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Crews work to contain large, smoky brush fire in Gloucester

Crews work to contain large, smoky brush fire in Gloucester

Firefighters in Massachusetts are working to contain a large brush fire that is burning near residential neighborhoods in the Cape Ann region.Gloucester Fire Chief Eric Smith said the department first received reports of the two-alarm fire in the area of ​​Poles Hill and Riverview Road at about 10:45 a.m. Monday. Sky5 saw flames and smoke as it flew over the fire, which was burning in a wooded, rocky area near Wheeler Street.Smith said it is the second fire in the area on consecutive days.”We’ve had repeated problems with folks up here having camp fires and, you know, drinking, partying, which often leads to this,” said Smith. “There’s really no source of ignition out in these woods because there’s not a lot out there other than people and that’s usually the source of the problem.”Smith said “almost all” of the Gloucester Fire Department has responded to the fire, along with several engine companies from neighboring communities.”Getting enough people here quickly enough is challenging,” said Smith. “Water supply out in the woods, obviously, doesn’t exist. So we’ve got to drag it all in on hose lines and this fire is far too intense and there’s far too much fuel load to go in with hand tools.” There have been no reported injuries and much of the fire was contained at about 3:45 pm, but crews continue to work on preventing flare ups from getting out of control due to the dry conditions.”That is really our focus: To keep this fire from getting to any structures or our homes,” he said. Crews operations stopped during the night due to the loss of light, but Smith said they plan on returning to the scene at first light Tuesday to resume operations. Smith said light smoke should be expected in the area over the next day or two while firefighters work to fully clear the scene. Anyone who sees heavy smoke or fire in the area, however, is being asked to call 911 to report it. Fire officials in the New Hampshire town of Hampton Falls, which is near the Massachusetts border, said the smoke from the large brush fire in Gloucester was blowing directly toward them on Monday. According to Thursday’s report from the US Drought Monitor, nearly 94% of Massachusetts is now in a moderatedrought or worse. Almost 44% of the state is in a severe drought — including Cape Ann.

GLOUCESTER, Mass. —

Firefighters in Massachusetts are working to contain a large brush fire that is burning near residential neighborhoods in the Cape Ann region.

Gloucester Fire Chief Eric Smith said the department first received reports of the two-alarm fire in the area of ​​Poles Hill and Riverview Road at about 10:45 am Monday.

Sky5 saw flames and smoke as it flew over the fire, which was burning in a wooded, rocky area near Wheeler Street.

Smith said it is the second fire in the area on consecutive days.

“We’ve had repeated problems with folks up here having camp fires and, you know, drinking, partying, which often leads to this,” said Smith. “There’s really no source of ignition out in these woods because there’s not a lot out there other than people and that’s usually the source of the problem.”

Smith said “almost all” of the Gloucester Fire Department has responded to the fire, along with several engine companies from neighboring communities.

“Getting enough people here quickly enough is challenging,” said Smith. “Water supply out in the woods, obviously, doesn’t exist. So we’ve got to drag it all in on hose lines and this fire is far too intense and there’s far too much fuel load to go in with hand tools.”

There have been no reported injuries and much of the fire was contained at about 3:45 pm, but crews continue to work on preventing flare ups from getting out of control due to the dry conditions.

“That is really our focus: To keep this fire from getting to any structures or our homes,” he said.

Crews operations stopped during the night due to the loss of light, but Smith said they plan on returning to the scene at first light Tuesday to resume operations.

Smith said light smoke should be expected in the area over the next day or two while firefighters work to fully clear the scene. Anyone who sees heavy smoke or fire in the area, however, is being asked to call 911 to report it.

Fire officials in the New Hampshire town of Hampton Falls, which is near the Massachusetts border, said the smoke from the large brush fire in Gloucester was blowing directly toward them on Monday.

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According to Thursday’s report from the US Drought Monitor, nearly 94% of Massachusetts is now in a moderate drought or worse. Almost 44% of the state is in a severe drought — including Cape Ann.

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Kentucky’s floods have been devastating. Timing is a key reason, an expert said

Kentucky's floods have been devastating. Timing is a key reason, an expert said

A historic deluge that battered eastern Kentucky last week was so devastating because it flooded the region when people were asleep — and because rainfall rates and locations are hard to pinpoint until the downpour happens, the state’s climatologist said.

“The biggest danger that came with this flooding is that most of the rain happened very quickly, very heavily, and overnight,” said Megan Schargorodski, who is also director of the Kentucky Climate Center at Western Kentucky University.

A couple moves belongings away from flood waters
A couple carries belongings away from their house to save them from flood waters from the Kentucky River in Jackson, Ky. on Thursday.Leandro Lozada / AFP via Getty Images

As of Monday, 37 people had died in the floods and “so many more” remain missing, Gov. Andy Beshear said.

“Let us pray for these families and come together to wrap our arms around our fellow Kentuckians,” he said.

The geography of the region contributed to that devastation, with Appalachia’s complex terrain causing waterways and low-lying areas to quickly become inundated, Schargorodski said.

“Many routes get blocked due to flood waters and it can sometimes actually be more dangerous to evacuate,” she said.

Unlike mass evacuations that can happen days before a hurricane, she said, it’s less possible for people in eastern Kentucky to leave when they don’t know when and where the flooding will occur.

Nor are many in the region, with its soaring poverty rates, able to flee even if they wanted to, she said.

Still, Schargorodski said forecasters correctly anticipated significant rainfall across much of the eastern part of the state before the deluge.

Up-to-the-minute information was posted to social media by the National Weather Service and by Kentucky Emergency Management officials, who used Twitter and Facebook. Weather service offices in Kentucky, along with state emergency officials, began warning of flooding to come starting on July 25 at the latest.

Susan Buchanan, a spokeswoman for the National Weather Service, said in an email that its forecasts have been expanded to include not just what the weather will do, but how it will impact people.

The agency provides briefings to local officials, and forecasters often embed with emergency managers during weather events, Buchanan said.

“While we provide anticipated impacts, we do not provide advice for decision making,” she said.

Some of the hardest hit counties were not in the habit of communicating through social media, which could have left some residents without the latest information on the storm.

Kentucky Emergency Management lists “county directors” for local emergency services and links to local sites for more focused information. But in Knott County, where Gov. Andy Beshear said at least 15 people have died, the link leads to a page that “doesn’t exist.”

Its online presence includes a .com commercial page registered in Canada that has only an address and a phone number for “Emergency Management.” There are also third-party pages and sites, such as one hosted by countyoffice.org, with some county and emergency information.

The agency’s phone number did not appear to be working Monday, and a message sent to its Facebook page was not returned.

Efforts to reach the Knott County Sheriff’s Office were also unsuccessful.

Receded water levels from the Kentucky River surround a truck
Receded water levels from the Kentucky River surround a truck in Jackson, Kentucky, on Saturday.Michael Swensen/Getty Images

Still, Missy Bush, a resident of Knott County, said that officials warned the community “through every avenue available to them.”

“They gave warnings about this system and flood chances, and many people were getting emergency alerts on their phones,” Bush, 40, said via Facebook messenger.

“But due to the time of night it started and how fast the water rose, many people in areas that had never before flooded saw water and went to gather a few things and leave,” she said.

They returned to a vehicle that was half underwater, she said.

“I really don’t know of any other warnings that would have helped,” she added.

In nearby Letcher County, Chloe Adams had no idea that flood warnings had been issued across a wide swath of her state.

Adams, 17, awoke at 5 am on Thursday to the sound of gurgling in her father’s double-wide trailer in Whitesburg and found dirty water bubbling up through every drain.

The water was quickly rising inside the trailer as Adams — who was home alone and whose father was at work in Lexington — tried to figure out an escape plan with her dog, an 11-year-old mutt named Sandy that she’d had for to decade

“All I know was that I only had two options here, we stay inside and drown or I take my chances swimming to safety,” she said in a text message to NBC News. “I knew the dangers of trying to swim in deep water but I felt I had no choice.”

She placed the dog and a sofa cushion in a plastic drawer and plunged into cold, fast moving water, hoping to make it to the roof of a nearby storage building.

“Somehow by the grace of God Sandy and I reached” it, she said.

Chloe Adams sits on the roof of a storage facility
Chloe Adams sits on the roof of a storage facility with her dog Sandy as she waits to be rescued following flooding in Whitesburg, Kentucky.Terry Adams Sr. via Facebook

They stayed there for several hours waiting to be rescued, she said. Eventually, she said, her cousin de ella arrived in a kayak and paddled the pair to safety.

Asked if authorities could have done more to alert her and others to the catastrophic flooding, she said that she believed authorities had done their jobs “perfectly.”

“They did all their warnings and news casts but I don’t watch the news and my phone was charging in another room when all the warnings went off,” she said. “Plus I was sleeping.”

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Dentist found guilty in wife’s death on 2016 African safari

Dentist found guilty in wife's death on 2016 African safari

Lawrence Rudolph testified that a shotgun went off accidentally while he and his wife, Bianca, were packing to leave Zambia in October 2016.

DENVER — A wealthy dentist accused of fatally shooting his wife at the end of an African safari was found guilty of murder and mail fraud Monday.

The verdict for Lawrence “Larry” Rudolph’ came from a jury in a Denver federal court following a trial that lasted three weeks.

Rudolph was charged with murder in the 2016 death of Bianca Rudolph as well as mail fraud for cashing in $4.8 million in life insurance claims in what prosecutors describe as a premeditated crime.

RELATED: US dentist on trial in Denver for wife’s 2016 safari death in Zambia

RELATED: Trial opens in Denver for US dentist in wife’s safari death in Zambia

Rudolph maintained his innocence. His attorney suggested his wife of 34 years shot herself while trying to pack a shotgun in a hurry as they prepared to return from Zambia to the United States in 2016.

RELATED: Wealthy dentist on trial in Denver denies killing wife on African safari trip

But prosecutors countered that evidence showed that it was impossible because the wound to her heart came from a shot fired from 2 to 3.5 feet (1 meter) away.

Prosecutors also accused Rudolph’s girlfriend and manager of his Pittsburgh-area dental franchise, Lori Milliron, of lying to a federal grand jury about the case and her relationship with Rudolph.

She was found guilty by the same jury Monday of being an accessory after the fact to murder, obstruction of a grand jury and two counts of perjury before a grand jury. She was found not guilty on two other counts of perjury.

Prosecutors alleged that Rudolph decided to kill his wife to regain control over his life after Bianca Rudolph asked for more say in the couple’s finances and demanded that Milliron be fired. Rudolph’s attorneys called that a false narrative.

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Blinken says Russia is using Ukraine nuclear plant as “equivalent of a human shield”

Blinken says Russia is using Ukraine nuclear plant as "equivalent of a human shield"

United Nations – Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke at the United Nations Monday about what he called “a critical moment” in efforts to keep the world safe from nuclear threats.

At the opening of the 10th annual Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) conference at the UN, Blinken pointed to North Korea’s “unlawful nuclear program” and “ongoing provocations,” Iran’s “path of nuclear escalation,” and Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, which has included seizing control of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant.

“We’re deeply concerned about the fact that Russia has taken over nuclear facilities in Ukraine, particularly in Zaporizhzhia, one of the largest nuclear facilities in Europe,” Blinken said.

“There are credible reports, including in the media today, that Russia is using this plant as the equivalent of a human shield, but a nuclear shield in the sense that it’s firing on Ukrainians from around the plant and of course, the Ukrainians cannot and will not fire back lest there be a terrible accident involving a nuclear plant,” Blinken added, saying that it “is the height of irresponsibility.”

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant
File photo of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in southeastern Ukraine, on July 9, 2019.

Dmytro Smolyenko/Future Publishing via Getty Images


International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres are also at United Nations headquarters in New York for the opening days of the nuclear review conference, which had been postponed since 2020, at a time when nuclear weapons threats and nuclear safety are of rising concern among world leaders.

“Today, humanity is just one misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation,” the UN secretary general said.

Grossi, the international watchdog chief, pointed to the war in Ukraine as “so serious that the specter of a potential nuclear confrontation, or accident, has raised its terrifying head again.”

Grossi cautioned more specifically about Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, saying “the situation is becoming more perilous by the day.”

“It is urgent,” he said last week, since the agency has not been able to visit the site since before the conflict began five months ago. On Monday, Grossi was clear about the dangers: “While this war rages on, inaction is unconscionable.”

“If an accident occurs at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, we will not have a natural disaster to blame — we will have only ourselves to answer to,” Grossi said, adding, “We need everyone’s support.”

Blinken told CBS News at a press encounter that “Ukraine had the confidence to give up the (nuclear) weapons that it inherited when the Soviet Union dissolved because of commitments that Russia made to respect and protect its sovereignty, its independence, its structural integrity. ”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks to the media after attending the 10th annual review of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty at UN headquarters on August 1, 2022 in New York City.

Getty Images


“The fact that Russia has now done exactly the opposite, that it’s attacked Ukraine, unprovoked in an effort to erase that sovereignty and independence that sends a terrible message to countries around the world that are making decisions about whether or not to pursue nuclear weapons, Blinken said.

He was referring to the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, an agreement in which the United States, Russia and Britain committed “to respect the independence and sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine” following the collapse of the Soviet Union, and “to refrain from the threat or use of force” against it — assurances that convinced Ukraine to give up “what amounted to the world’s third largest nuclear arsenal, consisting of some 1,900 strategic nuclear warheads,” according to a Brookings analysis.

The Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, established in 1968 to prevent the spread of weapons technology, sought to keep the number of nuclear states to a minimum — but keeping the nuclear genie in the bottle has been an uphill battle. Nuclear-armed states at the time were Britain, China, France and Russia (the Soviet Union at the time), and the number of nuclear weapons they hold has decreased since the peak of the Cold War. But in the years since, India, Pakistan and North Korea have developed nuclear weapons and Israel is believed to have a nuclear arsenal, though it has neither confirmed nor denied the existence of a program.

Iran is moving forward with its nuclear program since the US with drawn from the 2015 nuclear pact, but it has not yet produced a weapon. Iran’s atomic energy chief said this week that Iran has the ability to build a nuclear weapon but has no plan to do so.

The UN conference will continue throughout August and the nuclear activities of North Korea and Iran are sure to be discussed daily.

North Korea “continues to expand its unlawful nuclear program and continues its ongoing provocations against the region,” Blinken said. “As we gather today, Pyongyang is preparing to conduct its seventh nuclear test.”

The secretary general’s assessment of nuclear threats was chilling: “The risks of proliferation are growing and guardrails to prevent escalation are weakening.”

Guterres heads to Hiroshima at the end of the week, marking the anniversary of the US nuclear bombing in World War II – an event that is not lost on the speakers at the event. Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said that Russia’s indirect warning that it could use nuclear weapons in the Ukraine war has added “to worldwide concern that yet another catastrophe by nuclear weapon use is a real possibility.”

Blinken also made a point of responding to the threats China has made about the possibility of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visiting Taiwan, a self-governing island that China is determined to reunite with the mainland.

Blinken said: “The speaker will make her own decisions about whether or not to visit Taiwan. Congress is an independent co-equal branch of government — the decision is entirely the speaker’s.”

“If the speaker does decide to visit, and China tries to create some kind of crisis, or otherwise escalate tensions, that would be entirely on Beijing,” Blinken said. “We are looking for them, in the event she decides to visit, to act responsibly and not to engage in any escalation going forward.”

On Monday China’s UN Ambassador Zhang Jun said that China will defend its security and sovereignty if Pelosi visits Taiwan. He called the potential visit “provocative and serious.”

pamela falk

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Pamela Falk is the CBS News correspondent covering the United Nations, and an international lawyer.

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Inside the wild Bedminster lobbying spree that led to Trump’s double Missouri endorsement

It marked the end of the chaotic seven hours in Trump world, as the former president’s future daughter-in-law, his handpicked Republican National Committee chairwoman, Missouri’s junior senator and a host of other party operatives and Trump allies jostled over who the former president should endorse in the tumultuous Missouri Senate primary, where polling places were set to open less than 24 hours later.

Trump kicked off the private lobbying spree late Monday morning, when he posted on social media that he would be making his official endorsement that day — without mentioning that he apparently had not yet made his final choice. What transpired over the course of the afternoon illustrates the anarchical nature of Trump’s endorsement process. While the much-coveted endorsement is one of Trump’s greatest assets and his chief political weapon, how he decides who gets one is often more improvisational than scripted.

In this case, many Republican officials feared that the wrong decision could come with serious repercussions for the party. The former governor stepped down from his post by Ella in 2018 after his hairdresser by Ella accused him of sexually assaulting her. And his ex-wife of him has accused him in court of assaulting her and their young son of her in 2018. Greitens has strenuously denied the allegations, but his standing of him in the Missouri GOP Senate primary has slipped amid a wave of focused ads on those allegations.

At the center of Monday’s episode, according to several people familiar with what transpired, was Kimberly Guilfoyle, the fiancée of Donald Trump Jr. who spent the weekend making the case for Greitens while attending a golf tournament Trump hosted at his Bedminster, NJ club.

A little after noon, Trump was having a previously scheduled meeting with RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, where the Missouri race became a topic of discussion. During the sit-down, Trump called Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, a Greitens foe who referenced a recent poll showing the former governor trailing in the primary.

After being told that Guilfoyle was on the Bedminster property, Trump asked for her to be called in to the meeting.

By the time Guilfoyle made it into the room, Hawley was no longer on the line. McDaniel, who like other senior Republicans tried to dissuade Trump from endorsing Greitens for fear that he could lose the seat to a Democrat in the general election and that his nomination would force Republicans to spent money in a state that should be safe for the party, remained in the meeting. She also argued that a late endorsement would do little to alter the race, with most polls showing Greitens lagging behind in third place, and that it would make more sense for Trump to remain neutral.

Guilfoyle was steadfast in her defense of the former governor, saying that the party establishment had been trying to get Trump to oppose Greitens. McDaniel, meanwhile, reiterated her argument that Greitens would make for a weak nominee given his personal baggage.

As the meeting wore on, those familiar with what transpired say, Trump began to lose patience. At one point it was suggested that he could endorse “Eric,” and that by doing so he would be supporting both Schmitt and Greitens.

It was a madcap exit ramp. But Trump went in on the details, asking if the two candidates’ first names were spelled identically — noting that it wouldn’t work if they weren’t. While Trump was intrigued, he also remarked that it might be too cute. He asked for draft endorsements to review, one announcing his support from him for Schmitt, the other for Greitens.

At this point, it was still unclear who Trump would endorse by his self-imposed end-of-day deadline, underscoring the rolling, unpredictable nature of how the former president exercises his power. As he has in other races, Trump on Monday reached out to an array of figures for their views of him. The list included Republican pollsters John McLaughlin and Robert Cahaly, both of whom have conducted surveys on the race. He was given notes from Tony Fabrizio, a longtime Trump pollster who worked for Greitens.

Trump later asked allies Pam Bondi and Matthew Whitaker, both of whom are backing Schmitt, for their views. At another point, I have surveyed Chris Cox, the founder of the “Bikers for Trump” coalition, who was also on the Bedminster property. Cox excused himself from the office so he could get a reading of those in his organization from him. Upon reentering the office, I informed Trump that his crowd was aligned with Greitens.

But Trump circled back to the idea of ​​endorsing the two Erics, reasoning that there were pluses and minuses to both, and that by doing so provide each the opportunity to win with his support. I have drafted a statement that would soon go out.

“I trust the Great People of Missouri, on this one, to make up their own minds,” it read, “much as they did when they gave me landslide victories in the 2016 and 2020 Elections, and I am therefore proud to announce that ERIC has my Complete and Total Endorsement!”

The announcement capped a dramatic, nearly one-year-long battle for Trump’s support. While party leaders cautioned Trump against backing Greitens, some of the most prominent members of the MAGA movement — including Guilfoyle, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Trump adviser Boris Epshteyn — lent him their support. Greitens became a regular guest on “War Room,” the popular podcast hosted by former Trump chief strategist Steve Bannon.

People familiar with Trump’s thinking say concerns surrounding Greitens’ past controversies weighed on his decision not to offer a full endorsement of Greitens. At one point on Monday, they said, Trump pointed out that Greitens might face Trudy Busch Valentine, a wealthy Democratic candidate, in the general election. Busch is heir to the Anheuser-Busch brewing fortune.

“She’s not the weak Bush family,” Trump said, referencing his long-running feud with members of the Bush political dynasty. “Ella She’s the strong Busch family.”

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California Declares State of Emergency as Monkeypox Spreads

California Declares State of Emergency as Monkeypox Spreads

SACRAMENT—Gov. Gavin Newsom of California declared a state of emergency on Monday to address a monkeypox outbreak, making the state the third in four days to elevate its public health response to the rapidly spreading disease.

The declaration followed similar actions by New York on Friday and Illinois on Monday, and by the city of San Francisco on Thursday. Mayor Eric Adams of New York also declared a local emergency on Monday.

“California is working urgently across all levels of government to slow the spread of monkeypox, leveraging our robust testing, contact tracing and community partnerships strengthened during the pandemic to ensure that those most at risk are our focus for vaccines, treatment and outreach,” Mr Newsom said in a statement.

“We’ll continue to work with the federal government to secure more vaccines, raise awareness about reducing risk and stand with the LGBTQ community fighting stigmatization,” he added.

The moves, which help streamline and coordinate the monkeypox response among different levels of government, come amid an uptick in infections as well as increasingly vocal complaints about the public health response.

Nearly 6,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported nationally since May, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with nearly half of them reported in California, Illinois and New York. The World Health Organization has already declared the virus to be a global health emergency.

No deaths have been reported so far in the United States, and monkeypox is rarely fatal, but the rash caused by the virus has led to intense pain in some patients. The virus spreads primarily via prolonged physical contact, but it can also be transmitted via shared linens and clothing, health officials say.

Men who have sex with men have so far made up about 99 percent of the confirmed cases. Public health officials emphasize that the virus can spread to anyone who has prolonged skin-to-skin contact with a person who has the rash.

The US case count is among the highest in the world, and health officials say the figure is almost certainly an underestimate.

Federal health officials say they have not yet declared a health emergency at the national level in part because monkeypox is a known disease with tests, vaccines and treatments available.

But as the virus has spread and scientists have gathered research, the emerging picture has been a bit more complicated than in past outbreaks, and pressure has intensified for more aggressive measures.

Last week, President Biden’s health secretary urged states and municipalities to take more initiative, noting that most public health powers in the United States are concentrated at local levels.

“We don’t control public health in the 50 states, in the territories and in the tribal jurisdictions,” Xavier Becerra, the secretary of health and human services, said in response to a reporter’s question about whether the virus could be eliminated. “We rely on our partnership to work with them. They need to work with us.”

California’s emergency declaration will allow Emergency Medical Services workers to administer federally approved monkeypox vaccines.

Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York issued an emergency declaration on Friday, saying the move would pressure the federal health officials to send additional monkeypox vaccines to the state. On Monday, Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois followed suit, calling monkeypox “a rare but potentially serious disease that requires the full mobilization of all available public health resources.”

Mr. Pritzker added that the effort would “ensure our LGBTQ+ community has the resources they need to stay safe while ensuring members are not stigmatized as they access critical health care.”

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California liquor store owner shoots would-be armed robber

California liquor store owner shoots would-be armed robber

An elderly convenience store owner in California is being hailed as a hero after he shot at a would-be robber who ran out of the store screaming his arm was “shot off.”

Shocking surveillance footage from Norco Market & Liquor at the 2800 block of Clark Avenue in Norco, Calif., showed a masked assailant entering the business at about 2:47 am with an AR-15-style rifle pointed at the 80-year-old store-owner.

The suspect yelled, “Freeze, hands in the air,” but within seconds, the quick-thinking store owner pulled out his own rifle from under the counter and immediately shot once at the robber, hitting him in the arm.

Video footage further showed another man getting out of a black BMW SUV, but he stopped and got back inside the vehicle once he saw the first suspect run out of the store repeatedly screaming, “He shot my arm off!”

Suspect pointing gun.
The three suspects involved in the attempted robbery were all caught, with the suspect who was shot in the hospital in critical but stable condition.
Fox11

Riverside County Sheriff’s officials arrested three suspects—Justin Johnson, 22, of Inglewood, Calif., Jamar Williams, 27, of Los Angeles, and Davon Broadus, of Las Vegas, Nevada—at a local hospital.

The primary suspect, a 23-year-old man, remained in critical but stable condition at the hospital, officials said. His identity is being held pending his release from the hospital.

“In this case, a lawfully armed member of our community prevented a violent crime and ensured their own safety, while being confronted with multiple armed suspects,” Riverside County Sheriff’s said in a press release. “This investigation is active and ongoing and no additional information will currently be released.”

Employees at Norco Market & Liquor said the owner was watching the store cameras as the SUV pulled into the parking lot. Once he saw the first assailant get out of the SUV and pull a mask over his face from him, the owner immediately went for his rifle.

Store owner.
The 80-year-old store owner did not hesitate to defend himself and his business when the suspect entered with his rifle pointing directly at him.
Fox11

“He just prepared himself … and he stood right here, aimed and shot,” store manager Marnia Tapia told Fox11.

Suspect number two.
The two other suspects frantically drove off after the suspect who was shot ran shouting, “He shot my arm off,” into the car.
Riverside County Sheriff’s Office

Employees said the owner was not at the store on Monday, but Fox11 reported the man suffered a heart attack right after the shooting. He is expected to recover and will be discharged from the hospital sometime Monday night.

Sheriff’s officials said the SUV used in the attempted robbery was stolen and numerous stolen firearms were also found inside the vehicle.

Johnson, Williams and Broadus were booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside for robbery and conspiracy. They are being held in jail in lieu of a $500,000 bail.

The primary suspect will also be booked at the facility once he is released from the hospital, officials said.

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Hiking by world’s tallest redwood tree now triggers a $5,000 fine

Hiking by world's tallest redwood tree now triggers a $5,000 fine

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The tree recognized as the tallest in the world is now off-limits to visitors.

The National Park Service announced last week that it is discouraging hikers from visiting Hyperion, an old-growth redwood in Northern California that holds a Guinness World Record for height at 380 feet, 9.7 inches, according to a 2019 measurement. People who are caught in the closed area of ​​Redwood National and State Parks could face a $5,000 fine and six months in jail, NPS says.

The tree, which was “discovered” in 2006, is located off designated trails and amid dense vegetation that requires heavy bushwhacking.

“Despite the difficult journey, increased popularity due to bloggers, travel writers, and websites of this off-trail tree has resulted in the devastation of the habitat surrounding Hyperion,” a National Park Service bulletin says.

6 alternatives to America’s most popular national parks

According to the park service, the number of people trampling through the area over the years has caused the base of the tree to degrade and has wiped out ferns that would normally surround it. Trash and human waste have also been found littered on the way to the world’s tallest tree.

In addition to the damage and litter, getting to Hyperion can be dangerous because hikers have to go completely off the trail to access it. The tree is rooted in an area that doesn’t have cellphone reception and has spotty GPS coverage, according to NPS, so suffering a small injury could be scary and dangerous.

In its release, the park service discourages people from visiting Hyperion by pointing out that it’s not as exciting as it sounds.

“A view of Hyperion doesn’t match its hype,” the NPS statement says, adding that the tree’s trunk is small in comparison with many other old-growth redwood trees and its height can’t be observed from the ground.

The “tallest tree” label is a moving target of sorts. Years ago, the park created a Tall Trees Trail so hikers could see a tree then designated as the world’s tallest tree. That tree no longer holds the title, but the trail features many redwood trees that exceed 350 feet, NPS says.

It’s common for redwood trees to lose sections of their crown — the section above the tree trunk — because of wind and lightning.

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Millionaire Pennsylvania dentist Larry Rudolph found guilty of killing wife on African safari

Millionaire Pennsylvania dentist Larry Rudolph found guilty of killing wife on African safari

A multimillionaire dentist and big game hunter from Pennsylvania was found guilty of murder and mail fraud Monday for the shooting death of his wife on an African safari trip nearly six years earlier.

A grand jury found Lawrence “Larry” Rudolph, 67, guilty of gunning down his wife of 34 years, Bianca Rudolph, following a three-week-long trial in a Denver federal courthouse.

He was also convicted of mail fraud for cashing in $4.8 million in life insurance payments following his wife’s October 2016 death — which he claimed was accidental and self-inflicted.

Jurors sided with prosecutors who said Rudolph killed his wife in cold blood as part of a premediated plan to take the life insurance payouts and start a new life with his mistress of 20 years.

They said Rudolph shot his wife while on a hunting trip in Zambia on Oct. 11, 2016 and was overheard years later shouting out “I killed my f**king wife for you!” during an argument with the other woman, Lori Milliron, while out to dinner.

Lawrence “Larry” Rudolph pictured in front of a dead animal
A Pennsylvania dentist faces a maximum term of life in prison or the death penalty after the death of his wife on an African safari.
Facebook/Larry Rudolph

The wealthy dentist maintained his innocence during the trial and claimed Bianca Rudolph had accidentally shot herself in the chest while packing away a shotgun when he was in the bathroom. He said his wife de ella had been packing her bags in a hurry as she was in a rush to return home from the trip.

However, prosecutors said her gun wound couldn’t have been self-inflicted. They presented evidence that showed the shot to her heart of her had been fired from two feet to three-and-a-half feet away.

Prosecutors said Rudolph planned to murder his wife after she asked for more decision-making power in the couple’s finances and had demanded he fire Milliron.

Lawrence “Larry” Rudolph with a killed hippo
Prosecutors argued that Rudolph, 67, killed his wife of 34 years to collect nearly $5 million in life insurance payments and start a new life with his mistress of 20 years.
Facebook/Larry Rudolph

Rudolph’s lawyers said he had no reason to kill his wife for Milliron because the couple had been in an open relationship since 2000, which allowed them to have sexual relationships with others.

They also said he had no financial need for the life insurance payouts, which went into a trust for the couple’s children, when he was worth more than $15 million at the time. Investigators for the insurance companies concluded that the shooting was accidental and forked over nearly $5 million to the family.

Prosecutors claimed Milliron, who is the manager of Rudolph’s Pittsburgh-area dental franchise, became privy to the murder after the fact. They accused her of lying to a federal grand jury about her case and her relationship with Rudolph.

The son, left, and daughter, back right, of Pittsburgh dentist Lawrence "Larry" Rudolph head into federal court for the afternoon session of the trial, July 13, 2022, in Denver.
Rudolph says the millions in life insurance payments went to the couple’s children, pictured above.
AP

She was also found guilty by the same jury of being an accessory after the fact to murder, obstruction of a grand jury and two counts of perjury before a grand jury. She was found not guilty on two other counts of perjury.

Rudolph faces a maximum term of life in prison or the death penalty.

With Post wires.

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‘Loving Family:’ Mother, 4 Children Who Were Among 7 Killed in Wrong-Way Crash Remembered – NBC Chicago

'Loving Family:' Mother, 4 Children Who Were Among 7 Killed in Wrong-Way Crash Remembered – NBC Chicago

A mother, her four children and two other people were killed early Sunday when a vehicle was hit head-on by a wrong-way driver along Interstate 90 in McHenry County, according to authorities.

One day after the tragedy, candles and stuffed toys lined the base of a tree outside the Rolling Meadows home where the family lived.

“It is a light, a candle and hopefully up in heaven they’ll see it,” said neighbor Jean Petryniec.

Lauren Dobosz and her four children – Emma, ​​13, Lucas, 7, Nicholas, 6, and Ella, 5, died when a wrong-way driver slammed into their van on Interstate 90 just west of the Illinois Route 23 interchange near Hampshire at approximately 2:11 a.m.

Both vehicles became engulfed in flames upon impact. Another 13-year-old riding in the van, as well as the driver of the car, died at the scene. The driver was identified as Jennifer Fernandez, 22, of Carpentersville, according to the Illinois State Police.

Thomas Dobosz, 32, who was driving the van, sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to an area hospital.

Neighbors say the family was going on a vacation when the tragedy occurred.

Lauren worked as a bartender at Lulus, a gaming facility down the road from her home in Rolling Meadows.

The establishment’s general manager described the mother of four as a “very friendly” and “outgoing” person – someone he became friends with right away.

“I was shocked,” Kenny Felten said, recounting his response upon learning Lauren and her children died in the crash. “I was shaking, couldn’t believe it. You never think someone you know is going to be part of such a tragic event. Here we are.”

While she was well-liked by her colleagues, Lauren was passionate about, and spent much of her free time, as a cheerleading coach for the Oriole Park Falcons.

“She talked about it a lot, it was a big passion of hers,” Felten said. “We gotta remember her for that. It’s hard right now with everything that’s happened. Not to think about that, but we gotta remember she loved her kids, her family, being a part of their family, raising money for fundraisers and stuff like that .”

Dawn Brand, whose daughter attended school with the two 13-year-old girls, said “everyone is having a very hard time,” adding the “kids are all devastated.”

“I know they were very involved throughout the community,” she stated. “Everyone said they were a very loving family and involved in sports and stuff too. Everyone is taking it very bad.”

Lauren’s cheerleading team set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for funeral expenses, remembering the mother as “full of life and laughter” and her children as “spunky, sweet and sassy.”

“Lauren always made a great impression on everyone she met, she was full of life, laughter, and always a good time,” the team’s post read. “We’re going to miss you Lauren and your spunky, sweet, sassy kids and every so loved friend. We shall shine bright this year. Will miss you!”

Illinois State Police investigators are working to determine why the driver, Fernandez, was going in the wrong direction. Autopsies are expected to take place in the coming days.

Community Consolidated School District 15, which the children attended, said in a news release, “We are simply heartsick, and in both shock and mourning over the tragic loss of five students and one of parents.” Mental health professionals will be present throughout the week to provide assistance to anyone grapping with the loss, according to district officials.

A caregiver support training will also take place Aug. 2 to provide parents and staff with information and support regarding how to help children “during this difficult time,” according to the district.

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