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Los Angeles homelessness up 9% in the county, 10% in the city, count finds

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:31 GMT

A clearer picture of the status of homelessness in Los Angeles County came into focus Thursday with the release of the 2023 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count, and after some brief hope offered by last year's results, the downward trend is continuing.The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority revealed "a 9% rise in homelessness on any given night in Los Angeles County to an estimated 75,518 people and a 10% rise in the City of Los Angeles to an estimated 46,260 people.""While this year’s increases are slightly lower than previous year-over-year increases in the homeless count, they continue a steady growth trend of people experiencing homelessness in the annual Point-in-Time Count," the release said. Robert Mason, a 56-year-old homeless man, warms up a piece of doughnut over a bonfire he set to keep himself warm on Skid Row in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)In 2019, the annual report detected double-digit increases in the homeless populations of th...

Authorities chase stolen van driver from L.A. to San Diego County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:31 GMT

A stolen vehicle suspect led authorities on a chase from Los Angeles to San Diego County before being taken into custody Thursday, officials said. The pursuit apparently began in the Los Angeles Police Department's jurisdiction, but by 9:40 a.m., the driver was speeding on the southbound 405 Freeway in Costa Mesa, aerial video from Sky5 showed. The van, which belongs to Fit For Life 1 in South Gate, was stolen from a repair shop in Los Angeles, the business told KTLA.The driver was soon in Irvine and continued speeding through the 5 Freeway with several California Highway Patrol units in tow. By 9:55 a.m., the driver was in the Mission Viejo area, but Sky5 lost signal in San Juan Capistrano, where the pursuit left KTLA's coverage area. The chase ended about a half-hour later in Carlsbad, according to the CHP. The unidentified driver exited the 5 Freeway at Cannon Road and eventually stopped at College Boulevard and Faraday Avenue. He was taken into custody without any further incid...

Travis Scott may face criminal charges in Astroworld crowd crush: Report

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:31 GMT

Rapper Travis Scott may possibly face criminal charges for the deadly crowd crush at his Astroworld festival in November 2021.The incident killed 10 people and left thousands injured. Scott and several others are involved in the criminal probe of the tragedy, which went to a grand jury in Houston, according to Reuters. Houston mourns, investigates deaths at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Scott's lawyer Kent Schaffer told the outlet he expected the decision would be coming down on Thursday. “Nothing Travis did or failed to do fits within the Texas criminal code,” Schaffer said to the publication. It's unclear how long the grand jury had been meeting and what exactly the charges will be. On Nov. 5, 2021, a fatal crowd crush took place at the festival founded by Scott, who is from Houston. The crush was caused by the crowd pushing towards the stage once Scott's performance started. As the crowd pressed forward, it caused a crush near the stage as the event was over capacity. This occurred...

Brian Rose, Douglas Shippy Dead in Fiery Crash near Pebble Creek Parkway [Goodyear, AZ]

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:31 GMT

Fiery Three-Vehicle Collision near Indian School Road Left 2 Dead and 3 InjuredGOODYEAR, AZ (June 1, 2023) – Sunday evening, Brian Rose and Douglas Shippy were killed in a fiery three-vehicle collision.The incident happened on May 28th, near the intersection of Pebble Creek Parkway and Indian School Road.According to reports, the collision involved three vehicles. As a result of the collision, one of the vehicles became engulfed in flames.Emergency crews arrived to the site of the collision shortly afterward. There, they pronounced 43-year-old Brian Rose and 58-year-old Douglas Shippy dead at the scene.Furthermore, three other people were injured in the collision but their conditions are not currently knownFollowing the crash, officials identified the driver of the third vehicle as Andrew Lugo. Police arrested Lugo on charges of manslaughter, endangerment, aggravated DUI with a passenger under 15, extreme DUI, and exhibition of speed. Officials booked him into Maricopa County ...

Dances With Films is Underway, and More Than Ever, it has Something to Say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:31 GMT

The Summer Film festival known as Dances With Films is once again underway showcasing unique independent cinema with something to say about society. Now in its 26th year, the fest features narrative, documentary, TV, midnight movies and kids films from around the world. Cultural relevance and diversity are big themes this year with an added focus on gender and racial issues. Hoping to showcase new talent and cinematic underdogs, DWF has long had a  “no stars” policy, but they’ve relaxed this in recent years due to the relationships they’ve built and the array of talent that has sought to be a part of it as it’s grown.Despite the writers’ strike and uncertainty in other parts of industry, festivals like DWF solider on, putting the spotlight on the side projects of up and comers working in entertainment and unknowns hoping to break in. As DWF continues today thru this weekend, here’s our picks for standouts on the schedule:Thursday, June 29:Christopher Beatty’s horror-tinged psy...

Deputy acquitted of failing to act during Florida school shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:31 GMT

By Terry Spencer | Associated PressFORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A Florida sheriff’s deputy was acquitted Thursday of felony child neglect and other charges for failing to act during the 2018 Parkland school massacre, concluding the first trial in U.S. history of a law enforcement officer for conduct during an on-campus shooting.Former Broward County Deputy Scot Peterson wept as the verdicts were read. The jury had deliberated for 19 hours over four days.After court adjourned, Peterson, his family and friends rushed into a group hug as they whooped, hollered and cried. One of his supporters chased after lead prosecutor Chris Killoran and said something. Killoran turned and snapped at him, “Way to be a good winner” and slapped him on the shoulder. Members of the prosecution team then nudged Killoran out of the courtroom.The campus deputy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Peterson had been charged with failing to confront shooter Nikolas Cruz during his six-minute a...

San Mateo: Boys and Girls Club supervisor arrested in child sex abuse investigation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:31 GMT

SAN MATEO — A supervisor at a Boys and Girls Club summer program has been arrested on suspicion of having sexual contact with a child as well as possessing child pornography, police announced Thursday.Kevin Granados-Elizalde, 25, of Redwood City, seen without and with glasses, has been arrested by San Mateo police on suspicion of multiple crimes, including contacting a minor to commit a felony, lewd or lascivious acts with a child under fourteen years old, use of an underage person for obscene matter, and possession of child pornography. (Courtesy of San Mateo Police Department) San Mateo police said in a news release that officers were called Wednesday to Fiesta Gardens International School on Bermuda Drive after a parent reported “inappropriate interactions” between her child and a staff member at a Boys and Girls Club program hosted on the school grounds.Police said an ensuing investigation identified 25-year-old Redwood City resident Kevin Granados-Elizald...

'Influencer mom' Katie Sorensen sentenced to Sonoma County jail

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:31 GMT

(KRON) -- An Instagram "influencer mom" was sentenced to jail on Thursday for making viral videos about a fake attempted kidnapping.Kathleen "Katie" Sorensen, 30, formerly of Sonoma, falsely claimed a Petaluma couple tried to kidnap her young children while she was shopping in an arts and crafts store. Her Instagram videos went viral in December 2020.Sorensen was previously convicted by a jury of knowingly making a false report of a crime to police.Sonoma County Judge Laura Passaglia presided over Thursday's sentencing hearing. The judge ordered Sorensen to serve 90 days in jail, 60 of which could be served on a work release program.Sorensen was immediately remanded into custody to begin serving her sentence.The judge also placed Sorensen on 12 months of probation, during which time she was ordered to have no social media presence, pay fines, submit to warrantless search and seizure of electronic devices, and complete an implicit bias training class.The couple accused by Sorensen wa...

Pam Moore celebrated as KRON4 names SF studio in her honor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:31 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- Veteran journalist and evening anchor, Pam Moore, announced her plans to retire earlier this month from KRON4, Nexstar Media Group, Inc.’s broadcast and digital operation in San Francisco (DMA #10).Moore has been anchoring the KRON4 News since March 1991. Her last evening newscast is scheduled for tonight June 29 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. followed by a special focusing on Pam’s legacy in the Bay Area. During her last days in the anchor chair, Moore received heartfelt messages from Bay Area luminaries and national leaders including the Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris. San Francisco Mayor London Breed proclaimed June 29, 2023, Pam Moore Day in San Francisco and Moore also received a proclamation honoring her service from Oakland City Mayor, Sheng Thao. Tonight, during her final newscast, Moore will be honored by several Bay Area leaders and organizations.“We want all who enter the KRON4 studio to be reminded of the journalistic principles t...

IOC leader Bach quizzed by Ukrainian Olympic athlete on Russia issue for 2024 Paris Games

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:31 GMT

GENEVA (AP) — IOC president Thomas Bach was quizzed by a Ukrainian Olympic athlete on Thursday about needing to keep Russians out of the 2024 Paris Games before he went to see the high jump event of another Ukrainian who had criticized him one day earlier.Ukrainian track and field teammates Viktoriia Tkachuk and Yaroslava Mahuchikh came to the International Olympic Committee’s home city of Lausanne in Switzerland for the annual meet in the global Diamond League series.Two-time Olympian Tkachuk was among about 15 athletes who took up the IOC’s invitation to visit its offices and meet Bach, who has this year urged sports bodies to let some Russians with neutral status compete in qualifying events for Paris. He has also criticized Ukraine’s government for trying to stop its athletes competing in the same events as Russians.Tkachuk used the time to give Bach a rare face-to-face meeting with a Ukrainian athlete and “insist on the need to isolate Russia from international competitio...