Los Angeles, Ca

Reward now $25K for arrest of person who left zip-tied dog in Malibu wilderness

Published

1 year ago

July 17, 2024

Reward now K for arrest of person who left zip-tied dog in Malibu wilderness

Reward money continues to pour in as animal rescuers increase their efforts to locate and arrest the person or people responsible for leaving a dog in a remote area of Malibu with its snout zip-tied shut.

The dog was found by a pair of rock climbers about 250 feet down the side of the road in Malibu Creek Canyon earlier this month.

The adult German shepherd, given the name Argon by his medical care providers, was discovered over the scorching Fourth of July weekend with a zip tie around its neck and another around its mouth.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to the call and deputies met the climbers near the 500 block of North Malibu Canyon Road to help bring the dog to safety.

He was rescued and taken to a local animal shelter for treatment of myriad illnesses, including inflammation, warts and skin tags on his legs, stomach and groin. Officials suspected that he may have been exposed to poison oak during his time lost in the wild.

In addition to those more obvious surface level illnesses, it was also suspected that Argon was suffering from lymphoma — cancer of the lymphatic system.

Last week, the dog was taken in by German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County. On Wednesday, In Defense of Animals said the rescue organization had confirmed that diagnosis.

They also found double ear infections, swelling in his lower extremities and “trauma to his hind legs.”

“His ears are now healing, but his feet are still swollen two weeks after his ordeal,” a spokesperson for In Defense of Animals wrote.

Maria Dales, the founder and director of German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County, said Argon remains a “gentle soul” despite the abandonment and abuse he’s suffered.

“He seems to sense that we are all here to help him and his trust level is growing,” Dales said. “He doesn’t appear to be as introverted as he was when he arrived.”

The next steps in Argon’s care will be for him to see a veterinary oncologist to determine the severity of his cancer diagnosis and come up with a plan for treatment, Dales added.

A German shepherd now named Argon is seen in these photos shared by Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control. Argon was found in the remote Malibu wilderness with its mouth zip tied shut.

In Defense of Animals was the first organization to announce a reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person who abandoned the dog in the sweltering heat with its mouth closed shut.

That reward tripled within days and has since increased to $25,000 thanks to multiple organizations and individuals chipping in cash in hopes of finding those responsible.

Fleur Dawes, communications director for In Defense of Animals, said they’ve been “overwhelmed” by the public support and said they hope the reward is enough motivation for someone to come forward.

“Someone knows this dog and the person who hurt him,” Dawes said in a news release. “We hope this huge reward offer encourages that person to step forward and share their tip with us so we can get justice for Argon.”

Argon’s case remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Department and the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control. Anyone with information is urged to contact the LASD Malibu/Lost Hills station at 818-878-1808.

In Defense of Animals is also soliciting donations and collecting tips related to Argon’s case, which can be provided anonymously or directly by calling 415-879-6879.

“We are hoping that someone in the public will have the courage and compassion to get this cruel abuser off the streets,” Dales concluded.

Los Angeles, Ca

Ditch typing and note-taking – try these apps

Published

9 months ago

March 19, 2025

Press Room

Ditch typing and note-taking – try these apps

The future of voice to text is here.

I’ve been testing a variety of tools that make taking notes, transcribing audio, and even voice typing faster and easier than ever.

If you have a smartphone, you’re already halfway there!

Google’s Pixel Recorder app is free and built into their smartphone. It’s excellent for transcribing meetings, lectures, and conversations – all in real time.

Apple’s Voice Memos App recently added transcriptions if you’re upgraded to iOS 18.

Samsung’s Voice recorder app now offers transcripts too – as long as you’re on their latest One UI 7 software. (Check Settings > About Phone > Software Information)

Got an older phone? Try Otter.AI. It works great for transcriptions across devices and you get 300 minutes a month free.

Don’t want to tie up your phone?

I’ve been testing AI-powered digital audio recorders from a startup named Plaud.

The Plaud Note is thin, records for hours, and can even clip to the back of your phone to record calls. Just make sure you know your local laws before using that feature.

The Plaud Pin can be clipped to your shirt or worn on your wrist for hands-free recording.

Both devices sync audio to a companion app that auto transcribes and summarizes.

You get five hours of transcription a month included, with options to pay for more.

Pricing for each gadget starts around $160 dollars.

Want to transcribe audio files on your computer?

My favorite Mac app is MacWhisper. You can even get it completely free – although paid versions are avaialble with more features and options.

On Windows, check out Vibe Transcribe, also free.

And for a web-based option, Whisper Web gets the job done.

Finally, if you want to type less and talk more… there’s an excellent AI voice-to-text app called Wispr Flow. It was previously Mac only but just became avaialble for Windows, too.

One you install it, you pick a hotkey. Then, instead of typing just press and hold down that key and dictate what you want to write.

Since it uses the power of AI, you can even stumble or ramble and it will clean up your words and get the punctionation right.

It’s a gamechanger for responding to emails fast! You get 2,000 words free each week with options to pay for more.

Enjoy your newfound time!

Los Angeles, Ca

Prison officer survives alleged attack by inmate transferred from L.A. County

Published

9 months ago

March 18, 2025

Press Room

Prison officer survives alleged attack by inmate transferred from L.A. County

An alleged attack on a state prison officer by a 43-year-old inmate transferred from Los Angeles County is being investigated as attempted homicide, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials announced Tuesday.

The March 18 incident at Salinas Valley State Prison in Soledad reportedly unfolded just before 9 a.m. on what authorities describe as a “dayroom floor.”

The inmate, Anthony G. Ramirez, is believed to have pulled an improvised weapon from his waistband before attempting to attack custody staff member, according to a CDCR news release.

“Staff immediately responded, disarming Ramirez and placing him in handcuffs without incident,” the release detailed.

Anthony G. Ramiez, 43, seen in this undated mug shot. (CDCR)

The 43-year-old, who was transferred to SVSP in 2008 after being sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for second-degree murder, with enhancements for the use of a firearm and causing great bodily injury or death, was placed in restrictive housing pending the investigation and possible felony prosecution by the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.

Both Ramirez and the custody staff member were examined by medical personnel who noted no serious injuries.

Officials said that the California Correctional Peace Officers Association was notified of the incident and prison staff were offered peer support services and employee assistance programs.

Salinas Valley State Prison, opened in 1996, houses more than 2,400 minimum, medium, maximum and high-security inmates. The facility also offers vocational programs and academic classes and employs some 1,800 people.

Los Angeles, Ca

Algal bloom sickening marine mammals off Southern California 'will only get worse'

Published

9 months ago

March 18, 2025

Press Room

Algal bloom sickening marine mammals off Southern California 'will only get worse'

A toxic algal bloom leaving an increasing number of marine mammals stranded along Southern California beaches shows no signs of subsiding and “will only get worse,” officials said Monday.

“This week, we saw more stranded dolphins (both alive and deceased) than we saw during the major domoic acid (DA) bloom in 2023,” Marine Mammal Care Center (MMCC) Los Angeles posted on Facebook.

Recent tests showed DA-producing algae levels have increased, and officials believe that trend will continue in the coming weeks. “We anticipate that it will only get worse,” the post read.

MMCC asked the public not to approach sick dolphins or sea lions on the beach because they can become aggressive upon awakening from a seizure.

A dolphin stranded at Dockweiler North is seen in an image posted on March 13, 2025. (L.A. County Fire Department, Lifeguard Division)

“This is a safety issue for people and their pets as much as it is for the marine mammals,” officials said.

Beachgoers were also urged not to push stranded dolphins back into the water, saying it can reduce their chances of survival.

More information about domoic-acid poisoning can be found at https://marinemammalcare.org/domoic-acid/.

The volume of sick marine mammals has also had a financial impact on the MMCC.

“Our team is working heroically to respond to every call and to rescue every animal they can. Please share this post and give now at marinemammalcare.org/donate to give these marine mammals a second chance at life!” the MMCC stated.

Anyone who encounters a sick or stranded marine mammal can alert the nearest lifeguard and call 1-800-39-WHALE to make a report.