SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KESQ) – The U.S. Coast Guard today announced the offloading of 8,500 kilograms of cocaine, nearly 19,000 pounds, worth over $200 million, seized in a joint effort by the Kimball and Coast Guard Cutter Forward crews from February 2025 to April in the international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The drugs
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By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court indicated Wednesday that it will revive a lawsuit from fuel producers challenging California’s strict vehicle emission rules, with both conservative and liberal justices signaling that the companies have standing to sue. Several of the justices suggested a federal appeals court in Washington, DC, erred when it
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LOS ANGELES (KESQ) – After years of debate over the welfare of the animals, the Los Angeles Zoo announced today it will relocate its two remaining Asian elephants to a newly expanded preserve at the Tulsa Zoo. The elephants — 40-year-old Billy and 59-year-old Tina — will be moved to the Elephant Experience and
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SANTA ANA, Calif. (KESQ) – Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson was convicted today of second-degree murder for shooting his wife at their Anaheim Hills home following an hours-long argument. A previous jury deadlocked on the charge against the 74-year-old Ferguson, prompting a retrial. Jurors in the retrial began deliberating at about 2:45
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SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KESQ) – The U.S. Coast Guard intercepted a cabin cruiser involved in an apparent human-smuggling attempt gone awry off the coast of Oceanside today, taking 19 suspected undocumented immigrants into custody. Crew members of the USCG cutter David Duren boarded the 25-foot private boat about 25 miles offshore from northern San Diego
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LOS ANGELES (KESQ) – Mayor Karen Bass unveiled a proposed $13.9 billion municipal budget for fiscal year 2025-26 today, including a 1,647 layoffs and the consolidation of four city departments in an effort to eliminate a nearly $1 billion deficit. Despite the cuts, the proposed budget would be an 8.2% increase over the adopted spending
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MURRIETA, Calif. (KESQ) – Attorneys representing four mothers — two of whom reside in the Inland Empire — challenging California’s denial of religious- based exemptions to vaccination requirements for kids’ admission to public schools are federally appealing a lower court’s decision siding with the state that there’s no bar to mandating the shots. “This law
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RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – Two Camp Pendleton-based Marines who were killed earlier this week in a vehicle accident while deployed in New Mexico, including one from Riverside, were publicly identified today. Lance Cpl. Albert A. Aguilera, 22, of Riverside, and Lance Cpl. Marcelino M. Gamino, 28, of Fresno, died Tuesday following a solo vehicle crash
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By Elizabeth Wolfe and Matthew J. Friedman, CNN Los Angeles (CNN) — A hearing that could give brothers Erik and Lyle Menendez their first chance at freedom in more than three decades hit a snag Thursday amid disagreements over a Los Angeles court’s access to “comprehensive risk assessments” conducted by a parole board. The long-awaited
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By Jacob Lev, CNN (CNN) — The Los Angeles Rams are honoring Southern California firefighters as they take their draft headquarters on the road this year. The team will conduct their 2025 NFL draft operations from Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Air Operations, honoring first responders following the wildfires that swept across the Los Angeles
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LOS ANGELES (KESQ) – Dodgers legend Manny Mota was recovering in a hospital today from a stroke. Mota, 87, suffered the stroke Monday night, according to the team. “He is in recovery, where he is responsive to commands and is resting comfortably,” according to a social media post by the Dodgers. Mota’s son
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SANTA ANA, Calif. (KESQ) – Federal prosecutors are reconsidering whether to pursue the death penalty for reputed Orange County Mexican Mafia boss Johnny Martinez, it was revealed today in a federal courtroom as defense attorneys sought a dismissal of charges against Martinez and multiple others in a wide-ranging racketeering case targeting the gang. Four other
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By Shania Shelton, CNN (CNN) — A heated email exchange between Richard Grenell, the interim head of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and one of its artists left the musician “shocked” by what she called a “bizarre” interaction. Grenell seemed “aggressively upset” during the exchange on Tuesday, musician Yasmin Williams told
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RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (KESQ) – A Coachella Valley woman is among four Californians accused of perpetrating a seven-figure insurance scam that involved falsifying insurance policies, state officials said today. An investigation was launched by the California Department of Insurance following a consumer complaint regarding alleged forgery and insurance fraud in insurance policies. The scheme
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LOS ANGELES (KESQ) – Two Indio residents were among a trio arrested in connection with a train theft in Los Angeles County back in 2022. Nathan Munoz, 28, and Karla Torres, 28, both of Indio, along with David Palmer, 47, of Long Beach were arrested. They have been charged with multiple felonies, including Grand Theft
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LOS ANGELES (KESQ) – A youth soccer coach charged with murder in connection with the death of a 13-year-old boy found in Oxnard and also facing charges of assaulting two other teenage boys was ordered today to be held without bail. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Theresa R. McGonigle ordered Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino, 43,
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SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KESQ) – Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem issued a waiver of environmental regulations today to speed up construction of more than two miles of border wall in San Diego County. The waiver is the first under the new administration, which will forgo laws such as the National Environmental Policy
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LOS ANGELES (KESQ) – Two Los Angeles County prosecutors sued Los Angeles County and District Attorney Nathan Hochman today, alleging they were wrongfully demoted for their support of a resentencing of the Mendendez brothers while the office was under George Gascón. Deputy District Attorneys Nancy Theberge and Brock Lunsford each filed their own complaint in
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LOS ANGELES (KESQ) – State legislators today touted a proposed bill aimed at creating so-called “hospitality zones,” allowing cities to extend last call times to 4 a.m. on certain days. Currently, state law prohibits bars and nightclubs from selling alcohol past 2 a.m. However, Assemblymember Matt Haney, D-San Francisco, wants to extend alcohol service until
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LOS ANGELES, Calif. (KESQ) – In a move to combat substance use, the City Council today called for a new pilot program for the distribution of naloxone, an opioid reversal medication, in South Los Angeles neighborhoods. In a 10-0 vote, council members instructed the chief legislative analyst to report on the resources such a
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