Firefighters in Kern County responded to a vegetation fire near Bena Landfill off Highway 58 in Keene on Monday, authorities said. The fire, identified by the Kern County Fire Department as the Wood Fire, had burned about 40 acres, according to officials. Authorities advised motorists and residents that smoke was...
Kern County Fire Closes Highway 178 Through Kern Canyon
Highway 178 through the Kern Canyon was closed Monday because of a fire, according to Caltrans. Transportation officials said there was no estimated time for reopening the highway. The Kern County Fire Department said that firefighters and additional resources are responding to the fire. — Connect with Anthony W. Haddad on social...
Israel, Hezbollah War Persists Despite Truce Extension. Lebanon’s Death Toll Passes 3,000
Israel carried out airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Monday, Lebanese security sources and the state news agency said, while Hezbollah announced new attacks on Israeli forces, continuing the war in Lebanon despite the extension of a U.S.-backed truce. Since the war began on March 2, more than 3,000 people have...
Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Gary Charles Dashjian
May 18, 2026 Most Wanted Person of the Day Suspect Name: Gary Charles Dashjian Suspects Date of Birth: July 16, 1988 Physical Description: White Male, 5’ 8, 170 lbs., Black Hair, Brown Eyes. Charges: Identity theft Warrant Number: F25908508 Synopsis of the Case: Gary Charles Dashjian is wanted on a...
Adult Dies of Hantavirus in Colorado, State Health Officials Say
An adult in Colorado has died after a confirmed case of hantavirus that is not linked to a recent outbreak aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment officials said in a statement on Monday. The strain of hantavirus that caused the Colorado death...
US Moves to Curb Ebola Risk, Says Immediate Risk to Public Is Low
U.S. health officials on Monday announced steps aimed at reducing the risk of Ebola in the United States amid international concerns over a new outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, even as it told Americans the immediate risk was low. CDC officials said they will screen and monitor travelers who...
Fresno County Man Killed, Child Critically Injured in Highway 41 Crash
A man was killed and a 3-year-old child was critically injured Sunday in a crash on Highway 41 in Fresno, according to the California Highway Patrol. The crash was reported around 2:25 a.m. on southbound Highway 41 north of Highway 180 after CHP dispatchers received calls about a disabled vehicle...
Greenland Says US Talks Make Progress but Island Is Not for Sale
Greenland's government said on Monday that progress has been made in high-stakes talks with the United States over the territory's future, but that the giant island sought by President Donald Trump will never be for sale. U.S. special envoy Jeff Landry, appointed by Trump last year to push for American...
A Crack in the Polling Floor Puts Trump in New Territory
Over the last decade, it’s often been said that President Donald Trump’s support has a low ceiling but a high floor. In Monday’s New York Times/Siena poll, whether Trump really has a high floor is starting to be put to the test. Just 37% of Americans approve of his performance...
Judge Grants Luigi Mangione’s Bid to Suppress Evidence Due to Unlawful Search
A state court judge on Monday partially granted Luigi Mangione’s bid to prevent evidence found in his backpack during his arrest from being admitted at his murder trial for allegedly assassinating a health insurance executive in Manhattan. Mangione, 28, is accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a Midtown...
