Porterville Recorder

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Amber Alert issued for missing 4-year-old Vancouver girl

An Amber Alert has been issued in California for a 4-year-old Vancouver, Washington girl who police believe was abducted by her non-custodial mother.

KATU-TV reports 4-yearold Aranza Ochoa Lopez has been in foster care since 2017, after being removed from her mother’s home. Authoritie­s believe they may be headed to Mexico.

Aranza was on a courtsuper­vised visit Thursday with her mother, Esmeralda Lopez, when police say she was abducted.

Vancouver police say they weren’t contacted for several hours after Lopez and her daughter vanished. It’s unclear how Lopez slipped away.

The California Highway Patrol issued an Amber Alert on Saturday.

KATU News asked Vancouver police why an Amber Alert was issued days after the girl went missing. They didn’t immediatel­y respond.

Lopez was last seen driving a 2005 Chevy Cobalt with Washington plates “BLK 1552.”

Man fatally shot after stopping to help motorist on highway

Police say a man was shot and killed when he stopped to help a motorist who appeared stranded along a Southern California freeway.

The Union-tribune reports the victim was identified as 21-year-old Curtis Adams, an active duty member of the Navy in San Diego.

Officials say Adams was driving with his girlfriend south on Interstate 15 early Saturday when they spotted a man next to a vehicle stopped on the shoulder.

San Diego police Lt. Anthony Dupree says the couple pulled over to help, and Adams was immediatel­y shot as he exited his car. He died at a hospital.

Dupree says the shooter got back in his vehicle and drove south. Detectives are questionin­g a man detained a short time later near a similar vehicle that was stopped along the same freeway. RIVERSIDE

Judge: accused cop killer mentally fit for death penalty

A judge has ruled that the man accused of killing two California police officers in an ambush-style attack is mentally fit to be executed if found guilty.

The Los Angeles Times reports the judge on Friday rejected a defense motion to strike the death penalty for John Felix. His attorneys contend the 28-year-old is too intellectu­ally disabled to face capital punishment.

Felix has pleaded not guilty to murder.

Palm Springs officers Lesley Zerebny and Jose “Gil” Vega were killed in 2016 while responding to a call about domestic violence. Prosecutor­s say Felix was wearing body armor when he opened fire on the officers with an AR-15 rifle.

Vega was a 35-year veteran months away from retirement when he was killed.

Zerebny was a rookie officer just back from maternity leave.

Duo to attend all 5 pro home games amid LA sports ‘equinox’

Los Angeles is experienci­ng a so-called “sports equinox,” with all five major profession­al U.S. sports teams playing at home on the same day: hockey, football, soccer, baseball and basketball. And two adventurou­s LA boosters plan on attending all five games.

City News Service reports the plan was hatched by Doane Liu, general manager of LA’S tourism department, and Branimir Kvartuc, communicat­ions director for Councilman Joe Buscaino.

The pair will use ridehailin­g services Sunday to catch the LA Kings, Rams, Galaxy, Dodgers and Clippers.

Liu and Kvartuc expect to spend about $700 each on tickets.

They’ll be posting about their adventures on social media.

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