Well-known professional rock climber Charles Barrett received a life prison sentence in Sacramento federal court on Tuesday morning. U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert said in a news release that Barrett, 40, was sentenced for two counts of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of abusive sexual contact that occurred during...
Epoch Times CFO Arrested in Alleged $67 Million Money Laundering Scheme
The chief financial officer of conservative news outlet The Epoch Times, Weidong "Bill" Guan, has been charged with leading a scheme to launder over $67 million in illicit funds, federal prosecutors announced Monday as reported by CNBC. The alleged operation involved cryptocurrency, prepaid debit cards, fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits, and...
California Braces for Triple-Digit Heat as Early Heat Wave Threatens Southwest
PHOENIX — Parts of California, Nevada and Arizona are expected to bake this week as the first heat wave of the season arrives with triple-digit temperatures forecast for areas including Phoenix, which last summer saw a record 31 straight days of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius). Heat Wave...
US Job Openings Fall to 8.1 Million, Lowest Since 2021, But Remain at Historically High Levels
WASHINGTON — U.S. job openings fell in April to the lowest level since 2021. But they remained at historically strong levels despite high interest rates and signs the economy is slowing. The Labor Department reported Tuesday that employers posted 8.1 million vacancies in April, down from a revised 8.4 million...
Why California Regulators Have to Protect Both Consumers and Company Profits
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Southern Pacific Railroad wielded almost total control over California’s politics, angering farmers who believed they were being gouged by high freight rates and fueling a powerful populist movement. Farmers’ complaints spawned several efforts to regulate them and finally gave birth in...
Muhammad Ali’s Childhood Home Is for Sale in Kentucky
LOUISVILLE — The pink house where Muhammad Ali grew up dreaming of boxing fame — and where hundreds of fans gathered for an emotional send-off as his funeral procession passed by decades later — is up for sale. The two-bedroom, one-bathroom house in Louisville was converted into a museum that...
Poppi Faces Lawsuit from Consumer Who Questions Its Gut Health Claims
Popular soda brand Poppi is facing a class-action lawsuit filed by a consumer who says its products don’t improve gut health as much as their marketing suggests. In a lawsuit filed last week in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, Kristin Cobbs said she purchased Poppi drinks on multiple occasions...
John Cusack Slams Nikki Haley After Signing Israeli Artillery Shells
Actor John Cusack slammed former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley after she tweeted herself signing Israeli artillery shells, Newsweek reports. The war, which began after a surprise attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, has caused significant casualties, with over 36,000 Palestinians killed according to Gaza Health Ministry, and has sparked...
Cheated Out of Your Paycheck? Help in Fresno Is on the Way
The Fresno City Attorney's Office received $720,000 from the California Labor Commissioner to prosecute businesses for not paying workers their due. In February, the city council authorized City Attorney Andrew Janz to create a new division focused on wage theft. "To folks who are not experiencing wage theft this may...
What’s More Popular: Cannabis or Alcohol?
For the first time, the number of Americans who use marijuana just about every day has surpassed the number who drink that often, a shift some 40 years in the making as recreational pot use became more mainstream and legal in nearly half of U.S. states. In 2022, an estimated...