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Renée C. Byer/The Sacramento Bee/TNS

Who is Jennifer Siebel Newsom? First partner and target of Newsom DOJ investigations

Current News / News & Features /

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Newsoms described the U.S. Department of Justice’s investigation into first partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s finances as an attack on a “public servant” who had “dedicated her life to supporting women and girls.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday the U.S. attorney’s office, at President Donald Trump’s ...Read more

Joel Angel Juarez/Getty Images North America/TNS

USDA steps up screwworm monitoring as cases expand in Texas

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture is stepping up its surveillance of New World screwworm, seeking to work with the Department of Homeland Security to contain a growing outbreak threatening the nation’s cattle herd.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a Monday press conference that the two agencies were planning to enter into an ...Read more

Handout/National Hurricane Center/TNS

Hurricane center ups odds season's 1st tropical system could form in Gulf

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The National Hurricane Center on Monday increased its forecast chances a system could move into the Gulf and develop into the season’s first tropical depression or storm, and watches or warnings could be in store this week.

As of the NHC’s 8 p.m. EDT tropical outlook, the trough of low pressure was inland over northeastern Mexico producing ...Read more

Sharks along Cape Cod spotted stealing striped bass from fishermen: 'Sharks are throughout Massachusetts waters now'

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If you’re fishing along Cape Cod these days, be on the lookout for a hungry apex predator.

Several white sharks have been chomping on striped bass that fishermen caught in Cape Cod Bay, according to shark researcher John Chisholm.

The striped bass shark depredations have also been occurring off Chatham’s Monomoy Island — a hotspot for ...Read more

Sergey Novikov/Dreamstime/TNS

Maryland GOP oblivious as Democrats eye July special session for redistricting

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Maryland Republicans say they were largely left in the dark as Maryland’s top Democrats prepare plans for a mid-July special session that could create a pathway for redrawing the state’s congressional map, potentially reshaping the balance of political power in Maryland’s congressional delegation.

Senate President Bill Ferguson’s office...Read more

Tom Gralish/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

In major decision, Pa. Supreme Court rules 'skill games' are slot machines

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HARRISBURG — So-called skill games, the slot-machine lookalikes that have proliferated by the tens of thousands around Pennsylvania bars and corner stores, are slot machines devices and should be regulated as such, the state’s highest court ruled Monday.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling clears the way for widespread taxation and ...Read more

Demerzel21/Dreamstime/TNS

NY education officials float dramatic changes to graduation requirements but offer few details

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NEW YORK — As the New York State Education Department moves forward with a years-long effort to overhaul high school graduation measures, officials on Monday announced what could be their most dramatic proposal yet, but one with many open questions.

The plan is to confer diplomas based on public school students demonstrating certain “...Read more

Juliana Yamada/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Skydiver reported near LAX, conjuring memories of 'jetpack man'

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LOS ANGELES — More than five years after a series of mysterious "jetpack man" sightings in the airspace near LAX, another possible airborne human rattled air traffic controllers Sunday.

Shortly before landing at LAX around 2:40 p.m. on Sunday, a military transport Gulfstream jet pilot told air traffic controllers that they "just had a ...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

Eight presumed dead in B-52 bomber crash at Edwards Air Force Base in California

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LOS ANGELES — All eight people who were on a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber that crashed at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Monday are presumed dead, officials said.

The crash occurred during a “routine test mission” just after 11 a.m. Pacific time Monday, and “initial indications are that the crash was not survivable,” military ...Read more

Carl Juste/Miami Herald/TNS

State rests in George Pino's boat-crash trial after testimony about Lucy's death

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MIAMI — Prosecutors rested their case Monday in the trial of Doral real estate broker George Pino, who is charged in a boat crash that killed a 17-year-old girl.

Before prosecutor Laura Adams announced that the state wrapped up its case, a forensic pathologist testified about the nature of 17-year-old Luciana “Lucy” Fernandez’s injuries...Read more

Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times/TNS

$4 billion LA sex abuse case in limbo: Victims 'will die before they get paid,' attorney warns

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LOS ANGELES — With the first tranche of money from Los Angeles County’s $4 billion sex abuse settlement scheduled to hit victims’ bank accounts next week, the county’s district attorney made a last-ditch effort Monday to stop the payouts, which he says are rife with fake claims.

Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman asked the judge presiding over ...Read more

ISABEL INFANTES/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS

A vague Iran deal leaves more questions than answers

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WASHINGTON — The terms of a deal to end President Donald Trump’s war with Iran remained a secret on Monday as both sides claimed victory and the months-long conflict reached a nebulous end.

The memorandum of understanding, providing a rough framework to conclude the war, was signed digitally Sunday, with a ceremony scheduled to take place ...Read more

Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group/TNS

Rep. Sam Liccardo, elected leaders urge federal and state support to repair California's Pacifica Pier

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As city leaders and residents of Pacifica, California, continue to grapple with the future of the city’s iconic but crumbling pier, U.S. Rep. Sam Liccardo called on the federal and state governments to provide funding and support to allow the city to undertake crucial repairs and coastal resiliency projects.

In front of the pier — which was...Read more

Two humpback whales found dead on Monterey Bay beaches may have been killed by toxic algae blooms

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SAN JOSE, Calif. — Two humpback whales that were found washed up dead on beaches along Monterey Bay earlier this month tested positive for domoic acid, a naturally occurring toxin produced by harmful algae blooms in the ocean.

Such algae blooms — which have been linked more commonly to deaths of sea lions, pelicans and other smaller animals...Read more

Daniel Mears/The Detroit News/TNS

Oracle CEO claims viral Whitmer video 'manipulated.' Videographer denies it

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LANSING, Mich. — The CEO of an international tech company contends a viral clip of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer "appears" to have been manipulated, but the person who recorded the video at the groundbreaking for a data center says that's not the case.

The dispute dates back to the June 1 celebration of plans for a 1.65 million-square-foot ...Read more

News briefs

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Mayor Zohran Mamdani steps back from promised changes at the NYPD amid an uneasy truce with Tisch

NEW YORK — Mayor Zohran Mamdani promised on the campaign trail to drastically change the way New York City handles policing — but nearly six months in, his administration has made little progress and even backed away from some of those pledges,...Read more

KENT NISHIMURA/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS

Trump soft pitches take-home pay message

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WASHINGTON — Buried deep inside President Donald Trump’s typical campaign trail stump speech have been brief mentions about boosting voters’ take-home pay, which could boost Republican congressional candidates in November.

But there are worries in GOP circles that the president is not focused enough on his economic stewardship, amid ...Read more

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images North America/TNS

Blanche makes Senate visit ahead of confirmation push

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WASHINGTON — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche started his Senate goodwill tour Monday in his bid for Senate confirmation to run the Justice Department permanently, sitting down with Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Charles E. Grassley.

The Iowa Republican is the first lawmaker to meet with Blanche since President Donald Trump tapped him ...Read more

Renée C. Byer/The Sacramento Bee/TNS

Newsom says DOJ conducting baseless investigation of him and his wife at Trump's direction

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday accused the Justice Department of launching — at President Donald Trump’s request — a baseless and politically-motivated investigation into him and his wife, first partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom.

“After calling for my arrest last year, Donald Trump directed his Department of Justice to investigate ...Read more

MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS

Who sank 2 Ecuadorean fishing boats? Survivors point to drones as Washington denies involvement

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MEXICO CITY — In March, a pair of Ecuadorean fishing boats in the Pacific burst into flames, forcing both crews to abandon ship. Months later, the incidents — which occurred well after the Trump administration launched its bombing campaign targeting alleged drug boats — have left more questions than answers.

All 36 crewmen survived, but ...Read more