News

LAS VEGAS - MGM Resorts International, the global entertainment organization, announced today that it will provide donations through the MGM Resorts Foundation in the amount of $3 million to fund humanitarian assistance to victims of the Las Vegas shooting, along with organizations who provide support to those who are first on the scene to assist in traumatic events.

"There are simply no words to express our grief and outrage over this senseless and horrific attack on our community," said Jim Murren, Chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts.  "Yet in this devastating time, we are inspired. From the heroic stories of victims on the ground who placed the safety of strangers and loved ones before themselves, to the incredible bravery of first responders who rushed in when others were rushing out and who surely lessened the damage, to the knowledge of so many good and incomplete works done by those we lost – we are collectively drawing strength and faith to meet the difficult days ahead. With this donation, we hope to make a difference to those who were harmed and those who are left behind.  We also wish to recognize the awesome contributions of first responders, not just here in Las Vegas but around the United States, who give so completely of themselves when disaster strikes.  On behalf of our Las Vegas community, I wish to say thank you to our global community who remind us from moment to moment that we are not alone."

HURON - Shortly after 9:00 pm on Sunday, Huron Police officers responded to a call of suspicious activity at an apartment complex located on the northeast corner of S. Lassen and W. Tornado Avenues in Huron. Officers were given information that three armed men were at the property. Once officers contacted the group, something occurred which caused an officer to fire their gun. One suspect was struck, one suspect ran away and the third suspect was detained.

The 18 year old man who was shot was transported by helicopter to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno for treatment. He is listed in stable condition. The suspect immediately detained is a 14 year old boy. The third suspect who ran away, is a 16 year old boy. Deputies found him a short time later inside an apartment unit. All suspects have ties to a street gang.

FRESNO - Fresno County Sheriff’s detectives have arrested 64 year old Peter Samhammer of Clovis. He has been booked into the Fresno County Jail on four felony counts of child abuse. On Thursday afternoon, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office received a report that students had suffered injuries during P.E. class at Herndon Barstow Elementary in Fresno.

Deputies responded to the school to investigate. Deputies learned that P.E. teacher, Peter Samhammer, had used a jump rope to discipline several children while holding class out on the playground. Samhammer placed the jump rope around their necks and tightened it briefly, before letting go. The rope left red marks on the kids’ neck and shoulder areas. The victims are in the 9 - 11 year old age range.

COALINGA - Members of the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit have identified the man who was the victim of a recent homicide. His is 32 year old Pedro Canisio Boc of Los Angeles. On September 14th, 2017, Sheriff’s Office dispatchers received a call from a person who was driving along Highway 198 near Coalinga.

The caller said they pulled off the side of the road, got out of their vehicle and discovered a deceased person off the roadway, lying in the weeds. This was located in a remote area of Hwy. 198, which is near the Monterey County line. Boc had multiple gunshot wounds and it appears his death occurred several days before being discovered.

FRESNO - On Thursday, members of the Coroner’s Office performed an autopsy on 23 month old Julius Lopez of Calwa. The manner of death was determined to be homicide and the cause of death was blunt force trauma. Wednesday night, homicide detectives with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office arrested 24 year old Gage Hurtado. He has been booked into the Fresno County Jail on a felony charge of assault by means to likely to cause death to a child. His bail is set at $500,000.

Around 9:30 am on Wednesday, Fresno Police received a 911 call from a man (Gage Hurtado) saying a child was injured inside an apartment located on the 2400 block of S. Ninth Street in Calwa. A Fresno Police officer arrived and found the boy, Julius Lopez, to be non-responsive. The officer gave the boy CPR and allowed EMS to take over medical aid once they arrived. Around 10:15 am, the boy was pronounced deceased.

MADERA – Madera County Department of Agriculture released its annual crop report last week during the regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors. While the report showed a decrease overall, Madera County is ranked 10^th among the state’s 58 counties. The county’s agricultural commissioner, Stephanie McNeill, explained that the decrease is due to lower prices for some commodities as markets stabilize. The overall value of crops for 2016 was about $1.8 billion.

“We expect to see that go up,” McNeill said. “We’ve had a lot of new trees go in that are immature, that are nonproductive yet.” McNeill said last year she expected six to seven thousand more almonds, and it ended up being closer to 10 thousand. She added that people were pulling out grapes, such as the Thompson variety, and planting almonds.