In a notable drug bust, federal agents discovered over 1,000 pounds of cocaine stashed under the floorboards of a commercial vehicle arriving from Mexico. This operation stands as one of Southern California’s most significant narcotics seizures this year.

The Department of Justice revealed that the substantial haul of cocaine was concealed inside the floorboards of a flatbed trailer and commercial truck intercepted at the Calexico Port of Entry, which bridges California and Mexico. Officials estimate the street worth of the confiscated cocaine at more than $20 million.

This seizure represents the second-largest cocaine bust within the Southern District of California for the current year, as stated by federal prosecutors.

FEDS SEIZE $6.4M WORTH OF COCAINE ABOARD OIL TANKER AT PORT OF LOS ANGELES, ARREST SUSPECTED CARTEL SMUGGLER

Jose Manuel Lopez, 44, a Mexican national and the truck’s sole occupant, was arrested and charged with importing cocaine into the United States.

If convicted, Lopez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of life.

In court filings seeking to keep Lopez in custody, prosecutors described the seizure as “a tremendous amount of drugs, even by the standards of this district.”

SINALOA CARTEL BOSS ‘EL MAYO’ SENTENCED TO LIFE, ORDERED TO PAY $15B IN DRUG TRAFFICKING PROFITS

The only larger cocaine seizure in the Southern District of California this year came in May, when authorities uncovered more than a ton of cocaine worth an estimated $45 million linked to an alleged cross-border drug tunnel.

Officials said the trailer was carrying 269 bundles of rebar when U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, working alongside Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration, detected anomalies during an X-ray inspection.

After a narcotics detection dog alerted officers the trailer, they unloaded the rebar and removed the wooden floorboards, where they discovered 366 packages of cocaine weighing more than 1,000 pounds, or approximately 454 kilograms, prosecutors said.

Lopez pleaded not guilty during his initial appearance in federal court Tuesday. A detention hearing is scheduled for Aug. 3.

CHICAGO — Wednesday evening nearly belonged to Cam Schlittler, who was dazzling on the mound, making most of his outing appear untouchable.

However, despite such a promising start, the Yankees’ right-hander found himself grappling with disappointment as his stellar performance unraveled, culminating in a heart-wrenching 6-5 defeat against the White Sox in a 12-inning marathon at Rate Field.

Schlittler’s dominance was apparent early on, with just a single baserunner reaching safely due to a broken-bat hit in the fourth inning. Heading into the seventh inning with the Yankees enjoying a comfortable 4-0 lead, Schlittler issued a walk to Munetaka Murakami on a full count. His ensuing 98 mph sinker unfortunately plunked Miguel Vargas on the hands. An out later, Andrew Benintendi delivered a well-placed double down the right-field line, driving in the White Sox’s first run and signaling the end of Schlittler’s commanding night.

Reflecting on the game, Schlittler expressed his frustration over the walk, the first he had given up in three starts. “The walk there is frustrating,” he admitted. “I aimed for the inside against Vargas and hit him instead. They didn’t exactly earn it; I just handed it to them. It’s frustrating, but sometimes that’s just baseball,” he concluded with a rueful smile.

Schlittler, who impressively fanned eight batters while showcasing a sharper, more aggressive curveball, also lamented his pitch choice against Benintendi. This led to a discussion with Gerrit Cole in the dugout, reflecting on how crucial decisions and details can alter the course of a game.

“Shook [off] a pitch to Benintendi, didn’t execute it,” Schlittler said. “Probably had more wiggle room with the pitch Wells called. That’s on me.”

In the last few years, Aaron Boone has pounded the table for the Yankees to acquire certain players, including David Bednar and Alex Verdugo, both of whom ended up on his roster.

As another trade deadline nears, the Yankees manager is making his opinion known to the front office again with a few names in mind.

“Oh yeah,” he said with a grin, of course unwilling to disclose what those names were.

But Boone is keeping in touch with general manager Brian Cashman and his lieutenants, offering an occasional “thought bubble” as the Yankees try to wade through the uncertainty of which teams are selling and which players are actually available ahead of Monday’s deadline.

“At the end of the day, the front office has been working hard at this for certainly weeks, but it’s even years in the making where you’re evaluating other organizations, evaluating your own organization so you’re prepared to move when something potentially comes up,” Boone said. “They’re all down there [in Tampa] ready to do their thing and if something presents itself, then you strike.”

The daily Giancarlo Stanton non-update: He continues to run, according to Boone, but still not on the bases.

“He just needs to get to a level intensity-wise with the running,” Boone said. “You don’t need to keep asking. He’s running. When it gets really close, close to being in a game or something, we’ll let you know. It’s not there yet.”

Carlos Rodón was set to throw about 30 pitches across two simulated innings Wednesday at Double-A Somerset as he builds toward a rehab assignment and potentially rejoining the Yankees in mid- to late August.

The Yankees announced the Old-Timers’ Day roster for the annual game on Aug. 8.

The first-timers scheduled to attend are Dellin Betances, Todd Frazier, Adam Ottavino and David Weathers.

Notably absent were Derek Jeter, who only attended the event in 2023 when a game was not played (he has said he will not play in it), and Brett Gardner, who has not been around the organization at all since he played his last game for it in 2021.

Glen Keane, an Oscar-winning animator formerly with Disney, found himself the focus of a daring rescue mission on a mountain in Paradise Valley, Arizona. On Wednesday, Phoenix firefighters arrived in a helicopter to assist Keane, who faced a medical emergency during his hike.

The 72-year-old animator shared with 12 News that he had embarked on the hike with his grandchildren, but soon realized he was in trouble. Encountering difficulties on the increasingly narrow path, Keane understood he needed emergency assistance.

Upon his call for help, a helicopter was quickly dispatched to his location atop the mountain. The rescue team managed to hoist Keane using a rope, transporting him to a safer landing area, the outlet reported.

Reflecting on the incident, Keane, known for his work on beloved classics like Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and The Little Mermaid, expressed gratitude. He remarked on feeling “blessed” that firefighters could come to his aid during such a perilous situation.

In 2018, Keane received the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for his project “Dear Basketball,” a collaboration with the late NBA legend Kobe Bryant.

The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for the Phoenix Fire Department for further comment on the story.

Phoenix Fire Captain Todd Keller, speaking to AZFamily, said that reports were made at around 8 a.m. of a hiker experiencing dizziness.

Keane told the outlet that as he was ‘being lifted up’ via helicopter, he had been ‘looking at all the areas that I used to climb around as a kid’ growing up in Arizona. 

He added, ‘And I thought, Lord, thank you. This was just a real blessing to have that crew. And they were really risking their own lives on the edge of that narrow little ledge.

‘I mean, it was very much just like a razor’s edge up there.’

Keller told the outlet AZFamily that hikers need to exercise caution on hot days prior to venturing out.

He said, ‘You need to do a gut check and say, “Hey listen, is it really smart for me to be out on this trail when it’s 93 degrees at seven in the morning?”

‘You’re not only putting yourself at danger, you’re also putting your firefighters and your first responders at danger.’

The fire captain added, ‘You may start your hike at seven in the morning and an hour-and-a-half later, it could be a 25-degree difference. You have to take that into account.’

Keane declined to seek medical treatment after the incident, fire officials told the outlet.

The animator told AZFamily that he had a different perspective on the situation after the scary incident.

‘If you’re bringing up your family, make sure you know that you are in safe territory and don’t count on it being the same way you saw it when you were a little kid,’ he said. ‘Things change.’

The Phoenix Fire Department put on its Facebook page a clip of the daring rescue, saying ‘This morning #PHXFire Technical Rescue Teams safely airlifted a hiker off the summit of Mummy Mountain.’

The department continued, ‘The complex technical hoist operation is an example why our members train for these situations.

‘Despite the extreme temperatures and unique terrain, the patient was safely extracted from a dangerous position on the mountain. Remember: take a hike, do it right.’

CRETE, Ill. (WLS) — As the severe storms faded, communities across the Chicago area sprang into action, with neighbors rallying together to assist one another in the recovery efforts that persisted through Wednesday.

According to the National Weather Service, five tornadoes were confirmed to have touched down during Monday’s storms. This adds to the numerous tornadoes reported in the region this year.

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The NWS specified that an EF1 tornado affected areas including Country Club Hills, Hazel Crest, Harvey, and Homewood. Another EF1 tornado was identified in Lansing, while EF0 tornadoes were reported in Glen Ellyn, Orland Park, and Wheaton.

In Wheaton, the tornado initiated just south of Wheaton College, carving a brief path lasting no more than two minutes. The funnel had a maximum width of 100 yards and wind speeds reaching 75 mph, the NWS noted on Wednesday.

ComEd officials reported that approximately 80% of power is expected to be restored by Wednesday. However, many could remain without electricity until Friday.

Parts of Crete remained without power Wednesday as residents and business owners continued recovering from Monday’s severe storms that damaged property, canceled events and disrupted daily life across the community.

The effects of the storm remained visible outside the Willard Wood Park Center, where two massive trees crashed onto the building.

Crete Park District officials said children attending a summer camp sheltered in the basement before being evacuated from the building. No one was injured.

The park center remains closed as crews assess the damage and continue cleanup efforts.

“Until we can assess the damage and figure out what the next step is, you know, the building’s going to be closed,” Andy Biesterfeld of the Crete Park District told ABC7. “Everybody, even the office staff, is out helping us cut trees and remove all the debris. I mean, we got a lot of work to do.”

The outages and damage have forced cancellations across the community. Three weddings scheduled for this weekend at the park center were canceled.

Residents are also dealing with the effects of prolonged power outages.

“Me and my son were in the basement when we heard all of this happening,” Crete resident Jody Gromnicki told ABC7. “That tree got hit by lightning. So yeah, it was a lot. We were scared.”

Trees knocked down power lines behind Gromnicki’s home, bringing down a transformer and forcing her family to temporarily stay with relatives in Schererville.

Two days after the storms, cleanup efforts were continuing across the community as some residents waited for electricity to be restored.

As the outage dragged on, some business owners said they were worried about security.

“It’s kind of scary. I mean, we have no security at all on any of our buildings, and it’s something that all of the businesses have concern about,” said Judy Petrungaro, president of the Crete Area Chamber of Commerce.

Business owners who did not want to appear on camera told ABC 7 they had been sleeping at their businesses because they were worried they could become targets for theft while the power remained out.

The outage has also taken a financial toll on local businesses.

Petrungaro said the lack of power forced the cancellation of her annual Vintage Oak parking lot party after ice cream ordered for the event spoiled.

“It’s going to take us at least a week to get restocked, and it will impact us because once the power comes back on, we cannot just open up again because we have to reorder everything. Everything was spoiled,” Petrungaro said.

Despite the challenges, signs of recovery were emerging across Crete.

Staff at Fitness Premier Crete spent part of Wednesday going door-to-door helping neighbors with cleanup efforts.

“We’re trying to be a helping hand right now. So we’re picking up debris, picking up trees, asking our members if they need help,” said Ebenezer Gideon of Fitness Premier Crete.

At Roxann Sports Bar, a generator provided residents with a place to gather, charge their phones and connect with neighbors while the outage continued.

“I feel like Crete is already good at that. So when something like this happens, they don’t fall short of showing up for each other,” assistant bar manager Heather Bohlen said.

Even as parts of the community remained without power, residents and business owners said they continue to support one another as recovery efforts move forward.

“They have power. But yeah, with three dogs and three of us, it’s a lot for a townhouse,” Grominicki said.

One silver lining is even with damaged homes, cars and no power, some are finding healthy things to do, like pickleball, only emphasizing the neighborly support in the community.

“I mean, this town has always rallied around each other to get things done,” Biesterfeld said.

Residents in Chicago Heights and Homewood continued cleaning up widespread storm damage Wednesday.

Across the south suburbs, debris remained scattered on homes and properties as crews and homeowners worked to clear fallen trees. In Chicago Heights, large uprooted trees blocked streets and driveways, creating challenges for residents trying to access their homes.

Among those affected is Darlene Jimenez, whose vehicle was destroyed after the storms.

“I was like, ‘no, I cannot believe this; I just got this car,'” Chicago Heights resident Jimenez said.

Jimenez purchased the vehicle three months ago. Despite the loss, her family said they were grateful the worst of the damage did not impact their home.

Along Normandy Drive in Chicago Heights, several residents have had to navigate around fallen trees to enter and leave their properties.

“There have been storms but not like this one. I was like, ‘OK, it’s probably one of them regular ones.’ But I got home from work, and I’m like, ‘woah, this is a disaster.’ I couldn’t believe it,” Chicago Heights resident Roberto Urquizo said.

In nearby Homewood, residents faced similar conditions. The National Weather Service confirmed that a tornado moved through the village Monday with winds of up to 110 mph.

On Pierce Avenue, an elderly couple found themselves largely trapped at home after large trees fell across the front of their property, narrowly missing their living room.

“It just scared us half to death,” Homewood resident Margaret Darty said.

Darty said the fallen trees also blocked access to their garage.

“It’s hard for us even one way out; we couldn’t even get out of the garage. We have good neighbors here and they came and cut the tree down to get the car out of the garage,” she said.

Many residents in Homewood remained without power, relying on generators as cleanup efforts continued. Neighbors throughout the community have been helping one another remove debris and recover from the storm.

“We have a great community here in Homewood and when we need help you always have someone to help you,” Homewood resident Alex Perez said.

The National Weather Service continues surveying storm damage in Chicago Heights. Officials have not yet confirmed whether additional tornadoes touched down there, but damage assessments remain ongoing.

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A tragic incident unfolded in Florida where a man is accused of shooting his mother after years of resentment, subsequently setting her body ablaze. The man claimed this was in accordance with her wish to be cremated, as detailed in an arrest report.

George Beemer, aged 23, was taken into custody and now faces charges including second-degree murder, first-degree arson, and abuse of a deceased body, according to a statement from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office shared on Facebook.

On the day of the incident, Beemer dialed 911 from his residence in Fort Myers, reporting chest pain, and was promptly transported to a nearby hospital for a medical examination.

While Beemer was en route to the hospital, emergency services received a second 911 call concerning a fire at the same location. Firefighters quickly responded and upon extinguishing the blaze, they tragically discovered the charred remains of Beemer’s mother.

Detectives then developed probable cause that Beemer shot the woman before intentionally setting the home on fire.

“Major Crimes detectives, Crime Scene investigators, and our partners with the fire service immediately recognized that something wasn’t right. Their professionalism, attention to detail, and relentless investigative work ensured a swift arrest was made,” Sheriff Carmine Marceno said in a statement.

Beemer later admitted to detectives that he murdered his mother after years of built-up anger and set the home on fire because “she wanted to be cremated,” according to a police report, WINK News reported.

He confessed to shooting his mother one time before pouring gasoline around her body and igniting it, according to the report.

Detectives said Beemer claimed his mother had mistreated him for years, including molesting him. He told detectives that he had finally had enough.

But a friend of his mother said the allegations of abuse are false.

“There’s absolutely no way,” the friend told WINK News. “No, no, absolutely never, never, no. I can’t buy it. I will never buy it. He’s using it as a defense mechanism to think that there’s any remote chance that this was justified.”

Beemer’s former classmate, Madison Edwards, told the outlet she was shocked when she heard the news of the arrest.

“We were just completely shocked,” Edwards said. “I wasn’t surprised that he ended up in jail. I was just very surprised as to the reason why.”

Beemer is being held at the Lee County Jail.

The incident remains under investigation.

“My prayers remain with the victim and loved ones as they begin to process this unimaginable tragedy. They deserve answers, and we will continue working tirelessly to provide them,” the sheriff said.

News Media has reached out to the sheriff’s office for additional information.

A man from Rhode Island, once famously acknowledged by Pope Leo for surviving a near-death experience as a newborn deprived of oxygen for over an hour, has found himself in legal trouble. Tyquan Johnson has been apprehended due to his alleged involvement in a recent double shooting incident.

Nineteen-year-old Johnson was taken into custody by a US Marshals fugitive task force in Virginia on Wednesday morning. This arrest follows allegations from the Newport Police Department that he shot two individuals in Newport, Rhode Island.

The shooting occurred on July 19, and after the incident, Johnson reportedly fled to Virginia, prompting law enforcement to issue an arrest warrant to secure his capture.

Fortunately, the victims involved in the shooting sustained injuries not considered life-threatening, as confirmed by the police.

Authorities have announced that they are in search of a second person for questioning in relation to the shooting. However, they have yet to reveal the identity of this individual.

Johnson has been charged with felony assault with a firearm and firing in a compact area, police said.

The arrest comes almost exactly a year after Pope Leo XIV declared Johnson’s 2007 birth the first miracle of his papacy and the first ever recognized miracle in Rhode Island, the Boston Globe reported.

The stunning connection came to light when law enforcement released his arrest warrant with Johnson’s photo, name and date of birth matching those of the man Pope Leo had recognized in July 2025.

Johnson was born prematurely on Jan. 14, 2007, at the former Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island in Pawtucket.

The newborn was suffering from oxygen deprivation and other symptoms that showed no improvement after 65 minutes, leaving doctors with little hope he would survive, according to the Diocese of Providence.

The attending physician, Juan Sanchez-Esteban, prayed to 19th-century Spanish priest Valera Parra for intervention in saving the child’s life, according to the Boston Globe.

Just as Sanchez-Esteban was about to deliver the devastating news to the child’s parents, a nurse stopped him and told him the child “suddenly recovered” and his heart had started beating without medical intervention, he told the outlet.

The doctor — who is from the same region of Spain where Parra was a priest — said the boy should have suffered permanent brain damage from the lack of oxygen, but instead lived a life completely free of any complications.

The investigation into the miracle began more than 10 years ago — with a bishop in Valera Parra’s native Spain sending investigators to Rhode Island in 2014, Father Timothy Reilly, Chancellor of the Diocese of Providence, told WJAR last year.

The Diocese of Providence announced that Pope Leo XIV declared Johnson’s recovery a miracle on July 18, 2025.

“The cool thing is, the more you think about the miracle itself, Father Valera lives in the 19th century,” Reilly said. “He never came to the US. We have no knowledge of him coming here. Never came to Rhode Island. And yet, because the doctor called out and called upon his name for help in the situation back in ’07 on behalf of that little baby, he decided to intervene and ask God for a miracle.”

Parra was a diocesan priest, archpriest and parish priest of Huércal-Overa who lived from 1816 to 1889.

Ben Affleck captured the elusive $1,000,000 prize during his guest appearance on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire this week, marking a rare feat for celebrity contestants.

The Oscar-winning actor, aged 53, recently mourned the loss of his mother, Chris Anne, who succumbed to pancreatic cancer. Teaming up with Jeopardy! legend Jamie Ding, Affleck triumphed, securing the million-dollar reward for charity.

The winnings are set to benefit the Eastern Congo Initiative, a foundation Affleck co-established in 2010, continuing his commitment to philanthropic endeavors.

In the climactic moment on Wednesday’s broadcast of the ABC game show, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, Affleck and Ding confronted the daunting $1 million question.

The pivotal question challenged them to identify which name had not been used in the U.S. presidential tradition of pardoning turkeys during Thanksgiving, testing their knowledge and nerves.

The answers included: Peanut Butter & Jelly, Tater & Tot, Mac & Cheese, and Spaghetti & Meatball. 

Affleck and Ding decided to use the Phone-A-Friend lifeline to call Ding’s longtime trivia partner Stephen Morrison. 

Kimmel explained to the duo that they also still had the Ask-The-Host lifeline, which prompted the actor to jokingly say to ring up Ding’s pal. 

‘No. We might as well have Jimmy help,’ the Hollywood star then expressed. 

The late night talk show host playfully quipped, ‘Alright, I don’t have to give you any of my f***ing thoughts, if you don’t want.’

But Affleck replied, ‘Actually, you’re very good with cooking and food, current events, too. Actually, you might know this.’ 

Kimmel eventually suggested that the answer could be D: Spaghetti & Meatball. 

‘I could see me adding a big bowl in Donald Trump’s hands and him slurping up the spaghetti and meatballs,’ he then joked, before adding, ‘That one sounds like it wasn’t the one to me.’

Affleck shared that the host was ‘probably the best person in the world to ask this question to.’

‘If I’m wrong, I’m so sorry,’ Kimmel said before locking in Spaghetti & Meatball as his own final answer. 

To be extra safe, Affleck and Ding decided to still call up Morrison.

‘Jimmy, you might like this friend of mine. I mean, Harvard-educated, father, we’re two years apart,’ Ding began. 

‘But we’ve been through a lot of trials and tribulations together. Just like Ben and Matt.’ 

With a deadpan expression, Kimmel then joked, ‘Are you looking for trouble?’ 

Ding then quickly fired back to go along with the joke by asking, ‘Are you looking for trouble?’ which caused the live audience to laugh. 

After calling Morrison, however, he was unable to guess the correct answer. 

‘But listen, you know what? He’s smart because if you don’t know it, you don’t know it, right?’ Kimmel said of Morrison. 

Affleck and Ding decided to trust Kimmel’s guess and also locked in with Spaghetti & Meatball. 

After a few lingering seconds, it was revealed that the pair had guessed correctly and won the $1 million prize. 

The pair jumped to their feet and excitedly hugged each other as confetti fell down onto the stage. 

Daily Mail has reached out to reps for Affleck for comment, but has yet to hear back.  

The money will be donated to Affleck’s Eastern Congo Initiative which he co-founded with Whitney Williams in 2010. 

The nonprofit organization helps ‘support locally led organizations to expand access to essential services, strengthen economic opportunities, and promote justice. 

‘Our work is designed to create scalable, sustainable impact across eastern Congo,’ per the official website. 

The year prior, Affleck’s close friend and collaborator Matt Damon also scored the same million-dollar prize on the game show. 

At the time, The Odyssey star had been paired with Ken Jennings. The winnings went to Damon’s clean-water nonprofit Water.org. 

‘I’m not sure Ben knew that he was paired with a champion when he agreed to do the show,’ Kimmel told Variety earlier this month. 

‘But when I told him, he seemed surprised and delighted. I think he was prepared to do it on his own. He’s very smart, that Ben Affleck.’