Strong Santa Ana winds bring wildfire danger for New Year’s Eve

Hickory, N.C. — Garon Nathaniel Killian, 20, was arrested on an attempted murder charge following a weekend shooting at a house party in Hickory, North Carolina, which resulted in one death and 11 injuries. The shooting occurred early Sunday, with over 80 shots fired, prompting mass panic among attendees, and left 58-year-old Shawn Patrick Hood deceased. Authorities are continuing their investigation, having executed search warrants, and are urging anyone who attended the party to come...

A Republican-backed budget package proposes new restrictions on the federal Child Tax Credit (CTC), requiring both tax filers to possess Social Security numbers, which could disqualify millions of U.S. citizen children from the benefit if their parents are mixed-status or undocumented. This change is aimed at preventing tax breaks from going to undocumented immigrants but may inadvertently affect 4.5 million children, primarily in states like California, Texas, and Florida. While the bill seeks to increase...

Boulder Attack Highlights Rising AntisemitismA group in Boulder, Colorado, advocating for hostages in Gaza was attacked, injuring 12 people; the suspect, Mohammed Sabry Soliman, reportedly planned the assault for a year, expressing intent to harm Jewish individuals. This incident, part of a concerning trend of antisemitic attacks in the U.S., follows the murder of two Israeli embassy employees in Washington, D.C., and has heightened fears within the Jewish community regarding safety and security. The attack...

Los Angeles County Juvenile Detention SettlementLos Angeles County has agreed to pay $2.7 million to a teenager who was attacked in 2023 during orchestrated "gladiator fights" at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall, where probation officers allegedly facilitated the violence. A state grand jury has charged 30 correctional officers for their involvement in allowing nearly 70 fights, leading to concerns about a culture of abuse within the department. Following the incident, corrective measures are being implemented, but...

During the federal trial of Sean Combs, significant testimony focused on his March 2016 assault on Casandra Ventura at the InterContinental Hotel, where security footage was shown to jurors. Hotel security supervisor Eddy Garcia revealed he was paid $100,000 to sign a nondisclosure agreement to suppress the video, admitting he felt pressured and nervous about the NDA. The courtroom experienced a disruption when a woman shouted in defense of Diddy, leading to her removal, while...

A 4-year-old girl, referred to as "Sofia," was granted one year of humanitarian parole to continue receiving critical medical treatment in the U.S. after facing termination of her status. Sofia suffers from short bowel syndrome and requires specialized IV treatments that can only be administered in the U.S., which her mother, Deysi Vargas, emphasized is essential for her well-being. While this legal victory was celebrated, her attorneys highlighted systemic issues in the immigration process that...