FTC to return nearly $100M to buyers of Benefytt’s fake health plans

MoneyWatch By Anne Marie Lee Edited By Alain Sherter March 19, 2024 / 7:02 AM EDT / CBS News Americans struggling to pay for health care Many working-age Americans struggling to pay for health care 05:15 The Federal Trade Commission is sending refunds to consumers it says bought into fake health plans falsely marketed by Benefytt Technologies as comprehensive health insurance or an Obamacare plan under the Affordable Care Act. Benefytt, operating under various names such as Health Insurance Innovations, used aggressive marketing and fraudulent websites in a scheme to lure consumers in search of health insurance into buying bogus policies with high monthly fees, according to the FTC’s August 2022 complaint. After buying the bad insurance, which offered little coverage, Benefytt customers where often billed for additional items they never agreed to purchase, even if they had requested a cancellation. In addition to being billed hundreds of dollars monthly, Benefytt customers often racked up huge medical bills under the belieft they were protected by their insurance, according to the agency. “Benefytt pocketed millions selling sham insurance to seniors and other consumers looking for health coverage,”

Man convicted after DNA from gum links him to 1980 murder

Crime Updated on: March 19, 2024 / 7:13 AM EDT / CBS/AP Tracing family trees to catch killers Inside the genetic genealogy being used to solve crimes 13:49 A man living in the suburbs of Portland, Oregon, has been found guilty in the 1980 cold case murder of a 19-year-old college student after DNA from a piece of chewing gum linked him to the crime. Multnomah County Circuit Judge Amy Baggio on Friday found Robert Plympton, 60, guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Barbara Mae Tucker, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release on Monday. Plympton was not convicted of rape or sexual abuse because prosecutors failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that it happened while she was still alive, the judge said. A medical examiner determined Tucker had been sexually assaulted and beaten to death. Authorities said the break in the case came from DNA technology that was not available over 40 years ago.https://t.co/oi1ounOLfN — KOIN News (@KOINNews) March 18, 2024 In 2021, a genealogist with Parabon Nanolabs using DNA technology identified Plympton as likely linked to

Music Tonight: Tuesday, March 19

Don’t ask me how, but we have hit the shoreline of the second season of the year and considering the windy wake of this winter’s wet wallop, not a moment too soon. There are many ways to celebrate this shift, from the internal reset to the journal entry to a nude, screaming barbaric yawp and plop into a body of cold water. But my beat is music so I’ll stay in my lane. If you happen to be a fan of soulful roots rock and jazzy jam music, you might want to go to Humbrews to check out the Jennifer Hartswick Band, the leader of which is a singer and trumpet player known for her work with Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio in his solo band, among other acts. Bay Area jam band six-piece Wreckless Strangers provide a lot of real groovy support at 8 p.m. ($25). …

Burroughs, Jones, Walker appear to nail down supervisor victories

On Friday, the Tehama County elections office released its fifth unofficial update, and it appears that the three supervisor races are over. The latest update shows that out of the 37,020 voters in the county, about 15,190 cast a vote. That means the county had about 41% voter turnout. According to the county, there are still 429 votes left to be counted county-wide, and officials expect the next update to be on March 20 at about 5 PM. Supervisor 1st District In the first supervisor district race, which was the closest of the three races, Red Bluff Vice Mayor Kris Deiters closed the gap slightly on Rob Burroughs, but she still trails by 176 votes with 429 votes left to count countywide, according to the elections office. Burroughs now has 1,608 votes, or 52.89% of the vote, while Deiters has 1,432, or 47.11%. Incidentally, 707 voters chose not to vote in that race. Supervisor 2nd District Tom Walker increased his lead over incumbent supervisor Candy Carlson despite having his overall percentage dip by a bit because Johnna Jones saw her percentage of the vote increase.

Support the Cenergy power solar project | Letters

Cenergy Power’s application to install a solar panel array near the Red Bluff airport should be welcomed by the city and my fellow residents. The array would add clean power to our power grid and perhaps reduce electrical bills for some of our citizens. Recent editorials by proponents of fossil fuel power plants make the point that renewables, such as solar and wind cannot reliably supply our electrical power needs. That is certainly true at this time in the development of clean energy sources. However, there is one immutable fact about fossil fuels that proponents neglect to mention: they are finite. And oil, in particular, is being used at a rapid rate, by nearly 35 billion barrels a day worldwide (a barrel is 42 U.S. gallons). According to the Worldometer website, total world reserves as of 2016 are approximately 1.7 trillion barrels of oil. A quick calculation reveals that in 42 years or so oil is going to be in short supply. The U.S. has approximately 2.1% of the total world oil reserves. The majority of the world’s oil is located in countries such as

How California’s prized solution for methane gas is backfiring on farmers

Talk to any family farmer and we will tell you: Every year, keeping the business running gets harder. For many of us, family farming has been passed down for generations. We’ve hung on, with a singular determination, as massive corporate industrial operations have monopolized a larger and larger share of the livestock market. We’re no stranger to having the scales tilted against us, but right now we’re facing a major challenge that could push more family farms closer to the brink. The roots of this latest market squeeze? Deeply misguided incentives in California’s climate program. I’m a family farmer in Missouri, but I have a direct stake in a set of new regulations that the state is considering, and I’m urging California leaders to consider the rural communities they’ll be throwing under the bus if they cave to corporate pressure. Regulators at the California Air Resources Board have created a multimillion-dollar market for factory farm gas, or methane from animal manure, through a program called the Low Carbon Fuel Standard. It’s essentially rewarding the biggest and most polluting industrial hog and dairy operations, while further stacking the

Horoscopes March 19, 2024: Glenn Close, start a new adventure

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: AJ Lee, 37; Bruce Willis, 69; Glenn Close, 77; Ursula Andress, 88. Happy Birthday: Dream, believe and make it happen. Let your imagination take you on a tour of possibilities. Explore your options, implement safety measures and start a new adventure. Get back to the activities you know and love, plan to enjoy more and stop laboring over what you can’t change. Don’t limit what you can do; embrace life, love and happiness. Your numbers are 9, 14, 20, 26, 34, 38, 42. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Keep your plans and secrets to yourself. The less you let others know, the easier it will be to reach your target. Check out what interests you and consider turning it into a lucrative pastime. Let the child within give birth to new beginnings. 2 stars TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Settle in and make your home environment functional, and you’ll save time and money. Consider how you can improve your appearance, health and emotional well-being. Set out on a journey to discover what makes you happy, and implement the life you want to

Bridge: March 19, 2024

“I can see why the man underbids by one trick when he’s fixated on his bad luck,” Cy the Cynic told me, “but then he underplays by two. “We were North-South in a penny game,” Cy said. “My positive response of two spades promised two of the top three honors, and when I showed an ace next, Unlucky Louie could count 13 tricks.” “What happened at six hearts?” I asked. “He took the ace of clubs, drew trumps and cashed the A-K of spades. When East discarded, Louie tried a diamond to his queen, losing. He lost another diamond at the end.” SAFEGUARD Louie can safeguard his small slam by playing dummy’s nine on the second spade. If East could win, Louie would be sure of four spade tricks and 12 in all. As the cards lay, he makes an overtrick. Louie could succeed even after taking the A-K of spades. He could ruff a club and run his trumps. If West saved the J-10 of spades and K-8 of diamonds, Louie could guess to take the queen of spades and exit with a spade

Word Game: March 19, 2024

TODAY’S WORD — PROSAIC (PROSAIC: pro-ZAY-ik: Everyday; ordinary.) Average mark 18 words Time limit 35 minutes Can you find 24 or more words in PROSAIC? The list will be published tomorrow. YESTERDAY’S WORD — CRITICAL cacti cart cilia circa citric critic rail italic tail talc trail trial alit arctic lactic laic lair liar licit To purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last! RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed. Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe at kzsaxe@gmail.com.

Sale closed in Milpitas: $1.7 million for a three-bedroom home

1840 Yosemite Drive – Google Street View The property located in the 1800 block of Yosemite Drive in Milpitas was sold on March 8, 2024. The $1,650,000 purchase price works out to $1,551 per square foot. The house, built in 1966, has an interior space of 1,064 square feet. This single-story home has three bedrooms and two baths. Inside, a fireplace adds character to the home. Additionally, the house features a two-car garage, providing ample room for vehicles and storage needs. The lot of the property is substantial, measuring 6,380 square feet. These nearby houses have also recently changed hands: A 1,249-square-foot home on the 1800 block of Big Bend Drive in Milpitas sold in October 2022, for $1,345,000, a price per square foot of $1,077. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. In November 2023, a 2,030-square-foot home on Big Bend Drive in Milpitas sold for $1,589,000, a price per square foot of $783. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. On Shenandoah Avenue, Milpitas, in January 2024, a 1,168-square-foot home was sold for $1,482,000, a price per square foot of $1,269.

Ask Amy: She abruptly said we can never meet. It seems very strange to me.

Dear Amy: I am a single man in my mid-40s. During the pandemic I started talking with a woman (online). We texted a lot and called one another often. We’ve also video-chatted. Our relationship sort of fell off the grid, but recently she got back in touch with me. We finally agreed that it was time to meet in person. We agreed on the place and time to meet halfway between our homes. The morning of our meeting I got a text from her saying that she was having to go into the hospital for tests. I was very concerned and asked if she was all right and if there was anything she needed from me. She said no. After that she basically pulled away. Several weeks later, after I pressed the idea of meeting again, she told me that she has cancer and is undergoing treatments and she doesn’t want to see me or be in touch. This all seems so strange. I don’t know how to process this. What do you think? – Concerned Dear Concerned: If she is ill and doesn’t want

2 men arrested for stealing fuel from Madera gas station, police say

Tuesday, March 19, 2024 6:17AM Two men are accused of stealing fuel from a Madera gas station on Monday morning. MADERA, Calif. (KFSN) — Two men are accused of stealing fuel from a Madera gas station on Monday morning. Police were called to the business on Gateway Drive near Olive around 4 am. They found two men pumping diesel fuel into large plastic containers in the back of a box truck. Officers say the suspects, Cesar Perez and Oscar Machado, had pumped more than $1,000 worth of gas for free. Both men were arrested on fraud and theft charges. Copyright © 2024 KFSN-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Staffing shortage pushes Merced County Sheriff’s Office to launch online reporting portal

Tuesday, March 19, 2024 6:13AM A lack of law enforcement personnel is forcing the Merced County Sheriff to change the reporting of some crimes. MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) — A lack of law enforcement personnel is forcing the Merced County Sheriff to change the reporting of some crimes. “I’ve got two thousand square miles to worry about in this county, and sometimes I’ve got 4 to 6 deputies working, and that’s half of what it should be minimum,” explained Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke. Warnke says he is frustrated that the level of service his office offers will have to decline. Monday night, he announced some non-violent crimes will need to be reported through this online portal. Those crimes include Disturbing the Peace, Fraud, Lost Property, some Theft, Vandalism and vehicle burglary. “The priority calls that come in, we’ll be responding to those first but I can’t spare the deputies to go take care of a cold call,” Warnke said. Once something is reported online, an investigative assistant or a deputy on desk duty will review and follow up. However, submitting a report to this site

Survey looks at consumer confidence when buying a home

More than half the people polled, 51%, say the cost of living poses an obstacle to their home-buying plans. Tuesday, March 19, 2024 6:06AM Even though Central California remains more affordable than many other areas of the state, many families hoping to buy are still priced out of the market. FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — A survey conducted by the financial services company Bankrate shows 54% of Americans say their income is not high enough to afford a down payment and closing costs needed for a home. Thirty percent of those surveyed figured they would need at least five years to save up for a down payment. “Sadly, about one in five prospective homeowners told us they didn’t think they’d ever be able to afford a down payment for a home,” says Bankrate Senior Economic Analyst Mark Hamrick. Hamrick says the survey allowed them to get a better understanding of the frustrations home hunters are going through. More than half the people polled, 51%, say the cost of living poses an obstacle to their home-buying plans. “It’s one thing to talk about housing affordability or lack

Opinion: California has to worry about measles again. But there’s hope

The measles virus is resurging in the U.S. despite the long-standing availability of a vaccine that provides nearly life-long immunity. In the past few weeks, hundreds of people were exposed to a child with the virus in a Northern California healthcare facility; our state is one of 17 jurisdictions with reported measles cases in 2024 , higher than seen in recent years. Measles is an extremely transmissible pathogen: On average, one infected person infects 12 to 18 unvaccinated people . The airborne virus can linger in floating aerosols long after someone has left a room, and the common symptoms, which include rash, a high fever, watery eyes, cough and a runny nose, typically take a week or two to appear. Infections can also cause immune amnesia, in which your immune system becomes better at fighting measles and worse at fighting other infections you were previously protected against. In rare cases it also leads to death , more often in children than adults, from respiratory or neurological complications, including a type of brain swelling in young children that can appear years after the initial measles infection.

Murder defendant slips restraints in court, stabs his lawyer with pen. All good, attorney says

An Oakland man on trial in the killing of his ex-girlfriend cut through a lap restraint and attacked his attorney with a pen, then lunged toward the prosecutor, creating a chaotic courtroom scene Monday as a Contra Costa County jury watched, officials said. Ramello Randle, 28, is now facing additional charges of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and battery, said Jimmy Lee, spokesperson for the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff. His defense attorney, Matt Fregi, said he harbored “no ill will toward” his client, who had already cycled through several attorneys before him. “Nothing serious,” he said of his injuries. “Everyone thought it was a lot more serious than what it was.” Randle is accused of working with Christopher Slaughter to track 24-year-old Jonaye Lahkel Bridges with a GPS attached to her car in July 2020. Bridges and Randle had been embroiled in a bitter child custody battle. Prosecutors said Randle followed her to a 7-Eleven in Antioch and fired into her car, where she was sitting with another man. The man was hit by gunfire but survived. Bridges was killed.

California’s Central Valley is voting, again, to replace Kevin McCarthy in Congress

Two weeks after narrowing the field of candidates to represent them in Congress starting next year, voters in the San Joaquin Valley are voting again. On Tuesday, Central Valley voters will cast ballots in a separate special election to complete the remainder of former Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s term in the House of Representatives. The Bakersfield Republican left Congress at the end of 2023, with a year left in his term, after his own party ousted him as speaker of the House. The fight to succeed McCarthy has pitted Republicans against Republicans in the 20th Congressional District, which includes Fresno, Kern, Kings and Tulare counties. The front-runners include McCarthy’s handpicked successor, Assemblymember Vince Fong; and Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, a law-and-order conservative. If either Fong or Bourdreaux wins the special election, he will head into the regular November election as the incumbent member of Congress, a significant advantage in the race to represent the San Joaquin Valley district in Congress in 2025 and 2026. Being the incumbent on the November ballot would help “enormously,” said Republican consultant Rob Stutzman, who is not working for either

A little girl’s family wants to know who slaughtered her pet goat. Shasta District Fair officials won’t say

Nearly two years after a 9-year-old sobbed and pleaded that her pet goat, Cedar, not be sold and slaughtered for meat, Shasta District Fair officials still refuse to answer the question: Who killed the goat? The fate of the white and brown goat became international news last year after the girl’s parents filed a federal lawsuit against the district fair. Jessica Long’s daughter had raised the brown and white goat to enter into the fair’s 4-H program, which teaches children about the process of raising and caring for livestock to provide food, as ranchers and farmers do. But before the animal was to be slaughtered, the young girl begged not to give up the goat that had become a beloved pet. Long surreptitiously retrieved the goat from a barn at the fair, wrote to fair officials explaining the dilemma, and offered to pay for the goat and any expenses incurred from her daughter’s change of heart. Shasta District Fair officials refused and threatened that Long could be charged with grand theft because the animal had been sold at auction. Officials then reached out to the

How to get an inside look at gorgeous private gardens in and around L.A.

With all the recent rain, 2024 is shaping up to be a fabulous year for flowers, not just in the wild but also in private gardens around Southern California. Lucky for garden enviers, many of those gates will be opening wide this spring as part of the annual fundraising tradition known as garden tours. They come in all shapes and sizes, from the Theodore Payne Foundation’s two-day opportunity to admire more than 30 native plant landscapes across Los Angeles to more intimate events that include just a few exquisite gardens, such as the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days tours in the San Fernando Valley and Pasadena. These tours will fill weekends through May, so you’ll always find someplace to go, and the entry prices are usually modest — typically less than $40 per person, and sometimes even free, although in those cases, such as the annual open house at Prisk Elementary School’s Native Plant Garden, donations to these worthy causes are greatly appreciated. Grab a friend, a water bottle and a hat, don good walking shoes and prepare to enjoy all the beauty that follows a

The Fed is meeting this week—will it finally cut interest rates?

MoneyWatch By Aimee Picchi Edited By Alain Sherter March 19, 2024 / 5:00 AM EDT / CBS News How Fed could react to hot February inflation How could the Fed react to inflation ticking up in February? 05:52 Americans are bearing the financial burden of higher costs for every type of loan , from mortgages to credit cards, after two years of interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve. With the central bank meeting Wednesday, economists and consumers alike have one question on their minds: When will the central bank start cutting rates?  The answer: Almost certainly not this month, and probably not at its next meeting, according to Wall Street forecasters. Most economists polled by financial data company FactSet think the Fed will keep its benchmark rate steady on Wednesday, as well as at its following meeting on May 1. Consumers holding out for lower borrowing costs may have to wait until the following month for relief, with about half of economists now penciling in the Fed’s June 12 meeting for the first cut in four years, FactSet data shows.  The Fed kicked off

Trump comments on Jews who vote for Democrats draw outrage

Politics March 19, 2024 / 4:49 AM EDT / CBS/AP Trump doubles down on Jewish American remarks Trump doubles down on his comments about Jewish Americans 00:46 New York — Former President Donald Trump on Monday charged that Jews who vote for Democrats “hate Israel” and hate “their religion,” igniting a firestorm of criticism from the White House and Jewish leaders. Trump, in an interview, had been asked about Democrats’ growing criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his handling of the war in Gaza as the civilian death toll continues to mount. “I actually think they hate Israel,” Trump responded to his former aide, Sebastian Gorka. “I think they hate Israel. And the Democrat party hates Israel.” Trump, who last week became the Republican Party’s presumptive nominee, went on to charge that, “Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion. They hate everything about Israel and they should be ashamed of themselves because Israel will be destroyed.” The comments sparked immediate backlash from the White House, President Biden’s campaign and Jewish leaders. The vast majority of Jewish Americans identify as Democrats