SF Giants make another late splash, add Cy Young winner Blake Snell: reports

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — With less than two weeks until Opening Day, the Giants reportedly made one of their biggest additions of the offseason Monday evening. Blake Snell, the reigning National League Cy Young winner, will reunite with manager Bob Melvin and shore up a depleted starting rotation, according to multiple reports. The deal, first reported by the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, is for a reported two years and $62 million with an opt out after this season. Pending a physical, the deal has not been officially announced by the team. Snell, 31, joins third baseman Matt Chapman as an exclamation point on the Giants’ offseason, bringing their total commitments north of $300 million, second only to the Dodgers. Like Chapman, Snell is a client of superagent Scott Boras who didn’t receive the nine-figure deal he was originally seeking. Playing the waiting game paid off for the Giants, who now feature the top two finishers in last year’s National League Cy Young voting at the top of their rotation. A two-time Cy Young winner, Snell should slot into the No. 2 spot in the rotation

Down to the wire: Joe Simitian leads Evan Low by 12 votes in race to replace U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo

After nearly two weeks of counting ballots, Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian leads state Assemblymember Evan Low by just 12 votes in California’s Congressional District 16 race. The two veteran lawmakers are vying for a spot in the November general election to face former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, who safely secured first place last week among the crowded field wanting to replace U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo. Simitian started out ahead on election night, but last week, Low was able to close the gap and move into second place. Yet another lead change occurred on Friday when Simitian surpassed Low. As of Monday evening, the margin between the two — less than one-tenth of a percent — was at its smallest to date. San Mateo County said Monday that it had 20 ballots left to count in addition to 680 challenged ballots that will need to be cured by April 2. Santa Clara County did not release an update on unprocessed ballots on Monday, but the county could have as many as 1,200 challenged ballots that had signature issues or other problems that will

San Jose exorcism death: Detective testimony about child ritual opens preliminary hearing

SAN JOSE — Three people facing charges of killing a 3-year-old girl during an alleged exorcism at a San Jose church had believed she was “possessed by a demon,” so they engaged in a ritual to “liberate” the child, a police lieutenant testified Monday. One reason the girl could have been possessed, the lead police investigator said on the stand, was that her family believed she might have seen something sinister on her mother’s cell phone. The hours-long testimony of San Jose Police Department Lt. J.J. Vallejo began a preliminary hearing to determine whether a case against Claudia Hernandez, Rene Trigueros Hernandez and Rene Hernandez Santos — the girl’s mother, grandfather and uncle, respectively — should proceed to trial. The hearing before Judge Hanley Chew in a San Jose courtroom is expected to last several days. All three are charged with felony child abuse resulting in death related to the Sept. 24, 2021 death of Arely Naomi Proctor at a 25-member Pentecostal church south of downtown led by Trigueros Hernandez. Arely’s mother was first arrested in early 2022, followed a few months later by Trigueros Hernandez and

Oakland mayor touts public safety successes as stats tell a somewhat encouraging story

OAKLAND — The city has witnessed continuous fallout from its struggles with crime, but somewhat encouraging recent data trends led Oakland’s leaders on Monday to suggest that their efforts to turn things around may be paying off. Mayor Sheng Thao’s office is especially keen on promoting the work being done to quell crime in the area near the city’s airport, which centers around Hegenberger Road. The commercial district has been plagued by a long history of burglaries and robberies that’s led businesses to shutter — including an In-N-Out burger location whose upcoming closure has drawn national headlines. But community leaders say the situation is starting to improve, and they credit a $250,000 investment by the city last year in the nonprofit group Black Cultural Zone, which pays 35 “safety ambassadors” to bolster foot traffic on sidewalks and offer resources to those in need. Meanwhile, an ongoing expansion into Oakland by the California Highway Patrol, which since last month has made 168 arrests throughout the city, has involved some focused enforcement on Hegenberger Road. More security cameras have been installed in the area, including at the

‘Access Hollywood’ tape won’t be played at Donald Trump’s hush-money criminal trial, judge rules

FILE – Former President Donald Trump leaves Manhattan criminal court, Feb. 15, 2024, in New York. Judge Juan Manuel Merchan agreed Friday, March 16, to delay former President Donald Trump’s hush-money criminal trial in New York until mid-April after his lawyers said they needed more time to sift through new evidence. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File) Judge Juan Merchan poses for a picture in his chambers in New York, Thursday, March 14, 2024. Merchan could become the first judge ever to oversee a former U.S. president’s criminal trial. He’s presiding over Donald Trump’s hush money case in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) By MICHAEL R. SISAK (Associated Press)

Videos show hail, lightning in San Diego County

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Ominous clouds produced eerie weather in some parts of San Diego County on Monday. Around 1 p.m., the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of southeastern San Diego County until 2 p.m. Those communities included El Cajon, La Mesa, Santee, Bonita and Ramona. FOX 5/KUSI viewers sent in photos and videos of lightning, hail and dark clouds. One of the videos shows a viewer from Harbinson Canyon capture lightning strike the top of a mountain, while another shows lightning strike close to what appears to be powerlines in San Diego. In Jamul, hail could be seen pelting the ground, resembling somewhat of a winter wonderland at a quick glance. Watch the videos in the player above. A viewer submitted photos of a plane on a runway at Palomar Airport with lightning in the backdrop.  Lighting strikes near Palomar Airport on March 18, 2024. (Ryan Grothe) Around 4:07 p.m., NWS San Diego released a graphic of the total number of lightning strikes in Southern California, with purple representing cloud to cloud and in cloud, while orange is

San Diego International Airport experiencing dozens of flight delays

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The San Diego International Airport announced on Monday it is experiencing some flight delays after storms passed through parts of San Diego County earlier in the afternoon. As of 5:30 p.m., there are 48 arrival delays and 29 departure delays, according to SAN’s website. Severe thunderstorm warning issued for parts of San Diego County The San Diego airport advises customers to check with their airlines for up-to-date flight information before heading to the airport. Monday’s storm brought hail, lightning and thunder to the San Diego area. Check back for updates on this developing story.

Supreme Court extends block on Texas law that would allow police to arrest migrants

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday continued to block, for now, a Texas law that would give police broad powers to arrest migrants suspected of illegally entering the U.S. while the legal battle it sparked over immigration authority plays out. A one-page order signed by Justice Samuel Alito indefinitely prevents Texas from enforcing a sweeping state immigration enforcement law that had been set to take effect this month. The language of the order strongly suggests the court will take additional action, but it is unclear when. It marks the second time Alito has extended a pause on the law, known as Senate Bill 4, which the Justice Department has argued would step on the federal government’s immigration powers. Monday’s order extending the stay came a few minutes after a 5 p.m. deadline the court had set for itself, creating momentary confusion about the measure’s status. Opponents have called the law the most dramatic attempt by a state to police immigration since an Arizona law more than a decade ago, portions of which were struck down by the Supreme Court. The court battle is

Southland top 20 softball rankings

(Vera Nieuwenhuis / Associated Press) March 18, 2024 5:27 PM PT The high school softball top 20 rankings for The Times by CalHiSports.com. (Previous rank in parentheses) 1. (1) Garden Grove Pacifica 10-0 2. (3) Huntington Beach 7-1 3. (4) Murrieta Mesa 14-2 4. (5) Orange Lutheran 8-2 5. (6) Riverside Poly 18-1-1 6. (2) Norco 11-3 7. (8) Los Alamitos 10-3 8. (14) West Torrance 14-3 9. (NR) Mission Viejo 9-2-1 10. (13) Oaks Christian 8-2 11. (19) California 14-2 12. (NR) Anaheim Canyon 12-2 13. (7) La Mirada 11-3-2 14. (9) Marina 10-4-1 15. (12) Granada Hills 11-1 16. (18) Millikan 9-6 17. (NR) JSerra 10-9 18. (16) El Modena 11-3 19. (NR) Rio Mesa 11-1 20. (NR) Valencia 11-3 Get our high school sports newsletter Prep Rally is devoted to the SoCal high school sports experience, bringing you scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Eric Sondheimer is the prep sports columnist for the Los Angeles Times. He has been honored seven times by the

She sold his Encino home out from under him for $1.5 million. Then he killed himself

Miracle Williams detailed to a federal judge the dire situation that led to her partner’s suicide. She talked about the woman she holds responsible for his death. Robert Tascon had been embroiled in a legal dispute since 2021, Williams said through tears, over a house he owned in a beautiful, exclusive area in Encino. That September, investigators say, a woman named Caroline Herrling fraudulently sold his house out from under him for $1.5 million. Herrling, 44, pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and was sentenced Friday by Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong to 20 years in federal prison. “He was trying to sell the house so we could start our lives over,” Williams told the judge during Herrling’s sentencing hearing, her voice cracking with emotion. “The situation made him feel helpless.” Tascon came from a wealthy family that set up two trusts for him in California, according to a U.S. Postal Inspection Service report. They provided enough money for him to spend freely, Travis Hartgraves, a lawyer and case manager for Tascon, told investigators last year. But Tascon developed an alcohol problem

L.A. authorities accuse Rebecca Grossman of ‘illegal conduct’ from jail, her legal team of jury tampering

Prosecutors want Rebecca Grossman’s access to jailhouse phones cut off after they say she encouraged illegal conduct and her team attempted to tamper with jurors who convicted her of double murder. Deputy Dist. Atty. Ryan Gould and his colleague Jamie Castro filed a motion Monday that detailed several jailhouse calls Grossman had with her daughter and husband since her Feb. 23 conviction for killing two young brothers in a crosswalk while speeding on a residential Westlake Village street. According to court documents, Grossman told her daughter, Alexis, to make public a deputy-worn body-camera video that had been sealed by the judge and to direct another person to talk to the judge about a new trial. She also encouraged tracking down witnesses to get them to say their testimony was directed. The jury last month found Grossman, 60, guilty of two counts of murder, two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter and one count of hit and run in the 2020 deaths of Mark and Jacob Iskander, ages 11 and 8. She faces 34 years to life in prison at sentencing. Gould and Castro wrote that two

Long Police arrest suspect in October 2023 murder

The Long Beach Police Department has made an arrest in the October 2023 murder of a 33-year-old man. Authorities say Joseph Ballard, 23, is responsible for the shooting death of Thomas Ferguson, a resident of Fontana. The shooting happened on Oct. 22, 2023, around 2:30 p.m. in the area of 14th Street and Long Beach Boulevard. When officers responded, they found Ferguson suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries. Police say the investigation revealed that Ballard and Ferguson got into some kind of altercation which led to shots being fired. It’s unclear if they knew each other. Authorities say there were several witnesses in the area at the time of the shooting, but they were unable to pinpoint a suspect. As the investigation continued, police say Ballard became a focal point. The 23-year-old was arrested in November 2023 for a separate incident, for which he was sentenced to a state prison. Detectives presented the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office last month, and Ballard was transported from the prison to

L.A. golfers outraged by online brokers snatching up tee times

Golfers in Los Angeles are tee’d off about “brokers,” or artificial intelligence bots, securing tee times before golfers can even purchase them at public courses across the city. The city’s Golf Advisory Committee held a meeting on Monday to discuss the issue at their headquarters, where frustrated golfers voiced their concerns. Many came to discuss the lack of access and increasing costs because bots are swapping up tee times before members of the public can book them, similar to sports events and concert tickets. Dave Fink, a local golf coach and content creator, has started the #FreetheTee movement, to help thwart the plans of these “brokers,” who often sell them at a $10 to $20 markup.  “I have created some of my best memories at L.A. city golf courses,” Fink said. “I’ve met some of my best friends here. I learned how to play golf on these golf courses. As someone who was of lesser means at the time, it was invaluable to me to be able to get into the sport.”  Fink often addresses the high cost of entry to golf, costing upwards of thousands

Long Beach residents frustrated after shooting, mall brawl

After an eventful few weeks that saw multiple serious incidents occur in Long Beach, local residents are speaking out about public safety. Over the weekend, a meet-up amongst mostly juveniles turned violent, when two females got into a fistfight and were arrested. The owners of The Pike Outlets elected to close early due to the chaotic event. A short time later, a 16-year-old boy was found with a gunshot wound to his leg near The Pike. Police have released no details about a possible suspect in the shooting. Long Beach Police knew about the large meet-up ahead of time through a viral social media post and had extra officers on standby in the area. Chief Wally Hebeish released a statement Sunday saying he was “proud” of how authorities handled the situation. These two events are the latest in what has been an eventful few weeks in Long Beach. Longtime resident Don Rock lives in the area and is fed up with the criminal activity. “It’s making Long Beach look bad,” Rock said to KTLA’s Jennifer McGraw. “I come down here every day. I live within

6th grade girl brutally attacked by classmate at Southern California school

A middle school student in Riverside County could be facing misdemeanor assault and battery charges after an alleged unprovoked and violent attack on a sixth-grade girl that was captured on cellphone cameras.   The incident, according to the Riverside Police Department, occurred on Mar. 15 just before 3 p.m. at Arizona Middle School located at 11045 Arizona Ave.   “The fight goes on for about two minutes,” the victim’s mother, identified only as Jazmin, told KTLA’s Shelby Nelson. “Nobody came to help my daughter; no student came to stop this at all. So, she was left alone.”   Footage of the fight, which can be difficult to watch, shows a classmate of the sixth-grade girl step in from behind, pull her back by the hair and start punching her as other students surround them and film the attack on their phones.   “I couldn’t even watch the full video,” Jazmin said. “It was really hard. I just thank God that my daughter’s alive.”   In another video obtained by KTLA, the student that jumped Jazmin’s daughter appears to be preparing for the attack while a

Famine expert analyzes humanitarian crisis in Gaza

Famine expert analyzes humanitarian crisis in Gaza – CBS News Watch CBS News A new U.N.-backed report warns famine is imminent in northern Gaza, with people suffering “catastrophic levels of hunger.” Alex de Waal, executive director of the World Peace Foundation, joins CBS News to discuss what’s happening and what can be done. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Supreme Court wary of limiting federal contact with social media sites

Supreme Court wary of limiting federal contact with social media sites – CBS News Watch CBS News The Supreme Court appeared skeptical during Monday’s oral arguments over whether contact between the federal government and social media platforms should be limited. CBS News legal contributor Jessica Levinson explains. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Trump’s lawyers say he can’t secure $464M bond in civil fraud case

Trump’s lawyers say he can’t secure $464M bond in civil fraud case – CBS News Watch CBS News Lawyers for former President Donald Trump say it’s a “practical impossibility” he will be able to post the $464 million bond needed to pause the ruling in his New York civil fraud case. CBS News chief election and campaign correspondent Robert Costa has more on Trump’s money woes. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Morongo tribe donates $5 million to San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital Foundation

The San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital Foundation has received a $5 million donation from the Morongo Band of Mission Indians. The contribution will help San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital create a women’s health program and improve its obstetrics, gynecology, breast health and women’s wellness programs, a news release states. Members of the Morongo Tribal Council present a $5 million check to the San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital Foundation at a Thursday, March 14, 2024, ceremony. (Courtesy of Morongo Band of Mission Indians) San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital Dr. Karan Singh speaks at a Thursday, March 14, 2024, ceremony at which the Morongo Band of Mission Indians announced a $5 million donation to help establish a women’s health program at the Banning hospital. (Courtesy of Morongo Band of Mission Indians) Morongo Tribal Council Member Mary Ann Andreas discusses the tribe’s $5 million donation to the San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital Foundation at a Thursday, March 14, 2024, ceremony. (Courtesy of Morongo Band of Mission Indians) Show Caption of Expand The gift is the second largest donation received by the foundation. Morongo’s $5.6 million contribution to the foundation in 2022 remains the

The Warriors, Rakuten ‘Future Leaders Experience’ empowers young women entering the workforce

By Janel Andronico & Victoria Vallecorse Tuesday, March 19, 2024 12:13AM Here’s what to know about the Warriors and Rakuten’s 2-day mentorship experience that’s empowering the next generation of workplace leaders. SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors and Rakuten have celebrated their annual mentorship event known as the “Future Leaders Experience.” This March marks 6 years of the program, and it’s all to empower the next generation of women entering the workforce. “This is our opportunity to bring young women from Girls Inc. together with mentors both from the Rakuten and the Warriors organizations,” expressed Yoyo Murphy, the Senior VP of Government and Community Relations for the Warriors/Chase Center. The 2-day experience includes professional development opportunities, a shopping experience, and job shadowing. In addition, program participants are afforded various networking opportunities from speaking with a panel of powerful women leaders to meeting fellow young women embarking on career journeys. “Socializing with our mentors, our mentees, we’re getting to know each other, and it’s just a really fun and useful experience,” described Mia Sanchez, a mentee from the Girls Inc. of Alameda organization. Participants are in high

Kate Middleton seen walking with Prince William amid photo editing controversy

Kate, the Princess of Wales, is seen in a new video with Prince William as the pair visited a local farm shop over the weekend in Windsor, England. The video, newly obtained by TMZ and shared on Monday, is the first video footage the public has seen of Kate since she was hospitalized in mid-January for what Kensington Palace described at the time as < planned abdominal surgery. It is also only the third time Kate has been seen in public since late December as questions continue to swirl online about her health and well-being. Maggie Rulli has details from Buckingham Palace. The U.K.'s The Sun newspaper was the first to report that Kate was seen over the weekend looking "happy, relaxed and healthy" as she went about her day-to-day life in Windsor, where she and William live with their three children, Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte. In addition to visiting a local farm shop together, Kate and William also reportedly watched their three kids play sports, according to The Sun. RELATED: The Princess of Wales controversy has only gotten worse Since January