Operation Firewall Nets 341 Arrests

A multi-agency child exploitation investigation across Southern California resulted in 341 arrests and the rescue or identification of 40 children, authorities announced Thursday at Los Angeles Police Department headquarters.

Operation Firewall ran from April 19 through May 3 and was led by the Los Angeles Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. It involved 112 law enforcement agencies spanning Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties.

Investigators used undercover officers in online chat rooms and on social media platforms, some posing as girls as young as 13. Arrests involved allegations including possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material, attempting to meet minors for lewd purposes, and lewd acts with children.

Many of the rescued children were returned to their families or placed in protective care. Officials warned that some children were targeted by people they knew and trusted.

Sandy Fire Grows above Simi Valley

The Sandy Fire burning in the hills above Simi Valley has scorched more than 2,100 acres, destroyed at least one home, and was 30% contained Thursday.

More than 17,000 residents in Ventura and Los Angeles counties remain under evacuation orders. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library was evacuated as a precaution earlier this week as crews battled the fast-moving blaze nearby.

Simi Valley Unified School District canceled classes Thursday and Friday, capping a full week of closures. Gov. Gavin Newsom secured federal firefighting funds this week through a FEMA Fire Management Assistance Grant.

Fire activity calmed Wednesday as winds eased, allowing more than 750 firefighters to strengthen containment lines, though forecasters warn a wind shift remains a concern.

Caltrans Studies 140-mph Bus System

Caltrans is studying a high-speed bus system that could hit 140 mph on California freeways between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Officials say I-5 and I-10 are the leading candidate corridors, with State Route 99 floated as a possible starter corridor in the Central Valley. In one planning scenario, a 120 mph cruise could cover the San Francisco–LA run in about three hours.

The concept envisions dedicated middle-lane corridors separated from regular traffic, with stations spaced along the route. If 140 mph proves infeasible on cost or safety grounds, a fallback of 80 to 100 mph remains on the table.

Caltrans has pitched the proposal as a potentially cheaper, more flexible companion to the state’s bullet-train project, on which California has spent more than $14 billion to date. Rocky Moretti of transportation research nonprofit TRIP cautioned that any new bus lanes must be added capacity, not carved from existing lanes. Caltrans has not released cost estimates.

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➤ Cloverdale: Authorities arrested 29-year-old Luke Deramo on Tuesday in connection with a series of arsons in Sonoma County after a brush fire and large-scale search near Geyser Road. Deramo was booked into Sonoma County Jail with bail set at $1.12 million. (See Details)

➤ Sacramento: The Sacramento region is the most popular destination in the country for relocating house hunters, according to a new Redfin study. Bay Area transplants seeking affordability, flexibility, and lifestyle are driving migration into Yuba, Nevada, Yolo, Placer, Sutter, and El Dorado counties. (See Details)

➤ Bay Area: U.S. Marshals arrested a woman described as a “prolific gym locker thief” accused of targeting fitness centers across San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties over a five-month span. Authorities said she used gym day passes under false names before burglarizing lockers and stealing credit cards. (More)

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➤ Fresno: Surveillance video shows a man armed with a knife approaching the home of Fresno City Attorney Andrew Janz at 3:30 a.m. Sunday. Suspect Larry Torrez pleaded not guilty Wednesday to attempted burglary and trespass charges. Janz warned that “political violence is on the rise.” (More)

➤ Mariposa County: Caltrans crews began the Ferguson Rock Shed Project on Highway 140, the long-delayed permanent fix for a 2006 rockslide that buried the road to Yosemite National Park under 800,000 tons of debris. The project will replace temporary bypass bridges and is expected to be completed by 2030. (See Details)

➤ San Luis Obispo County: The Oceano Dunes State Vehicle Recreation Area is reopening for vehicle day use and camping south of Arroyo Grande Creek ahead of Memorial Day. Visitors are urged to scout routes carefully due to wind-altered dunes and to avoid protected shorebird nesting areas. (See Details)

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➤ Los Angeles County: Eight candidates are running in the June 2 primary for sheriff, including incumbent Robert Luna and former Sheriff Alex Villanueva, whom Luna unseated in 2022. Under California’s top-two primary system, the two highest vote-getters advance to the November election. (See Details)

➤ LAX: A contractor struck a gas line and damaged a water main on Sepulveda Boulevard near LAX during utility work Wednesday night, snarling traffic ahead of Memorial Day weekend travel. (More)

➤ Carlsbad: The San Diego County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a new lease at McClellan-Palomar Airport, allowing American Airlines to add more flights to Phoenix and 10 additional seasonal flights per year. (See Details)

➤ Los Angeles: President Trump told reporters Wednesday that he wants to see reality TV star Spencer Pratt do well in the LA mayoral race, calling him “a big MAGA person.” Pratt has campaigned as an anti-establishment candidate in the Democrat-heavy city, where political analysts say Trump’s endorsement could complicate his broader appeal. (See Details)

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➤ A state bill would require the Angels to use “Anaheim” in the team name for official documents and marketing tied to any future stadium sale, lease, or redevelopment deal. (More)

➤ Shohei Ohtani hit a home run on the first pitch of the game and threw five scoreless innings in the Dodgers’ 4-0 win over the Padres. His ERA is now just 0.73 on the season. (More)

➤ No. 1 seed UCLA baseball begins its Big Ten tournament run this morning. The top-ranked Bruins set a program record for regular-season wins and went 28-2 in conference play. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, No. 4 seed USC baseball opens Big Ten tournament play this morning against 12th-seeded Michigan State. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NBA | NHL | MLB | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer | WNBA | Golf

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➤ Mercury raised $200 million in a Series D round, valuing the San Francisco financial technology company at $5.2 billion. The funding comes weeks after regulators conditionally approved the company’s bid to launch Mercury Bank N.A., a national bank charter it has pursued since 2017. (More)

➤ Long Beach space startup Vast is expanding into satellite manufacturing with a new 15-kilowatt satellite bus line built on technology tested during last year’s Haven Demo mission. The company says a confidential customer has signed on for four satellites, with an option for up to 200 more. (See Details)

➤ An AI-powered whale detection network called WhaleSpotter launched in San Francisco Bay this week, aiming to reduce whale deaths caused by ship strikes after at least 40% of last year’s 21 gray whale deaths were blamed on collisions with vessels. (See Details)

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➤ Nearly 5.9 million Californians are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home this Memorial Day weekend, according to AAA. The travel surge comes as the statewide average price for regular gasoline hit a record $6.14 per gallon Thursday. (More)

➤ Mariachi singer Alessandra Gutierrez, 9, performed in Visalia this week as her fast-rising career keeps building. A chance performance with a mariachi band during a family trip to Guadalajara, later shared online by her family, helped launch appearances at major-league ballparks and other events. (See Details)

➤ As Route 66 marks its 100th anniversary, the Bagdad Cafe in Newberry Springs is drawing crowds to the dusty Mojave Desert diner immortalized in the 1987 cult film. International tourists still make the pilgrimage to experience a surviving piece of the historic highway in the California desert. (See Details)

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The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley displays an authentic piece of the Berlin Wall outside its entrance. How much does this section of the wall weigh?

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