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Former rug merchant convicted of sexually assaulting 2 women in his California store

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

A former Laguna Beach rug merchant was convicted Monday, Nov. 6, of sexually assaulting two women in his store more than a decade ago.An Orange County Superior Court jury found Saeid Maralan guilty of felony counts of sexual penetration by a foreign object related to both women, as well as felony counts of forcible rape and attempted forcible oral copulation related to one of the women.The sexual assaults — which involved women who were trying to do business with Maralan at Sirous and Sons Rug Gallery — both took place in 2010.Maralan was previously accused of sexually assaulting 11 women, but the case was pared back in the years between his arrest and the jury trial. Maralan — who ran a rug store in San Clemente — faces up to 15 years to life in prison.After being free on bail with a GPS monitoring device during the trial, Maralan, now 65, was taken into custody immediately following the verdict.Maralan denied that any sexual assaults took place.He told the judge he wanted to immed...

Are Vallejo officers using force more often than they used to?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

The Vallejo Police Department has spent the past several years working to ensure its officers resort to using force only when strictly necessary.But the agency’s new data tracking system – which aims to capture more thorough information on use-of-force arrests – makes it impossible to tell whether this effort has been successful.Police data released last month appears to show a massive increase in Vallejo officers using weapons like batons, Tasers and projectile launchers to arrest people.Reported use-of-force incidents soared from 38 in all of 2022 to 198 as of the end of September – a more than fivefold increase. Reported control holds skyrocketed from two in 2022 to 92 in the first nine months of 2023. The number of takedowns that police reported likewise jumped from 16 to 91.The numbers appear to fly in the face of the California Department of Justice’s attempts to curb excessive force in a police department infamous for its strained and sometimes violent relationship with its c...

NFC playoff picture: 49ers leap up standings while resting up on bye week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

The bye week was kind to the 49ers aside from getting the chance to rest up following a “slow and tired” performance against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 8.At something approximating midseason (in a 17-game schedule), the 49ers moved back atop the NFC West when the Seattle Seahawks (5-3) were rolled by the Baltimore Ravens to a shocking degree.They play the Seahawks head-to-head over a three-week span beginning with a Thanksgiving game. The 49ers visit AFC No. 3 seed Jacksonville (6-2) and then get Tampa Bay at home before heading to the Great Northwest.And while Philadelphia (8-1) may look on the surface to be cruising to the NFC top seed and being home for the playoffs again, the Eagles haven’t exactly looked like world-beaters of late. They have a bye week, then are at Kansas City and then host Buffalo in consecutive weeks before their showdown against the 49ers on Dec. 3.Let’s assume for a moment the 49ers look something closer to the team they were at ...

Skelton: Californians loathe both the Democratic and Republican parties

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

 For lots of Californians — Democrats and Republicans alike — it’s a pox on both parties. And they’d like to see a new third party created.There have always been people who were sour on both parties and desired another significant option. But their numbers have been substantially increasing in recent years.And as we approach the 2024 presidential election, one question is whether this growing segment of turned-off voters will even cast ballots, or just snub the contest.Start with the fact that national polling by practically every survey organization has shown broad dissatisfaction with the prospective choices of the aging President Biden and multi-indicted-and-also-aging former President Trump.Third party soughtPolling by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California found that one-third of Californians have an unfavorable impression of both parties, including their own.And 71% feel that the Republican and Democratic parties are doing “suc...

Bank deposit delays: Some customers still haven’t been paid

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

New York (CNN) — Some customers still haven’t received their direct deposit paychecks following a “human error” last week deep in the plumbing of America’s banking system.The deposit delays are linked to a problem that emerged on Friday with the Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments system, causing headaches for consumers and employers.Banks stressed to customers that all funds are secure. Payments that did not go through late last week had to be resent, a process that can take time.It’s not clear how widespread the impact continues to be or how long it will take for all customers to receive their deposits.An industry source confirmed to CNN on Monday that it’s likely some customers haven’t received their deposits yet. The source stressed that banks are at the mercy of the originating bank to resend payment files.Federal regulators are watching closely. In a statement to CNN, a spokesperson for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said the agency is “aware of the issue and mon...

Jewish man dies after altercation during competing pro-Israel, pro-Palestinian protests in Southern Califoria

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

A Jewish man died Monday after falling and striking his head during a confrontation over the weekend between competing pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrators in Thousand Oaks, authorities said.At about 3:20 p.m. Sunday, deputies from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department responded to reports of a battery at the intersection of Westlake Boulevard and Thousand Oaks Boulevard, where both demonstrations were being held, authorities said.The victim, identified as Paul Kessler, 69, from Thousand Oaks, was found suffering from a head injury. He had fallen backward and struck his head on the ground during a physical altercation with one or more counter-protesters, according to authorities and witness accounts.The Ventura County Medical Examiner has ruled the man’s death as a homicide, with the cause of death being a blunt-force head injury.“Witness accounts indicated that Kessler was involved in a physical altercation with counter-protester(s). During the altercation, Kessler fell b...

Concord police, CHP arrest 13 in weekend anti-retail theft operation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

(BCN) -- Concord police and the California Highway Patrol joined forces over the weekend, launching an anti-retail theft operation that led to 13 arrests and several thousand dollars of merchandise recovered. Police said on social media Monday one of the suspects arrested was wanted for a 2021 vehicular manslaughter in another jurisdiction. Series of violent robberies leaves Walnut Creek residents on edge Cases are on their way to the district attorney's office for prosecution, said police, and they plan on doing similar operations in the near future. Police reminded the public not to leave valuables inside their cars, pay attention to their surroundings, and report suspicious activity. Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

Expeditors International: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — SEATTLE (AP) — Expeditors International of Washington Inc. (EXPD) on Tuesday reported third-quarter net income of $171.4 million.On a per-share basis, the Seattle-based company said it had net income of $1.16.The results did not meet Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of five analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.25 per share.The logistics services provider posted revenue of $2.19 billion in the period, also missing Street forecasts. Four analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $2.32 billion._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on EXPD at https://www.zacks.com/ap/EXPDSource

CorEnergy: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — CorEnergy Infrastructure Trust Inc. (CORR) on Tuesday reported a loss of $5.1 million in its third quarter.The Kansas City, Missouri-based company said it had a loss of 47 cents per share. Losses, adjusted for non-recurring costs, came to 20 cents per share.The traded fund posted revenue of $33 million in the period._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CORR at https://www.zacks.com/ap/CORRSource

Australia’s leader calls for free and unimpeded trade to resume with China after ties deteriorated

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called for the “full resumption of free and unimpeded trade” with China in a meeting Tuesday with counterpart Li Qiang that marked the return of talks after a four-year hiatus.A joint statement said the countries agreed to resume an annual leaders meeting, which had been halted by a sharp deterioration in relations during which China slapped tariffs and other restrictions on imports from Australia.Ties have improved in the past year, and China has lifted some trade restrictions, which are estimated to have cost Australian exporters up to 20 billion Australian dollars ($13 billion) a year. China has been a major market for Australia in a range of goods including coal, wine, beef, barley and lobsters.“We can grow the relationship while advancing our respective interests, if we wisely navigate when there are differences,” said Albanese, the first Australian leader to visit China in seven years.Li said China is willing to w...