West
California couple’s bodies recovered from waterfall near Yosemite: 'They were important'
Search and rescue teams recovered the bodies of a man and a woman who were found near Angel Falls, not far from Yosemite National Park in central California, this week, the Madera County Sheriff’s Department confirmed to Fox News Digital.
They were identified as Monica Ledesma, 34, and James Hall, 35, who were in a relationship, the sheriff’s department said.
Rescuers first located Ledesma’s body Wednesday, after being notified about an unresponsive woman in the water not far from Bass Lake. Some of Hall’s belongings were found near Ledesma and his body was soon recovered.
“James died a hero trying to save his girlfriend Monica,” a fundraising page set up for Hall’s family said. “Unfortunately, they both were taken from us.”
CALIFORNIA HIKERS RESCUED AFTER RUNNING OUT OF WATER DURING BLISTERING HEAT WAVE
Search and rescue teams recovered two bodies near Angel Falls, not far from Yosemite National Park in central California, the Madera County Sheriff’s Department revealed to Fox News Digital. (Madera County Sheriff’s Office)
At a vigil for the couple, Hall’s mother said it was “maybe the hardest day of our lives,” according to KFSN-TV. “But it’s here for a reason and I think it’s in the name of love.”
MYSTERY AS HUGE GROUP OF PEOPLE FALLS VIOLENTLY ILL WHILE HIKING THROUGH REMOTE PART OF GRAND CANYON
Nancy O’Hara, who was friends with the couple, told the station: “Not only were they kind and considerate, and took care of us old folks, took care of the young folks.”
Angel Falls is not far from Yosemite National Park. (Mark Hume/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Ledesma was the mother of an 8-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter, her mom told the station.
“Our hearts go out to the families of those who were lost at Angel Falls today,” Madera County Sheriff Tyson Pogue said in a statement. “We would like to thank our allied partners for their outstanding support and response to today’s events, whose simultaneous occurrence stretched resources. I applaud the efforts of the rescue and recovery teams, who performed their duties diligently and respectfully.”
The bodies were recovered at Angel Falls. (John Walker/Fresno Bee/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
O’Hara added, “Monica and James were important here. They were important because they were family. Not related except by heart. Kindness is something that run through all of them and they were examples.”
The sheriff’s department said places like Angel Falls that are close to parking lots and trails often give hikers a “false sense of security about the level of danger that exists. When hiking around the water, extra caution needs to be taken. Rocks can be extremely slippery even when they aren’t wet. One missed step can result in a serious injury or fatality.”
The department added: “The water is extremely swift, and deadly cold. Warm air temperatures do not mean warm water temperatures. Cold water can very quickly remove heat from the body and lead to a loss of movement in the limbs. When heading into rivers and streams, always take precautions, such as wearing a life vest, bringing a life preserver with you, and following all river/stream closures.”
The department didn’t explain Ledesma and Hall’s causes of death.
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Police in San Francisco released body camera footage and additional details following a shootout with a robbery suspect that critically wounded an officer.
On Tuesday, the department held a virtual town hall meeting on the incident, which occurred on the night of May 31.
“In the San Francisco Police Department, we recognize that our sworn duty as law enforcement officers is to honor and respect the sanctity of human life. We also know that as police officers, we are sometimes required to use force, including deadly force, in the performance of our duties,” Police Chief Derrick Lew said.
Acting Commander Thomas Harvey delivered a multimedia presentation of the incident. Shortly before 10:30 p.m. that night, a license plate reader alerted officers about a vehicle associated with an armed robbery entering San Francisco on the Bay Bridge.
Officers found the vehicle, a gray Toyota Camry sedan, traveling northbound on Fifth Street from Folsom Street. Drones and other resources were requested as part of a plan to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle.
Around 10:40 p.m. officers attempted to stop the vehicle at Mission and First streets in the city’s South of Market.
In bodycam footage, officers are heard ordering the driver to turn the vehicle off. One of the officers is heard saying, “He’s gonna take off. I think he’s gonna take off.”
The driver led officers on a pursuit, which ended with the driver striking a concrete median on Bayshore Boulevard near Jerrold Avenue.
Harvey said as officers told the suspects inside the vehicle to come out with their hands up, the driver emerged from the vehicle and fired at police, striking an officer. One of the officers, identified as Brittany Taylor, was struck by gunfire.
Several officers returned fire, striking a passenger in the vehicle.
Harvey identified the officers who discharged their weapons as Officer Rachel Carranza, Officer Jeremmy Catiller and Officer Angela Maniego.
Taylor is receiving medical treatment for her injuries at a local hospital.
“I also want to send our best wishes to our officer in her continued success in recovery and also want to thank the public for the overwhelming support that we’ve received,” Lew said at the briefing.
The passenger, later identified as Ariunsanaaa Dolgorsuren, was arrested and is currently receiving medical treatment for his injuries, police said.
The driver of the vehicle left the scene on foot across Bayshore Boulevard, through a Chevron station parking lot and eastbound Jerrold Avenue. Shortly after 12:15 a.m. on June 1, police received a call that the suspect was inside the gate of the Bayshore Navigation Center.
Officers arrested the suspect, later identified as 36-year-old Norris Reed III of Oakland. Video from police showed officers seizing two firearms from Reed, which were determined to be a .40 caliber Glock 23 handgun and a 9mm privately manufactured handgun with no serial number.
Reed faces multiple charges, including four counts of attempted murder, assault with a firearm upon a police officer, resisting an executive officer with force or violence, reckless evading, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and conspiracy.
Jail records show Reed is being held without bail, with his next court appearance scheduled for June 11.
Dolgorsuren is also facing four counts of attempted murder, assault with a firearm upon a police officer, resisting an executive officer with force or violence, conspiracy and shooting from a motor vehicle
The shooting remains under investigation by multiple entities, including the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, the police department’s Investigative Services Division and Internal Affairs Division, along with the Department of Police Accountability.
Denver, CO
One Invitation Can Change a Life: Called By Name Campaign Inspires Future Priests For a Second Year in Denver
The Archdiocese of Denver’s vocations initiative continues to bear fruit as more men explore a possible call to the priesthood.
Lean in close, dear reader. We’ve got a secret for you. God has a plan for your life.
While this might not be a tremendous surprise to most faithful Denver Catholic readers, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and forget to ask God what that plan is. We might even have our own ideas of what we want to do with our lives, neglecting input from the divine.
That’s where the Archdiocese of Denver’s Called By Name campaign comes in. In 2025, the inaugural year, over 900 names were submitted during the May campaign, which coincides with Good Shepherd Sunday. Nearly 100 of those men attended an August discernment retreat, and the Archdiocese saw 27 men enter priestly formation for the 2025-2026 academic year, with about another 20 expected to enter for the 2026-2027 year.
The campaign seeks to make vocational discernment more accessible for men, especially in response to a dire need for more priestly vocations in the Archdiocese of Denver. With only 14% of the archdiocesan presbyterate hailing from Colorado, a minority ordained for the Archdiocese and 4,054 Catholics per active archdiocesan priest, Jesus’ own words that “the harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few” ring true (Matthew 9:37).
For the men nominated a year ago, Called By Name presented an opportunity to go deeper in faith and to ask the Lord what his will is for their lives.
“I feel like if I don’t go to seminary, I’m going to be asking the question if I’m called to be a priest for the rest of my life. That’s why I’m going to seminary, to try and get that question answered,” said Jeremy Gillett, an incoming seminarian from Longmont. “I feel like I’ve gone to a couple of discernment retreats at the seminary, and every time it just feels like this place is home. It very much feels like a good place to be.”
Building on the inaugural year’s tremendous results, the Archdiocese of Denver sponsored Called By Name for a second year in a row, identifying 405 men that local parishioners prayerfully think could make happy, holy, healthy priests.
“The Called by Name campaign continues to pave the path for Denver’s next generation of men discerning the priesthood,” said Chris Kreslins, senior client manager at Vianney Vocations, who facilitated the campaign. “Building on the momentum of last year’s 955 nominations, the 405 men nominated in the 2026 Called by Name campaign will be invited to a year full of discernment opportunities, beginning with a special event with Archbishop Golka and Father Jason Wallace in August.”
“I’m grateful that our archdiocesan family has put forward 405 young men they’ve discerned could make good and holy priests. It’s a great blessing, and a sign that God is moving in big ways across the Archdiocese of Denver, in the faithful witness of my brother priests especially,” Denver Archbishop James Golka said. “The priesthood is a wonderful, beautiful life and vocation, and I’m so grateful that God has called me to love and serve his people in this way.”
For the 405 men nominated in the 2026 campaign — and many others — the archbishop expressed his hope that God make known his will and give them the courage to follow him.
“God has a plan for each of our lives, and it’s a beautiful plan meant to bring us joy, fulfillment and grace. When we follow Jesus, when we give the Father everything, we are the happiest and holiest we can be because we’re living through him, with him and in him,” Archbishop Golka said. “I pray that these 405 men and many others hear the voice of God calling them to the full, free and fulfilled life he has in store for them as they love and serve his people.”
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Seahawks fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
As you already know, the Seahawks begin the 2026 season by raising the Super Bowl banner and then facing the New England Patriots in an immediate rematch of February’s beatdown. After that, they head on the road for games at the Arizona Cardinals and Washington Commanders, a pair of non-playoff teams from 2025. They return to Lumen Field for a California back-to-back against the Los Angeles Chargers and San Francisco 49ers.
Two division games, two AFC opponents, and one cross-country 10 am PT trip to start the year for the reigning champions. Our lone question to you this week is simple: Which of the first five games of Seattle’s season figures to be the most difficult? This doesn’t mean you think the Seahawks will lose that matchup, but it could nevertheless be a tough one to come away with a victory.
Answer in the survey below!
Check back later in the week for the full results!
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