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California nudist community 'on edge' after 'nightmare' double murder; next-door neighbor arrested

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California nudist community 'on edge' after 'nightmare' double murder; next-door neighbor arrested

Members of a nudist resort outside of Los Angeles said their once idyllic community has dissolved into a “nightmare” after the neighbor of a California couple was charged in their murder.

“It’s a nightmare,” Tony Wiley, 69, told People. “You hear stuff like this on the news, but you never imagine in a lifetime that it would be one of your friends, and in such a bizarre way.”

Laurie Riffel, 69, told the outlet residents feel “on guard” following the double murder.

“There’s a dark cloud over us,” she said. “There’s just a feeling of being on guard all the time, an apprehension of not being safe here.”

CALIFORNIA NUDIST RESORT NEIGHBOR CHARGED WITH MURDER AFTER COUPLE DISAPPEARS

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The feeling of uneasiness came after the Redlands Police Department announced the arrest of 62-year-old Michael Sparks Aug. 30 in the death of Stephanie and Daniel Menard at the Olive Dell Ranch in Colton. He was later charged with two counts of murder.

The Menards were last seen Aug. 24, police say.  (Redlands Police Department)

In a press conference following the discovery of the Menards’ remains, City of Redlands spokesperson Carl Baker said Sparks was found hiding underneath his home Thursday night after not responding to police for several hours.

He had been hiding inside a 5-foot deep concrete space under the home, which forced officers to remove the front wall of the house, police said.

Baker said the suspect attempted to commit suicide when police first discovered him hiding.

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“He did have a rifle, and he did attempt to kill himself when police discovered him, but the rifle misfired,” Baker said. 

The next morning, a cadaver dog was used to search for the couple’s bodies at Sparks’ home. Baker said “the dog did alert, indicating the presence of a body somewhere underneath the house.”

Michael Royce Sparks, 62, was charged with two counts of murder. (Redlands Police Department)

Members of the clothing-optional community told People tensions between the Menards and Sparks reached a breaking point over the pruning of a tree that shaded their properties.

“I’ve talked to them, and I know they had an issue about a tree getting cut because of branches going over to the Menards’ place,” Tony Garrett, 63, told People. “But I can’t say that’s all of it. I can’t say it’s just one thing.”

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“When I first got here, he was telling me which neighbors he liked, which neighbors he could do without, and then he pointed in their direction. He goes, ‘And I hate those f—ers,’” Tammie Wilkerson, 61, told People. 

“I’m like, ‘Dang, Sparky, that’s a little rough.’ And that’s when he told me the tree thing. I was thinking it’s a lot to hate somebody. There may be other reasons. I don’t know. Only he knows.

“I don’t know if that’s what caused this or if he just snapped one day. I really don’t know.”

The Redlands Police Department says the Menards’ dog, Cuddles, has not been found. (Redlands Police Department)

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Residents remembered the couple for their warm personalities. 

“They had a great little home for the two of them and their dog,” the couple’s friend, Michelle Ann Archambault Reese, told People. “They had a beautiful outside patio area to kick back at. They were just somebody you wanted a hug from. They were just wonderful people.”

Neighbors said Sparks appeared to be more of a loner.

 

“You’d see him once in a while, but mostly he liked his hot tub,” said Garrett. “He wasn’t a bad guy. He was no different than the other residents. Just a little more quiet, a little more reserved.”

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“He said he hated the ‘textile world’ and that he had always been a nudist from as long as he could remember,” Wilkerson told the outlet.



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UC Davis professor who posted violent threats against ‘Zionists’ keeps job after discipline

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UC Davis professor who posted violent threats against ‘Zionists’ keeps job after discipline

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A UC Davis professor who drew widespread backlash after posting that “Zionist journalists” and their children should fear for their lives was suspended without pay for one academic quarter and remains employed by the university.

Jemma DeCristo, an assistant professor in the American Studies program who identifies as transgender, was the subject of an internal investigation following a social media post shared days after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. The university’s investigative report, completed in June 2024, was released publicly last week in response to a public-records request, as first reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

On Oct. 10, 2023, DeCristo posted on X: “One group of ppl we have easy access to in the US is all these Zionist journalists who spread propaganda & misinformation… they have houses w addresses, kids in school… they can fear their bosses, but they should fear us more.” The post included emojis depicting a knife, an axe and drops of blood.

The post went viral a week later after being amplified by conservative commentators, such as the late Turning Point USA founder, Charlie Kirk, who called the professor’s post a threat of terrorism.

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Charlie Kirk called attention to Jemma DeCristo’s post in October 2023. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA ORDERED TO REINSTATE LAW STUDENT WHO WAS EXPELLED AFTER ANTI-JEWISH COMMENTS

According to the investigative report authored by UC Davis School of Law Dean Kevin R. Johnson and the outside law firm London & Stout, DeCristo told investigators the post was intended as satire and not a literal call to violence.

DeCristo claimed the language was intended to be “a sarcastic response to distressing geopolitical events,” and the message was not intended to be taken seriously.

The professor refused to issue a clarification or apology, according to the report, telling investigators, “it would just fuel the right-wing media that was harassing her.”

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UC Davis concluded in their report that while the professor did not intend the post to be a literal threat, its language “injured members of the Jewish community,” caused fear for children’s safety, and triggered “a ripple effect of anxiety and increased burden on campus.” The report concluded the professor violated the faculty code of conduct regarding the university’s ethical principles and recommended discipline.

Memorial Union from a Distance at the University of California-Davis campus in Davis, California, taken on July 21, 2025. (istock)

TEXAS A&M COMMITTEE FINDS PROFESSOR’S FIRING OVER TRANSGENDER-RELATED LESSON UNJUSTIFIED

The investigation also documented “significant disruption” to university operations, including receiving hundreds of e-mails with demands that DeCristo be fired, complaints from students and staff over safety concerns and donations being jeopardized. At least one major donor threatened to withhold six-figure gifts unless DeCristo was terminated, according to the report.

A faculty panel in June 2025 recommended DeCristo be censured, but Chancellor Gary S. May decided that suspension was warranted as well.

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UC Davis confirmed to Fox News Digital that DeCristo was suspended for the fall academic quarter and did not receive pay from Oct. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2025. DeCristo is not currently teaching but remains employed by the university.

“The chancellor suspended the faculty member without pay for one academic quarter and placed a Letter of Censure in the faculty member’s personnel file,” a statement from the university read. “The letter will remain in the faculty member’s personnel file for the duration of the faculty member’s employment with UC.”

Kerr Hall, UC Davis, Davis, California. Taken April 8, 2015. (Joseph DeSantis/Getty Images)

PROFESSOR SLAMMED FOR ‘DESPICABLE BEHAVIOR’ WITH CONTROVERSIAL REPOSTS ON CHARLIE KIRK

In the letter of censure, May wrote that both investigators and the hearing panel found a failure to recognize the “deep pain and significant disruption” caused to the university community and a failure to offer clarification or apology that could have mitigated the impact.

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“Particularly where students were among those who suffered as a result of your actions,” May wrote, “your glaring lack of insight into the harm you caused is in direct conflict with your obligation to protect and preserve conditions hospitable to student learning.”

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DeCristo did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Fox News’ David Rutz contributed to this report.

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San Francisco, CA

San Francisco Bay Ferry fleet brings back live music after 25 years

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San Francisco Bay Ferry fleet brings back live music after 25 years


East Bay ferry commuters on Friday got some very special surprises during their evening commutes on one San Francisco Bay Ferry line. Soon, other commuters on other lines may get the same treatment.          

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Sweet, soothing music

Beyond the beautiful views and cocktails, folks who took the ferry between San Francisco and Richmond on Friday evening got an extra treat; something they haven’t done in more than two decades: live music.

Lolah, a San Jose solo artist and band member, sang songs for fans and Friday commuters to their surprise and delight. “I think it’s very entertaining after a long day at work, and it makes the ferry really enjoyable compared to BART,” said commuter John Schmidt.

Jess Jenkins read about it online. “It’s a little bit out of my way. Yeah, but I was excited to try and check out the live music on the ferry. I think making public transit attractive to use is like, yeah, great for everybody,” said Jenkins. “Fantastic. I mean this is the most beautiful city in the world, sunset, a little music. What more could you want in the world?” said passenger Josh Bamberger.

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Commuter and artist Marco Sorenson sketched Lolah. “It’s great. This was a real surprise tonight, fascinating; on the boat anyway, so this adds a little extra,” said Sorenson.

The singer loves her art and audiences. It’s an opportunity for musicians like me because we want to go out there and share your work, your art. So you feed on the energy from the audience and the audience feeds from the energy from you,” said Lolah who books her gigs through Lolahentertainment.com.

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Bay ferries had music before

Twenty-five years ago, before the dot-com crash, it was a spontaneous twice-a-month Friday event. “It was just a group of enthusiastic ferry riders from Oakland that put it all together. So, it gathered a following. People would come, get on the boat and just never get off the boat, just continuously two round trips, and we were grateful for it,” said three-year SF Bay Ferry Captain Tim Patrick.

Ultimately, it interfered with the evening commute. “And then we kind of put a stop to it because it became too successful,” said Caprain Patrick.

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This time, SF Bay Ferry itself is sponsoring even to bolster ridership at commute time as well as on weekends. “We’re definitely kind of testing the waters, experimenting with what we’re able to do in a venue such as the ferries; beautiful and scenic,” said SF Bay Ferry spokesperson Teo Saragi.

What’s next:

On Friday, January 16, entertainment will be provided by a DJ between the city and Vallejo. 

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The Friday after, Lolah returns. “We’re also in the process of brainstorming potential trivia nights or comedy nights,” said spokesperson Saragi.

What was successful 25 years ago, could become successful again on a much bigger ferry system with a lot more lines, because people love live music, they love the ferries; throw in a cocktail and call it a party.

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Denver, CO

Broncos offensive line is the engine that drives offense

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Broncos offensive line is the engine that drives offense


I’ve been covering the Denver Broncos for his entire career and I remember writing up some pretty harsh criticism of his play early on — especially in regards to holding penalties. I recall at one point he was committing holding penalties at a record-breaking rate. He was so far above the rest of the field that he’d break charts if anyone tried to chart it. The best part of that saga is that he never let the outside noise (from me and many others) get to him. He worked on his craft and he got better. And then got even better to the point where it is pretty clear that he is one of the best left tackles in all of football. He is going to go down as one of the best tackles in franchise history too when its all said and done. It’s a great comeback story.

All that said, he wasn’t the only one of the Broncos players on that offensive line to make an impact with guard Quinn Meinerz also being named a PFF All-Pro player. The whole offensive line has been dominant in nearly every category and is the main engine that has driven the offenses successes this season.

4) Denver Broncos
Team OLi Grade: 83.0
Best-Ranked OL: Garett Bolles, 89.0 (7th overall, 3rd position)
Worst-Ranked OL: Alex Palczewski, 63.5 (159th overall, 61st position)

And one more to complete the picture comes from Sharp Football Analysis who has the Broncos ranked fifth-overall in their NFL Offensive Line Stats:

There is so much evidence that shows the trenches on both side of the ball is what has brought the success of the 2025 Broncos. It’s an area that Sean Payton has said in the past is always an area of focus. He knows you don’t win consistently if your team is being dominated in the trenches.

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