uSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Officials have confirmed two mountain lion sightings at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.
The city Recreation and Park Department said it has posted signs after the mountain lion was seen in the urban park’s west end on Tuesday and at Lake Merced in the city’s southwestern end on August 21.
Officials said neither report describes aggressive behavior by the big cat toward humans.
They said it is normal for mountain lions to roam in natural areas, including in San Francisco, and that they have, or soon will, move out of the area.
As a precautionary measure, they advise people to keep a close eye on small children and keep pets on leash in areas where the animals have been spotted.
uWWII ‘SCREAMING EAGLE’ VETERAN HENRY OCHSNER DIES AT 96: CALIFORNIA CITY (AP) — World War II veteran Henry Ochsner, who landed on the beach at Normandy on D-Day and later received the French government’s highest honor for his service, has died. He was 96.
Family friend Dennis Anderson says Ochsner died Saturday at his home in California City of complications from cancer and old age.
As part of the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division — known as the “Screaming Eagles” — Ochsner also fought at the Battle of the Bulge.
In 2017 Ochsner and nine other veterans were awarded France’s National Order of the Legion of Honor during a ceremony at Los Angeles National Cemetery.
Ochsner married Violet Jenson in 1947. He is survived by his wife, their four daughters and two granddaughters. Funeral plans are pending.
uWILDFIRE IN CALIFORNIA GOLD COUNTRY GROWS AMID STRONG WINDS: QUINCY (AP) — Erratic winds are making conditions difficult for firefighters battling a wildfire in a remote area of California’s gold country that has grown to more than 59 square miles (152 square kilometers).
The U.S. Forest Service says Sunday that there’s minimal containment on the blaze in the Plumas National Forest.
Mandatory evacuations are in effect for scattered rural properties in the forest.
Evacuations remain in place for rural parts of Tehama County further north as crews continue to work to increase containment of a fire that has burned through brush and timber west of Red Bluff.
In Southern California, firefighters are making progress against a wildfire that burned dangerously close to homes in Murrieta and La Cresta last week. All evacuations have been lifted.
They are among multiple fires burning across the state.
uSHERIFF: CALIFORNIA WOMAN FOUND DEAD; HUSBAND ARRESTED: SACRAMENTO (AP) — California authorities say they have found what they believe to be the remains of a missing woman.
The Sacramento Bee reported that the discovery of El Dorado County woman Heather Gumina prompted a homicide investigation by the county sheriff’s office.
Sheriff office officials say her 44-year-old husband Anthony Gumina was arrested Friday on suspicion of felony domestic violence and first degree murder.
Authorities served him with a no bail warrant for domestic violence and a search warrant.
Police say the human remains were discovered during the search in the Pleasant Valley area east of Sacramento.
Gumina and her car were reported missing in July.
Authorities say they found her car weeks later in El Dorado County.
uCALIFORNIA INMATE DEATH INVESTIGATED AS DRUG OVERDOSE: SAN LUIS OBISPO (AP) — Authorities say the death of an inmate at San Luis Obispo County Jail is a likely overdose.
The sheriff’s office says the man was discovered unresponsive in his bunk in a dorm housing unit Friday afternoon. Staff began life-saving measures but the inmate did not respond and was later pronounced dead.
He was identified as 56-year-old Ernest Leonard Ortiz of Grover Beach. He had been in custody since March on a probation violation.
Officials said a short time after Ortiz was found, another inmate who had been seen with him collapsed from an apparent drug overdose. He received an injection of Narcan and was subsequently revived.
ROUGH SEAS SUSPEND SEARCH FOR FINAL VICTIM OF BOAT FIRE: SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) — The search for the final victim of a boat fire off the Southern California coast has been suspended until early next week because of gusty winds and rough seas.
Authorities said they also suspended efforts to salvage the Conception off of Santa Cruz Island because the conditions were expected to last through the weekend.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Lt. Erik Raney says the Conception has been secured underwater, where it will remain until it is safe to resume the salvage operation.
Thirty-four scuba divers died when the boat caught fire and sank before dawn on Monday. They were sleeping in a cramped bunkroom below the main deck and their escape routes were blocked by fire.
Medical examiners say the victims appear to have died from smoke inhalation.
