Latest news with #Clovis
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
Tech expert who helped cops investigate disappearance of a California realtor now charged with his murder
A California man who initially helped authorities investigate the disappearance of a well-known realtor has now been arrested and charged with his murder. Audrik Matevosian, 21, who had previously worked as an IT specialist for the slain realtor, Robert 'Bob' Boyajian, is facing charges of first-degree murder and grand theft in connection with the 75-year-old's death. Boyajian, a respected figure in California's real estate industry for nearly 45 years, was reported missing on Monday after he failed to appear at a company meeting. An employee, concerned for his welfare, called 911 asking for a check at the real estate boss' Bass Lake home. When Madera County Sheriff's Office deputies arrived, they discovered Boyajian's truck, briefcase, and Apple Watch at the residence - but his phone, wallet, and bedding were missing. Matevosian, who handled IT work at the property, assisted deputies in attempting to access Boyajian's home security footage, the Los Angeles Times reported. However, after obtaining a warrant, investigators discovered a $1,000 ATM withdrawal made from Boyajian's account the night before the 911 call. The transaction took place around 8:30 p.m. at a bank in Clovis - approximately 47 miles from Bass Lake. ATM surveillance footage showed a young man successfully making the withdrawal, followed by two failed attempts - that individual was later identified as Matevosian, the IT worker. Deputies had previously contacted Matevosian to for the password and apps to access Boyajian's home security system. 'He showed them what apps to download, passwords, but deputies were still unable to access the footage,' Sheriff Tyson Pogue said during a Thursday news conference. Although Matevosian initially helped deputies locate a missing DVR from the home's security system, suspicion intensified after the ATM footage confirmed he had accessed Boyajian's account just hours before the realtor was reported missing. Investigators later learned that Matevosian had purchased a body bag on Amazon days before the murder. He also allegedly rented a vehicle in Fresno on Monday and drove up to Boyajian's home the previous Saturday. According to Pogue, Matevosian spent the night at Boyajian's home after completing an IT task, and is believed to have murdered Boyajian around midnight. Authorities have not yet disclosed how the 75-year-old realtor was killed. Madera County deputies believe Matevosian murdered Boyajian while he slept, then transported the body to the Mojave Desert, where it was buried in a cave. Investigators eventually recovered Boyajian's body along with his belongings, including his phone and wallet, which were found at various locations connected to Matevosian. Also during the investigation, two firearms were found in Matevosian's bedroom, including a 9mm handgun reported stolen in March and a 10mm handgun belonging to Boyajian. Deputies also recovered the shovel used in the burial. 'This is a deeply disturbing case of betrayal and premeditated violence,' Sheriff Pogue said. Pogue described the crime as 'calculated and callous,' noting that Matevosian had no prior criminal history. 'This was a calculated and callous act against a respected member of our community,' Pogue said. 'We are committed to bringing justice to Mr. Boyajian's family.' Matevosian, who reportedly viewed Boyajian as a mentor, initially told investigators that Boyajian had died by suicide. However, he later changed his story, claiming he had helped Boyajian end his life. Ultimately, he confessed to the murder, stating that financial gain was a motive and alleging that Boyajian had spoken negatively about his family. Matevosian is currently being held without bail and is scheduled to appear in court on Friday.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New Mexico sues US air force over Pfas pollution from military base
The state of New Mexico is suing the US air force over its refusal to comply with orders to address extremely high levels of Pfas pollution stemming from its base, which has tainted drinking water for tens of thousands of people, damaged crops and poisoned dairy cows. Though the military acknowledges Pfas-laden firefighting foam from Cannon air force base is the source of a four mile chemical plume in the aquifer below Clovis, New Mexico, it has refused to comply with most state orders to address the issue. The new lawsuit filed by the state's justice and environmental departments is the latest salvo in the seven-year battle over the pollution, and comes after changes to state law that strengthened New Mexico's legal position. Related: Landmark US study reveals sewage sludge and wastewater plants tied to Pfas pollution The air force's inaction has forced state taxpayers to shoulder the cost, and the plume has 'become a ward of the state', said James Kenney, secretary of the New Mexico environment department. 'They've managed to litigate against the state, they've allowed the plume to go unchecked, and in the mind of the state and much of the community, they've done nothing of substance,' Kenney added. Pfas are a class of about 15,000 compounds most frequently used to make products water-, stain- and grease-resistant. They have been linked to cancer, birth defects, decreased immunity, high cholesterol, kidney disease and a range of other serious health problems. They are dubbed 'forever chemicals' because they do not naturally break down in the environment. Pfas are a common ingredient in firefighting foam, and the military is in the process of phasing it out because the highly toxic substance has widely contaminated water and the environment around over 700 bases nationwide. In 2018, Cannon's Pfas was found to have poisoned drinking water for over 100 private wells, and has so far taken out one municipal well that serves Clovis, a city of 40,000 people. Levels found in surface water were about 27,000 times higher than US Environmental Protection Agency drinking water limits. The pollution also continues to contaminate thousands of acres of crops that rely on the aquifer for water, raising questions about the safety of those products. Local dairy farmers in 2018 were forced to euthanize about 3,500 cows that had contaminated milk. In August, another 7,000 gallons of Pfas-contaminated wastewater leaked from an air force pond into groundwater, but the air force has refused to pay a $70,000 state fine. The air force in a statement told the Guardian it does not comment on active litigation. In 2019, New Mexico issued a corrective action permit that stipulated how it should remediate the plume. The air force then sued New Mexico in federal court, alleging that the Pfas foam is not a hazardous substance, and the state lacked the authority to make the order. That awaits an opinion from a federal court. The New Mexico legislature designated the Pfas-laden foam as a hazardous substance under state law in response. The new suit, in state court, asks a judge to order the air force to provide water treatment systems to affected residents, or connect those whose wells are contaminated to municipal sources. It also calls for pollution controls around the base and compensation for those whose property has been affected, among other measures. The nation's hazardous waste laws allow states to establish requirements for substances like Pfas and firefighting foam. The US Department of Justice and the air force's refusal to clean up the waste is essentially 'flipping the bird' at US law, Kenney said. The air force has provided filtration systems for some homes with the highest levels of Pfas, but it has not maintained the systems, nor has it provided any for agriculture. The military has not gone far enough, Kenney said. 'If they contaminated people's drinking and agricultural water … and they're litigating instead of remediating, then we can't sit back and say they're doing the right thing,' Kenney added. Cannon is not isolated, and the air force has received criticism for slow responses to pollution around the country. After years of resisting orders to address Pfas from a base in Tucson, Arizona, that threatened the city's drinking water, the air force late last year agreed to fund new filtration systems. Congress has made around $3bn of funding available annually for Pfas remediation at military bases, but the air force often still 'slow rolls' the work, said Jared Hayes, senior policy analyst with the Environmental Working Group nonprofit, which tracks military Pfas pollution. He noted the air force's remedial investigation of the New Mexico plume is not due until the end of 2026. 'We've seen similar situations across the country where the air force is generally dragging its feet when it comes to cleaning up Pfas pollution,' Hayes said. 'Communities in New Hampshire, Michigan, Arizona, New Mexico are waiting and waiting for cleanup, but it's still a long way off.'
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Golfer Bryson DeChambeau's Massive Real Estate Investment Has Eaten Up Most Of The $125 Million He Got Paid To Switch Tours
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Professional golfer and two-time major champion Bryson DeChambeau's unorthodox approach to golf has earned him the nickname "The Mad Scientist." However, the real estate project DeChambeau has invested his golf earnings in might be the clearest example of his penchant for thinking outside the box. DeChambeau is one of a group of professional golfers who left the PGA Tour to play LIV Golf. LIV is a Saudi-backed professional golf league that intends to rival the PGA Tour. Part of that effort included paying established PGA Tour players like DeChambeau massive bonuses to switch leagues. Golf magazine reports that LIV paid DeChambeau $125 million to come aboard. Despite that massive payday, DeChambeau likes to quip that he's "broke." Don't Miss: Warren Buffett once said, "If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die." Here's , starting today. $100k+ in investable assets? – no cost, no obligation. That's not because he spent all his money on expensive cars and fancy houses. DeChambeau is committed to helping grow the game, and he's willing to put his LIV earnings at risk to accomplish his mission. He has used a significant portion of his earnings to buy real estate in his hometown of Clovis, California. DeChambeau intends to build a massive golf complex that will attract new players to the game and put Clovis on the map. "You build a community around a multisport complex center," he told Golf. "It's going to take 12-15 months to get the permits approved for the full scope. It's over 200 acres of land that we have right now. It's going to be a multisport complex center — driving range, golf course, residential, community center, the whole thing." He told Golf magazine that he believes having all these facilities in one central location is key to his project. Trending: The secret weapon in billionaire investor portfolios that you almost certainly don't own yet. "Making it economically viable and more accessible are two massive things," DeChambeau told Golf magazine. "I've got a strategy right now that I'm implementing that people have heard. It's a strategy that essentially brings people from off the street, to the driving range, to lessons, and then to the golf course. "You have to have it at one place. At a community center, where it is easily accessible and easily affordable." DeChambeau calls his plan a "mega-project," and he told Golf magazine he's been busily working on completing it for the past several years. We have acquired massive amounts of land in my hometown, and it is a three-phase process to build a whole community and increase the size of where I grew up by 30 %," he said. "It's a full-scale plan fully throughout [with] county, state, state assemblyman, city officials, [and] mayor."Golf magazine also notes DeChambeau is working on obtaining a conditional use permit that would allow students in the Clovis Unified School District to use the facility. If that happens, it will be one of the most unique public golf facilities in the country. It's a massive undertaking, and DeChambeau knows it wouldn't be possible without the LIV money. "A lot of the reason why I have been able to do this is because of LIV," DeChambeau said. "They gave me the economic viability to do these things and the platform to be able to do it." The entire project is a massive undertaking, but it's also "on-brand" for DeChambeau. This is, after all, a man who won two majors playing with a set of irons that are all the same length. Read Next: Over the last five years, the price of gold has increased by approximately 83% — Investors like Bill O'Reilly and Rudy Giuliani are . This article Golfer Bryson DeChambeau's Massive Real Estate Investment Has Eaten Up Most Of The $125 Million He Got Paid To Switch Tours originally appeared on
The Guardian
10-07-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
New Mexico sues US air force over Pfas pollution from military base
The state of New Mexico is suing the US air force over its refusal to comply with orders to address extremely high levels of Pfas pollution stemming from its base, which has tainted drinking water for tens of thousands of people, damaged crops and poisoned dairy cows. Though the military acknowledges Pfas-laden firefighting foam from Cannon air force base is the source of a four mile chemical plume in the aquifer below Clovis, New Mexico, it has refused to comply with most state orders to address the issue. The new lawsuit filed by the state's justice and environmental departments is the latest salvo in the seven-year battle over the pollution, and comes after changes to state law that strengthened New Mexico's legal position. The air force's inaction has forced state taxpayers to shoulder the cost, and the plume has 'become a ward of the state', said James Kenney, secretary of the New Mexico environment department. 'They've managed to litigate against the state, they've allowed the plume to go unchecked, and in the mind of the state and much of the community, they've done nothing of substance,' Kenney added. Pfas are a class of about 15,000 compounds most frequently used to make products water-, stain- and grease-resistant. They have been linked to cancer, birth defects, decreased immunity, high cholesterol, kidney disease and a range of other serious health problems. They are dubbed 'forever chemicals' because they do not naturally break down in the environment. Pfas are a common ingredient in firefighting foam, and the military is in the process of phasing it out because the highly toxic substance has widely contaminated water and the environment around over 700 bases nationwide. In 2018, Cannon's Pfas was found to have poisoned drinking water for over 100 private wells, and has so far taken out one municipal well that serves Clovis, a city of 40,000 people. Levels found in surface water were about 27,000 times higher than US Environmental Protection Agency drinking water limits. The pollution also continues to contaminate thousands of acres of crops that rely on the aquifer for water, raising questions about the safety of those products. Local dairy farmers in 2018 were forced to euthanize about 3,500 cows that had contaminated milk. In August, another 7,000 gallons of Pfas-contaminated wastewater leaked from an air force pond into groundwater, but the air force has refused to pay a $70,000 state fine. The air force in a statement told the Guardian it does not comment on active litigation. In 2019, New Mexico issued a corrective action permit that stipulated how it should remediate the plume. The air force then sued New Mexico in federal court, alleging that the Pfas foam is not a hazardous substance, and the state lacked the authority to make the order. That awaits an opinion from a federal court. The New Mexico legislature designated the Pfas-laden foam as a hazardous substance under state law in response. The new suit, in state court, asks a judge to order the air force to provide water treatment systems to affected residents, or connect those whose wells are contaminated to municipal sources. It also calls for pollution controls around the base and compensation for those whose property has been affected, among other measures. The nation's hazardous waste laws allow states to establish requirements for substances like Pfas and firefighting foam. The US Department of Justice and the air force's refusal to clean up the waste is essentially 'flipping the bird' at US law, Kenney said. The air force has provided filtration systems for some homes with the highest levels of Pfas, but it has not maintained the systems, nor has it provided any for agriculture. The military has not gone far enough, Kenney said. 'If they contaminated people's drinking and agricultural water … and they're litigating instead of remediating, then we can't sit back and say they're doing the right thing,' Kenney added. Cannon is not isolated, and the air force has received criticism for slow responses to pollution around the country. After years of resisting orders to address Pfas from a base in Tucson, Arizona, that threatened the city's drinking water, the air force late last year agreed to fund new filtration systems. Congress has made around $3bn of funding available annually for Pfas remediation at military bases, but the air force often still 'slow rolls' the work, said Jared Hayes, senior policy analyst with the Environmental Working Group nonprofit, which tracks military Pfas pollution. He noted the air force's remedial investigation of the New Mexico plume is not due until the end of 2026. 'We've seen similar situations across the country where the air force is generally dragging its feet when it comes to cleaning up Pfas pollution,' Hayes said. 'Communities in New Hampshire, Michigan, Arizona, New Mexico are waiting and waiting for cleanup, but it's still a long way off.'
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Ancient humans could have been in Americas 23,000 years ago: Study
(NewsNation) — Ancient footprints in New Mexico could change the timeline of history, putting humans in North America far earlier than previously thought. A new study has dated the footprints found at White Sands National Park, suggesting they could be as old as 23,000 years. That would mean they were created around the peak of the Last Glacial Maximum, the coldest part of the last ice age. At that time, the area was a vast wetland full of ice age animals. If the date is correct, the footprints are likely from hunter-gatherers who traveled to the Americas over the Bering Land Bridge when sea levels were lower. Hantavirus, rabies exposures confirmed at Grand Canyon National Park To arrive at the date, researchers radiocarbon-dated organic sediment in core samples from the site, which gave dates for the footprints and the entire lake and river system that once existed in the area. It's another piece of data in a scientific debate over when our ancient ancestors reached the Americas. For decades, scientists believed that the earliest humans to live in North America were the Clovis, around 13,000 years ago. But new discoveries suggest that indigenous people could have been in the area much earlier. Ancient footprints are rarely preserved, but about 60 footprints were found at White Sands, with the discovery reported in 2021. That study initially dated the prints between 21,000 and 23,000 years old. But a rebuttal a year later questioned the findings, which were radiocarbon dated using ditch grass seeds, which grow in water. Water plants get carbon from underwater, which may be older than carbon in the atmosphere and can cause samples to appear older than they actually are. Researchers used another technique to redate the site in 2023, which dated the time when quartz or feldspar grains in the tracks were last exposed to sunlight. They also used radiocarbon dating on conifer pollen found in the footprints. Those results also found the footprints were between 21,000 and 23,000 years old. Mattel introduces first Barbie with Type 1 diabetes While some scientists accepted the results, others were still skeptical, saying the samples weren't taken from the right layer. Now this third study offers more evidence, after researchers used radiocarbon-dated mud cores, finding the footprints to be between 20,700 and 22,400 years old, which supports the original estimate. Some scientists are still skeptical, suggesting underwater carbon issues could have also skewed sediment dates. There are also major questions that remain unanswered, including a lack of artifacts or settlements belonging to the people who left the tracks. It's possible that hunter-gatherers, who would have had few possessions but valued them, simply didn't leave anything behind when walking through the landscape. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
