Storms bearing down on waterlogged Southern Calif. could cause more flooding and mudslides

WRIGHTWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Southern California braced Thursday for another powerful storm system that could cause more flooding and mudslides a day after heavy rain and gusty winds were blamed for at least two deaths. Forecasters said the region could see its wettest Christmas in years, increasing the risk of debris flows in areas scorched by wildfires in January. Those burn scar zones have been stripped of vegetation by fire and are less able to absorb water. On Wednesday, a falling tree killed a San Diego man, local news outlets reported. Farther north, a Sacramento sheriff’s deputy died in what appeared to be a weather-related crash.

Christmas Eve winner in Arkansas lands a $1.817 billion Powerball lottery jackpot

(AP) — A Powerball ticket purchased at a gas station outside Little Rock, Arkansas, won a $1.817 billion jackpot in Wednesday’s Christmas Eve drawing, ending the lottery game’s three-month stretch without a top-prize winner. The winning numbers were 04, 25, 31, 52 and 59, with the Powerball number being 19. The winning ticket was sold at a Murphy USA in Cabot, lottery officials in Arkansas said Thursday. No one answered the phone Thursday at the location, which was closed for Christmas. Final ticket sales pushed the jackpot higher than previous expected, making it the second-largest in U.S. history and the largest Powerball prize of 2025, according to www.powerball.com. The jackpot had a lump sum cash payment option of $834.9 million.

Grand jury declines to indict man in shooting that killed teen at Kentucky State University

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A grand jury has declined to indict a father of two Kentucky State University students who was charged with murder in an on-campus shooting that killed one student and critically injured another. Defense attorney Scott Danks said in a Tuesday social media post that grand jurors decided not to indict his client, Jacob Lee Bard, for the Dec. 9 shooting. Bard’s attorneys have said that 20 to 30 people had gathered to attack his son and family, and that he was justified in shooting two people who were beating his son.

Tina Peters asks Colo. appeals court to recognize Trump’s pardon, release her from prison

DENVER (AP) — Former Colorado elections clerk Tina Peters is asking the state appeals court to recognize President Donald Trump’s pardon of her state convictions as valid. In a motion Tuesday, Peters’ lawyers said the Colorado appeals court no longer has jurisdiction over her case because of a Dec. 5 pardon issued by Trump. They also asked the court to release her from prison because of the pardon. Peters, the former Mesa County, Colorado clerk, was convicted of state crimes there for orchestrating a data breach scheme driven by false claims about voting machine fraud in the 2020 presidential race. Trump’s pardon power does not extend to state crimes.