Los Angeles

Biden claims Hunter charges were politically motivated. Here is what the facts show

In announcing that he was pardoning his son Hunter in two federal cases, President Biden said the criminal charges “came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election.” The president’s claim that the cases were politically motivated — which his son’s camp has long asserted — has been met with skepticism from some corners. Biden was convicted by a jury of illegally purchasing a handgun in Delaware, and he pleaded guilty to tax charges in Los Angeles. Here is what we know about the cases and the pardon. What is the gun case? Earlier this year, a federal jury in Delaware convicted Biden of federal gun crimes, including lying about being drug-free when he purchased and briefly owned a gun while he was addicted to crack cocaine. Biden was on trial for three felony charges, and the jury convicted him of all three. In addition to lying on a federal background check form and giving a false statement to a federal firearms dealer, he was also convicted of possessing a gun while being an

Los Angeles

Cyber Monday tips for avoiding scams, pressure tactics and porch pirates

More than 72.3 million people are scouring the internet right now looking for a deal this Cyber Monday. This is the second-most popular day, just after Black Friday, for holiday shoppers to fill their (virtual) carts with gifts for their loved ones, according to the National Retail Federation, which gave the event its name in 2005. Consumers are expected to spend a record $13.2 billion Monday, 6.1% more than last year, according to Adobe Analytics, which has been tracking online shopping behavior. Shoppers who are checking out retailer websites and searching the internet for popular items should be aware of scammers looking to do some shopping of their own. Online fradusters want to steal cardholder information and money on popular online shopping days like Cyber Monday, Visa’s Ecosystem Risk and Control team warns. Here are some tips from experts to help you navigate the busy shopping day and avoid online scams, retailer tricks meant to pressure shoppers into making a purchase, and potential porch thieves who hope to steal packages from your front door. Avoid online scams When you peruse the internet for sales from

Sacramento

Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini given another honor by NHL

SAN JOSE – San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini has notched another career first, as he was named the NHL’s First Star of the Week for his efforts during the last week of November. Celebrini had four goals – including two game-winners – and three assists in four games for the Sharks, who went 3-1-0 last week, including a home-and-home series sweep of the Seattle Kraken on Friday and Saturday. Celebrini had game-winning goals in both the Sharks’ 7-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Nov. 26, and San Jose’s 8-5 win over the Kraken. Both games were at SAP Center. Against the Kings, Celebrini had two goals and an assist, making him, at 18 years, 165 days, the youngest player in Sharks franchise history to record a three-point game. Patrick Marleau had the previous team mark of 18 years, 171 days, set on March 5, 1998, when he had a goal and two assists in a game against the Detroit Red Wings. On Sunday, Celebrini was named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for November. Going into Tuesday’s Sharks game against the Washington

Sacramento

What medical care for transgender minors is at stake in Supreme Court case?

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case involving Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender people under age 18. At least 26 states have adopted laws restricting or banning such care for minors, and most of those states face lawsuits. The nation’s top court will be weighing whether Tennessee’s law violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, requiring that people in similar circumstances be treated the same under the law. Both sides in the case claim they are acting to protect minors from harm. Gender-affirming care is supported by the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and other medical groups. Here’s a look at what’s typically involved: Evaluation and diagnosis happen first Young people who persistently identify as a gender that differs from their sex assigned at birth are often referred to clinics where teams from various medical specialties provide gender-affirming care. Such care begins with an evaluation, which can include a pediatrician and a mental health specialist who assess the degree of distress, if any, the young person is experiencing. Those who meet defined criteria may

Sacramento

Under Trump, many states might pursue Medicaid work requirements

By Shalina Chatlani, Stateline.org (TNS) Trevor Hawkins, an attorney at Legal Aid of Arkansas, remembers how busy his job got when the state for a time imposed work requirements on Medicaid recipients: His office was swamped with frantic phone calls from people who said they couldn’t comply with the new rule because they weren’t healthy enough to work or had to care for sick relatives. “A whole heap of folks, after a month or two, started getting notices saying, ‘Hey, you’re out of compliance, and you’re going to lose your coverage,’” Hawkins told Stateline. For many people, he said, keeping their coverage was “absolutely vital to maintaining their health or getting better so they might work again.” In June 2018, Arkansas became the first state to require some Medicaid recipients to work, volunteer, go to school or participate in job training to receive benefits. By the time a federal judge halted the policy in April 2019, 18,000 adults had lost coverage. Arkansas was one of 13 states that received permission to impose work rules on at least some Medicaid recipients during the last Trump administration.

Sacramento

DACA recipients worry their protection from deportation won’t last another Trump term

By GABRIEL SANDOVAL, Associated Press/Report for America PHOENIX (AP) — Reyna Montoya was 10 when she and her family fled violence in Tijuana and illegally immigrated to the U.S. Growing up in Arizona, she worried even a minor traffic violation could lead to her deportation. She didn’t feel relief until 11 years later in 2012, when she received a letter confirming she had been accepted to a new program for immigrants who came to the country illegally as children. “All of the sudden, all these possibilities opened up,” Montoya said, fighting back tears. The Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program granted her and hundreds of thousands of others two-year, renewable permits to live and work in the U.S. legally. But as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House, after an unsuccessful bid to end DACA in his first term, the roughly 535,000 current recipients are bracing yet again for a whirlwind of uncertainty. Meanwhile, a years-long challenge to DACA could ultimately render it illegal, leaving people like Montoya without a shield from deportation. “I have to take (Trump’s) words very seriously

Sacramento

Supreme Court to hear arguments on flavored vape regulations imposed after youth vaping spike

By LINDSAY WHITEHURST WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court will hear a vaping case on Monday, weighing federal regulators’ decisions blocking sweet vaping products after e-cigarette use spiked among kids. The high court is taking up an appeal from the Food and Drug Administration, which has denied more than a million applications to sell candy- or fruit-flavored products that appeal to kids. Those decisions are part of a crackdown that anti-tobacco advocates say helped drive down youth vaping to a decade low after an “epidemic level” peak in 2019. But vaping companies pushed back in court, arguing that agency unfairly disregarded arguments that their sweet e-liquid products aren’t a big draw for kids but would help adults quit smoking traditional cigarettes. The case comes shortly before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, whose incoming administration could take a different approach after he vowed in a September social-media post to “save” vaping. Several lower courts rebuffed vaping company lawsuits, but the Dallas-based company Triton Distribution won at the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. The court tossed out a decision blocking the sale of nicotine-laced liquids like

Far North

Top Democrats Say They Won’t Just ‘Trump-proof’ California — They’ll Make it Affordable Again

The leaders of the state Legislature have a message for voters: We know you’re frustrated with how expensive California is — and we’re going to fix it. After a painful election that sparked recriminations and soul-searching among Democrats across the country, state Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas are returning to Sacramento recommitted to addressing the affordability issues that appear to have pushed more voters toward the Republican Party in November. As a new two-year legislative session kicks off today at the state Capitol, McGuire and Rivas told CalMatters in separate interviews that the priority will be advancing policies that lower the cost of living for working Californians, including by building more housing, making energy cheaper and improving public infrastructure. “Our only way forward is to acknowledge that we have to do better,” Rivas, a Salinas Democrat, said. “It’s clear — we haven’t done enough.” Just don’t expect any dramatic changes under the dome. Despite losing a handful of seats, both leaders are adamant that returning Democratic supermajorities signal that voters are still on board with their values, if not

Los Angeles

Shen Yun group accused of abusive labor practices

The Shen Yun dance group is facing allegations of forced labor and child labor in a lawsuit filed by a former dancer for the troupe. Chun-Ko Chang, who lives in Taiwan but formerly danced for the group, claims Shen Yun runs “a sophisticated operation that is designed to identify and recruit vulnerable people to work as Dancers, ensnare them in a system that dominates every aspect of their lives, and force them to work grueling hours through multiple methods of control and coercion,” as detailed in a lawsuit first reported by Seamus Hughes’ Court Watch. Also listed as defendants are associated entities, Shen Yun’s financial backer the International Bank of Chicago and executives Hongzhi Li, Rui Li and Shujia Gong, who is also known as Tianliang Zhang. Chinese agent who targeted Shen Yun group gets 20 months in prison The suit contains numerous allegations, including that those dancers who are perceived to have stepped out of line are subjected to public humiliation and not allowed to leave the group’s compound or speak with their families. Shen Yun, which advertises itself as a depiction of China

Los Angeles

Most fun cities in U.S. Ranked. Here’s where Los Angeles landed

Do Angelenos have the most fun? Well, it might depend on your idea of a good time. A new study by Wallet Hub ranked Los Angeles 18th on its list of Most Fun Cities in America but the City of Angels did finish first in a couple of key metrics. According to the study, Los Angeles was number one out of more than 180 U.S. cities when it came to Restaurants per Capita and was also first in Number of Attractions. Downtown Los Angeles at night. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images) Complete Fun in Los Angeles rankings (1=Most Fun, 91=Avg.): Overall rank for Los Angeles: 18th 20th – Festivals per Capita 1st – Restaurants per Capita 35th – Playgrounds per Capita 23rd – Parkland Acres per Capita 88th – Fitness Centers per Capita 6th – Dance Clubs per Capita 1st – Number of Attractions As for the most fun city in the U.S., Wallet Hub declared Las Vegas the big winner. “Las Vegas is the most fun city overall, boasting an extremely large number of attractions and restaurants rated at least 4.5-stars,” Wallet Hub stated.

Los Angeles

9-year-old boy shot at grandparent’s Compton home, father arrested

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies have arrested the father of a 9-year-old boy who was recently shot and killed while he was playing in the backyard of his grandfather’s home in Compton, the Sheriff’s Department announced Monday. Homicide detectives honed in on the boy’s father shortly after the shooting on the night of Nov. 30 in the 15000 block of South Haskins Avenue. His arrest was made on the same day that a vigil was held for the boy, whom family identified as Princeton Nicholas Jones. Creole Green, the boy’s mother, could not be immediately reached for comment. In a written statement, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department identified Nicholas Jones, 32, as a murder suspect in the killing. Detectives did not release any details about his arrest. Jones was booked at the East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station on suspicion of murder and child abuse resulting in death. He is being held in lieu of a $2 million bail. Reached by phone, Jones’ father declined to comment. In an interview with ABC-7, Green said she was devastated over the loss of her son, who was

Los Angeles

Opinion: The U.S. betrayed its climate leadership, and the world is already suffering

The late John McCain — a member of the shrinking tribe of climate-forward Republicans — once griped , “It’s always darkest before it’s totally black.” His gallows humor quip seems apt right now when it comes to the defining challenge of our time: the fight against the climate crisis. That fight suffered a one-two punch over the past month as the stakes grew more dire. Here in North America, we recently saw the destruction caused by hurricanes including Helene and Milton, which have been made more deadly by human-caused warming, as well as wildfires stretching from the West to the East Coast . Yet despite the blinking-red global danger sign, the needed action seems more out of reach than ever. Limiting planetary warming below a truly dangerous 1.5 degrees Celsius (almost 3 degrees Fahrenheit) feels less attainable than it did just a few weeks ago. Physically, it’s still within reach: The “carbon budget” we have for keeping planetary warming below that level has not yet shrunk to zero . Existing renewable energy from wind, solar and geothermal sources, combined with energy storage, also makes it

Los Angeles

Azeez Al-Shaair apologizes to Trevor Lawrence for illegal hit that caused concussion

Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair apologized to Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence on Monday morning, a day after Al-Shaair’s late and violent hit led to Lawrence being carted off the field with a concussion and sparked two ugly skirmishes during a game between the AFC South rivals at EverBank Stadium in Florida. On a second-down play during the second quarter, Lawrence scrambled to his left then initiated a slide that should have ended the play. Instead, Al-Shaair appeared to continue at full speed, crashing into the defenseless quarterback’s facemask with his forearm. In a lengthy X post, Al-Shaair said he “genuinely didn’t see [Lawrence] sliding until it was too late,” adding that “it all happens in the blink of an eye.” Lawrence, who was making his first start after missing two games with a sprained left shoulder, remained on the ground for several minutes. Al-Shaair was ejected for “an illegal hit on the quarterback, unnecessary, to the neck and head area,” referee Land Clark said in a pool report. “To Trevor I genuinely apologize to you for what ended up happening,” Al-Shaair wrote on X.

Los Angeles

Amazon vice president of global operations on Cyber Monday

Amazon vice president of global operations on Cyber Monday – CBS News Watch CBS News Sarah Rhoads, vice president of global operations for Amazon, joined CBS News to talk about how holiday sales have gone so far this year and the company’s preparations for Cyber Monday. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Los Angeles

Will Biden comment on Hunter Biden pardon decision?

Will Biden comment on Hunter Biden pardon decision? – CBS News Watch CBS News White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Biden made the decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden over the weekend. CBS News’ Willie James Inman has more on Mr. Biden reversing his stance on the pardon as he begins his trip to Africa before departing the White House in January. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Los Angeles

Southern California man charged with slapping autistic boy to appear in court 

A San Fernando Valley man charged with slapping an autistic child at a bus stop is set to appear in court on Monday.  Scott Sakajian was charged with willful cruelty to a child and battery on a person by the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office in connection with a July 1 incident involving 10-year-old Alfredito Morales.  The boy had touched the emblem on Sakajian’s Mercedes-Benz sedan while Alfredo and his older sister Claudia were crossing the street.  Read this before you shop on Cyber Monday Sakajian immediately made a U-turn and followed the siblings to a bus stop near Laurel Canyon Drive and Osborne Street before stepping out of the car, walking up to the bench Alfredo was sitting on and slapping him as Claudia tried to intervene.  Cell phone video – which later went viral on social media – shows Claudia explaining that he has autism, but the man still struck the boy.  A man seen walking up to Alfredo Morales, 10, and slapping him in the face after the boy touched the emblem on his Mercedes-Benz sedan in Pacoima on July 1, 2024.

Los Angeles

Father arrested in Compton 9-year-old’s fatal shooting

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has arrested the father of a 9-year-old Compton boy in the child’s shooting death on Saturday. Princeton Jones, who was shot while playing outside his grandfather’s home at Haskins Avenue and Alondra Boulevard at around 7:40 p.m., was killed by his father, 32-year-old Nicholas Jones, officials said in a news release. The elder Jones was arrested on Sunday on charges of murder and child abuse resulting in death, the release added. Jail records show he is being held in lieu of $2 million bail at the East Los Angeles Station. He’s due to appear in Compton Municipal Court on Tuesday. Compton family holds vigil for 9-year-old killed in shooting Further details were not disclosed by investigators, but on Sunday, Najee Ali, director of Project of Islamic Hope, said the child was “shot down in cold blood” and implied that gang violence could be the cause. “There used to be a time where women and children were off limits to murder and gang violence,” Ali told KTLA’s Carlos Saucedo. “Unfortunately, those days are long gone.” The family has set up a