 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Cal Fire said that the fire had consumed 1,456 acres and that containment was at 25%.

Firefighters also said that some structures had been burned, but that they weren’t able to confirm if they were outbuildings or other primary buildings.  “Air and ground resources will remain on scene overnight, working diligently to build containment lines around the perimeter of the fire. Air resources will also be assigned throughout the evening, dropping water and retardant,” Cal Fire officials said in their final evening update on Tuesday. A total of 100 personnel were assigned to the fire, as well as two helicopters and 22 engines, along with assistance from Cal Fire San Bernardino and San Diego crews and the Ontario and Riverside Fire departments.

Source: Bain Fire burns over 1,400 acres, injures 4 in Southern California; evacuation orders issued – CBS Los Angeles

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Eileen Wang resigns, will plead guilty to acting as Chinese agent

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SP Eileen Wang in handcuffs at press conference with police officer and media

A Southern California mayor has agreed to plead guilty to acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government, and has resigned from her city position, officials said Monday. Eileen Wang, the mayor of Arcadia, was charged in April with one count of acting in the United States as an illegal agent of a foreign government. She was accused of doing the bidding of Chinese officials, such as sharing articles favorable to Beijing, without prior notification to the US government as required by law. The 58-year-old was elected in November 2022 to a five-person city council, from which the mayor is selected on a rotating basis. City manager Dominic Lazzaretto said in a news release that no city finances or staff were involved.

“We want to be clear: this investigation concerns individual conduct, and the charges are for conduct that ceased after Ms. Wang was sworn into office in December 2022,” he said. Federal officials said she has agreed to plead guilty to the felony, which comes with a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. Wang’s attorneys Jason Liang and Brian Sun said in a statement that she recognizes the seriousness of the charge and accepts responsibility for “past personal mistakes.” “She apologizes and is sorry for the mistakes she has made in her personal life,” Wang’s attorneys Jason Liang and Brian Sun said in a statement. “Her love and devotion for the Arcadia community have not changed and did not waver.” According to her plea agreement, Wang and a colleague, Yaoning “Mike” Sun, worked on behalf of government officials for the People’s Republic of China from the end of 2020 to 2022 to promote their interests by promoting pro-PRC propaganda in the U.S. Sun is serving a four-year sentence after he pleaded guilty to the same charge last October.

He was also listed in campaign filings as the treasurer for Wang’s 2022 election campaign. Wang and Sun operated the news website U.S. News Center, aimed at the Chinese American community, and were instructed by Chinese government officials to post pro-PRC content on it. In one instance in June 2021, a government official sent Wang a link to a letter to the editor published in the Los Angeles Times written by the consul general of the People’s Republic of China in Los Angeles. The piece refuted reports of the persecution, forced labor, and abuse of Uyghers in China’s Xinjiang province, stating, “There has never been genocide in Xinjiang or forced labor in the region’s cotton fields or any other sector.”

Source: Eileen Wang resigns, will plead guilty to acting as Chinese agent | CNN

Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus.
Romans 15:5

States That Allow Bible in the Classroom

Texas public schools will now require students to read Bible passages and stories as part of the latest conservative push to expand the role of religion in public education—a move bound to escalate wrangling over the separation…

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Brush fire outside Dodger Stadium snarls traffic on 110 Freeway

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los angeles cityscape with dodger stadium at sunset

A brush fire near the 110 Freeway just outside Dodger Stadium caused “excessive delays into the downtown area” of Los Angeles, according to authorities. The Los Angeles Fire Department said the blaze was reported around 5:44 p.m. Saturday. It’s not yet clear what caused the fire, but it broke out near the southbound lanes of the 110 near Stadium Way. At 7:04 p.m., the LAFD said forward progress was stopped and responding crews were in the “mop up” phase. Between one and two acres burned. No injuries were reported or structures threatened. The LAFD said road and freeway closures were expected to take place, causing excessive traffic. As of 6:40 p.m. it’s not yet clear what, if any, closures have taken place.

Source: Brush fire outside Dodger Stadium snarls traffic on 110 Freeway – CBS Los Angeles

For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
Galatians 6:8

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Gopher Fire fully contained after burning nearly 70 acres in Riverside County

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dried grass on fire

Riverside County firefighters have fully contained the Gopher Fire, which broke out in southern Riverside County on Saturday afternoon and temporarily forced evacuation orders for some residents.  The blaze, which was reported at around 2:40 p.m. near Highway 79 and Sage Road in the Aguanga area, burned just about 67 acres before Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department crews reported 100% containment on Sunday night.  Evacuation orders were briefly issued for some residents living in the surrounding area. All residents have since been allowed to return home.  The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Source: Gopher Fire fully contained after burning nearly 70 acres in Riverside County – CBS Los Angeles

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Matthew 16:26

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5 different view points on the current gerrymandering SCOTUS decision

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map of the united states of america in a book

The current SCOTUS gerrymandering decision is Louisiana v. Callais (decided April 29, 2026), a 6-3 ruling along ideological lines. The conservative majority (opinion by Justice Samuel Alito) struck down Louisiana’s congressional map, which had added a second majority-Black district to comply with Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA). The Court held that the map was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander because race predominated over traditional districting criteria, violating the Equal Protection Clause.

It sharply limited states’ ability to consider race when drawing maps to avoid diluting minority voting power under the VRA, without fully invalidating Section 2. scotusblog.com +1The decision comes amid a broader 2025–2026 redistricting battle (including Texas maps allowed earlier in 2026) and could prompt Republican-led states to redraw maps, potentially shifting several Southern House seats ahead of the 2026 midterms. washingtonpost.com

Here are five distinct viewpoints drawn from reactions across the political and legal spectrum:

  1. Conservative / Color-Blind Constitution View (Majority Opinion & Republican Leaders): This ruling correctly enforces the Equal Protection Clause by rejecting race-based map-drawing that treats voters as racial blocs rather than individuals. Section 2 of the VRA does not require (or justify) creating majority-minority districts that ignore traditional criteria like compactness; doing so amounts to unconstitutional racial stereotyping and “proportional representation by race.” It prevents courts from forcing states into racial gerrymanders and restores neutrality in redistricting. foxnews.com +1
  2. Liberal / Voting Rights Protection View (Justice Kagan’s Dissent & Democratic Analysts): The decision effectively guts a core provision of the VRA that Congress reauthorized with overwhelming bipartisan support, making it “all but a dead letter” for protecting minority voters. By severely restricting race-conscious remedies despite persistent racially polarized voting (especially in the South), the conservative majority substitutes its policy preferences for Congress’s and ignores decades of precedent, handing white voters disproportionate power and enabling future dilution of Black and Latino voting strength. nytimes.com +1
  3. Civil Rights Advocates / Minority Voting Power View (NAACP, Brennan Center, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights): This is a devastating blow to the VRA and a betrayal of Black and Brown voters. The Court brushed aside evidence of ongoing discrimination, greenlighting Republican-led efforts to dismantle majority-minority districts and systematically dilute minority influence. It opens the floodgates to racial gerrymandering by states seeking partisan advantage while claiming “color-blindness,” undermining hard-won civil rights gains. americanprogress.org +1
  4. Partisan/Electoral Strategy View (GOP Officials & Election Analysts): A major practical win for Republicans that could flip 6–9+ House seats (and more state legislative seats) in Southern and border states by allowing maps that reflect actual voter preferences without forced racial balancing. It levels the playing field after years of VRA lawsuits that disproportionately hurt GOP map-drawers and accelerates the ongoing redistricting “arms race” ahead of 2026 midterms. axios.com +1
  5. Legal Scholar / Institutional Critique View (SCOTUSblog-style analysis & some election-law experts): The ruling narrows—but does not eliminate—Section 2’s role in redistricting by tightening the Gingles preconditions and strict scrutiny for race-predominant maps. While it avoids fully striking down the VRA (as some conservatives like Justice Thomas urged in concurrence), it heightens the tension between racial and partisan gerrymandering (the latter remains non-justiciable federally per Rucho). Expect more litigation, state-level redraws, and debates over whether this truly advances equal protection or just shifts power dynamics. scotusblog.com +1

These perspectives reflect deep divisions over race, representation, and judicial role in democracy. The full opinion and dissents are available on the Supreme Court’s website for primary-source reading.

Source: Grok by Twitter

I cried to Him with my mouth, And He was extolled with my tongue.
Psalm 66:17

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Driverless cars in California can now get traffic tickets under new DMV rules

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Police officer issuing a ticket to a robot driver in an orange sports car

For the first time, autonomous vehicles in California, such as Waymo robotaxis, can effectively be cited for breaking traffic laws. The new Department of Motor Vehicles regulations allow law enforcement agencies to issue notices of traffic violations to autonomous vehicle companies when their cars commit moving violations. The rules also require companies to respond to calls from police, firefighters and other emergency officials within 30 seconds.

Ahmed Banafa, an engineering professor at San Jose State University, said the rules could force companies to improve. “That’s going to force them to do it better, because this is the only way they can force a company to do better,” Banafa said. The changes come after several high-profile problems involving autonomous vehicles in San Francisco, including Waymo vehicles stalling and blocking intersections during a blackout in December. The San Francisco Fire Department has also repeatedly complained about driverless cars entering emergency zones and affecting responses. Under the new rules, AV companies can face penalties if their vehicles drive through active emergency zones. The Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association, which represents Waymo’s industry interests, did not specifically address the ticketing provisions but praised the broader DMV regulations.

“Autonomous vehicle innovators operating in California have a clear, workable path to test and deploy, ensuring the state will continue to benefit from autonomous technology through safer roads, enhanced accessibility, and strengthened supply chains,” said Jeff Farrah, the group’s CEO.

Source: Driverless cars in California can now get traffic tickets under new DMV rules – CBS San Francisco

For the word of the LORD is right, And all His work is done in truth.
Psalm 33:4

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Video shows bear cub trapped inside a Southern California storm drain, another stuck in tree

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mother black bear and cub in alaska forest

Video shows a mother bear looking up at a tree in Monrovia, where her two cubs are playing around in the branches. Before they made it up the tree, one of them had been stuck up in front of someone’s house for three days and the other little one fell into a storm drain earlier and needed help crawling back out.  Anna Howie and her dog Loki have been checking in on the bear family for days.

She says the mother bear has been going up in the tree to nurse the cub that won’t come down.  “This is the way we like to see it done where they just monitor the situation because eventually that baby will come down,” Howie said.  Howie says the cub stuck in the tree has been crying and making “horrible noises.” “She just scaled that tree, sat up there and nursed her baby and then the other one saw what was going on and went up and started nursing as well,” Howie said. Cort Klopping, a spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, says the mother bear is working to get her cubs together.

The CDFW says their biologists are in the neighborhood monitoring the situation and they’re hoping the cub will eventually learn their mother’s lesson and climb down with her. “Our biologists might need to capture and relocate the bears together to a nearby suitable habitat within their home range so they’re familiar with the habitat and know where to forage,” Klopping said. That’s comforting news to neighbors. Many are still upset about a different Monrovia mother bear named Blondie, who was recently euthanized after the CDFW linked her to two human encounters where she reportedly swatted at people. Her cubs were relocated to the San Diego Humane Society. 

Source: Video shows bear cub trapped inside a Southern California storm drain, another stuck in tree – CBS Los Angeles

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
Romans 1:17

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