Month: September 2025

By Cecilio Padilla

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    California (KOVR) — Firefighters in Central California have been working to protect a grove of giant sequoia trees from a massive wildfire.

The Garnet Fire has been burning in the Sierra National Forest in eastern Fresno County since it was sparked by lightning on Aug. 24. As of Wednesday, it has grown to 56,795 acres with containment holding at 15 percent.

While the area is sparsely populated, fire crews have focused efforts on protecting a number of cultural sites potentially threatened by the Garnet Fire – in particular, the McKinley Grove of giant sequoias.

McKinley Grove giant sequoias Similar to the famed groves in nearby Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, home to some of the world’s largest trees, McKinley Grove also houses around 200 towering sequoias.

U.S. Forest Service crews have been installing sprinkler systems around the McKinley Grove sequoias and have been removing brush built up on the base of the trees that could potentially fuel stronger fires.

Notably, scientists say wildfires are an important part of the lifecycle of giant sequoias. Prescribed fires have been used by forest managers to emulate the wildfires that would periodically clear the forest understory. However, large and intense wildfires are still a concern – with a significant percentage of large giant sequoias having been killed in recent wildfires, officials say.

Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig said Tuesday he had been told by Cal Fire and U.S. Forest Service representatives that the McKinley Grove area was affected by the Garnet Fire, but only the understory was burned. The famed giant sequoia trees appeared to be OK, Magsig was told.

Fire crews are continuing to battle the Garnet Fire, with forecasts showing that favorable weather is expected Wednesday. More than 2,600 personnel are working the incident, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

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By Cecil Hannibal

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    SACRAMENTO, California (KCRA) — Ashkan Moghaddam has been identified as the worker who died after collapsing in a gas tank at a North Sacramento Costco gas station on Monday.

He was known as “Ash” by the Bay Area martial arts community, where he became a double black belt in Jiu-Jitsu and Judo.

The 37-year-old was also a husband and father to two teenage girls.

“He was a very genuine person, and the kind of guy who, if you ever need him, he would be there,” said Calder Powers, the executive director of Guardian Gym.

“He carried a selflessness that was rare — he could change the entire energy of a room just by being in it,” said Nwabueze Umeh, a former training partner.

Back in 2010, Ash began training in Jiu-Jitsu at Ralph Gracie Berkeley under Eduardo Fraga.

“I didn’t even have a chance to say goodbye,” said Fraga about his former student turned lifelong friend.

His former teammates and peers describe him as a man who’d go above and beyond for his friends and family.

Moghaddam even helped create a GoFundMe page for Fraga to help raise money during his naturalization process.

A few months ago, Fraga says he finally became a United States citizen. He says this is just one example of the type of friend he was.

“We’re all martial artists, but at the end of the day, we’re fathers, we’re role models, and he was working really hard,” said Newton Casemiro, his former Judo instructor.

According to his LinkedIn, Moghaddam was an emergency response supervisor with Ponder Environmental Services based out of Benicia.

KCRA 3 contacted the company Monday and Tuesday, but the company declined to comment.

The crew was working to clean the Costco gas tank underneath the gas station on Exposition Boulevard when he collapsed in the tank. First responders attempted to rescue him, but he did not survive.

As of Tuesday, the Sacramento County Coroner has yet to release the exact cause of his death, but fire crews suspected the incident was caused by the toxic fumes and a lack of respiratory equipment.

Cal-OSHA is now leading the investigation into whether any protocols or proper procedures were not followed.

The agency tells KCRA it can take up to six months to fully investigate before any citations are issued.

As his family and friends wait for answers, tributes continue to pour in.

Nile Hollowell-Dhar, a DJ and musician known as KSHMR, and who’s performed at major music festivals such as Coachella and EDC, posted a photo of the two as children writing in part “Rest in Peace to my brother Ash. what you made this life; nobody could have done…He was the underdog story, he was the fighter, he was the leader…I love you brother Long Live Ashkan.”

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By Felix Cortez

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    HOLLISTER, California (KSBW) — Two former employees of the San Benito County Library in Hollister have been sentenced to jail time after pleading no contest to charges related to embezzling over $300,000.

Assistant librarian Erin Baxter was sentenced to one year in county jail and two years’ probation after pleading no contest to forgery, conspiracy, and embezzlement.

She was ordered to repay more than $330,000, which she used to purchase items on Amazon, including makeup, golfing equipment, and camping gear.

Accounting clerk Mary Alvarez received a sentence of 60 days in county jail and one year of probation after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor charge of conspiracy.

The $600 restitution amount for Alvarez was waived, as prosecutors noted she did not benefit financially from Baxter’s actions.

“However, it should be noted there’s no evidence she actually received any benefit, Ms. Alvarez, received any benefit from it. So that’s why the resolution was quite a bit less than Ms. Baxter,” said San Benito County District Attorney Joel Buckingham.

Buckingham emphasized the seriousness of the crime, stating, “It is taxpayer dollars that we’re looking at. And so when we see this happen and we see taxpayer dollars metaphorically go out the window to purposes they’re not intended to, it’s something we take very seriously to make sure that the public’s trust is maintained and that people are held accountable.”

Buckingham also commented on the nature of temptation, saying, “They may be very good people 95% of the time, but temptation can come to anyone. And if it does and you steal, we will prosecute you.”

Both women are scheduled to check in at the county jail on October 7 to begin serving their jail sentences.

Calls to attorneys for Baxter and Alvarez went unreturned.

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By Aliyah Chavez

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    ROSWELL, New Mexico (KOAT) — The National Air Racing Competition is set to begin in Roswell, New Mexico, marking the first time in nearly 60 years that the event is held outside of Reno, Nevada.

The competition, referred to by event CEO as “NASCAR in the air,” is establishing its roots in Roswell for the first time, welcoming thousands of fans and racers from around the world.

The city and state have invested more than $10 million to host the event, beating out 38 other U.S. cities for the privilege.

“This, in under a year, we’ve now moved the entire operation… and built it to new, right here in Roswell, New Mexico, on the old Walker Air Force Base,” Fred Telling, CEO of the National Championship Air Races, told KOAT.

However, the competition is not without its hiccups. It was originally planned to host seven event classes, but only five will take place. “We are down two classes, the sport class, and the unlimiteds,” Telling said.

The sport class opted out, citing concerns about Roswell’s ability to build an emergency landing in time. “I’m highly confident they’ll be back next year,” Telling said.

Air racer Tammy Camilleri, who has made four trips to the U.S. this year, staying 20 days each visit, noted the cost of visiting Roswell. She estimates it costs her around $55,000.

Despite these challenges, Mayor Tim Jennings told KOAT he is confident in Roswell’s ability to host the event. “We are ready,” Jennings said.

The National Air Race Competition will run from Sept. 10 through Sept. 14.

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By Nick Catlin

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    ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KOAT) — A vehicle chase involving a UPS vehicle ended with a suspect being taken into custody on Interstate 40 in Albuquerque.

The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office responded to the stolen UPS vehicle with the driver still inside the truck. The law enforcement pursuit and ended near Unser Boulevard, where the vehicle stopped.

The victim is safe and there were no injuries reported after the suspect was taken into custody. Law enforcement said there is no further threat to the community.

The arrested suspect Mukhammed-Emin Idrisov, 35, of Brooklyn, was arrested by deputies. Court documents show Idrisov is charged with false imprisonment and aggravated assault.

The UPS driver told dispatch a vehicle approached him and told him to pull over while delivering packages in To’Hajiilee. This led to the UPS vehicle being involved in a chase with deputies after the suspect entered the vehicle armed with a knife, according to court records.

BCSO is still investigating and gathering information regarding the apparent kidnapping. Traffic on the interstate was closed and delayed due to the law enforcement chase on Monday, Sept. 8.

UPS released a statement following the law enforcement arrest in Albuquerque.

“We are aware of the incident and are working with authorities to investigate. We are thankful our driver is safe.”

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