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San Fernando Valley man admits to bilking more than $300K from pandemic relief programs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

A Porter Ranch man faces up to two decades in federal prison after he pleaded guilty Thursday to defrauding the federal government out of hundreds of thousands of dollars during the COVID-19 pandemic.Artur Chanchikyan, 55, received a total of more than $345,000 from the U.S. Small Business Administration as the owner of North Hollywood-based Gentle Touch Home Health Care, the DOJ said in a news release. Though he was accused of fraud and suspended from receiving Medicare payments by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in December 2019, he applied about four months later for a Paycheck Protection Program loan worth $160,000."In the PPP application, Chanchikyan made false representations, including the number of employees to whom Gentle Touch paid wages and Gentle Touch’s average monthly payroll expenses at the time of the application, and false certifications that the loan would be used for permissible business purposes by Gentle Touch," the DOJ said. "As a result, Gentle ...

Daniel Uribe Killed, Anise Huerta Involved in Multi-Car Crash on Goodfellow Avenue [Fresno County, CA]

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

58-Year-Old Man Fatally Struck in Auto Collision near Rio Vista AvenueFRESNO COUNTY, CA (August 25, 2023) – Tuesday, Daniel Uribe died and Anise Huerta was involved in a multi-car crash on Goodfellow Avenue.The incident occurred around 3:30 p.m., just west of Rio Vista Avenue.According to reports, 26-year-old Huerta was distracted while traveling east in a Chevrolet Silverado. She the turned into oncoming traffic in attempt to avoid a rear-end crash and struck the back of a Toyota Camry.Upon impact, the Camry was pushed into oncoming lanes where it collided head-on with a westbound BMW 328i. Additionally, a Hyundai Accent traveling behind the Chevrolet was unable to move out of the way in time and hit the Silverado.Paramedics transported the 58-year-old male driver of the BMW to Adventist Hospital in Reedley where he died from his injuries. Authorities later identified him as 58-year-old Uribe, of Sanger.Meanwhile, paramedics rushed the Chevrolet and the Hyundai driver to Kais...

Two-year-old killed in Fremont parking lot collision

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

FREMONT — A 2-year-old boy died Thursday after he was struck by an SUV in a parking lot, officials said.He was identified Friday by the coroner’s office as Leonid Grigorev of Fremont.The fatal collision happened about 6 p.m. Thursday in a business center parking lot in the 5000 block of Mowry Avenue, police said.Authorities said the boy was struck by a moving SUV but did not say how fast it was going or if it was backing up or going forward.The boy was treated at the scene by Fremont firefighters before being taken to a hospital, where he died.The driver of the SUV remained on the scene and is cooperating with the investigation, police said in a news release.Police did not say who the child was with and what led up to him being hit by the SUV. He was not in a stroller at the time he was struck.In the release, authorities said that “speed and impairment do not appear to be factors” in the fatal crash. No other information was released about the driver.Investig...

Regency at Tracy Lakes now selling

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

Toll Brothers, the nation’s leading builder of luxury homes, announced the opening of Regency at Tracy Lakes, a gated, master-planned community of 590 luxury homes for 55+ active adults located in the lush and expansive valleys of Tracy, California. The sales center is located at 1650 Aloha Court in Tracy.Regency at Tracy Lakes’ future 11,000-square-foot private amenity center offers indoor and outdoor pools and a state-of-the art fitness center. Planned by a team of award-winning architects, landscape architects and interior designers, Regency at Tracy Lakes is designed for active-adult homebuyers looking for an amenity-rich lifestyle for which the luxury builder is acclaimed. Single-story homes in the community range in size from 1,560 to 2,775 square feet with two to three bedrooms, two to three bathrooms and two- to three-car garages. Regency at Tracy Lakes will offer a variety of home designs within four collections, featuring modern floor plans with open and spacious livi...

Influencer Marketing: Micro vs. Macro for Your Brand

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

Sponsored ContentDid you know that 50% of Millennials trust product recommendations from influencers, compared with 38% for those from celebrities? Meanwhile, 92% of marketers believe in the power of influencer marketing.Influencer marketing can help you reach your ideal audience and drive sales. But you must have the right strategy — which starts with deciding the type of influencers right for your brand. Let’s look at how micro-influencers and macro-influencers differ and their pros and cons. What Are Micro-Influencers?Micro-influencers have a small but engaged following of 1,000 to 100,000 fans. They typically focus on a narrow and specific niche and have close relationships with their followers.Micro-Influencers Pros• They’re much more affordable, and some may even promote your brand in exchange for products or to support a good cause (e.g., cruelty-free beauty products).• You can tap into niche markets and reach a highly targeted audience that’d most likely become yo...

T-Mobile announces plans to cut 5,000 jobs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

(KRON) -- T-Mobile will be cutting 5,000 jobs over the next five weeks, according to a letter from the company's CEO attached to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The cuts represent almost seven percent of the company's total workforce. The layoffs will impact employees across the country, primarily in corporate and back-office roles, according to T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert. Some technology jobs will also be cut.Jobs that will be cut are "primarily duplicative of other roles, or may be aligned to systems or processes that are changing, or may not fit with our current company priorities," the letter states. Retail and consumer care roles are not expected to be impacted by the cuts. IKEA store evacuated during SF grand opening "I know this email will create uncertainty, but I believe transparency about what is happening, and how we're taking care of our impacted colleagues, is important," Sievert wrote. The CEO went on to describe the company as being at a "pivota...

Business Highlights: More rate hikes possible, Fed’s Powell says; Tax preparers under fire

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

___Economy’s solid growth could require more Fed hikes to fight inflation, Powell says at Jackson HoleJACKSON HOLE, Wyoming (AP) — The continued strength of the U.S. economy could require further interest rate increases, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said in a closely watched speech that also highlighted the uncertain nature of the economic outlook. Powell noted that the economy has been growing faster than expected and that consumers have kept spending briskly — trends that could keep inflation pressures high. Speaking at an annual conference of central bankers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Powell reiterated the Fed’s determination to keep its benchmark rate elevated until inflation is reduced to its 2% target. “Although inflation has moved down from its peak — a welcome development — it remains too high,” he said.___ECB’s Lagarde says interest rates to stay high as long as needed to defeat inflationJACKSON HOLE, Wyoming (AP) — Interest rates in the European Union will need to st...

Thief steals former governor’s SUV as he hosts a radio show

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Former North Dakota Gov. Ed Schafer learned a lesson about his car keys after his vehicle was stolen as he hosted a Fargo radio show. Schafer was guest hosting KFGO’s “News and Views” program Friday morning when police called the station to ask if he owned a 2020 GMC Yukon, the station reported. It turns out that the SUV had been stolen out of the station’s parking lot. The thief apparently drove it to a probation office and surrendered to authorities, Schafer said. The vehicle has a push-button start feature and requires a key fob to be in the vehicle before it can be operated. But Schafer had left a spare fob inside, enabling the thief to start it up and drive off.The former governor and U.S. agriculture secretary says he’s been warned about being more careful. “My wife for 31 years has said, ‘Why don’t you lock your car?’” Schafer said.Source

Virginia lawmakers say they have deal on ‘major components’ of budget, including rebates, tax cuts

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, center, arrives to deliver his State of the Commonwealth address before a joint session of the Virginia General Assembly in the House chambers at the Capitol Monday, Jan. 17, 2022, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)(AP/Steve Helber) Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, center, arrives to deliver his State of the Commonwealth address before a joint session of the Virginia General Assembly in the House chambers at the Capitol Monday, Jan. 17, 2022, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)(AP/Steve Helber) RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The Virginia legislators who have been leading negotiations over the months-delayed state budget announced Friday they have reached agreement on the “major componen...

A Marine Corps pilot has died in the crash of a combat jet near a military air station in San Diego

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A Marine Corps pilot was confirmed dead Friday after the crash of a combat jet near a San Diego base, the service said in a statement.The F/A-18D Hornet went down at 11:54 p.m. Thursday near Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and searchers recovered the pilot at the site, the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing said in a statement from its headquarters in Cherry Point, North Carolina.The pilot was the only person aboard the jet, identified as part of Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224. The squadron is based at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina.The identity of the pilot will not be released until 24 hours after all next-of-kin notifications have been completed, the Marine Corps said. A Miramar statement said earlier that the aircraft was not part of its resident air wing but was operating from the air station. The crash site was described as government property east of the air station. The site about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of downtown San Diego is an area of large...