Category: Regional & State News

Coroner Identifies the 3 Men Killed in a Greyhound Bus Crash Near St. Louis

ST. LOUIS—Passengers from New Jersey, Arizona and Illinois were killed when a Greyhound bus slammed into three tractor-trailers parked along an exit ramp near St. Louis, a coroner said Thursday. Fourteen others were injured in the accident just before 2 a.m. Wednesday on Interstate 70 near Highland, Illinois, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) short of…


Angels Broadcaster, Former Pitcher Still Going Strong After Life-Threatening Event

Approaching the four-year anniversary of a cardiac event that under most any other circumstances would have taken his life, Angels radio broadcaster and former major-league pitcher Mark Langston can joke about it. That is, after all, how baseball players, and former baseball players, usually deal with adversity and frightening situations. Mr. Langston was on the…


Gunman Who Killed 11 People in Pittsburgh Synagogue Found Eligible for Death Penalty

PITTSBURGH—The gunman who killed 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018 is eligible for the death penalty, a federal jury announced Thursday, setting the stage for further evidence and testimony on whether he should be sentenced to death or life in prison. The government is seeking capital punishment for Robert Bowers, who raged against…


Judge Dismisses Lawsuit by California Parent Who Claims School District ‘Socially Transitioned’ Child Without Notifying Her

A federal judge recently dismissed a lawsuit brought by a California parent who claimed her child’s school district failed to inform her of her daughter’s desire to change her pronouns and gender identity. Aurora Regino sued the Chico Unified School District in January, claiming school officials began “socially transitioning” her fifth-grade daughter without notifying her….


Newport Beach Bans Homeless Encampments in Front of Schools, Daycare Centers

The Newport Beach City Council unanimously approved July 11 an ordinance that bans homeless encampments that block public access to such facilities as schools, daycare centers, and public restrooms, as well as “unpermitted structures”—such as those made of wood pallets or lean-tos—of any kind even if the city’s only shelter is full. Tents, tarps, and…


Irvine Moves Forward With Transformation of Asphalt Plant

An asphalt plant in Irvine that has repeatedly been criticized by nearby residents for producing foul odors and potentially dangerous pollutants is on track to close in November, according to Irvine city officials. The city council approved the $285 million purchase of All American Asphalt in April after filing a public nuisance lawsuit against it…


Public Pressure Forces California Committee to Reconsider, Pass Child Sex Trafficking Bill

After a child sex trafficking bill was killed by the Assembly Public Safety Committee July 11, pressure from the public, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, and the governor led to an abrupt about-face July 13, with the committee passing the measure in a tense, one-minute meeting. Following a contentious debate on the floor…


Public Pressure Forces California Committee to Revive Child Sex Trafficking Bill

After a child sex trafficking bill was killed by the Assembly Public Safety Committee July 11, pressure from the public, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, and the governor led to an abrupt about-face July 13, with the committee passing the measure in a tense, one-minute meeting. Following a contentious debate on the floor…


Two Additional Teenage Suspects Arrested in Fatal Long Beach Shooting

Two additional teenage suspects have been arrested in connection with a fatal shooting of a 17-year-old boy in Long Beach in January, police said on July 12. Long Beach Police Department Special Investigations Division detectives located two 16-year-old boys suspected of fatally shooting Khalil Saleem at two separate locations on July 11, according to the…


Sentencing Due for Orange County Man Who Stalked Online Gamer

LOS ANGELES—A former Marine from Orange County faces sentencing on July 13 for using hundreds of Twitter accounts to torment a professional online gamer he fixated on during a long-running harassment campaign. Evan Baltierra, 30, of Trabuco Canyon, pleaded guilty last year in Los Angeles to one count of stalking, a crime that carries a…