How to navigate the stress and anxiety of politics during the holidays

Thursday, December 5, 2024 12:01AM The holiday season is here, bringing gatherings with friends and family but also heightened stress and anxiety, especially after the election. FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — The holiday season is in full swing – meaning gatherings with friends and family … but that can also mean more stress and anxiety. The tension is even higher in some cases after the U.S. election. Action News Anchor Vanessa Vasconcelos spoke with a local couples and family therapist to learn ways to keep the peace at your next holiday gathering. Copyright © 2024 KFSN-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Shooting at a Northern California elementary school and suspect is dead, sheriff’s office says

Wednesday, December 4, 2024 11:52PM OROVILLE, Calif. — A suspected gunman is dead and two students were taken to the hospital after a shooting Wednesday at a Northern California elementary school, according to authorities. Deputies were “on scene of an active incident involving a shooting” at Feather River School of Seventh-Day Adventists in Palermo, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office said on the social platform X. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said when deputies arrived at the school they found a man believed to be the shooter with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. That man is dead. The sheriff’s office says deputies also found two students with gunshot wounds who were taken to the hospital but their condition is unknown at this time. Authorities say students are being transported to Oroville Church of the Nazarene where parents can reunite with their children. A Google Earth view of the Feather River Adventist School in Oroville, Calif. Google Earth According to the school website, Feather River Adventist School has 33 students enrolled. The school is located roughly 10 miles south of Oroville. Palermo – home to about 5,500 people

49ers’ Isaac Guerendo gets his shot at lead runner in decimated backfield

SANTA CLARA — When Isaac Guerendo trots on to the field with the first team Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, he will equal the same number of starts he had in five years of college football. Hard to believe, but Guerendo started exactly one time, and it came in his final college game at Louisville. Against USC in the Holiday Bowl, Guerendo carried 23 times for 161 yards and three touchdowns and added five receptions in a 42-28 loss. In 40 other games at Wisconsin and Louisville, Guerendo played in a shared backfield –something he’s done with the 49ers this season behind Jordan Mason and Christian McCaffrey. With McCaffrey on injured reserve with PCL strain and Mason to follow soon with a high ankle sprain, Guerendo should get his biggest workload since his last college game. “I’m excited, but really it’s whatever it takes to win,” Guerendo said Wednesday as the 49ers (5-7) began preparations to host the Bears (4-8). “Whatever the plan looks like is what we’ll bring.” Guerendo will be backed up by Patrick Taylor Jr., who was on the roster earlier this season

Two students wounded and gunman dead after shooting at Northern California elementary school

PALERMO, Calif. (AP) — Two students were wounded in a shooting Wednesday at a Northern California elementary school and the gunman is believed to have killed himself, sheriff’s officials said. The wounded students were taken to hospitals in unknown condition after the shooting at Feather River School of Seventh-Day Adventists in Palermo, Butte County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Megan McMann said. The suspect died after apparently shooting himself, McMann said. A motive was unknown. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. PALERMO, Calif. (AP) — There was a shooting Wednesday at a Northern California elementary school and the suspect is dead, sheriff’s officials say. Deputies were “on scene of an active incident involving a shooting” at Feather River School of Seventh-Day Adventists in Palermo, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office said on the social platform X. It wasn’t immediately known if anyone at the school was hurt. “The suspected shooter is deceased,” the sheriff’s office said. A phone call and email to the sheriff’s office were not immediately returned. A representative from the Butte County Fire Department did not immediately have any information

Abandoned mines in the US pose dangers to people and property when land gives way

By MICHAEL RUBINKAM and MATTHEW BROWN Swaths of Pennsylvania and many other states are honeycombed with old, unstable mines that can cause the earth to suddenly give way — a phenomenon known as “ mine subsidence ” that poses a threat to people and property. That’s what searchers in Westmoreland County, just southeast of Pittsburgh, fear led to the disappearance of 64-year-old Elizabeth Pollard. Pollard and a young granddaughter were looking for a lost cat when she went missing Monday evening. At about the same time, a sinkhole appeared roughly 20 feet (6 meters) from where she had parked her car, in an area above an old coal mine. The granddaughter was found safe inside the car hours later, while the difficult and potentially dangerous search for Pollard continues. Mine subsidence has caused billions of dollars in damage in areas of the U.S. where mining once took place. In Pennsylvania alone, coal was mined in nearly half of the state’s 67 counties and there are at least 5,000 abandoned underground mines, leaving behind hazards that officials say can arise at any time. The Marguerite Mine

Dog food recalled in 7 states for salmonella risk after puppy litter gets sick, FDA says

Olivia Lloyd | (TNS) The Charlotte Observer CHARLOTTE, N.C.— A pet food company based in North Carolina is recalling puppy mix sold in seven states after a batch tested positive for salmonella, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said. The contamination came to light when a litter of puppies got sick after consuming Blue Ridge Beef’s Puppy Mix, and the customer reported it to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, according to the FDA. The FDA said it notified the company that the food tested positive for salmonella on Nov. 27, and Blue Ridge Beef issued a voluntary recall on its 2-pound plastic-wrapped logs sold in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York. The recall affects puppy mix sold from Aug. 6 to Aug. 23 with logs labeled with lot numbers 08/06/N25 and 08/16/N25, with UPC 854298001696. It’s not the company’s only recall in the past year. In January, Blue Ridge Beef expanded a December 2023 recall of its puppy mix, as well as some of its kitten food, due to possible salmonella and listeria contamination, FDA records show. “Pets

White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign

By AAMER MADHANI, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official on Wednesday said at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered new details about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that a number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could still grow. The U.S. believes that the hackers were able to gain access to communications of senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures through the hack, Neuberger said. “We don’t believe any classified communications has been compromised,” Neuberger added during a call with reporters. She added that Biden has been briefed on the findings and that the White House “has made it a priority for

Israeli strike on a Gaza tent camp kills at least 21 people, hospital says

By WAFAA SHURAFA DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — A Palestinian health official said Wednesday that at least 21 people were killed by an Israeli strike on a camp housing displaced people in Gaza. Atif Al-Hout, the director of Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis said 28 people were wounded. The Israeli military said its aircraft struck senior Hamas fighters “involved in terrorist activities” in the area. The military said that the strike had set off secondary explosions, indicating explosives present in the area were set off. It was not possible to independently confirm the Israeli claims, and the strike could also have ignited fuel, cooking gas canisters or other materials in the camp. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union. The strike in the Muwasi area, a sprawling coastal camp housing hundreds of thousands of displaced people, near the southern city of Khan Younis, came after Israeli forces struck targets in other areas of the Palestinian enclave. Earlier strikes on central Gaza killed eight people, including four children. Israel’s war in

United Healthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New York

NEW YORK (AP) — Even though Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the U.S., he was largely unknown to the millions of people affected by his decision-making. Wednesday’s fatal shooting of the United Healthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk — which police call a targeted killing — thrust the executive and his business into the spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had run the insurance arm of health care giant UnitedHealth Group Inc. since 2021 and had worked at the company for 20 years. As CEO, Thompson led a business that provides health coverage for more than 49 million Americans. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. The portfolio Thompson managed generated $74 billion in revenue in the most recent quarter, making it the largest subsidiary of Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual compensation package, including salary, bonus and stock

States poised to end coverage for millions if Trump cuts Medicaid funding

By Phil Galewitz | KFF Health News With Donald Trump’s return to the White House and Republicans taking full control of Congress in 2025, the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion is back on the chopping block. More than 3 million adults in nine states would be at immediate risk of losing their health coverage should the GOP reduce the extra federal Medicaid funding that’s enabled states to widen eligibility, according to KFF, a health information nonprofit that includes KFF Health News, and the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. That’s because the states have trigger laws that would swiftly end their Medicaid expansions if federal funding falls. The states are Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Utah, and Virginia. Note: Medicaid-expansion enrollment figures as of March 2024. Source: Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, KFF. (Credit: Lydia Zuraw and Phil Galewitz/KFF Health News) For instance, Michigan approved a trigger as part of its Medicaid expansion in 2013, when it was controlled by a Republican governor and legislature. Last year, with the government controlled by Democrats, the state eliminated its funding trigger. Six

Australia is banning social media for people under 16. Could this work elsewhere — or even there?

By BARBARA ORTUTAY, AP Technology Writer It is an ambitious social experiment of our moment in history — one that experts say could accomplish something that parents, schools and other governments have attempted with varying degrees of success: keeping kids off social media until they turn 16. Australia’s new law, approved by its Parliament last week, is an attempt to swim against many tides of modern life — formidable forces like technology, marketing, globalization and, of course, the iron will of a teenager. And like efforts of the past to protect kids from things that parents believe they’re not ready for, the nation’s move is both ambitious and not exactly simple, particularly in a world where young people are often shaped, defined and judged by the online company they keep. The ban won’t go into effect for another year. But how will Australia be able to enforce it? That’s not clear, nor will it be easy. TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram have become so ingrained in young people’s lives that going cold turkey will be difficult. Other questions loom. Does the ban limit kids’ free expression

South Korean President Yoon’s martial law declaration raises questions over his political future

By HYUNG-JIN KIM and KIM TONG-HYUNG SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — President Yoon Suk Yeol’s stunning martial law declaration lasted just hours, but experts say it raised serious questions about his ability to govern for the remaining 2 1/2 years of his term and whether he will abide by democratic principles. The opposition-controlled parliament overturned the edict, and his rivals on Wednesday took steps to impeach him. One analyst called his action “political suicide.” Yoon’s political fate may depend on whether a large number of people in coming days take to the streets to push for his ouster. Here’s a look at the political firestorm caused by the martial law declaration, the first of its kind in more than 40 years. Why did Yoon impose martial law? Yoon’s declaration of emergency martial law on Tuesday night was accompanied by a pledge to eliminate “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces at a single stroke.” He vowed to protect the country from “falling into the depths of national ruin.” Yoon, a conservative, cited repeated attempts by his liberal rivals in control of parliament to impeach his

Mystery drones fly near military base, Trump’s golf course in New Jersey, FBI investigating

By Julia Reinstein and Aaron Katersky Wednesday, December 4, 2024 7:11PM The Federal Aviation Administration has imposed drone flight restrictions while authorities investigate. The FBI is investigating after large drones were spotted flying over central New Jersey over the last two weeks. The “cluster of what look to be drones and a possible fixed wing aircraft” have been recently sighted along the Raritan River, the FBI said. Larger than the typical drones used by hobbyists, the devices have raised questions due to their proximity to both a military installation and President-elect Donald Trump’s Bedminster golf course, officials said. The Federal Aviation Administration has imposed drone flight restrictions while authorities investigate. Local police have said there is no known threat to public safety. “Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon would like to inform everyone that the recent drone activity observed by many in our communities is being actively investigated. There is no advisable immediate danger to the public at this time,” the Morris County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. Anyone with information about the drones is being asked to contact law enforcement. Multiple Morris and

UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson shot dead in ‘brazen targeted attack’ with manhunt underway

NEW YORK — The words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” were discovered by detectives on the shell casings found at the scene where Brian Thompson, the CEO of major insurance group UnitedHealthcare, was gunned down, police sources told ABC News late Wednesday evening. Thompson was shot to death at point-blank range in Midtown Manhattan on Wednesday morning before he was set to attend an investor conference, according to police. The masked gunman, who remains on the loose, carried out a “brazen, targeted attack” that was “premeditated,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference. But the motive remains unknown, police said. NYPD detectives are working to determine whether the words were meant as a message from the shooter and a hint at his motive. The shooter appeared to be lying in wait at the hotel where he shot Thompson around 6:40 a.m., police said. Video captured the moment the gunman walked up behind the CEO, pointed his gun at him and fired. A witness fled as Thompson stumbled and fell to the ground. The gunman then walked closer to Thompson, firing more times before fleeing.

Fresno State to hire USC linebackers coach Matt Entz as next head coach, ESPN sources say

Wednesday, December 4, 2024 7:00PM PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Chatter on potential front-runners for Fresno State’s next head coach are beginning to heat up. FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — Fresno State is working toward a five-year deal with USC assistant head coach and linebackers coach Matt Entz to be the program’s next head coach, ESPN sources say. Entz, who was hired by USC last offseason as part of the Trojans’ defensive restructuring, was the head coach at North Dakota State from 2019-23 where he went 60-10 and won two FCS national championships. According to the Athletic’s Bruce Feldman, Entz met with administration at Fresno State on Tuesday. Sources told Action News sports anchor Alec Entz was “a front-runner” alongside Montana State head coach Brent Vigen. The two-time FCS coach of the Year will replace Fresno State’s interim head coach Tim Skipper. Skipper took over the position in July after Jeff Tedford announced he would be stepping down because of health concerns. Before taking over as the coach at NDSU, Entz was the program’s defensive coordinator under Chris Klieman. Entz was promoted to head coach in 2019 when Klieman

Landmark Supreme Court case weighs gender-affirming care for transgender kids

Medical treatment for transgender children, endorsed by major American medical associations and safely used for decades, was the focus at the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday as the Biden administration and three families with transgender teenagers asked the justices to strike down a state law banning some gender-affirming care for minors. The landmark case — U.S. v. Skrmetti — comes from Tennessee, which is among 26 states that have moved to prohibit administration of puberty-blocking medication and hormone therapy to minors who seek to identify with, or live as, a gender identity inconsistent with his or her sex at birth. Oral arguments, which began just after 10 a.m., marked the first time the nation’s highest court has openly considered a state law targeting transgender people. It is also the first time an openly transgender litigator, ACLU attorney Chase Strangio, argued a case in the Supreme Court chamber. The historic hearing thrusts the justices to the forefront of a cultural debate that has sharply divided the country and tested the limits of science and parental rights. MORE | What medical care for transgender minors is at