A man from California recounted a harrowing experience with a black bear outside his Lake Tahoe vacation residence during the Fourth of July weekend. He used bear spray to avert the threatening situation, all of which was recorded on video.

Cortlandt Koerwitz, hailing from Sacramento, explained to KCRA 3 that the incident unfolded after his daughter noticed the bear scavenging through a trash can in the garage of their home.

Koerwitz quickly armed himself with bear spray and ventured outside to assess the situation. However, it dramatically intensified when the bear suddenly charged towards him.

“I caught sight of something in my peripheral vision, and it turned out to be the bear lunging at me. We were both taken by surprise, and I instinctively deployed the spray. Unfortunately, some of the mist hit me and got in my eyes,” Koerwitz remarked.

Video obtained by KCRA 3 shows Koerwitz approaching the garage before the bear suddenly charges toward him. Moments later, he deploys the bear spray, and the bear turns away and runs off.

Koerwitz told the station that bears frequently wander through the Lake Tahoe area in search of food and often get into trash cans or unlocked vehicles, but he described the aggressive behavior in this encounter as unusual.

According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, black bears are common throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin and are often drawn into neighborhoods by unsecured garbage and other easily accessible food sources. Wildlife officials encourage residents and visitors to secure trash, keep food out of vehicles and remove other attractants to reduce conflicts between bears and people.

The Lake Tahoe Basin is home to a healthy black bear population, and wildlife officials routinely remind residents and tourists that bears are naturally curious and possess an exceptional sense of smell, making improperly stored food and garbage a frequent source of human-bear encounters.

Koerwitz said he hopes sharing his experience serves as a reminder for residents and visitors to secure their garbage, remove food from vehicles and remain alert when spending time in bear country.

News Media reached out to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for comment. A department spokesperson said the inquiry had been forwarded to the Tahoe wildlife conflict team.

Breaking news has emerged involving Adam Schefter.

According to Front Office Sports, the renowned NFL insider and ESPN are on the verge of finalizing a long-term contract extension to keep Schefter with the network.

Although the specifics on the financial details remain undisclosed, the agreement is expected to extend well into the 2030s.

In 2022, The Post revealed that Schefter’s most recent deal with ESPN had a value of approximately $9 million annually.

At 59, Schefter has dismissed any speculation of retiring, unlike his former colleague, NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, who famously ended his “Woj bomb” career in early 2024 to take a position at his alma mater, St. Bonaventure.

“I know a lot has been made about my age this week and how I’m retiring, which by the way, no f–king chance about that if you don’t mind my language,” Schefter said on his eponymous podcast in April.

In extending Schefter, ESPN will now pair him long-term insider Ian Rapoport who joined ESPN when they acquired NFL Network. Rapoport then signed a multi-year extension with ESPN in April.

Schefter arrived at ESPN in 2009 and created a strong career as one of the network’s and football’s go-to voices for news.

He is also a key figure on several shows including NFL Countdown during the football season.

The footballer who forces us to first fall in love with the game usually carries a certain swagger. Thierry Henry had it, and that this idol for a 90s-born generation is so in awe of Michael Olise today should tell you this 24-year-old Frenchman is a fully-fledged member of the same club.

Children are captivated by him, eager to watch, follow, and emulate his actions. Olise manages to evoke a sense of youthful wonder in Henry, who enthusiastically labels the French player as a ‘freak,’ a ‘phenomenon,’ and ‘otherworldly,’ even calling him their ‘most crucial player,’ despite the presence of Kylian Mbappe on the same squad. This team is set to face Morocco in the World Cup quarter-final on Thursday in Foxborough, near Boston.

Olise’s style is marked by effortlessness, a cool demeanor, and an air of nonchalance. However, his path could have looked quite different; he might have been in Kansas City alongside England, training with Harry Kane, his Bayern Munich colleague, and gearing up for a match against Norway in Miami this Saturday. Under Thomas Tuchel’s guidance, rather than Didier Deschamps, his journey could have taken a distinct turn.

CHICAGO (WLS) — Andrew Boutros, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, appeared before a federal judge on Thursday morning.

Concerns have been raised regarding the handling of a sealed case by the top prosecutor, which involves a notorious Venezuelan gang.

Boutros’ court appearance occurs as Democrats call for his resignation over matters related to a separate legal case.

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Judge Laura McNally reprimanded U.S. Attorney Boutros, criticizing him and his office for not adhering to a sealed order concerning the Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua.

Although she noted that no tangible harm resulted and did not make a judgment on Boutros’ intentions, she emphasized the necessity of complying with court mandates.

The controversy stems from possible violations of a court order sealing a criminal complaint against alleged members of the street gang.

According to court records, a federal judge had refused to unseal the case when prosecutors made a rushed request just 15 minutes before a scheduled news conference.

RELATED: Chicago US Attorney drops 3rd case citing ‘serious irregularities’ focusing on prosecutor’s conduct

For his part, Boutros outlined in a 14-page filing that it was not his intent to violate the order.

He added he thought the order had been unsealed and had not received an email that it hadn’t been.

The most recent proceedings are a continuation of the intense legal scrutiny surrounding Boutros’ tenure as U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.

Thursday’s summons follows criticism over Operation Midway Blitz and the collapse of the Broadview Six protester case earlier this year where charges were dropped due to prosecutorial misconduct.

Boutros told the judge, “We respect the court and the courts orders and hold it in great respect.”

He also promised look into the miscommunication in his office.

In a tragic incident that has drawn international attention, a mother from America, originally hailing from New York, was discovered dead in her Killarney home, a town favored by tourists in Ireland. Authorities have noted that a person of interest in the case has since left the country, with some reports from local media suggesting the individual might be an asylum seeker.

Identified as Jamey Carney by the Irish Prime Minister, the 43-year-old’s body was found on Tuesday in County Kerry. An Garda Síochána, the national police service, confirmed the details of the discovery.

Authorities stated that the person of interest departed the region early on Tuesday, prior to the discovery and reporting of Carney’s body. A murder investigation has been initiated, and local police are collaborating with global law enforcement agencies.

Carney, originally from Westchester County just north of Manhattan, relocated to Ireland in 2021 alongside her young daughter, as reported by the Irish Independent.

The State Department confirmed to News Media that an American citizen died in County Kerry on July 7 and said it was providing consular assistance to the victim’s family.

“The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans,” the agency said.

The Irish Mirror reported the person of interest was an asylum seeker living in state-run accommodation in Killarney who allegedly fled to Turkey. The outlet also reported that the man, who previously lived in France and the United Kingdom, knew Carney and frequently stayed at her home.

Carney’s social media profiles described her as a “New Yorker in Ireland” and showed her with a man she identified as her partner. In one recent post, she referred to them as a “mixed couple.” Police have not identified the person of interest or said whether he is the man featured in the posts.

Documents reviewed by News Media indicate she also had ties to Rockland County, New York, and northern New Jersey, while News Media sources said she was a familiar face along Yonkers’ MacLean Avenue, a neighborhood with a large Irish-American community.

The Irish Independent, citing sources, reported Carney was found with bedclothes covering her body and had suffered severe head and neck injuries, with indications she may have fought to defend herself. The room was heavily bloodstained, according to the outlet.

Investigators believe the person of interest first arrived in the United Kingdom before traveling to Ireland, RTÉ reported. Detectives have contacted airline and transport officials and are coordinating with British authorities as they work to establish his identity and movements.

Despite the international search, Irish police have not released the man’s name, image or a description, saying they are not in a position to comment on his age, name or nationality for legal reasons, according to RTÉ.

The news has rattled the picturesque southwest Irish town, a gateway to Killarney National Park and the famed Ring of Kerry, two of Ireland’s biggest draws for American visitors.

Carney’s LinkedIn profile indicated she moved to Ireland in 2021 to work for a healthcare outsourcing company after previously working as an insurance agent and real estate salesperson in the New York metropolitan area.

Her social media accounts are filled with selfies and content with her daughter as well as her partner. It shows she also supported the Free Palestinian movement and her bio included criticism of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Carney is being remembered locally as a devoted mother who loved living in Killarney.

Councillor Martin Grady, who said he knew her personally, told the Irish Independent she was “a loving, caring mother” and “always happy and smiling.”

Carney marked the Fourth of July with her partner just days before her death, per her social media account.

A Fourth of July celebration took a devastating turn for two Southern California teenagers, as they suffered severe hand injuries, potentially resulting in amputations. Now, one of their mothers is urgently warning others to be cautious.

Maria Escalante, mother to twin boys, shared with CBS News how her son, along with a friend, ignited an illegal firework that they had found on the streets of Anaheim. The firework exploded in their hands almost immediately.

As a result, Escalante’s son lost several fingers on his right hand and is currently in the hospital with both hands heavily bandaged.

His twin brother, who witnessed the harrowing incident, is deeply traumatized by what transpired, according to Escalante.

“He’s really not doing well. He will likely remain in the hospital for around two months. His hands are severely damaged,” Escalante explained to CBS.

The devastated mother said that her son would need reconstructive surgery, but if there isn’t blood circulation in his surviving fingers, then the only way forward would be to amputate his fingers.

“They’re going to do their best to reconstruct his hands, but they can’t guarantee nothing. … They’re going to see if he has proper circulation going to the last fingers he has, to the few fingers he has left in his hand,” she told the news outlet. 

Escalante went back to the scene on S. Mountain View and found pieces of the illegal firework. She is demanding that the Anaheim Police Department investigate the pipeline of the pyrotechnics. 

“His [the other teen’s] mother told me that every year they sell illegal fireworks here, so I don’t know if the Anaheim Police Department knows about this or not, but they need to start investigating,” she said. She added the other boy’s hands were also badly injured.

Illegal fireworks continue to pose a severe safety threat throughout California.

According to 2023 data from the California Department of Public Health, fireworks incidents led to 718 emergency department visits and 200 nonfatal hospitalizations across the state.

Last month, The California Post reported that banned fireworks are steadily streaming into the Golden State from Nevada, where a dozen retailers are seeing a substantial influx of California buyers seeking to evade local bans.

The devastating consequences of these explosives were seen at a Fourth of July party last year, when an 8-year-old girl lost her life after a man ignited an illegal $400 cake packed with professional-grade explosives that ultimately malfunctioned.