Latest news with #Vargas'
Business Wire
4 days ago
- Health
- Business Wire
New Robert Vargas Fairoaks Burger Mural Uplifts Fire-Ravaged Altadena
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Food for Health, a free nutritious food distribution program of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) and Fairoaks Burger, a beloved Altadena eatery and landmark that miraculously survived the January wildfires, are honored to announce the unveiling of a new mural by world renowned Los Angeles muralist Robert Vargas to be unveiled Saturday, June 7 at 10:00 AM in Altadena, California. Vargas' mural celebrates the resilience of the Altadena community and Fairoaks Burger and their ongoing partnership with Food for Health to alleviate hunger in the fire-ravaged community. "In the wake of the fires, we saw what true community looks like," said Carlos Marroquin, National Director for AHF's Food for Health Program. "This mural reflects the spirit of hope, survival, and the ongoing commitment to serve our neighbors with dignity and care." 'It is an incredible honor for us to have Fairoaks Burger used as one of Robert's iconic canvases and as a reflection of our longstanding presence in the community,' said sisters Janet and Christy Lee, owners of Fairoaks Burger. 'More importantly, it would bring attention to our collective efforts to build Altadena back better while preserving our distinct neighborhood culture. We sincerely appreciate being considered for this opportunity and will strive to continue to make FOB a cornerstone of Altadena going forward.' In early March, in a gracious show of solidarity, the Lee sisters and Fairoaks Burger began partnering with AHF's Food for Health in the free weekly farmers' markets hosted in the restaurant's parking lot. The joint effort provides vital support to those struggling to access healthy, nutritious food in one of the most expensive cities in the country, especially for those now facing housing and financial challenges following the devastating Eaton Wildfire. The heavily damaged eatery survived the fire but needed, and has successfully undergone significant remediation, and is now set to reopen for business Saturday, June 14. About Food for Health AHF kicked off its Food for Health program in 2021 to provide free access to fresh produce, bread, eggs, and other staples in response to rising food insecurity among individuals, families, veterans, and the elderly. In 2023, it opened a weekly food pantry in a vacant storefront space at AHF's Sinclair Hotel—also site of a new Robert Vargas mural unveiled in April—offering free high-quality groceries and produce from local farms. Following January's Southern California wildfires, Food for Health and AHF were among those first on the scene starting January 8, 2025, both at the Pasadena Convention Center and serving the Palisades Wildfire Command Center on Santa Monica Beach, where first responders transported hot meals up to firefighters on the front lines. Over the following weeks, Food for Health provided over 60,000 hot meals to fire evacuees following the Eaton Fire as well as and additional 15,000 hot meals to first responders in Pacific Palisades. Food for Health's free weekly Community Farmers' Market at Fairoaks Burger takes place Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated in Wallace Rd crash
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A Tulare man is facing multiple felony charges in connection with an alleged drunken driving crash east of Delano that killed a passenger in his car. Fidel Habana Vargas, 35, pleaded not guilty on Friday at the Delano courthouse to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and two DUI-related counts, according to court records. He's being held without bail and his next hearing is set for May 19. Stay out, stay alive: At least 4 rescued from Kern River east of Lake Ming Saturday He has no other cases listed against him in Kern County. On the afternoon of May 7, Vargas' Toyota Camry was heading south on Wallace Road and blew through a stop sign at Cecil Avenue, according to California Highway Patrol. It hit a box truck traveling east on Cecil Avenue. The box truck did not have a stop sign, officers said. Oliver Campuzano Villalva, 24, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to coroner's officials. Villalva, of Tulare, was seated in the front passenger seat of the Toyota. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Yahoo
Violent suspected MS-13 gang member with long rap sheet arrested after year on the run: police
A suspected MS-13 gang member with a violent criminal history has been arrested in Nashville, Tennessee, after a year on the run, police said. According to the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD), Leonel Vargas Jr., 24, was arrested Wednesday afternoon. Davidson County jail records show that he has been charged with felony aggravated assault by strangulation, felony aggravated burglary, felony probation violation, misdemeanor domestic assault and two counts of misdemeanor theft of property. Maryland Sheriff Infuriated By Senator's Trip To Visit Ms-13 Suspect, Silence On Local Murder Victims He is not eligible for bond. MNPD said its Specialized Investigations Division (SID) detectives and federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents, who have been investigating Vargas' association with the ultra-violent Salvadoran MS-13 gang, coordinated the surveillance that led to the arrest. Read On The Fox News App ATF confirmed to Fox News Digital that their investigation into Vargas' MS-13 ties is ongoing. Deported Illegal Alien And Suspected Ms-13 Gang Member Transferred From Notorious El Salvadoran Mega-prison Vargas has a long criminal history stemming back to 2019. In that year, he was charged with aggravated assault by strangulation, two counts of domestic assault resulting in bodily injury and one count of domestic assault with fear of bodily injury. He was sentenced to probation for those crimes. In 2022, he violated his probation and was sentenced to a year in prison, and a year of supervised release. In the same year, a 2021 case for felony evading arrest by motor vehicle and reckless endangerment was reopened. He was found guilty on those charges in 2023 and was sentenced to two years of supervised release. Last year, he was charged with felony domestic aggravated assault, burglary and theft, and was on the run from police until they arrested him on Wednesday. Earlier this week, FBI Director Kash Patel announced a $5 million bounty for information leading to the arrest of MS-13's leader in Honduras, Yulan Adonay Archaga Carías. In the United States, the gang has recently been in the news after one alleged member, illegal immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia, was deported to El Salvador. He was suspected of being involved in labor/human trafficking, according to a 2022 Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) report obtained by Fox article source: Violent suspected MS-13 gang member with long rap sheet arrested after year on the run: police
Fox News
24-04-2025
- Fox News
Violent suspected MS-13 gang member with long rap sheet arrested after year on the run: police
A suspected MS-13 gang member with a violent criminal history has been arrested in Nashville, Tennessee, after a year on the run, police said. According to the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD), Leonel Vargas Jr., 24, was arrested Wednesday afternoon. Davidson County jail records show that he has been charged with felony aggravated assault by strangulation, felony aggravated burglary, felony probation violation, misdemeanor domestic assault and two counts of misdemeanor theft of property. He is not eligible for bond. MNPD said its Specialized Investigations Division (SID) detectives and federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents, who have been investigating Vargas' association with the ultra-violent Salvadoran MS-13 gang, coordinated the surveillance that led to the arrest. ATF confirmed to Fox News Digital that their investigation into Vargas' MS-13 ties is ongoing. Vargas has a long criminal history stemming back to 2019. In that year, he was charged with aggravated assault by strangulation, two counts of domestic assault resulting in bodily injury and one count of domestic assault with fear of bodily injury. He was sentenced to probation for those crimes. In 2022, he violated his probation and was sentenced to a year in prison, and a year of supervised release. In the same year, a 2021 case for felony evading arrest by motor vehicle and reckless endangerment was reopened. He was found guilty on those charges in 2023 and was sentenced to two years of supervised release. Last year, he was charged with felony domestic aggravated assault, burglary and theft, and was on the run from police until they arrested him on Wednesday. Earlier this week, FBI Director Kash Patel announced a $5 million bounty for information leading to the arrest of MS-13's leader in Honduras, Yulan Adonay Archaga Carías. In the United States, the gang has recently been in the news after one alleged member, illegal immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia, was deported to El Salvador. He was suspected of being involved in labor/human trafficking, according to a 2022 Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) report obtained by Fox News.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ballots going out in special election for Vargas' Board of Supervisors seat
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Registered voters in south San Diego County will soon be receiving ballots in the mail for the special election to replace former Board of Supervisors Chair Nora Vargas following her abrupt resignation. The Registrar of Voters office plans to send out the mail-in ballots to registered voters in the first supervisorial district on Monday, March 10, ahead of the first crop of ballot drop-off boxes becoming available later in the week. These ballots can be completed and returned either via mail through the U.S. Postal Service or by placing them in one of the more than two dozen drop boxes. Once it is in the mail, people can track their ballot by signing up for the county's 'Where's My Ballot?' tool. Meet the candidates running for Vargas' Board of Supervisors seat For District 1 residents who prefer to vote in person, vote centers will begin opening up at the end of March, ten days before the final day of voting on Tuesday, April 8. The kickstart of voting in the special election will mark the second time South County residents in the first supervisorial district will head to the ballot box in less than a year, having just re-elected Vargas for a second term back in November. While the Board of Supervisors is technically a nonpartisan body, the race will be decisive in determining majority control. Republicans have the opportunity to take back the reins just four years after Democrats became the majority party in the county for the first time in decades. Seven candidates are vying for the role: Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre, Chula Vista Deputy Mayor Carolina Chavez, affordable energy consultant Elizabeth Efird, former Imperial County Board of Supervisors Chair Louis Fuentes, Chula Vista Mayor John McCann, San Diego City Councilmember Vivian Moreno, and long-time South County resident, Lincoln Pickard. As the contest is a special election, should one candidate garner more than 50% of the vote in April, they would win the race outright. If no candidate meets that threshold, the election will move to a runoff between the top two vote-getters in July. Since the race is at a district level, only residents who live within its boundaries will be eligible to cast a vote in the race. What to know about the special election for Vargas' Board of Supervisors seat This includes neighborhoods in south San Diego, such as Barrio Logan, Chollas View, East Village and Golden Hill, as well as the whole of Chula Vista, Imperial Beach and National City. San Diegans can look up their supervisorial district on the Registrar of Voters website. All residents who are already signed up to vote in the district will be able to participate in the election, but the Registrar of Voters' office encourages people to check their voter status before the registration deadline passes on Monday, March 24. Prospective voters will only be able to participate after that point by casting a provisional ballot at an in-person vote center. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
