Lottery Winner Pleads Guilty to Bank Robbery

/0 Comments/in , /by

By CBS Local. A man who once won a $19 million lottery jackpot pleaded guilty Thursday to four federal counts of bank robbery, authorities said.

James Allen Hayes, 55, who was also known as James Killen and Ceaser Killen, was indicted last October in connection with bank heists in Newhall, Valencia and Santa Barbara counties. Authorities say he is believed to be the PT Cruiser Bandit and the Seasoned Bandit, so named by the FBI for his gray/white hair.

In each heist, the robber slipped a note to the teller demanding cash and threatening to shoot if they did not comply, according to the indictment.

As part of the plea deal, Hayes agreed to forfeit a light-colored Chrysler PT Cruiser, which was allegedly used in some of the robberies.

Hayes was indicted in October for a string of bank heists between April and September in the Pacific Palisades, Stevenson Ranch, Valencia, Newhall, Carpinteria, Goleta, and Santa Maria. (Read more from “Lottery Winner Pleads Guilty to Bank Robbery” HERE)

_________________________________________

Powerball Jackpot Ticket Worth $457M Sold in Pennsylvania

By CNN. One Powerball ticket sold in Pennsylvania has matched all six numbers.

The single winning ticket is worth $456.7 million — the eighth-largest pot in the game’s history, officials said in a statement.

The winning numbers for the jackpot Saturday were: 22-57-59-60-66, and Powerball 7.

“The ticket matched all five white balls and the Powerball to win the jackpot worth an estimated $456.7 million; $273.9 million cash value,” Powerball said. (Read more from “Powerball Jackpot Ticket Worth $457M Sold in Pennsylvania” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Science Teacher Feeds Puppy to Turtle in Front of Children

/0 Comments/in , /by

A junior high school teacher is under investigation after what school officials are calling a ‘regrettable’ situation.

Robert Crosland has taught science at Preston Junior High School for years, EastIdahoNews.com reported. In a news release, Preston School District 201 Superintendent Marc Gee says his administration became aware of “a regrettable circumstance involving some of the biological specimens” on March 7.

According to a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation, Crosland fed a puppy to a snapping turtle after class. A school official, who declined to be named, confirmed students witnessed the incident after class, but did not confirm how many.

“The event occurred well after students had been dismissed and was not a part of any school-directed program,” Gee said in a news release. “We emphasize that at no time was the safety of students or staff compromised.”

It’s unclear if the dog was alive or dead when Crosland fed it to the turtle. Administrators began investigating the incident immediately, according to Gee, and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office was contacted. Crosland has not been cited or charged and has not been placed on leave, Gee said. (Read more from “Science Teacher Feeds Puppy to Turtle in Front of Children” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Over Half of Millennials Have ‘Quarter-Life’ Crisis

/0 Comments/in , /by

Six in 10 millennials claim to be going through a “quarter-life” crisis, according to a new study.

Many of us are familiar with the trope of a mid-life crisis – a person in middle age who is feeling stuck in a rut, and who reacts by indulging in erratic behaviour like making spontaneous career decisions or buying a motorbike.

But now it seems more and more of us are evaluating our existence far earlier as a new study reveals more than half of millennials are experiencing a “quarter-life crisis”.

The study, carried out by First Direct bank and psychologist Dr Oliver Robinson, aimed to look at how people can use a crisis as a spark for change, but in the process discovered a huge number of 25 to 35-year-olds are struggling to cope amid financial, career and personal pressures.

Analysing 2,000 Brits, the study found that financial difficulties were the biggest single cause, with more than half (53 per cent) of people going through a quarter-life crisis admitting they spend more than they earn each month. (Read more from “Over Half of Millennials Have ‘Quarter-Life’ Crisis” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Elon Musk Says Spaceships Will Be Ready for Mars Next Year

/0 Comments/in , /by

Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk told an audience at South by Southwest that his timeline for sending a space vehicle to Mars could mark its first milestone early next year.

The privately-funded venture, announced in September 2017, aims to send a cargo mission to the Red Planet by 2022. SpaceX’s ultimate objective is to plant the seeds to put a human colony on Mars.

Musk held a surprise question and answer session at the annual technology and culture festival in Austin, Texas on Sunday. The billionaire told attendees that “we are building the first Mars, or interplanetary ship, and I think well be able to short trips, flights by first half of next year.”

Mindful of elevating expectations too high, Musk hedged a bit. “Although sometimes, my timelines are a little, you know…” he said to laughter.

SpaceX’s BFR rocket system is expected to have capabilities for interplanetary travel, and be fully reusable. A flight will cost less than the initial Falcon 1 flights, which Musk pegged in the $5 to $6 million range. (Read more from “Elon Musk Says Spaceships Will Be Ready for Mars Next Year” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Needles, Debris, Human Waste Tallied After Cleanup of California Homeless Camp

/0 Comments/in , /by

Gritty details from the cleanup of a homeless encampment in Southern California were revealed Thursday — and the numbers were stunning.

According to the figures, public works crews in Orange County collected 404 tons of debris, 13,950 needles, and 5,279 pounds of human waste during a massive overhaul between Jan. 22 and March 3, the Orange County Register reported.

The specter of the ever-increasing homeless encampment along the Santa Ana River Trail had drawn the ire of local residents, prompting city officials to take action.

Todd Spitzer, who sits on the Orange County Board of Supervisors and led an effort to address the growing encampment, says he felt compelled to take a different course than other major cities in California that have been experiencing growing homeless populations . . .

The encampment, located in the heart of Orange County, stretched from Interstate 5 in Orange to Ball Road in Anaheim along a bike trail, according to a spokesperson for Orange County Public Works. (Read more from “Needles, Debris, Human Waste Tallied After Cleanup of California Homeless Camp” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Homeowner Holds Knife-Wielding Intruder at Gunpoint

/1 Comment/in , /by

When Robert Rodriguez and his wife awoke to an intruder in the bedroom of their Austin, Texas, home, he used his own firearm to ward off the suspect until law enforcement arrived.

Rodriguez told CBS Austin that 32-year-old Richard Brent Prieto kicked the door in, and he heard someone talking but thought it was his son. However, after his wife nudged him, he woke up and saw Prieto standing in their room with a knife in his hand.

Prieto reportedly was mumbling strange things and told him that his wife was under the house, that Chuck Norris was waiting for him, and that he was having a hard time. Rodriguez, who is a former sheriff’s deputy, slowly reached for his gun and, with the firearm pointed at Prieto, told him to drop the knife. . .

Rodriguez explained that legally — since the man was in his house — he had the right to protect his family, but he’s glad he didn’t have to pull the trigger. (Read more from “Homeowner Holds Knife-Wielding Intruder at Gunpoint” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Amelia Earhart Mystery Solved? Scientist ’99 Percent’ Sure Bones Belong to Aviator

/0 Comments/in , /by

A scientific study claims to shed new light on the decades-long mystery of what happened to Amelia Earhart.

Richard Jantz, an emeritus anthropology professor at the University of Tennessee, argues that bones discovered on the Pacific Island of Nikumaroro in 1940 were likely Earhart’s remains. The research contradicts a forensic analysis of the remains in 1941 that described the bones as belonging to a male. The bones, which were subsequently lost, continue to be a source of debate.

Earhart, who was attempting to fly around the world, disappeared with navigator Fred Noonan on July 2, 1937, during a flight from Papua New Guinea to Howland Island in the Pacific.

The first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, Earhart was one of the most famous people in the world at the time of her disappearance. Thus, a number of theories have emerged about her fate.

One well-publicized theory is that Earhart died a castaway after landing her plane on the remote island of Nikumaroro, a coral atoll 1,200 miles from the Marshall Islands. Some 13 human bones were found on Nikumaroro, also known as Gardner Island, three years after Earhart’s disappearance. (Read more from “Amelia Earhart Mystery Solved? Scientist ’99 Percent’ Sure Bones Belong to Aviator” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Famous Atheist: Let’s Eat Human Meat

/0 Comments/in , /by

Over the weekend, famed atheist Richard Dawkins had a novel suggestion for the future: eating human meat.

Dawkins was responding to a story in the Independent which described “clean meat,” or, in other words, meat grown in laboratories made from stem cells harvested from living cattle.

Josh Tetrick, CEO of clean meat manufacturer JUST, had told CNN that the first items could be available to consumers for human consumption “before the end of 2018.” He told The Guardian that the path to public acceptance of cultured meat is obstructed by “gnarly problems, communication issues, regulatory issues.” . . .

But Dawkins envisions himself as more far-seeing than everyone else. Hence this tweet:

Dawkins is the same guy who said in 2017, “When I see cattle lorries, I think of the railway wagons to Auschwitz.” (Read more from “Famous Atheist: Let’s Eat Human Meat” please click HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

6 in 10 Adults Are Too Scared to Visit This Kind of Doctor

/0 Comments/in , /by

Feeling bristled? Imagine how your teeth might feel, especially if you’ve been putting off your annual checkup. If you have, you’re likely far from alone. A new study finds that six in 10 American adults are too scared to visit the dentist.

Researchers at Hello Products, a dental care startup, polled 2,000 adults in the U.S. on their oral hygiene habits, which led to some more-than-toothless findings.

For instance, among the more stunning results, the survey showed that three in 10 millennials only brush their teeth once a day. Millennials also admit they’ve gone two or three days on average without brushing at all.

Yet, a convincing majority (56 percent) expressed fear or anxiety over losing their teeth, despite possessing slovenly dental habits . . .

Going to the dentist was admittedly a phobia for most respondents — overall, 62% of adults surveyed said that they were too spooked to even visit a dentist’s office — but particularly among millennials, perhaps helping explain why their much-flaunted smiles appear to be at-risk. Millennials were more likely than those over 55 to create excuses to avoid regular dental checkups (56 percent to 36 percent, respectively). (Read more from “6 in 10 Adults Are Too Scared to Visit This Kind of Doctor” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Olympic Athlete Charged With Stealing Car

/0 Comments/in , /by

A Canadian athlete competing at the Winter Olympics has been charged with stealing a car in the early hours of Saturday morning, South Korean police said.

A police official in charge of international crime at Gangwon Provincial Police Agency said the athlete, his wife and manager had gotten into an unlocked car which had been left unoccupied with the engine running in Pyeongchang.

The official said the manager then drove off with the car before it was stopped by police. The manager has additionally been charged with drunk driving.

Once the investigation is complete the results would be sent to the prosecution, the official said, adding that unless the alleged offence was deemed a serious crime, they would be able to leave the country after paying a fine.

At a news conference on Saturday, Canadian Olympic Committee CEO Chris Overholt said they were aware of the situation but declined to confirm the identities of the three. (Read more from “Olympic Athlete Charged With Stealing Car” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.