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Apology letter found after US citizens killed in Mexico

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:44 GMT

By ALFREDO PEÑA (Associated Press)CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico (AP) — A letter claiming to be from the Mexican drug cartel blamed for abducting four Americans and killing two of them condemned the violence and said the gang turned over to authorities its own members who were responsible.In a letter obtained by The Associated Press through a Tamaulipas state law enforcement source, the Scorpions faction of the Gulf cartel apologized to the residents of Matamoros where the Americans were kidnapped, the Mexican woman who died in the shooting, and the four Americans and their families.Drug cartels have been known to issue communiques to intimidate rivals and authorities, but also at times like these to do some public relations work to try to smooth over situations that could affect their business.“We have decided to turn over those who were directly involved and responsible in the events, who at all times acted under their own decision-making and lack of discipline,” t...

Roaring dinosaurs, Dragon Boat Film Fest, “Cinderella” and more things to do in Denver this weekend

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:44 GMT

Colorado Dragon Boat Film FestThrough Sunday. The program for the 8th Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival looks as robust as ever, with narrative features, documentaries, shorts, and special events that, as organizers say, “celebrate the stories of Asian and Asian Pacific American communities.”Following the Thursday, March 9, opening night feature (“Arnold Is a Model Student”), the fest will offer a daily schedule of screenings and community conversations, with a mix of titles both mainstream (“RRR”) and under-the-radar (“Ajooman,” “My Best Friend’s Breakfast”).Various daily screenings and events at the Sie FilmCenter, 2510 E. Colfax. Ave. in Denver. Tickets: $15 per screening via coloradodragonboatfilmfestival.eventive.org/welcomeDenver Jewish Film FestivalSaturday-March 19. Not to be outdone is Denver’s 27th Jewish Film Festival, which opens Saturday, March 11 with a VIP reception followed by the French film &#...

Former Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis censured by Colorado legal officials for falsehoods about election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:44 GMT

Jenna Ellis, a former attorney for Donald Trump‘s reelection campaign and a prominent conservative media figure, has been censured by Colorado legal officials after admitting she made repeated false statements about the 2020 presidential election.Ellis acknowledged making 10 “misrepresentations” on television and Twitter during Trump’s fight to stay in power after losing the 2020 election to President Joe Biden, according to the censure from the office of attorney regulation counsel in Colorado, where Ellis is from. The statements include claiming on Jeanine Pirro’s Fox News show on Dec. 5, 2020 that “we have over 500,000 votes (in Arizona) that were cast illegally” and telling the conservative network Newsmax on Dec. 15 that Trump was “the true and proper victor.”On November 20, 2020, Ellis appeared on the Newsmax show of former Trump spokesman Sean Spicer and said: “with all those states (Nevada, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia) combined we know that the election was st...

Storm headed for Southern California brings potential for flooding, significant snowmelt

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:44 GMT

Another storm system is headed to Southern California, bringing the potential for flooding, damaging winds and hazardous driving conditions.Showers will arrive beginning Thursday night and will continue through Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.In Los Angeles and Ventura counties, light to moderate rain is expected, with rainfall totals expected to total 0.75 to 1.5 inches.Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties will receive moderate to heavy rainfall during the storm with expected totals of 2-4 inches. In Northwest San Luis Obispo County, 5-10 inches are forecasted.Higher elevations, mostly above 10,000 feet, will see snowfall this weekend with “significant avalanche danger at about 5,000 feet,” said NWS. Areas 5,000 and below can expect significant snowmelt due to warmer temperatures and rain.“We have a couple more storms heading our way,” said KTLA Meteorologist Vera Jimenez. “So even though the snow levels will remain high, there will be the possibility the ...

Battery charges filed against former student accused of sexually assaulting girls at Burbank High School

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:44 GMT

A 22-year-old man arrested in a series of assaults at Burbank High School has been formally charged, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced Thursday.Patrick Nazarian of Glendale, who is accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and attacking two other girls at the school on Monday, faces charges of felony sexual battery by restraint and child molesting and battery, the District Attorney's Office said in a news release. Nazarian, a former student at the school, is believed to have entered through a parking lot and an unlocked door, then followed the 14-year-old girl into the restroom, where the alleged assault took place. Burbank High School sexual assault suspect arrested  Nazarian also allegedly groped another 14-year-old girl near a stairwell and "pulled on" a 17-year-old girl who resisted, then told a teacher. School employees captured Nazarian and held him until officers arrived, police said.“Schools are meant to be a sanctuary for our children wh...

Roger Dean Dies in DUI Crash on Highway 168 [Fresno, CA]

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:44 GMT

38-Year-Old DUI Driver Pronounced Dead Following Car Accident near Auberry RoadFRESNO, CA (March 9, 2023) – Sunday night, police responded to a DUI crash that claimed the life of Roger Dean.The incident happened just after 10:00 p.m., March 5th, on Highway 168 near Auberry Road.Investigation showed that 38-year-old Dean was driving a Chevrolet Silverado traveling eastbound on Hwy 168.According to Officer Mike Salas, Dean was driving impaired and not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.Furthermore, the Chevy drove north off the road and crashed into a dirt embankment before it rolled over.Consequently, Dean was ejected from the vehicle and died due to his injuries. The Chevy blocked both directions on a two-lane way.Meanwhile, a 17-year-old occupant of the Chevy suffered minor wounds and an 18-year-old suffered serious injuries and was later transported to Community Regional Medical Center.Police have identified impairment as a factor in the incident. An active investig...

Sharks-Blues pregame: Quinn looks for response after embarrassing loss, talks NHL fine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:44 GMT

Goalie Kaapo Kahkonen and the San Jose Sharks will look to bounce back from one of their most lopsided losses of the season Thursday when they face the St. Louis Blues to close out a three-game road trip.The Sharks were pummeled 6-0 by the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday in Denver as they managed just 13 shots net and were shut out for the third time this season. Kahkonen was pulled early in the second period after he allowed five goals on 24 shots as he struggled for the second straight outing.“They weren’t happy. They were (ticked). They were embarrassed. And we’ll find out how (ticked) and embarrassed they we’re at about 9:30 tonight,” Sharks coach David Quinn said Thursday morning. “It’s nice to say (you’re) embarrassed, but you’ve got to do something about it, and we get a chance to do something about it tonight and win a road trip.”The Sharks are not making any lineup changes as defenseman Derrick Pouliot will play in his second straight game since he was...

Map: These 16 Tesla crashes are part of a federal investigation into Autopilot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:44 GMT

Sixteen Tesla crashes are the focus of a federal investigation into incidents in which a car using Autopilot ran into a stationary emergency vehicle on a highway.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a preliminary evaluation in August 2021 and upgraded it to an engineering analysis in June 2022.All the Teslas in the cases under study were confirmed to have been using Autopilot or Traffic Aware Cruise Control. Most of the crashes were at night, and flashing lights, flares or cones had been deployed near the stopped vehicles.The crashes caused one death — a Tesla passenger — and 15 injuries.The August 2021 summary from the agency’s Office of Defects Investigation included these findings:• Collision warnings were activated in the majority of incidents immediately before impact, and Automatic Emergency Braking intervened in about half of them.• On average, Autopilot aborted vehicle control less than 1 second before the first impact.• Where incident ...

Police: Man dies in Oakland hills vehicle collision while fleeing attempted robbery scene

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:44 GMT

OAKLAND — A 23-year-old robbery suspect died Wednesday afternoon when the vehicle he was driving crashed into a tree in an Oakland hills neighborhood, authorities said.A second suspect, a man, fled the scene on foot and was being sought, authorities said.The name of the man who died was not immediately released and police were trying to confirm where he lived.The fatal crash happened about 12:13 p.m. Wednesday in the 5900 block of Buena Vista Avenue, a residential neighborhood in the Upper Rockridge area.Authorities said the two men had tried to rob a resident in the area of his computer, which they grabbed from his vehicle. The victim confronted the suspects and was able to get the computer back from them before they started driving away from the scene, authorities said.While the pair were fleeing, the car they were in crashed into a tree on the driver’s side, ejecting the 23-year-old and causing fatal injuries, authorities said.The second man fled before police arrived...

Perfect Picnic Spots: The summit of Mount Diablo

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:44 GMT

Heading up the twisty mountain road that winds up mighty Mount Diablo is enough to make you lunge for a thesaurus. How many ways can one say “hairpin curve” or “twisting road”? The coiling road, the enfolding curves,  the — it’s twisty, people. Best to gaze out at the spectacular views, instead, and ignore the convolutions, because endless horizons await.At 3,849 feet, Mount Diablo may not be the highest mountain in the Bay Area — that honor goes to Santa Clara County’s Mount Hamilton. But from the summit on a clear day, you can see all the way out to the Farallon Islands, north to Mount Lassen, south to Hamilton and Loma Prieta and see 40 of California’s 58 counties. You can catch a glimpse of early aviation history, too.Commercial aviation was still new back in 1928, when a navigation beacon was placed atop the mountain. Charles Lindbergh had made his historic solo Atlantic crossing the year before. San Francisco Airport was celebrat...