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Veterinary sedative that causes skin rotting detected in some illegal drugs in L.A. County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:44 GMT

A veterinary anaesthetic known to cause lesions and rotting skin has been detected in limited quantities of illegal drugs seized by law enforcement officers in Los Angeles County, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's crime lab.Xylazine, a veterinary sedative that is not approved by the Federal Drug Administration for human consumption, has been found in the local drug supply, raising concerns among law enforcement about the increased risk of drug overdoses.Xylazine, also known as “tranq” or “tranq dope,” can cause blood pressure to drop to "dangerously low" levels, decrease breathing and heart rate, and damage tissue which can lead to skin lesions and large sores.The damage it's capable of causing to the skin can lead to disfigurement and has led to its comparison to a flesh-eating disease, with some in the law enforcement community calling it a "zombie drug."Earlier this year, Los Angeles Department of Public Health alerted the public about the drug's gro...

Helicopter footage shows wildfire devastation on Maui

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:44 GMT

Surreal helicopter footage shows the extent of the wildfire devastation on the Hawaiian island of Maui on Wednesday.Richie Olsten shared the footage on Facebook after flying over historic Lahaina Town. His video shows entire blocks of buildings reduced to rubble with smoke still billowing in many areas."Oh my gosh. Look at the harbor," he says. “This looks like Baghdad or something."At least six people have died and at least two dozen others have been injured after fire raced through the popular tourist destination.Surreal helicopter footage shows the extent of the wildfire devastation on the Hawaiian island of Maui. Aug. 9, 2023. (Richie Olsten)“Do NOT go to Lahaina Town,” the county tweeted hours before all roads in and out of West Maui’s biggest community were closed to everyone except emergency personnel. More than 2,100 people spent Tuesday night in evacuation centers.The National Weather Service said Hurricane Dora, which was passing to the south of the island chain at a safe ...

Sheriff calls on lawmakers to help protect hikers on Mt. Baldy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:44 GMT

After two hikers died on Mt. Baldy this year, and another 15 were injured or lost, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is calling on legislators to help come up with ways to help keep hiking enthusiasts safe.  Upland residents Janelle and Joey Rasich hike the Mt. Baldy trails at least once a week with their two dogs. Just a 20-minute drive from their home, Joey said it’s an easily accessible way to get into nature and the picturesque landscape. This past December, though, the couple learned just how dangerous the terrain can be, especially after the snow melts.  “We got stuck at an area that got very icy. We called for help and a helicopter came and picked us up,” Janelle Rasich said.  It was just last winter when Joey Rasich says he slid an estimated 20 to 30 feet down the mountain and before he knew it, they required rescue. The incident demonstrated the peril of hiking in the often-precarious area, which can be dangerous for anyone.  Deputy Chief of...

Robbie Robertson of The Band dies in L.A. at 80

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:44 GMT

Rock guitarist Robbie Robertson, the frontman and founding member of The Band, has died, according to multiple reports. He was 80 years old. Robertson died in his home in Los Angeles after a lengthy illness, according to his management. Jared Levine, who was Robertson's manager for over 30 years, released the following statement to Variety and Rolling Stone: “Robbie was surrounded by his family at the time of his death, including his wife, Janet, his ex-wife, Dominique, her partner Nicholas, and his children Alexandra, Sebastian, Delphine, and Delphine’s partner Kenny. He is also survived by his grandchildren Angelica, Donovan, Dominic, Gabriel and Seraphina. Robertson recently completed his fourteenth film music project with frequent collaborator Martin Scorsese, ‘Killers of the Flower Moon.’ In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to the Six Nations of the Grand River to support a new Woodland Cultural Center.”Born in Canada, Robertson is best kn...

DA: Before teen was killed in Antioch drive-by shooting, gang plotted on Instagram chat to kill him and others

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:44 GMT

MARTINEZ — In the months before 17-year-old Anthony Westbrook Jr. was shot and killed outside his home while showing a family member his Chevy Impala, a Pittsburg gang was plotting to kill him and others, authorities said at the start of a murder trial Wednesday.Westbrook, an Antioch resident, was hit once in the chest by a bullet fired from a passing vehicle a little before midnight on Sept. 4, 2022, on the 1100 block of Macaulay Street in Antioch. The bullet went through both of his lungs but he was able to run a short distance before falling down and dying just a few feet from his home.A suspect, 20-year-old Anthony McCoy, was arrested in February. Now, less than six months later, his case is already in a jury trial that is expected to last at least two weeks. At the trial’s start Wednesday, Deputy District Attorney Kate Dunbar said the prosecution’s case would come down to digital evidence putting McCoy in the same location as the shooting, as well as McCoyR...

Jamie Reid dies at 76; anarchist artist designed iconic Sex Pistols covers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:44 GMT

By Scottie Andrew | CNN Jamie Reid, the British artist and political activist whose iconic designs for the Sex Pistols became synonymous with the punk aesthetic and anarchist movement, has died, his gallerist John Marchant announced Wednesday. Reid was 76.Reid’s “ransom note” graphics and political boldness helped cement the Pistols’ celebrity and gave punk rock a clear, enduring visual style. His work remains incredibly popular and instantly recognizable, even among art world elites whose approval he rejected throughout his life.“When people get drawn into the mainstream they lose their radicalism and their spirit,” he said in a 2018 interview with Another Man magazine. “I never wanted to get drawn into that incestuous world.”CNN has reached out to Marchant for comment.Reid’s political roots ran deepReid was born in the South London town of Croydon in 1947 and spent much of his early life there. His parents were socialist activists, and he was deeply influenced by his family’s long...

Tropical storm Khanun begins battering South Korea

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:44 GMT

By Kim Tong-Hyung, Yong Jun Chang and Ahn Young-Joon | Associated PressBUSAN, South Korea — Rains and winds were growing in southern South Korea Wednesday as a tropical storm drew closer to the Korean Peninsula, where it was forecast to slam into major urban areas.Dozens of flights and ferry services were grounded and tens of thousands of fishing vessels evacuated to ports as government officials raised concerns about potentially huge damages from flooding, landslides and tidal waves triggered by the typhoon-strength winds.The storm, named Khanun, was gaining strength as it moved slowly towards the country, South Korea’s weather agency said, with southern and eastern areas increasingly feeling its force.Khanun is expected to reach the southern resort island of Jeju hours later and then make landfall near the mainland port of Tongyeong Thursday morning.The agency says Khanun could have a punishing impact as it will likely slice through the center of the country over several hou...

Family grieves boy, 6, stabbed to death in San Jose

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:44 GMT

(KRON) -- A San Jose family is grieving a 6-year-old boy's death following a vicious stabbing that left two dead. The young boy was identified through a GoFundMe page on Wednesday as Jordan Cam Walker. Jordan and his great-grandmother were stabbed to death inside an apartment in the Buena Vista neighborhood, according to investigators. Police officers went to the apartment on Parkmore Avenue to conduct a welfare check on Friday morning when they found two bodies. Witnessing the double homicide scene was traumatizing, even for veteran officers, police said.(Image courtesy GoFundMe / Donate in Memory of Jordan Cam Walker)Jordan was a "beloved 6-year-old child who loved the outdoors, swimming, playing baseball, and basketball. During his short time with us, Jordan brought joy, laughter, and love to many people," family members wrote on the GoFundMe page. "Jordan was taken from us way too soon, and his absence leaves a void that cannot be filled," the page states. The GoFundMe page was ...

Verbal fight with driver results in shots fired in Berkeley

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:44 GMT

(KRON) -- A verbal altercation between a pedestrian and a driver resulted in gunshots in Berkeley on Tuesday evening, according to the Berkeley Police Department. This California county has the most gun deaths, and it may surprise you Around 6:05 p.m., a pedestrian crossed the road at San Pablo Avenue and Camelia Street. As the pedestrian crossed the road, a driver failed to yield to the pedestrian in the crosswalk, police said. The driver and other occupants of the vehicle got into a yelling match with the pedestrian on the street. The pedestrian then headed into a nearby business. Moments later, the vehicle passed by the business as several gunshots rang out. Several rounds were fired, and some struck the building, police said. Officers responded to the area, but no suspects were found. No one was injured in the incident, and police say the investigation is still ongoing. No other information will be released at this time.

KRON4 meteorologist shares experience of appendix rupturing mid-flight

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:44 GMT

(KRON) -- KRON4 Chief Meteorologist Lawrence Karnow was on a flight to Boston when something terrifying happened. His appendix ruptured. What started as a stomachache ended with Karnow on an operating table. But he was back on KRON4 News on Wednesday after taking some time off to recover. He opened up about the harrowing experience on Wednesday. Watch his story using the video player above. The Mayo Clinic says symptoms of appendicitis are:Sudden pain that begins on the right side of the lower abdomenSudden pain that begins around your navel and often shifts to your lower right abdomenPain that worsens if you cough, walk or make other jarring movementsNausea and vomitingLoss of appetiteLow-grade fever that may worsen as the illness progressesConstipation or diarrheaAbdominal bloatingFlatulenceExperts say to meet with a doctor if you have worrisome signs or symptoms.