Latest news with #Soto
Washington Post
7 hours ago
- Business
- Washington Post
California utility creates fund for victims of January's deadly Eaton Fire near LA
LOS ANGELES — Southern California Edison announced this week that it will create a fund to compensate victims of January's devastating Eaton Fire near Los Angeles, even as the cause of the blaze that killed 19 people remains under investigation. The creation of the Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program seems to suggest that the utility is prepared to acknowledge what several lawsuits claim : that its equipmentsparked the conflagration in Altadena. 'Even though the details of how the Eaton Fire started are still being evaluated, SCE will offer an expedited process to pay and resolve claims fairly and promptly,' Pedro Pizarro, chief executive of Edison International, the utility's parent company, said in a statement Wednesday. 'This allows the community to focus more on recovery instead of lengthy, expensive litigation.' Officials haven't said what caused the fire that destroyed more than 9,400 homes and other structures . It is not clear how much money the utility will contribute to the fund. A lawsuit filed by Los Angeles County in March claims that costs and damage estimates were expected to total hundreds of millions of dollars, with assessments ongoing. SCE said the compensation program, which will go into effect this fall, would be open to those who lost homes, rental properties or businesses. It would also cover those who suffered injuries, were harmed by smoke or had family members who were killed. Among those suing SCE is EJ Soto, whose rental home in Altadena where she grew up was destroyed by flames. She first heard about the fund on the news. She said she considers the fund's creation as a 'form of admission' from the utility that its equipment caused the inferno. Soto worries that her family will receive 'pennies on the dollar' and said the utility is trying to get out ahead of future lawsuits. 'All our memories are there, places we raised our children. Money won't bring that back. They need to know that our pain is greater than that,' Soto said Thursday. The SCE payment plan is being created by administrators who helped form similar programs, including the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001. LA County previously won more than $64 million in a settlement with Southern California Edison over the 2018 Woolsey Fire . Investigators determined SCE's equipment sparked that blaze, and the utility also paid more than $2 billion to settle related insurance claims. Utility equipment has sparked some of the deadliest and most destructive fires in state history in recent years. LA Fire Justice, which advocates for wildfire victims, said in a statement Thursday that the SCE program's creation shows that the utility is prepared to accept responsibility. But the nonprofit said a similar fund by Pacific Gas & Electric following wildfires in Northern California was slow to roll out and inefficient. 'Experience suggests that these direct payments for victims are neither quick, nor easy, nor equitable. PG&E offered a similar program and wildfire victims ended up receiving inadequate compensation, and it didn't happen fast,' said Doug Boxer, an attorney for LA Fire Justice. Investigators are also working to determine the cause of the Palisades Fire , which broke out shortly before the Eaton Fire and killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of structures in Los Angeles.
San Francisco Chronicle
7 hours ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
California utility creates fund for victims of January's deadly Eaton Fire near LA
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Southern California Edison announced this week that it will create a fund to compensate victims of January's devastating Eaton Fire near Los Angeles, even as the cause of the blaze that killed 19 people remains under investigation. The creation of the Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program seems to suggest that the utility is prepared to acknowledge what several lawsuits claim: that its equipmentsparked the conflagration in Altadena. 'Even though the details of how the Eaton Fire started are still being evaluated, SCE will offer an expedited process to pay and resolve claims fairly and promptly,' Pedro Pizarro, chief executive of Edison International, the utility's parent company, said in a statement Wednesday. 'This allows the community to focus more on recovery instead of lengthy, expensive litigation.' Officials haven't said what caused the fire that destroyed more than 9,400 homes and other structures. It is not clear how much money the utility will contribute to the fund. A lawsuit filed by Los Angeles County in March claims that costs and damage estimates were expected to total hundreds of millions of dollars, with assessments ongoing. SCE said the compensation program, which will go into effect this fall, would be open to those who lost homes, rental properties or businesses. It would also cover those who suffered injuries, were harmed by smoke or had family members who were killed. Among those suing SCE is EJ Soto, whose rental home in Altadena where she grew up was destroyed by flames. She first heard about the fund on the news. She said she considers the fund's creation as a 'form of admission' from the utility that its equipment caused the inferno. Soto worries that her family will receive 'pennies on the dollar' and said the utility is trying to get out ahead of future lawsuits. 'All our memories are there, places we raised our children. Money won't bring that back. They need to know that our pain is greater than that,' Soto said Thursday. The SCE payment plan is being created by administrators who helped form similar programs, including the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001. LA County previously won more than $64 million in a settlement with Southern California Edison over the 2018 Woolsey Fire. Investigators determined SCE's equipment sparked that blaze, and the utility also paid more than $2 billion to settle related insurance claims. Utility equipment has sparked some of the deadliest and most destructive fires in state history in recent years. LA Fire Justice, which advocates for wildfire victims, said in a statement Thursday that the SCE program's creation shows that the utility is prepared to accept responsibility. But the nonprofit said a similar fund by Pacific Gas & Electric following wildfires in Northern California was slow to roll out and inefficient. 'Experience suggests that these direct payments for victims are neither quick, nor easy, nor equitable. PG&E offered a similar program and wildfire victims ended up receiving inadequate compensation, and it didn't happen fast,' said Doug Boxer, an attorney for LA Fire Justice. Investigators are also working to determine the cause of the Palisades Fire, which broke out shortly before the Eaton Fire and killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of structures in Los Angeles.
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
From ‘World of Warcraft' to wedding vows: Community rallies to help Toronto man with terminal illness tie the knot
When Steve Capalbo first met Crystal Soto in 2005, it was in Menethil Harbor — a virtual port town in 'World of Warcraft.' He had simply set out to give away some of the in-game flowers he'd collected. She happened to be the one who asked. At just 17, Capalbo, born and raised in Toronto, had no idea that the New York girl he met would become his best friend and true love for the next 20 years. She stood by him through a series of health challenges caused by Marfan syndrome and two open-heart surgeries. In June, when Capalbo — who had been given just two years to live by his doctors — learned he would need a third heart surgery, he proposed to Soto by his hospital bed, and she said yes. Marking their 20th anniversary since meeting online, Capalbo and Soto exchanged vows at Woodbine Heights Baptist Church on Sunday. This time, Soto carried a bridal bouquet of real flowers, including purple coneflowers and phlox. Initially, due to financial constraints, they had planned for a modest ceremony, but several posts in Facebook community groups sparked an outpouring of generosity that transformed their wedding beyond their expectations. Strangers and neighbours — many of whom had never met the couple — rallied together to provide a wedding dress, sandwiches, a cake, professional makeup, a long table filled with dishes and treats and even wedding rings, which were handed to the pastor mere minutes before the ceremony began. 'I would have been happy with just this small ceremony, but the community has made this something truly astounding. I'm immensely grateful,' said the six-foot-10 Capalbo, wearing a black vest and blue shirt. Capalbo said he had always wanted to marry Soto but was waiting until they had saved more money. Eventually, the couple realized they needed nothing more than each other. Initially, due to financial constraints, Steven Capalbo had planned for a modest ceremony, but several posts in Facebook community groups sparked an outpouring of generosity that transformed their wedding beyond imagination. The Monday before the ceremony, Capalbo caught his mom, Ann Cordingley, off-guard by saying he wanted to get married on Sunday. 'He said we're just gonna have cake, and the people from church,' Cordingley said. 'You gotta have something more than that, some sort of lunch, so I'll see what I can do.' Cordingley, facing financial difficulties, posted on Facebook asking friends and family for help. Her post was spotted by friend Cindy Monk-Fuller, and founder of the non-profit group Community Angels Toronto, who then shared it across several other Facebook communities. Within a few days, word spread quickly in the community: Monk-Fuller got busy updating the couple with their latest schedules, with appointments for hair, beard trimming, makeup and fittings. Someone even donated their points to get the couple a hotel for the night to celebrate. 'I never expected the outpouring, I just put the word out,' she said. David Brown, owner of the restaurant Fearless Meat, said he didn't hesitate when he received a call for help Friday morning and donated 40 specialty bacon sandwiches for the couple. 'I hope this will be an inspiration to other people out there to help,' he said. 'There are so many people out there right now that are struggling, and anything we could do to help them out is a blessing.' Christina Hotton, the owner of Celebrations Bakeshop, saw Monk-Fuller's Facebook post on Friday afternoon and immediately decided to pitch in by making a vanilla cake with chocolate ganache inside. 'I just feel very strong moral responsibility to share what we have with other people,' Hotton said. 'Even though we live independently, we have to be very aware of our community, and we can't take anything ever for granted.' At the ceremony, Pastor Bob Paterson-Watt — who first met Capalbo in 2009 — delivered a heartfelt blessing, laced with game-themed jokes that nodded to the couple's unique journey. 'Some couples call for a far more formal experience … that was not what they wanted or needed. They needed to feel just the lightness and the delight of being together with people who love them,' Paterson-Watt said. Steven Capalbo and Crystal Soto at their wedding party on Sunday. Soto, 36, who travelled to Canada several times every year to visit Capalbo, said she is 'completely overwhelmed' and moved by the kindness of the community and Capalbo's family. 'They just wanted to make this day so special. It really is. I'm never gonna forget it,' she said, wearing a white dress adorned with floral lace sleeves. Watching her son lock eyes with his bride and hold her hand tight, Cordingley said she was thrilled to see Capalbo become the first of her three sons to get married. 'I just love that he's happy and they love each other. She loves him just as much as he loves her.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
UPI
3 days ago
- UPI
Accused killer of 13-year-old Florida girl pleads guilty to 2024 murder
July 21 (UPI) -- Stephan Sterns, the Florida man accused of raping and killing 13-year-old Madeline Soto, pleaded no contest on Monday for last year's heinous crime. Previously, Sterns pleaded not guilty to the 2024 death of his ex-girlfriend's daughter and was in an Osceola County court room for a hearing at around 1:30 p.m. local time. He was to initially go on trial Tuesday. The change in his plea means Sterns, 38, could potentially avoid the death penalty but only if a judge accepts the plea deal. Sterns had pleaded innocent to first-degree murder and the some 60 cases of sex-abuse charges. However, both trials were to be separately held. On Monday, he pleaded guilty to both the murder and sex-abuse charges. Soto disappeared the day after her 13th birthday. It was previously believed that Sterns dropped off Soto at Hunter's Creek Middle School in Orlando around 8:30 a.m. that morning. But the investigation revealed she never arrived, which was backed up by surveillance footage. At Monday's hearing, the teen's grandmother, cousin and aunts spoke to the court. According to investigators, images depicting him raping the teen were uncovered on his phone and Google Drive. Her body was found last year in Osceola County at the end of February. Police officials in Kissimmee believe Sterns killed the girl before discarding her body along a road. Sterns was named early as "prime suspect" in the murder and later arrested on charges of sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse materials.
New York Post
18-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Mets' second-half sprint can't rely on Juan Soto's rebound alone
Access the Mets beat like never before Don't miss Mike Puma's text messages from Queens and beyond — he's giving Sports+ subscribers the inside buzz on the Mets. Sign up Now Since Memorial Day weekend, the two best hitters in the majors have been Aaron Judge and Juan Soto — tops in OPS over the last month and a half. The powerful duo led the Yankees to the best record in the American League last year, and Judge has proven he can will them to the playoffs nearly single-handedly. Now, it's Soto's turn to take over New York with his own team. Despite a rocky start to his tenure in Queens that resulted in an All-Star snub, Soto has looked much more like the player who dominated at the plate in each of his previous stops.
