Category: Sacramento, California Local News

NEW YORK — Nvidia is helping to lead a split U.S. stock market on Wednesday, ahead of the chip company’s highly anticipated profit report coming after trading ends for the day.

The S&P 500 rose 0.5% and erased its losses from earlier in the week, when stocks swung sharply as investors tried to separate potential losers from winners in the artificial-intelligence boom.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 69 points, or 0.1%, as of 10:30 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 1% higher.

Nvidia was one of the strongest forces lifting the market, even though more stocks fell in the S&P 500 than rose, and it climbed 1.7%. Analysts are expecting it to deliver another blowout earnings report, and they’re forecasting Nvidia will say its profit surged nearly 70% from a year earlier to $37.52 billion. That’s would mean it made more than $400 million per day during the three months through Jan. 25.

Nvidia’s profit reports have become a bellwether for the market, not only because it’s become Wall Street’s biggest stock but also because of how influential AI has broadly become over the market’s moves. In past years, the AI frenzy helped stocks run to record after record amid hopes that it would revolutionize the economy and make it more productive.

More recently, though, concerns have climbed about whether companies like Alphabet and Amazon are spending so much on chips from Nvidia and other equipment that they’ll never be able to make back the investments through future gains in productivity. If that leads to a pullback in spending, it would hit Nvidia directly.

Investors have also begun focusing on companies and industries that could get undercut by AI-powered competitors. That has led to sudden and swift sell-offs for stocks seen as potentially at threat, and the worries have rolled through industries as seemingly disparate as software, trucking logistics and legal services.

That’s lying on top of other worries already weighing on the market, including new tariffs announced by President Donald Trump to replace ones struck down by the Supreme Court.

“While those concerns are real, we believe investors would be wise to balance them out with offsetting trends that may be underappreciated in the current wall of worry headline cycle,” according to Darrell Cronk, chief investment officer for Wealth & Investment Management at Wells Fargo.

Among them is the strong growth in profit that U.S. companies have been reporting so far for the end of 2025. That has helped strengthen some corners of the U.S. stock market that had been overshadowed by AI mania and Big Tech, including stocks of smaller companies.

Cava Group, the fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant chain, jumped 22% after delivering better profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Its revenue for a fiscal year also topped $1 billion for the first time, up 22.5% from the year earlier.

Axon Enterprise leaped 20.4% after the seller of Tasers and body cameras with AI voice-activated assistants likewise reported bigger profit and revenue than analysts expected.

They helped offset a 14% drop for First Solar, which reported a weaker profit than analysts expected.

In stock markets abroad, indexes rose across much of Europe and Asia.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 2.2%, and South Korea’s Kospi gained 1.9% for two of the bigger moves.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury inched up to 4.05% from 4.04% late Tuesday.

Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.     

CALIFORNIA, USA — In a rare show of bipartisan support, a new bill moving through the California Legislature aims to tighten the state’s pretrial mental health diversion program by clarifying who qualifies, and who does not.

Republican Sen. Shannon Grove of Bakersfield says Senate Bill 1373 would add guardrails to the existing law, arguing the program has allowed some violent offenders to avoid lasting consequences.

“It did not come with enough guardrails and has become a get out of jail free card for the violent offenders across our state,” Grove said. 

The bill would make people accused of certain high-risk violent crimes ineligible for diversion and require judges to have more information before approving placement in the program.

“Victims were physically attacked, assaulted, and some even murdered,” Grove said. “Their perpetrators received diversion and took a few classes, maybe some medication, and then within a year or two, everything was wiped from their record.”

If passed, SB 1373 would create a list of crimes that would prohibit someone from entering the program. Those include attempted murder, kidnapping and defendants with two prior felonies.

The proposal has bipartisan backing. Democratic Assemblymember Maggy Krell of Sacramento pointed to the volume of diversion petitions in her county.

“In Sacramento, almost 50% of cases defendants are petitioning for diversion on,” Krell said. “And another thing about the law is you’re only allowed to get diversion if a suitable placement exists.”

A similar proposal, Assembly Bill 46, would require a person with a mental disorder to have a diagnosis within five years before the alleged offense. Grove said she also supports that bill.

Not everyone agrees changes are needed.

The California Public Defenders Association argues the current program is working and affects only a small portion of people statewide. The group says judges already carefully weigh clinical recommendations and criminal history before approving diversion.

“A judge is not going to put somebody into community supervision, community supervised treatment, unless they have the recommendations from clinical experts, clinical psychologists, behavioral therapists, unless they’ve looked at their arrest records, they’ve looked at their past, they’ve looked at where they are now,” said Kate Chatfield with the association. 

The group also says diversion helps prevent reoffending.

“In Los Angeles County, 91% of participants who graduate do not have new criminal cases filed,” Chatfield said.

The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office supports SB 1373. The office says it received more than 1,800 motions for mental health diversion in 2024, with 582 people entering the program. Of those, 210 defendants reoffended.

In 2025, the office reported receiving more than 1,300 motions for diversion, though those cases are still pending.

SB 1373 must still move through the Legislature before it can reach the governor’s desk.

California bill targets PG&E with expanded eminent domain powers

WASHINGTON — As President Donald Trump delivered the first State of the Union of his second term, some may have noticed a small, shiny display in front of House Speaker Mike Johnson.

“Any idea what the deal is with the silver glass set Mike Johnson is using? Seems a bit much,” one user on X asked. 

According to the House of Representatives website, it’s a coin-silver inkstand that is placed in the rostrum before the speaker calls each session of the House to order. It was created sometime around 1815 by Jacob Leonard. 

“The inkstand is considered the oldest surviving artifact of the House and was made between 1810 and 1820,” the House website said. “Although its origins are mysterious, it most likely came into the House around 1819. The inkstand is stamped with the mark of J. Leonard, a Washington silversmith and watchmaker.”

The inkstand, which is over 200 years old, contains three replacement crystal inkwells and is adorned on both sides by swags and eagles, according to the website. 

“The feet of the tray take the form of fasces with snakes winding around them, classical symbols of unity and wisdom, respectively,” the House website’s description reads. 

The U.S. Constitution requires the president to update Congress and recommend policies, though it doesn’t specify when that address should occur.

Usually, presidents will deliver those remarks in January or February, reflecting on events of the previous year and outlining their policy priorities for the coming one. The message used to be known as “the President’s Annual Message to Congress.” In 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt began referring to it as the “Annual Message to Congress on the State of the Union.”

Shortly after he was sworn in for his first term in 1981, Reagan addressed a joint session of Congress, remarks that were called “Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress on the Program for Economic Recovery,” according to The American Presidency Project, at the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton followed suit in their own first years in office, with 1989 and 1993 messages both entitled “Administration Goals.” In 2001, President George W. Bush’s speech was his “Budget Message.”

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump will give his first State of the Union address of his second term on Tuesday. 

Though it will be his first official address to Congress, many might remember Trump’s speech to the legislature last year. Though the pomp and circumstance of the address remained, last year’s speech was technically not a “State of the Union” address. 

Many may remember last year’s joint address to Congress, where the Republican president spoke for a record-setting 100 minutes. The first speech in a president’s first year in office is not considered a State of the Union address.

That’s because a State of the Union address is intended as a look back on the prior year. Instead, newly inaugurated presidents typically use their first joint congressional addresses to look forward, setting a tone for their agenda. 

Trump took office on Jan. 20, 2025, for his second term, so Tuesday’s speech will be classified as the first State of the Union address of his second term. 

The idea of not calling the first address the State of the Union is a relatively new practice in American history.

One stated belief is that when the president addresses Congress for the first time in the weeks after being sworn in, they haven’t been in charge long enough to announce what the “State of the Union” is. But that’s not the case, according to the Congressional Research Service.

“The past seven Presidents have chosen not to give an official State of the Union address the year they were first inaugurated, having just previously delivered an inaugural address,” the CRS said. “In each instance their first speech to a joint session of Congress closely followed their inauguration, but was not officially categorized as a ‘State of the Union Message.’”

The U.S. Constitution requires that the president update Congress and recommend policies, although the founding document doesn’t specify precisely when that address should take place.

Usually, presidents will deliver those remarks in January or February, reflecting on events of the previous year and outlining their policy priorities for the coming one. The message used to be known as “the President’s Annual Message to Congress.” In 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt began referring to it as the “Annual Message to Congress on the State of the Union.”

Shortly after he was sworn in for his first term in 1981, Reagan addressed a joint session of Congress, remarks that were called “Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress on the Program for Economic Recovery,” according to The American Presidency Project, at the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton followed suit in their own first years in office, with 1989 and 1993 messages both entitled “Administration Goals.” In 2001, President George W. Bush’s speech was his “Budget Message.”

Trump’s remarks to Congress are scheduled to begin Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET.

The Associated Press and Chris McCrory contributed to this story. 

WASHINGTON — Actor Robert Carradine, known for his roles in “Revenge of the Nerds” and “Lizzie McGuire,” has died at age 71.

Deadline reported that Carradine, who struggled with bipolar disorder, apparently died by suicide. 

The family issued a statement to Deadline: 

“It is with profound sadness that we must share that our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and brother Robert Carradine has passed away. In a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon on light to everyone around him. We are bereft at the loss of this beautiful soul and want to acknowledge Bobby’s valiant struggle against his nearly two-decade battle with Bipolar Disorder. We hope his journey can shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness. At this time we ask for the privacy to grieve this unfathomable loss. With gratitude for your understanding and compassion.”

Carradine’s older brother, actor Keith Carradine, told Deadline he wanted people to know about Robert’s struggle with bipolar disorder.

“We want people to know it, and there is no shame in it,” he said. “It is an illness that got the best of him, and I want to celebrate him for his struggle with it, and celebrate his beautiful soul. He was profoundly gifted, and we will miss him every day. We will take solace in how funny he could be, how wise and utterly accepting and tolerant he was. That’s who my baby brother was.” 

Carradine’s first roles in the early 1970s included appearances on “Bonanza,” “Kung Fu” and “The Cowboys.” He had 150 television and movie credits over six decades that included his role as Sam McGuire, the father of Lizzie McGuire on the popular Disney television series.

Hilary Duff, who played the character Lizzie Maguire, paid tribute to her on-screen dad of many years. 

“This one hurts,” she shared in a post on Instagram. “It’s really hard to face this reality about an old friend. There was so much warmth in the McGuire family and I always felt so cared for by my on-screen parents. I’ll be forever grateful for that. I’m deeply sad to learn Bobby was suffering. My heart aches for him , his family, and everyone who loved him.” 

Jake Thomas, who played the role of Lizzie’s younger brother, reflected on the actor’s legacy and the impact Carradine had on his life. 

“My heart hurts today,” Thomas wrote in a post shared on Instagram. “I was fortunate to know Bobby for most of my life. And he was one of the coolest guys you could ever meet. Funny, pragmatic, sometimes cranky, always a little eccentric. He was a talented actor, musician, and director. But more than anything, he was family. I have many fond memories being with him and his family throughout my life. Good moments, challenging moments, and lots of laughs between. I looked up to him growing up. And later in life, I came to realize he thought I was pretty neat, too. So I guess I was doing something right in his eyes.”

SACRAMENTO, Calif — Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper on Monday criticized the parole of David Allen Funston, a 64-year-old man convicted of kidnapping and molesting children in 1995 and 1996, after state records show he was granted parole under California’s elderly parole program.

“A judge in Sacramento described him… as the monster parents fear most, yet today the parole board decided he is suitable for release,” Cooper said during a press conference at the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office headquarters.

Cooper said Funston preyed on children in the Sacramento area in 1995 and 1996 and targeted eight victims — seven girls and one boy — between the ages of 3 and 7.

“He lured them with candy, Barbie dolls, toys, and abused these kids horrifically, horrifically,” Cooper said.

He said Funston was convicted of 16 counts of kidnapping and child molestation.

“The youngest victim 3 years of age,” Cooper said.

Funston was sentenced to 20 years and 8 months in prison, as well as three consecutive sentences of 25 years to life, Cooper said.

According to California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation records, Funston was granted parole at a subsequent suitability hearing on Sept. 24, 2025.

“Unfortunately, in 2020, a bill was passed that made folks eligible for parole as early as 50 years of age once they served 20 years, so he qualifies. He’s 64 years old… that is dead wrong,” Cooper said.

“What in the hell is going on in California? What is happening in our state? This cannot happen. It’s not OK,” he said.

“You don’t get a second chance with children at all. And I’m pissed. It is not OK. It is not OK,” Cooper added.

Retired Detective Rafael Rodriguez, who worked on the original investigation, said he learned of the decision through news reports.

“Now yesterday I’m reading the news in bed and I see Mr. Funston is about to be released. I was outraged,” Rodriguez said. “The victims here, they got a life sentence. OK, a life sentence.”

Undersheriff Mike Ziegler said Funston had served less than a third of the time he was given.

“This monster. He was sentenced to almost or a little over 90 years. He’s done less than a third of that, and he’s going to be on the streets,” Ziegler said.

“A third of our current child abuse suspects will be eligible for parole as soon as they turn 50… that’s the problem with the law,” he added.

Amelia, who identified herself as one of Funston’s victims, also spoke at the press conference.

“This man has took innocence from myself and others,” she said. “He, he is a criminal child molester, dangerous and deserves to spend the rest of his life behind bars,” she said.

When asked what happens next, Cooper acknowledged uncertainty about Funston’s release.

“Well, hopefully someone comes in with a rational mind and makes changes. I hope,” he said.

Asked whether the community could see Funston back in Sacramento, Cooper responded, “Correct. That’s what’s scary, and they don’t stop. They don’t stop.”

Cooper said he is requesting that state officials consider Funston for evaluation under California’s Sexually Violent Predator process, which allows certain offenders to be evaluated for possible civil commitment to a state hospital following release from prison.

The California Department of State Hospitals declined to comment on Funston specifically, citing federal and state patient privacy laws, but directed ABC10 to public documents outlining the steps involved in California’s Sex Offender Commitment Program.

According to the sheriff, Funston’s parole was upheld Feb. 18. A release date has not been publicly announced, and what happens next remains unclear, Cooper said.

WATCH MORE ON ABC10 | California bill would restrict mental health diversion access