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LAPD seeking additional victims, witnesses of alleged serial rapist

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:54 GMT

A Las Vegas man who is in police custody on suspicion of several rapes across the Southland is believed to have more victims who have not yet been located, according to a news release from the Los Angeles Police Department.Matthew Werner, 45, was arrested on Feb. 23, in connection with at least five sexual assaults and rapes that took place as far back as 2015.The known attacks happened in areas of Hollywood, North Hollywood, Mid-City and Woodland Hills, according to the LAPD. Los Angeles County D.A. reviewing Armie Hammer sexual assault claims: Report The Massachusetts native is suspected of using social media and dating apps to meet women who later became his victims and allegedly used various aliases to avoid detection.Five women have come forward to accuse Werner of sexual assault within the city of Los Angeles, but investigators believe there may be additional survivors out there who never reported their attacks.Matthew Werner, 45, of Las Vegas is suspected of committing seve...

We now spend more on legal weed than on chocolate

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:54 GMT

How's this for a sign o' the times: Americans now spend more on legal weed than they do on chocolate.Heck, we now spend more on legal dope than we do on chocolate and craft beer combined.According to a new report from MJBizDaily, Americans spent about $30 billion on legal marijuana last year.That compares with roughly $20 billion spent on chocolate and $8 billion spent on craft brews.Almost two-dozen states now allow sales of weed for recreational purposes, and 19 more allow sales for medicinal use.Legal cannabis sales are still dwarfed by sales of tobacco products, which last year totaled about $53 billion. But tobacco sales are steadily declining, whereas marijuana sales are rising.By 2028, according to MJBizDaily, sales of legal weed could reach $57 billion.This is extraordinary when you think that it wasn't so long ago Americans were buying all their pot from dealers rather than dispensaries.Yet illicit sales remain far more prevalent than legal ones. Whitney Economics estimates...

Missing L.A. County teen believed to be held 'under duress' by man, former detective says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:54 GMT

A Los Angeles County teen who has been missing since Jan. 1, is believed to be alive and possibly held captive, a private investigator tells NewsNation.Sixteen-year-old Alinka Castaneda left her family’s home in Carson, California, and was seen "entering an unknown vehicle" at 5 a.m. that day, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. A neighbor’s camera recorded her leaving, and her family hasn’t seen her since.While her brother thought perhaps this was her first attempt at running away, time and distress calls appear to be signs of how much danger she could be in.Castaneda's family has received three disturbing calls from her."In this phone call, she actually shared with her sister and her mom that she didn't know where she was then and wouldn't be allowed to leave. She sounded like she was under duress and stressing out," Moses Castillo, a retired LAPD detective and a private investigator working on her case, told NewsNation. Alinka Angeline Castaneda in an undate...

California power companies propose income-based rates: how it would work

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:54 GMT

Because of new state law, California’s three largest power companies, Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric and Pacific Gas & Electric, have submitted a joint proposal to the state’s Public Utilities Commission to simplify electricity bills to include a fixed-rate billing system based on household income. The aim is to lower power bills, particularly for lower-income customers, while increasing transparency.If enacted, customers would see two main charges on their bills.The new fixed ratePut simply, the more you earn the more you pay for recurring charges (not related to energy usage):Households with annual income from $28,000 – $69,000 would pay $20 a month in Southern California Edison territory, $34 a month in SDG&E territory, and $30 a month in PG&E territory.Households earning $69,000 – $180,000 would pay $51 a month in Edison and PG&E territories, and $73 a month in SDG&E te...

This startup makes you worry less about a low battery

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:54 GMT

You know it’s happened to you: A low cell phone battery might make you uneasy.Entrepreneurs Ryan Levy and Brandon Afari have a solution. A startup called ChargeFuze.They're building a network of vending machines that rent portable chargers.They are currently in 40 states and soon, internationally, too.ChargeFuze portable charging battery"We’re in all kinds of venues whether it’s a restaurant, bar stadium, shopping center, casino, you name it, we’re pretty much there," explained Afari, who went to business school at USC.We checked out ChargeFuze at the Grand Central Market in Downtown Los Angeles.Think food court, but uniquely LA.Rental rates start at about a dollar for 30 minutes. You can pick up a charger in one location and drop it off in another - across town or even in another state.The duo came up with the idea in 2018, inspired by scan and ride scooters that were popping up all over towns at the time."At the time it was difficult because people didn’t understand the concept th...

CreatorSource Spearheads Creator Monetization

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:54 GMT

Industry insiders built CreatorSource with the sole purpose of empowering creators to effectively monetize their content and audience. “We aim to be the resource that creators use to start making money through brand deals so they can sustain a lifestyle doing what they love,” says co-founder Ashley LeMieux.LeMieux drew on her experience as a creator herself when designing CreatorSource. “I’ve worked in the space for over ten years,” she says, where she’s picked up on what does and doesn’t work when partnering with brands. When she developed the vision for the platform, she wanted to provide fellow creators powerful and useful resources that they could easily put into action.“We’ve made CreatorSource a learning resource built for creators by the creator community,” explains LeMieux. The company brings together knowledgeable creators, platform executives, and talent agents to each provide short five-minute training videos that help users improve as creators and negotiators. “We work v...

Warriors are confident, loose heading into Game 2; latest injury update on Jordan Poole

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:54 GMT

SACRAMENTO — A playlist filled with E-40’s biggest hits blared from the speakers at Golden 1 Center Monday morning as the Warriors wrapped up shootaround.“Turn that E-40 up!” Klay Thompson exclaimed before knocking down a corner 3, showing support for the Bay Area rapper who was ejected from Saturday’s Game 1 in Sacramento and won’t attend Monday night’s game.Meanwhile, on the other side of the court, Stephen Curry broke out some moves to “Tell Me When To Go”.“That’s just our team,” Kevon Looney said. “That’s the way we are. We play our best when we’re kind of loose but we are disciplined.”The Warriors have been in this position — down 1-0 in a playoff series — only three times before since 2014. But the extremely confident veteran-led squad wasn’t sweating the small setback after letting Game 1 slip away Saturday.Looney feels the Warriors are in a “good spot”...

Mitch Haniger embarks on rehab assignment as SF Giants finally begin to get healthy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:54 GMT

MIAMI — Mitch Haniger, a Bay Area native who grew up a Giants fan, hasn’t yet had the chance to actually wear the uniform he once dreamed of, despite receiving the club’s richest free-agent deal of the offseason. But that should change soon.Haniger, 32, began a rehab assignment Monday night, joining fellow injured outfielder Austin Slater at Triple-A Sacramento. The return of both is expected on the horizon, possibly as soon as the upcoming home stand.“It’s great news,” manager Gabe Kapler said before Monday’s series opener against the Marlins. “Really nice to know that Mitch is starting his rehab assignment. It may be a little bit. It’s been a while since he’s been on the field and had consistent at-bats. I feel good about the fact that he and Austin Slater are going to be playing shortly.”Haniger played in four spring training games before being shut down in the second week of March with a nagging tightness in his core, which an MRI reveal...

Writers strike looms after members vote to shut down film and TV production

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:54 GMT

Writers for television, movies and streaming shows have voted overwhelmingly to go on strike if no labor deal can be reached before a May 1 deadline.The vote announced Monday afternoon showed 97.9% of participating union members voting to approve a potential strike.If a strike happens, it would be the first in the industry since 2007, and it would bring production on many shows and films to a halt. The 2007 strike lasted 100 days.The Writers Guild of America, the union that represents the writers, says it needs to make substantial changes to the way that writers are compensated because of the shift to streaming services from traditional films and cable and broadcast networks.“This is not an ordinary negotiating cycle,” said Danielle Sanchez-Witzel, a member of the union’s negotiating team, in a video message to members at the start of voting a week ago. “We are fighting for writers’ economic survival and stability of our profession.”“So far, the companies have been unwilling to enga...

Oakland repaired 2,700 potholes since March, city officials say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:54 GMT

(KRON) -- Mayor Sheng Thao kicked off Oakland’s "Spring Clean" city initiative Monday with an event focused on repairing roads hard hit by winter storms. City crews repaired an estimated 2,700 potholes since March 1, city officials said. The "pothole blitz" will continue into May, and residents are encouraged to continue reporting potholes in their neighborhoods by contacting OAK311.Extreme weather conditions made it difficult for the city to conduct routine maintenance over the winter months and caused more extensive damage than Oakland normally sees."I am so excited that the city is coming together for our One Oakland Spring Clean. We’re starting with a top concern of so many of our residents -- fixing our roads," said Mayor Thao. "Dry, warm spring weather means we can finally tackle the backlog of pothole fixes to give all Oaklanders safer and smoother roads. Our Department of Transportation workers have made progress addressing the backlog."The blitz dedicates bolstered maintena...