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College sues for damages, saying cleaner turned off lab freezer and destroyed research

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:52:41 GMT

TROY, N.Y. (AP) — More than 20 years of cell cultures and other specimens stored at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute were destroyed when a cleaner switched off power to a lab freezer, according to a lawsuit filed by the school.RPI is seeking $1 million from Daigle Cleaning Systems, claiming one of the company’s employees turned off the circuit breaker for the freezer, which must keep specimens at minus 112 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 80 degrees Celsius), according to the lawsuit filed this month.The freezer was used by researchers studying how plants use photosynthesis to create energy. A notice had been placed on the unit’s door reading in part, “THIS FREEZER IS BEEPING AS IT IS UNDER REPAIR. PLEASE DO NOT MOVE OR UNPLUG IT,” shortly before the cleaner came into the lab on Sept. 17, 2020.The cleaner heard the “annoying” alarm that evening and tried to help by turning the circuit breakers on. But the cleaner actually moved the breakers fro...

Caretaker formally charged in murders of two elderly women

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:52:41 GMT

A live-in caretaker at a Diamond Bar assisted living center has been charged with murder in the deaths of two elderly women entrusted to his care.On Tuesday, Jianchun Li, 40, was formally charged in connection with murder for the deaths of the two women, who were found dead inside the “Happy Home Care For Elderly” facility on 23800 block of Sapphire Canyon Road in Diamond Bar.Li worked at the facility as a live-in caretaker, officials said at the time of his arrest on Saturday. Neighbors told KTLA that as many as six people lived on the property.The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has identified the victims as Monica Moon Lee, 75, and Hee Sook Park, 83. Investigators believe Li killed the two elderly women, although a motive remains unclear."The tragic and brutal murders of these two elderly women at Happy Home Care are a stark reminder of the need for increased vigilance and scrutiny in our care facilities,” L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón said, adding tha...

Dogs rescued from China’s meat trade arrive at LAX

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:52:41 GMT

Nearly two dozen dogs rescued from China’s meat trade arrived in Southern California Tuesday, their first stop before heading to their forever homes scattered across the United States.  Animal lovers, activists and city leaders came together in Inglewood for the grand opening of Rue’s Kennels at Los Angeles International Airport. The shelter, which organizers say is the first of its kind, is a nonprofit animal care facility built to help rescue dogs from around the world.  “So, the animals will be examined by me and they will receive another rabies vaccine, even if they came in with paperwork,” veterinarian Karen Dochalligan told KTLA.  The latest so-called “freedom flight” carried 16 golden retrievers, two corgis, a poodle and a malamute, all of whom were rescued from the meat trade in China.  While the practice of consuming dog meat is unthinkable in North America, the practice is somewhat common in other parts of the world, though that doesn’t necessarily mean it h...

Fast-moving brush fire erupts in San Bernardino County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:52:41 GMT

A fast-moving brush fire erupted in the community of Mentone in San Bernardino County Tuesday afternoon, officials announced.  The Nice Fire was first reported at around 3:40 p.m. in the area of Nice Avenue and Amethyst Street, and had spread to nearly 67 acres with 0% containment by 4:45 p.m. Early reports of the fire suggested an unknown amount of structures were threatened, but officials later announced that no structures were threatened and no evacuation orders were issued. Brush fire destroys structures in Riverside County Officials say the rapidly moving fire was burning in “light flashy fuels” and had the potential to spread to some 200 acres. Firefighting aircraft seen here dropping fire retardant on the Nice Fire in San Bernardino County on June 27, 2023. (@CALFIREBDU)The San Bernardino County Fire Department requested a full ground and air response with additional tankers in order to fight the fire, adding that operations will continue through the night and that th...

Former Long Beach school district employee arrested for alleged sexual battery of minors

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:52:41 GMT

A former employee with the Long Beach Unified School District was arrested Monday for the alleged sexual battery of minors.The suspect, identified as Michael Quigley, 74, from Lakewood, was arrested on seven counts of sexual battery and seven counts of annoying or molesting a child under the age of 18, according to the Long Beach Police Department.In October 2022, a female juvenile victim told police she had been inappropriately touched by Quigley while he was volunteering as a swim and water polo coach at Jordan High School.As detectives began investigating, more juvenile victims involving Quigley were identified, police said. The suspect is believed to be responsible for sexual batteries dating back to 2021, according to investigators.Following his arrest, Quigley was booked at the Long Beach City Jail. He is being held on $100,000 bail.Michael Quigley in a photo from the Long Beach Police Department.Detectives are encouraging any additional victims of the suspect to come forward ...

Giuliani interviewed in 2020 election interference probe

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:52:41 GMT

By Paula Reid and Sara Murray | CNNFormer Donald Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani has been interviewed by federal investigators as part of the special counsel’s investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, multiple sources familiar with the meeting told CNN.The meeting between Giuliani, his attorney Robert Costello, and investigators took place in recent weeks. The sources declined to say what investigators’ questions focused on during the meeting, which has not been previously reported.Special counsel Jack Smith has not announced any charges stemming from his investigation into efforts to block the certification of the 2020 presidential election, but prosecutors appear to be nearing charging decisions, sources familiar with the case have said.The interview with Giuliani comes amid a flurry of activity in the probe, which is examining a plan from Trump and his allies to put forth fake electors as well as potential financial crimes related to post-election fundraisin...

Chicago, Detroit suffer under blanket of Canadian smoke

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:52:41 GMT

By Melina Walling, Melissa Winder and Trisha Ahmed | Associated PressCHICAGO — Drifting smoke from the ongoing wildfires across Canada is creating curtains of haze and raising air quality concerns throughout the Great Lakes region and in parts of the central and eastern United States.The Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow.gov site showed parts of Illinois, lower Michigan and southern Wisconsin had the worst air quality in the U.S. on Tuesday afternoon, and Chicago, Detroit and Milwaukee had air quality categorized as “very unhealthy.”In Minnesota, a record 23rd air quality alert was issued Tuesday through late Wednesday night across much of the state, as smoky skies obscure the skylines of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy issued an air quality alert for the entire state. Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources also issued an air quality advisory for the state.In Chicago, officials urged yo...

‘Every member of society should be disgusted’: Brentwood couple get decades in federal prison for documenting their sexual abuse of two girls

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:52:41 GMT

OAKLAND — A local pedophile whose girlfriend tried to keep him happy by producing child pornography has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, while the woman who took the videos and pictures received a more lenient 22 years behind bars, authorities said.Matthew Pelton, 50, and Heather Gharibian, 53, who pleaded guilty in February, were both sentenced Tuesday afternoon by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White in an Oakland federal courtroom.Pelton and Gharibian were romantic partners and Pelton frequently stayed over at Gharibian’s Brentwood home. Prosecutors allege that Pelton used Gharibian’s access to two girls as an opportunity and “groomed” her into agreeing to take lewd photos of both victims to help fulfill his repulsive sexual fantasies. In sentencing memos for both defendants, prosecutors included sexual text message exchanges where they discuss molesting the girls in specific ways and where Gharibian sent Pelton images and videos of them.Th...

Alameda County ordinance passes, making it illegal to watch sideshows

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:52:41 GMT

(KRON) -- It is now illegal to even watch a sideshow in Alameda County after the county's board of supervisors approved an ordinance prohibiting spectators at sideshows. The ordinance passed on Tuesday by a vote of 4 to 1, KRON4 confirmed. The ordinance prohibits spectators at sideshows, street races and reckless driving exhibitions. Spectators who violate the ordinance could be subject to fines of up to $1,000, a sentence of up to six months in jail, or both. $10,000 reward offered for solving Oakland flower delivery homicide "Spectators play a part in sideshow events by encouraging, popularizing, and facilitating these events," the ordinance reads. "Sizable crowds will gather to watch races of side shows. Spectators will often take video recording of these events and post them on social media. This behavior can expose street racing and reckless driving exhibitions to a broader audience and potentially perpetuate the activity and increase its popularity."The ordinance also ties s...

Female bank robber sought by Brentwood, Antioch police

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:52:41 GMT

(KRON) -- A young woman robbed multiple banks in Brentwood and Antioch on Monday, according to investigators. The first bank robbery happened at Patelco Credit Union on Lone Tree Way in Brentwood just before 2 p.m. "A Hispanic female adult passed a note to the bank teller demanding money," the Brentwood Police Department wrote. The woman fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of money. Just two hours later, the woman changed her outfit and entered Travis Credit Union on Lone Tree Way in Antioch. "The same female suspect passed a note to the bank teller again demanding money," BPD wrote.(Image via Brentwood Police Department) (Images via Brentwood Police Department) Police also did not disclose how much money was stolen from the Antioch bank. She may have fled in a gray four-door Honda or Nissan with tinted windows, BPD stated. Witnesses told police that the woman appeared to be in her early or mid-twenties, was about 5'4" tall, and has brown hair. Investigators released surveillanc...