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Internet predator arrested following multi-agency sting in Fontana; authorities seeking more victims 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:25 GMT

Local and federal officials have arrested a man after he sexually exploited multiple juveniles online, authorities said. According to an Instagram post by the Fontana Police Department, officials were first informed of the suspect by the FBI’s Inland Regional Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force on Nov. 16.  Investigators seek additional victims of Apple Valley man alleged to possess, distribute child porn The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Ryan VanDeCar, had allegedly been using “multiple different online chatting platforms” to contact both juveniles and adults and attempt to receive “a large number of illicit photos and videos of child sexual abuse material,” Fontana police said. Due to the severity and prolific nature of the investigation, the Fontana Police Department conducted a joint operation with the FBI, the Orange County Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory and the District Attorney’s office, law enforcement officials said. Ryan Va...

Oakland A’s finish lackluster Winter Meetings with No. 1 overall pick in Rule 5 Draft

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:25 GMT

The Oakland A’s might’ve come up short in the draft lottery this week, but at least they held onto the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s Rule 5 Draft.Ranked in reverse order of standings, the Rule 5 Draft took place in Nashville just as the Winter Meetings wrapped up on Wednesday morning.At No. 1 overall, the A’s selected former New York Yankees’ 10th-round draft pick, Mitch Spence, a 25-year-old right-hander who had a 4.47 ERA in Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre last year.The Rule 5 draft allows big league teams to steal minor leaguers from teams who haven’t yet given them a chance. Any player signed at age 18 or younger who isn’t added to the 40-man roster within five seasons is eligible, as is any player signed at 19 or older who isn’t added to the 40-man within four seasons.Spence was drafted 315th overall in 2019 out of the University of South Carolina-Aiken. At the time, Baseball America reported that he threw a 95-mph fastball with a cutter and an average breaking ball.He has s...

49ers LB Greenlaw exchanges apologies with Eagles’ Big Dom, insists he isn’t ‘dirty’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:25 GMT

SANTA CLARA — Dre Greenlaw is the 49ers’ undisputed enforcer, so say his coach and teammates.That allows him to be the “Big Play Dre” who made a goal-line tackle as a 2019 rookie in Seattle to secure the division title and the No. 1 seed for a Super Bowl-bound team.Yet he also is the one who’s gone overboard with unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. But that doesn’t necessarily make him “Dirty Dre.”“Just because you tackle a little physical doesn’t make you a dirty player,” Greenlaw said Wednesday, speaking for the first time since a sideline scuffle with the Eagles security chief saw them ejected from the 49ers’ 42-19 win in Philadelphia.Greenlaw, through third-party intermediaries, said he’s exchanged apologies with Eagles security czar Dom DiSandro, adding: “He seemed like a genuine guy, a guy everybody loved in the building. Honestly, I really hate it even escalated and went to that. It’s something I’ve ...

Wisc. fake Trump electors settle suit, admit that Biden won

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:25 GMT

By Scott Bauer | Associated PressMADISON, Wis. — Ten Republicans who posed as fake electors for former President Donald Trump in Wisconsin and filed paperwork falsely saying he had won the battleground state have settled a civil lawsuit and admitted their actions were part of an effort to overturn President Joe Biden’s victory, attorneys who filed the case announced Wednesday.Under the agreement, the fake electors acknowledged that Biden won the state, withdrew their filings and agreed not to serve as presidential electors in 2024 or any other election where Trump is on the ballot.The 10 fake electors agreed to send a statement to the government offices that received the Electoral College votes saying that their actions were “part of an attempt to improperly overturn the 2020 presidential election results.”The settlement marks the first time that any Trump electors have revoked their filings sent to Congress purporting that Trump had won in seven battleground state...

Man who stabbed, cut Redwood City girl 100 times denied parole

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:25 GMT

(KRON) -- A Bay Area child sex offender who served nearly three decades behind bars refused to attend his own parole hearing on Tuesday, prosecutors said. Eric Umali is serving a 16 years-to-life sentence for attempting to murder a young girl in a Redwood City apartment complex on July 19, 1996. Umali and the 9-year-old girl were neighbors, and prosecutors described the vicious stabbing as "inexplicable."Umali, 54, was denied parole Tuesday morning for at least five more years by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's Board of Parole Hearings. The board made its decision while Umali remained in his prison cell."The Board found the prisoner remains an unreasonable risk of danger to the community if released and denied him a parole date," the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office wrote. At the time of the Redwood City knife attack, Umali was a 26-year-old convicted child sex offender. He cut and stabbed the 9-year-old girl 100 times, according to reports. ...

Centrist Ohio Democrat Quietly Removes Name From Letter Calling for Gaza Ceasefire

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:25 GMT

The day before a temporary truce in Gaza expired, 12 House Democrats called for a ceasefire in a letter to President Joe Biden. Within a few days, as Israel intensified its assault on Gaza, killing hundreds more Palestinians, the number of signatories dropped to 11. Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, quietly removed her name from the December 1 letter. Her office did not respond to an inquiry about the stealth edit.The letter, led by Rep. Troy Carter, D-La., thanks Biden for efforts to bring about the humanitarian pause and return of hostages, celebrating his administration for “the highest level of diplomacy and leadership in the pursuit of peace.”The Democrats went on to ask the president to push for a lasting ceasefire. “We urge you to use your immense influence and the full power of your office to continue negotiations and extend the bilateral pause beyond tomorrow so that both sides can build towards a bilateral ceasefire and, ultimately, a two-state solution,” they wrote. Am...

Stock market today: Wall Street slips as tumbling crude oil prices drag down energy stocks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:25 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street ticked lower Wednesday after another sharp slide for the price of crude dragged down oil-and-gas stocks.The S&P 500 slipped 17.84, or 0.4%, to 4,549.34 for its third straight loss, locking in its longest losing streak since October. Each of those drops was modest, though, and the index remains near its best level in 20 months.The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 70.13, or 0.2%, to 36,054.43, and the Nasdaq composite lost 83.20, or 0.6%, to 14,146.71.Energy stocks had the market’s worst drops by far. Halliburton sank 3.6%, and Marathon Oil fell 3.5% after crude oil touched its lowest price since June.A barrel of benchmark U.S. crude tumbled roughly 4% as expectations build that the world has too much oil available for the global economy’s demand. It sank below $70, down more than $20 since September. Brent crude, the international standard, fell 3.8% to $74.30 per barrel.Losses for Big Tech stocks, which are some of Wall Street’s most influential, als...

Chewy: Fiscal Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:25 GMT

PLANTATION, Fla. (AP) — PLANTATION, Fla. (AP) — Chewy Inc. (CHWY) on Wednesday reported a loss of $35.8 million in its fiscal third quarter.The Plantation, Florida-based company said it had a loss of 8 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for stock option expense and non-recurring costs, were 15 cents per share.The results topped Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of six analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 9 cents per share.The online pet store posted revenue of $2.74 billion in the period, missing Street forecasts. Eight analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $2.75 billion._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CHWY at https://www.zacks.com/ap/CHWYSource

Verint: Fiscal Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:25 GMT

MELVILLE, N.Y. (AP) — MELVILLE, N.Y. (AP) — Verint Systems Inc. (VRNT) on Wednesday reported fiscal third-quarter profit of $12.6 million.The Melville, New York-based company said it had profit of 12 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were 65 cents per share.The results exceeded Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 54 cents per share.The maker of software for analyzing intercepted communications posted revenue of $218.5 million in the period. Its adjusted revenue was $218.7 million, also exceeding Street forecasts. Four analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $216.3 million.Verint expects full-year earnings to be $2.65 per share._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on VRNT at https://www.zacks.com/ap/VRNTSource

Argan: Fiscal Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:25 GMT

ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) — ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) — Argan Inc. (AGX) on Wednesday reported fiscal third-quarter earnings of $5.5 million.The Rockville, Maryland-based company said it had profit of 40 cents per share.The builder of energy plants posted revenue of $163.8 million in the period.Argan shares have risen 29% since the beginning of the year. In the final minutes of trading on Wednesday, shares hit $47.74, a climb of 26% in the last 12 months._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on AGX at https://www.zacks.com/ap/AGXSource